PRECIOUS TIME...
So they're all here. Well, almost all...not quite everyone could make it - we'll miss you, Tony, Jen, and Brandon! In contrast to a "smaller than usual" Thanksgiving gathering (for which we only had 22 people), we have a "larger than usual" Christmas dinner planned. In fact, for the first time ever, we're not having the meal at anyone's house. With 47 people, none of us has enough room! Justin was able to secure use of the fire hall, so we'll have lots of space to enjoy the time together.
And that enjoyment is a good portion of what it's about. Yes, we celebrate the birth of Jesus, and though we don't know whether that actually occurred in December, we do know that it happened. Yes, we worship God for sending His Son in the perfect redemptive plan, a plan that was in existence long before Christ was incarnate.
In a tangible way, we can express our love for God by demonstrating it to those around us. Whether by hugging those who drove in from Ohio or Pennsylvania (or even Saranac Lake), or by letting one of the younger ones sleep on my belly whenever he wants to, or just by watching the kids burn off all of their excess energy, being there is great fun, and the time together is something we never want to end. Of course, we all know that the days will arrive later in the week when these "adult kids" must return to their own homes, but for now we're just pretending that's not true!
Today, tonight, and tomorrow, we're all kids again, and this is home. What must happen Wednesday and thereafter need not be mentioned now.
Have a great Christmas eve, and a very merry Christmas. I know we will.
Monday, December 24, 2007
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
RELATIVISM
I recently had a take-home exam for the class in which I'm enrolled this semester. It was given to us mid-day on a Friday, and due at noon (or thereabouts) on Monday. What resulted, for me at least, was 72 hours of frantic mental exercise. When I went to the professor's office to give him my paper at 12:30 on Monday, my brain was literally tired!
A few days later, we got our exams back. My grade was a 70 (out of 95 points total, according to the points summary). That was a bit discouraging, until I found out that the average was a 40, and so scores above that would generally be an A.
So I'm thinking that, relative to others, I did quite well, it seems. This is a frightening way of thinking, and one I've always had trouble with as an educator, and as a Christian. In my own classes, I set expectations that are related to some absolute criterion. Now, I also reflect and evaluate myself to see if students' grades are a product of their own efforts or my failure to teach effectively. As a result, I always try to be a better teacher today than I was yesterday so my students can understand the material I'm attempting to teach.
As Christians, if we don't have some absolute criteria by which we gauge our progress at "living", then we'll be very disappointed when it is time for our "ultimate final exam." God is not going to judge us by how our lives compared to others, but rather by how our lives compared to His (absolute) instructions. (In that respect, I suppose he may actually be comparing us to ONE other person, Jesus, Who lived those instructions for us during His time on earth.)
Do we look at others and think, "I'm just fine!"? Are we more spiritual than most people, and so we think our final assessment should be very good "after the curve"?
The standard has been set, and there will be no curve. It's a completely objective grading system, but "whosoever believeth in Him" can pass and receive "everlasting life." John 3:16 - check it out...
I recently had a take-home exam for the class in which I'm enrolled this semester. It was given to us mid-day on a Friday, and due at noon (or thereabouts) on Monday. What resulted, for me at least, was 72 hours of frantic mental exercise. When I went to the professor's office to give him my paper at 12:30 on Monday, my brain was literally tired!
A few days later, we got our exams back. My grade was a 70 (out of 95 points total, according to the points summary). That was a bit discouraging, until I found out that the average was a 40, and so scores above that would generally be an A.
So I'm thinking that, relative to others, I did quite well, it seems. This is a frightening way of thinking, and one I've always had trouble with as an educator, and as a Christian. In my own classes, I set expectations that are related to some absolute criterion. Now, I also reflect and evaluate myself to see if students' grades are a product of their own efforts or my failure to teach effectively. As a result, I always try to be a better teacher today than I was yesterday so my students can understand the material I'm attempting to teach.
As Christians, if we don't have some absolute criteria by which we gauge our progress at "living", then we'll be very disappointed when it is time for our "ultimate final exam." God is not going to judge us by how our lives compared to others, but rather by how our lives compared to His (absolute) instructions. (In that respect, I suppose he may actually be comparing us to ONE other person, Jesus, Who lived those instructions for us during His time on earth.)
Do we look at others and think, "I'm just fine!"? Are we more spiritual than most people, and so we think our final assessment should be very good "after the curve"?
The standard has been set, and there will be no curve. It's a completely objective grading system, but "whosoever believeth in Him" can pass and receive "everlasting life." John 3:16 - check it out...
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