Penultimate Day Contemplation

Only one more day remains of the year 2012.  Penny and I are back from California and Christmas with the family.  It was pretty awesome.  Every day that goes by I miss them more and more.  Being there only reminds me of all that I am missing.  I know that there is much more to do here in Arizona.  That is why I came.  I confess that my resolve is beginning to weaken.  There will be much prayer in the next few weeks and months as I assess what God has in store for me in Arizona and beyond.

I had a great time preaching this past week at AWC.  My sermon title was “Now What!” but it could have just as easily been “Happy Ebenezer Day!”  I am learning to savor every time I stand to preach since I do not know how long I will have the privilege.  Life is fragile and unpredictable.  I have had too many reminders of that reality this year.

Now I have a couple of very busy days ahead before I head out again for the West Coast (actually Central California) where my step-mom still lives.  Our plan is to travel with grandchildren in tow and spend a day or so with her.  She hasn’t seen them for a few months.  It is too easy to get too busy and lose sight of the priorities in life.  Our parents and those who had a part in seeing us through our formative years should not be forgotten.

Well, I ate too much during the holidays.  My scale was not happy when I returned to Scottsdale.  I am in recovery…but, alas, I am returning to the land of endless invitations to eat heartily and drink deeply.  I see plenty of “green juice” in my future, upon my return from the holidays!  (217.8

Running on Fumes

If that date sounds familiar, it should, since today was prognosticated by many as the last day of planet earth.  This may sound a bit crazy in a few years, but it was taken quite seriously by many people.  Oh well, we’re still here.

In any case, it is late Friday night in Scottsdale.  Another busy week has come to a close, but for a busy Sabbath awaiting me tomorrow.  This week produced quite a few memorable moments. 

Tuesday I enjoyed a great musical concert at GAA.  It was amazing what that school has put together at their school.  The children sound nothing short of amazing!  The selection of music was not simple and basic.  It was challenging and more than a bit complex.  But the kids rose to the occasion and produced some wonderful melodies and harmonies.

            Thursday was the Christmas Concert at TCE, where Penny and I work a few days out of the week.  All I can say about that evening is that God rescued what could have been a disastrous night.  Pretty much everything that could have gone wrong went wrong, not just that evening, but for a couple days leading up to the concert.

To name a few (not all), we lost our performance CD.  It was taken by mistake to California.  We failed to order a rush copy, because we were convinced that we could use a “Dropbox” copy of the performance CD for the rehearsals and the “dress rehearsal”.  As it was, we were unable to open the Dropbox copy on time to use during our rehearsals on Wednesday due to some security firewalls.  We had to use a scratched and imperfect copy to rehearse.

We had planned a dress rehearsal on Thursday morning in the TAA Auditorium.  Instead we were forced into a “lockdown” situation due to a police situation a couple of miles away from our school.  That was after we were informed that the person who was running all the lights for the evening program had been admitted to the hospital in California (with our CD). When we finally went to rehearse, the good news is that we had a workable copy created by a very intelligent computer genius.  On that down side, our sound technician did not show up.  We were forced to have a dress rehearsal without the microphones we were going to use in the evening.

We survived.  The technician arrived that afternoon, about 4:00 p.m., and set up the microphones and other amenities. All was working well. No lights, though, since the technician was not familiar with the intricacies, as was his wife, who was in the hospital in California.  We launched the program anyway, only to discover too late that most of the microphones were in fact not working.  One speaker and the “fold-back” speakers used by the choir also when dead early in the cantata.  Do you see a pattern?

The good news is that the kids did wonderfully!  They sang their little hearts out, and in the end, the parents left delighted with the results, not realizing that the choral director was close to a coronary!  It was an amazing night, in spite of the technical difficulties.

Tonight I went for the last rehearsal before tomorrow’s cantata at AWC.  I’m tired!  Good night!  (213.6)

No Time to Rest...Yet

Thursday is over.  I spent the lion’s share of the day at GAA doing some teacher observations and dealing with some matters that needed special attention.  I had an opportunity to sit through a portion of the rehearsal for the Christmas program scheduled for next week.  GAA’s music program is incredible and the students work hard to create an amazing concert.  It was sight to behold!

I did not have much time to be in the office.  I was there long enough to get some documents signed and some Christmas cards completed before I had to head home to get ready for the evening.  It was the AZ Conference Christmas Dinner.  It is always a fun night, although it was close to 10 o’clock when we ended the evening at the office.  We still had more work waiting for us at home.

The evening was complicated unnecessarily due to a typical male behavioral pattern.  I apparently failed to make note of the dress code for the evening and proudly accompanied Penny to the evening festivities all gussied up only to discover upon arriving at the office that no one else was dressed up for the evening.

Penny had to run home and change, but the evening had already gotten off on the wrong foot.  At least she came back to the party, but the evening was quite cold for a considerable spell thereafter.  The Quartet sang a few songs.  The office staff sang some Christmas carols.  There were some readings and some humorous moments.  The food was quite delicious although I did not eat as much as I would have wanted since I was going to sing.

The White Elephant gift exchange went on forever, but it was very entertaining.  The items most in demand were some electronic picture frame and a large can of Big Franks--- go figure.  I ended up with a wind-up radio and a can opener!  It will be a late night followed by an early morning leading to a full weekend and a busy next week leading into the holidays!  Aaargh!  (217)

The Pace is Picking Up

Today was 12/12/12 and it will not be that again for 100 years.  I guess the next big day is December 21, huh?  I truly doubt the day will be anything other than another day, except for some “crazy” that may use the day to create some sort of apocalyptic scenario to get some sick sense of notoriety.  No need to worry!  Every day bring enough to worry about.

These have been a couple of very busy days in my life.  Education Board for the Arizona Conference took place on Tuesday and the Executive Board for the Arizona Conference took place today.  Add a personnel committee and a budget committee to the mix and you can begin to sense my level of busyness. 

But at least I am on this side of the storm and I’m still standing.  Some pretty sensitive matters were considered.  It’s tough to have make decisions that seriously impact people’s lives.  But sometimes it’s inevitable.  Great discussion took place during the Education Board related to identifying new sources of income for the school system.  The good news is that Tax Credit funds have spiked considerably this year.  That bodes well for December donations.  But it is going to take quite a windfall to significantly impact the financial challenges that exist presently in certain schools in the system.

The coming days do not offer any hope of slowing down.  Christmas season only picks up the pace.  Additional rehearsals are planned this week and next for the TCE Christmas Concert.  That should be fun.  Tomorrow I will be visiting GAA to do teacher observations after rehearsing with the TCE group in the early morning.

Change is in the air! (217)

Sunday Escape to the West

Sunday began early this week.  It usually provides me the opportunity to stay in bed a few extra minutes.  Today would not allow me such a luxury.  Today was the AZ Conference Retirees’ Christmas Banquet at the conference office.

The conference quartet, that still remains nameless, was slated to sing a few songs for the retirees.  That required some last minute rehearsing in the morning before it was time to set up the sound system.  We practiced and actually sounded quite nice—the acoustics in the cafeteria are quite impressive.

In any case, we practiced and got to sing four songs.  I wish I could say we sounded as good during the banquet as we did practicing, but this was definitely not the case.  Our only solace was the possibility that some of them could not hear us well enough to know how fragmented we sounded.  Or perhaps they did hear us and were simply very gracious with us not wanting to hurt our feelings.  Well, we get another chance this coming Thursday at the conference Christmas Party.

Penny and I left to Riverside immediately after we finished singing.  It was our daughter-in-law’s 30^th birthday celebration put together by the aunts back in California.  We arrived about two minutes too late to be in on the “Surprise!”  But we did get there in time for all the good food.  It was a great time with family.  No doubt we are missing the family more and more.  But God has provided us plenty of opportunity to visit and spend some time with them.

We’ll see how and where God leads for next year.  (217.8)

Busy Sabbath

It’s almost midnight and the day is almost done.  It was a great day at AWC.  Pastor HB had the sermon, but it was also our first day trying out our new template for the worship service.  We were out of church at 1:00 p.m., which is a rarity at AWC.  Still, there was plenty of time for the important components of the worship service.  It was good day.

In the afternoon (after a quick lunch) Penny and I ran off to witness a baptism.  German and Ashley were baptized in a mini-pool.  Lots of people came out in the afternoon and celebrated with the AWC family.  Great time was had by all who came out.  I even had an opportunity to see some ex-TAA students who came out for the baptism.

The evening ended with a trip to TAA to enjoy the Christmas Concert.  It was a treat.  The choir sounded amazing.  The strings and band are immensely improved over last year.  The program itself was put together and lighted quite nicely.  I don’t know how it’s midnight already. (216.6)

Friday Brief Brief

Just a short entry tonight.  Half a day at TCE.  The afternoon was spent running errands with Penny and hunting for gifts for the White Elephant gifts exchange at the conference office.

The day ended at choir practice at the conference office with the AWC Christmas Choir.  That program will take place on December 22.  Time for some shut-eye. (216.6)

Thursday Tidbits

Busy day is waiting for me when I get to the office.  The president is out of town and he asked me to cover for him at the morning worship at the office.  The fact is that I hardly go to the morning worships at the conference anymore, since I am usually at TCE greeting parents and the children as they arrive for school.  But it will be a treat for me to share some thoughts with my friends at the office.  I do miss being there regularly.

Yesterday Penny and I took a reasonably long trip to Nogales, Arizona to supposedly take care of some SENTRI process I had been working on for the last few months.  As it is, since I had since traded in my previous Prius I could no longer complete the process.  Ironically I couldn’t cancel it either without going into the office.  Homeland Security has made life a lot more difficult for the honest people.  In any case, I am beginning the process all over again.

The conference school system is still in need of a large influx of cash.  Schools are struggling financially.  The tax credit program is not being used to its potential for reasons I cannot truly fathom.  We gave out over $100,000 dollars in scholarships, but the need is so much greater.  It is going to take some divine intervention again.  I have been praying and I am curious to see how God is going to get involved this time. 

By the way, not that it is has anything to do with this blog, but my keyboard is going wacky!  It is jumping around in the middle of my typing without rhyme or reason.  It is very frustrating since I have to keep correcting mistakes that are unnecessary.  I do not know if it is a deterioration of my typing skills or truly a mechanical thing with my computer.  I’ll keep you posted on this important development.
 

Today ended up being a great day.  Worship at the conference office this morning was a hoot.  The details will remain undisclosed, but trust me when I say that it was one of those unforgettable moments.  I had little time to enjoy it since I had to run to the dentist’s office for some needed intervention.  I got away relatively unscathed. 

I got my things together and headed up the hill to the Prescott school.  I had a short but productive day with AL and CL.  They are doing a great job.  The students were engaged in what was taking place in the classroom.  We had a blast playing kick-ball and some crazy tag game which involved a “Paper, Rock, and Scissors” tiebreaking protocol and bedlam.  It was my exercise for the day, but the kids enjoyed seeing the old man run around the gym.

I stayed for an accreditation meeting followed by a school board meeting.  Both were productive and positive.  Lots of good things are in the pipeline at Prescott.  There are challenges, but they seem to have a positive spirit that will go a long was in pressing on.

I got home at a relatively early time.  Penny and I even had the time to sneak off to Costco and get some computer work done when we got home.  It’s Friday tomorrow!  Where did the week go? (218)

Sluggish Status

In spite of my resolve, it’s been 11 days since I last blogged.  No excuse except for Thanksgiving break.  All I can say is that I survived.  Softball, eating, golf, eating, soccer, eating, more eating, then came Sabbath and more eating!  Dare I say there was a lot of eating involved?  Oh, by the way, I was sick much of the time so I succeeded in not gaining much weight at all along the way.

Now I’m back in Scottsdale trying to catch up with tons of work that was supposed to have been dealt with during the break!  This did not happen.  However, more work succeeded in piling up while I was gone.

On a positive note, I finally made it to traffic school and erased that blemish from my driving record.  The day after renewing my license I was stopped on Interstate 10 by a state trooper.  Luckily it was only a “fix-it” ticket related to my over-tinted front windows.  I got it fixed today and will send the paperwork in tomorrow.  I am legal again!

I did not have a good day today.  I was drained before I got to work!  It was as if energy had been sucked out of me during the night.  I could not concentrate.  I could not stay on task.  I made it through the day, but barely.  I actually did get some things done, but it was not as productive a day as I would have wished.  I pray tomorrow will be better. (218.8)

Trying to Strike a Balance

Friday morning usually finds me in the office at TCE.  It is the day I can spend more time on this campus where Penny and I are providing administrative leadership (we are co-principals).  It’s the last day before Thanksgiving vacation for the students.  They are sharing pies of all kinds with each other—lots of calories floating around here today.  Personally, my day was mainly consumed with minutes, agendas for the TCE board meeting next Monday.  We’re running a little behind this month, but there are important items that need to be discussed.  Monday should be a good meeting.

I will be attending my first choir practice tonight for the AWC Christmas Cantata.  I have a solo part that I have yet to learn, but I’m getting close.  My relationship with AWC has been going through some transitions lately.  I have not been able to attend regularly due to out of town commitments, so it will be nice to be there tonight and get to know the people in a different setting.

Penny and I got back late last night from a two-day tour of the Tucson schools.  There are some very large challenges at one of the schools and some sticky challenges at the other.  It keeps me on my knees (or at least in prayer) a lot more nowadays.  There are some immense financial needs that require a large infusion of funds into some of these schools.  I know the money is out there: tax credit and otherwise.  What is missing is a passion by sufficient people to lead the charge.  There are people who are beginning to step up and ask how they can help, but we need more!

On a personal note, I need a break!  The bare thread is beginning to show and I need to find the “refresh button.”  I will have a couple of days next week to be with family: nuclear and extended.  That will be nice.  But I need more time to regroup and catch up (which is not the same thing!).  In all honesty, I do not know where I am going to find it.  I have drastically scaled back my preaching—even at AWC, but that creates a whole other level of guilt.  I appreciate any prayers you can send up on my behalf.  But I have to find a way to reconnect and renew, while still doing what I need to do without missing a beat (How is that possible!).  And while I try to figure it out, I will cling to the words, “My Grace is sufficient.” Prayers are appreciated. (221.6)

Wednesday at the Inn

In spite of my best efforts I have failed miserably to blog consistently.  Tonight finds me at a Country Inn and Suites in Tucson, Arizona, with Penny.  I attended SHACS school board meeting earlier tonight.  Tomorrow I am at SHACS and DVCS for observations and another school board. It is amazing the level of sacrifice required to keep a school alive when the trends and indicators have turned south.  I watch these school board members dealing with run-of-the-mill tasks that are anything but that in the challenging context in which they must function.  But they refuse to fold.  They press on in spite of the many challenges.

The challenges facing our schools are bigger than the local churches that support them.  That statement has been repeated ad nauseam but to little, if any, avail.  Many churches have gone into survival mode as well, and they cannot fathom how they can be expected to help rescue the educational system from imploding.  It is a matter of time before this will happen unless we change the way we conduct business, locally and as a system.  If our schools go, soon the churches will follow. 

But not unlike those involved in other more mundane pursuits, there is a reluctance to act without concern for the personal cost.  There is however, in its place, a willingness to pass the challenge along to the next generation to address, when it may be too late to rescue.

I must cling to the belief that God is in control, even when humans are clutching to the helm and moving closer and closer to a catastrophe.  In any case, here I am in Tucson.  Good night! (221)

Hectic Days Behind and Ahead

I woke up this morning with much on my mind.  I looked back at the days recently gone by and I can only exhale a sigh of relief.  My life was tugged in many directions, often at the same time during the past seven days.  Behind the scenes of busy-ness was a second layer of events that weighted on me as much if not more than the others.  But God is good—all the time.

Friday provided me the opportunity to speak for the Friday Chapel at GAA.  It was a full house.  There was a sweet spirit in the room as they sang songs and were led by their principal, FL.  I was greeted by some of the children who have gotten to know me over the last couple of years.  I enjoyed sharing some good news with them.  They seemed to enjoy the stories.  I will trust the “seeds” of the Gospel landed on fertile group.

I had a very fruitful conversation after the meeting was over.  Life is crazy!  People are going through all types of complications that life throws our way.  We prayed—that was a good moment. 

Friday night I was finally able to bring together the AWC elders.   It was a great evening of visioning and prioritizing the ministry of the elders at AWC.  We spent a thoughtful couple of hours in honest dialogue about the future of AWC and how best to serve God.  We ended our evening with a season of prayer in the back yard of our host’s home.  I also had my fill of some delicious “haystacks”.

Sabbath morning took Penny and me to AWC to enjoy the service.  Actually Penny stayed in the car putting her final touches on a presentation we were going to give at the South Mountain Church in the afternoon.  She joined me in time for church.  I attended the youth class—and I was blessed.  I even came out with a sermon idea having to do with Nebuchadnezzar—go figure.  CM preached a long but powerful sermon on the two sides of the “Why Me?” question. 

The original plan was to have a board meeting at an elder’s home immediately after the morning service.  This plan was dashed by the breadth of the sermon and a realization that the afternoon seminar I thought was scheduled on the downside of 3 o’clock was actually slated for the early side of that hour.  There was no way I would be able to have even a short board meeting and still get to southern Phoenix in time.  So I quickly rescheduled the elder’s meeting until next week (they are pretty flexible at AWC) and Penny and I rushed home to pick up some “eats” to enjoy on our way to the church.  We got there with a couple of minutes to spare.  Actually, we got there with a couple minutes to spare before the scheduled time.  It was a good 45 minutes before we began. 

Penny and I gave a seminar following a presentation given by a couple who had been married 57 years.  They spoke of the ingredients that it takes to make a marriage last.  It was somewhat humorous that after they concluded this presentation on “marital bliss” we were called up to make a presentation on “Couples in Crisis.”  Life is full of ironies.  We shared some concepts we have learned along our 33 years together and other material we were able to glean along the way.  The people appreciated the presentation. 

From there we rushed home to change clothes in order to go on to our next commitment at the DH home.  It was a special evening planned for individuals of “means” (I was not one of them) who were being enlisted to be part of the renaissance of Adventist education in Arizona.  It was a very encouraging evening.  More than the money that was pledged or given, what was of most import was the ripples that the meeting will produce as these people expand the circle to others.  The future of Adventist Education is getting brighter.  Pray hard!

Late night—tired but satisfied.  Penny and I even went outside our duplex close to midnight to see if we could catch any of the “falling stars” from the remnants of Haley’s Comet that the news said would be visible between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.  We were disappointed.  Too much light pollution!

Today will be consumed with catch-up work, the fair, and the Fall Festival at GAA.  I think my stomach is up to it!  (219.8)

Thursday in Tucson

I find myself in Tucson at the Saguaro Hills School doing some observations before heading off to the Desert Valley School for their school board meeting later this afternoon.  The Saguaro Hills school is a school that provides a solid and nurturing educational experience to all their students.  When I arrived they were enjoying a time of outdoors activities.  Older student were enjoying their time with younger students.  The tiniest ones were paying with their age group.  There was a visiting family with three children visiting that day and their children seemed to be enjoying the experience.  Pray for SHACS!  They have some enormous challenges facing them now.  They face tumultuous days in the absence of a miracle.    Pray hard!

This morning Penny and I had to make a pilgrimage to Nogales to renew some documentation that streamlines the international border crossings we occasionally enjoy.  I had never been to Nogales.  Our GPS apparently had never been there before either.  It took us to a church rather than the governmental office we were seeking.  We figured it out and arrived late (but on time) for our appointment.  Luckily the government runs a little slow in Nogales.

This has been a hectic week, in which I was not able to make a significant dent in my work in the office.  TCE and TAA required some extra TLC this week.  I even forgot I had a school board meeting on Tuesday night at the Adobe school. 

A very busy weekend awaits me…for now I better get back to more pressing work.  Pray hard!  (219.0)

Nonsense

This Sabbath finds me back in Southern California for the second weekend in a row to attend a funeral for someone struck down too early in life.  Last week I participated in a funeral for a student of mine during my academy teacher days.  He was only 33 years old—with a wife he dearly loved and a daughter he adored!  Today, I will be at funeral for a friend and contemporary.  He coached my three children in the Adventist Softball League when they were children in elementary school.  One day he is fine—the next day he is gone.  Life does not make sense at times.

I survived the week of meetings in Ontario.  Next week will be hectic if for no other reason than the fact I was away for most of last week!  Too many things to do and not enough time to get them accomplished.   There are challenges propping up their threatening heads in certain places across the conference.  Prayers are requested for the situations and the people involved.  For now, Sabbath is here and rest is desired.  Enjoy.  (219.9)  

More Meetings

I am still in Ontario.  More meetings are slated for today.  K-12 Curriculum meetings follow WASC training, Elementary Associates and ECEC Board meetings yesterday.  I will survive!  At least Penny is here.

Sunday Morning Scribbles

Well, it’s a somewhat lazy Sunday morning.  I slept in until “7-ish” and then read for an hour or so.  Penny is in California on a 5K walk so I had free reign of the house.  I will be hopping on a plane this afternoon to Ontario, California for some Educational Leadership Committee and K-12 Curriculum meetings.  It should be full week—although meetings are simply not what I was created for.  Others may have that gift, but I believe I was designed to be “out of meetings.”  I arrived at that description after considering many other phrases that may not have been understood in the spirit in which I was writing it.  Suffice it to say that if I ever choose to leave this line of work—one reason will be my low tolerance for meetings and committees.  For now it one of the necessary evils I must do in order to participate in those things I enjoy.  It really is an odd thing; I enjoy people, but I do not equally enjoy committees that are simply a group of people.  Go figure.

In any case, I digress.  Yesterday was indeed pretty busy day.  It began with early service at the PV church.  The quartet consisting of TA, CM, AF, and myself were scheduled to provide special music for both early and late worship services.  It was an enjoyable morning.  TA preached two hearty sermons on “pressing on” even in times of transition and trial.  I certainly needed to hear that.  I stayed for potluck, which most of time would not have been noteworthy, except for the fact that I had chosen to fast for the day.  Good thing Penny was with me—we split what she wanted on two plates so as not to make my dilemma too obvious.  We enjoyed some pleasant conversation with our tablemates.  Good times.

After a brief downtime at home, I transported Penny to the airport to catch a flight.  I returned to TAA to participate in the Sabbath School Workshop, where I had been asked to share some thoughts and ideas related to Junior Sabbath School—in Spanish.  Time flew—it was six o’ clock before you knew it.  The event began at 3 o’clock!  The group that chose my seminar stayed awake, which is good.  I enjoyed making the presentation.

Ironically I felt rested at the end of the day.  I did not even think about eating, although this morning I do have a sense that food might be a good idea.  “Do you feel you are ready to die for your God?—try living for Him first.” (218.2)

There and Back

Today took me on a whirlwind trip to Riverside, California for a WASC Chair Training session at the University of California-Riverside.  I will be chairing a WASC accreditation committee this coming spring for San Fernando Academy in California.  The all-day meeting was very helpful, since the process is always being adjusted.

The day began early as our plane left at 6:05 a.m.  Penny got to come with me for only $5.  Southwest Airlines “Companion Fare” is truly a blessing!  In any case, while I was in my meeting she got to go visit family and get some errands done.  We arrived back at home at about 9:30 p.m.

My new schedule is working, but my truncated weeks are keeping me from getting ahead, instead I am just barely keeping up—and by keeping up, I mean keeping up sufficiently to see the front of the line at a distance but my no means is it near.

It was a rough week at TAA.  It is always sad to see young people make misguided decisions that end up impacting their lives and the lives of their families.  Sometimes consequences can be avoided, other times they hit like a ton of bricks and leave a permanent mark.  Let’s keep these young people in our prayers, as well as the rest of the students who remain and who process these events in different ways.  (222.2)

Wednesday Inventory

There seems to be something in the air and I really do not know what it is.  There is plenty of good news to go around.  Enrollment numbers across the conference are significantly up from last year.  That means that parents are making a renewed commitment to invest in their children’s future.  That’s exciting.  But there is a dark lining to this particular silver cloud (I just made that up!).

We have an unfolding crisis unfolding in Adventist Education that has been developing for years but we have left it alone perhaps hoping that more students would solve our problems.  It will not happen, in fact, it may make our malaise even more severe. 

Let’s move beyond the challenge of the shift by many of our parents to a “cost” over “value” assessment of Adventist Education.  In brief, if cost if what is the basis for considering education in our schools, the cost will never be low enough to warrant a decision to enroll a child.  We will have to continue to lower and lower tuition to convince them to grace our schools with their children.  Our challenge is to highlight the value of Adventist education.  Once that is established, then cost is inconsequential, since people find a way to acquire things they value, regardless of the cost.

But there is concurrent problem gnawing away at our system.  Ironically it has to do with cost, i.e., the true cost of education.  In Arizona, the government has realized that it can actually save money by giving people the option to redirect their state taxes to private schools and have them educate the children.  While our schools continue to cut tuition to make enrollment more attractive, the cost of education continues to rise.  Thus as tuition rates hover around $4,000 per year at the elementary level and $8,000 at the high school, the true cost of educating those very students is closer to $10,000 and $15,000 respectively.

This “true” cost of education is what it takes not simply to survive one more year, but to truly fund the cost of a thriving school, with sufficient staffing, resources, and facilities to meet the needs of the student body.

Add to this that even the tuition rates are heavily leveraged by church subsidies, conference and union scholarships, tax credits, and the like.  Thus the actual liquid funds available to a school to meet its baseline expenditures can be regularly tested and often exhausted.  The cost of rescuing the schools from these times of deficit spending falls upon the local churches or the conference.  But remember that this is intervention is simply to assist the school to reach the tuition rate and not the true cost of running a school.

Unless we rally as a conference family and formulate and new paradigm for funding Adventist Education (Evangelism funds for instance or a redistribution of tithe funds sent outside the conference) and/or milk the tax credit dollars before they disappear, we will certainly experience the ultimate closure of more and more of our schools.  The local churches can no longer carry the burden of sustaining the schools in areas where socio-economic and generational shifts have taken place thus altering the support system that existed in those places a mere 30 years ago.

We are going to have to get serious about this challenge.  Prayer must become our first priority at home, at school, at the churches.  The schools must be returned to the front burner of our mission as a church.  We are losing our young people at alarming rates—this rate will only increase as larger and larger numbers of our church children receive their education outside of the Adventist system.

You probably weren’t expecting this treatise when you came to this website.  It is where I was tonight as I pondered and took inventory of the state of our schools in the Adventist system in Arizona and beyond (North America and Europe).  Pray hard!  (221.2)

That's All for Tonight, Folks!

It was a long day today.  Pastors’ meetings were held most of the day at the conference office.  No significant personal work got done today!  That means tomorrow will be totally consumed with finishing the major projects that have been waiting all week.  I had a great weekly AWC pastors’ meeting in the evening!  Thank you, PM, for the very special Pastor Appreciation gift. (221.2)

Monday on the Road

Monday night has arrived peacefully on the valley.  Penny and I arrived not long ago from a quick trip to Tucson to share some Tax Credit information with our sister school in the south.  It was a very encouraging meeting, but the stakes are very high.  As most of our schools, finances are tight and traditional sources of income are drying up.  Our schools need to tap in to the Tax Credit opportunities in an organized manner in order to stabilize the system and give it a chance to catch its corporate breath.  We’ll see.

Today, as most Mondays, was short day at the office.  Come think of it, every day is a short day at the office, considering my days usually being at TCE.  It’s a good thing I like what I do at TCE, especially in the mornings—I enjoy meeting parents as they arrive at school.  I am beginning to get the student names down.  I still mix a couple of them up.  Mr. C. is back after his two week absence.  He is an asset to the front office.  The truth is that TCE has a good set of teachers—each bringing a unique and valuable contribution to the whole.  We’ll get it right!  I’m learning.

Tomorrow is the Arizona Conference Fall Ministers’ Meeting at the AZ Conference Office.  Note: I did not refer to the meeting as the “Workers’ Meeting,” as if teachers and other conference employees are not workers!  We definitely work—more hours on average than most people.  But it’s what we do—and what we love to do.  We are changing lives every day.  Pray hard!  (221.5)

Change of Plans

Today started late (I got to wake up late)!  It was indeed a rare day on that basis alone.  The fact is that it wasn’t supposed to be the case.  I was scheduled to be taking a Defensive Driving Class from 7:15 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., due to an unexpected photograph taken of me a few weeks ago arriving a bit late on a red light and crossing the intersection of Scottsdale and Cactus. 

In all fairness, had I been going speed limit, I would have beat the light by seconds.  As it was that day I was driving considerably below the posted speed limit in an attempt to squeeze the last drop of fuel from my already petrol-frugal Prius.  It was a costly mistake—I paid the ticket and was also required to sign up for this “Driving for Dummies” class (now I have to reschedule!)

I am sure the State of Arizona will not care I was unable to fulfill my commitment to the driving class due a commitment to a church member from AWC who lost his wife and scheduled the funeral service on Sunday afternoon.  That was by far a priority.  The service was very edifying and encouraging.  Pastor J did a wonderful job facilitating the service.  I was blessed.

The remainder of the afternoon was consumed with organizational tasks at home.  Suffice it to say that for the first time in months I can actually see the entire surface of my home desk!  It is a wonderful feeling.  Penny and I even got a chance to relax a bit and see a couple of movies on TBN—both were uplifting.  It was a great way to end an unforgettable weekend.

The week ahead appears to be relatively open, which is fine with me since I still have significant projects awaiting me at the office.  I have a WASC training meeting in SoCal on Thursday, a Pastors’ Meeting at the conference office on Tuesday, and a Sabbath School Workshop on Sabbath.  God is good to me.  Every challenge is a masquerading opportunity waiting for God to unmask it!  No fear.  (220.5)

Great Sabbath Day

Sabbath provided a special sense of rest today.  Life can get away from you and sometimes life just punches you in the gut and tells you in no uncertain terms, “Stop!”  Life gave me one of those moments today.

I spent the day reassessing life, ministry, family, and faith.  Sometimes this happens because it is a much needed exercise for Christians.  Other times it is thrust upon you by events and circumstance. At the end of the day “Grace”—unmerited, unmitigated, and unending, made a sudden and surprising entrance.  It’s like I have a new lease on life and am ready to focus on those things that consume much of my time and effort, but that matter on a much lesser level than things of eternal value.

Had a great evening with Penny, reviewing our calendar for the coming school year.  It is amazing how quickly a calendar becomes almost viral!  It takes on a life of its own and will eventually consume you if left to its own devising.  It’s not a living being, but it seems like it is at times.

Yesterday’s introspection has ushered in a new determination to move ahead—learning from past mistakes, and not permitting anything or anyone to deter from the joy of serving the hundreds of children in this system.  They are the focus.  If we lose sight of that reality for any reason they are affected most.  Life’s too short!  Keep all the teachers in your daily prayers.  Students continue to arrive on our doorsteps.  That is exciting!  (221.5)

Sabbath Eve Solitude

Fifteen months ago I set out to Arizona to help a friend—to make a difference.  I left behind the better part of my heart to do it.  My traveling back and forth from Arizona to California and Penny’s itinerary in reverse was the price I paid for the honor of serving this conference.  I have given the fine people of this church constituency the best that I could have, given my personal limitations.  I do not believe this school system is the same as when I arrived.  Our dream was to make our school system one of excellence, empowering students to lead in the church, their community, and their world in the name of Christ and for the Kingdom of God.

We have only begun.  We have taken baby steps.  The process of improvement (like sanctification) is the work of a lifetime.  It is also a work of God.  Without Him our efforts are futile and they are destined to fail.  With God nothing is impossible!

I have been involved in ministry for the better part of thirty years.  I am acquainted with naysayers and doubters.  I have worked obstructionists and complainers.  I have experienced the best that ministry can afford, and I have also tasted moments of abject emotional pain.  I would not wish those moments on anyone.

Given all that, I have always been able to detach myself from these annoyances by simply accepting people and situations for what they are—uncontrollable.  I cannot control people or events—they happen and act as they do.  I have also been cognizant that I also share in the dynamics and thus I am a full participant in whatever happens, bad or good. 

I have guided my ministry by two basic principles:  I will never forget who I work for (God), and I will never lose sight of why I do what I do (people—mostly the young).

In this moment of Sabbath Eve introspection I am beginning to doubt my future.  I have taken the best shots aimed at me with as much grace as I could muster.  However,  I begin to wonder if the battle is worth it.  Can it be that what we bring is not what is needed?  Is it possible that what we are attempting to elicit is unwanted and unappreciated? 

Here is the rub—can it be that I am the cause of all this animosity?  Have I come to believe in what I am trying to accomplish so much that I have become someone I always said I would never become—a person who values results and goals and things more than he values people?  I cannot bear the thought.

I am going to spend a sleepless night in prayer.  I am going to take a long walk and reassess my standing.  I did not canvass for this position.  I responded to a need because that is what I taught my children to do.  But nothing is so important that it warrants surrendering your faith and salvation.  If I have truly hurt someone because of a decision or choice made, I truly apologize.  To think I may have acted to others as some are choosing to act troubles me and makes me think that it is time to reconsider my choice.  In spite of my failures and shortcomings, and they are many, my family is most precious to me. 

Please pardon my frankness.  Perhaps it’s being alone again that has my heart feeling especially heavy.  Pray for the children of our church; they are a most precious element.  Without them we have no future.  May you be part of the wave of support they need to know Jesus and to develop as solid citizens of this world and of the Kingdom of God.  I sign off. Happy Sabbath! (225.2)