Superintendent's Thoughts

This week I had the privilege once again to be a part of our High School graduation ceremony. It never fails to inspire me to see these young men and women poised and ready to move on to God’s calling for the reminder of their lives. This is often a huge step in their quest for independence. From this time forward their relationship with their parents changes. It is an important juncture where the past and the future separate in ways that other than when someone is getting married seldom occur in one’s life journey. If future plans include further study, more graduations are also possible but those are often more about launching a career than experiencing separation from your roots. I do not want this to sound like a bad thing; it is a normal part of the rhythm of life when young folks are ready to spread their wings and try to solo just a bit more. Clearly the ties to friends and family from their schooling years remain connected and important, but the boundaries extend a bit further and the familiar is not as apparent. Again, these are all good things that will test us as parents to trust even more in God’s faithfulness, care, and strength and will test our children as their faith and world view are opened for others to examine and for them to strengthen. So, is this the beginning or the end? I think it is both, the beginning of many things and completion of many others. What a great night! It was a celebration of just how these young men and women have prepared themselves for God’s service. Three reflections from the graduation ceremony: I was amazed once again at the confidence with which each of the students who spoke presented themselves and also with the articulate manner in which their ideas were expressed. I am very sure that when I was in high school I would not have been prepared or equipped to do what these young men and women did at their graduation. I believe this is the result of having an educational journey that requires our students to defend their thinking, to express themselves clearly, and to thoughtfully reflect about the impact that others have had on them and how they have impacted those around them. This was not just one person or one year. This has been the case with every student who has made a presentation at graduation in the past decade. What is more amazing is that I know that we had just 4 or 5 student speakers involved but we could have many more do the same thing just as well. As a matter of fact I am convinced the vast majority of our students could have shared their thoughts with a different story but the same impact. The person selected by the class to give the commencement address was a local retired pastor, which says something already about these kids. Ren Broekhuizen has been one of the favorites as a chapel speaker at all of our schools for quite some time. His genuine passion for kids is so apparent that they will give him their full attention for as long as he wants it. They know Ren will always help them to learn something they did not know about themselves or about God and His Word. Tuesday night Ren challenged the class to be people of integrity, that their actions and words match, and that they are the same people when they are observed by others or are alone by themselves. Clearly that is a very important message today for young men and women who are ready to be more independent. The temptations are not going to let up; as a matter of fact, the more you proclaim yourself as Christ’s servant the greater the temptations will be over the coming years. The easiest route would be to not resist the general flow of the stream but that is seldom the best route for a follower of Jesus. One phrase that Pastor Broekhuizen used that struck me as crucial for all of us. He said many people feel that the purpose of a Christian education is to learn how to fit Jesus into our lives. But he went on to say that that is a mistaken notion. The real purpose of a Christian education is to learn how to fit our lives into Jesus. I can think of no better description of what we at HC desire to do every day with every child. So if you are wondering if we are actually achieving our mission, just spend some time with a graduate and I think you will know that we are. If you are wondering if Christian education is really worth the cost, the effort, and the sacrifice just come to an HC High School graduation ceremony and you will know that it is all worth it. I know I am already excited about starting another school year so that the Class of 2011 and the classes following them will be ready to go make a difference in God’s name.

Another Lesson Learned After quite a few years of living and learning I have discovered that life lessons can be gleaned from both unusual and unexpected situations. For that reason, in every moment that God gives us breath we must open eyes, ears, minds and hearts to recognize when and where God is leading us through the people and happenings that he brings into our lives. In the winter months I enjoy doing jigsaw puzzles and I am constantly on the lookout for challenging ones. I don’t just look for puzzles with a lot of pieces but also those that have but some unique characteristic that set it apart from others – maybe fewer colors or repeated patterns or blended scenes. These puzzles help me relax my mind from the stress of the day yet challenge me to stay more focused than reading, especially when I am tired. In addition, I can work for a period of time and can actually measure if I have accomplished something, which is not always true with my work at school. Recently I found a puzzle that was 2 sided. The same scene was printed on both sides of the puzzle but with a 90-degree turn. So you could not tell as you held a piece if it was upside down or right side up. Because of the way the puzzle was cut there were always two pieces that were nearly identical but fit in two different places of the puzzle. One piece needed to be placed diagonally opposite from the other. Needless to say, this was a very time consuming process until I created a system to sort out the pieces more carefully. I also discovered that I could place a piece in what appeared to be the correct location, but if it were actually placed upside down it would not fit exactly how it should. It was just a very little bit off; sometimes I would not even know it did not fit until I tried another piece adjacent to it that also did not fit. So what is the point of this lengthy story? I’ve probably told you more than you ever wanted to know about jigsaw puzzles! What I recognized in these puzzle pieces is that if you find yourself in the wrong place your entire picture can be incomplete. It seems to me that as Christians that should be the description of us. Not fitting exactly should provide a lesson about how we have been called to live our lives every day. The colors are right, the scene has the correct details and features, but something just does not fit. We have been called to be world changers not world conformers. That does not mean we will look differently than everyone else but there must still be something that just does not fit. We are called to be different, called to be transformers of culture. That does not mean we shy away from culture but we must be careful to not have it fit us like a glove. If the fit does not feel right or even if it fits too well we maybe have to determine if we really belong in another part of the puzzle or if we are here in order to make other pieces fit better. I must be careful not to try stretch this analogy too far but I hope you get the simple point - not fitting is not a bad thing. In many situations we as followers of Christ should not fit. That does not mean we do not have a role to play in the bigger picture but maybe it is not in that certain spot or time or situation. A wise teaching that I have not heard for a while is that we must be “in the world but not of the world.” So how do you fit? Too well? Take a look around you. Are you really where you belong or should you be somewhere else? Do you not fit well at all? Take a look at yourself. Is your discomfort by choice or is it because of an awareness that you have sacrificed some values to be where you are? Those are not easy questions but they are important questions that have to be asked over and over.

When a new year begins, especially this year at the beginning of a new decade, we always grow a bit nostalgic. As we look back and reflect we also look forward. I am sure by this time you have heard and read enough about the woes of the past decade, referred to by some as the most difficult decade in the U.S. since the Great Depression. Agree or not, this certainly has been a decade of change, with wide swings in the economy as well as governmental policies. Someone shared an editorial with me from the Wall Street Journal written by Peggy Noonan. I know very little about Ms. Noonan, but I found her insights to be important. It is her premise that institutions that were designed and purposed to “hold us together” as a nation, the glue of commerce and living, have struggled, floundered and even failed this past decade because they had forgotten their mission. According to the article government, banks, Wall Street, even churches and schools have lost their way. They have forgotten or abandoned their mission for the sake of profits or individual gain. They have failed to first serve the communities they are in place to support and worried primarily about the possible advantages strictly from a personal or individualistic point of view. I think there is a great deal of truth to that insight. Noonan is calling for the watchwords of the next decade to be “repair, rebuild and return.” This is good advice for our nation, our businesses, our local governments, our churches, and our schools. Holland Christian is no exception to that charge to make sure we have not lost sight of our mission. I am pleased to relate, as I have a few times in previous pod casts, that the leadership of Holland Christian is neck deep in that very effort. We are carefully evaluating if we are remaining guided and directed by our mission. Are we fully aware of who we are as a school and what sets us apart from other schools? Are we still doing business in the same manner as we have always done it because it is easier or because it remains the best way to govern and direct the school? Do we know our priorities? Are our limited resources being used in such a way that they match our priorities? Are we caught up in things that favor a few but do not serve the entire community well? Are we making choices that are expedient but not sustainable in the long term? These are difficult but very critical questions that we must be asking constantly, especially right now as we see institution after institution crumbling from inside because they did not pay attention to their mission. This is not a new idea. As a matter of fact we have been called to be repairers and rebuilders in Scripture. Isaiah 58 tells us that the Lord will guide you always and He will satisfy your needs if you will rebuild the ancient ruins and raise up the foundations, and then you will be called Repairers of the broken walls. There are great lessons we can learn from the physical attributes of being builders, repairers, and restorers. We must work as a community to rebuild the walls on those foundational principals that have guided us for over 100 years. But that will not happen by sitting on the sidelines. The time for action is now; we can wait no longer. As a nation, as a community, as a school we must rise up together and make absolutely sure we are returning to be being rebuilders and repairers of God’s kingdom here on earth. It starts with each person, each family, each business, each church, and each school. Are we still doing what God has called us to do? Are we doing it as well as we can? The promises are great if we are faithful to that call.

Corrective Vision We hear a lot about “vision” today. People will frequently have a Vision Statement regarding their own future and calling, churches have a vision how they desire to do ministry in the community, and businesses have a vision how to grow their market share or their customer base. Vision in these arenas has to do with planning for the future and goal setting. When we hear the term “casting a vision” we might even have a mental picture of someone throwing out a net to capture a snapshot of the future. Vision can also refer to sight. This has recently taken on additional meaning for me since I just went through surgeries to have cataracts removed from both eyes. This is quite a simple procedure today that can profoundly impact your vision. I did not realize how poor my vision was until I was blessed with new “lenses.” My sight has never been this good! Things are better defined; they have edges and are crisp and colorful. Your vision is a gift more appreciated when you realize it can be lost. My vision wasn’t bad, it was just fuzzy. That can happen to the vision cast for institutions and for individuals as well. The edges can begin to dissolve and the focus can become blurred. If that happens, it is important for us to clear it up, to challenge ourselves to refocus our vision. I am pleased to say that the Board and Administration for Holland Christian is doing that right now. We are checking our vision for the future and trying hard to determine our priorities as we move forward. We need to put in new lenses and see where we should make changes, where we should consider a new design, and even more importantly, where we should not make any changes at all. We want to have a process for our school family to develop a much clearer vision regarding who we are, gaining a better understanding of what it is that we have been called to do and how we can be best equipped to fulfill that calling. This is important work and even more critical today as resources have become more limited and difficult choices must be made. Casting a vision for the future and talking about restored sight are all well and good but in this season of the year there is an even more important interpretation of the idea of vision. If we think about the story of Christ’s birth, it was really a series of visions that led to this amazing event. Zachariah had a powerful vision of the birth of the Messiah. Elizabeth had a vision about the role of her son preceding the Savior. Mary had a vision about her amazing calling as the mother of the Christ-child. Joseph had a vision to help him understand the unbelievable. The wisemen had a vision about the guiding stars. The shepherds had a vision about the birth of the Savior. It was one incredible vision after another that predicted the future: first the birth, then the life, the death, and the resurrection. Each one of these things was essential in our victory over sin. Our attempt to develop a vision for this school pales in comparison to the visions forecasting the birth of a Savior. The world has never been the same since. Indeed any vision of the future that we might want to advance must be linked to the visions first told in the story of Christ’s birth. May you and your family have a blessed Christmas filled with the precious gifts of hope and love that we have been given through the birth of Jesus Christ. May you experience first-hand this Christmas season the corrective vision we now can enjoy as a result of those gifts of love and hope.

As the leaves fall and the air cools, we just feel the changes that surround us. It is more evident every day that a new season is approaching and another season is closing down. As we look at our calendars and plan our coming weeks, Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner! Thanksgiving is an interesting time; we set aside a day and time to be especially thankful. We recognize and celebrate God’s blessings in our lives, our families, our relationships, and in our work and play. Without question it is a good thing for each of us to do as individuals and as collective groups. Maybe our class, our church, our youth group, our family, or our school could and should actively find ways to express and demonstrate gratitude to God. Saying “thank you” is an important habit, often embedded into our vocabulary and our conversations at a very early age. All of us know immediately what the answer is to the question expressed by an adult to a child when they ask, “What do you say?” We have discovered even when we are young that a quick thank you, even though it might lack sincerity, is less painful and more acceptable than to resist or express our true feelings at the time, which actually might not even be close to gratitude. Please understand that I am not encouraging us to forgo good manners and to be impolite or unresponsive, but I do think we rush past the words without much thought put into what we are really saying or wanting to say. I find it ironic that we have become satisfied as a nation, particularly as Christ-followers, with a day of gratitude as opposed to the “life of gratitude” outlined in the Scriptures. It seems that we have once again settled for an easier approach and unfortunately we are passing that onto the next generations. I don’t believe Christ views gratitude and thankfulness as a part-time activity. So what should living a life of gratitude look like? What would be different about us - our work, our relationships, our families, our friendships, our communities, or our response to God - if we really believed we should be thankful in all things and at all times. It seems to me living a life of gratitude should obvious in our words. Every word out of our mouth or in our actions, those things we do and the manner in which things are done should be filled with a more grateful spirit. Our lives should be packed with joy-filled service for others. We should be more open in our acknowledgement of God’s care and blessings. Without hesitation we should recognize every time and with great passion just who it is “from Whom all blessings flow.” Our daily walk should be filled with words of praise for God and with encouragement for those around us. We should never hesitate in expressing our appreciation or being a grace-filled person as we interact with others. Compassion should not be a decision but a lifestyle; tenderness and kindness are guiding principles that are not viewed as a sign of weakness but signs of God’s presence in our lives. To be aware of our need to be grateful is a gift and must shape us every day. As you can see, living a life of gratitude and thankfulness is not easy. It is certainly not a part-time activity nor can a single day or even a season of time be sufficient to express our gratitude to God. It is a full-time task that has no beginning or end. There should be no limits on how gratitude should be demonstrated or to what extent thankfulness must influence how we live each day of our entire life. As Thanksgiving Day comes around on the calendar this year let’s try our very best to not have to make it a day different than any other day of the year because we are already living every day as great gift from God; a day we can fill with our gratitude, praise, and thankfulness.

Cleaning Up A colleague of mine shared an interesting and insightful acronym regarding relationships, particularly regarding responding to the relationships in your life that have become, for lack of a better term, messy.I love people, I love to be with people, but involvement in any relationship means that we must make ourselves more vulnerable, and when that occurs we are at risk of being hurt.Sometimes we get hurt by our own actions and sometimes we get hurt through the actions of others.When that occurs, relationships become messy and they require our attention to make the necessary repairs if we expect the relationship to have a chance to be restored.The acronym that my friend used was CLEAN UP.It’s a good reminder about how to both restore broken relationships and avoid messiness in the relationships that fill our life. C – is for Communication Most relationships: friendships, partnerships, etc. break down because of a lack of communication.True feelings get suppressed or things said in love can unintentionally be harmful but when relationships get off track the worst plan is to stop communicating. L – is for Listening Along with good communication we also need to stop and listen.Scripture tells us to be quick to listen and slow to speak.This is very good advice.If we really listen, many conflicts and misunderstandings can be corrected that were often caused by not listening in the first place.But don’t kid yourself, being a good listener is very hard work. E – is for Equanimity It’s interesting what words we can discover when we are working on an acronym that we like!Equanimity is a call for keeping balance in our relationship.Things like stress can put us out of balance; in that situation, maintain your poise and don’t make a bad situation worse. A – is for Amnesia Choose to forget when someone wrongs you.Don’t try to get even.If forgiveness is modeled by the Master teacher, how can we think it is ever the wrong thing for us to do? N – is for Naps Rest is important in avoiding situations that could harm a relationship.A lot of energy is required to clean up a messy relationship.If you are not ready and rested don’t try to go in and fix things. Also, slow down.People who are too busy are unable to invest the time and energy needed in relationships to keep them positive. U - is for Umbrella You must shelter yourself from a certain amount of conflict.There is a time to let conflict and falsehoods bounce off your protective umbrella.Know what to take on and when not to take something on directly. P – is for Power This refers to the power of prayer.Too frequently our first inclination when things get difficult is demonstrate our rage.This is really the point at which we need the most self control.We need the gifts of the Spirit to keep us from anger, to be the more spiritually mature person and apologize first.But before you can do these things you first need to go to the Lord. When you find yourself dealing with a difficult and messy situation or relationship I would encourage you to just think about you how might want to go about cleaning that mess up.When you do, remember this little guide.I think it might help.

I remember well my mother telling me frequently as an active young boy to “slow down.”I was quite convinced that slowing down was a type of punishment and a ploy to hamper my idea of fun.Now a few years later, I am starting to better understand her words of wisdom.Slowing down is not necessarily a bad thing; it is just hard to do for most of us.The pace of life generated by contemporary culture has certainly not moved us in that direction.As a matter of fact, we do not dare slow down because we are fearful we will be left out, left behind, or miss something critical that could bring us success. Recently our pastor quoted from a book entitled In Praise of Slowness.I ordered the book and of course I am now trying to find the time to read it.Ironic isn’t it?My mother’s advice is still right on target. In a very unfortunate way, the present economic environment has brought us as a society and as individuals to a slower pace as the need to prioritize and choose what we can and should be doing becomes more important and necessary, maybe this could be a little silver lining in a very dark cloud.we are told by tourism experts that people are staying closer to home this summer and enjoying activities that are less costly and more family friendly.Not a bad thing. Summer is frequently a time when we see how many activities we can interject into our already busy lives.We tend to want to add more action in the summer rather than replace some activities for a season.However, for this summer I would encourage teachers, students, parents, and even grandparents to see how much you can take out of your lives and not how much more you can put in.After all, one of the purposes of a summer break for a school is to provide a time to rest and restore our bodies, minds, and spirit.Slow down…listen more…walk more…just sit still more…and enjoy the awesome creation that we have been given by God.We have been given the gift of a beautiful place to live and work in this corner of God’s world but have we taken the time recently to appreciate and acknowledge that gift?To squeeze in a few more activities and events might not be the best way to really recognize and enjoy God’s gifts to us. A common question at this time of year is, “Do you have any plans for this summer?”How about if we have the courage to answer, “I am going to slow down and really enjoy what I have already been given by God,” rather than immediately coming up with a list of trips and events to be part of and work we hope to finish.These are all good things, but maybe we should reduce that list by one or two activities and not feel guilty about that. Who knows how much that might change our lives? Slow down.God knew from the beginning of time that we as humans, made in His image, need a Sabbath.We need cycles of rest, weekly or annually, but it seems we have not paid enough attention to preserving that gift.We are too busy trying to get ahead or catching up or doing as many things as possible in the time allotted.Remember that Christ said there is really only one important thing we need to be doing: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.We have made it a whole lot more complicated than that.So let’s slow down and get back to the basics.

I am sure that you have, as I have, chuckled, marveled, been groused about, offended, or even inspired by some of the clever sayings, thoughts, and slogans that we find today on t-shirts and bumper stickers. For those expressions that are worthy of our consideration it is a real skill to reduce a complex thought to a few words. When we see a few well chosen words it can conjure up a much deeper and more complete image or idea, both for good and for ill. These condensed slogans can be insightful and informative or they can be rude and offensive. Occasionally two viewers might consider the same statement in two very different ways. However, with our ever-increasing pace of life we think less is always better when it comes to words and thoughts, and so these slogans become the norm and the replacement for complete sentences and ideas. It is in this zeal for brevity that important ideas can dissolve and be translated into pithy phrases. The advantage to this approach is that these phrases are more memorable and so they can stay with a person longer than a more complete statement. However, such a reduction for the sake of being cleaver can frequently diminish the strength and the richness of a thoughtful insight. Mission and vision statements for institutions and even individuals have gone through some of the same editing process. In most cases that has been a good thing. It forces one to give serious thought to the question, “What is really the most important purpose, the core beliefs, and values of an institution or a business or for me as a person?” These too can end up on t-shirts and bumper stickers and as words on plagues, walls, and brochures. For a mission statement to be valuable and impacting these words must come alive! Just knowing them or even wearing them is not enough. The real test is whether they make a difference. What is different about us today because this is our mission? What will be different about us tomorrow if this is our mission? Those are the questions we must ask everyday and in every situation. So I ask you, “Do you know the Holland Christian Schools Mission Statement?” If so, what difference has it made? Do you believe it is happening? Are you, no matter what your role might be with the school, actively engaged in moving this mission from words to actions? If you do not know it; why not? The mission, which is the chief purpose, of Holland Christian Schools is to equip minds and nurture hearts to transform the world for Jesus Christ. But just knowing it is not enough. Writing it on your bumper sticker or t-shirt is not enough. We must commit to do what it takes to live it everyday. If you are a student, a teacher, a grandparent, a support staff member, or a parent each one of us must embrace our role in making these words have life, meaning, integrity, and truly make a difference in what an education at Holland Christian Schools is all about. For many of us we must find ways to support, encourage, and cheer on the students and teachers that are living out that mission everyday in the practical applications of learning and growing. It is good to be able to articulate what it is that guides your life, often called your world view, but it is best to live your life in such a way that people around you do not need to ask what you believe or what it is that guides you because they can see it and know it just by watching and interacting with you. This is true for each one of us as individuals and for Christian schools as a community. What do people see when they observe us at Holland Christian? Do they notice that the mission statement coming to life in you? In me? In our students? In our graduates? In our teachers? In our parents? Or do they see that our t-shirts, our bumper stickers, and our words on the wall are really just that, words?

As the world seems to be spinning faster and faster and our lives are turning right with it, face-to-face conversations are a dying art.It seems strange that now that we have more tools for communication than we have ever had at our disposal we have more breakdowns in communication than we have ever had.Some how in the world of cell phones, voice mails, emails, and text messages we have less meaningful communication than when none of those things were available.When you really think about it, our communication with one another is so accessible and immediate that we can “talk” for hours about very little more than surface connections.In the areas of business and commerce, these communication tools have made us much more efficient, effective, and aware; but that has not translated well into our personal lives.Instead of talking to someone face to face, it is more efficient to send an email even if they are across the room, down the hall, or even down the street from us.In addition, we often write things in ways that we would never say verbally, sometimes for the better but more frequently, for the worse.Most remarkably of all, we are much more willing to “talk” to others about someone than we are to talk to the person directly.Matter of fact, with the tools we now have available we can talk to multiple friends at once about someone other than those we are talking to.That has always been an issue, but modern technology has given us the opportunity to do this 24/7 no matter where we are at the time.Previously “gossip” would usually take place one person at a time and would move forward only as quickly as one person could phone another at their homes. I think this communication break down has created more tension in the lives of people than is healthy.More importantly we are losing the skill of conversation and dialog that could lead to repairing and maintaining a relationship.Our bent towards talking to everyone about a situation other then the person who could actually change it, makes us feel better because we can get support for our view of the issue, but yet it has done very little to find a real solution to the problem.The Scriptures speak about relationships and the need to go to the person who has offended you first and then the process of including others is advised.We prefer to include others first and then if we get enough support on our side we will go as a group to the appropriate person, or determine that we as group who now all share the same view of the relationship can “vote that person off the island.”I am certainly talking more about student-to-student interactions but this is not at all foreign to the world of adults either. As I was talking to some of our elementary staff members about student issues, including playground bullying, they told me about a technique that the school counselors were using to teach students how to deal with a confrontational situation.It was called “a bug and a wish.”I think it might be a good tool for all of us, no matter what our age.It works like this: If you are offended or hurt by the words or actions of another person you need to go to that person and indicate a bug and a wish.“It bugs me when you…” and “I wish that you would…”If you have a negative comment you must balance that with a solution.It requires both sides.To just list all the things that bug you will not bring about a solution and if you just list the wishes then the person you are speaking to will never understand the context for all those wishes. I like it.It makes sense and is an easy guideline to remember.If you add the expectation that if at all possible this should be done in person, I think we could revitalize many relationships.However, too frequently today, people are so hurt by the things said to others about them or even to them indirectly that they give up on a possible solution because there has been no balance in the conversation, only “bugs,” and no “wishes.” It is time for us to stop talking about people and start talking to people.This is challenging and it is not easy, but it is the right thing to do.“A bug and a wish” – try it.

Recently I was blessed by a devotional given by a friend of mine to a group of educators.  As he shared I was struck with two words he used which seemed to be exactly what I needed to hear in these uncertain times.  Abiding and abounding – words probably translated in other versions of the Bible as remaining and overflowing – but I think and maybe it is just me, but abiding and abounding seem to have a greater richness and depth in meaning that the other words do not. In John 15, Christ speaks the powerful words about the relationship between the vine and branches.  It begins with, “I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener.”  And continues, “Abide in me, and I will abide in you, no branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.  Neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in me.”  A few verses later it goes on with the same theme, “If you abide in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.” Remarkable isn’t it?   The promises we have available to us if we “abide” in Christ are limitless.  To abide seems to indicate an enormous amount of trust, a confidence in the one in which we are abiding.  If we strive to live in community with God, it should be reflected in how we live in community with each other because they can never be separated.  Abiding in Christ means that our lives will never be the same and the fruit of that relationship should be very evident.  Certainly in these challenging times I want to abide and make sure that as a branch I am very tightly connected to the vine.  The security of abiding is what permits me to live in total confidence that God is in control and that He is indeed watching over me.  I like that – I need that. But the Scriptures go on in II Corinthians 9 to extend that image to more than just abiding, which sounds almost static, God tells us that those that abide in Him will also abound – flourish.  The context of these words are within the story about sowing generously will provide the opportunity to reap generously in the future.  Verse 8 begins with: “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”  The promise is that those who abide in Christ will receive all that we need.  It says clearly, “you will abound in every good work.”  Those things that we are called to do by God will be blessed - His grace will abound, it will overflow, and we will be given more than we need if we abide in Him first.  Note that it does not say that everything will be easy or comfortable but that if you stay connected to Christ and abide in that connection then His grace will abound to you – more than you even need.  What a picture – abiding and abounding – because if I miss out on that strong connection with Christ then I will also miss out on the abundance that is made available to me through God’s grace.I need to make sure I keep that tremendous promise in front of me at all times and because of my good friend’s devotional I have just the reminder I need to do so – abiding and abounding.  I hope those words might remind you of that same wonderful comfort and source of strength and trigger in your mind the powerful pictures of the vine and the branch and the overflowing blessings that can be ours because we are working faithfully to stay tightly connected to Christ. 

New Year’s Resolutions The changing of the calendar to a new year, in this case 2009, usually leads us to think about changes that we are going to make for the new year.  A fresh start and a new resolve give us the courage to think that things are going to be different this time.  At one time such changes might have been unique to our lives but that is certainly not the case any more.  We live in an environment that thrives on change.  The rate of change that we must deal with is almost out of control.  To make a New Year’s resolution to change hardly seems necessary.  I would like to suggest we consider for this year to make resolutions about what needs to stay the same in our lives.  What do we need to keep?  Really this is an upside down way to get at what is really most important in our lives.  This is a very good thing to rediscover more frequently than we do.  What do we value?  That is not to say we might not resolve to do some things better or with more passion and purpose, but what is it that we would never want to forfeit in our lives?  In today’s culture, unless we intervene more intentionally, change will become the norm and we will be led to make changes in areas that really need to stay the same.  Eventually, I am afraid we will discover that our foundations, our values, and our beliefs have been eroded away.  Not because of a grand-scheme, single decision but a series of subtle changes that each seemed to be right at the time and yet in the larger context, as a sum total, have brought us to places we never intended to be.  The fences come down around us that have protected us not with a bulldozer but with wire clippers, a link at a time.  Granted, I do think that some change is not only good, but that it is absolutely necessary and important.  Our inability to discern those changes that will have larger consequences and what those consequences ultimately might be is the very issue we must wrestle with daily. Every family, every institution, each person must at some point recognize and establish those aspects of who and what they are that are non-negotiable.  Where is the immoveable line drawn for you?  Where do you stand firm?  It is getting more difficult to find that place, isn’t it?  We find that we can rationalize our way to any choice we really want to make.  Maybe it would be the best resolution that you could make this year; determine what is it for you, for your family, for your classroom, for your school that is not negotiable.  What will not ever change and how will we make sure that it does not change?  Do your children know the non-negotiables in your life?  Do your students?  Do your friends? If not, why not? One place you might start is with what Jesus said when asked, “What is the most important command?  Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength and love your neighbor as yourself.”  Doesn’t sound too negotiable to me; does it to you? May 2009 be a year that brings you closer in your walk with the Lord and may you feel His presence daily, leading you on the very path that He has uniquely designed just for you.

The headlines are filled with economic woe. We are surrounded by uncertainty. Many are experiencing layoffs and reductions in income. We are told almost instantaneously whether Black Friday or Cyber Monday was successful or above or below projections.  Bad news seems to travel even faster than good news.  Any conversation that lasts more than five minutes usually will pass through the waters of these troubled times we are presently experiencing. So I ask you, does the Christmas season feel different to you this year? Does it seem that we are almost hesitant to celebrate in this time of difficulty? Maybe we are disappointed that we cannot purchase the number of gifts that we have previously, or they might not have the pizzazz they once had.  I know I felt that way; however, as I thought about it more I was struck by the fact that if I do feel that way I have really bought into the commercialization of Christmas.  In spite of my words and my beliefs Christmas has moved to something different than I wanted it to be.  What I have been telling my children and my grandchildren for all these years about Christmas is not really matching my actions and clearly not my thoughts.  Sadly, I must admit that Christmas has become driven by economics in my life.  Sure I still will enjoy the time with family and the food and the fun very much, but when I start to think about Christmas as being good or bad based upon my buying power I really have missed the boat. The practice of giving gifts should be a reflection or a celebration of the fact that God gave us an unbelievable gift in the birth of his son and for us to then offer a gift to others should be viewed as an act of love and a physical demonstration of our care for the person.  It’s an appreciation for who they are and what they mean to us everyday, not just on Christmas.  With that as a context I think this year might be the perfect year to recapture the expressions of love that are to be at the center of our Christmas season. So this year, think about giving those things that are more about who the person is in the eyes of God than about the list of wishes they have for items they currently do not possess.  Think about those gifts that you have received that you really treasure.  Those things that were made by someone just for you are the things that you really value: a photo album, CD, even a meal, or an article of clothing (well maybe that is a stretch).  But you get the idea.  You are then giving of yourself, not of your means. Or how about giving some one the gift of time?  This does not need to be a huge event or a five day trip that is planned from daybreak to sunset.  It can be just spending time playing a game, reading a book, telling a story, or just listening.  Or taking someone to breakfast or lunch as a gesture that you care about them, not that you want something from them. It all sounds a bit corny doesn’t it?  But I think we should try it.  Not because we cannot afford to do something else but because we can afford it and yet are choosing not to.  This year might just provide us with the window of opportunity to put the genuineness of the gift back into the Christmas giving traditions.  Showing that you love those to whom you give gifts is really not about the number or size of the gifts, it is about the thoughtfulness and personalization of a gift that will keep on giving.  After all, God’s gift to me was what I needed, not what I wanted.  Enjoy this time with family and friends and let’s make this Christmas season feel different, not because of what we cannot do but because of what we can do. On behalf of the entire Holland Christian family, have a very blessed Christmas and memorable New Year.

I want to take this opportunity to invite you to attend the Open House and the Dedication of our newly renovated High School.  The date is Thursday, November 13, with the Open House from 5 to 8 PM and the dedication at 7 PM.   The question really is what does it mean to dedicate a building and why is this important? The Scriptures, particularly the Old Testament is filled with stories of how God’s people dedicated their work, their land, their crops, their buildings, their children, and themselves to God’s service.  We too feel it is important to recognize that we want this building and the learning that takes place in it, as well as every person that walks its hallways to be used by God to build His kingdom.  We do not think that God literally requires a building in order to do His work; but rather this school building is to be used by us – staff, parents, and students - to carry on God’s work, to allow us to carry out our calling of teaching and learning in a manner that will equip our students and staff to be kingdom builders and world changers.   We are dedicating this building to the task of preparing young men and women to be disciples of Christ.  It is a building in which we will bring God praise and honor through our worship.  However, we do understand that every aspect of our school and our entire life is really worship; what happens in every classroom - science rooms, media center, commons, hallways, athletic fields and tennis courts; every aspect of this school does indeed belong to God.  Worship is not something we get to add to a school experience because we are a Christian school, it is the very core of what do every day – during every minute of the day at Holland Christian – and not just at the High School but every building, every campus.  This is our work, this is our calling, and this is our purpose.   We are also called in the Scriptures to live in community and within that community.  It would seem to me that if as a community we build something it should be God’s not ours.  It should then be used to build up the entire body – the body of Christ.  So then dedicating that building to God’s use is not just a good thing to do, it is critical. Also because we have claimed the name of Christ as part of our own – Holland Christian Schools – we must make sure that every public proclamation that we do belongs to God, is backed by actions as well as words.  This is not to say that until this building was officially dedicated we were not really working to God’s glory but rather it demonstrates the importance of celebration and ceremony within a community.  There are times when you need to come together to celebrate God’s faithfulness and His presence in our lives personally and as an institution.  If anything, we do not celebrate often enough – also the importance of ceremony is that we acknowledge the deep significance of this claim to be followers of Christ.  It is in such a ceremony that we nurture a sense of covenant.  We, as a body, promise to use this building to the glory of God and are willing to be held accountable to live up to those covenants and promises made with each other and before God.  That is not to be taken lightly.  Indeed we are told in the book of Proverbs that unless the Lord builds the house the builders’ work is done in vain.   Throughout the 108-year history of Holland Christian we maybe have built or occupied 20 buildings or more.  Each one served the body well and for a specific purpose and time but this school is not about buildings – it is about the people and what happens within the walls of those buildings.  Again what we are dedicating is not really the bricks and mortar but it is what happens with the relationships and the instruction occurring within the walls.  We are recommitting, by our words and actions, to continue the work that was begun by the generations of school supporters that came before us, to offer this school, these buildings, and everything that happens in and around those buildings to be used for God’s work and that we are pledging to continue this work for benefit of generations yet to be born.   So, won’t you please join us on November 13 – Open House from 5 to 8 PM and a Dedication celebration to take place at 7 PM.  Come and make that promise with us to do God’s work everyday, in every classroom, in every activity, in every square inch of the school building – all of our buildings – those that are new and those that have been part of the system for years.  This entire school system belongs to God and we should count it as a privilege to be able to use it for that very purpose.

I am sure that was the question asked by many folks that frequently or even occasionally traveled 40th street or Ottawa Ave this summer.  One could not miss the volume and the scope of the construction project this summer – sometimes seeing huge portions of the high school no longer in place and then to watch it return with a very different shape and look.  It was quite a mess from one end of the campus to the other for sometime and then it started around the first of August to come together – first in new spaces that become better defined and then with magnificent landscaping and parking lots and finishing touches that seemed to appear out of nowhere – early on it seemed to change by the week – then by the day and near the end it was changing by the hour. But the question is a good one – What is going on at Holland Christian, since we are about a lot more than buildings and glass and steel and bricks and trees and fields and courts and flowers and parking lots.   What is going on is that a good portion of “where” we are doing are work has changed during the last few years – quite a bit of the “who” is doing the work has also changed in the past decade – significant changes have been made in “how” we are doing our work – but what we are doing has not changed from the first day that Holland Christian Schools opened their doors over 100 years ago. The “where” changes are very apparent – Rose Park, the High School, Pine Ridge and both middle schools as well as South Side all have gone through some very significant changes in structure, infrastructure and function in the past few years.  We think that with a few more steps at the high school we can put the need for major building projects behind us for a few generations.  That is remarkable news for any school system – we know that maintenance and renovations are never really finished but we are getting close once the high school project as it has been designed would be completed.  Regarding the “who” is doing the work at HC also has seen some very significant changes in the past decade with almost an entire generation of teachers retiring and have been replaced by a remarkable group of dedicated teachers and staff members that have joined the HC family.  In addition the staffing required to support education today is quite different than in generations past.  Holland Christian over the years has been blessed to have one of the most capable, passionate, and caring staffs that you will find in any school around the country.  Holland Christian is known as a good place to work and to grow professionally. The “how” aspect of our work has changed most remarkably.  Technology continues to play an ever growing role in our instruction, foreign languages, once reserved for high school now have been brought into the pre-school and elementary classrooms, with some students being taught entirely in Spanish in our immersion program. We have added programming that will help identify students that require some assistance with reading, and after they have been identified we have multiple interventions to put in place at a much earlier age so that they can be more successful as they move through the grades.  We have added after school and summer programs that has been well received by not only HC families and students but by many other families in the community. This fall we are launching some classes that will be offered exclusively for home schooling students and they will then also be joining some of our after school programs.  This program is just at the beginning stages and has great potential.  We have begun programs that will be impacting our pre school planning as well as connecting with the other local school districts in a program called Ready to Learn – determining how prepared children are for kindergarten and what factors will be most influential in advancing their readiness to learn.  In spite of all of these changes and proposed changes and certainly changes that will be coming in the future you need to know that the guiding principles – the purpose – the mission of Holland Christian has not changed.  We will continue with all of our ability to assist every student to fully develop their God given talents.  We will be very aware of how we are being good stewards of the creation and the many resources that God gives to us – individually and as an institution.  And we will continue to prayerfully and actively discern God’s plan for this school – determining where we are going and how we are going to get there.  We will continue to provide an outstanding educational experience that is based on Scripture and teaches young men and women how to think not what to think.  It will be our challenge to guide each child in developing a worldview or a perspective on life and learning that is imbedded in every aspect of their lives.  In short, we might be changing the building and the landscaping around the building – both figuratively and literally – but we are not changing the foundation.  Isn’t it interesting that is exactly what we did with the high school this summer?  The school certainly changed but the foundation of the building never moved – you never quite know where the next life lesson will emerge, do you?So now you too are able to answer the question:  What is going on at Holland Christian?