Sides - Part 3

Virtually everyone has seen the picture by now - a small Honduran child, crying while her mother is patted down by a border patrol agent. It has become a symbol in the debate over the separation of children from their parents who have crossed the U.S. borders illegally…

Only its not...

Change, Doubt and Restoration

Thirty years, five different schools, too many rooms and class changes to count, and a few thousand students. Yeah… that is really weird for me to think about. More than 100 students coming through my classes every year for thirty years. I’m a math teacher, but the math still seems wrong. Of course, the thirty years seems a bit mind boggling as well. So many things have changed over the years…

It is hard to believe that it has been thirty years since I walked into my first science classroom in Selma, CA hoping just to survive and not do too much damage to the students unfortunate enough to land in my room. Now I find myself on the other end of the teaching experience spectrum. Middle school students are no longer intimidating, but I still often worry about the quality of my teaching. 

Surrender

I have long been a believer that the words we use to describe aspects of our faith have strong implications for how we live out our faith. Words that become popular in contemporary Christian circles are not just a reflection of what we have come to believe, but shape the way new and young believers come to understand their faith. Even for those who have been Christians for some time can have their view of faith influenced by the perpetual use of certain words. The repetitive use of certain words can cause us to think and act in accordance to the words that are used. 

No Finish Line

A little over 30 years ago, I was sitting at retirement party at Beacon Chapel, the church I attended while in Bible school, when I had one of those life changing moments.

I was about two years removed from dropping out of Washington State University after having reached what remains the lowest point of my life. I had run away from the church and my faith, and as a result I was suffering from incredible inner turmoil that made it nearly impossible to focus on being a student. As God so often does, he used this lowest of low points to grab my attention and seize my heart. I often joke that I dropped out before I got kicked out, but the truth was that God was showing me something different. I didn’t know, entirely, what that something different was, at the time, I just knew that I didn’t belong at Washington State University. So, I left.

Sides 2

Sides...

It seems like we can’t get away from them in this country, and the divides continue to grow. Unfortunately, the recent tragedy in Charlottesville has only served to further the divide, when it should be a catalyst for unity. But with each new tragedy, with each protest gone wrong, with each domestic act of terror (whatever the source), we cannot bring ourselves to reach across the divide to the humanity on the other side. Instead there are endless fingers pointing at who is to blame. There is condemnation from both sides for being provokers, for responding poorly and/or for retaliating inappropriately. Whatever one side does in response, it is not enough for the other side, or worse, it is deemed wrong and inflammatory. Whatever one side did previous to the tragedy, the other side somehow interprets it as complicity or instigation.

Rich

I am rich, just in case you were wondering.

I know, you are now trying to figure out how a middle school math teacher got rich. It is much more common to hear teachers complain about how underpaid they are. Come to think of it, it is quite common to hear just about everyone complain about how underpaid they are. Even if they don’t complain about being underpaid, they will at least let you know that they could live better with just a little more money. It is rare to hear someone talk about being rich, especially when they don’t appear to be “wealthy,” at least not how we picture “wealthy.” But the truth is, most of us reading this are actually rich, we just don’t often think of ourselves that way.

Many the Miles

Don’t tell anyone, but I often to listen to non-Christian music. I know, that’s bordering on heresy, but I will confess it is just one of my many weaknesses. If it is any consolation, however, I do tend to listen to the music differently than most (I think). I often find myself thinking about the artists’ lyrics in terms of how it might look in the light of Christian faith.

Family Vacation

One of the great blessings of being a teacher is the large chunks of time off that we are given. Over the years it has afforded us the opportunity to have many memorable family vacations. We have visited many national parks, stayed in some terrible hotels, camped in beautiful places and seen a good portion of the western United States. We have seen the amazing creativity of God in natural wonders and discovered creative ways to eat on the road. Whatever the destination, though, the best part of every vacation was a constant - family.

Poking Hornets

I poked a hornets' nest and got attacked.

I dared to share a controversial article, an opinion, critical of traditional VBS programs. I neither condoned nor condemned the article, I simply posted it. It seemed thought provoking and challenging. It was not completely correct in its assessment, but it wasn’t completely wrong either.

Sides

I am tired

I am weary

I am frustrated and losing hope

I am tired of two sides

Democrat and Republican

Liberal and Conservative

My side and your side

Our side and their side

Haves and have nots

The right side and the wrong side

Us and them