Boulders and Big Pictures

In January, I had the opportunity to climb Camelback Mountain in Arizona. I am not a person who frequently has opportunities to climb mountains, so this was an occasion to try something new. The trail begins with a leisurely walk over smaller rocks and stones. Then you quickly find yourself hiking along narrow paths, sidestepping along steep cliffs, and climbing giant boulders. The hike up the mountain presents some challenges for a novice climber like myself. Therefore, my attention was focused for a majority of time on the landscape immediately in front of and below me. It crossed my mind often that I was missing out on spectacular view of the beautiful surroundings of Phoenix as well as the approaching summit of the mountain. Even though I caught glimpses of the magnificence around me, I was intent on making sure that I did not stumble on the small hurdles in my immediate vicinity.

What is your vision for your ministry? Do you have a clear picture of the direction of your current ministry, or are you disproportionately focused on the stumbling blocks that we encounter on a day-to-day basis? Jesus was always faced with stumbling blocks, yet he demonstrated the importance of keeping focus on the big picture. In Luke 13:33, Jesus says to the Pharisees, “Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.” Jesus was responding to the Pharisees who were describing how Herod was a threat to him. Threats and temptations were consistently a part of Jesus days. Yet, he knew the purpose of his ministry. Jesus was determined to fulfill the promise given long ago. Our ministry requires a focus on daily tasks. However, it also requires that we look at the bigger picture. Our ultimate vision for ministry should focus first on the redemptive work of Christ in our lives, which is more beautiful than any summit panorama can offer. In addition, don’t forget to stop and look on the way up the mountain. There will be plenty of stunning opportunities to keep your ministry moving forward.

This article was originally posted on the LCEF blog Leaders to Leaders on March 4, 2013.

Image: Kevin Creutz

Crosses

1 Corinthians 1:18 - For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

The cross is a very powerful symbol for us as Christians. It is a symbol that is seen in our churches and in our classrooms here at Central Lutheran School. We wear the cross on our jewelry and we decorate our homes with different types of crosses. That very cross however, is not just a symbol. That cross was the very tool, the very instrument in God’s plan to give us salvation. That cross was where Christ took the burden of all the sins of the entire world. Christ suffered. Christ died. Christ was sacrificed upon the cross. God the Father demonstrated his love for us and Jesus demonstrated his love for us by suffering on that cross. We then continue to see God’s power love in the empty cross and the empty tomb. Although Christ died on the cross, he has risen and he has defeated death.

Image: Cross, Wade Rockett, Upladed via Flickr September 30, 2006, Creative Commons LIcense

Dust

Genesis 3:19 - "By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return."

Genesis 3 is one of the most memorable chapters in the Bible for me. In this chapter we see God both making promises, and keeping his promises. The chapter begins with the fall of man. Satan takes the form of a snake and tempts Eve to eat of the tree that God forbid them to eat from. Eve, followed by Adam, falls into temptation and immediately they are separated from God. They feel scared, they feel guilty, and they feel vulnerable. This is where God then makes a promise to them in verse 15. Even though they have failed to listen to what He says, he gives His first promise of a Savior. Shortly after is where he keeps one of his previous promises. Earlier in chapter 2, God tells Adam that if they eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they will die. We see in Genesis 3:19 that God reminds Adam and Eve of his promise, which we are still reminded of today. As we begin this season of Lent, we know that our sinful nature has separated us from God, and that the consequence of our sin is death. We need a savior, and a savior is coming. 

Image: Tree Silhouttes, John-Morgan, Uploaded via Flickr January 10, 2009, Creative Commons License

Lutheran Schools Are Set Apart

It’s no secret that Lutheran schools are different than other schools. There are some similarities between Lutheran schools and other educational institutions. Lutheran schools are similar to all other schools because we teach students to read, write, add, subtract, experiment, and solve problems. These are all very important needs that need to be met for our students. It is very evident that we teach our students very well at Central Lutheran School, as well as other Lutheran schools all over the country. However, these are all earthly needs. 

What sets us apart is that we meet the eternal needs of our students and their families. Our schools and churches are focused on sharing the good news that our salvation was bought for us by Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:18-19 says, “Knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.” We did not earn our salvation through good deeds, academic achievements, athletic awards, or any monetary value. It was Christ who was given up for us as a sacrifice, a perfect lamb, without any blemish, spot, or sin.

Education changes so quickly that it is difficult for us to keep up with those changes. Lutheran schools must constantly evolve in order to adapt to the changing landscape in education. Yet we must remember that for decades there have been many things that have not changed, and should not change. Most important, the focus of our ministry has not changed. Lutheran schools are committed to partnering with families in providing an education for our children that is based on the love and sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. They must continue to learn that the love we show each other is because of the love first shown to us by our Heavenly Father in sending his Son into the world. What matters is that children know that Jesus loves them, and that is what has eternal value.

Lutheran Schools Are Fun

CLS Kindergarten students Skype with kindergartners
from Holy Trinity Lutheran School in Bowling Green, KY.

As we come to the end of the 2013 National Lutheran Schools Week, we look back on a week of activities, spirit days, service projects, and excitement to realize that one of the great things about Lutheran schools is that we know how to have fun. It was evident that the students here at Central Lutheran School enjoyed letting loose and having a good time the last five days. Our students were able to enjoy a popcorn party, service projects, crazy dress days, and the popular 8th grade vs. teachers volleyball game. Whether it is in the classroom, on the playing field, at a musical event, or any other activity, Lutheran schools are able to provide an environment where students are able to enjoy themselves while learning. 

We also realize that learning is not ALWAYS fun. Sometimes it is challenging, where it pushes us to perform in a manner that we did not know we were capable of. Sometimes learning can be frustrating, and we are tempted to quit or settle for less than our best. In the end though, learning is rewarding, and there is no rule that says that it can't be fun.

We all had a good time this week at Central Lutheran School, but there is one more mission that brings us all together. We are all centered around a common faith in Jesus Christ that calls us to a life of service in response to the love he has shown us. National Lutheran Schools Week is about having fun, but even more, it is about thanking God for using our schools to share the love of Christ with our students, our families, and our community.

This is a big blog post... it's HUGE!

Psalm 90:12 - So teach us to number our days, that we may get a heart of wisdom

Do you ever stop think about how BIG our God is? Take a look at the world around you. The world is a beautiful example of how amazing God’s creation is. Think about the work you do every day at your job and at home. God continually blesses our efforts in whatever vocation you serve. Take a look at the ministries of our churches and our schools. Decades of blessings can be seen in the ministries of our schools that began long before any of us were here, and will continue long after any of us are here.

Our own life is very short and extremely fragile compared to the awesomeness of God. Psalm 90:12 offers up a prayer to God to make us realize how short our days are, and how great of a need that we have for our Father in heaven. While sin separates us from God and has brought death into our lives, we are reminded of God’s continual deliverance, love, forgiveness, and grace.

Image: Earth Full South Pacific, FlyingSinger, added via flickr January 15, 2006, Creative Commons License

Fishing

Mark 1:17 - And Jesus said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men."

Immediately after Jesus said, "Follow me," to Simon and Andrew, they left their nets and followed him. We often talk about the great faith that Simon and Andrew had to drop everything and follow Jesus. It is true that it took great faith for them to do that, and we hope that the Holy Spirit works through the Word and Sacraments to bring us to faithful discipleship as well. It also demonstrates to us what kind of man Jesus was. Immediately before this event in Mark, the writer tells us about the Baptism of Jesus, His temptation in the desert, and Jesus proclaiming that his ministry is beginning. This is the Son of God, the long-awaited Messiah who had been promised for generations. He would begin to heal the sick, perform miracles, tell parables, and preach throughout the towns. He is God, yet he humbled himself and came down to earth as a little baby. He came to defeat death and sin, yet he would do it as he was humiliated on a cross. Thank God for the faith demonstrated by Simon and Peter, and may we also be given that same faith. More importantly though, thank God for the love shown to us by sending Jesus to be our Lord and Savior.

Image: Two Saints Fishing, Niall McAuley, uploaded via flickr July 5, 2007, Creative Commons License

Relationships

Ephesians 1:3 - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly place.

One of the many blessings that we have been given by our Heavenly Father is relationships. For example, mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, grandparents, and many others make up the families that nurture and love us throughout our lives. We have relationships with friends that we enjoy each day. Some friends we have known for decades, others we have just met. Our teachers work very hard to develop relationships with their students. Day in and day out they challenge, welcome, care for, discipline, and love the children of our school. Relationships are everywhere. Ephesians 1:3 speaks of the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is a clear reference to the relationship within the Trinity. Just as God is our Father in heaven, he also is the Father of our Savior. The Father in Heaven, whom Jesus loved and prayed to, is the same Father who loves us dearly. It's a relationship that is held strongly together by the love he showed in sending his only Son to die for us.

Image: DSC_3174, Daryl Imanishi1, uploaded via flickr May 12, 2012, Creative Commons License

How Would You Describe The Ideal School?

I'm just curious what people think about this question. I came across it while reading Mission-Directed Governance by Leonard Stob. If you have any thoughts, share them in the comments below.

If we tripped over the ideal school, what would be the identifying characteristics?

The Toilet Paper Example

Monday I was able to visit Bell's Skating Rink and the PTL Skating Party. One of the things students did was bring a roll of toilet paper in order to receive a discount on their admission. The skating rink has a toilet paper activity for the skaters and that is what all of this TP is used for. Here is how the activity goes. Each skater is given one roll of toilet paper. The DJ plays two songs and during that time, the skaters have to unroll all of their TP and try to cover the entire skating rink. Then, after the two songs, the DJ informs the skaters that they have another two songs to PICK UP all of the TP. The boys have to gather as much as possible and bring it to one location. The girls also have to gather as much as possible and bring it to another location. Whichever group picks up the most toilet paper wins. Now, I have never written so much about toilet paper, so I hope I am making myself clear and you understand the activity. If you are reading that they unrolled a bunch of TP on the ground, then picked it up, and called it a game, then you understand so far. Its actually a very simple idea.

Here is why I tell you about this experience. I was very intrigued as I watched all of the students unroll their toilet paper. If there were 75 students on that skating rink, then there were 75 ways to unroll the toilet paper. Some students threw the roll, picked it up, threw it again, picked it up, etc. Some students held the toilet paper, then dropped the roll and dragged it until it was empty. Some students held the roll, dropped the end of the toilet paper and unrolled it that way. Still other students pulled, ripped, and dropped. Some detailed students literally placed the toilet paper on the floor one square at a time. The point is that all the skaters had the exact same goal. They needed to cover the floor with toilet paper. The way they went about accomplishing that goal was different for each skater. I can see a parallel in our classrooms. Whether we are teaching content or skills, there is an objective for each lesson. There is something we want our students to learn or accomplish. But what you have probably noticed with your students is that each student reaches that objective in a different way. There is a time for uniformity, and there is a time to allow students to explore their own path (and possibly even allow them to make mistakes and learn from them). We need to recognize and celebrate the times in our classrooms when the different abilities, skills, and processes are seen in our students.

New Resolutions vs Old Goals (2012 Version)

Last year I wrote a post comparing New Year's Resolutions to the goals we set back at the start of the new school year. You can view it HERE. The following is an update on that post which I wrote in my staff memo today.

I wonder what a comparison would look like between my “goals to reach list” and my “goals reached list.” I am sure that my “to reach list” is much longer that my “reached list.” It seems to me that we are constantly setting new goals, and often we do this before we have reached our previous goals. Throughout the year we have opportunities for a new beginning and setting new goals. January is an obvious time where we set new resolutions, June we may set goals for the summer, and August is another time where we make a new list for the beginning of the school year. Although I will not completely discourage anyone from setting New Year’s resolutions, I would encourage all of us to take a look back at some previous goals that you have set. Don’t forget about the goals you began reaching back in August. They might have been personal goals for your classroom, or the more formal goals that you set for yourself in your Professional Growth Plan. No matter what you do, the most important thing to do is to use goals and resolutions to work toward becoming a better professional educator. Each and every time we improve as teachers, Central Lutheran becomes a better school.

Image: HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012, Koshy Koshy, uploaded via flickr December 28, 2011, Creative Commons License

2 Simple Goals

As the first two days of break have passed by already, I have been working to accomplish two simple goals.

1 - Disable my work email from my phone.
2 - Read something that is actually printed on paper.

So far, number 1 is going well. It's freeing to force yourself to stay away from work email and work issues. The 2nd goal has not happened, unless you count the City of New Haven monthly newsletter. Hopefully I will find some time in the next 10 days to read a book or magazine.

What are you trying to accomplish on your time away from school?