Are we Fans or are we Christians?

Look closely at the front page headlines from the Rapid City Journal March 19, 2015.

“Earth stands still as basketball takes over”

All I can say is “Really???”

Don’t get me wrong.  I enjoy a good competition.  There is a lot to be said for teams striving for that title (whichever one is being sought at the time) and the fierce competition that goes along with it.  The thrill when that final shot from way past half court goes through the basket to force an overtime period.  The excitement of that goal-line stand that defeats the sure winner.  The roar of the “12th man” on the team that drowns out the ability for the opposing team to effectively call their plays.

The result of whatever competition/ tournament, or series of competitions is, at best, a temporary and fleeting thing.  It brings bragging rights, and probably some totally ridiculous level of monetary gains and losses.  The “winner” will get trophies and accolades that last for a few months - or at least until the next round of competitions start.  The “loser(s)” will be dissected and analyzed over and over and over again.  Careers will likely be enhanced or ruined based on the outcome.  NASCAR, the Master’s, the Super Bowl, March Madness - this applies to them all.

Yes, it’s exciting.  But on a scale of “…the Earth standing still??”  I think not.

What would happen if Christians would bring this level of intensity to the Great Commission?  (see Mark 16:15 or Matt 28:19) What if every Christian wore their “team jersey” proudly for all to see, so there was no question about where he / she / we stand?  What if there was so much competition for “seats” that we had to add more capacity to our churches, or be so sought after that we needed additional venues and meetings to accommodate everyone that wanted to participate?  What if we were so “on fire” that virtually everyone would want to join with us?

Our church has just started a Missional Church Consulting Initiative (MCCI) program.  Through this effort, we will take a deep (and possibly disturbing, controversial, or uncomfortable) look into our missions, activities, resources, and priorities.  Our purpose will be to align our policies and priorities, as a congregation, with those outlined in the Holy Bible.  We will likely start new initiatives, and pare others down or even totally redirect those resources.  We might have to make some really-close-to-our-heart decisions that may change worship structures, times, or focus.  There are times during this process when we will surely become extremely uncomfortable!  

Unlike the temporary title won or lost by a sports team, our goal is winning souls.  And THAT, my friends, is eternal, not temporary!  I pray that we can approach this with a fervor that equals or exceeds what we would put into following a tournament.  Become an active player, not a sideline observer!

A Straw bed and a thorny crown

From a straw bed to a throny crown…

Our church’s Christmas Eve services really emphasized, for me, the connection between the birth and death of Jesus.  Without the birth of a Holy child, God could not redeem us.  Without the shedding of blood, with Jesus’ death on the cross, the birth meant little to anyone but the family. 

Christmas seems to have pushed us into a Santa trap - we tend to concentrate on what we can buy that would “impress” someone with our generousity and insight.  Granted, there is much of our time and energy that is spent on giving to others, but we really tend to forget that there would NOT be a Christmas without Christ - the first of two Ultimate Gifts.

On the other side of the equation is Easter.  It is both a horrible and a wonderful story.  We are Easter People (thank you, Pastor Randy Cross for that.)  What we have is that second Ultimate Gift - forgiveness for sins and Eternal life.  That means we have Hope - no matter what the present circumstances in which we find ourselves.  We can rejoice, even in death of a loved one, when they have chosen to put themselves in the arms of Jesus in life - making Him Lord of their life.  Jesus proved that there IS life after death - something each of us should look forward to.

May each of you Easter People have this blessed perspective on this Christmas Season!

That offends me

I guess I missed the memo.  Who passed the law / edict / vote / gave the direction that says that people have a constitutional (?) right to NOT be offended?  What happened to the "live and let live?"  "You go your way, and I'll go mine."  That's all gone by the wayside.  Now, if anyone screams that they are offended by something, many times people / agencies will bend over backwards to react to that so they won’t be offended.**  

I certainly won’t go out of my way to knowingly offend anyone, but you can hardly do anything now days without someone being offended.  So often, we’ve let the minority dictate for the majority, based on an assumption that it was “the right thing to do.” (whatever that means...)

I eat meat.  I wear leather.  I have done so all my life.  That involves raising and killing animals.  It might even - God forbid - require the use of some weapon!  Animal rights advocates will claim that this offends them because, in their opinion, no animal should be killed for food or for their pelts.  Celebrities pick up this mantra and cast it far and wide, “clearly” proving that only the most evil people will have so little concern for their animals that they would slaughter them and then eat or wear them.  I guess their celebrity (which they only have because WE gave it to them) makes them philosophers, too, and those who bow at the altar of celebrity will just fall in line without question.

Stores have, for decades, broadcast holiday music that ran the gamut from the cartoonish Frosty and Rudolf to the traditional Christmas themes with which we are all familiar.  There was something for everyone.  Then, one person or group says they are “offended” by any music that even remotely mentions the true meaning of Christmas, and the store then “sanitizes” the music list.  No more of “that” music is heard. There is no longer something for everyone.  What you hear has been dictated by a minority with a heightened sensibility and an agenda. 

Churches, Synogogues, Mosques, and other houses of religion have historically openly displayed the symbols of their faith - Crosses, Menorah, statuary, prayer rugs, ornate domed buildings covered in gold, stories in stained glass, etc.  One can only describe these as beautiful works of art.  They display a tangible history, one that should be studied and reflected upon.  It should be appreciated by everyone.  Instead, groups are crying foul if there are any symbols of religion even visible from public areas, streets, or parks.  Better remove them - someone might be offended.

Countless locations on any map you pick up are likely named for historical figures, like Lewis & Clark, Custer, Lee, Jackson, Harney, and so forth.  Groups are now calling for many of these to be renamed because they are “offended” if the person or event for which it was named was against them or their people.  Maybe we should start calling them Point A, Point B, or Point C.  It would look great on a map, and is very unlikely to offend anyone!

This whole area is accentuated in the world of education.  The community of people from which any school draws will likely represent a wide range of sensibilities.  People from different religions, ethnic backgrounds, lifestyles, and political leanings.  The diversity this represents is what makes our country so rich in heritage and culture.  Those fortunated enough to live in or near military installations get a wider view of the world’s diversity than the more traditional, lower mobility communities.  But, whatever you do, you have to be careful about being sensitive to what these people bring to us.

Extend this concept to names for sports teams and their chosen mascots.  These have been increasingly in the news as offensive to one group or another.  Face it - you can hardly turn around with out gettin’ busted on something.  I guess it will not be long before everything will be so watered down and milk-toast that one would have to go out of their way to find something offensive.  Won’t that be fun?

**So, how about me?  So far, the only group that no one if afraid of offending is the Christian.  Offense targeted at the Christian community is not only tolerated, it seems to be actively promoted on many fronts.  In the name of “separation of church and state,” there will soon be so little of the church left tolerated in society that it may be hard to recognize.  

I am offended daily with exclamations of “Oh, my God” and the plethora of words that were once taboo, and which have now become commonplace.  I am offended when someone disparages people of other religions and faiths.  I am offended that children are subject to much of the language and filth that has crept into the public square.  I am offended that any of these words are now used for titles of movies, lyrics for songs, professional (?) entertainers and groups, and even on billboards for all to see.   I am offended that I can only listen to Christmas or Christian music in places where no one around me will possibly be offended.  Yes, I am offended, but when I say something about that, I am told that I am just being overly sensitive, and to just forget about it. 

Maybe they are right.  Maybe I’ll have to quit being sensitive and forget about it…

The Wheelchair Minister

Speaking in tongues

If you ever want to start a heated theological discussion, just bring up the subject of “speaking in tongues” and there will likely be no lack of conversation.  It can be very controversial.  To discuss the merits for or against the Biblical concept of tongues is NOT the subject at hand.  I merely want to start your thinking for what is below.

This week our pastor was talking about a visit he made early on in ministry.  The visit was to a facility that cared for the severely disabled. He wanted to see it because he had heard such good things about their care for people who could not care for themselves.

A good number of the residents were bed-ridden, or at least limited in their mobility.  Many of them required constant care throughout the day.  That was their life.

The administrator who was conducting the tour relayed a story of one wheelchair bound resident.  This person was non-verbal except for some unintelligible sounds.  But he had a routine that he performed every night.  He would start at one end of the facility and visit each resident’s room, place his hand on their arm, and make those gutteral sounds for about 30 seconds, then move on to the next room.  This was his way of connecting with each person there.  The administrator said that he had most likely learned this from a visiting chaplain sometime that had done this for him.  It must have made such an impression that it started this “ministry” to the residents.

Neither the staff nor the resident  visited ever knew what was being said.  And I won’t try to convince you that this was a “prayer” in the traditional sense.  But, just the same, this man confined to a wheelchair was doing a service for each one of his housemates.  It was his way of bringing them comfort.

Speaking in tongues?  Maybe yes, maybe no.  

But it does make one think, doesn’t it?  If this person of such limited ability can provide this example of love for others, how much more could we do with our abundance of abilities.  It humbles me to think that I do even a fraction of what he is doing for his neighbors.  

1 Cor 13:8 says “Love never fails.”  May it be so with me.

Searching for Janet or William Schulz

Need some help here - in an investigative way.  I'm trying to deliver a long lost letter.  But in order to do that, I need to locate either one of the people below.

Here's the story.  I purchased a used book in a bookstore (Exodus, by Leon Uris if it makes any difference) several years ago.  In the book was a letter that had been written but never mailed.  The only date was 16 Sep, no year given.  All it said on the envelope was Miss Janet Schulz, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  The Air Mail postage was 10 cents, so it likely was 1980’s or earlier.

It appears to have been written by her brother, Bill (very likely William Schulz) a First Lieutenant on special duty in the military and probably stationed overseas.  He may have been (?) in a protocol position,  maybe embassy duty even, or maybe any unit when he just "drew the short straw" as he talks about setting up an itinerary for a General Officer visit.  He expected to make Captain in Feb.  I don't even know which military service this would have been.

There are references to a Volkswagen (Janet’s, maybe).  Janet may have been teaching at the time. 

I did a whitepages search on the internet for both of those people, and could find nothing linking them together (known associations, etc.)  And, Wisconsin may have been only a temporary thing for one of both of them.  I don't really know.

That’s about all I’ve got.  Any help from anyone here? 

Reply to @computer7th on twitter, or leave a comment below.

(Lack of) Accountability for the Judicial Branch

I wonder sometimes where we are headed - as a country, I mean.  From the perspective of a country-boy growing up in the 1950's until today, I see such changes that literally boggles my mind.

Times back then were relatively simple.  Everyone knew generally what to expect from each other, and from those who were put into power to make decisions for us.  Citizens were given arguments - sometimes very heated ones - and then the vote decided whose argument held the most weight. Once decided, our elected and appointed officials would pretty much toe the line to fulfill those decisions.  Any Constitutional issues were most likely detailed up front for consideration BEFORE the vote.

Back then, the citizen's vote really meant something.

Two of the three branches of our government are subject to election by the voters.  Every two, four, or six years, voters are asked to "tell" their elected officials how they are doing, and either vote them back in or replace them.  Whether you agree or disagree with who is ultimately elected, you have a voice in every election.  There is some accountability, at least once in awhile.  If someone REALLY messes up, accountability can be more swift, but instances like that are rare.  That two thirds of the government will ebb and flow, but still are relatively responsive to the citizenry.

The Judiciary branch of government, however, appears to have NO accountability to it's citizens.  What's up with that?   They become an extension of the other two branches, which makes them isolated from the people they are meant to serve.  Whoever wields the most power at a given time can put in place like-minded people in the courts - and they stay there.  The problem is, though, they don't listen to the people.  They do whatever they want, and answer to NO ONE. 

We are constantly hearing stuff like 

     “Oh, so most of you think marriage is only a man and a woman - Sorry - not going to happen.”  and “What - you want gender specific bathrooms?  Why would you possibly want that?”  

     “Ten Commandments? That might offend someone.” 

     “Constitution?  I don’t care how it’s written, I interpret it THIS way!”    

Then, once it’s been said (establishing a precedent,) it’s there to stay.  That precedence becomes the rule by which everything later will be measured.  It is much akin to introducing a pollutant into a water supply - it’s easy to get it in but it’s a devil to get back out!  

So, where’s the “hook?”  How do we pull the "stooge off the stage” when we don’t want to watch his / her performance any longer?  Term limits?  Periodic reconfirmation?  Make each one subject to Election?  That’s a tough one, alright.  

Whatever the method, we need to find a way to turn this situation around!  It’s only going to get worse.  Somehow, we need to make the Judiciary branch accountable to the people, as our founding fathers surely intended.    

I wonder what the courts would say about that????

A Mission Statement for a School District

To give credit where credit is due, this is based on http://www.gktw.org/about/mission.php

I was visiting the site because our grand daughter (3 years old) just took benefit of their generosity during a "Wish Trip" to Orlando and the Disney Park.  The family stayed at "Give Kids the World" resort located there.  I was impressed with their mission statement, and it made me think about how it could be applied to me and my role as an educator.

Note that with only a few select changes, this works well with what we do in education.  What a template for a mission statement for a school district!

Replace “Give Kids the World” with your school name

Replace guest with student

Replace corporate partners / supporters and donations with families and tax dollars.

At Give Kids The World, we have adopted the following core values to help guide our everyday actions as we strive to fulfill our mission. Our core values are upheld by the entire Give Kids The World family, including our staff members, volunteers, and corporate partners. We put first priority on the needs of the children and their families. We reach out to all of our guests to make them feel like members of our family and help create magical memories. We do whatever it takes to provide a joyful and quality experience for every guest. We always do our best, individually and collectively. We earn and maintain the complete trust of our corporate partners. We use all donations effectively and efficiently to achieve our purpose. We protect the interests of all supporters. We always try to do the right thing. We are honest and straightforward with each other and with our sponsors. We admit mistakes and do our best to correct them. We focus our energy and resources on the children we serve. We help each other and feel collectively responsible for achieving our mission. We are individually accountable for our roles and commitments. We ask for help when we need it, and provide help when needed.

Recalculating

RECALCULATING…

I don’t know about you, but when I hear my portable GPS navigation unit saying that over and over, I get really tired of it.  Sometimes it is right on the money because I didn’t turn when I should have.  Other times, even if I know I are on the right track, and can see the destination, if it’s not the way that the GPS thinks it should be, it will yell at me.  My recent visit to Airzona reminded me of how much this gets under my skin.  Why three right turns when one left turn would do the same thing? Why tell me to go 200 more feet and turn left when I’m in the parking lot of the place to which I wanted to drive?

That set me to thinking about how God often looks at us.  He has created a GPS for us - in the form of the inspired Word of God.  We go about our daily lives and, even if we try hard to follow the things we know God wants, we often end up on the wrong path.  We think we know what’s right, but sometimes it’s only close, and other times it’s WAY OFF THE MARK!  I often find myself too far off the mark to even think I can ever get back.

RECALCULATING…

That’s what I would expect from God if he were audibly speaking to me throughout my day.  I’m sure I’d hear that A LOT!

Think about the times we know of that the God of the Ages has “recalculated” for our benefit.  In the Garden of Eden, God had a perfect plan - perfect, except for that little thing called free will.  Adam and Eve took it upon themselves to do what God had specifically told them not to do.  And they got caught.

RECALCULATING…

When things got so bad that God considered wiping it all out and starting over, one faithful soul listened to God and built an ark for his family and animals.  God made a plan to save Noah and his family from judgement.  In essence, God was 

RECALCULATING…

God promised to never wipe out the world like that again, but that didn’t mean that people did not still sin.  God chose Abraham to raise up a nation, then provided guidelines for them through Moses, which created a way for them to be acceptable despite their sin.  But people, because of who they inherently are, continued down that same path that started in the Garden.  

RECALCULATING…

God then made one more way to redeem us - to make us acceptable in God’s eyes.  He sent His only Son to live a perfect life and then die for us - in our place.  We can now become as his adopted children, simply by believing in Jesus as the Christ and the Messiah.  As Jesus said on the Cross, “It is Finished.”  No more

RECALCULATING…

wait for it...

Have you ever said, or heard someone else say something like "I can't wait until..."  or "It seems like I'll die before..." (insert here birthday, Christmas, a trip, or anything that comes with anticipation.)

Americans are impatient.  That's all there is to it.  From the time we are old enough to hold the remote, we know that even the toughest of impossible situations can be solved in an hour, including commercials - two hours if it's a special.

A few weeks ago, our sermon at church was on being patient.  The pastor used several references in the Bible of times when people simply needed to wait.  Patience is not something that is easy to learn.  It is always a struggle.  The sermon was a tough one for me to hear, as you will see below.

Here's just a sample of some of those who waited.  Noah and his family fled catastrophe by being sheltered from the flood in an ark designed by God.  How long?  They stayed for 40 days before they found any dry land.  During that time, they could not do anything but wait!  When Moses went up the mountain, he left the Israelites waiting for him to come down for that same 40 day period.  They were not, as you remember, quite as faithful as Noah during the waiting period.  Jesus was in the desert being tempted for a similar 40-day period.  Unlike the Israelites, Jesus did not falter.  Even though all these were the same period, there are many examples of shorter (or longer) periods.  Jonah waited for three days to be delivered; Saul of Tarsus was blind for three days before he received back his sight; the Israelites wandered for 40 years, and that after captivity for 400 years.  Ouch!

Remember, asking for patience can bring some difficult times, and really press you to the limit.  I don't remember asking for patience, but God has been, and is doing, a work in me to learn patience.

The initial "waiting trial" I can remember is when our first granddaughter was born.  Everything was fine up to delivery, but then she immediately went into respiratory distress.  She had to be put into a drug-induced coma and placed on life support, only to be flown at 3 hours old to Denver.  No warning; just waiting.  Parents and grandparents waited for that first month of life to see whether there would really be a baby at home.  That was tough.  That baby survived and is now a healthy teenager with brilliance and energy to spare.

We are currently going through another "waiting trial" - again with a granddaughter, this one with leukemia.  Diagnosed at two and a half years old, one can hardly conceive of the amount of chemicals and care that it takes to get someone cured of this.  And it's not over until she is declared cancer free, which will likely be another 15 months from now.  She seems to be on the right track, which we pray will continue to be the case.

How are your "waiting" skills?  Are you able to trust God for whatever time He determines is right?

It's like God is saying to us "Would you just wait!  I know what I'm doing!"

"They that wait upon the Lord will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."  Isaiah 40:31

Final Note:  Parts of this blog were very hard to write - they bring powerful memories, not all of which I like to think about.  AB

Rhetoric or Roadmap?

I've been listening to several of the political advertisements that are being broadcast.  Do you listen critically to them?  And with neither of the candidates doing a great job of really detailing their plan to improve (roadmap) is there really any way to separate the wheat from the chaff (rhetoric?) 

I hear things like "…clear plan…" and "…strong middle class…" and "…giving the American people what they want…" - you've all heard it this time around, and last election, and the one before that.  For the most part, it's simply saying what you want to hear -- and at that, you are hearing what you want to hear.

I challenge you to listen critically - don't just accept one side as "evil" and the other "good" without knowing why.  We each have our own political leanings, and I am no different than you.  But what I want to hear from BOTH candidates is HOW they plan to make things better.  Neither side is without fault, here.

President Obama has a tough road this round because many of the staunch supporters -- those who heard what they wanted to hear last time -- are not so sure they can put much trust in his rhetoric any more.  Even some of the supportive media are not behind him as strongly this time.  I've not seen much in the way of details from that administration on how he intends to address "…what the American people want…"  Simply calling for more change does not seem to make it any more.

Similarly, Candidate Romney has a tough journey as well.  It's always hard to out a sitting president in one term.  There is an uphill struggle, especially when it seems you have to convince the political pundits and the media that you have a legitimate plan.  It's hard to convince the American people that there may really be a different (better?) way.  If there is, please tell us in detail how to get there.  Give us your roadmap.  If your way is, in fact, a better one, convince us so we can get behind you and help out.

Rhetoric or Roadmap?  You need to listen to each side and vote your conscience.  It's all about YOUR future, not theirs.

A new breed of bully

As I was growing up, I remember how I was impressed by those who "reported" the news - I looked forward to the Weekly Reader, watching evening news, reading the newspaper - I seemed to have a reverence for each of them in their own way.  My parents taught me that it is important to stay informed.  I knew that those to whom I was listening/reading were making an attempt to be impartial and tell me what was going on.

Fast forward from that to the Vietnam era, through the genesis of 24 hour coverage to the present day.  No longer can I read/hear anything with that same reverence - that same feeling - that what is being "reported" is factual and not skewed in some way by a "reporter" grinding an axe about something.  Maybe just the fact that we are bombarded with 24 hour coverage of EVERYTHING leads the journalist to detest "dead air," and consequently fills that time with their own opinions when there is nothing really to report.

The days of the Edward R. Murrow or Chet Huntley - David Brinkley journalist are long gone.  I am sure that these veterans of the media had their own - and sometimes strong - opinions about what was going on, but they kept them to themselves and let the listener form an opinion.

What I see today is extremely disturbing.  The media now has a collective opinion, and if you happen to subscribe to something OTHER THAN that opinion (on whatever the subject at hand happens to be) then the media acts like a playground bully and will "beat up" on whomever they choose.  If you think the way the media does, then you get a pass - on just about anything.  If you don't - you'd better watch your back(side.)

This happens time and time again.  The environment is ripe right now for this because of an election on the immediate horizon.  The media (collectively) stands generally behind a liberal philosophy, so they positively report that information while down-playing, or being outright belligerant toward, a more conservative stance.  This applies across the board - finances, stances on abortion, religious leanings, education, healthcare, and constitutional issues.

An example as evidence is the coverage (or lack of coverage) of the two political conventions we just endured.  It seemed that the media reluctantly covered - then hammered what went on during - the GOP convention.  You had to search the channels to find coverage, and then heard the commentators tear down speakers or activities.  There is, of course, little good one can say about the GOP.

Contrast this with coverage of the Democratic convention.  There was no way you could avoid it because coverage was everywhere, and all the commentators coming along in lock-step to buttress the fine opinions of the speakers and platform.

Well, isn't that what a bully does?  Do what "I" want and "I" leave you alone - even protect you.  Try to stand up to "me" and I will beat you up.

OK, media.  It's time to give up your bully ways.

Is Education a Noun or Verb?

Standby for RANT.

Face it. How we categorize something affects what we do with it. This is true in every facet of our lives, and no less in education. Just what "IS" education?

Right now, in South Dakota, as is happening in many other states, the underlying debate is whether education is a noun or a verb. Let me explain.

If education is a noun, it then becomes "…a person, place, or thing." It is something we can legislate, quantify, measure, buy, sell, manipulate, categorize, and normalize. We attempt to put it on an assembly line and push out a product - all the same - all measurable (or should that be miserable?) - and we create methods to assess whether the product is good, mediocre, or bad. They should come out, one after another, in development for years and years, and having been worked on by dozens of different people in numerous environments - finally to be released into the world in a perfect and finished state.

How do we measure this success? Let's test students and let them set the standards for how their teachers did - I'm sure they will be unbiased in grading their teachers, won't they?

Wait a minute. Numerous environments? Different people? Let's FIX that - we'll put in place a standard method of "assessing" the teachers (technicians, now…) who are creating the products. We want to make them all the same, so everyone gets the same "advantage."

The ones who produce the best products are awarded in some fashion, and that would usually translate into money in their pocket. If we incentive this production, we'll certainly get a better product! Let's pay the most productive - as determined by the afore mentioned flawed assessment process - $XX dollars for their hard work. This makes "education" better! (Oh, really?) How can actively fostering competition among staff members within a building or district help create an environment the improves the educational process? It instead does just the opposite - it stifles communication and sharing between teachers who are competing for the same dollars!

Let's instead consider education as a verb - something that's alive and precious and worthy of tending - only then can we make it what it needs to be.

Verbs convey action - change - movement - progression - something that's constantly growing and getting better. That's what is required in education. It is not something that can be captured and cloned, but rather an entity that needs nurturing, like feeding and watering a plant. There is growth and maturity and "greening" all along the way. Will repeated watering and feeding and pruning be required? Certainly - that's the only way to get the best result.

How do we nurture education? We need to take it out of the hands of the lawmakers and put it back with the schools, allowing it to be fine-tuned by people who have been trained to teach students, who have years and years of experience in classrooms and hallways and lunchrooms - those places where teachers and administrators meet, teach, and care for (dare I say love?) the students.

Wrestle this beast away from the legislators who have made a career of being elected and keeping constituents happy. I hold legislators in high regard for the awesome responsibility they have in shaping our state and nation. But being an elected official in no way qualifies them to define or create a workable educational environment. Make these same legislators come down to teach a class in an over-crowded room with all levels of ability and conduct. Ask them to sit in a meeting with parents, or observe the lunchroom, or monitor a detention session to find out what really goes on.

Maybe then, they would stop setting up competitions and races and such that create road blocks to the educational process, and instead put those same dollars into making things work instead of actively trying to break them.

Maybe then we could begin to create groups (teams, Professional learning networks, etc) who share best practice and learn from each other.

Maybe then they would put their hearts and souls into it like teachers and school staff do each and every day, to do everything we can to give education life.

That should do it!

T.O.Y. for this holiday

This morning's paper will filled with 3-4 inches of "opportunities" to spend my hard-earned money on "stuff." There's the newest TV, camera, tool, coat, skateboard, doll, phone...on and on and on. And what do you end up with? STUFF

I already have too much "stuff." I don't know what to do with some of my "stuff." So I think I'll take a little different approach this season.

The T.O.Y. in the title stands for "Think Outside Yourself." Our whole world, from the earliest preschool through college, from business to politics, and, unfortunately, in some of what we learn in our churches and sunday schools, is really wrapped around a very selfish attitude - what's it got to do with ME?

This week, our praise team had the opportunity to serve at the local mission/shelter. That's something that you don't always LIKE to do, but it's what everyone SHOULD do at some time or another. It was a relatively nice day for November in South Dakota, but for those who needed a place off the streets, the mission was the place to be. On the menu was Chicken BBQ sandwiches, veggies, chips, dessert - and love, acceptance, and respect for their situation from our praise team. -- T.O.Y.

(as an aside here, I remember well sitting in the back row many times at the Union Gospel Mission as a child listening to my Dad give a short talk to the mission's "clients" before the meal. A good example and excellent childhood memory.)

There was an article in the paper this morning about Bronco's Quarterback Tim Tebow, and the grief he's taking for standing up for his faith. The press doesn't know what to do with the fact that he'd rather use his money to build a children's hospital in the Phillipines than he would to build a mansion for himself to live in luxury. --T.O.Y

We have already determined, as a family, that we will get simple things for each other for stocking stuffers and some gift cards at favorite stores. Then, we will collectively decide on a family donation to a charity. --T.O.Y.

Time for you to step up and serve your neighbor(s) in some form or fashion. It matters not if you lean toward the Christmas/Christian belief, Chanukah/Jewish, Islam, Kwanzaa, or choose to ignore the hoopla surrounding this time - serving is NEVER out of style. We owe it to our children to set the example (like I saw in my life) that you need to always Think Outside Yourself.

Have a great holiday season in service to others.

What a day

Wow - What a day.

The day started out like any other day. I woke up and got my legs under me, scrounged around for some breakfast, and went to find my mother. She was already outside. The sky was lovely, with the sun just beginning to peek out. Only a light breeze blowing - a typical morning for this part of the world. Little did I know what would happen today.

I started to hear a commotion outside, so I went out to see what was going on. All of a sudden someone was leading me away from my home, my mother, everything I knew. All I had heard was a man say "The Lord has need of it." What in the world did that mean?

There was a crowd gathering, and I was almost afraid - I was only a couple of years old and had never seen anything like this from my little stable on a quiet street. Why was this crowd gathering? It certainly didn't have anything to do with me, did it?

Wait, why is this Man climbing on my back? That's never happened before, and I'm not sure exactly what to do. I don't even know who this Lord is, or what he's doing parading me up and down the street while He rides through the crowd. I guess I'll just make the best of it and walk as proudly as I can.

A King? People are shouting Hosanna to the King! They can only be referring to this Man riding on my back. And the people keep throwing branches - palm branches - on the ground as we go by. This Man on my back really must be someone special. And everyone seems to really love Him. They keep shouting and praising Him as the Chosen One.

And then, just as quickly as it started, He climbed down off my back and another man led me back home. Back to my stable, and back to the quiet street where I grew up.

What was that all about? I wonder if I'll ever see this Man again?

Wow - What a day.

Together in Excellence (TIE) 2010

This blog will be longer than any "normal" posts I usually make. I apologize for the length, but it is necessary to fully describe the South Dakota region conference I attended 18-20 April 2010. Here is the paper I wrote as a "trip report" on this conference.

The conference included presentations by @AngelaMaiers and @LeslieFisher, Dr. Jack Bacon of NASA, and numerous "breakout" sessions highlighting technology and it's role in education.

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Together in Excellence (TIE) 2010 was a wonderful experience from beginning to end. The speakers were engaging and informative, each providing unique insights and perspective on motivation, today’s technology tools, and the role of educators in today’s classroom. The in-depth session I attended was time well spent. The breakouts were diverse, extremely valuable, and timely. I will try to do the speakers, the instructors, the exhibitors, and the entire conference, justice with this reflection paper. As I go along, I will try to put this into context as to how it will make a difference in my classroom.

My first experience at the conference was an in-depth session on web 2.0 tools and educational support internet sites. Marcia Torgrude did an outstanding job of introducing tools that can be implemented in the classroom immediately.

One such tool introduced was Glogster, which allows students to develop interactive “posters” to share. These “posters” can include graphics, text, video, and links to internet sites. Using Glogster, students could create an interactive report on a theme, historic event, or scientific process. Using a tool like this requires more than just responding to questions and parroting back answers. It requires the student(s) to synthesize and create to show understanding of a subject.

Another resource shown and practiced was Prezi, which was quite unique in it’s approach. In some ways, I found it similar in theme to Glogster, in that you have one “page” to interact with. On that one page, you identify elements essential to your theme, then organize a presentation by creating a “path” from one element to the next. By arranging the elements, the relative sizes of each, and the order of the path, students must demonstrate a depth of understanding of subjects being studied. She concluded with recommendations for other sites to explore on our own.

Following the in-depth session was the first Keynote speech. Leslie Fisher, a self-professed gadgeter, gave an excellent walk through the world of current technology. Although her presentation was based on “things,” there was an underlying theme of how technology is changing in all areas of society, including the world of education. What I took from that presentation was the changing role of the educator in dealing with a generation of students exposed to technology before they are exposed to education. Gadgets and technology surround each one of us everyday. Students encounter technology before they see us each day. How can we expect them to “shut off” everything and then suddenly learn in an environment that doesn’t fit their way of thinking? That certainly gives one a “wake up” moment to think about; how should each of us respond to this challenge? How do we change ourselves to adapt to this new way of thinking rather than try to force them to change and risk jeopardizing the natural curiosity and ability these students possess?

Monday began with Dr. Jack Bacon taking the conferees on a trip through history and current happenings of the international space station (ISS.) Even though he’s a man of numerous degrees and languages, and could have easily buried everyone in details, he instead wove an amazing story from the very genesis of the ISS to the current day. Embedded throughout the presentation was this one theme; the only way something as massive and complex as the ISS could be created and sustained is through cooperation. He kept returning to the almost two dozen countries and dozen languages of the people who created, assembled, and are currently supporting the ISS, and how it would not be what it is today without that effort. I took from that presentation the need to infuse more group projects into the classroom – not just once in awhile to make it look good, but regularly enough to make it part of the everyday routine. That means I have to change the way I approach “teaching” the students. That’s a real challenge for me.

From there, I attended a series of breakout sessions on various subjects, each very instructive and time well spent. Three of the sessions were based on Apple, Inc. products in one for or another. Two of these, presented by Apple employees, extolled the virtues of the family of Apple products and their role in the education environment. They showed how the products from Apple easily support learning in the classroom.

Another session, about using the iPod in the K-12 classroom, was equally instructive on using technology tools to support curriculum. Presenters showed specifically applications they use for Advanced Placement students in a high school, but also extended that with ideas for other curricular areas and levels. I got a lot out of that session for consideration, including one program for assistive speech for individuals with difficulty or inability to speak. That program has already been recommended to our staff for consideration for one of our students.

The final breakout for Monday was on the importance of social networking in general, and Twitter in particular, and how it can help each of us become better educators. Leslie Fisher gave some history of the Twitter sensation, how it is a natural fit into the education world, and how some of the available add-on’s can help make it better and more usable for us – changing our routine to save time rather than add new demands on our day.

Angela Maiers kicked off the Tuesday session with an outstanding keynote on how to develop technical fluency, and how that makes us better for ourselves and for our students. Of particular importance is our need to filter what we get, then be able to routinely model for our students how to continually unlearn and relearn. She almost seamlessly followed that with a breakout session on building our Professional Learning Network (PLN.) Each of us owes it to our students to keep current, and the best way to do that is to use the smartest people you can find, and learn what they know. Great presentations.

The final breakout session I attended was Marcia Torgrude speaking on Thinkfinity. I haven’t done much with this site since its Marco Polo days. I was impressed with the changes and the community nature that it’s growing into with the new site. That’s something definitely worth following, exploring, and contributing to.

Capping the conference was Dr. Julie Mathieson with a great session on taking what we have gotten during the conference and using that to make an impact on our students. That was a fitting end to the three days.

It was a great conference, and time well spent. There is certainly enough to keep me thinking until TIE 2011.

Alan Buhler

Professional Development - Easier to SAY it than to DO it

"Everybody" in education talks about professional development, about growing (developing?) a Personal Learning Network (PLN,) and really (finally) using that technology we have in the classroom to it's full benefit.

Sounds great! Let's DO it. What?? Difficulty getting started? Not so easy, is it?

We ask our students to do things every day that extend their ability, and some at which they may fail, in order to learn something. It's a pity that we won't ask the same of ourselves.

Begin by taking a good, hard look at where you are - it's like taking a candid snapshot. Assess yourself on as many "tasks" as you can think of. Don't pull any punches. This is for YOU, and no one else. Address things like quality of lesson plans, time spent planning, time spent with parent contact/communication, interaction with team or colleagues, how smoothly your classes run, your back up plans when things go wrong, etc. Make your own list of those things that you think affect you as a teacher/leader/facilitator in your classroom. Bottom line: you can't tell where you need to go until you know where you are. NOW you have a starting point.

Next, go "out" into the world (probably search internet, social networking & bookmarking sites, twitter, conferences, podcasts, etc.) and look for examples you'd like to emulate. Don't be afraid to start locally - there's probably several teachers in YOUR SCHOOL that have experiences (good and bad) from which you could draw. Think BIG here - imagine yourself as that "perfect" facilitator, presenting that fantastic lesson, able to keep track of students for differentiated instruction, teaching to their strengths, engaging them for the entire time you have them - even leaving them wanting more at the end of the class! NOW you have a vision.

After you've looked around for examples, "subscribe", "follow" or "watch" several episodes or posts or tweets from many of the ones you found and think you MIGHT get something from. It won't take you long to figure out the ones that are worth your time. Bookmark sites that interest you, sites that may be within your reach, and also sites that will push your "envelope" a little. Even if you get one or two great links or ideas from each of them every few episodes, it's probably worth your time. But at the same time, don't be afraid/ashamed to "unsubscribe" or "unfollow" someone that isn't feeding your needs - your time is valuable, and you need to be selfish about it! Contribute something that you use that might "feed" others, too. If it's useful or interesting to you, there's probably a dozen others that would feel the same way. NOW you have (at least a start to) an action plan.

I've done this, in a less structured and formal manner, over the last six months or so. I've followed several blogs and podcasts for years, but when they were no longer worth my time, I quit them. Only recently have I gotten a Twitter account, and find that this has been the best resource for ideas and links with the least amount of time and effort that I've ever seen. Maybe I just follow the right people, (favorites are @loonyhiker, @coolcatteacher, @skipz, @tombarrett, @teachakidd, just to name a few....) Their posts are NOT the trivial "I'm doing my hair now" - type posts - they post things that they find valuable from their experience in and out of classrooms, some of them professionals in classrooms already for decades. Us newbies (I've only been teaching a decade and a half...) can pick out things from their wisdom and apply it in our classrooms. (BRAVO AND THANKS TO EACH OF THEM.)

OK - now go out and make your plan! Hope it works for you.

Leaving your mark

It's interesting that sometimes one will see the same theme in statements from totally different places. That's what happened to me recently.

First, I received a note from my father mentioning this quote. "Every man is either making a mark or leaving a scar. We need to make sure we leave the mark God desires." (Freddie Scott) I found this very insightful and moving, repeated it to a few people and Twittered it to my "network." Didn't think much about it again for a week or so.

Then, I noticed this theme again in, of all places, an introduction to the Oct/Nov 2009 edition of "Handy" magazine, published by Handyman Club or America. In it, Larry Okrend, Executive Director of HCA says (page 6) "In a world where so much is soullessly churned out in factories, it might be good practice for all of us to sign our work in some fashion. If you derive a sense of accomplishment from your projects, leave a maker's mark as a small reminder of your creativity, productivity, and dedication to a job well done."

Even though neither of these quotes were intended as guides to us as educators, they can be directly applied. Replace "man" with "teacher" in the first quote, and re-read it. It emphasizes the awesome responsibility we have to shape young minds in a positive manner, or risk damaging them if we do it wrong. I don't know about you, but to me that's a very sobering thought, one that none of us should take lightly.

Then, think of being proud enough of your work in the classroom to "sign" it. Is it just "...good enough for Government work..." or a real work or art? Are you bringing energy into the classroom, or simply going through the motions to get through the day/week/quarter/career? Are your students better for having been in your class today/this week/year?

We should make this an "objective" in every lesson plan taught in every classroom every day. What type of mark will you leave in YOUR classroom this week?

Google Forms & an iPod Touch

As a Technology Integrator for our Middle School, I've been "playing" (isn't that what us GEEKS do?) with an iPod Touch and Google Docs to see how they can support each other. Most of all, I'm trying to see how the "forms" part of the spreadsheet can help in a classroom.

Here's what I've come up with so far - First tried forms with a simple survey to the teachers about what type of computer they want when the capital outlay process rolls out next year - desktop or laptop, and any special considerations for that machine. Initial experience very promising, but not perfect. Biggest mistake was that, not wanting to send it from my gmail account, I mailed the form to myself and then distributed from there on my school account. The form was in the forwarded email, so after staff filled out the form, but when they "submitted," it took them to the "real" form on the web, so they had to do it all again. Next time, I'll simply include the link and save them some time and effort. Glad it was a simple form.

Next experiment is with classroom observation and the iPod Touch. Created a form for observing student posture in 6th keyboarding class, and sent it to myself on my gmail account, which comes up on my "Touch." What I wanted was to walk around the room, enter info into the form and have it automatically fill out the spreadsheet with my observations. Then, enter grades at the end of the class, print for documentation, and be done with it.

The first form had "drop down" choices which, in theory, are good, but don't play well with a "Touch" because it will automatically submit the form before you are ready. So I went back and changed to check boxes with one required box that simply says "done." That gave me control of when it actually was submitted. That worked well, except that I had to keep going back to the email, click the link, and go to the form each time. Haven't tried embedding in a webpage yet - that's still to come. That may make it easier.

Note to Google Docs folks - Don't bury the published form so far into the document - make the finished form come up as maybe a subset of the document itself so it will show up on mobile sync applications for easy access. Or, maybe an application specifically for forms that support a Google Doc. This would really help.

If you have any suggestions for me, please chime in. I'd love to hear them. Thanks.

Ya' know, back in St. Olaf...

You will probably recognize this line from the sitcom "Golden Girls" that's been airing in constant reruns since whenever!  After saying this line, Rose Nyland would venture off into some story from the town where she grew up. That town is, of course, St. Olaf.

I think I can finally identify with Rose.  I'm afraid I drive through St. Olaf (by another name, of course) every day when I go to work.  Probably not an atypical little rural town, but no one could accuse them of being in the top ten areas for MENSA members per capita!  

Same route every day (boring, isn't it?) so I notice things that change, and things that don't change.

Before I go any further with this, I'll say that this is year #2 for a similar observation; so I know it's not just an oversight.  Here's the setup.  Fairly nice house and yard, a few derelict items scattered about, but not too bad.  At one corner of the house is a nice looking, fairly new (by all appearances) yard tractor.  But I'm not sure the owner really understands the concept.  I've never seen the tractor moved since I noticed it, and there is grass growing around and under it that's longer than the surrounding lawn.  Apparantly, the owner of the property uses a regular mower to keep the yard.

If you don't see irony here, leave a comment and I'll ignore you.

(not really...)

Hope you enjoy this.

God's will

On my way to work this morning, I was listening to our local Christian Radio station, and Chuck Colson's Breakpoint show happened to be playing. The overall theme was a month-long review of some of Dante's historical works. He touched on several things, but there was one point that just hit home with me.

The discussion went something like this: People frequently ask how a loving God can condemn people to eternal separation from Himself? The truth is - God doesn't do that - people choose it themselves.

It ends up there are two ways people can respond to God. The first is to say to Him - "Thy will be done." That's the road He wants us to choose. God would have it that everyone do that, but some will resist until it's too late. When that happens, God will reluctantly say, when their brief life here on earth has ended, "OK -I gave you all the chances I could. You blew it. Now, THY will be done."