The other day I had a rock in my shoe. I noticed it and promptly took off my shoe and dumped it out. Then a few days later I had a smaller rock in my shoe. You know what happens when you leave a rock in your shoe. This time I left it in there and I wasn’t long before my foot was sore. If I would’ve left the rock there, I would have ended up with a blister which could pop and then could have developed an infection and if left untreated could lead to serious complications. You see, little rocks in our shoe, if left unattended, could cause much pain later on. Sometimes there are things in our lives that are like little rocks. If we don’t pay attention to them or if we don’t root them out, they may cause more pain later. You could liken it to a foothold. If you allow a foothold, there is a place for an attack to be launched. In our lives, in looking at our character, we need to make sure that we don’t allow little rocks to stay or footholds to form. We do this at school with our students and we do this at home with our children. We want to make sure we address some small things when they first arrive so they don’t become bigger issues. We must work together as a community for the health of our children. We raise them together and seek to help each other empty our shoes of rocks and scour the landscape for footholds.
Tuesday, 27 May 2014
May 5th, 2014 MAY!
Well, it is May. The greening grass is coming along nicely and my ears are greeted each morning by a feathered choir. The sun beams are a bit stronger and the earth’s skin is warmed and dried. As long as this winter has been, I think it is almost safe to say that spring has sprung. We may get some frost yet but the snow, I hope, is now behind us. Spring kicks off a season of activity at the school. It started with our membership meeting last week where we elected Board members and changed the constitution to now include 4 year terms. We have concluded our hiring for the upcoming year and we are excited to move forward with a few new faces and a raft of familiar ones. We are excited to welcome Barb Rourda, Irene Janssen and Mary Jane Tigchelaar to our staff. You can read more about their positions in the other sections of the post. In the weeks to come we can excitedly look forward to the Tri-School Spelling Bee, JK Registration, Track and Field Day, and on the horizon we have the month of June. We are so thankful for God’s good gift of spring and the busyness of this season as well.
Tuesday, 29 April 2014
April 28th, 2014 Living Legacies
Last week we held our annual
Grandparents’ and Grand-friends day. We
were tremendously blessed by the attendance of our seasoned visitors. As I was standing in front of the
grandparents and scanning the crowd I was struck by the representation of our
heritage of faith. I have said it before
but the multigenerational nature of the event expresses an established foundation
of faith and an visual support for Christian education. The students were abuzz with excitement and
the grandparents did not fail to disappoint as their presence brought great
joy. We were extremely blessed that day
to host the grandparents and we hope and pray that they were blessed as
well. Grandparents can be important
figures in the lives of our students. I
am reminded of a quote from Jimmy Carter, “We all know grandparents whose
values transcend passing fads and pressures, and who possess the wisdom of
distilled pain and joy. Because they are usually free to love and guide and
befriend the young without having to take daily responsibility for them, they
can often reach out past pride and fear of failure and close the space between
generations.”
A recent study has called for our
youth to connect with authentic faith and grandparents should be invited into
that space. Our students are bombarded
by individualism but they were created for
and long for community. Let them hear
words of wisdom and encouragement from those who have gone before them. They want to connect their faith to their
grandparents’ life stories. Thank you
grandparents for being….,well for being grandparents.
April 22nd, 2014 Christian Education Week
Welcome to our Christian Education celebration week. This week we have the distinct privilege of celebrating the fact that we are able to freely educate in the name of Jesus. There will be a number of activities this week that will help raise funds for EduDeo. EduDeo is a Canadian Christian organization serving children in developing countries with quality education rooted in a Biblical worldview to transform lives. This same basis drives the mission and vision of our school as well. We provide a quality education rooted in a biblical worldview and it is up to our community to own and promote this vision. We are tasked, as a community, to carry forward the transforming work of the Spirit by bringing the gospel to light in all areas. This is not only the subject areas we teach but also into the homes, the churches and the broader community. Let us take hold of the transformative vision so the lives of our students can be made new and they can live as a faithful presence in our society. ~Mr. Bouwers
April 14th, 2014 A Faithful Presence in the World
It seems to me that the weather has been a continual focus of mine as the days and weeks march into spring. This weekend we’ve seen the sun warm the earth and bring about a few more signs of spring. Then we look to the forecast and see that light snow is expected on Tuesday. This confused identity of spring can be exhausting, a hint of spring and a small dose of winter and a glimpse of summer in between. It makes it difficult to plan ahead. The season is unpredictable and can lay ruin to our plans, it way lays impending arrangements. Early in the first chapter of James, the author speaks of the double minded man and how he too is unpredictable and unstable in his ways. The instability in the weather reminds me of this inconsistency that can creep into our lives and our faith. Later on in the first chapter we are given an anchor point, the unwavering nature of our gracious God. We are called to reflect and embody the evidence of God’s new creation. I pray that our staff, our community and our students will be able to provide a steady witness as a faithful presence in the world. I pray we may be first fruits of His new creation and that we may bring moments of life, hope and the resurrection to those around us.
~ Mr. Bouwers
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
Monday, 31 March 2014
March 31st, 2014 A True Underdog Story?
What draws us to an underdog story? Is it the triumph of the “human spirit”? Or is it the inspiring stories of individuals that, despite the odds, pull themselves up out of the quagmire of their circumstance “by their own boot straps”? I think both of these fall short of what really draws us to these stories. This humanistic worldview does not seem to jive with a Christian worldview but these stories, nonetheless, remain favourites of ours. What is it then that draws us in? I do believe it has something to do with biblical truth that is not always highlighted but still remains evident. God has always been in the habit of partnering with unlikely “heroes”. Story after story in the Old Testament illustrates God’s use of the little ones to carry out His will or to be his messengers. Even in stories like The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien, small hands are used to accomplish a great task not out of sheer power but a humble and contrite disposition. Favour falls upon those who are bent to the will of a high calling. I think we find the story of the underdog compelling, in part, because we long for the source of all love and power to partner with us to do great things for the Kingdom cause. We can illuminate the truth of the Word by diminishing our role and letting the glory and power of our God shine through. We are called to be poor in spirit, to become nothing so that God’s power can be revealed in us. It is moments and postures such as this that we are able to grow, that we are able to be taught, and that we are fully able to partner with God. It is an encouraging thought that God, in His infinite love for us, chooses us despite all that we lack. It enables us to give it all for His glory, and honour and praise. May His transforming power be evident in your life this week as we seek to grow and learn more about Him, His creation and His created order.
Monday, 24 March 2014
March 24th, 2014 New Venture - Junior Kindergarten!
As some of you may have heard, we
are starting a new venture here at the school that is rooted in a long time
program. Our Sonshine School program has
been running for over 10 years and we are very thankful for that program and
the many children it has blessed throughout the years. It has effectively served as an equivalent to
a junior kindergarten program under the capable leadership of Mrs. Mary-Jane
Tigchelaar (Mrs. T). The time has come
for Providence to take the next step and formalize the junior kindergarten program
at the school. It is with much joy and
now anticipation that we move forward with a formalized junior kindergarten
program starting in September. Mrs. T is
excited to provide leadership in the classroom as we welcome our youngest
learners to the PCS community. Junior
Kindergarten will run on Mondays, Wednesdays and every other Friday. We will also be offering non-curricular
activity days to coincide with our junior and senior kindergarten options. These activity days are optional for our
junior kindergarten and senior kindergarten aged students on Tuesday and
Thursday to provide a full time option for Christian families. It provides us with another opportunity to
partner with Christian families who are searching for full time options for their
children and desire a Christian education and a Christian atmosphere. If you have any questions regarding the
program or if you require assistance to enroll your child please feel free to
contact the office and we will be glad to assist you. Feel free to send this to other Christian
families who are considering the education of our youngest learners.
Tuesday, 18 March 2014
March 18, 2014 Transitions
We can look ahead on the calendar
to March 20th and celebrate the start of spring. The weather is starting to turn and I am
sure we will experience the tumultuous ups and downs of the weather as we
navigate through the transition. Navigating
through transitions is a large part of what we do at Providence. We have recently had a number of family tours
and interest as we transition into a new program for our early learners. It is not only a transition for them but also
for many new families as well. We cling
to God’s promise that he will be with us where ever we may go and whatever hill
or valley we walk. Through these transitions
we can count on God’s faithful presence.
We continue to rely on his providential hand as we transition with our
students into the final term of the school year. In all of the transitions, be them painful or
joyful, highly anticipated or approached with trepidation we must remember that
our big and mighty God has the whole world in His hands. He goes before us. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Yes,
rejoice in the Lord. Spring is coming.
Photo from http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/
Monday, 3 March 2014
March 3rd, 2014 Longing and Waiting
Spring. It is a wonderful season
that comes after the long, cold winter.
This winter has been especially cold and snowy but the students have
remained in relatively good spirits. I
wore a bright yellow shirt today to try and encourage spring to arrive just a
little bit sooner but if the temperature is any indication I do not think I succeeded. I saw a recent post that made me smile; it
said, “Dear Winter. I am breaking up
with you. I think it is time I start
seeing other seasons.” As I long for spring it brings to mind a few
things. First, I realize that we have
Ash Wednesday this week which brings about the season of Lent. It frames that time right before Easter
where we celebrate the hope of the resurrection. Secondly, I think of Springfest. It is a wonderful community event that
deserves our support, our attention and our volunteerism. This is one event that we go out and meet the
community where they are and share just a little bit of who we are. I urge you to consider contacting some of the
organizers and seeing how you can help make this a quality event in our
community. Finally, I am reminded that
all things come in the Lord’s time not ours.
We may be taken by surprise that something has come to fruition or even
ended much quicker than expected or we may feel like we are constantly waiting,
like this long expectant spring season. We
can stand on the promises of God that he will bring in new life, restore and
heal all aspects of creation in His time.
Waiting and longing for these things is not always easy but it’s worth
it in the end. ~Mr. Bouwers
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