CROSSCURRENTS - Larry Whittlesey

SLIP-N-SLIDE FOOTBALL

   It was one of those nights that only a true Oregonian could appreciate.  The game was actually going on in Missouri, but it looked like a fairly normal spring night in Oregon....it was pouring!   50,000 crazy people had jammed into a stadium to watch a bunch of college kids run up and down a 100 yard "slip-n-slide".  As one might expect, the offensive teams had more than their share of trouble trying to negotiate the wet turf.  Personally I love to go to football games like that.....and I used to love to play in them even more!  I know, I'm a bit weird!

 I found this game intriguing on a number of levels.  The ineptitude of the offensive teams in the first half was almost comical.  They could learn a lesson or two on playing in the rain from the Ducks and Beavers!  But it was how the game turned in the fourth quarter that really got my attention.  The home team had been leading throughout the game.  They had missed a number of opportunities to score more points, but they entered the 4th quarter with a 12-0 lead.  From what we had seen so far from their opponents, that lead seemed very safe! 
 
    Then it happened!  Out of nowhere the opposing team actually connected on a pass......REALLY.......and it went for a long touchdown. They hadn't done anything all night, so it was completely unexpected.  When the home team got the ball, they promptly threw an interception at about the 15 yard line, and a couple of plays later they found themselves trailing 14-12.  Not to be outdone by their previous mistakes, they came back and did it again,  this time giving the ball to their opponents at the 3.  In a matter of just over 3 minutes in the 4th quarter  they went from a relatively safe 12-0 lead to trailing 20-12.  After a failed 4th down play later in the quarter,  their opponents would tack on another touchdown, making the final score 27-12.

The visiting team was having a miserable night. For a full three quarters they looked terrible. Then, with the turn of one play on their part and a couple of mistakes by the  home team, they went from "losers" to "winners".  As I thought about that game this morning, I couldn't help but think how like life that is!  
The reality is, sometimes we are just "stinkin'" things up -- everything is going wrong, we're making mistakes,  there's not enough money to pay the bills, we're fighting with those we love, we may be struggling physically, and emotionally we feel like a 300 pound tackle is sitting on our chest.  Then, somehow in God's timing,  we turn a corner, the flowers seem to bloom, solutions present themselves to our problems,  and we find the strength to throw that 300 pound tackle off our chest.....and give him a little shove in the facemask just for good measure!! 
 
    The point is....it's not over until it's over.  God has a way of turning rain showers into rainbows;  heartaches into blessings, and losses into wins!  That's one of the qualities we want to teach the students at CCS!  If they can learn early on in their lives that the best way "out" is to go "through" whatever life brings their way, we will have done them a great service.  

 How about you?  Have you been throw for a loss and find yourself down on the scoreboard?  Let me encourage you to hang in there and keep trying......the turning point could be just a play or two away!  

Thursday Mornings!

   It was a Thursday morning!  You know Thursday mornings….the day after the “hump” of Wednesday and before the expectation of the weekend on Friday.  Most times Thursdays seem to be the longest day of the week for me. 

My morning devotions were out of the book of Lamentations…..GREAT!  Just what I needed.  I didn’t anticipate finding anything too encouraging. But there it was! It literally seemed to jump off the page in chapter 3:22-23 – “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not yet consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning.  Great is your faithfulness.”

    Whoa!  I almost fell off my chair.  That was good news…even for a Thursday. And it was from Lamentations…Incredible! 

When I came to lead the staff in devotions it appeared they were having a Thursday too!  I told them I had something exciting to share from Lamentations….they were not impressed!  But as soon as I read it they began to nod their heads as they recognized the familiar verses.  I even think I saw a smile or too….or maybe a smirk.  In either case, the point was made. No matter how many Thursdays we may experience, God’s mercies and compassion never fail…they truly are new every morning.

    We have a few Thursdays at school too!   Teachers get stressed, students come in a bad mood, parents struggle to pay their  tuition bills,  equipment breaks and discipline issues arise. Thankfully, the truth of these little verses in Lamentations work at school too!  It’s Friday now….but there’s another Thursday coming next week…. so hang on and read Lamentations again! 

YOU GET THE BLUE RIBBON!

My granddaughter, Gabby, came into my office earlier this week and got a piece of blue ribbon out of my desk drawer to play with.  It was actually a piece of ribbon that came from the anniversary gift my wife and I gave for  her mom…..the same ribbon we had used her mom’s wedding.  She twirled it all around like a prized possession, showing anyone who came into the office area her pretty blue ribbon! 

When we were kids we used to compete for “blue ribbons” in spelling, math,  model car building, and sports!  If you got a “blue ribbon” it meant you were the best at something.  You may have only won the blue ribbon for building the best popsicle stick log cabin,  or outlasting all of the other 2nd graders in the tetherball competition, but you were still #1.  Your blue ribbon indicated that you were a “winner”. 

    Everyone wants to feel like a winner, but often we feel just the opposite. Rather than twirling our blue ribbons around with pride like Gabby did in my office, we carry around the disappointment of not living up to our own expectations,  the weight past failures,  and the ribbons of shame, low self-esteem, and unrealized goals.   Rather than feeling like a “winner”, we often feel like “losers”. 

Children are deeply impressionable.  While they strive for “blue ribbons” in their lives, they quickly learn  that there may be others who are smarter, faster, more talented, and better looking than them.  It becomes far too easy for them to begin to think they’ll never measure up to those around them.

Fortunately,  the Bible tells us that God made each one of us a masterpiece of His love.  We are all “winners” in His eyes.  We certainly have different talents, abilities, and desires,  and our lives may take different directions.  But the important thing for us all to remember and teach our kids is that they have already won the most important “Blue Ribbon” of all  -- they are loved and accepted by the eternal #1!  So learn a lesson from Gabby and twirl those blue ribbons with pride….You’re all Winners!! 

THANKS MICKEY

He’s staring at me in my office.  He seems innocent enough with his big smile,  non-threatening demeanor, and bright yellow shoes…..but make no mistake, he is the primary salesman for a lifestyle that doesn’t truly exist.  His name is Mickey, and he lives in land they call “the happiest place of earth”. 

    My family has grown up on Disneyland. We’ve been there more times that I can count. Some of the best memories of my life were made walking on  “Main Street”, screaming on “Space Mountain”, or finding something new on “It’s A Small World”.  I wouldn’t trade those memories – they were some of the best times of my life!

However, no matter how much you like being at Disneyland, you can’t live there.  At midnight or so every night some of Mickey’s smiling employees courteously escort you out of the park.  You’re invited to come back and visit, but you’re temporary escape from reality has to come to an end.  What a bummer!

    I’m glad God gives us places like Disneyland to highlight our time here. They add flavor to the recipe of our life. Like most of you I need those breaks from the responsibilities and pressures of my daily existence. As much as I love CCS, there are times when it’s not the “happiest place on earth”. I’m assuming you can relate to some of the places where you live!

    Therefore, though we may not be able to live in a world that is as carefree as Mickey’s place, let’s be grateful for the temporary respites God gives us to enjoy them when we can. Take advantage of the “happy places” in your life to recharge, refresh and renew!  

A FEW NOTES OF RELIEF

I couldn’t resist the urge this morning!  I arrived at the school a little after 7 AM and headed straight to the piano in the sanctuary.  Don’t get me wrong…I don’t play very well….in fact I can’t read a note! But I can pound out just enough guitar chords and rhythms to be dangerous!  Often when I have a lot on my mind I will gravitate to the keyboard to sing a few worship songs to myself.  I’m not sure if it’s actually the music or the physical act of taking out my nervous energy on the keys, but one way or another I always feel more relaxed after spending a few moments with just God and my 88 friends! 

Life is filled with mounting challenges and pressures.  I know, I’m preaching to the choir! The reality is we live in a world that is filled with problems, choices, and difficult circumstances.  None of us are immune from the economic pressure, the moral atmosphere of our society, or the strain of maintaining healthy relationships. How we handle those life situations will often determine the tranquility of our daily routines and the quality of the interactions we have with others.

I recently bought a little sign that says “Don’t get so caught up making a living that you fail to have a life.”  At the school we sometimes get so caught up in trying to solve issues, pay bills, and deal with problems that we forget the blessings we enjoy every single day here.  Everyday we have the privilege of teaching your children, interacting with you, and working with each other in a GREAT Christian atmosphere. The problems and pressures are real…..but so are the blessings. Perhaps we all need the “hit the keys” a little more often and learn to relax in the knowledge that God’s got everything under control.  So…it’s off to the piano again!!

Bagels & Diet Coke

I could live on bagels….and Diet Coke!  As I sit in my office this morning I’m enjoying a bagel that Helen Wagner brought in for the staff to enjoy.  I think it’s all a conspiracy to fatten me up because they know my weakness is bread.  I can give up candy and sweets without blinking an eye, but if the doctor ever told me I needed to give up bread products, I’d be in big trouble. 

    Whatever your weakness may be, I imagine you can relate!  My wife has a shirt that says “Give me the chocolate and no one will get hurt”.   Whether it’s bread, chocolate, or some other obsession, there are things in all of our lives that require us to practice discipline.  In and of themselves there may not be anything wrong with them, but if they are not consumed, used, or practiced with discipline, negative consequences usually follow. 

    If you think about it there’s a spiritual principle there.  God has given us these things to enjoy – whether it’s something you eat, something you enjoy doing, or something you experience with others. As the writer of Ecclesiastes said, “there is a season for everything under heaven”. The point is not to deprive ourselves of any of these cravings, but rather to find the proper time, place, and limits for them.  

   One of the things we’re trying to teach our students here at CCS is this principle of balance.  It is perhaps one of the most important lessons we can teach them. God doesn’t want us to over-indulge on the good things He’s given us…..even bagels!  As a staff we are trying to demonstrate these principles of self-discipline. May God help us all to set good examples for these kids.  Now,……. where is my bagel?   

DON'T BE JUST A MONUMENT

  One of the privileges I’ve had over the past 5 years is to travel around the country as part of my job.  While most of my time has been spent in meetings or other business obligations while I’ve been in these various towns, I’ve always taken at least a couple of hours each trip  to visit local sights, especially those of historic interest.  Whether it was a battlefield,  a statue to commemorate a leading figure in the area’s history, or even a simple bronze plaque,  most of these sites had one thing in common  --  they were monuments to a past event, person, or circumstance.

    I heard someone say once that they loved going to Washington DC because of all the monuments.  There’s certainly no shortage there….they build one after every war!!  They represent the courage and honor of the men who stood up during the fight to defend and protect our country.   It’s right that their sacrifice should be remembered and honored!

    I’m all for monuments! They stand for something very important in our lives. But too many of us as Christians have settled for becoming “monuments”  to our faith rather than active, serving members of the Body of Christ! 

   The fact that God saved us by His grace is truly amazing!  I’m not sure I’ll ever understand how He won that battle for our souls.  By faith I accept the free gift of His love and welcome the opportunity to be a part of His family.

  However, I’m absolutely convinced God didn’t save me to “sit”……He saved me to “serve”!  I don’t want to just be a “monument” to what God did in the past!  I want to make a difference in the here and now.  Despite all my shortcomings,  I truly believe God has something more for all of us to do than just to be a trophy of His grace.  I hope you’ll join me in this noble quest!! 

SKILLED MEMORY MAKERS - CCS TEACHERS

    She was my 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Rogers.  In a class of 30+ students she always seemed to find individual time for each one of us.  I could never quite understand how she did that, but the end result was incredibly positive. She had a unique way to make all her students feel like they were “special”.

    I was somewhat “bored” by school by the time I got to 4th grade.  Don’t get me wrong, I liked school;  it just was “too easy”.  I needed something to challenge me before I took my over-active brain to other pursuits.  Mrs. Rogers provided that “something” in the form of an advanced reading lab. 

While reading in general had never interested me that much, this reading lab did.  It was individualized for the student to work at their own pace -- as fast or as slow as they wanted.  It rewarded the student for reading with comprehension and passing the quizzes at the end of each short story. The increasingly difficult levels were color coded. You had to finish all the stories in one color before you could move up to the next color!  The challenge was to work your way up to the top level….THE PURPLE LEVEL! 

    I took to that challenge like a mouse hunting cheese.  The constant positive re-enforcement of Mrs. Rogers motivated me to use every free moment I had in class to dive into the next story on my current level……always working to move up to the next level.  When I finally reached the purple level, I thought I had conquered the world.  That’s not a bad feeling for any 4th grader. 

Each week the teachers at Crossroads Christian School make an invaluable investment in the lives of their students. They could certainly make more money teaching in the public schools or in another career field, but they’ve chosen to serve in an environment where they can impact these young lives both educationally and spiritually.  Our teachers are incredibly skilled at helping their students create “memories” that will last a lifetime.   I want to thank them on behalf of all those, like me, who needed a Mrs. Rogers in their lives. 

    Teaching is not just a career…it’s a life choice.  Our CCS teachers are incredible! I hope you’ll join me in letting them know how much you appreciate them!