Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Answered prayers. . .

Woke up early this morning to go to work. After rolling over to turn off my alarm, it hit me that the fun-filled weekend was over and it was back to the real world. . . the real world where we were going to be setting big trusses all day out in the wind, after which I would come home to homework and a 9:00 deadline for which I needed my textbook which hadn't arrived yet.

Needless to say, neither of those things made me feel ready to start my day. I kind of wished I could go back to sleep for awhile. But I couldn't. I'd already told Larry I could help him on his big truss-setting day.

Rolling over one more time, I asked God to give safety while we were working up high and to help my textbook come in the mail. Why? Because if there's two things I wanted for that day, it was safety and my textbook . . . and if there's two things I don't control it's accidents and the U.S. postal service! =)

Later during devotions I was reading in Mark where Jesus reminds the disciples that if they pray believing, they will receive, even if it involves things like commanding a fig tree to die or moving mountains. I knew these requests weren't anywhere as dramatic or unusual as those, but did believe God had heard and as I went through the rest of the day I kept wondering how he was going to answer.
Long story short, the concrete walls we were working on were pretty high (it's for a gym after all) and it was pretty windy at first, but setting the trusses went faster than we thought and without any accidents. The wind slowed down for the second part of the day and we were able to get all the trusses up by just before dark – something we hoped we could do but really didn't think would work out.

During our short lunch break, I called home to find out if I needed to go pick up another textbook from Millersville so I could keep up with my classes in case my ordered book didn't come for another week (which it very easily could have) and found out that it had arrived, and only because the sender was nice enough to ship it expedited and very quickly after I ordered it – and all that without him even knowing that I needed it quickly because I had forgot to tell him when I bought it.

Anyway, I was encouraged to see how God answered two simple prayers. They weren't really out of the ordinary and could easily be explained by perfectly natural causes, but God used them to remind me that he does listen and act when we pray.

There was no reason we shouldn't have had a safe day at work since we were being careful on a tough job, but there are many people who didn't have a safe day at work today. There was no reason why my textbook shouldn't have come in the mail seeing as it was shipped on time, but not all sellers are nice enough to ship before they absolutely have to. I am thankful for both.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Field Journal

I recently completed four weeks of field experience. It's part of the teacher program and state law that prospective teachers spend at least 35 hours observing and participating (interacting, teaching, etc.) in a real life classroom before student teaching. The following is from one of my many field journals I completed and handed in to my professors at the end. . .

The culture at this High School appears very professional. They are considered a high achieving school and want to maintain that image. Because their reputation is good, their code of conduct is set pretty high, creating that professional atmosphere. The teachers do cooperate and the first day in the school I saw teachers cooperating to time their lessons to each other and create a common final assessment. At the same time, I could see that their reputation also puts some pressure on teachers to have their students perform well, creating some competition among teachers. It wasn't much, but there are politics that go on among the faculty and there was some whispering that went on between cooperating teachers.
Teachers here are expected to help a the tutoring center, do cafeteria duty, help with bus duty, and oversee study hall and home rooms. Teachers often have duty together and the conversations during these seems to be somewhat informal and pretty friendly. The faculty room doesn't get used much by teachers and most of them just eat in their classrooms by themselves. The one conversation I heard in the faculty room (I don't think it was even between two teachers) was about a celebrity scandal. Aside from being somewhat crude, it had nothing to do with school and I got the feeling that not much of anything happens in the faculty room.
I asked about support for first year teachers and was told that there is a program for them, but I gathered that it isn't always comprehensive or terribly relevant to the actual needs of new teachers. It meets about once a week at first and then gradually weans new teachers off. They meet and discuss theories of teaching and some procedures, but I was told the the best support comes from finding another teacher who will take you under their wing for a little and tell you about how the school works.
The classroom I was in is mostly project based so the structure was pretty loose. Kids had a lot of in-class work time and were given a lot of freedom about how and they wanted to complete their projects. A lot of the classes were AP classes and this structure seemed to work fairly well for them and some kids made the most of the freedom to go above and beyond. However, for students who weren't highly motivated, it gave them time to procrastinate and socialize. In these cases, the teacher would usually come over to the table to try to get them back on track. Intervention was informal and usually consisted of a quiet comment or simply waiting till the class was quiet enough to continue with the instructions.
The less formal environment led to a lot of interaction between students and the teacher, and I think most students found her to be down to earth. They were pretty comfortable talking with her and viewed her as someone who was enough like them to understand them. Some of the students really liked and respected her for the freedom she gave them, and some didn't. In each class, there were a few students who didn't like her because they wanted more direct instruction than she gave them and felt that she wasn't teaching them enough.
Special education wasn't a big part of the classroom. Four of the six classes were AP classes and there were some gifted students in them. The teacher told me that the biggest difficulty with gifted students was getting them to take risks instead of just worrying about the grade. Since the assessment was project based, the teacher told me she set it up specifically so gifted students could make their projects as complex and thorough as they wanted to.
There were a couple kids in class with IEP's and they had a special ed teacher who would come in during those classes. She would walk around the classroom, checking in on the tables where they were to make sure they were on task. Again, the project-based assessments were naturally scaffolded to allow students to achieve at the level they were comfortable. Other than that, I didn't see a whole lot of accommodations that were made to the classroom. Students with special needs were simply allowed to do projects that were simpler than other students.
The student I shadowed was definitely a case of a smart student who is underachieving. He excels in the classes he likes, but he is doing poorly in all the others. As I watched him, it became apparent to me that one of the biggest reasons for this is his social life. It's not that he was not against or disinterested in learning, but he was more concerned more interested in being cool. He would participate when “forced” to (and I was surprised at how good his answer was when he was specifically asked) but he wouldn't give the answer of his own accord because it is cooler to not participate. If I was going to teach him, I think I would sometimes “force” him to share with the rest of the class – as long as I had checked up on him and knew he had a good answer. It is a way to let him be involved without hurting his social status. Also, I think I would let him work in groups as a reward, but let him know that if he gets off track he will be switched to another group or have to work by himself for a little.
His favorite class was construction and he was anxious for me to see him in this class. As I watched him and the other boys in shop class, it became apparent to me that they all liked working with their hands better than with a pencil and paper. The same went for physics class, although there he was working with a group again and spent part of the time goofing off because it made the others laugh. However, overall he was naturally more excited and eager to learn when there was a hands-on project to do. I think if he was in my class, I would give the option of making something (maybe a monument for a particular event) for one of the assessments. I would also try to bring in tangible artifacts for him and the rest of the class to put their hands on and get them interested.
Unstructured time was not a good thing for this student. There were two classes where the students were expected to work on their own and weren't given specific instructions or in-class-deadlines. This was when he would zone out. It wasn't that he couldn't follow instructions because I observed him following perfectly when there was a teacher stepping the students through a process in Econ, but when the in clas work time was totally self-guided, he didn't seem to know where to start so he just didn't. I think if I was going to used a project based assessment for him and allow in-class work time, I would need to structure the class so they do the project in small steps and need to report to the rest of the class at least once or twice during the day. Being told where to start and just knowing that the teacher is going to call on several random groups to show what they have accomplished that day would do wonders for providing motivation. It would also help students who are falling behind because they can listen to what their classmates have done and imitate it if they are at a loss for ideas or direction.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Through different eyes

Kids see things through different eyes.

I was sitting in choir, listening to Mr. Hanson read the story of the prodigal son. Listening to him read, I was picturing the story unfolding in my mind as I listened to him read . . .

“And the father, seeing his son from afar off, ran to meet him and fell on his neck and kissed him--”
and suddenly from the audience there's a quiet “ew gross!”

I'd almost forgotten that the kids from children's church were in with us this Sunday! Didn't take me long to remember. lol. I tried not to laugh, but I'm pretty sure someone watching me would have known I wasn't thinking about the prodigal son anymore. That's what I love about kids . . . they remind me what a simpler view of life looks like, and how funny it can be at times!

Fortunately, the message on the parable was actually very good and I was able to take something from the sermon besides that one kid thought the reunion between father and the prodigal son was a little too sentimental and bordering on sloppy.

Pastor pointed out that many times we are so focused on the prodigal son that we forget that there was a second son who was just as alienated from the Father – and he was the one who was living in the same house with him! He really didn't love his father any more than his brother who ran away, but he conformed outwardly because there was something to be gained by it. However, when his brother came back, all the anger, dissatisfaction, and envy came out.

For most of us in church, it's pretty comfortable to hear about the younger son. After all, since we're in church, it's a pretty good sign this parable isn't aimed at us. Or is it? Jesus gave this parable primarily in response to the Pharisees, and it was no accident he included the older brother at the end. In the end, it was the younger brother, not the older brother who kept all the rules all his life, who had a better relationship with his Father and got more joy out of it. Why? Because the younger brother realized that he couldn't, and didn't need to, earn his father's love.

The Father came out to greet both his sons. He initiated, and re initiated the relationship and love to both of them, not the other way around. One of them accepted it and was grateful for it because he knew he didn't deserve it. The other couldn't accept it because he was more concerned with being good than being close to his Father.

The lesson I learned: The goal of life is not to be good. (It's not to be bad either, in case you were wondering!) The goal of life is to love God. If your being good is the result of you simply not wanting to be bad, you're missing the point. If your fellowship with God is not your true motivation for dressing the way you dress, saying the things you say, or doing the things you do, I don't care how good you look, you may very well be the older brother in this parable.

Not necessarily a fun message to hear, but one that I think is very necessary. . . especially for those of us who have been in church all our life.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Congrats, Buddy!


Josh got his first archery deer last Saturday. So here you go, little brother . . . your twelve minutes of fame on my blog. Hope there's many more for you =)

Upon request,(we won't say by whose) the poll of whose deer is bigger is being left up the replies of viewers like you =)

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

First day of Archery . . .

. . . was more successful than it usually is for me!



Contrary to what the picture looks like, it's really not Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer -- it's just his green-nosed cousin! j/k

It wasn't huge, but it was a fairly nice sized doe. It was beautiful weather to be in the woods the first day, and on top of thatI was thankful God let us put some meat in the freezer early this year.

Monday, September 27, 2010

Our (short) vacation to the shore


Sunrise at the beach. Somehow it always looks better at the ocean. Greg Josh and I went for a walk Monday morning. It was definitely worth it.


Doing one of our favorite things to do on vacation . . . eating! Okay, so we do more than that, but that's probably what my mom would say when she's packing the food. However, just to show that we do more than eat, I'd better include a few more pictures.


I think someone added too much Bubble Bath to this pool! What can I say . . . some days you just get washed up. I can't remember if I rode this wave or if it rode me! The waves were pretty aggressive that day, so we did quite a bit of both. It seriously feels like you're in a blender when you get caught under one. I should know, that's how I dislocated my shoulder 5 years ago. This vacation was definitely better than that one!


After riding waves (and after Greg got pretty badly brushburned by one), we decided to have a sculpting contest. We had one the day before which featured cars, but I don't want to talk about that. Thankfully there was not a camera there that day. Let's just say cars were not my strong point! This time we decided to try boats, which were much more to my liking. We were smarter this time and built them next to an inland pool instead of on the oceans edge. We lost a couple cars like that the day before to rogue waves, much to the amusement of people who were walking past and stopping to see what we were doing. I guess they aren't used to seeing three full-grown guys making sand sculptures. (Well okay, to full grown guys and one little boy . . . a little boy who will kill me if he ever reads this!) These are the three boats we came up with. You'll never guess which one is mine! =)








As you can see from the back of this boat, we all had some breakdowns. Some more than others. I think Josh held the record with about five restarts! We all thought it was hilarious when someone else's sand collapsed -- only to hear them laugh twice as hard as ours did the same a few seconds later!


Greg, hard at work. This was his second attempt. His first attempt was significantly bigger, but it kept sinking on him. He made up for the small size by accessorizing with masts and sails.


After sand sculpting, we went back for one more dip in the ocean. We actually weren't planning to get very wet, but Josh had other plans . . .


After running right up behind us and splashing us, he repented and apologized. Well okay, we helped him with the repentance part a little bit =)


Did I ever mention my brothers step all over me? Nothing I like more than Greg's wet, sandy foot climbing all over me! lol Actually, if you saw what happened right after this, you would say Josh and I had the better part of this process. Greg lost his balance backwards and did a rather amazing head plant in the sand. Fortunately he didn't land completely on his head and it didn't really hurt him.


I managed to get up without doing a head plant. I was feeling pretty proud of myself, but this didn't last long. As you can see, Greg had to go and top me . . .


Actually, Greg was the only one who could do this because Josh and I are the only two close enough in height to make a stable platform. I have to admit, it's a cool picture though.


Mom and dad didn't want to do the pyramid picture for some reason . . . so they got one of the few "normal" pictures of the weekend =)


Last picture of the Stauffer guys at the beach. Unfortunately, Heather and Lindsey couldn't clear their schedules to make it down for this trip. It would have been more fun if they had, but they were keeping pretty busy at home and had some exciting times of their own! =) Thankfully, no one got hurt.

Overall, it was a very nice vacation. It was very last minute and involved very little planning, but sometimes those vacations are the most fun. Thankfully, everything worked out, despite a van that started leaking transmission fluid halfway down. God answered prayers and with a cautious driving strategy that involved multiple checkups and not going over 55 mph on the way home, everything worked out and we made it back home safely.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

From devotions this morning

I was reading in Duet. 6-9 last night and this morning. In this passage God is talking to the Israelites through Moses before they head into the promise land. In it, He TELLS them that they will forget him as soon as things start going well. We know from history that this is exactly what happened.

How could they? He warned them, right?

In Duet. God told the Israelites what they needed to do. He tells them that when they reach the promised land, they need to consciously take time to remember where they came from (Egypt), and who got them to the promised land (Himself). He told them to review the commands and meditate on their need of him every day. If not, He said they would soon think they had earned the blessings and forget how much they need God. He told them, but as always, knowing is easier than doing.

I was talking to another Christian named Blake after Bible study last night, and we both agreed that mediocrity is the biggest struggle for us. I hate how easy it is for me to be complacent with my own life and not reach out to others, especially at school. It is useless to try to reachout to others if I don't have a passion for God, but a passion for God is something that is nearly impossible for me to maintain on my own. I can do my part by reading and praying, but there is no way I can create a passion for God. Convicting and frustrating at the same time.

If I don't find a way to remember how much I need God, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I will mediocre life. Not too bad, not too good, just lukewarm, and that is exactly what God says he hates. Unfortunately this is the hardest time for me to remember that because life is going smoothly. I need that urgency/thirst I have for God when times are bad, but I don't know how to keep this mindset when times are good.

Frustrating and kind of scary to realize that your biggest battle right now is against something so slow but so natural. Complacency is so powerful that I don't think anyone is really up to the challenge on their own, but that is naturally how we approach it – on our own. Without the grace of God to show the urgency of the need, the result is slow, predictable. As slow and predictable as it is, it will kill you if you don't take an active role against it.

How many mature Christians do you know who know so much that they haven't been really convicted in a long time? How many mature Christians do you know who love God fervently on their own, but haven't had the courage to share this passion outside a “safe” setting (i.e. church or Christian circle) in years? I know of a lot more than I would like to. Reading through Duet., it scared me to realize how easy it is to become one of them.

Experiencing God's blessing is not a safe place to be . . . unless you can remember how much you need Him. That takes conscious effort and a lot of work. More than that, it requires the grace of God. Have you asked for it recently, or have you forgotten that you need it?

Some people seem to naturally realize how much they need God's grace and how unworthy they are. Consequently, they struggle with doubts about whether God's grace really can extend to them. I'm not one of them. I don't struggle with realizing God's grace can cover me -- I can accept that -- I struggle to remember how much I need it. Reading Duet. and talking to Blake made me realize that I may need it most right now. Not so much to save me from drastic sin, but to keep me from being lukewarm.

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Enjoying the journey

I like people who have learned to enjoy the journey, not just the destination. It's an easy-going mindset that says you don't have to reach your destination before you can enjoy yourself. I'd much rather be with someone who can laugh when life throws a curve ball than someone who fidgets, fusses, and does their best to make sure everyone around them knows this was not what they had planned. Besides, what are they going to do when when do reach their goal? Hit the magic button that says “You have arrived! Push button to erase the stress you had getting here and start having fun!?” Sorry, I've never seen such a button. In my experience, people who are determined that life will follow their planner usually spend a good part of their life miserable.

Some of my fondest and funniest memories come from times when everything went wrong and I was with people who could laugh about it. On the other hand, some of my least fond memories are from times when things went wrong and I was with people who were bound to be tense until they got things back on track. The way I see it, when something unexpected happens, you might as well roll with the punch, smile, and get ready to take whatever comes next. You're about to start making memories . . .

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Unexpected . . . but it shouldn't have been.

“Are you doing homework?” he asked, sitting down beside me on the park bench. “I'm Ben,” he continued, giving me his hand. I shook it, and a few minutes later I was hearing his life story.

Have you ever had a complete stranger walk up to you and start talking to you like you've known each other for years? Well, I don't know how you react in these situations, but it caught me off guard. However, that was okay because this guy was ready to talk without much prompting. He told me how he was quitting college, the drug deal his friend was messed up in, and how he'd had “an epiphany” that week and was flying high since he deiced to quit school and start a business. He talked a lot about the future and how he is going to be a big man in business someday and impact the world for good. I wasn't saying much (I didn't have much of a chance), but he seemed to think our meeting was, in his words, “meant to be” and he mentioned this several times.

Was it? Ordinarily I wouldn't feel like it. Aside from finding out he was raised Catholic, believed vaguely in God, and wasn't interested in coming to Bible study, I really didn't feel that our little chance “meeting” accomplished much. All the same, I don't believe things just happen without some sort of purpose, and God was made it pretty clear this time that he was responsible.

As a commuter at Millersville, it's hard to get to know people. I only go to school or Tuesday's and Thursdays, and between five classes, these are two very full days for me. However, as a Christian I don't feel right just coming and going from a campus where there is so little hope when I have been given so much. Not being the sort of conversationalist who can just walk up to stranger five minutes before class and start talking about the meaning of life, I started doing the only thing I could think of: Praying that God would give me opportunities. Elementary, I know, but it's surprising how often I fail to specifically ask for this. If we really believe that witnessing is more about God working than us, why don't we ask him to help more often?

Two weeks later, a complete stranger walks up while I'm sitting in the park typing a paper and wants to talk about life. Even though I didn't feel that it accomplished much to help him, God used it to get His message through to me loud and clear: “See what I can do when you ask.”

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

A teacher I agreed with yesterday, and one I didn't.

“Good teaching is like playing catch. You throw the ball to students, and you wait for them to throw it back. Once they throw it back, you add something more and send it back. If either side holds the ball for too long, the transfer process is not working.”

I agree with this. I have seen teachers who have a lot of good things to say, but they are so concerned with saying all that they have prepared that they hog the ball to themselves. They never check in with their students to see if they are following along, confused, or even interested. The point of education is not for teacher to teach, but for students to learn. That is why good teachers check every few minutes for feedback throughout their lesson, instead of waiting till the end to say “does it all make sense.” A head down on the table or a question that no one wants or attempts to answer is a good sign you are teaching but they are not learning. Unfortunately, that happens a lot in schools.

“When people go hungry, the system of government is to blame.”

This professor, who I think is vaguely socialist, said the problem with Americans is that we blame individuals for the wrongs of society when the system is to blame. Apparently the “western” concept of individual responsibility is outdated in his mind. I'd like to ask him what happened in Socialist China during the “Great Famine” when millions of people died due to a shortage of grain induced directly by the “system.” What about the thousands of people in Russia starved because the “system” fell apart?

Sorry professor, but the “system” never has been the answer to the world's problems. Like a mirror, systems reflect underlying problems, but they do little to solve them. Real improvement starts with individuals and works from the bottom up, not from the top down.

From this same professor: “'Christians [a very loose term I'm sure] compose 33% of the world population. Muslims, 19%. Statistically, Christians [lumped in with America and the “west”] can't afford to make Muslims mad. What happens when they do? Sept. 11.”

My question: Is can we afford to appease them? I agree that we gain nothing by intentionally making Muslim countries mad. Any action solely intended to make a large group of people mad is stupid and should be aborted. However, if the part that makes them mad is the fact that Christians and America exist, what are our options? Cease to exist? Honestly professor, that doesn't strike me as a very good option.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

A geography lesson on South Dakota . . .

Why? Like any good student, I'm naturally interested in other places. Well okay, the fact that Chrystal is there and I've been hearing all about it doesn't hurt either! *grin* Here's what I've learned so far:

1.Buffalo are much more common out there than around here. I'm slightly jealous that my girlfriend gets stopped by buffalo crossings on her way to church. The only stops I make on the way to church involve annoying red lights and octagon signs – not fascinating animals.
2.Coveralls are still in style in the Midwest! I couldn't find a pair to save my life last year when I needed a pair for skits at camp. Mom eventually found one for me at a re-use it shop. Out there coveralls are sold brand new by the rack.
3.Long straight roads through small rolling hills are commonplace in SD. (Yeah dad, if you were there you could comment on how long and straight they are about ten or twelve times! lol Sorry, inside joke). Can't say I think they'd be as much fun to drive on as the twisting back roads around here, but it does make for some nice scenery.
4.Small communities are more common, and facial hair is in – well, at least for guys that is! (Eat your heart out Greg :) My sisters would say that's a sign that they are redneck or have very little sense of taste, but I can't totally agree with that. Facial hair can look good on some guys . . . unfortunately I've never met a redneck who was part of this group! lol
5.I have one more reason to like South Dakota than I did before ;) I know we are both where God wants us -- and I wouldn't change that – but I will be glad to see her again. Here's a picture for those of you who have never met her.

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Classes start again.

(Wow, it's been a while since I've been on here! I'm starting to think life doesn't get slower as you get older. Oh well, I guess now is as good a time as any to post again)

I like a professor who can make me laugh. Better yet is when they can laugh themselves. It usually means they acknowledge that their students are human, not just fact finding machines who do assignments for the sheer joy of learning. Fortunately I have a few of this type of professors this year . . . I think. I've learned never to trust my first opinion of a class after just the first day. I've been wrong many times.

I also like professors with an accent. Immediately gets my attention if a professor has one. (Maybe I'll have to practice one for when I'm a teacher =) My one professor was orginally from Ireland and I love sitting in his class just to hear his accent. It's so laid back and relaxed . . . plus he loves to tell stories in his "accenty" way which keeps it interesting.

Something I'm learning at college: No human is ever right all the time. I've never yet met a professor that spouted nothing but lies (even at a secular college), but I've never met a professor who was exactly right all the time (and I think that would be true no matter what college you go to). The trick is not to figure out which professors are "bad" and ignore everything they say and which professors are "good" and blindly accept everything they say, but to be able to pick out the lies, truths, and most tricky half-truths. How? Only by the Bible and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. That's one of the jobs of the Holy Spirit: to remind/show me truth and error. It makes classes a little bit more challenging, but it's something I'm also glad I'm having to learn. There's only one person who is right all the time, God. Blindly accept what other people tell you about Him or this world just because you like them, they make sense most the time, they go to your church, or they are Christians, and you're headed for trouble.

Learned in one of my classes that "adolescent" now means "between the age of 11 and 22." They say the part of the brain that makes clear rational decisions isn't done forming until the age of 22 . . . even older for some guys. Maybe there's hope that I'll become a genius yet! My question is, if that's the "magic age" why do I know some teenagers who are capable of making much better decisions than some thirty-year-olds I know?

Friday, May 21, 2010

Random observations:

The difference between pleasant and funny is that the one is always appealing while the other is not. People try so hard to be funny, to say something that will be the center of attention and make people laugh . . . I wish I could tell them that they would have many more friends if they were just pleasant and were willing to listen laugh at someone else. I've noticed that people with a really good sense of humor are those who catch and laugh at the funny things other people say, not the ones who are always turning the clever phrase.

Aside from any moral convictions, I've found out what I don't like about extravagant body piercings, tattoos, and super trendy clothes: They betray an obsession with appearance. People who care too much about how they look usually strike me as trying to make up for a deficit in some other area. I believe in looking nice (and if you just laughed, I would find that deeply and personally insulting! lol) but when I see someone who spends too much time on their appearance, the subconscious assumption runs through my head that they must not have anything better to spend it on.

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Thankful for Easter

“Who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross . . .” Heb. 12:2

This phrase answers a lot of questions for me. Every Easter when I hear about all the bad things that would happen to Jesus on his trip to the cross, I wonder why he carried through with it. Unlike us, Jesus knew exactly what was going to happen. He knew how painful crucifixion was going to be because he had created the human body. He knew the servants role he would have to take and the awful thanks he would get for his pains because he had long experience with humans and our sin nature. He knew all this, yet he did it anyway. Why? Was it duty?

I can't say I know the answer to this question, or that there is an answer we as humans can even understand, but this passage helps explain some of it. It says that there was a joy set before him, and that's what he was focused on. He didn't go to the cross because he enjoyed it – in fact he prayed for any other way to accomplish God's will. He went to the cross because he believed that God exists and that He rewards those who diligently seek him (Heb. 11:10).

So basic, but crucial to my outlook on life. More than anything, this Easter is reminding me not to look for rewards in the wrong place. Rewards from God are better than anything this world has to offer, but they often involve doing things that are hard and don't make sense. My decision to obey God or not ultimately comes down to whether or not I believe in a God who rewards those who seek Him. I'm thankful for the example of One who humbled himself, came down, devoted his life to this principle, and showed us that it really does work.

Heb. 12:3 “For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.”

Monday, March 8, 2010

Definitions according to Mike:

Boredom – having only one student visit the tutoring center all day. The fact that it happens to be a gorgeous day outside and I’m stuck inside with nothing to do doesn’t make it any better. Can’t wait for 4:00.

Surprise – being pulled off a stepladder by a horse. I knew he was getting a little nosy, but I figured it didn’t matter if he wanted to nuzzle my carpenter belt. That all changed when he stopped nuzzling, grabbed the handle of my hammer firmly between his teeth (my hammer was holstered to my belt at the time), and gave a sharp tug! Fortunately I was only up about two steps on the ladder so I managed to land on my feet and avoid what would have been a very soft landing.

Also fitting surprise – realizing during an after-dark-jog that you are unknowingly chasing a skunk down the road. I had no idea until I slowed down to a walk and heard the frantic scrabbling of claws on pavement and saw a dark form shuffling down the road in front of me – apparently unable to get out of my path because of the snow-banks lining the road. Fortunately I stopped jogging before he did.

Beautiful – a flock of Snow Geese taking flight off a glistening pond into a bright blue sky.

Humorous – hearing your brother wonder out loud who would ever use a language as complicated as English! It wouldn’t be so funny if he actually knew another language. lol. However, like me, I think most of his knowledge of foreign languages comes from Hogan’s Heroes and a handful of other movies.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Our Cabin

I love all this snow -- walking/swimming through huge snowdrifts, walking outside at night when the snow is swirling all around, and being snowed in for a few days is great, especially when some of them are school days! -- but I thought of our cabin recently and suddenly had a desire to be there. Found this short description I had to write for English class recently and it reminded me of what I love about our cabin. Kinda wish it was spring and we had an excuse to take a trip up there again. . .

The lime-green paint on our cabin matches the thousands of mildew spores which cling to it, but clashes badly with the dark green pine trees around it. Two small windows on either side of the chimney give the cabin a face-like appearance. When lights are on inside, the face smiles a welcome. Right now the blinds are pulled and the face sleeps somberly. The sagging porch creaks gently as we carry our sleeping bags and backpacks across it.

Walking through the front door, the inside of the cabin is completely dark at first. We turn the breaker off every time we leave to lesson the risk of fire. At first, the cabin smells somewhat musty; it hasn't been opened in several weeks. Flipping the breaker, the lights flick on and suddenly the cabin comes to life. The carpet under our feet nice and plush, even it if does have dirt stains. The single hanging lamp gives off a subdued, comfortable light, like a candle glow reflected softly in a dark cave.

“I'm hungry,” Greg says almost as soon as we walk in. We chuckle. That's usual for him.

“You two get a fire going and the rest of you unpack while I make something to eat,” mom says, shooing everybody out of the kitchen which is so small only two people can stand in there at a time. Before long the fire has driven the cold, musty air out of the cabin and the familiar smells of hot-dogs and Busch's Baked-Beans, and Mac-and-Cheese are floating from the kitchen. The fire crackles in the old pot-bellied stove as we sit down to eat and talk about the hikes, games, and food planned for the rest of the weekend.

Two days later, as we pack up to leave, the cabin begins to return to it's lonely hibernation. It's getting close to winter and we probably won't be back up until spring. Pulling all the sleeping bags off the beds, pushing the furniture back into the corners, we slowly put the cabin back to sleep it enjoyed before we disturbed it. With the cold “snap” of the breaker being switched, the cabin turns back into a dark room. We quietly shut the door and close the latch before walking back into the real world.

Monday, January 18, 2010

Two boys and a trap

The squirrel stares at the box. It was an odd-looking creature, with wooden slats on the side and a gaping mouth that hasn't moved in hours. Just inside the mouth is a dab of peanut butter that has been tantalizing the squirrel's nose all day. Paws twitching nervously, the squirrel contemplates a small lick . . . . **********************
Thud.
“That's too heavy. A squirrel will never set it off.”
“What if we shorten the trigger?”
“We could, but that's going to make it awfully touchy.”
Sawdust floats down from the workbench, suspended in the shaft of afternoon sunlight streaming through the garage window. A bitter wind whips around the house as two boys work on their project.
It's not much to look at, just a large square box with strings and wires sticking out at odd angles. Its purpose: To catch squirrels. Squirrel traps are cheap. They sell for about $10 at local hardware stores. If efficiency were the question, this venture would definitely not be worthwhile. Both boys have logged hours into this project and they aren't getting paid for it or graded on it.
Two boys tinkering in a garage. That's what it seems to be at first. However, that's not what is really happening. What these two boys are really doing is much more significant: They are escaping boredom.
*********************
The squirrel eyes the box nervously. He had watched as two boys brought it out of the house across the street and set it at the base of his tree. They had spent a lot of time moving it around and adjusting it, but then they had left without it. They had also left something very tasty with it. The only problem was that it was on the inside. The squirrel cocks his head as he looks at the trap, trying to make sense of it all. What was the purpose of this new thing? Why was it sitting at the base of his tree and why didn't it move?
********************
The phone rings and my younger brother Josh picks up. As he guessed, it's Jesse. As usual, the conversation is succinct, as usual.
“You done with school?”
“Yeah.”
“Want to do something?”
“Sure. Meet me at my house in two minutes.”
Josh and Jesse have had this conversation hundreds of times, word for word, almost every time. A minute later, the door to the house across the street opens and Jesse, dressed in faded jeans and his dad's Carhart coat, runs across the road in his clunky work boots. The two meet in our garage to discuss the agenda for the day. Today the decision is unanimous. Work on the squirrel trap.
Josh and Jesse are both home-schooled. This means that if they get up early and get busy on their school right away, they can often be done by lunch. Aside from chores, this lets the whole afternoon open for free time.
Free time is a phenomenon most common among children. Of the 24 hours in a day, most children have a few of them with nothing to do but whatever they choose. One of the most popular choices is play. For centuries children have found ways to amuse themselves. In ancient Greece and Rome they played with jacks, dice, checkers, and yo-yos. In warlike Sparta, children often fitted themselves with armor and sticks and made pretend games of war. In the middle ages, play time was limited due to the need for extra hands to do farm work. However, children still found time for some play. Young boys played at being knights and girls played house. Later, near the turn of the 19th century, free time began to rise again as more people moved off farms and there was less work for children to do. Sports came on the scene at this point and children spent hours playing and practicing with balls and bats of all descriptions. Currently, with the rise in technology, children spend an average of 3 hours in front of a screen, either watching TV or surfing the internet.
What children do with free time has long been a subject of debate, and big business. Magazines and the Internet are filled with articles and studies about the effects of different types of recreation and adds for the types they deem best. When it comes to free time, there are generally two schools of thought. Some conclude that idle hands are the devil's workshop and favor limiting free time, choosing structured activities instead for their children. Others, either through intention or apathy, allow their children to spend their free time as they wish. Thousands of hours of research . . . millions of dollars . . . all to decide what children should do with their free time.
Josh and Jesse don't know or care about any of this. All they know is that one of them doesn't have a TV and the other one doesn't like board games. They have free time and they needed something to do. That was the beginning of the squirrel trap.
Josh and Jesse are both avid outdoorsmen. Josh has watched his dad and brothers go hunting for as long as he can remember, and for years he's dreamed of going with them. Jesse's dad hunts as well the year before came home with a nice 8 point buck which really gave Josh and Jesse the fever. However, the legal age to start hunting is twelve and neither Josh or Jesse meets this requirement yet. So, they've had to settle for imaginary game instead. Over the summer, they spend long hours running around, the tail of Jesse's Davy-Crocket-coonskin-hat flapping like a flag in the breeze as they search for dangerous animals of all sorts. Unfortunately -- or maybe fortunately -- for them, Lancaster Pennsylvania isn't home to many dangerous animals. Foxes and hawks are the most common predators in their area, moving in and around farms as look for the rabbits and squirrels that live in narrow fence rows and small patches of woods. However, despite predators, there is an overabundance of squirrels in the neighborhood where Josh and Jesse live, some of which prove to be a nuisance to the neighborhood flowers and gardens. That's where the idea of a squirrel trap originated. However, during the warm summer days there were too many other things to do, to many sports to play, so the idea got shelved.
Summer turned to fall and fall to winter. As the days grew colder and outdoor activities became scarce, Josh and Jesse's minds returned the summer plot of catching squirrels.
********************
The squirrel puts its nose up to the box and uses its paws to explore the walls. It is made of wood, and although it still smells vaguely of the two boys, it doesn't seem threatening. Jumping up on top of the box, the squirrel looks through the wood and wire that separate it from the peanut butter. Wire has been twisted in and around the wood, making it impossible for it to get in any other way than the mouth of the box. However, the mouth has a raised piece of wood above it, a piece of wood that had moved several times as the boys set it up. That moving piece of wood . . . that is what scares the squirrel and keeps it from the tasty treat. However, it hasn't moved in quite a while, and the longer the squirrel stares at it, the less scared he is. It only moved when the boys were around, and for all he knows it won't move again without their help . . . .
********************
“I think the box should have slats so the squirrel can look through it. A squirrel will be scared of a solid box,” Josh says.
“But if we have too many slats the squirrel will be able to squeeze out,” Jesse points out. “And what are we going to make the box out of?”
“Wood.”
“What if the squirrel chews its way out? They have sharp teeth.”
“How about wire woven in between the wood?”
“Hmm . . . it might work.”
Jesse's dad is a carpenter who owns his own business. When he cleans up a job sight, he brings all the scraps home with him. Their shed is full of sawed off pieces of wood of all different shapes and sizes, and their garage is full of power tools and cans of nails and screws, so finding material for the box is no problem. In our garage, they begin to fashion a crude box.
The teeth of a rusty saw rasp against the wood, cutting a jagged line through the two-by-four. Josh hasn't gotten the hang of sawing a straight line yet. That's okay, though. The box doesn't need to win a beauty contest, it just needs to hold a squirrel. Jesse, holding nails between his lips the way he has seen his dad do it, takes the piece of wood and nails it to the roof of the box, tapping cautiously to make sure the nail doesn't bend. They weren't allowed to use the power tools yet, but the handsaw, hammer, and nails work pretty well. A little bit of wire wrapped around the box and woven in between the slats caps it off, reinforcing the strength of the box and also its home-made appearance. They continue adding to the box and testing it until they are sure a squirrel won't be able to squeeze or chew its way out. Satisfied with the box part, they turn their attention to the most important part of a trap: The door. That's not going to be as easy.
Concocting a door that will close and stay closed by itself is not easy. At first Josh and Jesse favored using a manual door and controlling it from a distance from a string, but after a cold morning of no success, they decided to work on an automatic door. They thought about a sliding door, but Jesse favored a door on hinges.
Josh and Jesse have worked on many projects together. From potato guns, to miniature electric lathes, to tiny microwaves, to exploding arrows, they have invented many things over the years. As is the case with most boys, they don't always see agree on the best way to get things done. However, trouble shooting experiments has taught them the art of compromise and cooperation. Usually, if they have different ideas and they can't talk the other one out of his, they'll try both ways and see which one works best. In this case, the hinged door works best.
The door went through many stages before it was finished. Josh and Jesse experiment with ways to set off their trap. They started out with a simple trip lever, a system where the squirrel would knock out a prop as it entered the box, allowing the door to close. However, this system took to long and it was too unpredictable. So, it was back to the drawing board. Eventually they settled for a pan trigger, basically a see-saw which pulled a string when the squirrel stepped on it. The string worked through a pulley system which pulled a pin and released the door.
Once the problem of closing the door was solved, the problem of keeping it closed began. Josh and Jesse drew up complex plans for a spring-loaded latching system which would snap into place once the door was shut. Unfortunately that sort of system requires more materials and skill than they have at the time. Stuck, they wander into the living room to play Rook and think about the problem. Somewhere along the line, inspiration strikes Jesse, a solution so simple they overlooked it.
“What about a log that falls into place in front of the door!”
Josh doesn't catch the idea right away. “How are we going to get a log to fall in front of the door?”
“No,” Jesse says, grabbing a piece of paper to sketch his idea. “Look here. If we balance a long piece of wood across the door when it's held up.” Grabbing a Lincoln log, he demonstrates what he means. “When the door drops, that piece of wood will follow it right to the ground.” The Lincoln log drops to the floor and light goes on in Josh's head.
“All we need is two notches to catch it and hold it in front of the door!”
It's the perfect solution. Simple and easy to make. They test it in our garage the day before they set it out. I am in charge of the videotaping the event.
“The squirrel walks towards the trap like this.” Jesse picks up a piece of wood and thumps it across floor towards the trap. Greg, my other brother, decides to add some dramatic narration.
“Should I go in? Shouldn't I go in?” He says, imitating the squirrel. The stick thumps closer to the door.
“It looks harmless,” Greg continues to jabber. “Maybe I'll just take one . . .” the stick thumps through the door-- “little . . .” it hesitates over the trigger -- “look . . .”
The stick lands on the trigger, pulling a string and releasing the pin which holds the door between two eye-loops.
“And Presto!” Jesse exclaims as the door slams shut.
“Then the lock falls down and the squirrel is trapped” Josh says as a bar falls from its perch above the door to land in the two slots waiting for it in front of the door. He rattles the door to show how secure it is.
I'm impressed. I never really thought they would or could make it work. I even told them so. When I was their age, I had an idea for a live trap, but mine never made it off the paper. I was convinced theirs wouldn't either. However, I had been working on mine alone. Watching them, I realize the advantage of working with a friend. Two heads are better than one, and it's definitely more exciting. The trap doesn't look very impressive, but it works. However, the real test is yet to come. Will it work on a real squirrel?
***********************
The squirrel decides the trap looks harmless. Inside our house, Josh waits with baited breath as the squirrel approaches the door. Jesse has called him and told him there is one close, and now both boys are watching out of their windows, waiting to see if all their hard work will pay off. They've already had one squirrel escape before the door could close, but they've made some modifications since then. They hope it works.
The squirrel jumps through the door and contemplates the food on the other side of the trigger. However, instead of stepping on the trigger, the squirrel jumps across it and helps itself to the feast. Josh and Jesse can't believe it. The trap will never work if the squirrel figures out it can jump over the trigger. However, the squirrel is still nervous and, as it eats, it suddenly decides it doesn't like being in a box. Turning to run, it is a single leap from safety when its foot hits the trigger --
Presto! The string releases the pin and door slams down an inch away from the squirrel's nose. With shouts that can be heard across the neighborhood, Josh and Jesse run from the house. The squirrel scrabbles at the wood door and jumps around the cage, but to no avail. The trap door is closed and secured, just as they planned. Both Josh and Jesse come from families of 5, and older and younger siblings pour out of the house and gather around the trap as Josh and Jesse celebrate like two frontiersmen who have just captured their prey. Eventually even both moms come out, coats draped loosely over their shoulders as they grab their elbows and shiver in their short sleeves, trying to stay warm as they inspect the triumph. Josh and Jesse don't seem to mind the cold. They're too busy high-fiving and congratulating each other, talking about how well the trap worked. Soon however, the moms break up the little meeting and remind everyone that this is still a school day. Reluctantly, Josh and Jesse head back to their rooms and schoolwork, already talking about how they can improve the trap. They've already got big plans for what they're going to do that afternoon . . . and many afternoons just like it.
Josh and Jesse have made a lot of things over the years. Not all of them work very well (as was the case with motor bike – made out of a chain-saw motor and an old bicycle – which wouldn't stay together long enough to move more than a few feet at a time), but some of them have been real accomplishments (such as the log chairs Jesse built for his mom and which still sit proudly on their front porch). One windy day I looked out and saw them conducting a sailing experiment with tarps, a bedsheet, and a brown Coaster wagon. The tarp flapped uncontrollably in the wind and the wagon kept upsetting and ditching them in the dirt. Neither of them really knew what they were doing, but they were finding out a lot of things that didn't work. They'll know better for next time. Right now they have plans for making a crossbow. Either that or improving the motor bike so that it goes fast enough and far enough to be fun.
Two boys with spare time on their hands. Some people would say that's a recipe for trouble. In many cases it is. However, for Josh and Jesse, it has turned out to be just the opposite. Their inventions and brainstorms have made them closer friends and taught them to think creatively. Adults often underestimate children's ability to amuse themselves. They think that to keep kids occupied they need to buy them the latest video game or motorized toy. In doing so, they may be overlooking one of the simplest and most productive forms of entertainment: Invention.
With a hammer and nails, a saw, some wire, and a little bit of free time, I know of two boys who invented something great: A way to escape boredom.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Why? Because it's worth it!

Why do Christians give up so many things to try to separate themselves from the world?

I have been asked this question so many times. Not always in those exact words, but usually along that line. People are always wanting to know why Christians do this and why they won't do that.

I was reading today in James and 4:3 really stood out to me. "Know ye not that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whosoever will be the friend of the world is the enemy of God."

All relationships cost something. A father gives up a large part of his paycheck for his children and a mom will give up most of her time. Brothers, sisters, and friends, if they have a good relationship, will end of doing things for each other that aren't always easy or convenient. Again, all relationships cost something. The more a relationship means, the more you are willing to give up for it.

So, why do Christians give up so many things to separate themselves from the "sins" of the world? If the unsaved knew what a vibrant relationship with God is like, they would know how much that relationship is worth and they would never ask that question. They only ask because they really don't know. Tell them. Show them. So many times, they see only religion and it doesn't make sense to them. Religion without a relationship is like a job without pay. It just doesn't make sense.

The next time someone asks you "Why don't you ___?"(fill in the blank), ask them what they wouldn't give up to keep their relationship with their very best friend. Would you rather be friends with this world or with God? That's the choice that Christians face every day.