Eldership... and Elementary School - Then and Now

I've had a lot on my plate lately, including an unbelieveably discouraging experience heading up a nominating committee for our church's board of elders this year. What can I say? What I thought was going to be pretty straight forward ended up turning political, and I am seeing now that some people clearly have their own agendas. In truth, church is not much different than anywhere else, where you have competing priorities, viewpoints and egos. I'd rather not dissect the latest scenario, but I am starting more and more to think that being an elder is not worth all the aggravations that come with the job. The rewards are few (not that I'm looking for rewards), and I am just getting the sense that what I thought I was signing up for is actually not what I signed up for. My view of elder is someone who rises above politics and works, under the foundation of biblical principles to teach, admonish, encourage and disciple people. I think that I can offer these things without the elder title, and in fact, I think I was doing more of this before I signed up for this job. Now, it seems like it's down to politics and a popularity contest - I don't want to get sucked into this at all. When I start disliking a couple of the people that I work with, it's probably time I find something else to do before I end up doing or saying something that I regret later. But I'm going to cease this topic and turn my attention to something else a little more happier.

Last night, my wife and I had the privilege of attending a meet-and-greet at my son's new school (he will be going in the fall), where they introduced the junior and senior kindergarten staff, as well as the principal and vice-principal (both of whom are under 40). I have to say, if there is one time I actually felt like a parent, it was last night. And what a proud parent I was. I remember, not so long ago, that my son was born, and I cradled him in my arms, and promised him that I would look out for him and take care of him the rest of his life. In the last four years, he has developed into a wonderful little boy, and I am just awed that time has flown by so fast, and that he will be attending school in the fall. I was telling my wife, no doubt it will come sooner rather than later when he will be in high school, learn to drive, and go off to school.

Our meet-and-greet was in the library last night and I have to say, a lot has changed in 25 years or so. OK, so I'm still expecting card catalogues with the dewey decimal system. Now the public school library has top of the line technology (computers, presentation touch-boards), and even in kindergarten, there is a technology component. You would think that as an IT guy, I would have a ho-hum attitude towards this. But I am still in tremendous awe over how things have changed in such a short time (as short of a time as 25 years can be). My, how the years fly by.

Now, schools have peanut allergies, security concerns, class size concerns and working with people of different backgrounds. It is in this environment that my son will start his academic life, and I am excited that we have prepared him well. It will be sad to see him go to school, but that is a part of life, and we're just grateful to have had the chance to be his initial mentors (though obviously that will continue through life), as we hand him into the capable hands of his kindergarten teacher in a couple of months. I have a feeling that the years ahead will just fly by, and we're looking forward to hearing about his accomplishments and successes.

We love being parents.