Letter to the Editor

A time to be thankful

Sunday, November 27, 2011

To the Editor:

As the Thanksgiving holiday is here and Christmas is around the corner, many people take time to reflect.

Our family has many reasons to be thankful every day, especially this year.

Our family would like to thank the teachers and staff of North Clay Middle School and Charley Jackson, Jan Gambill, Athletic Directors, middle school coaches and Northview/North Clay soccer coaches and teams.

One of our children has had many health issues since starting at the middle school.

This year has been the scariest for us.

The teachers and staff of North Clay have rallied around our child, taking extra measures to keep his area clean, sterile, keep a watchful eye over him. We've received more phone calls and e-mails of his progress than we ever expected with a student body of their size.

The hardest part for us is to let him out of our sight.

But we have no fears knowing he is in a caring, compassionate and truly remarkable environment.

The most impressive part of these teachers and staff members is their asking to put our child on their Prayer lists at church, keeping us in prayer.

These teachers have gone over and beyond with not just our sick child, but with our other children, asking them how they are doing, sometimes just a smile goes a long way.

I asked coaches to keep our other children busy during the many tests and the worst days, and they readily did so, keeping the others distracted having a focal point. These people have been a blessing to us.

One of the most impressive sermons I have heard was our minister saying you can ask God for patience, understanding and compassion. God can't give you those things, but He will give you instances to demonstrate these qualities, whether you rise to the occasion is your personal decision.

We have not encountered a teacher, athletic director and most coaches who have not risen to this occasion for our family.

I am truly grateful that God led us to sending our children to North Clay Middle School since we are not in this district, nor did we start out in public school.

Our hope and prayers for all, is that when given the chance to rise to show compassion, understanding and generosity (it may be a few minutes here or there), seize the moment, you don't know how your actions, words of kindness affect a child and their family.

The teachers, staff of North Clay Middle School, has definitely risen to such occasions.

Norman and Susan Thomas,

Center Point