Saluting Those Who Serve

One of my favorite scenes from the movie Saving Private Ryan is the scene where Gen. George C. Marshall reads a letter from President Lincoln to Lydia Bixby, a mother who lost five sons during the war between the states.  Now, I'm not a man who champions Hollywood's perceptions of war, but I will say that watching the first 30 minutes of this movie will move any red-blooded American to tears.  The letter reads as follows:

Executive Mansion,
Washington, Nov. 21, 1864.

Dear Madam,

I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle. I feel how weak and fruitless must be any word of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save. I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.

Yours, very sincerely and respectfully,

A. Lincoln

Reflection of the Washington Monument in the Vietnam Wall

As I ponder the thoughts of condolence offered by our 16th president, I'm burdened by a country that seems to have lost, or misplaced, its priorities.  Tomorrow is Veterans Day, a day in which our country pauses to reflect upon those who make, or have made, great sacrifices so that we may enjoy our freedom.  I often wonder what it must have been like to storm the beaches of Normandy, not knowing if I would ever return to see my loved ones.  I think about how it must have felt to walk the Ho Chi Min trail carrying the lifeless body of a brother-in-arms only to return to an ungrateful rally of protestors  shouting "baby killer."  It infuriates me that we, as a country, often see our soldiers as expendable.  We are no longer emotionally moved by the daily reports of soldiers who pay the ultimate price.

Korean Memorial

 Last year our student government, led by Mrs. Gibbs, was challenged to adopt a veteran for the holidays.  One of our student leaders was so excited about the opportunity to be a blessing that she went out and bought the finest slippers that money could buy.  The slippers appeared to be super comfy yet very masculine.  As she met her veteran for the first time, reality coldly rushed over her.  She realized that the man she had been given the opportunity to serve did not have any feet.  Speechless and in tears, she reluctantly offered her useless gift.  He graciously responded with tears of joy and gratitude.  He reassured her that her gift would be put to use. This willingness to sacrifice for the comfort of others, my friends, is what makes America great.

Arlington National Cemetery 

Unfortunately, our veterans are too often neglected and sometimes even forgotten.  As we pause to reflect upon the sacrifices made by our veterans on this special day, may the words of G.K. Chesterton be a call of duty for us all: "Courage is almost a contradiction in terms.  It means a strong desire to live taking the form of readiness to die."

Thank you, veterans, for showing us how to love our country and the freedom that we too often take for granted.

DE

Melting Hearts... Molding Lives

Someone once said, "The same sun that melts the ice, hardens the clay."  Not sure what that might mean to you, but I'd like to share a few thoughts on what I believe it means to me.  Some view that statement as having both positive and negative meanings.   On the contrary, I believe that it's a perfect picture of grace.

Let me explain...

Worship time is AWESOME!

One of my favorite times of the week here at LCA is our chapel time.  It's so exciting to watch kids clap, sing, and smile as they worship Jesus!  They're not hindered by the cares and concerns of this world!  They're not worried about bills, economic struggles, peer pressure, etc.  They just simply come with hearts free to worship... and I must say... God is at work!  We are rejoicing that six students have given their hearts to Christ over the past few months, and from the change that I have personally seen in the lives of those students... it's real!  It's so exciting to see fire fall from heaven and melt cold hearts.

A few years ago, I had the privilege of driving the bus for a 6th grade field trip to a paint-and-play pottery place in Wilmington, NC.  I thought it would be fun to do something different for a change.  One thing that I noticed as I was painting my piece of pottery was that my piece was fragile and that the colors that I had chosen were bland... really dull and boring.  I asked the lady who was working with our group why the pieces on display were brilliant, hardened, and seemingly beautiful.  I mean, I chose similar colors, but my colors didn't look anything like what I saw on the pieces displayed.  The lady told me that once I was finished she'd explain.

  As I finished my last stroke, the lady explained to us that the work was still incomplete.  What did she mean?   We'd done all that we could do with what we had.  She further explained that the piece now had to be placed in the kiln for a period of time where the fire of the oven would harden the pottery and bring out the brilliance of the colors that were chosen.  It was then that I realized that the fire that melts a cold heart is the same fire that strengthens the heart and brings out the brilliance of the Master's design.  I guess that's what James meant when he wrote the passage that states when troubles come our way, that we should consider it an opportunity for us to experience joy, even great joy.  When our faith is tested, our endurance is given an opportunity to grow.  When our endurance is fully developed, we will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.  Could it be that our trials are from the paintbrush of God?  If this is true, then I must ask myself this question.  What are the trials that I get to experience in my life doing to me, and how am I responding to the furnace of God?  That's why it's important for me to remember that "the same sun that melts the ice, hardens the clay."  How about you?  How do you respond to the trials of life?  I'll leave you with this one simple thought...don't miss the blessings by focusing on the burdens.

SWO Delivers... But God Gets The Glory!

A Sweet Time of Worship

I must say, I was a little apprehensive about this year's school camp trek to Snowbird Wilderness Outfitters in Andrews, NC.  Several fears fed this apprehension.  What if the kids don't enjoy it?  What if we have issues traveling such great distances?  How will the counselors respond to the kids?  How will the kids respond to the counselors?  What if someone gets hurt?  What will the food be like?  What if.... I snore? Yes, I know, ridiculous isn't it?  Mary Anne Evans, widely known by her pen name "George Eliot",  once said, "I'm proof against that word failure. I've seen behind it. The only failure a man ought to fear is failure of cleaving to the purpose he sees to be best."  Upon arrival, I felt an overwhelming calm about the decisions that brought us to this place.  The kids were immediately greeted by the guys and girls at SWO who genuinely showed an interest in them.  They didn't bombard the kids with camp "rules and procedures", they treated them like... teenagers.  Within the hour most of the counselors knew all of our names.  They ate with the kids, challenged them to a pick-up basketball game, tossed the football with a few, and spent time encouraging them in the Lord.  After dinner, we enjoyed a sweet time of worship and challenge from the Word.

Enjoying the "Refreshing" Nantahala

Day two began with a flurry of activities for the kids.  They were able to zip-line, climb the "tower of terror", get whipped by their teachers in a massive paintball war, and white-water raft down the... as they would call it, "refreshing" Nantahala river.  "Refreshing" is SWO's euphemism for the word... COLD!  It was exciting to say the least!  Kids were conquering their fears, adults were acting like children, and God was pleased to see His children enjoying His majestic creation.  That night, God broke my heart.  At the beginning of the evening service, the SWO crew began the service with a heart-wrenching visual of what Jesus did for us.  The passionate display of love was a bit overwhelming.  At that moment, I knew that school camp wasn't just for the kids... it was for me!  I needed that time to reflect on areas of personal holiness that I had neglected.  I was challenged by the idea that nothing I do "impresses" God.  How can I give God anything when He owns everything?  That night, God gave me a lot of things that I needed to spiritually digest.

As we wrapped our 2011 school camp with one final gathering, Brody challenged us with the following video:

Tears of the Saints from AsiaLink HistoryMaker on Vimeo.

That's when God's hammer hit me the hardest!  I need to get busy!  People are dying for their faith in Christ.  Children all over the world are hurting.  People are not being told that Jesus saves!  You know, Mary Anne Evans was right!  Cleaving to the purpose eliminated the fear.  The purpose ultimately ripped open our hearts and exposed us to the importance of the Gospel!

The "Next Generation" of the Church

 I believe that LCA's best days are yet to come. I also believe that it takes days like the ones we experienced together at SWO to prepare us for those days! Your kids were amazingly well-behaved, and all in all, I believed that God was pleased.

DE

And so it begins...

It's hard to believe that August is here again.  Where does the time go?  Once again, we are excited that we have an opportunity to impact lives for the glory of God.  On a personal note, my summer has been one that I will not soon forget.  This past June, my wife and I had the opportunity to travel to Honolulu, Hawaii, for eight days to be a part of my brother-in-law's wedding.

It was AMAZING!  On the flight to Honolulu, while we were cruising at 37,000 feet, I looked out the window only to notice that no homes, cars, malls, department stores, traffic lights, etc. were visible.

The view from our plane

It was at that moment that I realized how truly insignificant some things in life really are.  It was as if God was using that moment to show me what truly matters in life.  From 37,000 feet, I gained a new perspective on life and my position at the school.  I realized how much I truly love what I do at LCA.  I realized that the problems we face are truly small and seemingly insignificant.  One problem that we all face and have trouble with is the idea of change.

Over the summer we have had a lot of changes at LCA.  Some of those changes were expected and some were not.  I have learned that strength only comes through adversity and perseverance.  Just as an athlete becomes stronger by training and breaking his body down, we, as Christians, only grow when we endure trials that break us down physically, mentally, and spiritually.  I've heard people say that change is not a good thing, and I would whole-heartedly disagree.  Change can be a wonderful thing, if not the best of things.  In fact, if we're not changing, we're not growing.  In the Bible, the apostle Paul challenged us to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ.  How is this possible without change?  I've changed over the years, and I'm sure there's so much more for me to learn.  I've also learned over the years to accept the things that I cannot change.

As this new school year begins, I wonder if you will accept the challenges and changes that growing closer to Christ may bring?  Have you thought about what you truly want from LCA?  If you are looking for a school that'll help your child ace the SAT test or earn an athletic scholarship, then maybe LCA is not the place for you.  At LCA, our mission is not to be the largest Christian school in Cumberland county.  Our goal is not to see every child accepted at Princeton or Harvard.  Don't get me wrong, do I want to see every child reach their academic potential?  Absolutely!  That's just not our number one priority.  Our number one priority is to lead your child into a deeper, more meaningful, relationship with Christ.  If this is not accomplished, then it will be impossible to challenge them to reach their full academic potential.  Unfortunately, I have observed good Christian schools over the years lose their identity as a Christian institution.  They are so worried about "credentials" that they'll hire just about anybody as long as they have what looks good on paper.  By the way, credentials do not define a good school.  Public schools and universities have all the necessary credentials afforded by the state, yet they are failing our kids.  Some Christian schools have compromised their mission statements to grow their enrollment, win sports tournaments, or provide the nicest facilities money can buy to impress potential students.  That's not LCA, and I pray that we'll never be sidetracked by the pursuit of temporal blessings.

So as it begins, how will you let God change you this year?  Oh... He'll change you, but not against your will.  That's your part.  You must yield your will to His control.


"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
- Romans 12:1-2 (ESV)


Thank you for choosing LCA.  I hope that you are as excited as I am about all that God has in store for us this year, but for now... it's time to get busy!  Children are coming, and nothing excites me more!

All the glory belongs to God!

See you soon!

Duncan L. Edge Jr.

Principal