It hit me this morning as we prayed in the car. This was the first day of the last year of our youngest daughter's public school education. After unmercilessly playing the song they've grown up with that has tortured their souls since Kindergarten days, 96 Tears made Dad cry. In fact, Journey's "Who's Crying Now" also helped, as did The Beatle's rendition of "Lonesome Tears In My Eyes" (BBC Sessions). Wow! Caty a senior in high school! The last blessing of birth for Nellie and I, born to us when we thought we knew all about raising daughters, here comes Cata! The older three were born when Dad served as a campus minister in Edinburg. (Actually Nellie our oldest was born while I served as pastor at First UMC in Rio Grande City, so from Feb. 1 until June of 1980, I was a local church pastor). Caitlin was born when I was serving as pastor of El Mesias UMC in Mission and we were living in an old house right behind the church. The church became her playground. In fact, Caitlin believed she owned the church and was the one most reluctant to move to a new home in another part of town some years later. "Who will take care of the church?" Jesus, of course!
Caitlin joins the ranks of those children who still go to school from late summer to early summer. I know other parts of the country are experimenting with year-round schooling, but we're still blessed with some time off in the summer. This summer we didn't take a vacation as we hope to take a week or so in November to travel to Spain to visit Carli who'll be there doing a semester of study in Grenada. As we say our goodbyes (and thank God's for some!) let us also pray for a wonderful and safe school year. It is sad to think that we feared some years ago the dangers of getting hit with a paper clip and rubber band; now we fear the violence that can lead to gun fire from kids raised on violence saturated video games and entertainment. May God bless and protect every teacher, staff, administrator and student on each of our campuses. May learning still be important.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, today is the first day of school for some. Just another day of school for others. But we pray Your blessing and protection on all of the students and adults on our educational campuses that this year might be a year of blessing. May Your peace be seen in the ones who know You so that they might bring a blessing of peace to those who are troubled. May Your love be felt in the hearts of those who pray to You so that their love for others might bring an invitation to them to come to know and love You as well. May each teacher be reminded of that which led them to the classroom in the first place: A desire to make a difference in the lives of those who call her or him, teacher. May the burden of paper work and parental pressure not diminish that love for teaching. We know we are blessed to have schools that allow our children to learn. We pray in Christ Jesus' name. Amen.
