Pumpkin Face

Greetings:

"Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:16 (NIV)

As I am sure all of you know, Today is Halloween. Many of you will dress up in costumes and go pretend to be teachers :-) Okay, Okay, just kidding.

How many of you have ever made a Jack o' Lantern? If you have, you know that the first thing you do when making a Jack o' Lantern is to clean up your pumpkin by washing off the dirt and mud. Then you cut a hole in the top of the pumpkin and clean out the inside. You scoop out all the seeds and yucky stuff.

The next thing you do is to carve a face. You cut out the eyes, nose, and mouth. I don't know about you, but I always like to put a toothy smile on my Jack o' Lantern.

The next step is to put a light inside the Jack o' Lantern. Then you light it so that the light will shine through the eyes, nose, and mouth.

Finally, when all is finished, you place the Jack o' Lantern on the front steps so that all who pass by your house will see its light.

You know, I was thinking. This is a pretty good picture of what happens when we invite Jesus into our heart.

When we become a Christian, Jesus picks us up and cleanses our life from sin. He removes all the yucky thoughts and the seeds of doubt, hate, and selfishness that we have inside. Then he puts a smile on our face and puts his light inside to shine for all the world to see.

Today - put on your best "Pumpkin Face" and let others see Jesus in you.

For Kingdom Education,
Doc

(idea gathered from different sources)

Be Prepared

Greetings:

The Boy Scout motto is "Be Prepared." Do you know what the teachers motto should be? (No, not hide here comes those little bothers.) It also should be - "Be Prepared."

An unprepared teacher produces unprepared students. Ben Franklin is quoted as saying, "By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail." And, that is so true.

Begin by preparing yourself. Get your heart and mind right. Next, prepare the presentation. Spend quality time preparing what you are going to teach. Don't just assume - well I know more than they do, so I can just wing it. Winging it is for the birds. (And, might acquire you some bird calls in the process.) You expect your students to have completed their homework before coming to class - well so should you.

James reminds us (3:1 NIV), "Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly." Your call to teach is from God - and He is the one grading your lessons.

For Kingdom Education,
Doc

From WTB Teaching With Style (c)1994

I'll die...

Greetings:

"Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28: 18-20 NIV.

The Great Commission. Have you been called to teach? Then God has gifted you to do this. He will empower you. In His Great Commission is the call to teach. In your task at MCS, you have been called to teach.

Do you know why you are doing what you are doing?

I am here because God has allowed me to be here. We need to develop the attitude that if I don't do this - I'll die. That is the Passion to Teach. It is the sense of your commission from God.

Today, if you don't feel this passion, pray to God, "Father, You have called me to teach. You have equipped me to teach. Confirm in my heart this call and commission. Help me today to have the zeal to do what you have equipped me to do. By the power your Son has given, I ask this in His name, Amen."

For Kingdom Education,
Doc

From WTB Teaching With Style (c)1994

Love 'em anyhow

Greetings:

Read 1 Corinthians 13 today.

You know teaching wouldn't be so bad if we didn't have to fool with those students. Or parents. Or co-workers. Or Administrators.

But, we do not teach math, science, history, English - or even Bible - we teach students. It is what God has called us too, and what He has equipped us to do. Let me make three suggestions toward loving those students.

First, learn about them. Why do they do the things they do? What's happening with them. They do not live in a vacuum. They have issues also. You expect others to be considerate when you are having a hard time. Why shouldn't your students?

Second - pray for them ---- specifically. When you learn what the issues are, take them to God on a personal basis.

Finally, serve them. Help them were you can. The old saying, "Knowing you care precedes caring about what you know" is so true. Live the life of Christ before them.

Today, take the first step in the journey. Some people aren't lovable, yet God calls us to love them anyway.

For Kingdom Education,
Doc

From WTB Teaching with Style (c)1994

Passion to Communicate

Greetings:

Paul told Timothy to "stir up the gift of God which is in you...." (2 Timothy 1:6). Timothy was like a piece of coal. He needed the continual fanning to keep the fire burning. Paul was telling Timothy - keep rekindling and refuel yourself so that your abilities burn brightly. You are the fuel, fire and fan all by yourself. No one will do it for you - you must do it for yourself.

Have you developed the skill of fanning your own flame? If you wait for someone else to do it, often it will flicker - and sometimes go out. You need to find some motivational thing you can do before teaching a class. Music? Exercise? Reading something motivational? Whatever it is, use it.

You must go into your class with a real desire to share the lesson with the students. Don't let teaching become a drudgery for you. Only you can control that. When you glow about the lesson - your students will also.

Go out and catch fire.

For Kingdom Education,
Doc

From WTB Teach with Style (c)1994