Monthly Archives: February 2013

Raised on PBS and Little Debbie . . . Part 3

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A 4 year old me & Mr. McFeely

A 4 year old me & Mr. McFeely

As much as I love Sesame Street, it wasn’t the only program that I enjoyed on public television.  Another favorite was Mr. Rogers Neighborhood.  Whenever I see a trolley or a pair of navy blue Keds, I am transported back to being 4 years old and soaking up every minute of his show.

There were several aspects of Fred Rogers show (and life) that were just plain magical to me.  I adored how he focused right on the kids at home when he shook off the burdens of the outside world while changing into his beloved cardigan and sneakers.   The feeling that he was excited to be home to see me is a lesson that I have never forgotten. Of course, that routine wouldn’t have been complete without feeding the fish in the aquarium. A simple act of love reinforced by repetition.

I think my love of documentaries was forged while watching MRN, because I am still riveted by the episodes where he took us to the factories that made toilet paper and crayons.  Seeing how something was made, really helped me to look at the world in a different way. In my grown-up hometown, we actually have a company named SpeeDee Delivery, and every time I see one of their trucks, I think of Mr. McFeely (more on him later) and smile.

Yet it was when he sat by the bench seat next to Trolley’s tracks that I loved the most.  Even today in my forties, I sincerely wish I could travel on Trolley to the Neighborhood of Make-Believe.  As long as I can remember I have had a wonderful imagination, inspired by Mr. Rogers and nurtured by my parents.  My imagination has been one of my very best friends, keeping me busy on many adventures throughout my life, and Mr. Rogers had a whole world of make believe.

In the land of Make-Believe, I developed deep fondness for several characters, but I must admit, I wasn’t all that crazy about Lady Elaine.  As a true Southern girl, I always wondered who did her make-up, and I knew I didn’t want to grow up to be a schemer like her.  Daniel Tiger just made me smile, and I always wished he would learn to be bold.  Henrietta had a “paws-tively” charming effect of slipping “Meow” into just about every sentence.  But my true love was X the Owl.  His love of inventions and Ben Franklin, in particular, were right up this future science and math teacher’s alley.  Everything X did was exciting to this little budding scientist.

In my childhood hometown of Pensacola, a few years ago the PBS station was celebrating 40 years of broadcasting.  I was asked (because my mom had connections) to come and be a part of a panel of speakers regarding how much that station had shaped our lives.  (Life circumstances didn’t work out; so, I didn’t get to attend.)  If I had, I would have shared some of the stories I am sharing in this series, along with this little nugget of trivia.  Almost 40 years ago, I had a brush with my favorite mailman and another friend from MRN, Purple Panda.  They came to Pensacola, and I had the opportunity to meet them and interact with them.  I think I might have even been featured in the News-Journal as a photo all those years ago.

What I remember from that day was how incredibly kind the characters were.  How could they not be?  They were a part of show created by one of the most loving, creative, and generous men to ever live.  A few years back, I read an article written by a reporter who had a friendship with Fred Rogers.  In the article the man shared how Mr. Rogers probably saved his life.  It was through the genuine interest and care given by Mr. Rogers that the author realized that he was of value, thus saving him from a life-ending choice.  The author shared that Mr. Rogers often ended his correspondence with four letters: IPOY.  After many years of curiosity, he finally mustered the courage to ask what the four letters meant.  The message was simple: I’m Proud Of You.

If I had been able to speak on the influence of PBS in my life, I would have shared how educational programming fostered my lifelong love of learning.  I would have told how I was encouraged to dream, to create, and to use my imagination.  Now, all these years later, I was utilizing those skills as a teacher and a mom to do the same for another generation of children.

And in my heart, I believe that if I had ever gotten to meet him in person, Mr. Rogers would have penned an “IPOY” note to me, as well.

Raised on PBS and Little Debbie . . . Part 2

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Photo property of Sesame Workshop
Photo property of Sesame Workshop

Photo property of Sesame Workshop

For most of my children’s lives, we didn’t have cable.  Instead, we had the $8.99 special.  We could receive local stations, PBS, and a few superstations.  That was it – period.  No, Disney. No, Cartoon Network. No, Animal Planet.  No, Nickelodeon. We didn’t feel deprived or missing anything.  As stated yesterday, we were raising a second generation of American kiddos who learned their ABC’s and numbers with educational programming.

Our love of educational programming continued even when we visited completely “caffeinated” television hot-spots like hotels or Grandma’s house.  The viewing mantra became, “If it ain’t PBS, you ain’t watching it.”  The “ain’t was used for emphasis and humor, but our kids got it.  That mantra became our family’s viewing guide.

The decision not to pursue cable had more to do with our desire to shield our children from unsuitable viewing and less to do with the financial savings of avoiding “bundling”.  I will admit that viewing any television was pretty slim pickings during the Writer’s Strike of 2007-2008 with our limited channel options.  But at least, PBS was still going strong.

It was during this same period of limited viewing that my first encounter with questioning PBS content occurred.  (My heart did flitter-flutters as my mind was reciting, “Say it ain’t so, Joe.”)  That particular year we had a 7th grader and a 3 year old.  On one cold late start morning, we were watching our beloved Sesame Street.

To give the setting, a few weeks prior our 7th grader had a spelling packet with plurals of words like sisters-in-law and sergeants-at-arms.  Again, it was not to my liking as Elmo stole most of the show, when on came Mr. Noodle and the other Mr. Noodle, (Mr. Noodle’s brother).  As Elmo was trying to convince the brothers of some thing or another, he kept referring to them as Mr. Noodles.  Did my ears perceive that small, but ever so slight incorrect placement of plurals?  I immediately pointed out the inaccuracy (it should be the Misters Noodle) to my 7th grade scholar. I just dropped a knowledge bomb up in here that was received with nothing more than a shoulder shrug and an eye-roll.

Oh no!  My childhood favorite is giving incorrect grammar to millions of children.  Whatever shall we do?  In reality, we did nothing . . . except my pointing it out every two years when that same spelling packet came home with the next two children in line in our household.  Again, the morsel of knowledge was met with uncharacteristic nonchalance by my other scholars, followed by an emphatic, “No!! I am not going to tell my Language Arts teacher about this, and neither are you!”

Well, I have one more student that may take up the crusade, but I have a few more years to drum up some support among my brood.  But in reality, she will probably fall in ranks with the others – proclaiming, “Let it go, Mom, because it is still a sunny day on Sesame Street”.

And thank goodness, they are right!

Raised on PBS and Little Debbie . . . Part 1

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super groverI have never been a sky is falling sort-of gal.  So, it came as a big shock to me following the sad and recent scandal involving the Elmo muppeteer from Sesame Street, when I heard a reporter speculate that the longtime program’s future was in jeopardy.  My first thought was, “What in the mayonnaise?”

I agree that the turn of events was heartbreaking, but to think that a huge part of American childhood was going to come crashing down over a personnel change was ludicrous.  I consider myself somewhat of a Sesame Street expert since our literal birth-days are ten days apart.  I really have grown up with all the characters, and I have loved introducing them first, to my much younger sister and then to each of my children over the years.

Not all on the changes on my favorite street have brought bliss in my household.  I will never forget the debate that four-year-old Reed and I had about Snuffleupagus.  For the life of me, I could not understand how the grown-ups could suddenly see him, when he was “imaginary” when I grew up.  Reed, of course, thought I was the crazy one. Apparently a few things changed over my college years.

Don’t get me wrong the addition of new characters, such as Elmo, Baby Bear, and Abby Cadabby brought new life and angles to the show, but my heart was still wrapped around the originals: Big Bird, Bert & Ernie, Oscar, Count, and my personal favorite, Grover.  I still believe that Snuffey was better imaginary.  I can’t look at a rubber duck without breaking into song.  As a pigeon fancier, I convinced our kids to name our first female, Bernice, after Bert’s favorite. I have always wanted to take a tour of Oscar’s trash can, and frankly still do.   Even though, I can’t find it on the internet, the Count enumerating telephone rings complete with lightning and thunder will hands-down be one of my favorites.

With the arrivals of the new friends, my old friends seemed to get less “star” coverage.  The one I felt the most sorry for was Grover because he seemed to live in Elmo’s shadow.  As far as I am concerned, that loveable, laughable blue monster is the embodiment of Sesame Street.  Don’t get me wrong, Elmo is great.  I love him too, but who among us does not love a furry blue superhero who can exasperate a man with a fly in his soup.  Many of my childhood giggles came from his antics.  Thinking of them now, a smile breaks onto my face.

With all the other “junk” on television, I love that there is a safe place that my and my children’s imaginations to explore and grow.  I have never lived there or even visited, but one thing is certain, I don’t believe that Sesame Street is going away anytime soon.   I am hoping that someday in the far future, ( – just in case, my kids are reading today) that I will introduce  my grandchildren to my old friends, as well.  Along with all the other great lessons they will learn, I hope that they too hear, “I, Super Grover, am here to help.  And how can I help you?”  – just like millions before them, including me!

To infinity and beyond

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from nasa.gov

from nasa.gov

When I moved away from my college town, I took one afternoon to go around to visit my professors and to tell them how much their teaching meant to me.  I personally went to each one and thanked them for their dedication to shaping my future.  I wasn’t just a gesture for me.  The Doctors Lockwood, Johanssen, Lyng, and Landwehr are people that I truly admired, and still do, even though only one is still with us.  They taught me much about chemistry, mathematics, and literature/Latin, but more so about life.  Along with my family, they truly played a role in the person I am today.

I have reached that age where loss of that generation of individuals is becoming unavoidable.  I have been blessed to know all of my grandparents as an adult (along with many great-grandparents and even a great-great grandmother into my teen years).  Sadly, only one of my grandmothers is still journeying with me today.

When I hear of another loss of someone I admire (even though I’ve never met them), I really give pause to think about the influence that person had on my life.  One such loss occurred on August 25, 2012 with the death of Astronaut Neil Armstrong.  I was “present” at his and Astronauts Collins and Aldrins historic moon landing.  In actuality, I was in utero, but hearing all the stories passed through the years, I feel as if I had been sitting there riveted to Aldrin’s reading of the Bible while waiting breathless to see Armstrong take those historic steps.

What occurred on that 20th of July in 1969 allowed for a greater push in science and mathematics that allowed a little girl born at Bethesda Naval Hospital in November that year to grow up and believe that she too could be a part of that world.  Although my ultimate footsteps followed that of Christa McAuliffe in the world of teaching, the entire Apollo program was a catalyst for my future.  Because of that achievement, a whole new world was open to those of us who came after them.

Even though my faith differs from that of Mr. Armstrong, I do still admire his accomplishments and achievements. Similarly, I don’t really care about whether his famous quote was rehearsed or spontaneous. What impresses me is the way he lived his life.  By all accounts I have read, his humility and humble nature as a reluctant hero dotted his illustrious career.  He simply did his job without wanting the accolades while giving back to the community as often as he was able.  In a world full of instant celebrity, those character traits are rare to find these days.

I loved the classy statement given by his family following his death.  The words were humble and embodied what we as a nation will always remember about him. Armstrong’s family said, “For those who may ask what they can do to honor Neil, we have a simple request. Honor his example of service, accomplishment and modesty, and the next time you walk outside on a clear night and see the moon smiling down at you, think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink.” —  (Central Press/Getty Images) .

So, Mr. Armstrong, thanks for going to the moon and helping me reach for the stars.

A new beginning

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christmas angel

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:

. . .  a time to plant Ecc 3: 1, 3a (NIV)

 These verses in Ecclesiastes have been some of my favorites for years.  Today they couldn’t be more fitting.  I am happy to announce that I am following a dream that God planted, watered, and tended in my life.  But just like any great garden, I am starting out small and building from there.  Starting today, Kandy Noles Stevens Ministries and “got grace? events” begins.

This dream began about this time a year ago, and more details on how it came to fruition can be found in my newsletter released today on Facebook.  This is an exciting time in our lives, and it also one that we want to be very careful that we cling close to the hem of Jesus’ garments to know that we truly are following where He leads us.

What does this change for my family?  Right now, not much other than I will be taking some weekends away to spend writing the books that have been slowly coming together.  It will also mean some travel as several churches have called asking for me to come and share my stories.  My blog will continue to be my thoughts and family’s experiences. The reality is none of this would be possible without friends speaking God’s truth in my life and praying that I would be smart enough and bold enough to take the first step.

I’m still me – the girl next door who loves her kids and husband, who laughs at herself, and who loves wearing floppy hats in the garden.  I love watching a good football game, snuggling puppies, and donning jeans and baseball hats, but I can pull off pearls while sipping iced tea on a porch with Southern charm.  But above all of that, I am just a girl who LOVES Jesus and who appreciates all He and His dad have done for me.

So even though this is not at all how I pictured my life, clearly they have a much better plan than I ever did.  With each day, my excitement builds as I learn slowly to let go and see what blessing is around the corner.

Since right now, this is a very small operation consisting of myself and a dear friend working as my assistant, ministry partner, and sister in Christ, we just ask for prayers.  Please pray that we are earnestly seeking God’s direction and that we are obedient to his plans.

It took us at least 5 months to settle on a name, and I want to share how much of a family operation this is.  When he was in the 4th grade, Sawyer was working on his God & Country supplemental badge for Cub Scouts.  There are a series of faith activities that the Scout and his family complete together.  One of those activities involved dissecting the verses from the second chapter of Luke.  We worked on this side-by-side, talking through each one.  When we got to Luke 2:52,

And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. (NIV)

I asked him how did Jesus grow?  You could almost see the wheels turning in his head.  (Remember he was smaller than me back then.)  His answers went something like this:

“Mom, he got smarter! And, he got bigger. And . . . and . . . (now with a perplexed look on his face) he got grace?”

That moment took place over six years ago, and I still haven’t forgotten it.  That same favor extended to His one and only Son is available to everyone.  Even in the deepest, darkest, moments, He is there simply waiting to be asked in.  The comforter, healer, and friend is a big part of my story.   Yet, that is the amazing thing about my story. It is only through the  abundant, lavish,  grace of Jesus Christ that I have been able to take my mess and make it a message. 

Thank you for being a part of the journey.

Kandy

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