08-14-24

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
August 14, 2024
I was driving down Ella Blvd. on Monday in the area of Klein Collins High School. What I saw in the parking lot of the high school brought a rush of memories to my mind. The marching band was rehearsing formations. I don’t know how long they had been practicing that day, but years ago, we would have two rehearsals each day in the weeks before school started. The first one was early, before the heat of August in Nebraska. We were probably rehearsing from 6-9am, and then again around 4pm or 5pm. I played a fall sport and had a job, so like a lot of band members, those few weeks were pretty intense. Whether it is band, fall sport, choir, theater, or other school club or organization, there is something so important to these elements of the educational experience. Sadly, these are places where budget cuts are being made (of course, not football), but school is not simply the academic grind. Socialization, along with physical and creative outlets, is so important. God created us as whole human beings, and the mind is attached to the emotions and inescapably tied to the body. Healthy people bring the fullness of themselves to the classroom, hallways, cafeteria, bus, gym, field, and wherever else a student might be.

Lord God, we lift before you all the students who find themselves beginning a new school year. May the experience challenge and inspire their full humanity, helping to guide them to their greatest potential. Amen.