Author Archives: Janis Arnold

I Thought Mother Teresa Lived in Abject Poverty

In 1995 my writing career appeared to be dead in the water so it came as somewhat of a relief to me when a special education  director from a small town south of San Antonio called and asked if she … Continue reading

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TEACHER, CAN YOU PLAY WITH ME?

Today is April 18, 2020. I’m only marginally stir crazy as Gov. Abbot announced yesterday that Texas will soon reopen for business, although it is beyond infuriating that the DISTRICT is using the Corona virus as its latest reason to … Continue reading

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They All Lied To Me

Claire Louise:  They All Lied To Me I’m working on SHADE ISLAND, sequel to my first novel and wondering what people think about this iteration of the Richards sisters twenty years after my readers first met Claire Louise and Macy Rose in Daughters … Continue reading

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Kairos

I created this video about Kairos, a prison ministry similar to an Acts or Emmaeus retreat  at the request of Valerie Slade who works and worships at my church, AHUMC. I can’t take credit for the powerful testimonies contained within … Continue reading

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The Loving Service

The Loving Service Committee of AHUMC’s United Methodist Women was organized on January 22, 1974 by Lorraine Horner and her assistant Mabel McCann. Its mission was to provide food and house-sitting services to church families during times of bereavement. Over … Continue reading

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The Hope Center

Ginger Brewer and Betty Anderson are Monday morning volunteers at AHUMC’s Hope Center. When asked why they spend their time in this manner, they remind me of Matthew 25:40 where Jesus says, “And the King will tell them, I assure … Continue reading

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I’m Almost About To READ!

June 2018 Update This is one of those good news bad news stories. Aleczander completed third grade at Salem Sayers. That’s good news. For a second year now, instead of crying hysterically as he did during kindergarten and first grade … Continue reading

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It’s Only Pretend Reading, but It’s a Giant Step in the Right Direction

July 2016 In this video, Aleczander is reading a predictable pattern book. The book was given to him by Miss Shelley, a dyslexia teacher who was employed by Aleczander’s previous school to give him 12 1-1 lessons during the summer … Continue reading

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Kids with Dyslexia Aren’t Stupid, Pass it On . . .

Henry Winkler, author of 17 Here’s Hank books, uses personal life experiences as his literary inspiration for Hank Zipzer, a bright, creative, little boy who knows that, while he can’t read and write like other kids do, he isn’t stupid. … Continue reading

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Did You Know That Henry Winkler Has Dyslexia?

Just like The Fonz, Aleczander, age 8, has dyslexia. Aleczander also has dysgraphia and oral motor disfluency. The fact that Aleczander is a third grader at Salem Sayers Baptist Academy and no longer attends his public school can be summed … Continue reading

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Finally An Educational Program That Conveys Meaningful Academic Benefit

Kids like Aleczander need multi-sensory instruction utilizing Orton-Gillingham time tested methods in order to learn to read and write. In addition to being enrolled in a third grade classroom at a private school, Aleczander was able to attend an after school dyslexia program … Continue reading

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Lunch Bunch 2016-17

Lunch Bunch at Alamo Heights UMC has been going strong for 44 years . . . Last Thursday over sixty volunteers geared up to serve close to two hundred meals to almost two hundred people.

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