Amazing Peace

I heard the bells on Christmas day

Their old familiar carols play;

In music sweet their tones repeat,

“There’s peace on earth, good will to men.”

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:

“God is not dead, nor does He sleep,

For Christ is here; His Spirit near

Brings peace on earth, good will to men.”

      -Henry W. Longfellow –

   

The journey to the manger in the school Christmas program can be anything but peaceful. Do soloists know their parts? Where are those props? How do you set up those risers again? Do we have enough programs? It’s not hard to end up in a spot where singing “peace on earth” feels like a living contradiction to what we feel. Perhaps that is because of the tyranny of the urgent that can consume us. Or, perhaps because we watch the “nations raging together” (Psalm 2:1) and our doubtful hearts worry that dark skies and dark hearts are winning the day.

Christmas events, like those of this week at LCES, remind us that our faith is characterized not only by the “Amazing Grace” we sing of often, but also “Amazing Peace.” Though they may be fleeting, the moments in our lives where we experienced that peace are worth pausing for. Quiet snow falling, a sleeping infant, a musical moment of awe and reflection, or the hum of the road in a darkened car returning from a family outing - these all are a foretaste of the “perfect peace” that will one day characterize every day, every place, for every one of God’s children.  We experienced one of those moments as a school family this morning with Jeremy Zeyl sharing “O Holy Night” to a gym full of students who felt that tangible peace for a moment. Perhaps, peace is something you feel more than you understand.

May God grant us moments of that “peace that transcends understanding” as we tell the most amazing story: God took on flesh and became one of us. Now that is a source of amazing peace!                                                           

SJ

Words in a hallway

Add caption

Overheard in the primary side of the school, following a nutrition break:

“What happened on the playground this recess was not very nice and wasn’t fair.” - student

“That’s not walking in the way of love, is it?” – another student, directed at the teacher

“Yeah, God says that we’re supposed to walk in love!” yet another student.




Such words from some of our youngest students tell us that our school theme “Walk in the Way of Love” from Ephesians 5:2 has made an impression on them. Praise God! For 14 weeks already this year students have been attending Monday morning chapels, heard teachers share God’s word with them, and learned to live in community as they experienced moments of harmony and conflict.

We certainly experience both of them in the pulse of daily life here at our school, although we are very grateful that moments of peace, joy, and contentment far outnumber times of conflict. Conflict does not bring us joy, yet the Christian school knows that some of the most formative and direction-setting moments can often come from handling conflict well. The manner in which we work through conflict speaks much about what matters most to our school.

Years ago, on a highway billboard in giant letters, I read “Peace is not the absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means.”

So what characterizes conflict managed well, by peaceful means? Here are some ideas:

 There is always a best and worst time to deal with conflict. Generally, a period of pause and reflection before sweating out the resolution of conflict together is best.

 Avoiding conflict comes at its own cost.

 The ultimate goal of conflict resolution is unity, not victory.

 The pathway towards resolution begins with small groups, not big ones.

 Resolving conflict may require vulnerability and humility, but should not require embarrassment or eroding the value of another person.

 True conflict resolution ends not with tolerance, but forgiveness.

 While God delights in unity which brings Him glory, his opponent delights in anything that can frustrate and hinder the process.

May God bless our efforts to live in faithfulness together. SJ

What’s new about Christmas?

A Christmas tree has been carefully setup in the hallway, songs from our Christmas program are on our children’s lips, and the twinkle of festive lights warms the atmosphere in the The Learning Spot.  The first moments of advent are exciting at a Christian school – but is that because it is familiar and comfortable like a warm cozy blanket, or is it a rush of hope and help like a strong beam of a lighthouse cutting through the fog of a fallen and often dark world? How do we approach advent each year as something that is new and meaningful? A writer I follow, Chris Schoon, shared this over the weekend and I thought it too good to hold on to myself. Allow me to share:

 “….faces and hands pressed against the frosty window, our kids keep watch for that first glimpse of red brake lights lighting up, while Grandma’s burgundy Honda slows, making the turn into our driveway. Any moment they will abandon their post in a flurry of singular delight: “Grandma is here! Grandma is here!” The ensuing mad scamper of children dashing through living room and dining room, then kitchen and back hall will leave couch cushions crumpled, once neatly folded blankets askew, and our pets in a confused scurry, unsure of whether they should hide under the table, join the joyful delight, or courageously defend our door. 

In a way, our kids’ anticipation, rooted in the memory of Grandma’s previous visits, fills the Advent season as we both remember Jesus Christ’s birth and anticipate his second coming. These rhythms of remembering and anticipating provide the primary cadence for this season. Advent is neither a nostalgic longing for a past that has been lost nor a naïve fixation on a utopia that remains always out of reach. Rather, by looking back at what God has already done and looking ahead at what God has promised yet to do, Advent roots us deeper in the assurance that God is with us – even here, even now.”  (http://muddiedprayers.com)

Our participation in all things Christmas at LCES is so much more than lights, carols, and chocolate. We celebrate the gift of a first-born son, given to redeem this world that our students study. We praise God for the gift of a Saviour whose grace allows them find their place on earth to use their gifts and talents. As part of advent we delight in the promise that he will come again and that he makes "all things new."(Revelation 21:5)  Now that is something new worth celebrating!  (SJ)