Wonder: Sleeping With One Eye Open

"Mr. Janssen, did you know that dolphins sleep with one eye open?

Frequently, I have reason to speak with our students. In most of the occasions I have the pleasure of celebrating things with them; a birthday, a recent creation or project, a story from their life outside school, something they have just recently learned, or something they think is “amazing” about God’s creation.

Loose or missing teeth, holiday plans, counting in French, and many other parts of their lives are readily shared with joy and excitement. Life at every turn offers something new to take in. This is the joy of the Christian elementary educator: we pace with our students who are seeing God’s world as something brand new, like an undisturbed field of snow they have never visited before.

Life is amazing. Though our often-jaded attention as adults tends toward areas of frustration, worry, or lament faster than it goes to wonder – our world is an astounding place. Your child’s days are filled with seeing, appreciating, and attempting to understand many brand-new things for the very first time. “Wonder creates awe, and awe creates worship” a friend of mine used to say. While eyes and ears are focused to see these things, what a perfect opportunity to be telling the mighty acts of God and answering the big questions of life like “Who am I?”, “Where am I?”, “What’s my purpose?”, and “What is this world really all about?” This is one of the ways that we attune our students to the kingdom that Jesus taught his disciples about.

I’m thankful for Christian education which not only draws our children’s attention to an amazing creation, but also to worship its creator. All of life (including learning at London Christian Elementary School) is sacred.

Praise God!

SJ