LifeHiscost Posted November 15, 2009 Posted November 15, 2009 " > > ONE OF THE BEST STORIES > I'VE EVER HEARD! > As she > stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day > of school, she told the children an untruth. Like most > teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved > them all the same. However, that was impossible, because > there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little > boy named Teddy Stoddard. > Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and > noticed that he did not play well with the other children, > that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a > bath. In addition, Teddy could be unpleasant. It got to the > point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in > marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold > X's and then putting a big 'F' at the top of his > papers. > At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was > required to review each child's past records and she put > Teddy's off until last. However, when she reviewed his > file, she was in for a surprise. > Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, 'Teddy is > a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly > and has good manners... he is a joy to be around..' > > > > His second grade teacher wrote, 'Teddy is an > excellent student, well liked by his classmates, but he is > troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life > at home must > be a struggle.' > > His > third grade teacher wrote, 'His mother's death has > been hard on him. He tries to do his best, but his father > doesn't show much interest, and his home life will soon > affect him if some steps aren't taken.' > > Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, > 'Teddy is withdrawn and do esn't show much interest > in school. He doesn't have many friends and he sometimes > sleeps in class.' > > By now, Mrs. > Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of > herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her > Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright > paper, except for Teddy's. His present was clumsily > wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he got from a grocery > bag. Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of > the other presents. > Some of the children started to laugh when she found a > rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a > bottle that was one-quarter full of perfume.. But she > stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how > pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of > the perfume on her wrist. Teddy Stoddard stayed after school > that day just long enough to say, 'Mrs. Thompson, today > you smelled just like my Mom used to.' > > After the children left, > she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she quit > teaching reading, writing and arithmetic. Instead, she began > to teach children. Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention > to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come > alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. > By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest > children in the class and, > despite her lie that she would love all the children the > same, Teddy became one of her 'teacher's > pets..' > > A > year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, > telling her that she was the best teacher he ever had in his > whole life. > > Six > years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He > then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his > class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in > life. > > Four > years after that, she got another letter, saying that while > things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, > had stuck w ith it, and would soon graduate from college > with the highest of honours. He assured Mrs. Thompson that > she was still the > best and favorite teacher he had ever had in his whole > life. > > Then four > more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he > explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he > decided to go a little further. The letter explained that > she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had. But > now his name was a little longer.... The letter was signed, > Theodore F. Stoddard, MD. > > The story > does not end there. You see, there was yet another letter > that spring. Teddy said he had met this girl and was going > to be married. He explained that his father had died a > couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson > might agree to sit at the wedding in the place that was > usually reserved for the mother of the groom. Of course, > Mrs. > Thompson did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the > one with several rhinestones missing. Moreover, she made > sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his > mother wearing on their last Christmas together. > > They > hugged each other, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. > Thompson's ear, 'Thank you Mrs. Thompson for > believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel > important and showing me that I could make a > difference.' > > Mrs.. Thompson, with > tears in her eyes, whispered back.. She said, 'Teddy, > you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I > could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach > until I met you.' > (For you > that don't know, Teddy > Stoddard is the Dr at Iowa Methodist in Des Moines that > has the Stoddard Cancer Wing.) > > Warm > someone's heart today. . . Random acts of kindness, > I think they call it! > > 'Believe in Angels, > then return the favor." Blessings! Quote Lift Jesus up!!
Members phkrause Posted November 15, 2009 Members Posted November 15, 2009 That was awesome LifeHisCost, I've got tears in my eyes. That was very moving. pk Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
GreatLakesGramma Posted November 16, 2009 Posted November 16, 2009 A nice story, so long as you keep in mind it's a work of fiction. It was written in 1976 by Elizabeth Ballard, and published in "Home Life" magazine. The idea for her story came from combining an experience of a Sunday School teacher friend of hers, who received a gift of cheap perfume and a broken rhinestone bracelet from a child, and an experience from her own childhood, when her classmates laughed at her gift to their teacher, until the teacher declared the gift of hand-picked pecans to be just what she needed for the fruitcakes she was planning to make. Teddy Bared Quote Catherine God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:26. "To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you." -- C. S. Lewis
LifeHiscost Posted November 16, 2009 Author Posted November 16, 2009 A nice story, so long as you keep in mind it's a work of fiction. It was written in 1976 by Elizabeth Ballard, and published in "Home Life" magazine. The idea for her story came from combining an experience of a Sunday School teacher friend of hers, who received a gift of cheap perfume and a broken rhinestone bracelet from a child, and an experience from her own childhood, when her classmates laughed at her gift to their teacher, until the teacher declared the gift of hand-picked pecans to be just what she needed for the fruitcakes she was planning to make. Teddy Bared Quote Lift Jesus up!!
Members phkrause Posted November 16, 2009 Members Posted November 16, 2009 Very interesting quote from EGW, LifeHiscost. pk Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.