If you ever feel like earth is constantly in motion,
You’re right, 'cause seventy percent of earth is made of ocean.
Liquid water is unique to planet earth, we think.
(Although it seems that Mars may once have had a bit to drink).
Scientists believe all life began in these great seas
Before evolving into birds and beasts and plants and trees.
Today our oceans serve the earth by soaking up sunrays…
The heat is stored and stirred-up by the currents and the waves.
The constant motion of the water spreads the heat around
And slowly lets it out again to warm the air and ground.
The oceans of the earth are all connected to each other.
Until 2000, there were four, but now there is another…
The newest rings Antarctica. Its current is enormous!
It’s called the Southern Ocean, but it’s surely not the warmest!
END EXCERPT
Light exists in waves that move
Exactly like the ocean.
The length between these waves is caused
By each one’s speed and motion.
The waves are made of particles
Too tiny to observe.
They ride the waves until they crash
Then scatter, sink or swerve.
The ones that bounce off, scattering,
Then separate by color.
The greater wavelengths are quite bright,
While smaller lengths are duller.
END EXCERPT
“Go back to bed!” my mommy said, “Don’t make me tell you twice!”
“But I don’t want to go to sleep. You are not being nice!”
“Get in that bed. Lay down your head.” I plopped down with a thump.
“If you don’t get your rest, my dear, you’ll turn into a grump!”
“But, I don’t care!” It wasn’t fair. My mom turned out the light. Well, I’ll show her, I thought aloud. I’ll just stay up ALL NIGHT!
I settled down and looked around. The room was dark and still.
Except a tiny nightlight resting on the windowsill.
That’s it! I said. I turned my head and held my hands up high.
I’ll make some shadow puppets and this night will fly right by.
I strained to link my thumb and pinky back behind my head
But slipped and slammed one of my hands upon the wall instead.
“This game is dumb! I hurt my thumb!” and I began to wail.
Then, suddenly, I saw my shadow sprout a long black tail.
What’s going on? I want this gone! I yanked my tail in fear.
But, when I did a horn popped out in place of my left ear.
Oh, what a sight! Oh, what a night! Then came the right horn, too!
The more I fought, the worse it got. “What am I going to do?”
Next sprouted out a bumpy snout that covered up my nose.
And slimy scales grew from my skin and claws sprung from my toes.
My eyes turned red, my hair was shed, replaced by stinky ooze.
Some teeth fell out, and others turned the color of a bruise.
END EXCERPT
My name is Millie, and I am very tall. I can jump from stone to stone in my garden without falling into the grass. My baby sister really looks up to me.
But, sometimes I am small. I can’t reach my favorite orange cup in the cupboard … not even when I stand on my stool. Every time I play a game with my big sister Sarah, she wins. I don’t like it when she beats me. It makes me feel even tinier.
Then I think about how brave I am. When we were at the zoo, a giant ladybug was crawling right on top of Sarah’s head! She was really freaking out, but I brushed that bug away with my finger and saved the day! I felt really tall that day.
Until I got lost. We were at the monkey playground, when I looked up and saw a stranger beside me instead of my mom. I felt so scared and small, but I wanted to be even smaller to hide away from the big wide world. My body felt like it was shrinking down so much that only little bitty tears could squeeze out to trickle onto my cheeks.
I was so happy when my mommy found me that my body just swelled up with joy until the tears burst out of the top of me and poured down my face and to the ground. I felt taller than ever before in my life, and safe.
When we got home from the zoo that night, my mommy laid down on my bed and read me a book. I was so glad to be home. I climbed over her knees and curled up into a tiny little ball in the nest that her legs made. I was small, and comfy, and cozy, and very very sleepy.
As I listened to the story of far away lands and strange, magical places, I started drifting off to sleep and into that place. In my dream, I had tiny fairy wings, but I soared through the air with the wind roaring in my ears and whipping my hair all around me as fast as a gigantic dragon!
I was huge!
And I was tiny.
I was me, Millie,
exactly the way I am.
Tall
and small.
Abigella, Abigella, Abigella Elf
Was looking fine this morning (if she did say so herself).
She got up really early and decided right away,
“I’ll wear my snazzy sundress and my hip high-heels today.”
So Abby washed her face and hands, and dawned her coolest clothes,
Then stepped outside her treehouse…but her body nearly froze.
“Get back inside here, Abby!” cried her Mom (the “clothes police”).
“You need your coat and boots today. It’s thirty-two degrees!!”
“What? Can’t hear you! Bye!” called Abby, slamming shut the door.
She ran away before her Mom could tell her anymore.
To Fairy’s Ring she scuttled just as quickly as she could
Her body felt so stiff, it wouldn’t move the way it should.
Pretty soon she came across Athena, her best friend.
Athena saw poor Abby’s clothes and shouted with a grin,
“Abigella, Abigella, Abigella Elf!
It’s freezing cold out here, you nut! Did you pick that yourself?”
Abby felt downhearted. She was sure her friend would guess
That her looks were more important than the warmness of her dress.
END EXCERPT
Plates crash!
Cups clang!
Millie makes a mess.
Milk drips.
Eggs splat!
Millie makes a mess.
Trash dumps,
Toys scatter,
Tables tump,
Paints splatter!
Mommy hollers, “Millie NO!!!”
Brooms swish.
Mop slathers.
Millie mends the mess.
Water trickles,
Soap lathers
Millie mends the mess.
Trash fills,
Paints close
Table lifts,
Mommy knows…
That things are back to normal now, ‘cause
Millie mends the mess.
Look outside. Raindrops fall.
I cannot play out there at all.
Look around. What will I do?
Grab that pan, that oatmeal, too.
Pour it in. Spread it out.
Go to the sink. Turn on the spout.
Find a cup. Fetch a pail.
Fill it up. Make a sail.
Come here, Dolly. Take a ride!
I’ve made a beach for you inside!
Appendix Includes Word List
When Albert left New Antsterdam, the damp sea air was cold. He piloted a schooner bound to search for lands of gold.
“If I find treasure,” Albert thought, “and claim it for the queen, then maybe I can win the heart of princess Sanaguin.”
He turned his gaze upon the stars and set his course due west. At once the wind ballooned the sails, and he began his quest.
But fortune didn’t smile upon that husky, red-skinned ant. The only gold that he could find were flowers of a plant.
Finding no gold, but tired and cold, he sat down on the sand. Supplies were low. He knew he must return to Antsterdam.
Poor Albert sat there sobbing. He’d lost all hope of joy, when something shook him from behind. It was a young ant boy.
“Ahoy, there,” said Albert. “You sure caught me by surprise.” Then Albert gave a second glance. “I don’t believe my eyes!
Why, you are not a normal ant, for ants are red, like me. Yet, you are clearly black and small. Whatever could you be?”
The young ant didn’t answer. He just smiled and scratched his head.
“How cute!” cried Albert, “There’s no gold, so I’ll take you instead. The queen would love a nice new pet to have around the house. And, you would be a perfect pet-as quiet as a mouse!”
Although the black ant struggled, he was loaded on the ship. Albert was very happy to gain something for his trip.
END EXCERPT
Guns and armor. Green convoy.
Families sobbing. Men deploy.
Andy holds his father tight.
Mother pulls with all her might.
Father stands, expression grave.
“Be good son. Stay strong. Be brave.”
Andy straightens, wipes his face.
Mom leads Andy off the base.
Yellow ribbons. Faithful crowd.
Signs and banners, Andy’s proud.
Months pass by, but still no word.
“Is he hurt? Would we have heard?”
Television gloats the worst.
Blood, explosions, hunger, thirst.
People watching, losing sight
of why the soldiers have to fight.
END EXCERPT
Chapter 1
Life was goin’ good ‘til that teacher came along, wantin’ us to read and write and some such business. My mama don’t even know how to read, and she worked over at the factory for a time. She told me the day I was born that I wasn’t gonna amount to much. Mississippi Delta children’s either born rich or poor. We was poor.
My sister never bought all that stuff Mama said. She thinks she can just go and be who she wants in this world. I guess that’s why Mama always called her “Dreamer,” just like my no-account Daddy. Sometimes I wish she would call me Dreamer. But, I was always just plain ole’ Deseray.
“Deseray!”
“What, Grandmama?”
“Go get that bucket over yander sose I kin wash yo clothes. And you chirrenz better get down to that pond ‘n wash out yo hair.”
“Yes, Grandmama. Come on, Dreamer.”
END EXCERPT
Chapter 1
I knew something was wrong when I woke up with a feeling like there was a lump of ice deep in the pit of my stomach. I knew what it was before I even opened my eyes…I had felt it before, but never this bad.
I opened my eyes a crack, just wide enough to see the calendar on the wall behind my bed. But, my last shreds of hope were stomped out, as though trampled by a panicking heard of brontosauruses. It was a school day. And even worse than that, it was Fun Friday.
I groaned as I rolled away from the dreadful calendar and closed my eyes tightly against the day, but the cold lump seemed to clench even tighter to my stomach. I covered my head with the pillow, but that just made the rest of my body feel like it was hanging even further out into the dreadful world alone…without any support at all from my head. It was no use…
“Good morning, Jordan,” my little sister Abby said while barging over the top of my footboard and onto my bed. “Mommy said get dressed and come downstairs.” She announced as she crawled under my covers and snuggled her freezing cold feet under my legs.
“Mmmmmmmmmmm,” I moaned, rolling away until my entire body was smashed against the wall.
“What’s wrong, Jordy?” Abby asked.
“You wouldn’t understand.”
Undeterred, Abby climbed right on top of me and put her face right in front of mine. “What’s wrong?” She demanded.
“I don’t want to go to school, okay?”
“Why not?” asked Abby.
“It’s boring and terrible!” I snapped. “I just have to sit there and sit there all day long! And follow rules! And write this! And do that!” I screamed. “And stop that! And do it this way! I just can’t take it anymore!!!”
Before I knew it, Abby had run out of my room crying. My stomach clenched even tighter as I got dressed and headed down the stairs.
END EXCERPT
CHAPTER 1
So, this is the Atlantic Ocean…
Grab your SCUBA gear and pack your suitcase, because you are about to explore one of man’s most impressive ocean inventions…an undersea human habitat called Aquarius. The only structure of its kind in the world, Aquarius allows aquanauts to survive deep beneath the ocean for up to two weeks without resurfacing!
Your adventure begins on a coral reef nearly nine miles south of Key Largo, FL. It’s a good thing you remembered your SCUBA gear, because as soon as your boat approaches the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, you plunge overboard and wave goodbye. As the hum of your boat’s engine fades into the distance, it is replaced only by the gentle sound of rolling waves as they steadily lift and lower your body to the rhythm of the open ocean. You take a final deep breath of the salty sea air before donning your regulator and flipping head over heels for the long swim below.
Down, down, down you descend through the silent deep until you reach the sandy valley of Conch Reef. You are now 63 feet under the surface of the earth. Go ahead…take a look around. Who knew that the ocean could be so colorful! The undersea “garden” you are observing is not actually made up of many plants at all. What you see are the limestone remains of tiny animal colonies called sea polyps. Beautiful, aren’t they?
But be careful not to get so caught up in the scenery that you let down your guard. While Florida’s coral reefs are home to many friendly creatures (like sponges, nudibranchs, turtles, snails, mollusks, and some of the most beautiful fish in the world), they also provide ideal habitats for some relatively dangerous creatures. Some of those to watch out for are reef sharks, eels, jellyfish, sea snakes, sting rays, and sea anemones.
CHAPTER 2
What Does Aquarius Look Like?
As you scan the coral reef, eyes peeled for interesting creatures, you spot something that seems out of place. It looks like a huge yellow oil tanker with legs and a giant helicopter landing pad on top. You’ve found it! It must be Aquarius! Although it may not look much like a human habitat from the outside, I assure you that the long, cylindrical section can comfortably house six aquanauts for at least ten days. Made of ¾” thick steel, the structure is divided into three compartments: the wet porch, the main lock, and the entry lock. The wet porch looks like a 7 X 10 X 8 foot box with a hatch in the floor that opens directly to the ocean. The other two compartments make up the 33 ft. long, 9 ft. diameter cylinder of living space. All three compartments are connected by watertight doors.
Now that you’ve located Aquarius, you may wish to explore the inside. You enter through the floor hatch of the wet porch. Once you are safely inside, you may take off your Scuba gear and store it in one of the shelves.
You glance back down at the still opened hatch, and marvel at the glossy patch of seawater you just passed through. Isn’t it amazing how the water remains at the level of the hatch, instead of flooding up into the wet porch? The reason this works is simple to understand if you’ve ever played with an empty cup in the bathtub. What happens when you flip that cup upside down and lower it into the water? As long as you keep the cup level, the water does not fill it, right? This is because that cup was never actually empty…it was full of air! Don’t believe me? Try tipping the cup over while it is still under water. The air then escapes your bathtub in the form of bubbles. Only then can your bathwater fill the cup.
Now, don’t get nervous! It isn’t so easy for water to flood into the wet porch’s hatch. Aquarius is a lot more sophisticated then a cup in a bathtub! However, the same basic concept applies for keeping the water out of its living space.
When you are satisfied that it is safe, you close the outer hatch, and open the hatch that leads to the entry lock. In this room, scientists investigate some of the most important questions about coral reefs, such as the cause of coral bleaching, the affects of sewage pollution on the Florida Keys National Sanctuary, and how reef organisms may produce chemicals used to make certain medicines. Indeed, this is the room where aquanauts study some of the greatest mysteries of the deep.
And, by now, I’m sure you’re anxious to investigate a mystery of a more personal nature. Namely, where to use the bathroom, am I right? Never fear, the entry lock has a toilet (or as we say at sea, a head), and I assure you that in this compartment it is perfectly safe to let a few “bubbles” escape!
END EXCERPT
Introduction
The sacrament of baptism, also known as a christening, is one of the most joyous occasions of the Christian faith. This is particularly true of an infant’s or child’s baptism, as it is the first step the child will make into a life of Christian faith. When a parent brings a child to be baptized, she is in essence dedicating him to the lord; thus, the once mortal child is “reborn” as a child of God. Suddenly, the level of responsibility on the child’s parents becomes enormous. No longer are they raising any ordinary child… this baby belongs to the Lord! From this perspective, it is easy to understand why many parents enlist reinforcements.
Becoming a godparent is a special honor as well as a serious responsibility. Above all others, you have been entrusted to aid in the spiritual journey of one of God’s most precious gifts. Aside from her parents, you will be the primary religious role model in your godchild’s life. Such a daunting task may not be fruitfully carried out without commitment, faith, and the power of the holy spirit.
Accepting the role of godparent means you must commit yourself to this child forever in matters of the spirit, not only on the day of the sacrament. With this in mind, I hope you will continuously use this book as a tool to help strengthen the bond between you and your godchild.
The first section of this book, “Getting Started,” will efficiently help you to understand the sacrament of baptism and the role you should play. However, the “Getting Started” section is merely what it claims to be… a starting point. Alone it can do little to nurture and strengthen the spiritual bond between you and your godchild. Only through continuous involvement throughout his/her life will you be able to fulfill the vows you made on the day of the sacrament.
Therefore, it is important that you take advantage of section two of this book, “Keeping the Faith.” The contents of this section will guide you through every step of your godchild’s religious journey, from birth to holy orders, and everything in between. “Keeping the Faith” will enable you to easily document, plan for, and reminisce over all of the important milestones in your godchild’s spiritual development. Most importantly, it will encourage you to stay actively involved with your godchild for the extent of your lives on earth together.
Ultimately, the role you will play in your godchild’s life is up to you. If taken seriously, it may be one of the most important and rewarding relationships either of you will have. As you grow closer to each other, you will inevitably grow closer to God. Use this book as a reference to continuously enrich this relationship. Use it as a memento from your lives together. But most of all, use it to its full capacity, and you are certain to nurture your own faith as well as that of your godchild.
--“Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward,” Psalm 127:3
END EXCERPT
