Back To School Night

I just arrived home from Eric's Back to School Night at THS. We had quite the workout running hither and yon to find all of his classes, and I came home with a plethora of papers which I will file under "Eric's School." I don't know about your house, but I could seriously wallpaper my entire house with all of the paper from course outlines, expectations, school handbooks, and permission slips. So I'll keep all these papers in his folder all school year and then toss them in the blue recycling can come next June.

It was good to hear complementary comments about my son's conduct and participation. His cross country coach praised his recent"kick it in" mentality. We've noticed that ourselves, and I must say, I'm thankful for it! :-)

I am speaking in chapel at my school on Wednesday and find that I'm nervous about it. Mind you, I speak in front of these students in my class every day, and we have a great time together. However, put me in front of a formally arranged room filled with all of my students at one time, plus the administrators and other teachers, and I suddenly feel like I can't do it! I have prayed about what to share, and I feel that God wants me to share on how to develop a more Godly character. I will be sharing a verse that I ponder so often in my life; Luke 16:10 says, "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much." I want the students to know that even as an adult, I still have to make choices to be faithful in the little things. The are opportunities every day for me to "fudge" on things, or get by without giving my all, or to simply not believe God's promises, but Godly character is displayed when we are faithful in even the littlest of things, most often in the things no one else will ever see. I pray that my students desire to be honest and faithful in what they consider the small things, because those small things are what character is built upon. These kids have been raised in a society that feeds them the lie that, "It won't matter," but some of their decisions and shortcuts are damaging their ability to be trusted with larger things, both in their physical lives and their spiritual lives. Their reputations, their future dreams, and their character are on the line, even as they make their decisions in junior high.

If you think of me, please pray that the Lord will give me His words to speak, and that the Holy Spirit would work in heart of each student in spite of me!