Our school district has made an effort to improve reading levels for every student. Part of the plan is to give each student 15 minutes a day to read - including at the high school level. You can only imagine how well this works. My only request of my students it that they are quiet so that I can read during that time.
I have been reading the Cure for the Common Life by Max Lucado. His chapters are just short enough that I can finish one in about 15 minutes. Very convenient. The book is basically about finding out how God designed you and being able to use your gifts to benefit the body of Christ as well as live a fulfilling life.
I just finished a chapter called "Decode your kids code". This chapter came at just the right time for me. I took Charity shopping last weekend, and I just couldn't understand why she wanted to shop alone. I intended it to be some quality fun time together, but to her it was just not fun. We each had a different view of what shopping meant. I see it as a chance to be together and she would rather just shop on her own. She has a different "bent" than I do. Lucado said that this is normal. We bring home this new being and sometimes expect that the child will be like us - same likes and dislikes, as well as function the same as us. He used the verse from Proverbs, "Train up the child in the way he should go and when he is old he won't depart from it". Lucado broke it apart and explained it to mean that "the way" is translated as his/her "bent" or "natural tendency". We need to help them find their own "bent" and help them be the best at whatever that is. For now, Charity is enjoying swimming even though her parents aren't very athletic. We are doing our best to encourage her. Also, it is our job to do the training. Only God can do the rest and bring them to faith.
This was an eye opener to me. Looking at this familiar verse again and gleaning something totally new and useful. I am continually amazed at the Bible - it is the living word of God. The Spirit speaks to us through it like nothing else. I am the trainer to help Charity and Eli to see their God given gifts and talents - to help them be the best them they can be.
That's all for now
God Bless
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A church sister gave this same book to me as a gift when we left Korea. I love it, but find I can't read it straight through. I have to digest it in parts. And I think it's going to take more than one reading. I guess I'm at a point in my life where I'm trying to combine my own dreams with His plans for me - not an easy task!
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