Some of my grandchildren will be starting school on Monday. Exciting times! As you know, I love new beginnings.
Did you ever wish that, when you were a little kid, you could give a speech on the first day of school, telling everybody who you are?
Last Sunday my minister, preaching about how wondrously God made us, asked for some assistance from a twelve year old church member named Izzy. Izzy has been giving First Day of School speeches since she was six.
Izzy was born with Ectodermal Dysplasia, a condition that halted the development of most of her fingers, teeth and toes. In preschool the other kids asked so many questions that, when Izzy started to first grade, she wanted to give a speech about her condition, thereby making her and all of the other kids feel welcome and comfortable with who they are.
So she did. And then she wrote a book!
It's called, "First Day Speech." It's about a little boy named Nathan going off to his first day of school. It's published by Wild Onion Press, a publishing company that specializes in books staring kids with physical differences. Izzy's book is the winner of the Grace McClelland Prize because it exemplifies what this publishing house is all about.
But everybody who reads this book will be blessed. Because, don't we all have physical differences?
Izzy blessed all of us in church last Sunday by giving us her First Day Speech. She's a beautiful young woman and, I understand, a ferocious soccer player.
***
Did you ever wish that, when you were a little kid, you could give a speech on the first day of school, telling everybody who you are?
Izzy was born with Ectodermal Dysplasia, a condition that halted the development of most of her fingers, teeth and toes. In preschool the other kids asked so many questions that, when Izzy started to first grade, she wanted to give a speech about her condition, thereby making her and all of the other kids feel welcome and comfortable with who they are.
So she did. And then she wrote a book!
It's called, "First Day Speech." It's about a little boy named Nathan going off to his first day of school. It's published by Wild Onion Press, a publishing company that specializes in books staring kids with physical differences. Izzy's book is the winner of the Grace McClelland Prize because it exemplifies what this publishing house is all about. But everybody who reads this book will be blessed. Because, don't we all have physical differences?
Izzy blessed all of us in church last Sunday by giving us her First Day Speech. She's a beautiful young woman and, I understand, a ferocious soccer player.
***
