Parting thoughts...

It has been a few months since my last post here. I think the end of the year becomes such a flurry that I just don't get here. So many things are happening, but now the dust has settled. The last day is over, and who knows who will read this since school is out. But, since I am leaving, I figured I would leave a few thoughts.

Man, junior highers are messed up in the head. Their brains are being rewired, and it sort of makes them crazy. Their hormones rule the roost, and their bodies are changing before our eyes. Every one of them is the same and different. They are loud, quiet, kind, mean, thoughtful, and thoughtless all in the same day. I have loved being with them for the last 9 years.

They are amazingly fun, and they will tell you just what they are thinking. They have the best of times, and the worst of times all the time. Everything is an inside joke, don't bother trying to make sense of their giggles. Often selfish and other times selfless. Jesus loves junior highers, and so do I.

They are growing up into young men and women, but they are not quite there yet. Sometimes you think they are so grown up, and other times you think they are in third grade. Thankfully, it is only a couple of years. Parents can only take so much. Pretty soon they grow up, and move on. But, junior high is always a part of who they are. And it will always be a part of me.

Love you, guys.

Green Week? Why?

Today at chapel, I shared with the students several aspects of environmental awareness from a Biblical perspective. It is a relevant current topic, and I think beneficial for our students to be able to "think Biblically" in relation to our culture. Sometimes we have a tendency to determine what things are "Christian" and what are not just by what we hear instead of what the Bible says.

My basic outline was that God is revealed in His creation. He is aware of and interested in His creation. If He has given it to us to tend, then we should care about how we treat His creation.

Typically, there are four reasons that lead us to not be mindful of our environmental choices: carelessness, selfishness, laziness, and temporary thinking. But none of these are worthy of describing a Christian. We should care, be selfless, work hard, and plan for the future. Should we run around hugging trees and trying to save every little endangered beetle? I don't really think so. But, it might be good to be mindful of using less water, reusing a water bottle, or recycling your plastics and cans. A little bit can go a long way.

Just a few facts can paint a good picture. In one year Americans use 26 billion plastic bottles. That is enough to circle the globe over 400 times! We use enough plastic wrap in a year to shrink wrap the state of Texas, and Americans in one year use 25 billion Styrofoam cups. Styrofoam is one of the most common trash items you will find on our beaches. I have posted the PowerPoint if you want to see all that we discussed on our website.

The two big points: think Biblically and care about the impact you make.

If you are, stay that way.

This is for anyone out there questioning their marriage. I could go on and on about the effects on your child, the lies of the Enemy, and the deciet of sin, but you probably know all that. Sometimes there are reasons for leaving, but sometimes just excuses. Seek the Lord for His love and grace. Don't look to escape; look to build. God will strengthen you in your weakness. Your children will be blessed. In our marriages, may we treat each other with love and respect as being created in God's image. "Until death do us part" means just that. If you are still breathing, please, stay married.

POWER

After finishing the Book of James, I let the students give input as to what book to cover for chapel. So...here we are in the Book of Esther. As I have been reading the book over, the theme of power reappears again and again. King Xerxes, Queen Vashti, and Haman all want to exert their power. It will be great to go verse by verse through this book with our students because much of junior high is about power too. Junior highers want power over their friends, their situations, their choices, and their families. They want the power to listen to their own music. They want the power to choose their activities. They want the power to control their lives. But sometimes in life it doesn't seem like anyone is in control. We can't understand why certain things happen, and they don't seem to make sense to us.
The interesting thing about Esther is that it is the only book of the Bible that does not mention God or prayer or faith. So, in a sense, God is out of the picture in Esther. He does not outwardly show Himself to anyone. And that sort of feels like real life sometimes. We don't hear His audible voice, hear from a prophet, or see a miraculous sign. But, that does not mean He is not there. It does not mean He is not control. It just means that without the eye of faith, we don't realize it.
By faith, we believe in God, and we know He is the One with the power. So, in order to be part of the power, we need to submit to the Lord. We need to step out and do what we know is right and allow God to use us. The best way to have power, is to give God the power in our lives. And that is what we are reminded of through Esther. Whether you realize it or not, God has the power, and the best we can do is courageously submit our lives to Him in doing the right thing whether it is scary, unpopular, or out of our comfort zone like Esther did.