A lesson plan from space

20 years ago, a young teacher Christa McCauliffe, ventured to the world of space to give lessons to her students of what is out in space. She never got to give those lectures, but today in over 50 Challenger learning centers in the United States, students are conducting missions to the planets and galaxies. For a young woman to have a grand dream of flying in outer space and have it denied in her lifetime is frustrating to those who are left to endure the loss. That is where working as a team is required. To come alongside those to whom dreams are denied and to pursue those dreams anyway without the initiators of those dreams.
Moses had to endure a delay when he could not enter the promised land but had to wander.
Many times in life, we are faced with delays.
Delays are not fun. Whether it is a delay in giving a talk, getting a raise or just a delay in finding the special friend that God assigns is not easy since we can not see the cards that God is dealing into our lives.
we need to have courage and be the initators and finishers of those dreams just as coaches take off where others have left off and pastors take over the work of other pastors. Dream on.

Sunday school on the road

How we have to be flexible when we look at our lives. This morning, the normal routine of sunday school was broken into pieces. When my friend called and said that his ride did not show up, I went with a friend and we picked him up.
While we were heading on the highway I reflected on how I handled a new visitor in not being sensitive to the hurt within this person. I knew there was hurt within but was not sensitive in dealing with a situation and tried to make sure we conformed to the way the room is set up. I learned I need to be flexible and God really doesn't care where the teacher sits. We are all the teachers of His word.

New Beginnings

Today is the start for our memoir writing for 2006 with a new facilitator. It will be hard without our old reliable professor, but Mary and Gilligan will be alongside the new professor. Changes are difficult to take at times. But just as the seasons change from one to the next, it is always good to get a new flow of ideas into life.
The wood carver sits down and spreads out his apron and lays down his sanding blocks and knives with which he is going to cut the wood into a sculpture. He moves deliberately along the piece of wood and finds the groove to carve along. He has a white beard and a warm smile. He laughs as he carves and finds great joy in doing this activity.
The wood shavings accumulate and the aroma of freshly carved wood fill the workshop. He stands up and stretches his long arms and grabs a few more tools to fine tune this piece of wood. He looks around to clear cobwebs hanging from lamps in the ceiling that are full of dust.
He moves again to open the window to air his workshop out during this humid day. He hears a mourning dove outside his window and sees a group of children outside playing. He looks at the sky and gains inspiration to continue his work.
Carving wood is a lot like writing. Just touching the piece of wood and creating a structure as you go along. Just like with writing-bringing about the flow of ideas to communicate a meaning and blessing for the reader.

competition

Having only been on the hardwood floor as an assistant to the coach during my last two years of my high school years, I have learned much on how much perseverence it takes for players on a team. Seeing them do wind-sprints down the length of the floor to doing the stretching and boxing out and various offensive and defensive drills helps prepare the team for the challenges that are ahead during the actual game time.
Being on the actual courtside seeing the close action on a day to day basis is something that I will never forget. A lot of times when an observer looks at a game from the distance, they do not understand all the hard work that must go on behind the scenes.
Never being an athlete myself, I will never know first-hand the effects of the day to day competition. But being part of a close-knit community over two winters was very special when being present amongst teams of local high schools.
Now just being able to scream at the television screen that a college player should have done better is a favorite way to spend an afternoon or evening.
Thanks, Abe for giving me the chance to experience a part of life that I would not have otherwise being a fan in the stands.

A new year@!!!

It is a little bit like school today since a talk that I was planning to give was cancelled due to bad weather. It gives me another 2 weeks to prepare for it. It will focus on how christians are supposed to be aware of the cloud of witnesses that have gone before them. These people such as Moses and Abraham had many challenges to face. In light of the themes from the book of Romans 8 on the role of glory and suffering and the importance to have perseverence in the middle of the suffering. Noah had to endure the scorn of others as he built the ark and Jesus had to endure the suffering on the cross for three hours. Peace to those who read these first words of 2o06 from me.