The yearly round of graduations has begun. When you live in a community that provides education from Kindergarten through graduate school, the beginning of June brings day after day of year-end events, and pomp and circumstance. Caps and gowns and diplomas abound, and camera flashes are going off everywhere.
Last night was Kindergarten graduation at Husband's school. When I first heard of such an event, I scoffed. What's up with the caps and gowns for six-year-olds, anyhow? Must we try to push rite-of-passage events so far down that they don't mean anything anymore when you actually graduate from high school and college? Is it really worth all that time, effort and cost to make a big deal of a kid going from Kindy to First Grade?
But now you'll find me at Kindy Graduation as often as I can get there, simply for my own enjoyment and entertainment. The kids are so cute, and they do a great job of showing--after two weeks of rehearsals--that they understand the importance of ceremony, of making presentations to a large audience, of the behavioral guidelines for praying and singing up front, and of sitting [somewhat] quietly in a ceremonial group.
What left me feeling the happiest was the fact that, while this Kindy graduation was about these children, it was also clearly about Jesus. The teacher loves Jesus and talks about Him constantly. The songs were about Jesus, and the prayers the children gave for the invocation and benediction clearly showed that Jesus is their present and active friend and Lord.
This is why my entire career has been devoted to Christian education. As much as I admire and support what our local public school district does for the community, when it comes to my children and grandchildren there is no question where they will be, as far as it lies within my power. The comparison of public education to Christian education is like the comparison between a two-dimensional and three-dimensional world. A discussion of history, or social studies, or science, or even reading and writing can't be complete unless you can do it while explicitly acknowledging the presence and activity of a creator God, and His claims on our lives. I understand exactly why people make financial sacrifices so their children can be in an environment that not only educates people for life, but educates them for eternity.It's an honor to be a part of it.
I learned it by memory in Christian school as a child, and it continues to be true today: "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6[Above: my Principal man poses with one of his young scholars]
Ginger, now I am so nostalgic for those kindy days! We just watched our son march down the aisle in his 8th grade graduation last week. It seems like about two weeks ago when we were sitting in the audience at his preschool graduation. Sheesh.
ReplyDeleteOur education experience has run the gamut of possibilities: Cooperative school, homeschool, public school, charter school and private school. After many hits and misses along the way, we found our best fit in private Christian school. From the second grade until last Thursday, our son enjoyed the company of a fairly consistent group of kids and teachers. Both of our children will be attending the same private Christian high school in the fall.
We've shelled out some bucks and gone without luxuries other families enjoy, but I wouldn't trade the spiritual depth of my children for all the money on the planet.
Thanks for what you do!
They're very cute. Should all we older ones feel cheated because no fuss was made of us?
ReplyDeleteAh, it seems you've married a sweet man. I love seeing guys being tender-hearted with little children.
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