Cleaning house: words from my past

While it may not be spring yet, I have been cleaning. In an attempt to set up good “digital habits” I have been working through old information I have stored from my past – both the paper-and-pen sort and the digital variety. Old pictures, letters, even a few high school papers I had to write. CD’s, disks (remember those?) and even a few journals.  What do you do with all this stuff?

Last weekend I came across a set of three papers I had to write in high school that asked me specific and pointed questions about marriage. It’s amusing to read through what I thought then, with all of the wisdom a fifteen year old might bring to the topic. I smiled and laughed while reading it – not because I was so far off base, but it was so interesting to hear my own voice so obviously still in the process of figuring out my world. Clearly I wasn’t finished yet.  I heard some echoes in that writing too.

I heard the echo of a family structure that created a warm and nurturing place for me to hear the Word of God and see faithful living as important. Growth in the life of faith starts at home.

I heard the echo of a Christian church which emphasized a praise-filled response to God and regular and consistent teaching of Christian discipleship. Worship and discipleship continued at church.

I heard the echo of a Christian school environment that equipped and challenged me to look at the patterns of this world and consider “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is admirable” (Phillipians 4:8). Discernment and wisdom in living faithfully were cultivated at school.

I’m glad I did not throw out or delete those pieces of my past. They stand now as a touch points for me, and motivation for me as principal and parent to provide the same for our children. Every moment, every word, ever action counts for our students as they grow and learn in faith. To God be the glory.  SJ