Roots around Rock: Ideals vs. Norms:

Thoughts on Teaching toward Ideals in a Less-Than Ideal World

Part I: The  Understood Tensions inTeaching Ideals
[Click on highlighted words in this post for support links.]

The instructional philosophy and program of any school is based on a set of assumptions. Some call these assumptions a worldview for they do, indeed, determine how we interpret the world around us. An important characteristic of one’s worldview is determining whether it is shaped by fixed ideals or changing norms. Teaching from a foundation of ideals is to some too idealistic—too out-dated, to out of touch with reality, too authoritative, too non-inclusive—to be included in the 21^st Century classroom. But if guiding principles and ideals cannot be taught in a school setting, what hope is there beyond its walls? Ideals are standards of expectation toward which individuals or societies can strive; they are not meant to govern, per se, but to guide. 

Ideals do not replace reality; they inspire us to improve upon it. Self-governance, for example, is an ideal which requires the reality of law enforcement, but this fact does not make reality more important than the ideals that help shape it; it merely reflects the interdependence of the two terms. Ideals that have no effect upon reality are no more attractive than reality which does not reflect ideals.

Just as there is interdependence between ideals and reality, ideals themselves cannot properly function in isolation. The quality of mercy, for instance, means little without the reality of justice. It is the natural tension between the two ideals that makes each effective. There is similar tension between our founder’s ideals of equality and freedom. Most free people consider it self-evident that “all men are created equal,” and such equality is best seen in the equal disbursement of freedom. Within the context of liberty, however, comes the freedom to excel, to “build a better mousetrap,” so to speak. Excelling is a competitive process that implies doing something BETTER than—not equal to—the other guy.

Thomas Jefferson’s understanding of equally-created people in their pursuit of happiness means little without the freedom to excel—which is to rise above "sameness" with those in the same pursuit. Freedom also allows people to rest in that pursuit—and to be content with the way things are or to reach different conclusions regarding similar things: 

In other words, one can build a better mousetrap if he chooses; or rally for the rights of mice as PETA chooses; or build a kingdom and a fortune with a mouse as Disney did. Three very different paths, freely chosen, with very unequal outcomes, and there is room for all three perspectives in the principled pluralism of a constitutional republic. 

[Note: This does not mean that PETA's cry for animal rights is morally equal to causes like Right to Life. It simply means that, constitutionally speaking, PETA activists are free to equate themselves with rats so long as they treat people who disagree with them humanely.] 

The understood tension between freedom and equality is better understood when equality is seen as the ideal of providing a level playing field rather than manipulating an equal score. To whatever extent equality guarantees outcomes each individual’s freedom to excel is proportionately diminished. Schools are wise to teach the importance of equal opportunity in conjunction with each person’s freedom to excel. There is a similar relationship between individual and corporate effort. Even though doing one’s best is an individual responsibility, achieving excellence is rarely done in isolation; it is more attainable with the help of parents, teachers, and peers; and it is more sustainable in the context of community and complementary skill sets.

It is the tension between valued ideals that makes them difficult to teach and emulate, but the task is also hard because ideals are not comfortable. Ideals do not exist to conform to man’s nature but to transform it. Formative ideals must naturally be harder than the nature they hope to transform. There’s the rub. 

Striving toward individual or collective ideals implies friction, effort and yielding, falling down and getting up and starting all over again. There is after all, that continuous clash between ideals and the realities of resistance. But just because just causes sometimes fail does not mean justice will not more often prevail; just because exceptions to a rule may sometimes be in order does not mean order itself should not be preserved; and just because students may see brokenness in and around themselves each day should not dim their hopes of a better tomorrow and purpose for embracing it.

The process of teaching ideals begins with an understanding of human nature. Left to his own devises is man basically good at heart ?... or is man's nature prone toward depravity changed only by divine intervention? The answer determines one's worldview.

As is so vividly depicted in William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, the question of man's nature is answered by the this unfolding reality: human behavior is only as "good" as his sense that authority exists to which he will someday give an account. The story proves that the ability to exercise "good judgment" individually requires an authoritative sense of right and wrong and the belief that collective accountability to that authority will someday be restored. 

Golding's tale [see film here] reveals that, when shared ideals and expectations erode, behavior devolves to each man doing what is right in his own eyes. "Eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die" becomes the existential law of the island [which is a symbol of earth] as fewer and fewer boys believe that someone will save them. Lost is a hope of rescue (salvation), and equally lost is the notion that the boys will ever give an account of their actions on the island. 
As hope fades, the unifying call of the conch shell soon gives way to fear followed by bravado and  tribal chants to do away with Ralph and "Piggy" who dare hold to forgotten moral codes as they  speak out against wrong behavior. A society that stops calling things "wrong" may suppress feelings of guilt in the short term, but in the long term, guilt-free depravity removes the foundation upon which individual freedom and corporate governance function. The last scene of Lord of the Flies is an excellent illustration of this truth.

Teaching toward ideals is not about survivalism or a vain attempt to build a Utopian society. Nor should it breed judgmental eyes or nose-lifting elitism. Just as one can embrace ideals without becoming a blind ideologue, one can strive to develop principled good judgment without becoming the earthly judge of those choose not to agree with it. This approach echos the old maxim of etiquette: The truest test of manners is how one treats those who lack them. 

A balanced approach to teaching of and toward ideals does not mean teachers must be neutral, always claiming the middle ground or forever straddling every fence as if they hold no personal beliefs; balance does not mean they must teach that all belief systems are equal, for indeed, history proves they are not. Ideas have consequences for better or worse, and it is the long-term effect of an idea on the future of an organization or civilization that should determine its merit in the present. It is a selfless and noble worldview that can project unintended consequences of "change" beyond a lifetime to the next generation.

Part II: Are we talking about Ideas or Ideals? What is the difference?

Here it may be helpful to point out the difference between ideas and ideals. Both words are derived from the Greek root, ídein ‘to see’. Its first use is seen in Plato's writing  where the root word ideo is used to mean the “archetypal form of something,” the standard to strive for, which implies objective meaning beyond one’s own thoughts. Applying the root meaning “to see,” it is as if an idea is a spark in the mind (or the light bulb a cartoonist might draw over an inventor’s head) whereas an ideal is a beacon, a lighthouse in the distance that guides.

In modern usage, the word idea more often refers to a subjective notion or creative thought originating in one’s mind.  Ideas are far more subjective, spontaneous, and innumerable than ideals.  Ideas may be good or bad, and therefore, shared ideas require collective scrutiny. The more people an idea affects, the more inclusive the dialogue should be. Ideas are wonderful part of being created in the image of God. Ideas fuel inventiveness, ingenuity, creativity, problems solving, etc. 

The story of mankind cannot be told without understanding the many ideas that have come and gone through the centuries. During such discussions participants should not confuse a genuine respect for one's right to share and idea (or hold an opinion) with a pretense of equal respect for all ideas or opinions. Credibility must be earned. Sound ideas gain acceptance through merit, and in that sense they become more like ideals if they stand the test of time. For this reason, students must understand that the ideal of “free speech” does not guarantee the non-existent right of "equal acceptance of all ideas." This is not to say that acceptance or public opinion alone determines the merit of an idea. What may be popular is not always right, and what is right may not always be popular. A balanced approach to teaching ideals equips students to take a stand and to practice principled pluralism with others. Understanding these terms is essential to teaching toward ideals in a less than ideal world.

Part III: The Importance of Teaching toward Ideals Rather Than Norms

As previously mentioned, formative ideals must be harder than the nature they hope to transform.

Ideals inspire standards which hold true over long periods of time. It is the static nature of ideals that causes them to fall in and out of favor—particularly within cultures that thrive on constant change whose very economies depend upon planned obsolesence in everything from fashion to durable goods.

Norms are collective patterns of behavior and societal tolerances. They are shaped by trends and the shifting winds of politics, pop-culture and public opinion. Norms are not inherently good or bad, right or wrong, but they tend to absorb absolutes and dissolve differences—to blend the black and white to gray. Norms seek an ever broader way and embrace the exchange of “new for old” on the assumption that change itself is naturally toward what is good. Little thought is given to the burden of proof incumbent upon change or the unintended consequences that come by failing to meet that burden.

Norms are therefore in constant flux as opposed to the steadfast nature of ideals. Perhaps this tension between norms and ideals is to be expected in a democracy in which public opinion and the power of majorities carry so many issues of the day. Ironically, however, the more tolerant a society becomes to constant change the less tolerant that society is toward those who hold to changeless ideals. Some call this phenomenon “reverse intolerance" or "unprincipled pluralism.” It is more often exhibited in cynicism based on the false premise that an “open mind” is superior to a firm belief. As a natural result, fewer and fewer firm beliefs are tolerated and therefore, over time, they are silenced or less frequently expressed. 

The ever-broader nature of cultural norms eventually prompts observers to ask, “If anything goes, what stays?” Over time—sometimes decades, sometimes centuries—it is the fluid, ever-dissolving, ever-absorbing nature of norms that brings them to a saturation point. It is then that a lost society stares deep in the cloudy saturated solution of norms and sees that on forgotten fibers deep inside crystals have formed, hard as rock. These crystals take on new value though they are as old as time; they are the ideals that were dissolved and forgotten in the swirl and heat and fluidity of time and change. The stability of a community rests in its ability to separate enduring ideals from swirling, temporal norms and ask: “How then should we live?”  

The Latin term for "the way things are" is status quo. In Western culture those two words are almost always used in the pegorative sense. Progressive attitudes assume that change for change sake is for the better.

In change-driven cultures, norms gradually assume the formative role of ideals. The rightness of a norm is proven by its acceptance into normality. In this sense, "rightness" does not mean righteous but alright. Something frowned upon a generation ago suddenly becomes alright, which is counterfeit to the word’s root meaning. Profanity, vulgarity, immodesty, lascivious grinding on a dance floor, and countless other behaviors once considered “taboo” steadily slither into common practice under the mantra of “Everybody’s doing it so it must be alright,” and with no more rationale than that, norms change, and behavior that was considered disgraceful or illegal for centuries is suddenly on parade.

In this sense norms are like thermometers, accepting and reflecting external changes as the new reality. Ideals are quite the opposite; they function as a thermostat, pressing toward a mark in hopes of influencing reality to a better end. 
Cultures shaped by norms rather than ideals tend to accommodate regrettable behavior rather than abstaining from it.…

The line schools draw between instructing toward ideals while writing policy and creating a school culture that recognizes the realities of human nature is an important matter for each district to decide. It is highly recommended, however, that ideals and not norms be used to set the guiding standards. Norms do not point where we should be going as a society, they merely confirm the direction we are headed, which history confirms is a never-ending cycle of “waxing worse” with time.

How should we then live and instruct so that enduring ideals can both appeal to conscience and help shape consensus? By teaching and modeling a human condition that surpasses our longing to belong and our need to feel normal. Such needs stem from an even deeper yearning: the hope of being unconditionally loved. These needs are compelling and should affect human interaction at all levels. But there is an unintended consequence of normalization, even in matters pertaining to unconditional love —the most important of all ideals. In a society that settles for coexistence, the higher ideal of unconditional love is substituted with mere tolerance. Worse yet, if the process of changing norms (aka, “the new normal”) becomes political or coercive, what begins as a plea for acceptance—whatever the issue may be—often becomes a demand for equal status of unequal things. The shift from acceptance to legislated or imposed approval unwittingly negates the beauty of unconditional love by imposing conditions. In other words, even when the concept of tolerance becomes a norm (noble as it may sound), it falls sadly short of a much more valuable commodity: the ideal of unconditional love.

Unconditional love is not undiscerning nor is it blind to things that are wrong; it is the ability to see what is unacceptable while at the same time seeing through it with the hope that grace may abound.

Ideals, in the truest sense, transcend norms. They are not just lofty words or feel-good maxims. They are not stepping stones conveniently placed along some garden walk. Stepping stones have a purpose, but they are typically put in place by man for the paths of his own choosing.
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 Ideals are immovable boulders deep in the ground, exposed over time in the grip of roots…and forever bound through the ages. 
They line the rugged, narrow path from where we are to where we know we ought to be as taught in Ancient Words proven true through centuries. They guide mankind away from the short-cuts of mere coexistence toward the time-tested principles, purposes, and behaviors that perpetuate life itself and nurture the best of relationship and stewardship intended for earth as it can only be imagined in an “ideal” world. That is the heart of the kind of “community” that transcends geography and is built instead on the common ground of shared ideals.

The rise and fall of all civilizations is the story of man’s struggle to strive toward ideals that are seemingly beyond his grasp and his regrettable acceptance of human nature’s norms that are so readily within his reach. It is through striving—with all the help made known to man—striving toward our highest ideals (even if not attaining them) that individuals, homes, communities, and civilizations have the faintest hope of reflecting their intended purposes on earth.

Ideally, parents understand their lead role in the training and education of their children, and ideally they can find a school partner that understands and supports that role in a context where formative, enduring ideals have more influence than ever-changing norms. The most important choices of life depend on knowing that difference, but even when the parents and school agree on the importance of including ideals in the educational process some important questions remain:

Who decides which ideals are expected of mankind? Is it pop culture, political activists, the legislature and/or the courts that decide which ideals are relevant and which are passé? Or is there a higher authorship/authority/authoritative source for such things? Is the world in which we live the product of random chance—just part of a galactic box of BBs spilled? Is man the master of his own fate or is there One whose Word has set the ideals and provided the plan for all who fall short of them? Is it not this same authority to whom each individual will someday give an account?

Some educators and school systems claim that such questions may have a place in religion but not in education. This assumption, however, requires a separation of learning from life itself—separating science from conscience, facts from faith, theory from wonder and wonder from belief. Educating in a vacuum that leaves God and faith out of the equation not only compartmentalizes personal existence but also elevates the study of created things above the mere mention of a Creator. Ultimately such a “faith-free” education promises students that they can gain a full understanding of “the whole world” while giving no thought to things that transcend this world.

Based on most state-required “hours of instruction,” the average student spends over 15,000 hours under the influence and supervision of school teachers during his/her K-12 education. The quantity of time at home may be greater than the time spent at school, and ideally the influence of the home is even more compelling, but imagine the educational advantage of having the school and home on the same page. Imagine students not needing to compartmentalize the lessons of life. Imagine a school setting that purposefully integrates learning with life, science with conscience, facts with faith, theory with wonder, and wonder with belief. 

At the time of this writing, the Pledge of Allegiance is still said in public schools, but there is a difference between being “one nation under God” and being a nation that strives toward His ideals. It is true that this nation and the whole world is “under God” for He cannot be expelled from any place, but His role as our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend has been banned by law from the curriculum, lesson plans, celebrations, and student-teacher relationships of state-run schools. Imagine a place where the opposite is true.

Parents do have a choice in education.

Imagine an education in which the pressures of conformity to ever-changing norms is evaluated in the context that we are in but not of this world. Imagine a place where the norm, if you will, is caring for this world but knowing our purpose in it is to love God and others while holding fast to the unchanging, transformative Biblical ideals shared by the school, home, and church.

              

The school that is rooted in such shared ideals becomes more than a school; it becomes a community that partners with the home in teaching young people not only how to make a living  but also how to live.

Originally printed for CCS in booklet form in 2013

© Tom Kapanka, 2010, 2013

An Eagle's Eye View of the CCS Building...

As our school family and friends will soon learn, our capital campaign is beginning to soar. We can't wait to share more about this at the 

CCS Fall Harvest Banquet on November 5, 2015. 

Two years ago, I posted some thoughts about soaring.  I read that post again today. It is a very good reminder of the hard work involved in rising up. Double-click that underlined link to read the full article yourself. Here is just a short portion:

"The promise that our strength can be renewed implies that it can also be depleted...Some may ask, "What about the promise in the second part of the verse that says, 'They shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. Doesn’t that mean that we will never get tired while serving the Lord?"  I don’t think so. Even well-trained  runners are exhausted after “pressing on toward the mark.” (Philippians 3:13-15)  I don’t think the word weary implies physical exhaustion as much as complete mental or emotional fatigue. In other words, being weary is not being tired from what you’re doing—it is being tired of what you’re doing. Weary is a dangerous place to be; it is dark and pathless valley cluttered with quit and overshadowed by the bad decisions of centuries past.

I can assure you that the CCS team is not weary. Even so, it's good to pause... to close our eyes and visualize, May this uplifting video enlighten our perspective with a view from above. 

[Notes: The cross in the architecture of this building, as seen from above, was the subject of a previous post and a front-page article in the April 18, 2014, Muskegon Chronicle. 

A small section of black roof east of the rotunda was painted silver to complete the image in the fall of 2015. Local pilots and guests flying into the Muskegon Airport (depending on landing route)have informed us that they can see the cross easily from the window of the plane.

Why Mission Matters...

Note: The following article is a line-by-line discussion of the mission statement of Calvary Christian Schools. It was first published in two installments on the cover of the final two school newsletters of the 2014-2015 school year.

When we say something was done on purpose, we mean it was not an accident, not a random sequence of mishaps, not an afterthought.  It was planned. It was intentional. This can be said of creation itself, and it can be said of the institutions in place that help us carry out God’s plan in this world.

The following is an abridged version of the CCS Mission Statement you see in all of our documents. It is abridged because we have recently been encouraged to trim the 37 words down to 18 words. This example is 6 lines with 3 words in each line to help us remember them. The first part of this article covers the first three lines:

Partnering with parents

to equip students

toward personal excellence

and the pursuit

of God’s purpose

for their lives.

Line one: "Partnering with parents…" This joint venture is based on the assumption that the responsibility of “training up a child in the way he/she should go” (Proverbs 22:6) falls first and foremost to the home. The Christian home should not fully delegate this parental responsibility to any institution, public or private, but it can choose to partner with educators who humbly serve “in loco parentis.” This Latin term literally means “in place of parents,” but it does not mean “instead of parents.” It more accurately implies “from the place where parents stand.” In other words, does it not make common sense to choose training partners who stand on common ground?

The staff at CCS strives to reflect parental care as they come along side to help instruct, direct, discipline (discipleship), and love their students. This being true, the “product” of the Christian school is not the student that the home sends to the setting, but more rightly the setting and service that the school provides to the home.

The average student spends over 15,000 hours under the influence and supervision of school teachers during his/her K-12 education. Imagine the educational advantage of having a like-minded partnership between the school and home. Imagine a school setting that purposefully integrates learning with life, science with conscience, facts with faith, theory with wonder, and wonder with belief.

Being like-minded is not being “close-minded” to differing perspectives—it is agreement on essential truths. It is as inclusive as God’s Kingdom but as limited as His narrow way. (Matthew 7:13-14)

Like-mindedness is best achieved through unity in essential matters, liberty in deferential matters and charity in all matters.

Line two: “to equip students...” The word equip comes from the Old French esquiper which means “to fit out or outfit for a voyage.” The Scandinavian variant, skipa, means “to put in order and man a ship.” The term “skipper” comes from this word.  The word equip strongly implies that a journey is ahead, one that requires forethought, outfitting, training, direction, and leadership. For this reason, CCS often describes our program as “life prep” rather than “college prep.” The objectives of Christian education extend far beyond college (though college is the next step for 85+% of our students.)

Line three: “Toward personal excellence” is the process of striving for one’s "personal best” in the formative endeavors of life. Scripture teaches that we are not equally talented in all areas and that we must work together to truly excel.  Becoming a leader is simply helping others strive toward personal excellence on the right path.  Effective leaders are people whose character, knowledge, and judgment command respect. They often lead not by taking charge but by being an example.  Striving toward personal excellence in community is a more worthy goal than trying to “be the best.” Thinking one must be “the best” will lead to either defeatism or elitism. God calls us to neither extreme. Our Heavenly Father asks only that we seek His help to do our best with the gifts and the circumstances He grants us.

Pressing toward personal excellence implies that God’s calling is a pursuit not a place, a journey not a destination. These thoughts are continued in the final three lines of the mission statement, which we will discuss in the next newsletter. 

Part Two of the Mission Statement Article was in the Summer 2015 Newsletter. It covers the final three lines:

Partnering with parents

to equip students

toward personal excellence

in the pursuit

of God’s purpose

for their lives.

Let’s  resume our discussion at the fourth line: “in the pursuit…”

 “The pursuit of” are words etched in history and our minds because of their use in Thomas Jefferson's “Declaration of Independence.”

These familiar words are part of what Jefferson called “self-evident truths”: “That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness….” 

In the Calvary mission statement, however, we add an understanding of happiness that transcends the feeling produced by favorable happenings and leads to the more enduring state of joy.

The difference between happiness and joy is similar to the difference between the word hopes (with an s) and hope (without the s). It is fine to have hopes, dreams, goals, etc. in life, but it is more important to have hope (singular) as Psalm 39:7 says, “And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.” This thought rings out in an old hymn:

“My hope is in the Lord 
Who gave Him-self for me
And paid the price 
Of all my sin at Calvary”.

And so it is our goal to make sure CCS students understand that both passing happiness and lasting joy will come not from pursuing happiness as an end in itself but rather from pursuing God’s purpose for their lives.

Some may wonder if this part of our mission sounds educational enough for a school. After all, shouldn’t a school’s primary pursuit be high academic achievement?  Please understand, that these are not mutually exclusive goals. Calvary does pursue academic excellence. Our students do shine on standardized test, in the community, and in the college placement process.

For instance, there is no other school that comes close to producing the number of Law Day speech contest winners that CCS has through the years. This contest is open to all schools in Muskegon county; it is hosted by the Muskegon Bar Association; and for over ten years, CCS has had won well over a dozen top winners in this highly competitive public speaking forum.

Come to any CCS commencement program and you’ll see first-hand the countless academic achievements our students earn from various institutions beyond our walls

But good grades, high honors, and a fine education are not ends in themselves. They are bi-products of the equipping process (see second line of mission statement). Knowledge and skill sets are tools meant to be used. Used for what task?

 For what purpose are we equipping students? 

God’s purpose for their lives. That purpose is not a point on a calendar or a map or an org-chart. That purpose is an unfolding plan that students cannot fully understand at age 18… or age 38… or age 58 because God is never finished equipping us for his service.

Knowing God’s purpose on a daily basis involves striving to love God and our neighbor (as Christ summarized Mark 12:30-31). Keeping the vertical relationship (with God) and the horizontal relationships (with man) in order is part of God’s plan for believers.

Career choices, college plans, life partners, etc. are part of the unfolding pursuit--not of happiness as Jefferson said--but of the joy, contentment, and happiness that comes from seeking and fulfilling God’s purpose for our lives. God has a plan for each of us. Our calling is to press on in His name.

Each summer we celebrate the 4^th of July, the birthday of the document mentioned above. Last May, CCS graduated its Class of 2015. It was a blessing to hear the students share their hopes and plans, but it was even more rewarding to hear them speak of their hope (without the “s”), their hope in the Lord, their desire to pursue His will.

It is understanding the difference between happiness and joy, hopes and hope, that will see our students through the highs and lows of the long, rewarding journey shared by all who follow Christ.                                  

 Tom Kapanka

CCS  Administrator

Hope Without the "S"

Hopes have a secret parlor
just big enough for two
with a loveseat near a reading lamp
and a window with a view.








Hope_ is a high cathedral
where we sometimes sit alone
in the silence of the stained glass
and the certainty of stone.

Hopes and dreams that happen
are the stuff of happiness
but more enduring is the Joy
of Hope… without the “s.”
© Copyright 2003, Tom Kapanka, Patterns of Ink
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“…and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings,
because we know that suffering produces perseverance;
perseverance, character; and character, hope.
And hope does not disappoint us…” Romans 5:1-5
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This poem and post was originall written for my personal blog Patterns of Ink in 2003. and dedicated to my brother Jim and his wife Heather upon their son Joey's long-awaited welcome to their home. It was posted at Calvary's "To Begin With..." as an illustration of the final part of the Mission Statement post above it. 

CCS Freshmen Surprise Their Friend

I don't usually post personal items like this, and we will leave out student names for privacy, but a really cool thing happened today in our Freshmen Class. The Jostens Representative was here to deliver school rings for the Class of 2018. When she heard the story behind one of the rings, she got out her phone and recorded this presentation. (Sorry about the lo-def upload.)

The classmates learned that one of their new members really wanted a ring but could not order one. So they all pitched in and bought him a beautiful class ring. He is speechless but very moved. There is a moment of silence followed by laughter at the 29 second mark. Someone said, "We hope it fits." It did fit perfectly, and he wore it the rest of the day.

I later spoke with him (to get permission to share this), and he was still very moved by the kindness of his friends.

These events are unplanned. I knew nothing about it until the Jostens rep came into the office to show us what she had just witnessed. She was literally moved to tears and said in all her years of serving schools in this area, she has never seen this happen.

Interestingly enough this 9th grade presentation happened the morning after one of our seniors posted these candid thoughts on Facebook.

Calvary is a special place!

Crossing the Path

Just beyond the open gate

began a straight and narrow path

that prompted me to watch and wait

and whisper to myself: “He that hath

the Son hath life, and he that hath not…”

Thinking back, I saw the leper’s limb,

the blind man’s eyes, the empty cot

of one who walked because of Him.

I saw a desperate woman in the crowd

who having merely touched His hem

was healed and trembling cried aloud.

His perception and power amazed them

there as did his scribbling in the sand

the day the stones dropped to the ground.

When left alone, His outstretched hand

raised the woman to her feet and found

her uncondemned to go and sin no more.

Divine encounters all, cloaked in interruption

to Him who said, “Behold, I stand at the door

and knock,” yet He enters at His will so corruption,

sin, death and disease are met not with wrath

but mercy that, by faith, removes the dross

in that moment when we cross the path

that led Him…and leads us… to the cross.

© 3-22-15 Tom Kapanka

Back when I was writing more regularly, I tried to provide a special post or poem each Easter with embedded links  that give context to each image. (Links can be seen by clicking on the gold-colored words above.)

These thoughts were prompted by a sermon and a note from a friend who reminded me that God always has a purpose for making paths cross. I have said phrases like "crossed my path" all my life. It typically means that the encounter was happenstance or unplanned. But when I saw the phrase in my friend's note, I saw the double meaning of "cross," and how Christ changed the lives of those who crossed his path (which was in fact a path that led ultimately to the cross).

There are many other illustrations of this truth. To name just a few more: think of how Jesus treated the Centurion, Mary and Martha, and tax collectors who crossed his path. From a human perspective, nearly all of these divine encounters with Jesus were "interruptions." This does not mean they were not part of the plan or that they caused our Lord to stray from His path or lose focus, for indeed, his path--his purpose--was to encounter people and change their lives. It happened again and again during His earthly ministry and happens still today.

At CCS, we try to respect each other's time, we try to make appointments with teachers, etc. rather than just stopping them in the hall or at church, etc. Even so, we know there will always be "people interruptions" that come through our door or across our path. The same is probably true for everyone in every work place.

When this happens, how do you view those opportunities to reflect Christ? May these thoughts be a reminder to follow Christ's example regarding those who cross our path, even if they do not share our perspective (or even our best interest).

I heard a pastor say recently that 40% of our Lord's recorded ministry was initiated by an "interruption." In the case of Matthew, the tax collector, Jesus initiated the interruption by simply saying "follow me" as he passed.

Today He asks the same of all who claim to have crossed His path.

Have a wonderful Holy Week and Spring Break!

The Open Doors and Open Arms of China...

Our 17 preschoolers walked like ducks in a row down the hall, and I stepped aside to watch them.

“Are you Mr. Kapanka?” asked the little girl at the end of the line.

“Yes, I am.” I replied.

“Did you really eat rattlesnake soup?”

“yewwwww!” moaned the other 4-year-olds.

I had to laugh. Who would have guessed that after two weeks in China, my first question from students would be about rattlesnake soup?

It is actually very good. So is eel, squid, roasted snake, snails and lots of other menu items I politely tried each day. (Though I must admit, after five days, I was glad to see a KFC at Tienanmen Square.) 

(Double-click on photos to enlarge.)

I have been eager to tell our CCS friends and family about a recent opportunity I had to represent CCS in China. This extensive trip came at no cost to our school….thanks to our friends at www.theedulink.com.  In 14 days from October 23 to November 5, we logged 18,000 air miles, which is roughly the same as flying around the world at Chicago’s latitude. With the exception of some educational sight-seeing in Beijing, the trip was all business involving international student fairs, meetings with investors and school/local officials, and visits to various schools in Beijing, Shanghai, Zhengzhou, and Nanning, China, (as well as 3-days in Bangkok, Thailand).

I was asked to bring as many Calvary promotional items as possible, but knowing little about this fast-developing nation, I was not sure how receptive students and parents would be to our CCS materials. Imagine my surprise on day six when we pulled up to one of the largest high schools in Zhengzhou, China, and saw a large electronic sign welcoming Calvary Christian School.

As I visited with English-speaking students across China, it was clear that many of them long to experience an American education.  Since returning from the trip, our school website has been read by many Chinese guests (probably students and public officials). We welcome them to our site.

Calvary has been home to international students every year since 2002. This is our first year to have Chinese-speaking students. This recent trip represents a strategic expansion of Calvary’s international presence in that part of the world. What an honor it is to share Calvary’s perspective on education and the beginning of wisdom—if for no other reason than to help them understand that America’s greatest values are not determined by Hollywood and hip-hop music. 

Like our Chinese friends, CCS values the heritage and ideals of our ancestors and founding fathers as well as the wisdom found in ancient words. The differences are important, to be sure, but communication begins where the common ground of shared life overlaps.

One of our pending plans could provide a business opportunity to partner with a new private school in Shanghai (pending approval) that would both broaden our educational influence abroad and strengthen our footing here at home. Each year, a certain amount of international students will continue to study here at Calvary during the school year. Plans also include possible summer programs. In both cases, host families can share life and model personal hope and purpose in this ever-changing world and ever-smaller planet. We will keep you posted about these opportunities to share open doors and open arms with China.

Words cannot express the experience of seeing this vast country on the cusp of unimaginable development and new educational horizons. It was an honor to be introduced to fellow educators in this far-away land. Please take a moment to view this photo-montage showing highlights from the trip. 



If you are reading this on the CCS website and would like to read against a light background, this article may also be read at [To Begin With on Blogger.]
For some awe-inspiring professional time-lapse video footage of China CLICK HERE.

Update March, 2015: As is always true when blazing new trails, some of the details of this post have changed in the subsequent months, but opportunities in China continue to develop, and we continue to commit them to prayer as they unfold.