Happy Tuesday!! TAKS is over for a while! It is always a stressful day, but the building is so quiet. Even though first graders don’t take the TAKS Test we keep a testing atmosphere. Tuesdays are also my theology class days. I really love my class. The last three class times have been so awesome. In the last three weeks we have studied the Holy Spirit, The Church and this week The Sacraments. The discussions have been wonderful. It is really interesting discussing the sacraments as a Lutheran with a practicing Catholic professor. Dr. Jones is great about sharing his beliefs and practices without discounting any other practices within the students in our class.

Tomorrow I am to receive a student teacher. She is from TCU and has been student teaching in the Netherlands for a while. I ask you to pray that I will be the teacher from whom she needs to learn and that I will do a good job of guiding her through this practice.

2 Kings 2:1-12 is the story of Elijah passing on his ministry of prophesy to Elisha and Mark 9:2-9 is the story of the transfiguration.

Do you remember how you felt on the first day of a new job? Or perhaps how you felt the night before? Did you sleep well? Were you so worried you would sleep through the alarm that you set one by the bed and others somewhere else in the room so you would have to get up just to shut them off? I remember that feeling when I was a student teacher. I was so excited and nervous before my first day that I am sure I changed clothes numerous times before I ever left the house. And now nearly 30 years later I am preparing to pass the mantle of teaching to someone just starting out.

In the stories of Elijah and Jesus and the transfiguration there are miraculous events that occur. Elijah is taken to heaven by chariots of fire in a whirlwind and Jesus is transfigured before Peter and John. But I think there is another story to be told here. In both stories the mantle of leadership is being passed down from master teacher to student. When Elijah’s cloak is dropped onto Elisha, Elisha is expected to pick up the ministry instantly. In the story of the transfiguration of Jesus, He tells the disciples to tell no one of this until after His death and resurrection. Jesus gave the disciples the authority to carry on His ministry after He is in heaven with His Father. Peter and John still have some lessons to learn. In both stories the students have been trained and have been prepared to carry on the teachings of their master teachers.

Tomorrow I will begin the final preparation of a student who is learning to teach children. Up until now she has had professors training her and teaching through books, lectures, projects and theories. Now she will begin to learn how to teach children. She will learn to prepare lessons, teach and interact with children and begin to experience the responsibility of making sure the children understand what is being taught as well and making sure that what is being taught is necessary to their learning.

Isn’t that what Jesus did with the disciples? Didn’t he teach them the lessons they needed and then send them out to practice them on the people in Galilee and the surrounding areas? Jesus never sent the disciples out unprepared. Jesus called the disciples and then prepared all of them to minister while He was on earth being their “supervising teacher” so they could continue His work after His death and resurrection.

What ways is Christ preparing us to carry on His ministry of reconciliation? Are we listening when He speaks? Are we sharing what Christ has done in our lives and what Jesus can do for others with those we meet? Are we preparing our own children to lead godly lives and be witnesses for Christ? I am just throwing out these questions for us to ponder in our Lenten journey.

Take joy in the journey. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.