Wacky Weather and an Unchanging God

Well May seems to be providing quite the diverse weather for our area.  Normally we would be well into the swing of spring but it has been more of a roller coaster ride.  Flurries, hot snaps with high humidity, frost, beautiful spring days that are punctuated by other chilly days and nights fill out the almanac so far this year.  Weather can be unpredictable even with current forecasting technology.   Although the instability of the weather can remain in question, the surety of the seasons brings us some comfort.  Through the ups and downs of the weather we can take comfort in the steady pattern of the seasons that our Creator has firmly established in our area.  Spring follows winter, summer follows spring and fall comes before winter.  What is even more comforting is our unchanging and everlasting Father in heaven.  We can take comfort in the fact that God is good and his love endures forever.  Despite the roller coaster of events in our own experiences we can put our trust in Him and His provision for us.  We go through various seasons at school and in our own lives and it is buoyed by the constant and unfailing love of our Provider.  We want our students to know that God is good, all the time.   ~ Mr. Bouwers

Responding When Tragedy strikes May 21, 2013

Closing the doors to the office and I took a few moments to gather my thoughts and ask the Spirit to move in my heart, and to search His word for clarity.  There have been a number of tragedies recently, foremost on our minds is the case involving Tim Bosma.  Other recent events expose us to the brokenness in our world: the tornado in Oklahoma City, the warehouse collapse in Bangladesh, the Boston marathon incident and I am sure there are many, many more.   One thing that became crystal clear to me was there are no simple answers.  And it may be most prudent to show wisdom by remaining silent in these tough situations.  It seems to me that in times of tragedy it is more appropriate to ask questions than it is to provide answers.  Some questions that come to mind are: whom do we permit these tragedies to serve? Will we trust Him as a God who does only what is right?  Will we accept His plan for our lives? These are not easy questions but they do provide us with opportunity to discuss our faith, our doubts, and what that means for how we live today. 

 I read a devotional this morning talking about two worlds at work in our everyday lives: the worlds of power and love. It was an interesting to consider the author’s perspective of how these two contrasting worlds also intersect.  It stated: “Any exercise of power apart from love leads to brutality and evil; but any claim to love that does not lead to using that power for the good of others is mere sentimentality and emotion… I think the Reign of God includes both love and power in a lovely dance… It is a beautiful combination of both authority and vulnerability.”  (adapted from “Jesus’ Plan for a New World”)  We may have no answers to the tragedies that surround us but we can choose how we respond.  I pray that we respond in love, simply to comfort with the comfort we’ve received, and to continually set our hearts on God.  This is the hope we have for our students and their families; in Christ alone our hope is found. 

Another set of eyes.... May 13, 2013

I remember coming across a story some time ago and sharing it with a number of other people.   A missionary recounted a story of when he first went into the mission field.  Someone, out of the goodness of their heart, gave him a car to do all of his travelling.  There was only one small problem with the car, it would not start.  The only way he could get it to start was to “bump start” the car by get someone to push it or to get it moving.   Each and every day, the missionary would take great care to keep the car running after he got it started.   He would either have to park it on a hill or leave it running to ensure that it would be ready when needed.  The missionary continued to do this for just over two years until he had to step down due to health issues.  He was replaced in the mission field by another missionary and had the opportunity to show him the ropes.  On the day he was leaving, they were looking over the car and the retiring missionary was explaining how to start the car when the new guy popped the hood.  Looking in at the engine the new comer said, “Sir, I think I can see your problem."  And he reached down and connected a loose wire to the battery and the car started right up. 

Currently, the school is going through a school quality evaluation and we have taken the time to see how things are running and operating at the school.  A lot of work has been done and there are more steps to take.  On Monday and Tuesday of this week, we are going through an external review.  Auditors from other school will be coming in and seeing things with a different set of eyes.  The missionary benefited from the observations of the replacement and we too can benefit from the expertise and perspective of others.  This enables us to stay on the path of continual improvement and assess school quality.  We do this so we can continue to provide quality, Christ-centered education; to develop the gifts of God’s children and prepare them for a life of leadership and contribution in God’s kingdom. 

Who's in charge? May 6th, 2013

At staff devotions today we took a closer look at who is in charge.  Immediate our minds are drawn to the tasks that need to be carried out and who is responsible to get it done.  Teachers have a distinct leadership role in the classroom and throughout the school.  As well, the principal also carries leadership responsibility at school and in the broader school community.  Just because the responsibility is levied to the staff, it does not change the fact that ultimately the Lord is in charge.   He is there, and he is here.  He goes with us and before us working out his good and perfect will.  We may have responsibilities or tasks to carry out but we do so in the knowledge that before we even cross paths with students or parents each day that the Lord is there and has been active in our hearts, our minds and in His creation.  To quote Charles Swindoll, “But our invisible God …is continually, constantly, and confidently at work.”  We live in this assurance and try to faithfully carry out the work he has set out for us to do.  We respond to this at DCCS by living out our calling, working in the knowledge that the Lord is in charge and working in us and through us to accomplish is purpose and so our mission and vision can faithfully reflect His will for our lives.    

Reflecting on Christian Education Week April 29, 2013

Celebration of Christian Education can be a tricky business.  We are so thankful for recent events and we do want to share the joy with our community but we do not want to appear to boast or brag in anything except Christ.  So let’s start there.  In Christ all things are held together, including this community.  We celebrated the fact that Christian Education is a radical venture last week with the students and the visiting Grandparents and Grand-friends.  James Smith in an article titled “The Case for Christian Education” suggests what is radical about Christian education is the premise that any and every education is rooted in a worldview, in a grand story.  Our story has Christ firmly rooted in the center and is seen in all aspects of our curriculum.  We celebrate the ongoing Christian education movement and we boast about what God is doing in our lives and in Christian schools.

The students participated in Christian Education Week activities to raise funds for the Canadian Christian Education Foundation.  The students were able to raise support for the “Give a little, Get a lot” campaign that enables the organization to develop Christian educational materials for teachers and students, sponsor educational activities and raise awareness for Christian Education across Canada.  We praise the Lord for our children and their support for kingdom causes. 

We are so very thankful for our supportive community.  I had the great honour and privilege of hosting our grandparents and grand-friends last Wednesday.  During our time together we discussed the real needs in our community and the opportunity to partner with the school to assist some of our families in raising the next generation in the faith.  I believe it takes a community’s full support to ensure our schools are thriving and accessible to Christian families in our community.  We praise God for our Grandparents and friends who showed their support for Christian education.  They are committed to praying for the school and they also supported the Tuition Assistance fund with donations over $16 000.  We praise the Lord and make our boast in what he is doing through our supporting community.

God is good, all the time and all the time, God is good.