Dressed For Success

Part of life in a small school is Homecoming! The following is from October 26, 2006.


It's Homecoming Week at Westbury Christian School. Tomorrow evening, the court will be presented, a queen will be crowned, and our football team will battle Fort Bend Baptist Academy on what promises to be a very muddy field. Part of the tradition of the week is the foregoing of school uniforms and having special dress days. The schedule reads like this:
Monday/ Pajama Day
Tuesday/ Tacky Day
Wednesday/ Retro Day
Thursday/ Superhero-Cartoon Character Day
Friday/ Blue and Gold Spirit Day

I really enjoy the dressing up part. I am in disagreement with some of my fellow teachers in that I think it is easier to get work accomplished in class because the kids are excited about the activities. Usually, I don't dress up- I really only feel professional when I have my normal teaching clothes on. Today, I did make a concession, wearing a Superman tie. I received several compliments and fit in with a number of students sporting the Man Of Steel motif. We had terrific outfits from the Smurfs to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, from Dora the Explorer to Sponge Bob. One young man was a priest and one young lady came as Tinker Belle. My favorite character was one worn by one of our freshmen, Cameron, who dressed in jeans and a sweater. I asked his identity. His reply: Comfortable Man. I missed that comic book!

This week, the kids agonize over what to wear each day. Classes vie for points based on costume rankings and the sophomores, juniors, and seniors really compete. It fosters a sense of cooperation that sometimes is lacking in the world of individuality that has spilled over into schools. Outfits that catch the eyes of faculty judges benefit the group as a whole so clever costumes bring accolades to a young person who sometimes gets overlooked. In the same vein, some kids seem more self-assured dressed as someone else than they do dressed as themselves. Maybe they believe that when they can pick a new personality/identity, they are a better fit in the world. What they don't realize is that all of us can choose a new identity in Christ. It's just hard to escape ourselves and believe we can become not just a changed person but a better one. In Galatians 3, Paul wrote, "for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." That would be the winning outfit, a costume that would always fit. That's why my dress up winner of the day would have to be Cameron Thomas. You can't go wrong with Comfortable Man!

Applicable quote of the day:
"Everyday, each of us wakes up, reaches into drawers and closets, pulls out a costume for the day, and proceeds to dress in a style that can only be called preposterous."
Mary Schmich


God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1
http://www.hawleybooks.com/
E-mail me at steve@hawleybooks.com