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Fan the Flame
The embers flick about, tossed about by the breeze. The fire slowly dies out as the ashen logs deteriorate. Before long, only a shadow of the former fire remains. Blow on the fire and it strengthens. What almost dies out comes back to life. With adequate fuel, the oxygen brings vibrancy back to the flames. Our Christian walk is similar. In 2 Timothy 1:6 (NIV) the apostle Paul addresses Timothy, a young pastor: “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.” Timothy has a gift from God. What particular gift, we do not…
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Absolute Joy
A little girl stands at the top of a hill. All around her are children, filled with glee as they go racing down through the snow with their sleds. She is uncertain. It is all so strange to her. Only weeks ago, she was in the hot, arid climate of Africa. She has had to adjust to many things since her move to our country. Our cold winter is a shock to her. Her experience with snow is limited and sledding is a large unknown. One of the staff on outside recess supervision approaches her with a sled. I can see the discussion and the sign language as the…
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Look at Me
“Teacher, teacher, watch me do this.” I hear this comment multiple times in my teaching week, particularly on the playground. As students think they have mastered a new skill, they want to share that with me. It validates them in their minds. It helps them stand out in the myriad of students outside and gain that prized teacher’s attention. As we all do, these students want to matter and feel that have something special to contribute to school life. This need for validation seeps into adulthood as well. I know I often have done things for the “show” factor. I want people to see that I am smart or organized…
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God Speaks
A baby is born into slavery. Life seems hopeless, but God has a plan. The baby grows up as an Egyptian prince. He learns from the best educators and is groomed for leadership. He knows the intricate workings of the Pharaoh’s life and work. Yet, all this seems for naught when he is caught in the act of murder and he must flee for his life. He takes on a new role – that of a shepherd in Midian. He marries and has children and leads a so-called everyday life. All that changes one day when he encounters a bush that is burning but not being consumed. His curiosity…
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Even Then
Covid came to my classroom this week. Unlike last year, our class is not required to quarantine. While I am fully vaccinated, I fear for my little ones. They are so vulnerable. My risk level rises also. It is hard walking into that classroom each day knowing that this disease is likely going to work its way through my students. I have many mixed emotions over it all. I feel anger over many things that I can’t control that affect my life – things like government decisions to open up everything this summer when it was inevitable that fall would see a fourth wave of this nasty virus. Or……
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No Pain No Gain
When aerobic exercise gained prevalence in the 1980s, a frequent message was no pain, no gain. Exercise gurus encouraged their participants to work past their burning muscles, believing that would translate into much greater results. We now know that this exercise philosophy is not the healthiest for our bodies. Putting that stress on our muscles can lead to long term damage and discomfort. Yet there are still many who think that making great gains, in many facets of life, is only achieved by going the distance through pain. While not something that medical professionals advocate, there is, however, a semblance of truth in the – no pain no gain…
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Peace
Waiting is a challenging thing. It is one thing to await a special event; it is quite the opposite process when time lingers before a challenging task or circumstance. The morning of my cancer surgery I struggle with what to do with my time. I am not thrilled with my afternoon surgery appointment because I know that my mind will be racing in circles all morning, anticipating the events to come. Trying to ignore my hunger pangs, as I hadn’t been allowed to eat for hours, I begin mindlessly surfing the internet to bide the time. Moments before I need to start the long drive to the hospital, an email…
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Where Fear Treads
Cancer. It’s a word that strikes fear in even the strongest and heartiest of souls. There are few people these days that haven’t had someone in their lives deal with this invasive disease. No one wants or expects this diagnosis to be directed at them and it is extremely traumatic when the words are said – “You have cancer.” Just a few weeks ago I did something that has to rate as one of the most challenging things I have ever done in my life – walk through the doors of my local cancer clinic. As I struggled not to cry, I looked around at the multitude of people milling…
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Hiding Out
Did you ever play hide and seek? I remember long summer nights where all the young people on our block would play that game for hours together until it was so dark we could barely see. We never played in one specific yard but for quite a distance down our street. It was always fun to see if I could find the perfect hiding spot where I could sit with great delight and watch the others valiantly try to find me. Nowadays we often find ourselves hiding out for a different reason. The news reports are full of negative Covid stories: a celebrity gets Covid after his own birthday party…
