It happened every year in fifth grade, with every novel, without fail. Either the boys would moan, “Why do we have to read another GIRL book?!,” or the girls would groan, “Not another BOY novel!” Admittedly, at the outset, some books naturally seem to appeal more to boys than to girls, and vice versa; why…
Believe it or not, it is already time to think about back to school! The building is freshly painted, and the floors are shining. The teachers are busily arranging their rooms to ensure another successful year in the classroom. Now is also the time to evaluate your home study space – an important factor in…
On a windy January day long ago, I walked along the Atlantic Ocean’s shore. Impressed by the expanse, I breathed in the cold, salty air. Seashells sat. I always look for what my son once called a “beauty keep,” something precious. I saw one. Impressed by the Lord, I bent down and picked it up,…
When folks ask, “Do you have a Prom?” the answer is “No, we have Protocol…” Why does this catch their attention? Maybe it is because we are bold enough to do something different from what the world is doing. We are proud of our event and the apologetic behind it. Protocol gives the opportunity to…
In late August of 1837, Ralph Waldo Emerson delivered an address entitled “The American Scholar” at The First Parish in Cambridge, MA, calling for America to declare literary independence from England and the European literary tradition. In “The American Scholar” Emerson criticizes American society for having come to think of itself-the whole society, that is-as…
I’ll admit it, I’m a perfectionist. I enjoy the thrill of seeing that “A” on the top of any assignment I have submitted or assessment I have completed. And there’s this feeling of sadness that accompanies letter grades less than an “A.” Why? What makes me feel this way? Well, sure, an “A” represents excellence…
Reading actively requires some work on your part. It requires you to be alert and, if not well-rested, at least well-fed! To read actively means that you, the reader, are actively engaging with another human being, with voices from the past. Many of the words and even ideas in the books we read will be…
God approaches His people through story. Redemptive history is story unfolding and in the making. It is no wonder, then, why Jesus taught through story as well. Jesus’ words resonate through the Gospels as He unpacks the Kingdom of God through parable. And how many people missed these parables? How many did not understand Jesus’…