Adam & Eve

God created Adam & Eve in his own image, and gave them the gifts of intellect and free will.  By their own free choice, Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating the forbidden fruit.  Because of their disobedience sin came into the world.
For my treat I have apple wedges sitting on top of peanut butter-caramel dip.  I topped the apple with a gummy worm to represent the serpent.

Creation Story

We begin the book of Genesis with the story of creation.  The creation story should remind us that God made man in His image and likeness and that he made all things good.  God also says we need to be good stewards of creation.
On the 3d day of creation God commanded, "Let the earth produce all kinds of plants, those that bear grain and those that bear fruit."  So I have fruit and vegetables for a snack.  On the 5th day God commanded, "Let the water be filled with many kinds of living beings...", so I have gummy fish and whales for the students.  On the 6th day God commanded, "Let the earth produce all kinds of animal life...", so another treat is animal crackers.

Scripture Cookies

The theme of sixth grade religion is the study of the Old Testament and its meaning for Catholics.  To review with the students how to look up scripture, I have a Scripture Cookie recipe that is one of the student’s favorite activities.  Here is the recipe; I have included the answers for you:

Scripture Cookies

To find each ingredient look up the scripture reference and fill in the blank.  Some clues are subtle, so check the list of the ingredients on the bottom of the page before making each recipe.

1 cup __________ Psalm 55:21 (after churning)

2 cups __________ 1 Samuel 14:25

2 __________Isaiah 10:14

1 teaspoon each__________ 2 Chronicles 9:9 (several kinds)

2 cups __________ Leviticus 2:1

1 teaspoon  __________ Matthew  5:13

1 teaspoon  __________Leviticus 6:17 (modern cookie form)

3 cups__________ Proverbs 11:26 (one type)

1 cup __________ 1 Samuel  30:12 (optional)

1. Beat the first four ingredients together.

2. Mix in the remaining ingredients.

3. Drop by teaspoonful’s onto a greased cookie sheet.

4. Bake at 350° F (175° C) for 15 minutes.

Answers:  1 cup butter (softened), 2 cups honey (I use sugar instead), 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla and cinnamon, 2 cups flour,1 teaspoon salt, 1teaspoon baking soda (leaven), 3 cups oats, 1 cup raisins.

Blessed Mother Teresa

Tonight begins another year of CCD and my14th year of teaching.  It is always exciting meeting the new students and sharing my love of The Catholic Faith with them.  It is also the feast of Blessed Mother Teresa, one of my most admired saints.
Mother Teresa has inspired millions with her extraordinary example of compassion and selfless work for the poor, the ill, and the outcast.  Born Gonxha (Agnes) Bojaxhiu in 1910 in Skopje, now the capital of Macedonia.  In 1928 she said goodbye to her family for the last time, she entered the Loreto Sisters in Dublin to become a nun.  There she chose the name Teresa.  She was assigned to a high school for girls in Calcutta, where she taught history and geography to the daughters of the wealthy.
In 1946 she received "a call within a call" to leave the convent and help the poor while living with them.  So she left the Sisiters of Loretto and went to follow Christ into the slums to serve him among the poorest of the poor.
She started a new order, the Missionaries of the poor, in Calcutta, taking care of the poor and the sick.  Many of her former students joined her order.  In 1979 Mother Teresa received the Nobel Peace prize.  On September 5, 1997, God called her home.  She was beatified on October 19, 2003 by Pope John Paul II.  She needs to have one more miracle done through her intercession to be canonized.
For my treat I have some naan bread, chicken curry, and rice krispy treats (signifying the rice she would have eaten).