Never Give In - Never Give Up

"This is the lesson: never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never - in nothing, great or small, large or petty - never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy." (Winston Churchill, 1941)

History is the rear view mirror for humanity. We either learn from it or we are doomed to repeat it (ironically, Churchill is one of the people credited with saying this). In spite of all of his flaws, Churchill was one of the most influential people of his generation. His life demonstrated the essence of his speech.

He lost a considerable fortune in the crash of 1929.  While in New York in 1931, Churchill was hit by a car. He suffered significant injuries and experienced severe depression as a result. Dubbed a failure in WWI, he later returned to Parliament and led his country to stand against Hitler's Nazi regime with the help of the Allied forces. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in literature and eventually knighted by the Queen.

In How the Mighty Fall, Jim Collins calls people like this "individuals who are constitutionally incapable of capitulation."  Collins goes on to say "failure is not so much a physical state as a state of mind; success is falling down, and getting up one more time, without end" (p. 123).

Wisdom literature says, "for a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, but the wicked stumble in time of calamity" (Proverbs 24:16, NASB).  There is a certain tenacity that is required to live in the present moment; it's the same fortitude that enabled historical figures to keep getting up.  It takes faith, or unlimited trust to say "if I keep getting up, things will change, things will get better."  There is always tomorrow, there is always hope, there is always faith to say "Never Give In - Never Give Up!"

Have faith my human friends! God is with you when you are down -  He is with you when you stand back up.

Managing Change: The Myth and Falicies

"Don’t manage - lead change before you have to." (Jack Welch)

Have you ever wondered why there are so many books written about managing change? One of my classes in college was entitled "Managing Stress."  It was just a different name about the same subject.  Change causes stress, so if we can manage the stress brought on by change, we can some how manage the change process.  Good luck with that...  Managing change is like trying to grab a handful of jello. Just when you think you have a grasp of it, it jiggles and slips through your fingers.

The thing is, if we know that life is all about encountering change on a daily basis why don't we plan for change?  It seems we spend most of our days reacting to events rather than planning for the future.

"Whether you prevail or fail, endure or die, depends more on what you do to yourself than on what the world does to you."  (Jim Collins - How The Mighty Fall)

I've come to realize that it takes more energy to react to change than it does to plan and maintain flexibility. So here's to planning the day, the week, the month, and the year. Determine what is of prime importance and most valuable, look down the road of tomorrow, anticipate the next move, and pray for wisdom and understanding. It's easier to steer a moving car than to turn the wheel of one parked on the curb.

"Lead from the front." (Major Dick Winters - Beyond Band of Brothers)

That Which Sets Us Apart: Education for Our Time (part 2)

"Coming from a parental perspective, I'm probably more interested in cultivating my child's moral nobility, integrity and spiritual virtues than their academic education. I'm beginning to think that not only is this more difficult to grasp for the student than academics, but it's just as difficult to teach because it involves the teacher (and parents) striving for the same qualities." Kimberly Altman

This comment was posted by my daughter regarding Education for Our Time.  She humors me by reading my notes and leaves a comment or two now and then .  We usually chat about our views on life, education, family, society, and faith. She is one of my many sounding boards. But her comment above gave me pause to reflect on what is the main point of education.

If we as Christian educators and as people who profess faith in Christ fail to instill a sense of "moral nobility, integrity, and spiritual values" in our students we are offering nothing more than a mere academic education; we fail to fulfill our calling and purpose. 

Our task is not easy, but accomplishing something like this never will be. It's a choice we must make everyday; to bring our very best into the classroom and in our interactions with our students. We do not strive to teach a valueless education, but one that is unapologetically value-laden.  Let us teach our students values that will last them throughout their lifetime.

"...From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more." Luke 12:48 

Education Needed For Our Time

To live in frugal circumstances, to consider how we may shoulder our brother’s burden before we lift our own, to work in unself-advertising solitude for a long time, to accomplish a task that we have been given, always to tell the exact truth, and to tell it fearlessly whatever the circumstance – such are the modes and habits of composing noble lives . . . (An Education For Our Time - Josiah Bunting, III)

An Education For Our Time is a story about a man who wanted to create a unique college.  The college had an endowment so that all of the students were admitted on scholarship.  It was a grueling process to gain acceptance, but the experience would be unforgettable and life-changing.  The school was dedicated to educating young adults in character, civic and personal responsibility, and living with purpose and intention.  I was so mesmerized by the ideals and purpose that I began to research the college. It was then that I discovered that it was not a real college; the whole thing was fictional.  I was so disappointed!  Not to mention embarrassed...

I have been pondering several questions: How can we best prepare our students for the future?  What are the qualities, or virtues that we can teach our students?  How can they learn the "habits of composing noble lives?"  Most importantly, how can we help them encounter God on a personal level?  If we can answer these questions, then we can create a Christian Education for our Time... and it will not be fictional.