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Sunday August 01, 2010 Greetings! Welcome to another fun and enriching day of learning.
PERSUE DREAMS
As we enter this new month, I am reminded of am important historical event
that occurred in October 1957. When the Soviet Union launched the first
man made satellite into earth's orbit, it shocked the whole world. People
were amazed. They were afraid. They couldn't imagine what it might mean
for the future to have such a thing above our sky at all times.
Sputnik, as the satellite was called, held a special fascination for a teenager
in the mining town of Coalwood, West Virginia. Homer Hickam grew up in a
place where most of the young men went into the mines after high school,
unless they won football scholarships to college. After seeing Sputnik,
Homer decided that he wanted to become a rocket scientist and work for NASA.
He gathered some friends around him, and together they began to build model
rockets. At first the townspeople scoffed at this. Then one of the rocket
boys' teachers got behind them. Through her encouragement, those teenagers
launched dozens of rockets and went on to win first prize in the National
Science Fair. All of them went to college. Homer eventually went to work
for NASA.
It is a good thing to have dreams. Sometimes they may seem beyond our reach,
and we may experience discouraging seasons. However, if the dream is God-given,
if it makes the best use of our talents, we can move past those difficulties
in the certain knowledge that we are doing His will.
Saturday July 31, 2010
GROWTH IN TOUGH TIMES
The story is told of a biology class in which a student found a cocoon one
day and presented it to his teacher. She put it in a box under a warming
lamp, and the students watched for developments over the next several days.
A small opening appeared in the cocoon a week after the student's discovery,
and the tiny creature began to shake. Then antennae emerged, along with
a head and feet. Students watched in fascination throughout that day as
the insect struggled to break out. It soon became apparent that this was
going to be a lovely, orange and black Monarch butterfly.
The students became restless as the butterfly couldn't seem to fully break
out of its cocoon, and one of them offered a solution. He snipped off the
end of the cocoon to hasten the process and liberate the straining butterfly,
which promptly dropped out of its shell. All was not well, though. Only
part of the butterfly looked like it was supposed to; the rest of it was
swollen, and the poor creature dragged itself around the box until it died
before day's end.
What that student didn't understand was that by helping a struggling creature
bypass a painful experience, he actually contributed to its demise. The
teacher explained that the butterfly had to strain against the cocoon until
it could emerge in order to force certain fluids from its body into its
wings so they would be fit for flight. Those wings could never develop otherwise.
All of us struggle in life, as well, to overcome the confinements of being
in a fallen world. Those painful experiences are necessary, however, for
us to grow stronger in our faith and in our relationship with the Lord Jesus.
He also promises to be with us in the conflict. Psalm 138:7-8 tells us,
“Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will
stretch out Your hand Against the wrath of my enemies, And Your right hand
will save me. The Lord will perfect that which concerns me.” (NKJV)
(Adapted from “Struggle of the Butterfly,” God's Little Lessons
for Teachers; Honor Books, 2001.)
May you find encouragement and strength from Christ in your own struggles
today.
Important Reminders for all
students:
-
When completing Multiple Choice or Fill in the
Blank assignments, PLEASE DO NOT hit enter until you have finished! If you
do, the computer reads all your remaining answers as incorrect!
-
For Free Responses, you can revise or change
your response as many times as you wish until your teacher has graded it.
This assignment cannot be reset!
"I
am always thinking of the Lord; and because He is so near, I never need to
stumble or to fall. Heart, body, and soul are filled with joy." Psalm
16:8-9, TLB.
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