There are some essentials in life: learning to love God and others well; pursuing a good education; service in the community; facilitating joy and laughter; working toward various goals, etc. Other aspects of life are beneficial but perhaps not essential. How much do you encourage your children to press forward in areas that are not always a source of major delight to them? I refer specifically to piano (and the practice that necessarily comes with it). We are not an excessively musical family. We do, however, thoroughly enjoy all aspects of music learning and performance and value the type of education that musical pursuit provides. Thus, we have MADE them take piano...for four years now....and despite some grumbling which we have endured along the way, it was a good decision. Above, James receives his fourth trophy for music festival achievement. We are proud of him for not only submitting to our desire that he become musically competent but also for the sense of accomplishment that he has gained by pressing on.
In light of an essential in life, service to the community, I was able to work with Quinn's third grade class in a project called H.O.P.E. (Homeless Outreach Providing Encouragement) to help the homeless in our area. The children decorated paper bags and then filled them with food. These bags are given out in the evenings to those who live on the street. A formerly homeless man came and spoke to the class. He, in the past, had a very good job but then became injured and lost his job. He had no "safety net", i.e. no family to turn to, not enough in savings, and thus became homeless for over four years. He is now employed by H.O.P.E. His story helped me realize how close many of us are to similar circumstances. Without a close-knit blood or church family and without enough community resources, I could end up in the same place. It also reminded me that the Son of Man had "nowhere to lay his head". The poor and the marginalized are intensely important to Him.
