The Apprentice

 

The Apprentice

There was a little girl on my camp team for years named Hayden who considered herself to be my assistant coach. Then, she played for me in middle school and now as a senior is my student assistant! One day, several years ago, Luis Hernandez came by to visit and he met Hayden! He's in the real world now and doing well. The following, from March 9, 2009, is about Luis who also made it his goal to be my assistant.

I'm not quite sure when but Luis began joining me at my classroom door every day before my fifth period sophomore Bible class, of which he is a member. Between classes, faculty members stand at their doors and monitor the halls. I speak to each youngster who enters and try to personalize the greeting. At times, when I am picking up papers or doing something at my desk, I ask one of the kids to be me for a minute in my hall duties. Luis must have been my stand-in one morning, enjoyed himself, and penciled himself in as a regular, leaning back against the door mimicking my cross-armed posture. He's your typical tenth grade boy, a soccer player with a wonderful girlfriend named Danielle. He takes his new responsibilities seriously. Luis is prompt and greets his classmates as they enter the room. I even let him write a hall pass to the bathroom last week. There's one more thing. If you are a regular reader, you know that I have a world class collection of ties that I wear in rotation daily. Luis brought a red striped necktie from home which he keeps just inside my classroom door. He arrives before anyone else for fifth period and loops the tie around his neck. Keep in mind that while I wear long sleeve, button down oxford shirts with my neck wear, my apprentice sports the WCS short sleeve blue polo top with his tie. We have started asking passersby if they can tell us apart. It's difficult. If you subtract the fact that I am taller, slightly older, and Anglo while Luis is Latino and a teenager, we are practically indistinguishable from each other. I signed my contract this afternoon for the 2009-2010 school year. I neglected to ask Dr. Lacey if Luis had signed his yet. You see, I think we make a pretty good team. In Luke 6:40, Jesus said, 
"A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher." 
Luis is getting it. Since becoming a teacher-in-training, his Bible grade has taken a dramatic jump. My guess is that Jesus would approve.

(Luis is fifth from the left- and also from the right- in the back row of the team picture from this year's Westbury Christian School soccer squad.)

Applicable quote of the day:
"Good teaching is one-fourth preparation and three-fourths theater." 
Gail Godwin

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

Mary, Martha, Jesus.... And Maybe Lazarus

 

Mary, Martha, Jesus.... And Maybe Lazarus

 

We do a good deal of writing in my classes! This is from January 20, 2022!

I love having my students inject themselves into the Gospel stories; they can really relate to stories about relatives! Two weeks ago, my 8th graders rewrote the story of Martha getting frustrated with Mary when she invited Jesus, and presumably His apostles, over for dinner. These were their instructions:

You are to rewrite the story of Martha getting upset at Mary and involving Jesus in the process. It is found in Luke 10:38-42. There is a 150 word minimum and you must use capitalization, complete sentences, and good grammar. You may write from the perspective of Mary, Martha, or Lazarus who we presume was also present. Any direct quoting of Martha or Jesus as well as copy/pasting will result in a zero. GOOD LUCK!

Below are the observations by three of my scholars, all used by permission!

[Martha's perspective] I seriously can’t believe Mary right now! Is she really sitting down listening to Jesus tell her stories? We have so much work that we must be doing right now. She is always like this! She has always been the one to slack on her responsibilities. Me, on the other hand, practically live in the kitchen and outdoors, cooking and cleaning. All she does is simply exist, and on top of that, she never listens to me. She’s so spoiled, and behaves like a little child. I really wish she would stop listening and help me prepare the food and finish getting the house ready. But, knowing her, she won’t listen to me. I’ve been in here for hours cooking and cleaning, so that our guests can enjoy themselves. If we were to split up the duties, then maybe I could also hear what the teacher has to say. So...... maybe if I ask Jesus, he would see things from my point of view. “ Excuse, Jesus…?” Natalie

[Mary's perspective] All day long, I heard my sister complaining about how there were more than thirteen men coming to our house tonight and how I never help when there are people coming over! I do help, though! She told me that I needed to leave her alone when she’s working because I always mess things up. Lazarus is sitting on the porch laughing at us! I would’ve gone to talk to him, but as I reach the door, the men are there. I welcome them inside and glance over at Martha, who’s still trying to make enough food. I show everyone where to sit, and to my surprise, Jesus starts talking to me! Of all the people in this house right now, He chose me! I sit down and begin to listen when Martha starts to bug me about helping her. “Mary, why aren’t you helping me?” She asks. “We have a lot of work to do for these fine men.” Jesus gives her a blank look, then starts to explain how what she’s doing is great and respectful, but not necessary. I smile to myself and give Martha a teasing look. I knew I was the sister who always did things right!   Kaitlyn

[Lazarus' perspective] The other day, I had just walked into the house when I could hear Martha complaining about Mary not helping her out again. Every day, Mary sits and argues with Martha. When Martha goes to get water, Mary doesn't help. When Martha has to slaughter the lamb, Mary doesn't help. When Martha goes to the market, Mary doesn't help. But this time, it was different. Mary wasn't arguing back. Martha kept on yelling and whining. But there was no noise coming from Mary. A man named Jesus was sitting on the ground talking, and Mary was listening. This Jesus guy was talking about God and some eternal life stuff. Mary was very interested and was completely silent. I too, was highly interested so I sat down. But before that, I asked Martha why she was always arguing with Mary. I said it would help if she sat down and listened to Jesus.   Leon

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

Waiting Game

 

Waiting Game

 

You often see the harsh side of life when you get called for jury duty. This entry is from May 26, 2009.

One of my mother's favorite mom-isms was, 'Many are called, but few are chosen.' Actually, it is a direct quotation from Jesus in Matthew 22:14, King James Version, although I did not recognize it the thousand or so times she recited it. I get the feeling it has applications to me and our legal system. For the third time in the last several years, I was summoned to appear and make myself available for jury duty. And for the third time, no action. We, about six hundred or so residents of Harris County, gathered early this morning in downtown Houston. As juror numbers were flashed on big screens- my number was 3208- I was placed in a pool with sixty-four strangers. We would be whittled to twelve and sit in judgement on a case two blocks away from the jury assembly location. We marched as a group to the Criminal Justice Building, took elevators to the fifteenth floor....and waited....and waited...and waited outside one of the courtrooms. Inside, negotiations were taking place involving a plea bargain. After almost two hours, we were informed the case had been settled and we were free to go home. Once again, my background in teaching US Government and Civics was allowed to go unappreciated. There will be another summons- maybe next time.

As we waited, we became restless. Standing for extended periods on tile floors takes a toll on the legs so a number of us sat down, backs to the wall. There were scattered conversations and some read their books. Some continually texted and some, like me, just sat. She came out of the court room opposite ours not long before we were excused. She could have passed for one of our older students if she had been wearing a school uniform. She was alone....and she was sobbing. Her face was devoid of hope and her body language spoke a defeated heart. I don't know what went on behind those closed court room doors but it wasn't good for her. She managed to get on the elevator across from me and disappeared.

I wish my students could have witnessed that thirty second scene that I watched this morning. From a practical standpoint, it was a great example of what happens when you get in the court system. From a spiritual perspective, I could not illustrate the judgement any better than she did. Her fate, however severe or lenient, was sealed. All of us were almost embarrassed to look at the grief-stricken girl. We probably felt it would be inappropriate to say anything or reach out in any manner so she remained by herself. It reminded me that in the parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man, Lazarus is with Abraham in the afterlife and the (former) rich man is isolated. I hope it was a minor offense the young lady committed, but her life is about to change. That's the point- we still can change. There will come a time when there will be no going back, no appeals, no do-overs, no plea bargains. And on that day, the decision will not be left in the hands of a jury.

Applicable quote of the day:
"A jury consists of twelve persons chosen to decide who has the better lawyer.”
Robert Frost

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

Lucky Me!

 

Lucky Me!

I'm not a good shopper! This is from January 2, 2014.
Santa was good to me again this year; dress clothes, a microwave, personal grooming products. What the big guy in red delivered the most, though, was gift cards, including six from Starbucks. I have a confession; I struggle with gift cards. It isn't that I don't like them- I do. What frustrates me about gift cards is how to spend them. Let me give you an example. I was blessed with three Barnes and Nobles' gift cards totaling $35 and I love to read. But it took two visits and over an hour to decide what to purchase. I agonize over making the wrong choice. Once, I took five minutes standing in front of the salad dressing at the grocery store, trying to decide between two brands where the only difference was a nickel. (On the other hand, I once bought a car without really looking at it!) Let's just say I'm not decisive as a shopper.

One of my new students this year is Annie, a very bright and bubbly young lady. For Christmas, she presented me with something I had never been given before, an Amazon gift card in the amount of ten dollars. (Normally, I would not reveal the value but it is germane to the story.) I had no idea what to do with Annie's gift because I had very little idea how Amazon works. Fortunately, my sister-in-law Karen (Scott's wife) is a world class bargain hunter and universally acclaimed Internet shopper who in her great kindness agreed to help her helpless brother-in-law. She suggested I go to their website and browse and  find something I like. I did and after thirty minutes or so, I told her I had drawn a blank and I would just wait for an idea to hit me in a few weeks and I would call her. But after supper, Karen renewed her efforts. This time, she got on the Amazon website herself and started grilling me.
"How about some pants? How about some Nebraska gear? How about shoes?"
No, no thanks, I don't think so. But she persisted and asked,
"How about some cologne?"
Now, she and Scott had already given me a bottle of USHER Cologne which is awesome but she started calling out brands.
"Here's a $52 bottle of Lucky You for only $15! I could probably get it with free shipping."
She had me. Several years ago, six actually, they gave me a bottle of Lucky You and I really liked it. It was stolen on a mission trip to Honduras so apparently somebody in Central America likes it as well! I bit, she ordered it without shipping costs, and I only had to pay a modest addition to Annie's gift card. It's supposed to arrive tomorrow so ladies beware!

You know, I would have become irritated at most people who persisted after it was obvious I had made my mind up....but Karen is not one of them. Why? First, she loves me and second, she knows me. It's because we have, and I sometimes dislike the word, a relationship, which I leave blank on FACEBOOK. I trust Karen implicitly (as well as Sally, my other sister-in-law) and I know she has my best interests at heart when she pushes me where I might be reluctant to go. We might take note of that as Christians, remembering that friendship and trust often precede reception to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I listen to people I like and trust. And in case you're interested, my relationship status is single, but that could change when a package arrives from AMAZON in a few short hours!

Applicable quote of the day:
"Indecision may or may not be my problem."
Jimmy Buffett 

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

Tagging Ben

 

Tagging Ben

This post, from January 17, 2018, is one of my weirder ones!
It started when I recently posted a picture on Facebook  of my folks and brother Scott when he was a child. I was startled to see that Facebook tagged my father, who died almost ten years ago and was never a Facebook user, as my nephew, Ben. Granted, Dad in the picture and Ben currently are within several years of the same age but to my way of thinking, look nothing alike. I was curious as several times Facebook has misidentified me as Scott so I scrolled through some of my pictures. What I found was hysterical at times. Facebook friends of mine in Vietnam who are brother and sister are often confused. Sometimes, Facebook identifies only one person in a picture although there are seven or eight of my Facebook friends in the picture with clear views of their faces. My high school cousin from Arkansas was mistaken for a twenty-five year old in  my Vietnamese church. My favorite though remains a twelve year old Vietnamese girl who was tagged as the mid sixties lady whose daughter in law is the sister of someone I used to date.... and the lady is not a FB friend of mine. I had to find her on the search bar and while both are lovely ladies, the fifty plus year age gap and different races calls into question the process. (That's the twelve year old, one of the favorites of all my trips. I'm edited out of the shot but it's the one I spoke of above.)

Look, I'm not knocking Facebook. You can't get a clear answer on google of the algorithm they use for facial recognition. I find they're usually correct and often it helps me realize who someone is who I have not seen since childhood or as teenagers. Back a few years, I had identical twins in class, the lovely Annie and Emily. I could not tell them apart except for the desks they occupied. And yet, when I looked at their Facebook posts tonight- I am friends with both of them- they are tagged in each picture in which they both appear. I would be fascinated to ask Emily and Annie if Facebook is accurate when it comes to their tags. If they miss by fifty plus years, different ethnicities, and opposite genders, I have my doubts!

On some things, I'm not very discerning. I can't tell Hellman's from Miracle Whip. I can't differentiate between Starbucks and the Walmart off the shelf brand. ( I got some Keurig Cups for Christmas and I love the convenience! But the description of one of the flavors is  A snappy, crisp, and citrusy Central American coffee matched with the sweetness, body, and depth of an Indonesian bean and I say 'huh?' Thank goodness the Lord can tell one of us from another! Look at what David wrote in Psalm 139!
For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made in the secret place,
    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.
You created me... you knit me together... I am fearfully and wonderfully made...I was made in the secret place.... I was woven together ... your eyes saw my informed body...
God knows me! And you! And your identical twin sister! And all six billion of us! We won't get lost in the human shuffle. He know us and loves us, and most importantly, He died for us no matter what we look like now or as infants. That's His mark on all of us.

Applicable quote of the day:
"Stop Tagging Me to Your Posts, I Have Enough Posts in My Life to Care for … Tagging is a Ridiculous Feature.” 
― Sami Abouzid

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

Drew And John Tyler

 

Drew And John Tyler

This entry, from January 16, 2018, sounds far fetched but was TRUE!

I always begin my classes with a short conversation as the kids prepare for their memory verse/quiz/test. This past Friday, I did something I often do because I know it's a very safe bet. Unannounced, I announced to my third period Gospels' class that if anyone in five seconds could tell me the name of the tenth president of the US, I would give them five dollars. I immediately started counting and at three,  Drew called out, 'John Tyler!' He was correct but how he knew that quick, I've no idea. Keeping my word, I handed Drew, a terrific WCS athlete/scholar/great Christian young man, the money. If I had bumped into him at worship Sunday morning, I might have asked him if he put the cash in the  collection plate! (I should note that Drew's twin, the lovely and wonderful, Erin, is in that same class. Maybe he bought his sister a gift!)

You might be wondering why I would start a Bible class with a query about an obscure Commander-In-Chief. In my history teaching days, I would make several references to Tyler. He is best remembered for the campaign slogan, Tippecanoe and Tyler, Too as well as derisively being referred to as His Accidency after taking the oath of office. (I'll leave it up to you to google if your curiosity from high school history class is piqued!) But the reason I brought up Tyler had to do with a blurb I had seen the night before on the Facebook page of a well-known writer. The short article stated that Tyler, who was born in 1790, has two living grandsons! I thought that was ridiculous so I googled John Tyler and guess what- HE DOES! Tyler had a son at age 63 named Lyon and Lyon had two sons, at age 71 and 75 respectively! As recently as five days ago, by news reports, both are still in the land of the living! Both grandsons are very old- 93 and  89- so the odds of this being true for much longer are  shrinking rapidly. What a story to tell your grandkids! My mother's mother died when my mom was pregnant with me. The younger of the two living Tyler grandsons was born sixty-six years after his grandfather's death. All I can say is WOW!

I've just started on January 1st with my annual 365 day trek though oneyearbible.com. It's exactly like what it sounds like. Reading one section per day every day leads you through the scriptures, finishing on December 31st. The John Tyler story seems almost like the story of the genealogies of those men in the early parts of the Word of God. I'm sure some of that data seems far fetched to those who are unfamiliar with the lineage which spawned, at least on one side, the Son of God. But I'm also reminded of what Luke wrote to Theophilus in his first chapter, that he could be sure that what he had heard was the truth. I also recall the Bereans searching to make sure what Paul had taught them was true. How can we verify the truth of what we hear? Check it out. I tell my students all the time to challenge me on what the Bible says; that's why we read daily in class. They need to know what it says and not just what I say it says and I'm not minimizing the importance of interpretation, especially for the kids who come into the class blind. So, on this snowy day in Houston, I'm five dollars poorer, Drew is five dollar richer, the kids hopefully learned a lesson in truth seeking, and the blood of John Tyler lives on. More importantly, the blood of Jesus lives on.

Applicable quote of the day:
I feel happy when I look at my grandson, who is 10 months old. That relaxes me. 
Andrew Tan

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

Historical Precedent

 

Historical Precedent

Each year, one of our first tests centers around the birth of Jesus and how a couple from Nazareth in Israel happened to have a baby ninety miles away in Bethlehem! The following, from March 19, 2010 discusses how that happened!

I'm official! Several minutes ago, I completed my 2010 United States Census and will place it in the care of the United States Postal Service tomorrow. It only took several minutes and was extremely simple, not always the case with government forms! I explain to my students that ours is a decennial census as defined in the Constitution, for the purpose of apportioning seats by state in the House of Representatives in a count of the population every ten years. I know this; we don't need a census to tell us that Houston is one big city.

There is another census we discuss each year in class, always in August. This was the one called by the Roman emperor Caesar Augustus, requiring the people of Israel to return to their ancestral home to register. A young couple from Nazareth, Joseph and Mary, were both from the line of David and the tribe of Judah. As instructed, they traveled from their hometown to Bethlehem, the city of David, as required by Rome. You know the rest. Fulfilling the prophecy of Micah 5:2-
 But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.'-
Jesus slipped into humanity virtually unnoticed only six miles from Jerusalem, the center of the Jewish faith. There was little fanfare to greet His birth, apart from the angelic announcement of the joyous event to shepherds. But, this most recent addition to the population of the people of Israel changed the direction of mankind. In his infinite wisdom, the Heavenly Father used a political tool to make the words of the prophecy come true. I find the words of Paul in Acts 17, verse 26, fascinating. Preaching in Athens, he made this point to his listeners:
'From one man He (God) made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.'
Did Paul mean only groups or also individuals in terms of times and places? My take is that he meant individuals, meaning you and me....and Jesus. Sometimes I wonder how I ended up in Houston but maybe I should be more concerned with what the Lord wants me to do here. I'm pretty sure He wanted to fill out my census form. After all, there is precedent.

Applicable quote of the day:
"The true test of civilization is, not the census, nor the size of the cities, nor the crops, but the kind of man that the country turns out.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1