April 7th, 2014 April Showers

Sprinkled in the forecast for the coming week or two are weather reports of rain.  This coincides with the coming of spring weather and the common idiom, “April showers bring May flowers.”  There is a latent hope built into this phrase.  The April showers and some of the dreary, gray days of spring can be endured and seen as fruitful in light of the promise of May flowers.  Easter brings about the season of Lent, a season of reflection and contemplation.  Through the Lenten season we look ahead to the promise of fulfillment embodied in the death and subsequent resurrection of Jesus Christ.  With spring, life begins anew and so it is with Easter.  The word that continually comes to mind throughout the season is hope. The parallels between the Easter story and the seasonal unfolding of spring are inspiringly numerous.  This great hope is not a distant hope.  This hope breaks into our tainted existence and tasks us, as followers of Christ, to also bring the light of the world to bear upon the world, our communities, and our families.  We are called to bring renewal and rebirth to places that are tarnished and out of sorts.  I pray that we will continually seek to incorporate our preparation of the students for a life of Christian service with opportunities in the community to use and develop their God- given gifts.  I think these are markers of quality, Christian education.   ~ Mr. Bouwers