Rooted: Built-up: Overflowing

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” Colossians 2:6:7  I do enjoy digging into the school theme.  Finding out what words mean, reading for other translations and even researching some of the original language.  This year’s theme, Rooted: Built-up: Overflowing comes from the verse I opened with. 

It starts with a good firm foundation.  If we have received Christ then we are rooted in him. These roots anchor us to Christ.  We are fixed and embedded in Him.   We are established, fastened, attached, secured, affixed, and moored to Jesus our Saviour and Lord.   This provides that firm foundation, the basis,  substance, and underpinning of our very existence.  This lays the groundwork, establishes the footing, and provides that base for our lives. 

The next part has to do with being built-up. If we are rooted in Christ then we are continually being built-up.  This is dynamic and it speaks to a distinct progression and growth.  The roots that anchor us also provide nourishment for building, developing and moving towards transformation.  This growth in Christ is encouraged and fostered as it is strengthened.  It is supported by our faith, reinforced by our confidence and conviction in the Triune God.  The faith we were taught braces and fortifies us. 

In our lives this should be abundantly clear as we overflow with thankfulness.  I don’t want you to just think of a coffee cup overflowing but rather a teeming river bursting over a large dam causing a flood of gratitude and grace.  We are filled up, brimming with appreciation and awe for all that Christ has done. 

At PCS we have looked at God’s threads the past two years.  We are rooted in Christ, the Word and a solid Christian perspective.  I believe our students have been strengthened in the faith and they are growing in the knowledge and the wonder of the grace of God. From this we want their learning and their lives to spill over, to flood our community (and beyond) with the thankfulness that comes from knowing God, growing in Him, and sharing that with others. 

We pray the staff and students will experience this not only this year but through the rest of their lives. Message says it this way, “You received Christ Jesus, the Master; now live him. You’re deeply rooted in him. You’re well-constructed upon him. You know your way around the faith. Now do what you’ve been taught. School’s out; quit studying the subject and start living it! And let your living spill over into thanksgiving.” ~Colossians 2:6-7 

Rooted: Built-up: Overflowing

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” Colossians 2:6:7  I do enjoy digging into the school theme.  Finding out what words mean, reading for other translations and even researching some of the original language.  This year’s theme, Rooted: Built-up: Overflowing comes from the verse I opened with. 

It starts with a good firm foundation.  If we have received Christ then we are rooted in him. These roots anchor us to Christ.  We are fixed and embedded in Him.   We are established, fastened, attached, secured, affixed, and moored to Jesus our Saviour and Lord.   This provides that firm foundation, the basis,  substance, and underpinning of our very existence.  This lays the groundwork, establishes the footing, and provides that base for our lives. 

The next part has to do with being built-up. If we are rooted in Christ then we are continually being built-up.  This dynamic that speaks to progression and growth.  The roots that anchor us also provide nourishment for building, developing and moving towards transformation.  This growth in Christ is encouraged and fostered as it is strengthened.  It is supported by our faith, reinforced by our confidence and conviction in the Triune God.  The faith we were taught braces and fortifies us. 

In our lives this should be abundantly clear as we overflow with thankfulness.  I don’t want you to just think of a coffee cup overflowing but rather a teeming river bursting over a large dam causing a flood of gratitude and grace.  We are filled up, brimming with appreciation and awe for all that Christ has done. 

At PCS we have looked at God’s threads the past two years.  We are rooted in Christ, the Word and a solid Christian perspective.  I believe our students have been strengthened in the faith and they are growing in the knowledge and the wonder of the grace of God. From this we want their learning and their lives to spill over, to flood our community (and beyond) with the thankfulness that comes from knowing God, growing in Him, and sharing that with others. 

We pray the staff and students will experience this not only this year but through the rest of their lives. Message says it this way, “You received Christ Jesus, the Master; now live him. You’re deeply rooted in him. You’re well-constructed upon him. You know your way around the faith. Now do what you’ve been taught. School’s out; quit studying the subject and start living it! And let your living spill over into thanksgiving.” ~Colossians 2:6-7 

Surreal Lunch

This summer I had the privilege of helping out at the Christian Teacher’s Academy in August.  I had hoped to talk to a visitor to the Academy that day about some upcoming Professional Development at the school.  I sat down at a table by myself and waited to see if he was available.  During that time, Justin Versteeg, our Vice-Principal, came to sit down beside me.  The other gentleman, Dan Beerens, ended up beside me as well.  A short time later my former high school math teacher joined us at the table with the grade 12 English teacher who taught me some time ago.  Sitting a few tables away was a teacher that taught grade 4 at the elementary school I used to attend and at another table a group of teachers that I started my teaching career with.  And there it was.  That moment when I realized my Christina schooling trajectory was together in one room.  There were those there that helped guide me and taught me along the way.  Dan Beerens was there when I started my leadership journey through ELDI and there was Mr. Versteeg, someone I currently work for.  I think it fits well with our theme this year.  Having been rooted in Christ with a strong Christian school foundation I was able to continue to be built up in Him.  I was taught by some of these wonderful educational saints and my faith was strengthened through them.  I am at the point now where I am overflowing with thankfulness for the gospel and for the impact that Christian education can have.   I am extremely thankful for how the Lord worked in and still works through these people in Christian education and Christian school leadership.  I am thankful to be at  Providence Christian School this year as we explore what it means to be Rooted: Built-Up: Overflowing.  To God be the glory.  

Discerning the Spirits November 9th, 2015

This month we are looking at the thread Spirit Discerning that God weaves through his creation and created order.  As we mentioned las week, we are called to test the spirits of the age.  We want our students to be challenged to identify and discern the idols of our time and to respond as God would call them to. We were created to worship God and if we are not worshipping Him then we are worshipping something or someone else.  We want our students to understand that God is to be the most important to us, not other “things”.  God is more important than other things, and we understand that.  In discerning the idols of our time we realize that it is not just things.  We come across different values, belief systems and alternate worldviews in our studies.  Christian education should be concerned with pointing out the values that surround various topics and compare and contrast that to a Christian worldview.   It is one of the most difficult tasks but one of the most important as well.  We ask you to continue to pray for our staff at PCS and that God would grant them the wisdom they need to speak about discernment with our children.  ~Mr. Bouwers

A Heritage of Faith Oct. 26, 2015

“One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts. They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty and I will meditate on your wonderful works. They tell of the power of your awesome works and I will proclaim your great deeds.” Psalm 145:4-6

The room was buzzing with activity, people gathered around tables excited to get together and anticipating what was in store for them.  The grandparents came pouring in and it was as if we were bursting at the seams.  Grandparents’ day is a very exciting and special day at our school.  We got to explore how God’s story and our story intersect.  Also, how the Grandparents’ story and the story of PCS entwine. And we shared examples how the students’ story is wrapped up in all of those stories.  God’s threads run through all of them.  It weaves together to shape a beautiful picture of community.  This multi-generational event demonstrates the truth we read in Psalm 145:4-6.  

Part of this passage was on a t-shirt that our family wore for the family reunion this summer.  It was a blessing to see my aunts, uncles, mom and dad, cousins, grandma and our little family wearing these shirts.  It is part of our heritage of faith.  This heritage is alive and well and we had a chance to celebrate that this weekend.  We met with family and friends to celebrate mom and dad's 45th wedding anniversary.  We are so thankful for their example and testimony in our lives.  

Grandparents, in many cases, are the tangible link to a wonderful, real life example of authentic faith.  We thank God for grandparents and for the role they play in the lives of our students.   Thank you to our grandparents, it was good to see you and we look forward to seeing you again next year.  

~Mr. Bouwers

The Work of His Hands - A wasp nest? October 19, 2015

Sometimes things can seem scary at first but upon closer examination they turn out to be a wonder.  The other night a friend and I went out to one of our spruce trees and located a large bald-faced hornets’ nest.  The nest was found this summer and was a hive of activity.  There were times we would just go over and watch all of the black and white marvels coming and going.  The nest got to be about 14 inches across and probably 16-18 inches long.  There were two nests in close proximity to each other.  We took the smaller one apart and saw the multiple layers of hexagonal combs.  It was amazing to see that each layer was surrounded by protective paper made by the wasps.  The nest had vent holes to keep it from getting excessively hot and one main entrance/exit.  From what I read the nest starts very small and grows through the summer as the colony gets larger and larger.  It was a nest of scary size but the inside was so intricate and awe inspiring.  We did our homework regarding the nest to the point that we were confident the nest was dormant when we arrived.  This encounter with the large wasp nest led to a creation enjoying experience.  It led to more investigation and a deeper understanding of God’s creation.  I would have never had known that the Bald-faced hornets eat deer and horse flies in great numbers and I feel that would be a benefit to our family.   To God be the glory ~ Mr. Bouwers

Thanksgiving and God's Creation Oct. 13, 2015

The stillness of the lake in the morning provided a mirror for the exploding colour.  It seems that the reflection in the water stirs a spirit of reflection in me.  The deep black water, slightly rippled by a gentle breeze, extended an invitation.  I gently launched the canoe into the cold water and rummaged around the storage compartment for the paddles.  Before I could turn to see if there was a willing companion to join me my son came bounding toward the rocky shore asking if he could join me.  The canoe cut through the water as we quietly dipped the paddles below the surface and took in the wonder of God’s creation.  We navigated our way along the dense shoreline noting the evidence of His handiwork.  As we crossed the narrows towards the outcropping of large rocks we could not help but speak out loud about the beauty that surrounded us.  On Thanksgiving weekend I was thankful for this time to encounter the exquisite craftsmanship of the Creator, God’s goodness and blessings, and marvel at the redeeming work of our Lord.  As we steered the vessel back towards the shore my daughter greeted us with a smile and said in an excited voice, “Dad, you and Lucas were being Creation Enjoyers!” And it was at this point that I also gave thanks for the way our school weaves God’s threads into our curriculum.  I became instantly grateful for Providence Christian School, the staff, and the community. ~Mr. Bouwers

 

“The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy.” Ps. 65:8

Creation Enjoying October 5th, 2015

Thanksgiving Day is just around the corner and the leaves are starting to turn colours. I just received word that there have been no signs of mice activity in the trailer in the near north. It is at this time of harvest and during the fall when leaves start to change that it seems just a little more enticing to go for a walk or possibly snuggle up by a fire. God’s creation is a veritable treasure trove of his artwork. We were created to have community and fellowship with him while enjoying and caring for his creation. This month we will focus on God’s thread of creation enjoying. We want our students to celebrate and discover God’s beautiful creation using all of the senses. The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hand.” ~ Psalm 19. Take time to read all of Psalm 19 sometime this week and then rejoice in the gift of God’s creation, meditate on His word, and sing songs of praise. ~ Mr. Bouwers

God’s Threads: God Worshippers September 28, 2015

We are worshipers. It is woven into the fabric of who we are. God designed us to worship and fellowship with Him. We can fall short of celebrating and worshiping God for who He is, what He has done and is doing and all that He has created. In reality, we are called to stand in awe and wonder of our great God and to grow in the grace and knowledge of our triune God. The phrase, “All of life is worship,” should ring true. Worshipping God is not limited to songs we sing, prayers we pray, and sermons we hear. These are definitely to be included but there is so much more. God created perfect order and shalom. In that perfect order, all glory belongs to God. In doing our work, we are called to do it for the Lord as joyful acts of service. You see, to serve God is to worship. God gave us this world to enjoy, to play in, to explore. We worship God when we enjoy the delicate complexity of an insect’s life cycle and a spiralled sea shell, or the immense awe of a super-moon lunar eclipse, and discoveries throughout His universe. We worship God also when we work, when we stand in awe and when we give Him all the glory. ~ Mr. Bouwers

Woven Together, Sculpted by Him September 21, 2015

In 1464 the statue of David was commissioned. The artist was Agostino and in two years’ time he had but carved a few rough pieces. Ten years later, Rossellino was commissioned to take up the work where someone had left off. The project could not get off of the ground. In 1501 Michelangelo was commissioned to complete the statue. Just over a year later, on September 13, 1502 he started his work and he completed the statue just over two years later. All of these facts you can read for yourself on the internet. What strikes me is how long it took for the completion of the project. A six tonne slab of marble sat for over 35 years until Michelangelo worked steadily at his masterpiece. “Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.” ~Michelangelo. Do you ever marvel at how God has woven you together? How He has sculpted you? In Ephesians 2:10 it states that we are God’s masterpiece, His handiwork, yes, His workmanship. A masterpiece is a work of outstanding artistry, skill or workmanship and a representation of the artist’s best work. That is what we are, God’s best work through the redeeming work of Jesus. That is who our teachers are. That is who our children are. C.S. Lewis said, “We are, not metaphorically but in very truth, a Divine work of art, …it is natural for us to wish that God had designed for us a less glorious and less arduous destiny; but then we are wishing not for more love but for less.” God has crafted us as His masterpiece so let us take time to marvel in that truth Today. ~Mr. Bouwers