Darkness and Light are Alike to God, at Christmas Time and Always

Giorgio Vasari

Christmas blessings from southern Idaho to all my fellow teachers and their families! I hope you have a little snow, or at least a poinsettia or some greenery to brighten up your home.

In my house, we don't a have a Christmas tree yet, but there's snow on the ground and it's ten below. We're cozy as can be with our wood fire and a few extra blankets. My daughter instigated cookie dough-making yesterday for baking and decorating today, and last night I sat down with the three kids to read some Christmas books. My five-year-old, being a bit bouncy, only sat still for A Charlie Brown Christmas, but my artist daughter enjoyed the second book, a telling of the Christmas story from the King James version of the Bible with illustrations from famous nativity paintings. Christianity Today offers a wonderful roundup of children's books to read aloud during the Christmas season.

I also showed the kids a couple of YouTube clips to teach them about the Mexican tradition of Las Posadas, a nativity celebration that commemorates Mary and Joseph's search for lodging in Bethlehem. Here's a great sing-along with the Posada song in Spanish and English. And the kids loved the "What's a Piñata?" scene from Disney's The Three Caballeros, which tells the Posada story sensitively to a typically antic Donald Duck.

It takes a bit of effort to find ways to teach our children about the Christ of Christmas, when the commercial and anti-religion culture of our day has us so entangled. A little thing like nativity scene cookie cutters or sending an inspirational eCard might seem futile against the tide of the World's cultural norms. But God is so good at taking small things and making them into great things.

I don't know why we watch TV. Now more than ever, commercials and programming proclaim the death of Christian morals. I've quit watching network television myself, but I happened to catch some last night when my husband was watching football. I had to leave the room. I've seen enough commercials this fall pushing the liberal agenda to know that TV is not for me. I applaud the Christians who remain in the entertainment industries, writing scripts, directing, acting, casting, and doing so many other jobs that have an influence on our culture in subtle and spectacular ways. God still has the power to use you for good in a dark world. But last night, I went to my room and opened my Bible in search of comfort after what I had seen. God led me to Psalm 139:11-12:

"If I say, 'Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, and the light around me will be night,' even the darkness is not dark to Thee, and the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to Thee." (NASB)

It would be so easy to become depressed over the state of the world and the seeming futility of our efforts to raise our children to love God over video games and despite the messages all around that sin is good and self is god. This world is dark. Overwhelmingly so. But the Psalm says, "even the darkness is not dark to Thee." It's the same world to God, dark or light. He is no more distant from the Christian who calls on Him. As Psalm 145:18 says, "The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth."

Let's call on Him in truth this Christmas season, since He is so near.

How do you teach your children that Jesus is near to them at Christmas? What Christ-centered traditions do you keep? Please share with us by leaving a comment below.

Further reading:
Herod--Alive and Well
Christmas Lights in My Classroom


Christian Teacher, Public School does not ask for your donations, but please consider clicking these links and shopping at our affiliates, Dayspring.com and Dover Publishing. Thank you for your readership and prayers as we enter 2017. Teachers need encouragement to shine as lights in a dark world!

Keeping Christ at the Center of Christmas

I have to admit, I'm excited to spend time shopping for gifts this Christmas, even though the commercialism abounds in stores and online. This is the perfect time to show the world a contrast to self-centered impatience when we're standing in line, selecting gifts, and conversing with people around us. As I look for the perfect presents for my Secret Santa and for each family member, I am especially on the lookout for gifts that point to Jesus, the Savior which is Christ the Lord. I also make a point to thank vendors who offer nativity-themed gifts and decor, and in my classroom, I'm encouraging students to think of those less fortunate than themselves.

One of my favorite places to find Christ-centered gifts is Dayspring (affiliate link). I can spend hours in their eCard Studio, writing and sending cards that encourage others any season of the year. And right now, Dayspring is offering 30% off sitewide for their Black Friday Sale. Beat the mad shopping rush, find Christ-centered gifts and decor, and help Christian Teacher, Public School keep blogging.

Thank you so much for your encouragement and readership. Have a blessed Thanksgiving!

Balance and Boundaries

It's a great pleasure to introduce my first guest author, Dalene Vickery Parker. She currently teaches English 10-12, as well as Creative Writing, Public Speaking, and Journalism in the South Carolina public school system. Her book, Christian Teachers in Public Schools: 13 Essentials for the Classroom, was published by Beacon Hill Press in 2012.

I have been reading and loving this book! It's a realistic guide for teachers who long to share the light of Christ, but need help and support to figure out how to do so within the confines of the public school. It has been a great encouragement to me, and I know it will be to you as well. Read it. Give it as a gift to a Christian teacher who has meant a lot to you.

Post a comment below for a chance to win a signed copy of Dalene's book, Christian Teachers in Public Schools! Enter by January 1, 2016. The winner will contacted by January 5.

Thanks for blogging with me, Dalene!

Amy








Balance and Boundaries

by Dalene Vickery Parker

The first night of Christmas break I resolve not to do any schoolwork for a solid week. After all, I lost many hours’ sleep this week creating and grading exams. The last day of the semester I stayed at school until 6:30 pm, trying to wrap up, finalize, and shut down everything before leaving.

But Friday night, my mind won’t shut down –or shut out—school. Not yet, anyway. New ideas for learning activities keep popping into my head, even as I soak my weary bones in a steaming bath seasoned with Christmas Spirit essential oil. I jot down the ideas circling in my head as soon as I emerge and smile at the invitation of a new year, a new start with new students.

But Saturday morning, I still have some “old” students in mind. Malik and Nathaniel have an out-of-town wrestling match this morning at 9 am and I really want to show them some support. I don’t even like wrestling matches; they’re too intense, but for certain, they’ll get my blood pumping for any holiday cleaning or planning I need to do. Tomorrow I’ll deliver a Christmas tree and decorations to a student whose family has recently been homeless, but just acquired a “new” (115-year-old) residence. Naturally, they long to make it feel like home—and Christmas. Several members of our faculty and of my Sunday School class have partnered with me in helping this family get a new start. The school district collected money to supply Christmas gifts for the students, so they should have a wonderful day. I’m glad to be a part of that kind of joy.

But then the requests and needs of my own family and friends start pouring in. My brother’s and my mother’s cars broke down in the same week so they need transportation; my sister needs me to pick up gifts and help plan the menu for Christmas dinner; a friend who has just moved to town merits an official welcome; and of course, my husband and children deserve some time and attention, too! And oh, how I would love to tackle the cleaning projects I always put off until holidays or summer. My car and my closets are running a contest to see which one gets first place for Clutter City, USA.

What I have found the most difficult about teaching is striking the right balance between school and home, between taking care of others and taking care of me/mine. It’s challenging to know where to draw the boundary lines so that needs are met, but no harmful dependencies are formed in the process.

Of course, the first thing I must do at the start of every day and throughout the day is to ask the Lord for guidance and wisdom. His Word and other resources encouraging biblical living must take priority in my plans. For the fifth year in a row, I’m gleaning from Jesus Calling by Sarah Young constant reminders to trust Him, thank Him, and spend time in His presence. Most recently, Priscilla Shirer’s Fervent has earned a repeat reading. I know that without targeted time with Jesus and diligent prayer and focus on God’s will, I will be scattered so many different directions I won’t ever accomplish any one thing well. No matter how many good deeds I do, only those done under His direction/timing will bear the desired fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal. 5: 22). To develop and mature those qualities, I need to stay connected to the Vine. Then my greatest desire as a Christian teacher, wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend will be fulfilled: “And they were glorifying God because of me.” Galatians 1:24

May it be so for you as well, dear sisters and brothers in Christ. Merry Christmas! May your new year be bright with His abundant love and peace. And may He guide us all into healthier balance and boundaries in all aspects of our lives.

Dalene Parker


Dalene Vickery Parker has taught high school English, Creative Writing, Journalism, and Public Speaking in South Carolina public schools for nearly three decades. Her book Christian Teachers in Public Schools provides real stories, rich encouragement, and essential tips for sharing faith, hope, and survival in the classroom. Please see http://www.worddoctor13.com/book-christian-teachers for ordering information.

Christmas Break--The Perfect Time for a Giveaway!

I hope you are enjoying a peaceful Christmas break with few thoughts of school and many moments of family togetherness. Here in Idaho, USA, it's going to be a white Christmas!

Be sure to stop by tomorrow, when guest author Dalene Vickery Parker visits with thoughts on balancing the hectic life of a teacher with the simplicity of life connected to the Vine. Dalene is giving away a copy of her book, Christian Teachers in Public Schools: 13 Essentials for the Classroom, so be sure to leave a comment after her post for a chance to win!

As a post-script, I have truly been enjoying seeing traffic from international readers! I would love to hear how God is at work in and through Christian teachers around the world. Please consider sharing!

Blessings,

Amy

Christmas Lights in My Classroom

Maybe it's because I teach high school and not elementary school, but I have to work hard to motivate myself to decorate my classroom. The only bulletin board in my room is small, and I don't feel obliged to create elaborate, interactive displays and rotate them every few weeks. Not that I don't appreciate a quality bulletin board. Some of my friends in the elementary school are savants at creating appealing wall-art that ties together seasonal motifs and learning goals.

As Christmas approaches, I recently realized it was time to make some decorating decisions in my classroom, too. Time to step up my game. Fortunately, I inherited some strings of colorful lights from my predecessor, and I'd picked up a wreath at a yard sale last summer. My creative writing students cheerfully pitched in to help deck the walls. At home, I hunted through storage until I found a small, porcelain nativity to decorate my classroom bookshelf. It may not sound like much, but for someone who often makes the excuse of being too busy to decorate, I think it looks downright festive.

And my students noticed. One even thanked me for putting up Christmas lights. Who knows why it was important to her, but to me, the lights testify of the joy in my heart because of what Jesus has done for me. I hope my fellow teachers who are too busy to change that bulletin board more than once per semester will consider making Christmas the one time they splurge on decor. Jesus came to earth to save sinners. His love is our light and the reason for our peace. Let's share it.

Maestro Classics: Music and Stories for School and Home

Music teachers, parents, babysitters, and anyone else who spends time with small children (especially in the car!) will want to stop by maestroclassics.com for award-winning story and music CDs of the highest quality. My kids love them, especially Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel based on the classic children's book by Virginia Lee Burton. Right now you can get a great deal on a 12-CD set, and I'm getting hints by email that the site's Black Friday deals will be monumental. Maestro Classics is on my short list for gift shopping this year.

Thankful Third-Graders

Some of the things my son's third-grade public-school classmates are thankful for this Thanksgiving:

Mom and Dad
Baby sister
Family
Teacher
School
My freedom
Pet dog
Nature
God
Church
The Bible
Video games
Friends
Being loved

It did me so much good to hear the kids read their short essays about three things they were thankful for. The class also performed a traditional, low-key skit about the First Thanksgiving. My son (a Pilgrim in a floppy hat) is blessed to have a teacher who encourages her students to think on what's really important in life.

Here's another example of her ability to keep it simple. Instead of the craziness of a class Secret Santa or white elephant gift exchange this December, she is having each student hang a sock above his or her cubby. Each student will bring in a small item such as a piece of candy for each classmate's sock. Minimal fuss, no inflated expectations, and a sock full of simple goodies for each child. I predict no tears and lots of smiles.

Herod--Alive and Well

The Magi in the House of Herod by James Tissot

Heading into the holiday season, I've begun rereading the Gospel of Matthew. The interplay between faith and law, even in the Christmas story, foreshadows some of the struggles Christ-followers through the ages face when interacting with government. In chapter two, this verse has been of particular interest to me:

"When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him."

Herod is troubled. . .threatened. He consults the chief priests and scribes about this child who is born "King of the Jews." Just what do the Scriptures say? he wonders. Maybe it is the wise men's words, "We have come to worship him" that set him searching the Jewish scriptures in earnest, perhaps for the first time.

Although Herod may have been a practicing Jew, his parents were both Arabs. His subjects eyed him with suspicion because of his allegiance (however strained) with Rome. A potential fulfillment of Messianic prophesy could not sit well with him. Matthew says,

"he demanded of them where Christ should be born" (v. 4b).

From Bethlehem, the scribes explain, will come

"a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel" (v. 6b).

These words are followed, in Micah's prophesy, by the words, "whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting" (5:2b). Not just a governor, a rival ruler for Judea, but an eternal King.

Christians today live in the realm of men and women in authority who, like Herod, are "troubled," threatened by their interactions with us. Our testimonies blaze forth like living prophesies of the eternal Messiah, even when we say nothing. Live your faith simply and honestly, and you cause many people around you to wonder, "What would cause her to choose this stance?" Or maybe even, "What do the Scriptures say?"