April 24 Testing Time
Next week students will be taking the Iowa Test of Basic Skills to see how they have progressed through the year. Every day is a testing day for Christians. How will we react to the events of the day? Will our actions be a good witness to how Christians behave or will our actions turn others from Christ? When we fail our daily test, if we go to God and ask for forgiveness, he wipes our slate clean and gives us another opportunity to follow Jesus example and to be a true follower of God.
April 17 God’s Word Gives Nourishment
I recently received some shoots from my mom’s cactus. This cactus has been alive since I was a child. My brother also has a couple of cacti in his office that came from this plant. He says the key to keeping the cactus alive is to water it only once a month. I think I can do that, just let it sit in the window to enjoy the sun and then remember to water it just once every month. We have to know how much something needs to be watered in order for it to flourish. Our faith is not like a cactus. Our faith needs to be nourished on a daily basis. Unfortunately, too many Christians think their faith is like the cactus, only needing occasional nourishment. Keep your faith strong by giving it nourishment through God’s word on a daily basis.
April 10 He Is Risen!
He is Risen! This common response sums up the Easter message. Death could not hold Jesus. He was victorious over death and the devil. He suffered and died not for what He had done, but for our sins. So when we hear someone say, He is Risen! We can confidential respond, He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia.
April 2 God’s Purpose for You
At Easter, I am reminded of a story of a young boy whose little brother needed a blood transfusion. The boy bravely stood up and said he would give his brother the transfusion. The boys were hooked up to the tubes. The blood needed was withdrawn and given to his little brother. After the tubes were removed and his arm bandaged, they told him it was all over. He looked puzzled at the nurses and said, “You mean I am not going to die. I thought my brother needed my blood.” The young boy did not realize he only had to give his brother a small portion of his blood. Jesus sacrificed his life for our sins so that we may one day be in Heaven with all believers. Are you ready to give your life over to God to be used for His purposes? Hopefully we are ready to give our life to God, just as the young boy was ready to give of his life for his brother.
March 27 Praise God
We have been blessed with an early spring, and many people are out enjoying the warm weather. As I stepped outside this morning into the cold wind and temperature, I wondered about what had happened to the warm weather. But before getting upset, I realized the warm weather has been a real blessing when compared to one year ago when we were treated to about 3 inches of new snow. Sometimes when things are going really good, we complain about the little problems that pop up instead of praising God for all the good things. Let us make sure to keep our lives in perspective and remember to praise God for all the blessing he heaps on us on a daily basis.
March 20 God’s Team
It’s March and that means basketball tournaments. People are excited and cheering their teams on to a hopeful championship. But realistically, most teams will lose, their fans will be disappointed and they will have to wait till next year. And even if your team wins the championship one year, they will probably lose the next year. I wonder how our lives would change if we spent as much time, effort and money following God, as we do our favorite sports team. When you join God’s team, life does not get easier, but we know that the final competition, the last championship, the eternal for all time championship, will be won by God’s team. So let’s put our effort into cheering for the real winner, Jesus Christ. The benefits are Heavenly.
March 13 Let God’s Love Shine
Whether we want to or not, we make an impression on everyone we meet. When we go to the store to return an item, when we wait on a customer, when we say hi to someone on the street or we put our head down so we do not have to see anyone, we make an impression on someone. Sometimes those impressions are positive and sometimes they are not. What kind of impression will you make on the people you meet today? As Christians we need to let the love of God shine through our lives, so that our words and actions may bring others to know the Love their Father has for them.
February 21 Forgiveness
When a public figure, actor, or athlete makes a mistake, it is very easy to judge them, and seems even easier to talk to friends about it. And yet, we are all sinful. God instructs us not to judge others. It is really difficult to put yourself in someone else’s situation and say you would have acted differently or better. When the people brought the adulteress woman to Jesus and asked him what they should do, he replied, “Let any of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Some people commit sins in public, others do it in the privacy of their home, but God forgives each and every one of us when we repent to Him. So let’s make sure we are not throwing stones at others.
February 14 God’s Love
Today is Valentine’s Day, a day to give flowers, candy or a gift to a special person. The students give Valentines to each other in class. There are stories about how Valentine’s Day started but no one really knows for sure. What we do know, is that God loved us so much He sent His Son, Jesus, to this world to die for our sins. We know Jesus suffered and died on the cross, not for anything He had done, but for our sins. If we are thinking about love on this Valentine’s Day, we need to think about how much our God loves each and every one of us. Happy Valentine’s Day!
February 7 Bucket List
You hear many people talk about things on their bucket list. Running a marathon, climbing a mountain, scuba diving, parachuting out of a plane, or visiting a foreign country are things people may put on their bucket list. A bucket list is really a list of goals that someone wants to accomplish while on this earth. Hopefully, they have some eternal goals on that list. Believing in and worshipping God should be at the top of everyone’s list. We do not want just earthly goals; we want eternal goals so that we will all be in Heaven one day.
January 31 Coaches
Usually when we think of coaches, we think of athletic teams. But in today’s world, there are all sorts of coaches. There are life coaches, coaches to help you lose weight, financial coaches, even marriage coaches. When there are so many people willing to share their knowledge and advice with us, how do we know where to turn? We need to turn to the Bible, a coach that teaches us all we need to know. We also have a coach in Jesus, who came to our world and showed us how to live our life, and even gave up his own life so we could have eternal life. Let us turn to the coaches that have our eternal interests in mind.Jan 24 Healthy Prayer Life
During this time of year, many people are trying to stay on a diet or follow through on resolutions they have made. During the first few weeks of a new resolution, we are usually Gung-ho. But after a while the excitement fades, we do not see the immediate results we want and life gets real busy. Our enthusiasm starts to fade and we may go back of those habits we are trying to change. Where are you in your faith? Are you excited to read the bible, do your devotions, maintain a healthy prayer life? Or has the excitement faded? Let’s get back on track and study God’s word. The benefits are out of this world!
Jan 17 Who are You Following?
Sometimes a student is described as a real follower. This means they will do whatever the students they are playing with are doing, whether it is right or wrong. Some people might consider it bad to be a follower, but it depends on who you are following and if they are doing what Jesus would do. If you are following the example that Jesus gives us, then it is good to be a follower. Who are you following?
an 10 Sword of the Spirit
Finally, something to attack with, the Sword of the Spirit. Now that we are wearing all the armor to protect us, we can go on the offensive. The sword is used for both offensive and defensive purposes. The Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. Jesus used the Word of God to defeat the devil’s temptations after he had spent 40 days fasting in the wilderness. Psalms tells us that God’s word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. God’s word, the Bible, reveals to us what is right and what is wrong. The sword is used for close combat, not long range warfare. The attacks from the devil will be close combat, temptations and doubts. But when we stay in God’s word, the Bible, we have the hope of eternal life and can attack temptations and doubts with the Word of God.
Jan 3 Helmet of Salvation
As we continue with the Armor of God, the next piece is the Helmet of Salvation. Helmets are an important safety feature for many activities, like when riding a bike. Accidents do happen and it is a good idea to wear a helmet to protect our heads. Often people wearing helmets are saved when they fall and the helmet, instead of their head, absorbs the impact. Many deaths can be prevented by wearing a helmet. When we wear our Helmet of Salvation, we are protecting our head from the devil’s attacks. The Helmet of Salvation is a gift given to all who believe that Jesus Christ is their Lord and Savior. When we commit to fully follow and obey God, we can be sure that God’s armor will protect us from the attacks of this world.
Dec 20 Merry Christmas to One and to All!
God has truly blessed Trinity Lutheran School. The staff feels so blessed to have the opportunity to teach children about the love of their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We hope Trinity has been a blessing to you and your family. As we take time to celebrate this season, let us always remember that Jesus is the Reason for the Season. Merry Christmas!
Dec 13 Shield of Faith
The next piece of armor to put on is the Shield of Faith. Paul talked about the Roman shield, a large shield over 3 feet long and almost 3 feet wide with a slight curve to it so it would deflect attacks and protect the person holding it from feeling the full force of the blow. Roman soldiers were quite safe behind their shield.
If we have a strong faith, it will help us stay secure in the knowledge that one day all who believe will be in heaven. Faith helps protect our spiritual lives when we are faced with the trials and temptations of this world. As Satan fires his darts of fear, doubt and worry at your life, let your Shield of Faith protect you from all his attacks and strengthen your belief that God is in control
Dec 06 Shoes of Peace
Shoes of Peace is the next piece of armor. Ephesians 6:15 says, “and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.” Shoes help protect our feet. If you were barefoot in battle, you would have to pay attention to where you were stepping instead of on the enemy that was attacking you. In preparing for battle, Roman Soldiers would put on their sandals, which had nails or spikes on the bottom to help them hold their ground and to stand firm in battle. Just as the sandals helped keep the soldier on his feet in battle, being prepared to share the Gospel of Peace with others will help you stay on your feet as a Christian. Like the spikes on the Roman Soldiers sandals, when we stand firm on the Gospel, our feet will not slip. Likewise, we do not need to worry about what we will say when we are asked to share the gospel, as the Holy Spirit will guide our words. As we celebrate this Christmas season, let us be ready to spread the Gospel of Peace with everyone we meet.
Nov 29 Breastplate of Righteousness
As we continue on with the Armor of God, the next piece of armor is the Breastplate of Righteousness. The Breastplate served to protect the vital organs, like the heart and lungs. It fit over the torso to deflect arrows, swords and spears. Being righteous is to do what is right in God’s eyes, to obey God’s laws. He gave us the laws because He loves us. When we sin, we fall short of the Glory of God; but because of God’s Righteousness, we are able to wear His breastplate. So follow God’s will in your life and live the way God wants you to live. Wear God’s Breastplate of Righteousness to deflect the weapons of the devil.
Nov 15 Belt of Truth
Last week I talked about the Armor of God. The first piece of armor to put on is the Belt of Truth. Roman soldiers, and other soldiers from that time, did not want to trip or fall in battle. If they had any clothing that was long enough to trip on, they would wrap it around their waist and secure it so they would not trip and fall. Belts help keep our clothing secure so it does not fall down. Telling the Truth keeps us from tripping ourselves and falling into trouble. When we lie and do not Tell the Truth, we give the devil a chance to worm his way into our lives. Let us stick to the Truth, that Truth is Jesus Christ, the only way to Heaven.
Nov 8 Armor of God
Do you ever feel like life is a battle, and you are constantly getting attacked? Well, we are being attacked spiritually by the devil on a daily basis. Ephesians 6:11, “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.” No matter what we do in life, if we want to be successful, we make sure we have everything needed to complete the task. If we are not fully prepared, we are less likely to succeed. As you start each day, be sure to put on the armor of God so you are prepared for whatever comes your way. Armor Up, and be ready to stand with God against the devil’s schemes.
Nov 1 Prayer
Prayer in Public school has been a controversial issue for many years. A 1962 court case struck down prayer over the PA in public school. Other court cases have allowed some student led prayer. We are blessed to be able to start each day with prayer, prayer before meals, prayer at the end the day, and prayer any time we want. We exist so we can join together in prayer, so we can teach our students about the one true God, so our students can grow in their faith and share that faith with their friends and family. We exist to spread the Good News of our Lord and Savior, so one day we can all be together again in Heaven.
Oct 18 Teaching Children about the Love of God
A Florida kindergarten student in a Lutheran School was taking a state test where they had to state a cause and an effect. For the cause the student stated, “Jesus died on the cross.” When asked what the effect was she replied, “To save us all from our sins, of course.” This is why we support a Lutheran school here at Trinity. Even at an early age, children can understand the message we share with them each and every day. Thank you for your support in helping teach children about the love of God.
Oct 11 God Blesses our School & Church
This past weekend we held an Open House to show the members of Trinity all the changes and improvements that were made this summer. It is always a joy for people to return to the school they attended when they were children. I love to hear the stories they remember and what grades were in which room. Many things have changed over the years, but one thing stays the same - Our God. He loves us, He cares for us and His word, the bible, still leads us in our faith and our lives. God has truly blessed the ministry of Trinity Lutheran Church and School.
Oct 4 The Day Jesus Returns
The sun is shining this morning and the temperatures are supposed to be in the 80’s for most of the week. Many farmers are busy harvesting their crops during this stretch of good weather. Families are outside enjoying the parks or other outdoor activities. Everyone knows what is coming – winter; we just do not know when it is coming. So the smart people are taking advantage of the beautiful weather, knowing it will not last. We know that there is another day coming, the day when Jesus will return. How are you preparing for that day? Are you getting everything in your life ready, or are you acting like you have plenty of time before that day will come? That day may be closer than you think.
Sept 27 A Place in God's Mansion
One of the best blessings of teaching in a Lutheran school is being able to share the message of the Gospel with our students. Mrs. Schultz recently shared with the 2nd grade that God has many mansions in Heaven; and He has a place prepared and waiting for each and every one of us. The 2nd graders eyes widened as they heard that God has a place prepared for each of them. It is reassuring to know that God loves us, but even more so knowing that He has taken time to prepare a place for each and every one of us. We have a loving God.
Sept 20 Stay Connected to Giod and His Word
When I woke up this morning, it was raining and the wind was blowing. Yet two hours later the sun is out and it looks like a nice day. I have heard people say if you do not like the weather in Minnesota, just wait a while and it will change. How is your faith? I hope it is not like the weather, constantly changing. Do we act differently based on where we are or who we are around? Keep your faith strong by staying connected to God and His word through prayer, devotions, bible study and church attendance.
Sept 13 Turn Your Stress & Worries Over to God
In our world, it sometimes seems that everyone is carrying some kind of burden. At times it may even seem overwhelming. I know I felt that way recently with work to be done at school, meetings to attend, preparing for future meetings, meeting deadlines, not to mention things at home. The words of a hymn come to me at times like this, “Our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. “ We have hope. That hope is in Jesus Christ who took our sins to the cross with Him. We can turn all of our stress and burdens over to God. He tells us that when we join with Him, His yoke is easy and his burden is light. Let God carry your stress for a while. He will do it lovingly.
Sept 6 God is Always There & Never Changes
It is the start of another school year. It was my 44th first day of school. Many things have changed from the first time I got on the bus to go to Kindergarten. Even with all those school days, some things never change. There is always excitement with the start of the school year, new teachers, new friends, and seeing old friends we haven’t seen all summer, deciding what to wear on the first day, and trying to remember everything we need. There is something else that never changes. That is our Father in Heaven. He is still the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. So no matter how much things change in our lives, God is always there, always listening to our prayers, always the same, and that is a comforting thought.
Summer 2011 Everyone Needs My Time!
This summer it sure has seemed like everyone needs some of my time. People need to talk to me, salesmen want to sell me something, my children need me to take them places or give them money for things they have to have. There is one that I need to give time to, but who doesn't constantly nag me about it. That One is God. The funny thing is the time I think is mine is really God's time that He has given to me. It may be summer, but let's not forget to give God some of the time He has blessed us with.
April 26 He is Risen!
In our Easter Celebration this past Sunday, we celebrated Jesus victory over death and the devil. We rejoiced with His resurrection, and are thankful for God’s grace he gives us each and every day. We followed the events of Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday as they led up to Easter Sunday. Each and every student was told the Easter story this past week, a story that we think everyone knows. But many children, even children in our community, do not know the true story of Easter. We give thanks to God for Trinity Lutheran School and the opportunity to share the Easter story with our students each and every day. He is Risen! Alleluia!
April 19 The End of the Day
How do you end your day at work? As I walked around the school on Monday, I heard the prayers of several different classes as they ended their school day. Prayer is a powerful gift God has given us, and He tells us He will hear and answer every prayer. How is your prayer life? I know mine is not as good as it should be, but God forgives us when we come to Him with our sins. I will say a prayer before I leave work today, and I will try to remember to pray continually as God instructs us in his word. Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray before He was arrested, put on trial and crucified. Let us make sure we have time set aside to pray each and every day.
April 12 Keep a Song in Your Heart
It was so good to hear the many talented people singing at the Hee Haw performances. It is even better to hear the children sing their songs at church. I am so blessed to be able to hear children sing every day, children singing in the morning, singing at choir practice, singing in the classroom and singing to close the day. When you have a song in your heart, the day just seems to be a little brighter. Have a great day and keep a song in your heart!
April 5, 2011 God Forgives our Sins
The snow is melting away and the last piles are showing the dirt and trash that was hidden by the snow. It is not very nice to look at anymore. God says when he forgives our sins, those as scarlet will be white as snow. Luckily God does not just cover up our sins to be revealed at a later time. God cleanses us completely and forgives our sins. We are so blessed to have such a loving and gracious God.
March 29 Do you have your blinders on?
Sometimes students are so focused on something, they do not see or hear anything that is going on around them. It is like they are wearing blinders. At times it is good to have blinders on; it helps us to focus on one task. But at other times, like when teaching a class, driving a car, or out on a nature walk, it is beneficial to have our eyes wide open to everything that is around us. If we have blinders on in these situations, we could miss something; and it could even be dangerous for us in certain circumstances. As God’s people, we should have our eyes open, not only to enjoy this beautiful world He has given us, but also to see those around us to whom we could lend a helping hand.
March 22, 2011 One Community of Faith
Our Mission Statement states, “Trinity Lutheran Church and School form one community of faith for the purpose of making disciples for Jesus Christ through a faithful Word and Sacrament ministry.” What does “form one community of faith” mean? It can be defined as an intentional group designed to have a much higher degree of teamwork. We hold common beliefs and a common vision. It does not mean we always get along perfectly, but that as a community of faith we work together to decide what God wants us to do here in Janesville. When we, together, decide what our vision is and how we should get there, we can then work together to accomplish those tasks.
March 15 Enjoy Every Day
Everyone in the Stockman household (except maybe one) cannot wait till spring arrives. We had a teaser a few weeks back with warm weather, melting snow and plenty of sunshine. But since then, we have had significant snow and it turned cold again. Didn’t the groundhog predict an early spring? God would say two things to us. First, have some patience. Don’t rush the days away, but enjoy each and every day of life God has given you. Second, only God truly knows what the future holds. No ground hog, or any other method, can truly tell us what the future holds. So, enjoy each day God has given you, count your blessings, and thank God that He is in charge and loves you very much.
February 22nd God's Light
Just when we were starting to see some grass, we received another major snowfall. When will this end? Some of the aggravations that the new snow brought included lots of shoveling, driving cautiously on snow packed roads, changes and delays in travel plans, and the realization that spring is not very close. But this morning, as I looked out and saw the sun shining down and the snow glistening and reflecting the light, it sure was beautiful. The bible says that when God forgives our sins, He makes us white as snow. We are white as snow so God’s light can shine through us in what we say and what we do. Let God’s light shine through your words and actions today.
February 15th Treasure of our Father
One of my favorite shows to watch is American Pickers. Two men travel the country looking through people’s collections of junk in barns, attics, and tall grass, looking for something of value from which they can make a profit by reselling. When they find something of value, they negotiate a price to buy the item. Sin has made us like the junk sitting around, dirty, rusty, not working like it should. But God saw value in us and bought us back by sending his son to negotiate the price. The price was Jesus’ death on the cross. Because of this, we are not junk; we are a valuable treasure of our Father in Heaven.
February 8th Control Reactions, Attitudes & Treatment of Others
We are at the time of basketball tournaments, Super Bowls, College Bowl games and the like. Do you remember who won last year’s super bowl? How about the last five years? Can you name the last five winners of Trinity’s Basketball Tournament for the boys and girls? The things of this world fade away. Let us put our efforts into the things that will not fade away, things that will last an eternity. Keeping our focus on God and his will in our lives will help us focus on that which is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, and that which will one day bring us to Heaven.
February 1, 2011 Focus on God
We are at the time of basketball tournaments, Super Bowls, College Bowl games and the like. Do you remember who won last year’s super bowl? How about the last five years? Can you name the last five winners of Trinity’s Basketball Tournament for the boys and girls? The things of this world fade away. Let us put our efforts into the things that will not fade away, but will last an eternity. Keep our focus on God and his will in our lives will help us to focus on that which is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow and that which will one day bring us to Heaven.
January 25th Blues and Blahs
This past weekend our 3rd and 4th grade students performed a short play titled “The Snow Ladies Winter Blues and Blahs.” Do you get the blues and blahs in winter? Are you tired of being inside, wishing the sun was warmer and there was more of it? We might get the Christian Blues and blahs if we don’t get enough of the Son. Take time each day to invest in the Son who will one day take you to Heaven to live forever where there will be no Blues or Blahs.
January 18th The Biggest Losers
The Biggest Loser. You may have watched this TV show where people try to lose weight, with the person losing the most weight winning the competition. Several of the TLS staff are having a friendly competition to see who can lose the most weight. People seem to do better in a competition, which adds motivation to succeed. We do better as a group, encouraging each other and sharing our lows, like when we ate several pumpkin bars that were in the office, and sharing our highs, losing some weight. Our church is where we go to get motivation to live our lives as God wants us to live it. We share our burdens and sorrows, and receive encouragement from one another and from God’s word, as we study it and hear it preached, and as we sing praises to God. Those who do not know God are the REAL Biggest Losers. Help them become winners by spreading God’s message of Love to all people.
January 11th What Path Are you On?
On a recent trip to Rochester, we had to watch the roads carefully. It was snowing lightly and in some areas snow blew across the road. In other areas, the roads seemed clear; but as you looked closer, you saw they were covered with a thin layer of ice. In life, if we do not watch closely what path we are taking, we can end up on an icy patch. And if we are not careful, our life can spin out of control. Where is your path leading you?
January 4th 2011 Staying in the Middle of God's Path
Recently three people I know ended up in the ditch and needed to be pulled out. In each case the person got to close to the edge of the road and they could not see the exact edge of the road. Someone gave some good advice and said when you are driving on country roads stay in the middle of the road so you don't end up in the ditch. Last year our theme was Following God's Path. I think that is good advice for following God's Path too. Stay in the middle of God's Path. If you wander to the edge you may find yourself in the ditch needing to be pulled out.
December 21st, 2010 First Day of Winter
The Calendar says today is the first day of Winter. We must go by different Calendars in Minnesota. It seems we have already had winter for over a month. Today is the winter solstice which is the day with the least amount of daylight. Each day from now till the summer solstice the amount of daylight will increase a little at a time. We may not notice tomorrow that we had more daylight but we will start noticing in a month or two. The growth of faith in people and children is a lot like that. We grow a little at a time and we may not notice the growth from day to day but when our kindergarten students have reached 8th grade we can see the growth they have achieved through the work of the Holy Spirit. So cheer up the amount of daylight is growing and so is our faith.