Getting Closer

Next week begins my student teacher journey. Interestingly, even though I have an M.ed and I have been teaching for more than a decade, I have never student taught. My "student teaching" experience was my first teaching job at IAB in Beijing, China. It really was trial by fire. I spent the first several weeks trying to figure out what lesson plans were and how to write a curriculum (since I didn't have any). It was an awesome time that I would never want to relive.

And here I am getting ready to embark on another journey with the goal of being a master teacher. I know it's going to be a lot of work but in the end it will be worth it.

Regroup

My parents have left. Life is going back to normal. I don't know what that's supposed to mean. We will miss them but at the same time, it's kind of nice that the holidays are officially over. Now I need to refocus and regroup and establish the direction we need to go as a family for 2013. I know that I can't know the future but having a plan that is built for flexibility is always a good idea.

One thing that I got from my dad this time he was here was the idea of "making war" against my children's peers in order to make our family life more attractive and thus working to overt pain and devastation that can be caused by listening to well meaning but often very wrong friends. I am going to "declare this war" starting now. I will pay what ever price I must to keep our family strong and God at the center of it. I don't want to be overbearing but at the same time, I've got to be strong. Vigilance is key. The price for this will be time . . . time spent with the kids, time instructing the kids and time planning how to impact them.

One of the challenges being back in the US is all the temptations that surround my family. Well, the junk that is in the US is quickly making its way to Asia. There is no longer an option to run. Now, I must stand. Now is the time to make a stand for my kids and their futures. Now is the time to fight.

The Holidays

Lots has happened since I last wrote. I've passed my Texas teacher certification courses and started substitute teaching. In another week, I'll be stepping into a clinical teaching (aka: student teaching) position. Hopefully by the end of it all, I'll be certified and a job will be waiting.

My parents are in town. It's been nice hanging out after 10 years of not really being in each others lives. I know that many would find it stifling but I think spending time with family is great even though of course, habits and lifestyles are different.

One of the thoughts pressing on my mind lately is the idea of "tolerance". I know I'm not the first person to think through this or to be confronted with it. The issue of tolerance in my life revolves around the issue of homosexuality. I am a Christian and the Scriptures make it clear that homosexuality is sin and a homosexual lifestyle is a sinful lifestyle.

But in modern times, calling it that is taboo. Disagreeing with homosexuality has been dubbed as bigoted and on par with being a racist.  That comparison is intolerable. "Tolerance" has been reduced to mean "agree with the status quo". No longer is debating in the public square an option . . . debate is not wanted; it's either conform or get out.

So, how should a Christian live in this increasingly polarized, yet pluralistic society? The early Church lived in similar times. It is interesting how history tends to repeat itself. It's not like the modern era is the first to have homosexuality or other forms of debauchery deemed by society as "ok". And the tendency towards syncretism in a pluralistic society was met head on in Paul's letters in the New Testament.

So, the question becomes, how shall I then live?