First Loops and Joy: Spirit Days at LCES

A student giggled this morning as I walked in to her classroom with what she called “fruit loops hair.” I grinned. There is no better way to start a Monday morning.

Some pretty unusual hair is on display today at LCES as spirit week starts with crazy hair day. Florescent colours, blinking lights, wigs, and pipe cleaners are challenging our “normal” every day hair. There are signs of some advance preparation and creative thinking: bottles of hair flowing into a cup, a family of stuffed animals peeking out from a swirl of hair, hair seeming to defy gravity and so much more. What fun! We can hardly wait for the rest of the week with wacky clothing, career day, colour day, and the perennial favorite - pajama day.

Spirit week with all of its unusual wardrobes and activities is a welcome break in the month of February to our regular patterns. One of the things I appreciate most about it is the smiles and laughter that it brings to our community of learning. The delight for students of seeing their classmates (and their teachers!) in their creative, fun-loving best brings joy to their day. Plenty of life's journey's in living and learning are quite serious, it feels good to balance that with not taking ourselves so seriously. God wants good things for his children and joy is one of those good gifts.

“The joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10) were the words of comfort that Nehemiah shared with the very upset Israelites when a public reading of the law had revealed their shortcomings. God’s law was clear, but so was his love. Nehemiah wanted them to be sure that the people knew God wants good things for his people.

God is good to us. Joy is an integral part of our days here at LCES. There is joy of fellowship and companionship, joy of learning and discovery, joy of service to each other, and joy in living in full assurance of God’s presence, love, and provision. A culture of joy makes our school a wonderful place to be. SJ