Eagerly Awaiting

I saw Tre' and Erin tonight at Bible study. They are in the story but considerably older now! This is from February 26, 2012.
Tre' was the first student in my eighth period class on Thursday and Friday. He's never tardy but he's also never first. There was a reason for his early arrival. All year, Tre' has been asking me about a movie concerning Jesus we watch in the Spring in eighth grade called Whistle Down The Wind: we started on Thursday. Two of our freshmen, Mary and Katherine, had told Tre' all about it and he couldn't wait. Tonight at worship I asked if he had been disappointed in the first part of the movie: no way. His sister, Erin, was sitting listening and she wondered what we were talking about. I told her fifth graders have to wait three years to find out what the big deal is. I expect to see Tre' before any of my other eighth period kids on Monday as well.

Friday, after school, Alejandro saw me in the hallway and asked me when I was coming to his Bible class to hand out our Honduras/Haiti change bottles. I explained I'm making my way through all WCS classes to make the presentation to our 500 or so students in five year old kindergarten through our seniors. I just have not arranged my visit with Brother Esparza, who teaches Alejandro's freshmen Bible class. He asked if he could go ahead and get his bottle and I told him to be patient, that I would be there soon. I'm pretty sure this was the third time at least he's asked me and I would guess he still has last year's bottle and the one from seventh grade. I'll make sure Alejandro gets the first one in his class this week.

This morning after worship, there was a FACEBOOK message for me from Dominique, a sophomore and one of our new students this year. Dominique is a very bright young man with a very exciting future in track and football but that's not what the message was about. He was at church and he was wondering to whom to make checks for our collection which will benefit Hope For Haiti's Children. Unknown to me, Dominique made a presentation during the announcements at his congregation to help these little ones he has only seen on my DVD and pictures. He told me they were filling up a big water jug with coins and bills. I'm not surprised; I get the idea that Mr. Dominique can be very persuasive, especially in a cause for which he is passionate.

Do you know what encourages me about these three young men? Their eagerness to get involved in things that sometimes become repetitive to me, and maybe even slightly burdensome. It isn't burdensome to Tre', Alejandro, and Dominique. They've taken the thoughts I've presented in their classes and run with them. They are excited about the things I teach them to be excited about but sometimes I forget myself. In 1 Peter 3:13, Peter asks this question:
Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?
I wish I always had their eagerness to do good, their enthusiasm to learn and to bless others. The world would be a better place if I did. The world is a better place because they do.

Applicable quote of the day:

"In that world, you'll be able to rise in the morning with the spirit you had known in your childhood: that spirit of eagerness, adventure and certainty which comes from dealing with a rational universe."

Ayn Rand

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