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Eat, Drink, and Be Merry

2012-03-05T12:50:00.007-08:00

by Kelly Knowlden

Because we think about life in terms of what is seen, felt and heard, we often get caught in these circumstances thinking, “This is a bummer!” “I don’t like this!” “This is stupid!” “Why did God let this happen?” “Why doesn’t anything ever go my way?” etc. The consequence of this thinking is to make choices based on how we feel at the given moment (anger, yelling, mental predictions of what will happen next, withdrawal, frustration, etc.) which we later regret and repent of and tell ourselves we won’t do again.

Into this cycle (which we don’t learn from very well) put this thought: "Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God" (I Cor. 10:31). Here we have a statement that tells us that ALL of life is spiritual. What does this mean? It means that when Freddie won’t eat his oatmeal (do his homework, take out the trash, etc.) there is a spiritual dynamic to this event that MUST not be ignored. On one hand is the spiritual stuff that is going on with Freddie. “Why doesn't he want to eat it?” “What spiritual truth does he need to know?” “What appropriate correction is necessary here?"

There is, on the other hand, our own spiritual response to him not eating. “Why am I angry?” “Do I feel affronted by a kid who will not listen to me?” “What reasons would I give to God for my responses?” “Do I know what it is to not want to do something?” “Do I let him off the hook because it is a universal response?”

Ultimately, we want our children and ourselves to find that peace in the midst of ALL circumstances that comes from entrusting our days to Christ and submitting to His good and perfect will. In so doing, we will be able to truly eat, drink and be merry.

Joy in My Work

2012-02-27T12:39:00.000-08:00

by Kelly Knowlden

This next month is one of the most difficult for students to maintain the proper perspective toward their work. Long weeks of due dates, or drilling lessons or repeating same ‘old’ tasks, [studying spelling], bring out in children all sorts of reasons to procrastinate, to balk, and simply to refuse to
do work.

And our response? “My dad always said, ‘Tough luck, just do it anyway!’” While it is true that ultimately our children must get past their ‘feelings’ of not wanting to do work, those parental responses will not achieve the goal described in Ecclesiastes 5:18-19:

Then I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him—for this is his lot. Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work, this is a gift from God.

So then, how will students learn to find joy in their work? First, do you empathize with their feelings? Tell them so. Help them to see that you need God’s grace too, in order to desire what is right and good. Ask them if they think that God can help us even to enjoy our work - not just do it. Encourage them with knowing that God will reward those who are diligent. [See Prov. 10:4; 12:11-12; 22:29; and 28:19]. Pray with them. Remind them that playing now is not going to bring lasting happiness despite what their heart may say. Help them with godly resolve, to do their tasks as unto the Lord and let Him measure their final worth. May these next weeks be opportunities to build godly work habits in our children that they might enjoy their work!

Why Christian Education?

2012-02-21T13:16:00.000-08:00

by Kelly Knowlden

When re-enrollment comes around it is an opportunity to re-evaluate why you choose Immanuel Christian School to be the means of educating your children. After all, there are many educational opportunities possible: home school, cyber school, public school, or a combination of all of these.
So I decided to list reasons that ICS made the most sense for our family:

We have godly voices other than ours speaking to our children about life: why learn, what good behavior looks like, why do they do what they do, the importance of good study habits, etc.
The quality of education is excellent! Not only are students taught well and creatively, but what they are teaching takes into account the God that made the whole world. They will learn to critique what they see and hear from a biblical perspective.
Teachers are not going to ignore bad behavior and are going to hold out a high standard. Along the way, they will also talk to our children about the heart issues that causes behavior.
There is great benefit in having our children be a part of a social environment where other parents are making different choices than ours but are still wanting their children to do what is right.
It gives us opportunities to talk to our children about how to live in a fallen world when they sin against others or are sinned against from those outside their immediate family.

There are other reasons that are nuances of those above that made our children’s experiences of education very valuable. The cost was worth it!

Horizontal Comparisons

2012-02-14T13:10:00.000-08:00

by Kelly Knowlden

One of the aspects of living in a fallen world is that we are continually making comparisons to others. We compare our hair style, our car make, our economic status, and our parenting rules to those around us. It usually has devastating results. Comparisons to those who are presumed to be “better” will leave us with a sense of failure, envy, covetousness, discouragement, and having a desire to somehow bring them “down” to our level. Comparisons to those that we perceive who are worse off [dumber, poorer, uglier, goofier, etc.] leaves us feeling superior, proud, boastful, sinfully smug, and having a desire to let everyone know that we know we are “better.”

Kids tend to do the same things and end up with the same problems. The spillover of all that is that kids try to “prove” that they are tougher, stronger, cooler, smarter, by a number of different methods. This includes bullying, which is the number one problem in schools today.

As a Christian School we are obviously against bullying, however, we are also against all that underlies the reasons kids bully. I am sure that you will agree that you do not want your children to be bullied nor to be bullies. Here is how you can help.

Compare them to NO ONE. Tell them how much you love them for who they are. Even if they get under your skin, commend them for their desire for what is right. [I have never had a kid tell me that he purposefully wanted to do what was wrong.] Tell them about God’s work in fulfilling what He has for them. Give them that gospel hope that says Jesus Christ is able to work in them to fulfill the potential for which He made them.

Conversation

2012-02-06T13:55:00.000-08:00

by Kelly Knowlden

Conversation, generally defined, means to talk.

However, there is a lot of talking which would never fall into the category of an “interchange of thought” (Prov. 10:19). What often happens in group settings where talking is taking place, is one person speaks about a topic and all others stand around waiting to lunge in with their perspective or their “story.” And so they do. And then the next person puts in their piece and so on…

Now here is where the Christian mind must do its work. For the mouth speaks out of the over- flow of the heart (Luke 6:45). Self-centeredness of living will never see conversation as an opportunity to find out what is going on in the heart/mind of someone else. Rather we will “air our own opinions” (Prov. 18:2).

In talking to our children, we often end up telling them how we would deal with the problems they face (or how we did “when I was a boy…”), or we tell them what we think they need to hear. Very little time is spent in finding out what they are thinking and feeling. And so we reproduce by modeling, people who mostly fill the air with self talk.

Conversations with our children ought to be a combination of instruction in truth coupled with finding out what they are thinking. Prov. 20:5 says, “The purposes of a man’s heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out.” Learning how to ask effective questions that get “under the skin” will help them understand themselves. This will take time, effort and repentance from our own self-centered conversation, but the results will be children who feel heard and engaged in the lively discourse of truth!

Grades Are NOT Important

2012-01-30T11:21:00.000-08:00

by Kelly Knowlden

As parents, we sometimes emphasize grades in ways that undermine what we really want. Let me show you what I mean.

Your child gets a “D” or “F” notice in the mail. You are upset. You want them to do well.

However, how we respond is usually our problem. We need to remember that the grade is an ALERT. It is saying, “Something is not working right.” Our job as parents is to find out the problem and then solve it without focusing on the grade. For example, why is your student not doing well? Is it the amount of time they study? Is it the way they study (sit and stare at the information to memorize it)? Is it a disconnect in their learning? Is it their refusal to do work? Is it their distraction during class so that they really don’t listen well (draw pictures, stare out window, play with pencil, try to do other homework)? You see, there are many factors that caused the low grade and we need to find out what combination of issues needs our attention in solving it.

This is where the teachers and administration come in. First, our teachers are all ready for a phone call during after school hours if something is not right. (This includes amount of work, something not understood by the student and general help.) Then if that doesn’t seem to solve the overall problem, call the office and talk to me

Whatever you do, do not tell your child that you are displeased with the grades. We are more concerned with that which is reflected by the grade - “what problems need solving?” If a student is doing the work and being diligent in it, generally the grades that you desire will follow. (If grades do not improve, that is a different issue which I would also be glad to talk to you about.)

Time to... read?

2012-01-24T19:30:00.000-08:00

by Kelly Knowlden

In preparing for Book Week at ICS, my wife and I talked a lot about various books, how to inspire kids to read, what books are best for which age group and how difficult it is to inspire young people to read.

As we were talking, I thought about the difficulty of trying to find time to read. I love to read. I used to devour books. We read together as a family. But now, it seems that there is not time to sit down and enjoy reading something just for fun. Sure, I read the Bible, and even am working through a book about praying. But to read a story… well that is more difficult to fit in.

Here are some of my musings. See if any match your thinking.

I have other pressing things that must be done. (shoveling snow, cutting grass, household maintenance….etc.)
There is computer work that has deadlines. (notes to send to others, e-mail to check and committee work to do…)
It doesn’t seem to fit the dynamic of family life anymore. (I get home, we get ready for supper, we eat, do school work, play a game / watch Jeopardy / read the newspaper / catch up on little projects at home.)
Media distractions take up time (TV, Facebook, YouTube, texting, etc.)

In thinking about my musings, I realized that I will give myself to what I deem important. And the bottom line is that reading has become not that important to me. That is scary! Reading has become utilitarian. I read for information. I read to understand something about the world. But at this point in my life, reading for pleasure is not as pleasurable as other things.

I will find time for what I value. I need to begin again a re-valuing of reading for pleasure.

Imagination

2012-01-18T08:01:00.000-08:00

by Kelly Knowlden

“They are darkened in their understanding…”

What a horrible thing for mankind to experience when in fact we were created to be image bearers of God! Futile thinking, Paul writes, is the result of living in this world with regard to only that which our senses tell us is real. He goes on to say, that we have need “to be made new in the attitude of our minds.”

Let me suggest, along with many others, that training children to live as new creatures is done in a many-pronged plan. Obviously, we will read to them from the Word of God. Surely we will take them to church and teach them to pray. But I would like to suggest that we also “fire their imagination!”

In a book entitled Subversive Spirituality, Eugene Peterson says that people generally want a detailed “why,” (Why did this happen to me?) and a specific “how,” (How do I get out of this mess?) to life’s circumstances. But what they need is imagination. “Imagination is the ability to make the connection between the visible and the invisible… It is indispensable to see reality as real…” So when the child spills milk again, we need to see the connection between the visible and the invisible. Our imagination, our spiritual thinking about what is real, and our ability to find what is real beyond that which is immediately apparent will win the day! Our ability to do that is one of the ways our children will learn to live beyond the immediate.

Another way to inspire our children's imagination is to read good literature to them, regardless of their age. Family times where good stories are enjoyed, inspire thinking beyond the living room
and beyond the immediate circumstances. It enlarges possibilities. It opens doors to worlds we do not know. And it does it through the ear gate! That means that the mind must actively picture the world being read about. That is inspiring imagination.

Ultimately, we encourage our children to be people of faith, because we have taught them the truth of Heb. 11:1: “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

Another Culture Shaper - YOU!

2012-01-09T18:45:00.000-08:00

by Kelly Knowlden

You are the most powerful culture shaper that our nation has. Here is why:

You will demonstrate your value of hard work by the way you talk about the weekend.

You will model good communication skills by the way that you talk to the dog, the kids and your spouse. If respect, care and concern mark your conversations, then we will eventually see the presidential debates marked by cordiality and compassion even if there is disagreement on ideology.

You will show what is really valuable by how you spend time. If creative projects, reading aloud, playing family games are your habit, and not sitting in front of the TV every night, then you will communicate that creativity, being busy with one’s mind and hands, and learning about the world and one another is important.

You will show how to think and understand our present culture by helping your children critique what they see and hear instead of simply allowing them to consume it and be at its mercy.

You will teach your children to be responsible and to not shift the blame to someone or something else by how you respond to someone who is upset with your choices. If you apologize for the way that it made them feel and seek their forgiveness, you will show how to be humble.

You will demonstrate your faith in God and His goodness by accepting the way that life comes to you, believing that He has a plan that is bigger than yours … and better. That will inform your child’s heart that there is Someone who can be trusted in all of life’s circumstances.

Parenting is a great privilege and awesome responsibility. Now is your opportunity to affect the next generation.

Culture Shaper in a New Year

2012-01-03T14:07:00.000-08:00

by Kelly Knowlden

The calendar has turned a new page and now the 2012 year is underway. At Immanuel Christian School, our tradition for January has been to engage in a book week that allows children the delights of telling about the stories they have been reading and enjoyed. Of course, our desire is for students to love to read over a lifetime. Here is why:

A culture transmits its beliefs through a number of methods that are continually changing. Historically that has been through the literature, music, art, and architecture that are dominant at any given moment. Today we need to include the electronic media forms that are ways people communicate and express what is important. These beliefs come from the prevailing philosophy and the religious orientation of the people of the culture. Education and books help define what is important.

The influence of education and books on American culture has left us believing that man has evolved and is not any different essentially from the animals that co-inhabit the earth. (Animal rights activists want people to have the right to allow their pets to receive an inher- itance.) It has also caused us to think that all cultures are equal in their contribution to the flow of history. (Celebrating Kwanzaa is as important to the African cultures as celebrating Christmas is to us.)

The literature program we have chosen tells another story. The book list in our library extols a different sort of story that maintains the values of a Judeo-Christian heritage. Books matter. The Bible, as a book, informs us of how to think about the world, ourselves and God. We need to invest in understanding it and in reading good literature to transmit a common core of values based on truth.

And He Shall Be Great...

2011-12-19T13:35:00.000-08:00

by Kelly Knowlden

In Luke 1, the angel Gabriel gives the birth announcement to Mary and says that her son shall be great. In all the Bible, I cannot think of a greater understatement. Mary is being told that the eternal God, who sits resplendent in light and majesty, whose regal qualities invade every corner of heaven, and who is grand beyond all superlatives, is going to be great. And poor Mary, caught in a drama of such magnitude beyond imagining, responded to the angel in child-like faith, “let all you that have said, come about…”

And of course, we, who are caught in a drama beyond what we imagine, get caught up in the celebration of Christmas as though this event were a postcard moment—that somehow, if we say the right things, sit in front of a warm fire with Christmas music in the background sipping our cup of warm cocoa, if we can capture the right mood, something magical will happen and we will have peace - if not on earth, at least a bit of inner peace from the bustle of our frustratingly busy lives. And we forget that the holiday is really about Him who IS great!

His greatness comes from the fact that the majestic God described above came to rescue us! That rescue was not from our national debt, from physical oppression of a foreign government, or from a commercialistic interpretation of His own birth. He came to rescue us from ourselves… our declaration that we are great! So His rescue involved taking our sin on Himself, paying the penalty that distances us from God and giving us life instead of deserved death.

Our child-like faith in that exchange puts us in the midst of a great drama. We are in the great drama of proclaiming His greatness! We do it by living in the moments of our days with child-like faith, “let all that You have said, come about…” Christ did this in facing His greatest crucible - the cross. He did it so that we might indeed have inner peace. May you know that peace this season. Merry Christmas!

Cultural Literacy

2011-12-12T11:31:00.000-08:00

by Kelly Knowlden

In 1987, E.D. Hirsch, Jr. published a book called Cultural Literacy. In it he talks about what every American needs to know in order to be culturally literate. The premise of the book was to focus “on the background knowledge necessary for functional literacy and effective national communication.” He acknowledges that while it is necessary to keep up with the changes that language and influence from foreign cultures brings, yet in making a list of items necessary to know, 80% of them have been in use for more than 100 years.

To have a common cultural conversation, we must be able to convey common ideas drawn from a common set of information. It is this background information that Mr. Hirsch is trying to establish in his book.

At ICS we also are trying to establish that background information. We want students to know about where phrases come from like, “too many cooks spoil the broth” and what a topic sentence is, and what topsoil is, where Toronto is, and who Sojourner Truth was and to know the theme of The Tortoise and the Hare. We want children to understand who Arthur Miller, and Michelangelo, and John Stuart Mill are and what contributions they made to our present cultural conversation. So we work very hard at helping children to understand the facts they are studying as well as the context in which the facts fit. Our desire is for students to be able to critique those facts through the lens of the Bible so that they can contribute something important to the cultural conversation.

Encouragement

2011-12-05T13:24:00.001-08:00

by Kelly Knowlden

(This is exciting to me to write about the next generation!) One of my grandsons, (15 months) and I are reading together one of the classics of children’s literature: Richard Scarry’s Best Word Book Ever! We look at a page and act out "SHOUT" or “run” or “cry.” And of course, we make truck noises and gorilla noises and point out noses and ears and all such things.

Here is the practical application of that. On Sunday, I got the opportunity to hold my grandson for about ten minutes during the sermon. Because we have talked about (demonstrated) “whisper,” whenever he started to talk, I whispered in his ear, “whisper,” and he did. When the pastor was done, I could say, “Good boy!”

That is what children need to hear. That is what parents need to be saying. “Good job!” “Great work!” It requires us to be doing the background work of making them successful (training) and then commending them for when it comes about. We will reap what we sow. If I sow negativity, guess what I will reap? If I am impatient, they will not only be impatient, but also will learn that nothing pleases dad. Interestingly the word “encourage” is next to “exhort” in the Bible. That means that my encouragement must be in the midst of teaching children right from wrong.

“But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” Heb. 3:13

Value

2011-11-30T07:54:00.001-08:00

by Kelly Knowlden

What is important will always be the driver for me in any situation. If I value comfort, I will pursue whatever makes me comfortable. (What makes me comfortable will change with each situation; if I am not comfortable confronting someone, I will find a way to avoid it; if I am tired and want to be comfortable, I will go home and find something that provides me with comfort.) Substitute the word “pleasure” or “people liking me” or “ease,” and I will pursue that for the value-factor it holds for me.

In Proverbs 2, the writer suggests that we should value wisdom most; “...look for it as for silver, and search for it as for hidden treasure.”   Practically that means that I ought to value and pursue wisdom as that which will profit me most. It ought to replace all other valuable things—not only the money that I think I need, but also those other things I value like those listed above.

At school it looks like this: I will pursue education because I will understand the world that God has made for me to live in. I will have a greater understanding of relationships between history and math; between stories and truth; between science and health. I will be able to enjoy life more and be a contributor to the society that I live in.

In the home, it will be the same. I will be teaching my children to value education and pursue it.   I will do the same. I will have conversations about all kinds of things with my kids. And I will pursue Jesus Christ, who is wisdom personified.

Who to Thank

2011-11-21T17:28:00.001-08:00

by Kelly Knowlden

Because in a secular society, we tend toward leaving God out of everything, we need to express our thanks to all the people in the world that deserve such. However, ultimately that thanks presupposes Someone who has arranged the course of history so that those people and events have come into our life. An appropriate giving of thanks to God was made a national event by President Abraham Lincoln spurred by Sarah Josepha Hale. In the president’s words,

... I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.

And in 1942 FDR signed a law making Thanksgiving the fourth Thursday of November, a law which is still in effect today. However, on most web sites, it is also considered to be a national secular holiday of parades, football and feasting. As you establish your family culture, it is appropriate to ensure that your children know Who to thank.

Christian Worldview

2011-11-14T11:20:00.001-08:00

by Kelly Knowlden

What do we mean when we say, “Christian world-view?” Most people would agree that God’s Word, the Bible, tells us who God is and what He is like. But does God’s Word have anything to say to me about the rest of life? Is it only a book that is relevant to my life on Sunday—and then, only for that brief hour I spend in church? Does it say anything at all about how I drive my car, eat my breakfast, spend time with my wife, do my work and drink my tea?

Well, the answer to that depends on whether you mean: does it say exactly what I do to accomplish those things, in which case the answer is “no.” Or whether you mean does its truth have implications about all these things, in which case the answer is “yes.”

A Christian world view is one whereby the Bible becomes the ‘benchmark’ for life. To have a Christian world view is to want the Bible to assess my thoughts and actions and to give true perspective to what I hear and see in this world. It is to be willing to have life turned upside down [no excuses] in order to have my life conformed to its principles and truth.

Will it mean that I keep a list of rules? No. It will mean that my heart willingly will submit to necessary changes in lifestyle, habit and thinking because I want to honor the King of kings. In that, it presupposes that I want to know Jesus Christ as a personal friend because He is the author of the Bible.

Teachers at ICS hold a Christian world view. They try to live consistently with it because they love the Author. You receive the benefits of that in having your children under the care of creative, compassionate and patient teachers. That is something to give thanks for this season!

Undermining Authority

2011-11-07T10:55:00.000-08:00

by Kelly Knowlden

Here are twelve ways to teach your kids the opposite of what you want from them, i.e., respect for you and obedience to your words.

Yell at the coach, belittle the president, badmouth the teacher, mock the police officer, second guess the boss, use derogatory words to describe people in authority: “bimbo, idiot”, make cynical remarks about neighbors, complain about your wages, have conversations about your disagreements with your pastor in front of your children, make comments about the stupidity of public policy by the local government, roll your eyes whenever an authority speaks the opposite of what you think, and argue with your spouse in your child’s hearing.

Interchange the words and phrases above to give different nuances to your attitudes toward authority (“belittle the coach, yell at the president”) and you will have completely annihilated any semblance of Christian worldview in your children. You will have been very effective in undermining all your words and influence as well. Here is what I mean.

Interpose these words wherever there is a comma in the second paragraph above: “let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouth.” (Eph. 4:29) or perhaps: “the authorities that exist have been established by God” (Rom. 13:1b).

We betray our own hearts by what comes out of our mouth. (see James 3:5,6) We betray the next generation by demeaning the authorities that God has established and we reduce the world to horizontal. This is one of the key issues facing us today.

A Vertical World

2011-10-31T14:30:00.000-07:00

by Kelly Knowlden

Why does an authority have authority to speak? In America, we believe that Presidents speak because they have been granted authority by the people, police have authority because they wear a uniform and drive a special car, and journalists have authority because they have investigated an incident and report what they saw. All of those are poor reasons for students who question everything that a person says. (This happens to most young people about the time of high school.)

Authority generally means having the right or power to direct the actions or thoughts of another. In a vertical world, that right ultimately rests in the Author (notice the similarity to authority) of the universe. God has given certain positions authority. The position holds the authority. The person fills the position. There are various layers of civil authority. There is ecclesiastical authority. There is familial authority. Each of these positions, and many more, derives their authority from God. The person that fills the position may not be smarter, bigger, wiser, better educated, more noble, or have any other qualities that would make him a good leader. However, because the position holds authority, the person must be heeded when he speaks.

Parents must be continually vigilant in living out and talking about this vertical world. A parent’s authority will naturally wane as children leave the home. But living under a parent’s authority prepares children for living in a world where they will be told what to do by other authorities.

Horizontal World

2011-10-24T14:30:00.000-07:00

by Kelly Knowlden

An ad in a parent magazine caught my eye. A cute baby was laying on the floor with his diapers on but turning himself over. It read: “How to change a rolling pin.” It then went on to describe fairly accurately what changing a wiggling baby is like. It closed with the words: “Got a squirmy baby? Just catch, slip on, release!” Great - a solution to a big problem! The idea of teaching the baby to
lay still was not even a thought to be had.

I suppose that teaching him to eat his carrots, or to make his bed, or to put the car keys away, or to be in by 11:00, all fall into the same category. After all, what is so important about eating carrots or making his bed anyway? And by the time he is old enough to be out at 11:00, he must be old enough to make his own decisions.

The reality is that by the time he is old enough to be out at 11:00, parents will not be able to tell him anything anyway. His world will be horizontal. He will be their equal. Parents will have trained him to NOT hear their words.

The book of Proverbs teaches us something different. In this book, the world is vertical. There is an authority that has the responsibility to pass on what is important because the child is not able to determine that. “Listen, my son…” are the repeated words throughout the book. The purpose is to show the son that we need Someone outside ourselves to determine what is important. It starts with “Listen my son… lay still while your diaper is being changed…”

Homework

2011-10-17T14:30:00.000-07:00

by Kelly Knowlden

“Go do your homework,” seems like a simple enough command. And it is for those who have been trained to do homework. But I am concerned that children and young people are often told to go do their homework without interactions from parents. I know that by seventh or eighth grade, the math becomes more difficult than parents can remember. But really that does not matter.

Reading or any subject that requires reading, is an opportunity for you to interact with the world that is being presented in the text and guide your child’s thinking about it. Math is an opportunity to interact with the world of numbers. My kids knew that when Dad asked math questions, he was clueless about what should be on the paper, but they always enjoyed me saying, “Oh, goodie! Let me help you with your trig!”

Parents studying spelling with their children until there are no more spelling tests shows that you are interested in them. Asking them vocabulary words can make learning fun. Reviewing work sheets helps them organize thought. (My wife and I had multiple refresher courses on the history of the world, space science and on every topic that was a term paper until the twelfth grade.)

Homework is exactly that. It is work to be done at home… in your home… with you. There is no alternative that is better. Train up a child in the way he should go… involves being with your child and helping them think about the world. Homework provides a valuable means to do that. Try, “Come, let’s do your homework.”

Let's Go Fly a Kite

2011-10-11T14:30:00.000-07:00

by Kelly Knowlden

In 1964, Walt Disney produced a movie based on a book by P.L. Travers called “Mary Poppins.” The plot is really tied to an aloof father and loving but distracted mother who are busy with life and leave the raising of the children to a stream of nannies that are ineffective. Julie Andrews comes into this regimented, stuffy family as a very different kind of nanny and sings her way into the children’s (and eventually the parents’) hearts.

The importance of this film is that it critiques parenting. Today, the story is no different. Fathers of any era are often caught up with providing for the needs of the family and mothers are often busy with life’s needs of keeping families on track. This often results in aloof and distracted parents. And the nanny of today often is some electronic gizmo that occupies children with the fun that they want and long for.

The missing element is family relationships...families doing things together...families engaged in conversations…families reading and thinking together. It is the community aspect of relationships that we all need and want. This will come only as families remember what is really important.

How to do that? Ask 100 questions. Make them specific. “How did Spanish class go today?” Or “Who did you sit beside at lunch today?’ “What did you read in reading class?” Once you prime them, and that takes work, go after the homework story. “What do you need to do in algebra?” (I know that you probably don’t remember much algebra - but that doesn’t matter!) Ask them, “Now why is that number there?” Interact with them. Show that you are interested in what they are doing. Sit down with them.

This investment takes time. You only have a few years with them. Then they will be gone. Perhaps you could go fly a kite with them...

Say "Yes"

2011-10-03T14:30:00.000-07:00

by Kelly Knowlden

Similar to last week’s note concerning the frown of disapproval, we need to listen to ourselves to hear how often “No!” comes out of our mouth. “Don’t do that!” “Stop,” and “I’ve told you a hundred times..” are relatives of the word ‘no.’

I want to say “yes” to as much as possible in life. I want to convey to students that what they are asking is possible whenever possible. Do they want to run in the halls. The answer is “yes, that sounds like fun!!!” (I mean if you were a kid, and you saw this long uninterrupted floor space— wouldn’t you want to run?) However, I must quickly add, “You know, maybe we can have a race down the hall someday. But right now is not the time. Perhaps if you join after school basketball or track, you can join the running-in-the-hall club.”

Do they want to play hide and seek in the clothing racks at the mall? You bet! I’ve been tempted to that myself. Do they have toys in school. Sure. Even 7th graders keep little plastic critters in their pocket. So if I meet all the possible wrong-doings with “NO! Stop that!” I will create in my home or school, a critical, cynical, negative, joyless atmosphere that does not convey the truth about God and His world.

Here is what I mean. Is the God you serve One who looks down over the vault of heaven and sees people enjoying themselves and scowlingly shouts, “Cut it out!”? If so, He is not the God of the Bible. The God of heaven is instead One who looks down on the sons of men with His arms open wide and calls, “Come to Me!”

And so we come… and become like a little child. “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Enjoy the world as a child does and say, “Yes.”

The Doghouse

2011-09-26T14:30:00.000-07:00

by Kelly Knowlden

The Frown-of-Disapproval, The-Knitting-of-the-Eyebrows, and The-I’m-Disappointed-With-You-Statement undermines your work as a parent. We should NOT be conveying to our children that they somehow have made us unhappy. Why?
Children who live with those pressures soon realize that they must “perform” to win Mom and Dad’s approval. Because they are sinners, they also learn pretty quickly that they do more that displeases than makes their parents happy. It also makes the whole issue of training to be about us. Here is what I mean.

I did not make up the moral code that I want my children to live by. God did. Therefore, when they disobey, or are disrespectful, the issue is really not about me or my feelings or what I like. They have broken the Law of God. I become the mediator. I must bring to them life giving words that are corrective. (Do they understand what they did? Do they understand why it is wrong? Do they know that ultimately their offense is toward God?) I must make the discipline match God’s directives...measured and appropriate to the offense. And I must make sure that they know that I love them and that I am on their side. (“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” Heb. 12:11) I love it when I get to talk to your children in my office. It is an opportunity to participate in the work of the Holy Spirit by drawing alongside to help in bringing life giving words of truth to them.

Listen My Son

2011-09-19T14:30:00.000-07:00

by Kelly Knowlden

This is the “Year of the Ear.” We are using the Proverbs to talk about listening. The first nine chapters either refer to or imply “Listen, my son…” and then talk about what to listen to and the benefits of hearing instruction.

One of the things that I have been struck by is the implication that the father who is speaking believes that listening is important and wants to do that himself. Here is what I mean. Parents that are interested in hearing what others (not just children) have to say, are more likely to be genuinely interested in hearing what their children have to say. Asking questions, listening to their stories, enjoying their ideas all reflect a desire to know what they are thinking. This in turn, fosters a desire to hear. So when dad says, “listen, my son,” he has gained their ear because he has modeled it himself.

Two cautions: in our busyness, it is hard work to listen. We have things that we must communicate or we must get done, or we feel pressured by. So hearing a child’s story of his big toe hurting, or a middle school daughter’s lament over not having any friends or a high school student’s concerns over how they look is often heard “under pressure.” Then the hard work of sitting down and listening to them comes into play. The other caution is to remember that we while we listen with “our ears wide open” yet
we realize that they are immature in their thinking and listen within that framework. Let’s encourage our children to listen by being listeners.

Blurb

2011-09-12T14:30:00.000-07:00

by Kelly Knowlden

Blurb: Term coined by Gelett Burgess [1907] famous for purple cow poems:

I never saw a purple cow,
I never hope to see one,
But from the milk we're getting now,
There certainly must be one.

Each week, I will be writing a short Blurb about matters related to schooling and parenting. My goal in this is twofold. One is to have us take a few minutes to stop and thing. Because of the busyness of life, I need this. I need to reflect often on what I am doing and why. The second goal is to have us stop and think together. Because we are designed to live in communitites, we at ICS are bound together by common concerns of educating our children. That commonality means that we must have an ongoing conversation about the best ways to accomplish those ends. We need to reflect on what He says is important in raising children and educating them. This is an intentional attempt to do that.

However, a piece of paper is only one-sided. It is not a very satisfactory conversation. So please, if you have any comments, questions, and observations about what is written or what we are doing -- please call and talk to me. I am anxious to have this be a dynamic process that engages your ideas as well. Thanks in advance for your part in this conversation.

First Day - Last Day

2011-09-07T14:30:00.000-07:00

by Kelly Knowlden

The first day of school each year is an event that is very important in the lives of our children. They are anxious in thinking about new friends, new things to learn, and sometimes a new teacher! All of us look forward to special days with anticipation and certain fears. They come. They go. And then they become part of the back-ground of life patterns. In many ways these special days that we anticipate are a picture of the “Grand Day” when Jesus comes again. That is THE Grand Excitement for which we look.

But we must live our first day (and every day) in light of the last day of school ...or of life, because then the value of what has been done each day will be measured.

As parents, we need to have that long term view of each day’s work so that we invest it rightly. We must show our students what is ultimately valuable by how we spend our days and how we respond to what God brings our way. When calamity strikes, we don’t strike back, but we respond with confidence in what God has brought (like roofs that leak and postpone our plans!)

This year our goal is to hold out for your children the reality of That Grand Day of Jesus’ return as they work and play and learn.. We want it ALL to be done in light of that First ‘Day’ of eternity.

Editorial: Can Work Be Fun

2011-05-02T13:05:00.000-07:00

Can work be fun? Yes, it can. This month, I got to experience a trip where work was fun?

In January, I, along with Kerry Boehret and Jon Hall, got the amazing opportunity to go on a relief missions trip at Lakeshore, Mississippi, where we worked for the whole week, furthering God’s kingdom and loving others. It was a week of pure work, but it was the best week of my life. Why? I was surrounded by Christians, working toward a common goal. It was a foretaste of Heaven.

When our high school trip to Boston got cancelled a few months ago, we were very disappointed. It is hard to give up the annual trip, especially since it has happened for 9 years. Instead we got a trip to Camp Ladore, in Waymart, PA, where we offered our help to the camp. They put us to good use.

The high school trip reminded me a whole lot of the Lakeshore trip. We were working in the rain, but we didn’t care. We pushed someone’s car out of the mud and got dirty, but that didn’t make a difference to us. We were having such a good time working for a common goal and not much else mattered to us.

That night, we had a game time where many people who were tired still had enough energy to play. During devotions, our high school became even more unified as we sang joyously and listened intently as Mr. K. led the devotional. I don’t think anyone wanted to go to sleep.

But we needed sleep. I woke up the next morning to the first sunny day in April! It was beautiful! After another great devotional time led by Mr. Riggall, and a good breakfast, we all got back to work.

If I thought the first day went well, it didn’t compare at all to the second day. I got to be on the “boat crew” where several of us demolished the deck of a pontoon boat. Others cleaned cabins; the camp director said that he hadn’t seen these cabins this clean since working there. We worked strenuously until lunch and finished the job. After lunch, we put away all the snow fences for them.

By the end of the day, most of us were tired and sun-burnt. But we didn’t care, because all of us knew that we had done work for God’s kingdom, and we had an incredible time doing so.

~SB (Student Editor)

My High School Trip

2011-05-02T13:02:00.001-07:00

What would you do if you thought you could die in the next thirty minutes? What song would be the last one you would want to listen to, who would be the last person you would want to see, which movie would you want to be your last? My adventure began about twenty minutes before the end of the high school trip.

During the bus ride home I had a terrible headache, so I decided to try to get some sleep. When I awoke, my head was spinning and my vision was blurred and my wonderful and cheerful friend, Ali Gemmell, was crying her eyes out in pain. I felt useless. I wanted to help, but didn’t know how I could. I was in a state of confusion and sat back against my seat. I asked Mrs. Tripp for an Ibuprofen which I received from Jonathan Hall.

I sat back, and the majority of my story, from here on, will be according to the observations of others. After sitting back against the chair I blacked out and fell on the floor. After about a minute, I awoke staring into the eyes of Brandon Bellinghausen and Jon Hall. I was confused and scared. I recognized Brandon and Jon’s faces, but couldn’t connect names to them. I couldn’t focus on one person at a time. I was shaking and I was unable respond to questions. The first person that I could connect the face and voice to the name was my best friend Scott Boehret. I was rushed to the emergency room and stayed there till 2:00 a.m. My body had calmed down after about an hour in the state described above.

Last Wednesday, April 27, I went to the hospital yet again for a three-hour glucose tolerance test where I had to fast all morning, go to the hospital, and drink a bottle of sickeningly sweet juice. I would then have to have my blood taken every hour for a total of four times. My blood sugar is all right, but I do have to watch my eating and eat more consistently. I am scheduled to be tested for heart problems in May. Therefore, I would appreciate your prayers, and I thank those who have prayed for me. Particularly, I would like to thank Kerry and Scott Boehret, Sarah and Brandon Bellinghausen, Jon Hall, Mrs. Tripp, Kelly Schwiker, Mr. K, Mr. Riggall, Miss Boston, Ali Gemmell, and my family, for their prayers and help in one way or another.

Thoughts from the Photographer

2011-05-02T13:01:00.000-07:00

This year’s high school trip was another successful one. The entire high school went on a two-day trip to Camp Ladore in Waymart, PA. This was a Salvation Army camp that we cleaned and helped by doing a bunch of odd jobs. The third day was a trip to the Bronx Zoo. The high school went on a seven-hour trip to the Zoo that had fish and giraffes and everything in between.

~RG

My High School Trip

2011-05-02T12:56:00.000-07:00

Wow. That would be the word that I would use to describe my high school trip experience. We went to help out at a camp, called Camp Ladore. When I first heard about it, my first thoughts were, "Oh boy, this isn’t going to be fun." But before the trip started, I was determined to view this trip in a positive light. After all, the trip would become what I made of it!

So early in the morning I woke up and came to school. We left the school shortly. My car ride included various story times and lots of laughter with my fellow sophomore girl classmates. That was the start of a great trip. When we arrived, we were introduced to the camp by Sarah, a lady with a British accent. Cool, right? Then we split up into cleaning groups: most guys, who would clean up more outdoor things and most girls, who cleaned the cabins.

My specific group was very enthusiastic about our job, to say the least. Alyssa Winters and I volunteered to clean the site nobody wanted to…..THE BATHROOM! So we had to clean the sinks and toilets and everything else the bathrooms had to offer. Believe it or not, we had such a great time, I would gladly go back and do it again! We sang songs the whole time varying from "High School Musical" to random hymns. And we did this job for two days. On the second day, we changed location from one cabin to another.

Then something unexpected happened. While I was cleaning, James Wolfe and Josh Hall dropped by giving us a few lollipops and gum that they “discovered.” Yanira Paulino and I, being very exhausted and not thinking clearly, ate the gum and lollipops never asking where they were found. Momentarily, we were told that the candy was found under one of the beds, and the last time those cabins were used was last summer! At that moment, I felt sick. But nothing became of it, so I just let it slide.

We finally left the camp and stopped at Wendy’s on the way home. That was a very ordinary stop, until many students decided to run around the Wendy’s and perform a Chinese fire drill! It was awesome! We arrived home safely afterwards, thankfully.

The next day we went to the Bronx zoo! On the long bus ride, many students were singing various songs and playing certain hand slapping games to pass the time. At the zoo itself, we had many adventures including a Dora 4D movie, a carousel of bugs, Brandon Bellinghausen communicating with a lemur, Josh Hall being chased by a peacock, and Kelly Schwiker touching a goat! It was a one of a kind experience that can never be replaced.

But on the way home, ten minutes from the school, tragedy struck! Ali Gemmell was sick, and Caleb Irvin passed out! It was a very emotional and nervous time for everyone! When we got to the school, Caleb was rushed to the emergency room while many people stayed behind at the school and prayed for him and Ali. Thankfully, they are both doing a lot better, so our prayers were answered! Thank the Lord! Overall our high school trip wasn’t what we expected, but was a very crazy adventure!

~NC

High School Trip

2011-05-02T12:54:00.003-07:00

The High School Trip has been when the high school takes a trip to a major city. Unfortunately, due to financial problems, the trip to Boston had to be canceled. But I think I speak for everyone when I say that the trip to Camp Ladore was better than a major city trip. Camp Ladore is a Salvation Army camp. While the high school was there from April 13^th to the 14^th, they mostly cleaned cabins. Some students got to push a car out of mud and others got to “destroy” a boat. Everyone had a lot of fun and the people in charge were very grateful for all of our hard work.

Friday, April 15^th, was the trip to the Bronx Zoo. The Bronx Zoo has a lot of animals to see and admire; such as flamingos, owls, eagles, reptiles, lions, tigers and many more. The trip was a blast and everyone is looking forward to next year’s trip to Philadelphia.

~MG

Zoo Trip

2011-05-02T12:54:00.001-07:00

On Friday, the high school students went to the Bronx Zoo. We took an auto bus to New York. When we got there we split up into groups and looked at the animals. We ate lunch around 12 o’clock. After we ate, we walked around some more. There were a very wide variety of animals. We got to pet and feed some of the animals also. We left the zoo around 5 o’clock. On the way home, we stopped at McDonald’s to get something to eat. We arrived back at the school around 9 o’clock, and everyone went home.

~MK

High School Trip

2011-05-02T12:53:00.001-07:00

This year ICS’s high school, instead of going to Boston, went to Waymart, PA, and Bronx, New York. For the first two days they did some hard-core work at a Salvation Army camp in Waymart. However, for the final day they ventured to New York to learn and explore in the BRONX ZOO. They enjoyed friends and fellowship.

The Banner staff hopes and prays that the high school prayed and enjoyed their time being a testimony for God.

~TF

Update

2011-04-11T12:01:00.000-07:00

We are sorry for the lack of attention to this blog in the last few weeks. We have been getting ready to perform A Man Called Peter. Reports and more pictures will follow.

Boy's Basketball

2011-03-17T11:05:00.000-07:00

The boys basketball team had a game against Bloomsburg on Febuary 17th. They lost but didn't go down easily. Their top scorers included Lucas Meises with 12, Walker Day with 9 and Gino Cannon with 8. Lucas Meises also mastered rebounds with 6 followed by Ethan Culbert with 4 and Caleb Irvin with 3. All of these scorers are sophmores. The Lions went down hard but are prepared to come back next year for a victory. The crowd turnout wasn't big considering it was an away game but Coach Day is very proud of the performance his Lions gave him this season. Overall the Lions improved a lot over this season. In the process of rebuilding their team because they lost a senior last year, they learned what it means to work as a team and have won multiple games as a result. The fact is that they are a young team and have room to improve. Its exciting to see what future years will hold for them as they progress!

~NC

World's Fair

2011-03-15T12:29:00.000-07:00

On February 15, 2011, the high school geography class held a World’s Fair in the school auditurium duing second period. All of the students came up to see the displays of many countries. The students had the chance to visit each display and ask questions about each country. Each display had two interesting facts to tell the students. Some displays had food to give to the students to help represent the countries better. Europe was the main continent displayed in the Fair, however South America and Central America were represented also. The reason the World’s Fair was held was to help both the presenting students and the rest of the school learn about our world. About a week before the Fair all of the students in the geography class had to research their own country and present that country in front of the class. The country that the student researched was the country they had to present in the World’s Fair. The school was pleased with the results of the Fair.

~MK

Drama

2011-03-15T11:10:00.000-07:00

With less than a month away, the drama team is very busy. In order for the production of A Man Called Peter to be pulled off by April 8th, actors need to memorize all lines by March 23rd, the set needs to be completed, costumes need to be put together, and actors need to become their characters.

How’s all of this coming? Let’s start with the memorization of lines. In the last rehearsal, most of the supporting actors had the majority of their lines memorized. Some of the major characters have yet to memorize their lines totally. All of the drama team is very familiar with their script, but they still have some polishing to do.

The set is coming along well! There have been two Saturday set days where students have come in and along with Mr. Keith Knowlden and have built stage extensions so that the set may fit the stage. The walls have been painted and will be finished in upcoming days.

Costumes are still in the idea phase right now, as characters are trying to figure out what they would have worn. If you wish to help out with costuming, please tell Mr. Keith Knowlden.

As for getting into character, the actors are doing a very good job. This play is not an easy play to act, as it is a drama and not a comedy.

Don’t forget to put the dates for the play on your calendar, April 8th and 9th!

~SB

The Banner

2011-03-09T09:02:00.000-08:00

Soon you will be able to find Banner articles on-line. This will not mean the disappearance of a printed Banner. Each month, several of the articles from this site, will be printed and distributed to the students and families of the school.

Currently, comments will not be allowed on this site, however, if you need to contact the moderator of this page, please email banner@icshazleton.com.

~Editor