How to Live in the Mystery of Life and Love It / Coping With The Fear / No School Until May 4

Dedicated
with all my Love
to the precious memory of
Eugene R. Retz.

I have a Family Heritage
I am very Proud of.
.
My Uncle,
Eugene R. Retz,
fought in the Battle of Bulge.
He was captured by German forces
and spent over a year
as a prisoner of war.
He truly suffered from the experience
his entire Life
from coming close to death
by starvation.

He was
as Kind and Loving
and Compassionate
a Man
as I have ever met.

His precious Life
epitomized
Courage
Dedication
and
Love.
.
“I recall when Gene was released from prisoner of war.
I believe it was close to Christmas time
and I was a young boy of about 8 years old.
I had just received an electric American Flyer train for Christmas.
On several occasions, Gene would come over to my home
and he and I would play (to my Joy) with the electric train.
At that time, I knew him only
as gentle and seemingly frail.”
Frank (Pinky) Swihel, Jr.
July 24, 2008 | Surprise, AZ

“The great Beauty of Life
is its Mystery,
the inability to know
what course our Life will take,
and diligently work to transmute
into our final form,
based upon a Lifetime of constant discovery
and enterprising effort.
Accepting
the unknown and unknowable
eliminates regret.”
– K. J. Oldster

My Dear Friends,
no matter how much we learn
about ourselves and our complexities
and that of other Beautiful Living Creations, 
scientists have not answered
the truly important question –

What is Life?

There are times
when we feel as though 
we have lived many Lives,
been to the heights and depths
of Mountains and Valleys,
and never known rest,
never become aware
of the Gifts of so many years,
of the beating Hearts
of so many precious Lives.

My Friends,
we must Live by Faith
to possess all that is truly ours,
ALL
that God has gifted
to us.

“We live by Faith,
not by sight.”
2 Corinthians 5:7

God
controls the whole vastness
of the great Mysteries
of ALL things.

He Abides
with every beat of every Heart,
with every up-lifted cry
of our pleading voice,
with the crash of our fragile emotions,
and with the whirl of the wind
across the shifting sands
of Time.

“Why
do we resist the Mystery
that change brings?
When we get too rigid and inflexible,
rigor mortise of the Soul
sets in.”
– Dennis Merritt Jones

      There is so much more to Life, than Living.

If
you find yourself exhausted
from the cares and worries
of this Life,
close your tired eyes,
sit motionless for a few moments
and breathe deeply.
Immerse yourself
in a conversation
with your Heavenly Father,
in Prayer.
Go outside of the artificial constructions
of Human Kind.
Go into the Beautiful Cathedral of God,
into His Natural World
of the Great and Vast
Garden of Living Treasures.

Become intensely aware
of all of the Beautiful Life around you,
the breathing leaves
of His Beautiful whispering Trees,
the singing and chattering of Joyful birds,
of the Vibrant Living Earth,
of the Moment
and the Mystery.

There is
so much more
to Life,
than Living.

Speak
to the Majesty
of this Moment
in the Language of the Heart.
Pray
and give Thanks
for the bountiful and Beautiful
Life
we cannot even define.

The power of awareness
  plows a deep furrow
into the Human Heart.

“To one who has Faith,
no explanation is necessary.
To one without Faith,
no explanation is possible.” 
– Thomas Aquinas

As our tears purify the Heart
and give us understanding,
they unite
with Hearts joined
in ever searching
for Love.

                           Garden of Living Treasures

“Who can say when the roads meet
That Love might be in your Heart.
And who can say when the day sleeps
If the night keeps all your Heart.

Who can say if your love grows
As your heart chose
– Only time.
And who can say where the road goes
Where the day flows,
only time.
Who knows?
Only time.”
– Enya
.
Your smiles join you
to God’s Ecstasy.
And our tears unite us
with Hearts joined in misery.

Beyond this day
appears the Dawn of
Hope.

The Power
of God’s Everlasting Love
is sown deep
into the Human Heart.
It resides
in the valleys
of our fears.
For we are
His deeply Loved
Children.

“We,
by Nature,
don’t want to have to Trust a God
we cannot see or understand,
we are happiest when,
having Trusted Him,
we have found Him Trustworthy.
Doing so at the time
may have seemed imprudent,
but in retrospect
seems at once sage and courageous.”
– Seth Barnes

The River of Life
will flow from this Day
into Tomorrow,
and turn our fears and our sorrow
into Joy and laughter.

Such is the Power
of Love.

This moment
is always given to us
to be a redefining moment,
when we may look more deeply
into the Mystery of Life
  and learn how to become
fully aware
of where we are
and what we are doing.
 
We stand before
an open door
in this and every moment
God grants to us.

Let us open every door
  and step into
a deeper awareness
of God’s Love
for us.

We truly are
Blessed.

We are Truly Loved
by God.
.
Let us share
His Love.

Goodnight.

Coping with the Fear

of COVID-19

by Diana Raab, MFA, Ph.D., author, speaker, educator, and survivor. She’s written nine books of nonfiction and poetry, including the recent Writing for Bliss and Writing for Bliss:  A Companion Journal.
click here to read more

The news has petrified us about the possibilities. Here’s how to cope.

Posted Mar 09, 2020 in Psychology Today

Confronting fear leads to a sense of accomplishment and a sense of empowerment, and allows us to feel a little more control over situations. The point of this blog post is not to provide a rationale for fear, but rather to suggest ways in which we can balance our fear by maintaining a sense of well-being during these types of challenging times. Try these self-care tips in the wake of fear:

 

• Maintain a calm state of self-awareness and limit the amount of time you watch or listen to the news. It’s important to know what’s going on in the world, but you also need to know when to turn off the TV or stop reading the news and maintain a sense of balance. Tell yourself that being fearful might be causing some chaos in your life.
  .
• Connect with others. Try to interact with positive-thinking individuals and those who have a good influence on you. These individuals can be friends or even a therapist. Listen to your heart and determine who resonates with your worldview. Studies have shown that loneliness can lead to the stress response, so try not to isolate yourself. With the most recent orders for “Safety in Place,” and lockdown, connecting via email, phone and letter writing is very important to minimize the chance of loneliness.
  .
  
• Reduce stress. When stressed, cortisol production is increased. Cortisol helps fight inflammation in the body, but when it’s constantly secreted, then it’s less effective in fighting inflammation and disease. To reduce stress in your life, try maintaining a regular meditation practice, practicing yoga, and incorporating proper breathing techniques into your daily routine.
  .
  
• Use humor, which is an excellent way to temper fear. It also helps keep things light and not so intense.
  .
  
• Build your immunity. Those with strong immune systems minimize their chances of getting sick, so get proper exercise, eat well, and take the necessary supplements. Also, research has shown that those who get at least seven hours of sleep a night have more resistance to viruses, and thus have fewer side effects.
  .
  
• Eat healthy foods. Try to avoid processed foods and sweeteners. Some foods that can contribute to your overall health include citrus fruits, red bell peppers, broccoli, garlic, ginger, spinach, almonds, yogurt, green tea, papaya, kiwi, poultry, sunflower seeds, and shellfish. Also, remember to stay hydrated and minimize alcohol consumption.
  .
  
• Practice gratitude. When you’re feeling fearful, try replacing that emotion with an appreciation for all the good in your life. Even when under lockdown, it’s important to be grateful for having a roof over your head and some food in your refrigerator.
  .
  
• Maintain a journaling practice. Journaling is a safe place where you can vent about your fears and frustrations. Sometimes writing can help you work through what’s bothering you. It can help you get out of the rabbit hole of negativity about how “awful” everything is. Gratitude journaling is also a powerful practice.
  .
  
• Take up a hobby (or more than one). Think about what brings you peace of mind and also gives you pleasure, whether it’s golf, tennis, crafts, games, art, music, writing, or watching movies. Also, reading a good book can open your mind to new ideas and thought processes – especially inspirational memoirs and novels. There are many things you can do in the solitude of your home.
  .
  
• Consider hypnosis. This can help eliminate negative thought patterns and beliefs. (It’s more successful for some than for others.)
  .
• Practice good hygiene. Use hand sanitizers of proper hand washing techniques when in contact with anyone or anything outside your home. Hand washing is critical for disease prevention and spread, especially before eating and during food preparation. It’s important to wash for at least 20 seconds. Cover your mouth when coughing and sneezing, and if you do have to cough or sneeze, do so into the inside of your elbow. In general, viruses can live on surfaces for at least 24 hours, so viruses can be easily passed among family members. Make sure to frequently wipe down surfaces.

In summary,
accept the fact that this strain of coronavirus is part of our existence now and the numbers seem to be increasing by the minute. This virus is very contagious and it’s symptoms more serious than many in the past. While dealing with the difficulties of this time, It’s important to affirm the positive and remember what is good and powerful in our lives. Surrendering can bring about a sense of peace and calm; and in doing so, we’re empowering ourselves and not allowing fear to control us.

                                   Anderson Private School
                                            School Calendar
                                                 2019-2020
.
Second Semester  Jan. 7 – May 22
Until at least May 4                    No school by order of the Governor
May 18 (Monday)                      If School is in session: Preparation Day for Adventure Trip
May 19 – 22                              Adventure Trip
May 22                                      Last Day of Semester

Dr. & Mrs. Anderson may schedule 2-5 additional days
(to be announced later) for In-service Training.
Visit our website at http://www.andersonschool.net
for updated information.

 

.

Meeting General George Patton / MANY Other Wars to Fight / Friday: Museum of Science and History

 Honoring truly great leaders:
General George S. Patton Jr.
and his son
General George Patton IV

George S. Patton was perhaps
the finest general
to ever lead men into battle.
He was a true American Hero.
And was the only Allied General
feared by the Nazis
in World War II.

George Smith Patton, born in 1885,
was educated at the American Military Academy.

As a child he had difficulty learning to read and write,
but overcame this.
Later in his adult life he became an avid reader.
He was Home schooled,
like our precious children,
until the age of eleven.
Then he was enrolled in Stephen Clark’s School for Boys,
a private school in Pasadena.
  He was a highly intelligent child
and widely read classical military history.

Following graduation he became
an aide-de-camp to General Pershing
in his valiant campaign against Pancho Villa.
And George S. Patton was linked
with daring exploits as this
throughout his military career.

A highly intelligent child .

Following his promotion to Lieutenant Colonel in 1934
in Hawaii, he foresaw the possibility
of a Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
with a remarkable degree of foresight
and sent a note about it,
four years before the attack occurred.

Following the end of World War II,
on December 9, 1945, General George S. Patton
was severely injured in a traffic accident.
He and his chief of staff were on a day trip
to hunt pheasants
in the country outside Mannheim.
Patton was sitting in the back seat of his 1938 Cadillac.
And at 11:45 a. m., near Neckarstadt,
a truck made a left turn in front of the Cadillac.
Patton’s car hit the front of the truck at a low speed.

Patton’s dog Willie mourns his master.             (This photo moved me to tears.)

Patton was buried at the Luxembourg American Cemetery
in Hamm, Luxembourg along with others in the Third Army.
His request was to be buried with his men.

On March 19, 1947,
his body was moved from the original grave site
to its current prominent location
at the head of his former troops.

My Dear Friends,
I was privileged and Honored
to recently visit the Luxembourg American Cemetery
and the place where General Patton
was laid to rest,
along with over five thousand
of his valiant soldiers
who gave their last full measure of Devotion
to you and me.

By the way,
the American Battle Monuments Commission
maintains 24 permanent American burial grounds
on foreign soil.
Presently there are 124,909 U.S. war dead
interred at these cemeteries.
The total number of Americans
who died for our freedom
in all wars,
is approximately
1,264,000
– 620,000 in the Civil War
and 644,000 in all other conflicts.

Monument in honor of General George Patton Jr.

Our freedom
is the most expensive
thing on this planet.
When you see a Veteran,
thank him or her,
and do what you can
for that wonderful person.

It is difficult
for me to convey the emotion
that I felt
upon visiting the graves
of so very, very many
who lost their lives
combating evil
and tyranny.
I am in tears
as I try to express
my admiration, gratitude and Love
for these truly
Brave and Beautiful People.

Military leaders like General Patton
are very few and very far between.
Please take note of the fact that
we have had military leaders at the precise time
when we needed them for conflicts,
when this country
was truly in need
in order for our country
to survive.

We have been truly Blessed
to have such great leaders
in our desperate times.
I Believe
that his precious Life
was a Gift
to our Nation
from Almighty God.

General George Patton was a man
equal to none.

“I Love this Man
and I think he was terribly under used and maligned.
We need Men like him today.
Gen. Patton was one of the best military minds ever.
May he be resting in the sweetest of
Peace and Grace.”
– Pam pamellita

I was especially moved
to visit his grave
and the George Patton Museum
after having met his son,
General George Patton IV
at Fort Hood in 1977.

As fate would have it,
I was invited by the Husband
of my wonderful school secretary
to see Fort Hood.
At the time,
I served as the Principal
of LaVega Primary School.
Claudia Mitchell
mentioned to her Husband,
and member of the Army Reserve,
George Mitchell,
that I wanted to see Fort Hood.
And to my amazement,
she spoke with George
and arranged for me to accompany him
on his next trip.

The rest of the story
is like a Dream come true.

George Patton IV

Shortly after we arrived,
I noticed high in the sky
a very small helicopter
circling above us.
George and I
were visiting and looking at the landscape,
when this tiny copter suddenly
landed a few yards away.

I was startled
when a tall man
ducked down to get out
and came quickly
toward us.

He extended his hand
toward me
and introduced himself as
General George Patton!
I shook his hand
in shock and disbelief.

It was the son
of the very famous General Patton
of World War II.

He stated that he heard
I was here.
(obviously, Mr. Mitchell
shared information about me
before we arrived)
And he wanted to meet me.
Then he said
“I have been looking
for someone like you,
to be on my personal staff.”

I then looked around
to see who he was speaking to.
I found only
George Mitchell and me.

Then he asked,
“How old are you?”

I said I am twenty seven.
The General paused,
looked me up and down,
and stated that I was one year older
than officer’s candidate school would accept.

He shook my hand again
and said that it was nice
to meet me,
and then said thank you
to George,
crawled back into his tiny craft
and disappeared.

I looked at George Mitchell
and asked
“What the Hell?”

George Mitchell just chuckled
and we both slowly
walked away,
I, in disbelief.

                     “Willie”

As it turns out,
this General Patton
was the tenth in a family line of U.S. military men
in American History.

George Patton IV
served in Korea from 1953,
commanding “A” Company of the 140th Tank Battalion,
40th Infantry Division.
He received his first Silver Star
and the Purple Heart in Korea.

Returning to the United States in 1954,
He was assigned to West Point
but later was sent to teach at the
United States Naval Academy.

He served three tours of duty in Vietnam,
and then took command
of the 2nd Medium Tank Battalion, 81st Armored Regiment
of the 1st Armored Division at Fort Hood Texas.

During Patton’s final tour
he was awarded two Distinguished Service Crosses.
And, while in Vietnam, he frequently used helicopters as a mobile command post and was shot down three times and awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

After Vietnam,
he was promoted to Brigadier General
before becoming the commanding officer
of the U.S. 2nd Armored Division,
a unit his Father had commanded
in North Africa during World War II,
making this the first time in U.S. Army history
that a father and a son
had both commanded the same division.

          Visiting the wounded.

Like his Father,
Patton IV was a devout Episcopalian
and a believer in reincarnation.
He remembered visiting the site
of a Napoleonic battle in Regensburg, Germany,
where he was gripped by the feeling
that he had once been in combat there.
After his installation he went
to the post Chapel to meditate.
“While there,” he confessed,
“I not only felt the presence of God,
I also felt the presence of my Father.”

Brigadier General Patton
was Deputy Post Commander at Fort Knox during 1972.
He was known by the troops as a
“GI General,”
often appearing in the Dining Hall during meal times.
And often he would be behind the serving line.

At Fort Hood
Maj. Gen. George Smith Patton was again in charge
of the Second Armored Division.

To the division it seemed as though the two men
were one and the same,
that George Patton IV was an eerie reincarnation
of his Father, Old Blood and Guts.

Interestingly, he was also stationed near Stuttgart,
where Manfred Rommel, son of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel,
was Mayor of the city.
The sons of the two former adversaries entered into a friendship,
which continued until his death in 2004.
The men shared the same birthday, December 24.

He died from a form of Parkinson’s disease
at the age of 80 in 2004.

General Patton’s young grandson, who still is living,
makes interviews on the History Channel
and the Military Channel,
recalling his family heritage.

I, too,
have a Family Heritage
I am very proud of.
My Uncle,
Eugene R. Retz,
fought in the Battle of Bulge.
He was captured by German forces
and spent over a year
as a prisoner of war.
He suffered from the experience
his entire Life
from coming close to death
by starvation.
.
“I recall when Gene was released from prisoner of war.
I believe it was close to Christmas time
and I was a young boy of about 8 years old.
I had just received an electric American Flyer train for Christmas.
On several occasions, Gene would come over to my home
and he and I would play (to my Joy) with the electric train.
At that time, I knew him only
as gentle and seemingly frail.”
Frank (Pinky) Swihel, Jr.
July 24, 2008 | Surprise, AZ

Dear Friends,
we have many other
Wars
to fight.
And in these struggles,
YOUR
courage and leadership
is needed:

The use of alcohol
results in the death
of two and one half million people each year
and causes serious illness and injury
to many millions more.
Most deaths caused by alcohol results from
injuries, cancer, cardiovascular diseases and liver cirrhosis.

From our friends at Livescience.com:
Drinking alcohol in moderation is more harmful
than previously thought,
according to a new study that concludes
there is no “safe” level
of alcohol consumption.

The comprehensive study,
which analyzed information from millions of people
in nearly 200 countries, found that alcohol
is tied to nearly 3 million deaths globally each year.

What’s more, any protective health effects of alcohol
were offset by the drink’s risk,
including strong links between alcohol consumption
and the risk of cancer
and injuries such as those resulting from car accidents.
[7 Ways Alcohol Affects Your Health]

“The widely held view of the health benefits of alcohol
needs revising,”
the researchers wrote in their paper,
published online Aug. 23 in the journal The Lancet.
“Our results show that
the safest level of drinking is NONE.”
read more

People can be drawn to the sedative effects of alcohol
as a kind of medication,
helping to distract from persistent feelings of sadness.

While alcohol may temporarily relieve
some of the symptoms of depression,
it ultimately serves to worsen depression
on a long-term basis.

Alcohol
is a
depressant.

My Dear Friends,
allow your Love
to blossom into courage
and share your disdain
for this bacterial excrement
(Yes, that is exactly what it is).
Your children
need to know,
and they must know from
YOU,
the truth.

Stop consuming this
CRAP
(yes, it literally is),
especially in their presence.
By drinking in their presence
your are unknowingly giving
your stamp of approval.

The opinion
of a child’s Mother and Father
is more meaningful
to that child,
than any other information
they shall ever, ever
receive.

              A river of NO return.

On yet another battleground,
and there are MANY:

According to the
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention,
over 44,000 people try to commit suicide
each year in the United States.
In 2015, suicide was the second leading cause of death
in people 15 to 34 years of age
and third leading cause of death
in children aged 10 to 14,
according to the CDC.

Suicide has surpassed war
as the military’s leading cause of death.
War was the leading cause of death in the military
nearly every year between 2004 and 2011
until suicides became the top means dying.
More U.S. soldiers killed themselves
(468) than died in combat.

Improving diagnosis
of mental health conditions can help.
Most people who commit suicide
have seen a doctor within the last year,
but many do not get diagnosed with the mental illness
that will ultimately kill them.
Click here for 5 Myths About Suicide, Debunked

Wars
can never be won
in silence.

Please find the courage
to openly discuss the warning signs
and prevention.
Our very, very, fragile
and very HUMAN
brothers and sisters,
and sons and daughters,
need to hear YOU
voice your Love,
your concern,
and your compassion.

WE
have allowed our society to evolve
into an unbelievably complex and stressful
MESS!

Please take three giant steps backward
in time – toward those moments
when JOY was the order of the day.
Reflect upon those precious times
when you, and those around you,
were truly happy.

Now,
do, or do not do,
what took place,
or did not take place,
then,
in order to make you
happy.

      Joy is inside.

Joy does not simply happen to us.
Joy is inside
and not dependent on outside things.
In other words,
it’s a mindset.

Be Childlike.

Love every moment
for its sheer greatness.
Start paying attention to the details,
to the intricacies of life.
Life will amaze you.

Start Loving yourself
for who you are.
And who are
YOU?
No!
You do not know.
No one knows.
ONLY
God knows.

Go to your Father
in Heaven Above
and ASK
for help.

He will not
fail you.
He
LOVES
you.

Relive
the precious moments
when you felt
truly alive,
filled with
Joy.

      ASK for help.

.Visit places
and friends and family members
associated with Happy moments.
Listen to those Songs that inspired you
and made your Heart jump for Joy.
Get in touch with old friends
who were genuine towards you.

If you truly
want to be Joyful,
put your mind
outside
of your body.
DO SOMETHING
FOR SOMEONE ELSE!
Help another living person.
Put your mind to work
on THEIR problems and difficulties.
STOP thinking about
yourself.

The greatest feeling of JOY
your will ever come to know,
is when you help another
truly in need.

It is important to realize
that the mind can think of only
one thing
at a time.
And this,
My Friend,
is a GIFT.
If we put our mind to work
thinking of helping
someone other than
our self,
we simply cannot
focus upon our
worries, fears and problems.
Yes,
the inability to multi-task
(which is an illusion),
is truly a
Gift.
read more

So,
put this knowledge
to work.

                 Truly a Gift.

Take the time
to do the things
that truly
matter in Life.

NO.
You will not be as successful,
or driven
or egotistical,
or well dressed,
or deluded by the illusions of
wealth and money.

YOU
will be
Happy
and
alive.

Goodnight.

For Friday:
The Museum of Science and History

For Philosophy Class
this week:

2018-19 Anderson School Calendar

First Semester

Nov. 2                                                  Museum of Science & History

Nov. 19 – 23                                        Thanksgiving / Fall Break

T. B. A.                                                Texas A.G.T. Conference (no school)

Dec. 7                                                  Texas Civil War Museum (Do wars …………………………………………………….ever really end?)

Dec. 21 (Friday)                                   Last Day of Fall Semester

Dec. 24 – Jan. 7                                   Winter Break Holidays

Second Semester

January 8 – May 24   2019

Jan. 8 (Tuesday)                                 Second Semester begins

Jan. 21 (Monday)                               Rev. Dr. Martin L. King Holiday

Jan. 25 (Friday)                                  Fort Worth Stock Show

Feb. 18 (Monday)                               President’s Day Holiday

Mar. 8 (Friday)                                   Texas Storytelling Festival in Denton

Mar. 11 -15                                         Spring Break Holidays

April 19 & 22 (Fri. & Mon.)                 Good Friday & Easter Holidays

April 30, (Tuesday)                             Scarborough Renaissance Festival ………….                                               Student Day

May 20                                                Prep. Day for Adventure Trip        …………………………………………………….(no school)

May 21 – 24                                        Adventure Trip

May 24                                                Last Day of Semester

Dr. & Mrs. Anderson may schedule 2-5 additional days
(to be announced later) for In-service Training.
Visit our website at http://www.andersonschool.net
for updated information.

    The School Calendar is subject to change.
There are no make-up days
if school is closed due to
 inclement weather.

Inclement Weather Policy:
the school will close if Fort Worth I. S. D. is closed.

(Calendar 2018-2019 / approved 7-29-18)

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are property and copyright of their owners
and provided for educational purposes.

Copyright Disclaimer – Section 107 – Copyright Act 1976,
allowance is made for “fair use”
for purposes such as criticism, comment,
news reporting, teaching, scholarship,and research.
Fair use is permitted by copyright statute.
Non-profit, educational or personal use
tips the balance in favor of “fair use”.

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The Anderson Private School.

All Rights Reserved

                           Life requires reflection.