I sat amazed at the wisdom of our high school valedictorian last Friday night as she described her concept of success in life. There she was, an 18 year old senior speaking to her peers about the importance of losing ones life for the sake of the Gospel.
Megan graduated that night with better than a 4.0 GPA. She received the Florida Academic Scholarship from Bright Futures and turned down a scholarship to Stetson. At graduation, she challenged her fellow seniors to define success not in terms of academic performance, but in terms of losing ones life in order to gain Christ.
I have had the honor of attending 12 college graduations and 8 high school graduations in the last 20 years. This is only the second time that a senior speaker was more profound and insightful than the guest speaker.
Megan's speech was less than 5 minutes long. But her 5 minutes contained the eternal truth that life is valued not by what we can accumulate, but by what we are willing to lose in order to know God and make Him known.
We have all heard how perverse our world has become. Just watch the news for a few minutes. However, I heard something different last Friday. There is hope for this generation, my human friends. Megan's voice is evidence of that. The lives of each one of those graduates can give proof to the hope we have in Christ. Who knows what God has in store for them and us? God has not given up and He has not thrown in the towel. Instead He challenged us to be people of the towel. God help me to find places to serve in the name of Christ so that others may find His peace in their hour of need.
Thank you, Megan, for reminding me that success in not about how much I can gain. It's more about how much I am willing to lose for Christ's sake.
God bless you, my human friends! Go find a towel and wash some feet!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
How was your week?
Facebook asks the question, "what is on your mind?"
Let's see... since last Thursday:
A student experienced some very difficult personal circumstances and is now involved in a program designed to help them face the changes needed to succeed in life.
A parent of one of our students was just diagnosed with leukemia.
The husband of one of our teachers faced a potential health threat. Thankfully it was not as bad as originally thought. However, she heard news that her father has only a few days to live. This is somewhat expected, but that is irrelevant. Loss is loss.
A friend was just diagnosed with prostate cancer.
My brother is facing a serious health challenge, yet to be determined. More news tomorrow.
That should be enough for one week, wouldn't you think? But the week is still not over.
But, God is still God and faith stands in the face of life's greatest challenges and continually hopes. Faith carries us through the unknown sea of tomorrow. It is not blind trust, it is ultimate trust in the unseen reality of God and His love for humanity. Even in the midst of the monumental challenges of life, we can still hope - there is always hope - there is always God. In that hope we can experience the peace that passes human comprehension, knowing that He is working all things for our good.
I press on in faith and hope for the upward call of God in Christ Jesus without despair. He is the author and perfector of my faith. In Him I live, exist, and have my life centered in the unending hope of His grace and mercy.
I trust God on behalf of my students, my co-workers, my friends, and my brother. May God be strong on their behalf, and may they experience hope and peace in Christ.
God bless you, my human friends. Trust completely in Christ when life is darkest because He is the light, and in Him there is no darkness.
Let's see... since last Thursday:
A student experienced some very difficult personal circumstances and is now involved in a program designed to help them face the changes needed to succeed in life.
A parent of one of our students was just diagnosed with leukemia.
The husband of one of our teachers faced a potential health threat. Thankfully it was not as bad as originally thought. However, she heard news that her father has only a few days to live. This is somewhat expected, but that is irrelevant. Loss is loss.
A friend was just diagnosed with prostate cancer.
My brother is facing a serious health challenge, yet to be determined. More news tomorrow.
That should be enough for one week, wouldn't you think? But the week is still not over.
But, God is still God and faith stands in the face of life's greatest challenges and continually hopes. Faith carries us through the unknown sea of tomorrow. It is not blind trust, it is ultimate trust in the unseen reality of God and His love for humanity. Even in the midst of the monumental challenges of life, we can still hope - there is always hope - there is always God. In that hope we can experience the peace that passes human comprehension, knowing that He is working all things for our good.
I press on in faith and hope for the upward call of God in Christ Jesus without despair. He is the author and perfector of my faith. In Him I live, exist, and have my life centered in the unending hope of His grace and mercy.
I trust God on behalf of my students, my co-workers, my friends, and my brother. May God be strong on their behalf, and may they experience hope and peace in Christ.
God bless you, my human friends. Trust completely in Christ when life is darkest because He is the light, and in Him there is no darkness.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Saying Goodbye to an Old Friend
What is more human than to share our grief in the loss of a friend? After all, we all will face death. Either through the loss of a family member or friend, or vicariously through the shared loss of another, death unites us as humans. As Christians we understand that death is the transition from one aspect of life (temporal) to another (eternal).
I first met Reggie before the campus opened for the 1989 Fall semester at Southeastern College. He and I were about the same age, both of us were fathers, and both of us were trying to find our way as adult learners. Reg came from the tough streets of New York and found Christ after a lifetime of addictions. It was the consequences of these addictions that would later end his life. His body could just not heal the deep internal wounds left by abuse.
It was my privilege to take him to the hospital in Tampa on several occasions for tests and procedures. Reggie was later placed on the list for a liver transplant. Unfortunately, I moved away before he received his transplant. Another friend took over when he was called for the operation. He managed to live a few years after the transplant. I do not know the details, but he passed away about 4 years ago.
I think what I am struggling with the most is that I found out today that he had passed away. What shocked me the most was that it took so long for me to find out. How sad that I did not follow up with him after the operation. How sad that I was not around when he passed away. How sad that I dropped the ball in maintaining communication with him.
Out of sight, out of mind - that's what happens in friendships and families. It's easy to lose touch with one another when one moves. It should not happen, but it does. Our relationships are all that we have to keep us connected as humans. We're it, we're plan A and there is no plan B. Yes, we can have a spiritual connection with God, but God does not want us to disconnect with our families and friends.
So, here's to my friend Reggie Collazzo. A veteran, a father, a brother in Christ, and a friend. I am sorry that I was not there to see you begin your eternal journey, but I know that God was standing waiting for you to arrive on the other side.
Stay in touch with your human friends and family. We are all that we have.
God bless.
I first met Reggie before the campus opened for the 1989 Fall semester at Southeastern College. He and I were about the same age, both of us were fathers, and both of us were trying to find our way as adult learners. Reg came from the tough streets of New York and found Christ after a lifetime of addictions. It was the consequences of these addictions that would later end his life. His body could just not heal the deep internal wounds left by abuse.
It was my privilege to take him to the hospital in Tampa on several occasions for tests and procedures. Reggie was later placed on the list for a liver transplant. Unfortunately, I moved away before he received his transplant. Another friend took over when he was called for the operation. He managed to live a few years after the transplant. I do not know the details, but he passed away about 4 years ago.
I think what I am struggling with the most is that I found out today that he had passed away. What shocked me the most was that it took so long for me to find out. How sad that I did not follow up with him after the operation. How sad that I was not around when he passed away. How sad that I dropped the ball in maintaining communication with him.
Out of sight, out of mind - that's what happens in friendships and families. It's easy to lose touch with one another when one moves. It should not happen, but it does. Our relationships are all that we have to keep us connected as humans. We're it, we're plan A and there is no plan B. Yes, we can have a spiritual connection with God, but God does not want us to disconnect with our families and friends.
So, here's to my friend Reggie Collazzo. A veteran, a father, a brother in Christ, and a friend. I am sorry that I was not there to see you begin your eternal journey, but I know that God was standing waiting for you to arrive on the other side.
Stay in touch with your human friends and family. We are all that we have.
God bless.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Blame It On The Blind Monkeys
When faced with a seemingly insurmountable problem I must be willing to ask the difficult questions. I say difficult because it is risky to ask questions that I don't want to answer. It's really the answers that threaten me because it may require me to change. And change is the one thing that most human beings resist. Change threatens my way of perceiving reality, my sense of balance, and it usually results in a long and messy process.
I am sure that we all live in a city that has a "malfunction junction." You know, one of those intersections that makes you wonder how many blind monkeys designed the idiotic meshing of traffic patterns destined for disaster.
A book that I am reading (Family Ministry by Diana Garland) gives such an example. It was a junction of three major highways in a very congested area. It had sharp curves and merging lanes that shifted cars without warnings. It resulted in a high number of traffic deaths. Flashing lights were installed to warn drivers, the police department published flyers warning drivers about the dangers, and the fire department purchased two new ambulances with the latest equipment in order to handle the serious injuries in a timely fashion. The results were marginally less fatalities, but the number of accidents were still high. The only real solution would be to completely reengineer the road. However, reengineering would be very expensive; it would mess up the traffic flow for everyone; and it would take several years to complete. At the time of the publishing of the book, the community had not made a decision as to what course of action to take. It seems like it was easier to keep blaming the drivers than to stop and fix the road. Sound familiar?
I am not responsible for the actions and decisions that other people make. I am not in control of how the roads are designed or how other people drive. I am in control of my decisions, reactions, and choice of words. As a school principal, I make choices and decisions everyday that impact the lives of other people. My choice of words can encourage someone to make better decisions or my words can feed their pain and negative attitude. That choice is mine, not theirs. How I choose to react to them plays a significant role in my attitude towards them and towards God.
When I am stressed, it's easy for me to fall into a critical and cynical mode of thinking. That's my malfunction junction. My thoughts become chaotic and personal feelings get in the way. I ignore the informational pamphlets and flashing warning lights. If I'm not careful, it becomes a trap where an offense leads to bitterness. Then the bitterness of my humanity can spring up and destroy my spiritual connectedness with God and relationship with others.
So, I cannot afford to blame the other drivers, the highway I drive on, or even the blind monkeys that designed the road system. If I look carefully into the review mirror I see the real problem staring back at me. I can choose to keep driving the same route or I can choose another higher road. I don't always succeed, but I keep trying. I look for the warning lights, listen to wisdom, and carefully change lanes.
God bless you, my human friends. And watch out for the blind monkeys! They're out to getcha!
I am sure that we all live in a city that has a "malfunction junction." You know, one of those intersections that makes you wonder how many blind monkeys designed the idiotic meshing of traffic patterns destined for disaster.
A book that I am reading (Family Ministry by Diana Garland) gives such an example. It was a junction of three major highways in a very congested area. It had sharp curves and merging lanes that shifted cars without warnings. It resulted in a high number of traffic deaths. Flashing lights were installed to warn drivers, the police department published flyers warning drivers about the dangers, and the fire department purchased two new ambulances with the latest equipment in order to handle the serious injuries in a timely fashion. The results were marginally less fatalities, but the number of accidents were still high. The only real solution would be to completely reengineer the road. However, reengineering would be very expensive; it would mess up the traffic flow for everyone; and it would take several years to complete. At the time of the publishing of the book, the community had not made a decision as to what course of action to take. It seems like it was easier to keep blaming the drivers than to stop and fix the road. Sound familiar?
I am not responsible for the actions and decisions that other people make. I am not in control of how the roads are designed or how other people drive. I am in control of my decisions, reactions, and choice of words. As a school principal, I make choices and decisions everyday that impact the lives of other people. My choice of words can encourage someone to make better decisions or my words can feed their pain and negative attitude. That choice is mine, not theirs. How I choose to react to them plays a significant role in my attitude towards them and towards God.
When I am stressed, it's easy for me to fall into a critical and cynical mode of thinking. That's my malfunction junction. My thoughts become chaotic and personal feelings get in the way. I ignore the informational pamphlets and flashing warning lights. If I'm not careful, it becomes a trap where an offense leads to bitterness. Then the bitterness of my humanity can spring up and destroy my spiritual connectedness with God and relationship with others.
So, I cannot afford to blame the other drivers, the highway I drive on, or even the blind monkeys that designed the road system. If I look carefully into the review mirror I see the real problem staring back at me. I can choose to keep driving the same route or I can choose another higher road. I don't always succeed, but I keep trying. I look for the warning lights, listen to wisdom, and carefully change lanes.
God bless you, my human friends. And watch out for the blind monkeys! They're out to getcha!
Monday, January 12, 2009
The Imagination of a 5 year old
There is an old book some where out there that is entitled something like "Everything I needed to know about life I learned in Kindergarten." Sorry if I messed up the name of the book, but you get the idea of where I am going with this blog.
When I was in kindergarten, my teacher called my mother to confirm some of my "adventure stories." It seems I told tall tales of the great adventures of Pepper and his father; we wrestled bears and alligators and lived to tell the tale. Indiana Jones didn't have anything on us!
I have a 5 year old grandson who seems to have inherited, in some part, this same incredibly vivid imagination. After hearing the latest story, he may have a greater gift than his grandfather. For a couple of years now, our house has been alien-free because of his expertise in seeking and destroying whatever being dared enter our dwelling. He bravely went where no 5 year old would dare; closets, under the bed, behind the furniture, he untiringly zapped and smashed all of the monsters and aliens. We feel so safe and secure when the mighty Nate is around.
The other night he developed a new ploy to fool the aliens. He and his faithful sidekick, Babe (that's his great-grandmother) tricked the aliens by acting like they had fainted. Had we walked into her room about that time we would have found Nate in the recliner and Babe on the bed with their eyes closed and their tongues hanging out of their mouths. He fooled the aliens into thinking they were passed out. Then he would jump up and get them all!
What an imagination that 5 year old possess! What happened to mine? When did I grow up? Isn't that what happens when we get older - we lose our imagination? Sad, isn't it?
As humans grow older, we come to believe that imagination is only for the young, the children. To follow Christ requires maturity, sobriety, and the ability for deep thinking and contemplation. Adults do not have time to waste in imagining things that will never come to pass.
Maybe that's our problem. We have lost the ability for free-thinking, to imagine, and to ask the question, "what if?". Imagination is that uniquely human gift from God that allows room for faith, hope, and love. I think that sometimes we work so hard at becoming an adult that we forget what it was like to be a child.
Imagine what might happen if we have the faith to trust God. Imagine what could happen to humanity if people of faith invested their hopes and dreams in the God of eternity. Imagine what if...
We can't help it if we get older. It happens. We just don't have to give in to stagnate thinking and lose the ability to imagine what might be through the eyes of faith.
The next time you have trouble with the concept of imagination talk to a 5 year old. And if you run into any aliens in your house, call me. I've got a grandson who is a genuine alien slayer.
Blessings Human Friends and Imagine What Could Happen
When I was in kindergarten, my teacher called my mother to confirm some of my "adventure stories." It seems I told tall tales of the great adventures of Pepper and his father; we wrestled bears and alligators and lived to tell the tale. Indiana Jones didn't have anything on us!
I have a 5 year old grandson who seems to have inherited, in some part, this same incredibly vivid imagination. After hearing the latest story, he may have a greater gift than his grandfather. For a couple of years now, our house has been alien-free because of his expertise in seeking and destroying whatever being dared enter our dwelling. He bravely went where no 5 year old would dare; closets, under the bed, behind the furniture, he untiringly zapped and smashed all of the monsters and aliens. We feel so safe and secure when the mighty Nate is around.
The other night he developed a new ploy to fool the aliens. He and his faithful sidekick, Babe (that's his great-grandmother) tricked the aliens by acting like they had fainted. Had we walked into her room about that time we would have found Nate in the recliner and Babe on the bed with their eyes closed and their tongues hanging out of their mouths. He fooled the aliens into thinking they were passed out. Then he would jump up and get them all!
What an imagination that 5 year old possess! What happened to mine? When did I grow up? Isn't that what happens when we get older - we lose our imagination? Sad, isn't it?
As humans grow older, we come to believe that imagination is only for the young, the children. To follow Christ requires maturity, sobriety, and the ability for deep thinking and contemplation. Adults do not have time to waste in imagining things that will never come to pass.
Maybe that's our problem. We have lost the ability for free-thinking, to imagine, and to ask the question, "what if?". Imagination is that uniquely human gift from God that allows room for faith, hope, and love. I think that sometimes we work so hard at becoming an adult that we forget what it was like to be a child.
Imagine what might happen if we have the faith to trust God. Imagine what could happen to humanity if people of faith invested their hopes and dreams in the God of eternity. Imagine what if...
We can't help it if we get older. It happens. We just don't have to give in to stagnate thinking and lose the ability to imagine what might be through the eyes of faith.
The next time you have trouble with the concept of imagination talk to a 5 year old. And if you run into any aliens in your house, call me. I've got a grandson who is a genuine alien slayer.
Blessings Human Friends and Imagine What Could Happen
Thursday, January 1, 2009
2009 Resolutions
The New Year is typically a time of reflection and pondering the future. I think part of what makes us human is that we try to recover from our mistakes and do better the next time. We realize that we are not perfect, but yet we strive for perfection. When you think about it, that's not really a bad thing.
Since 1985, my wife and I have been involved in working with students and their families. We started out in church youth ministry and have ended up in Christian education working with middle and high school students.
Recently we began reading Family Ministry by Diana R. Garland. The book is somewhat clinical in its explanation of the description and development of families. It offers insight into the development of a family ministry within in the context of a church. I am not sure why we are reading it other than our experiences with families and a desire to have a better understanding of how families develop and communicate.
In discussing why families generate conflict and anger, the author suggests that one of the problems in family communication revolves around a need for power and autonomy. There is a section that caught my attention and I immediately made a spiritual connection to my personal relationship with Christ. I know it's problematic to pull out quotations and make an application other than what the author intended, but here it is:
"The partner who habitually and irritatingly piles papers in the middle of the dining table may be saying, 'You are in control of most of our life together, but there are still corners of my life that are mine over which you have no power.'"
I wrote a comment in margin of the page: "Do we do this with God?" Do we withhold certain areas of our lives from God to maintain some sense of power and autonomy?
With God, it is all or nothing. I cannot hold anything in reserve; He is either all of my life, or He is not.
Humanity has a tendency to compartmentalize their time and functions. Family time, a day with the guys, work time, school time, time with our spouse, alone time. You name it, if it is meaningful enough for us, we will create time for it. But God is different.
We cannot create a slot big enough for what He needs from us because He wants us, not just our time. God wants to be at the center of who we are, not first in line. Neither does He want to be allotted the largest time slot. In reality, it is not even a matter of priorities; God is either God, or He is not.
So, I am still thinking about the possibilities for 2009. I am even more keenly aware of what God expects. Hopefully 2009 will bring opportunities for us to center our lives in Christ. May He place us all strategically in the harvest field of humanity.
Blessings! May our humanness reflect Christ in 2009!
Since 1985, my wife and I have been involved in working with students and their families. We started out in church youth ministry and have ended up in Christian education working with middle and high school students.
Recently we began reading Family Ministry by Diana R. Garland. The book is somewhat clinical in its explanation of the description and development of families. It offers insight into the development of a family ministry within in the context of a church. I am not sure why we are reading it other than our experiences with families and a desire to have a better understanding of how families develop and communicate.
In discussing why families generate conflict and anger, the author suggests that one of the problems in family communication revolves around a need for power and autonomy. There is a section that caught my attention and I immediately made a spiritual connection to my personal relationship with Christ. I know it's problematic to pull out quotations and make an application other than what the author intended, but here it is:
"The partner who habitually and irritatingly piles papers in the middle of the dining table may be saying, 'You are in control of most of our life together, but there are still corners of my life that are mine over which you have no power.'"
I wrote a comment in margin of the page: "Do we do this with God?" Do we withhold certain areas of our lives from God to maintain some sense of power and autonomy?
With God, it is all or nothing. I cannot hold anything in reserve; He is either all of my life, or He is not.
Humanity has a tendency to compartmentalize their time and functions. Family time, a day with the guys, work time, school time, time with our spouse, alone time. You name it, if it is meaningful enough for us, we will create time for it. But God is different.
We cannot create a slot big enough for what He needs from us because He wants us, not just our time. God wants to be at the center of who we are, not first in line. Neither does He want to be allotted the largest time slot. In reality, it is not even a matter of priorities; God is either God, or He is not.
So, I am still thinking about the possibilities for 2009. I am even more keenly aware of what God expects. Hopefully 2009 will bring opportunities for us to center our lives in Christ. May He place us all strategically in the harvest field of humanity.
Blessings! May our humanness reflect Christ in 2009!
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