A Change in Perspective

This year sending our boys back to school was a pleasant experience. Last year we had to move Max from the private christian school that the church that I work at runs to public school. Max was going into first grade and Joshua was entering Kinder. Kim and I wrestled all summer to try and find ways we could afford to send them both to our private school but ultimately there was just no way. So last years first day of school was a huge leap of faith for us along with the normal separation anxiety that usually accompanies the first time you send your kids to school. We knew Max had a great year in kinder and had heard about Jesus and we were not sure how the whole public school thing would end up. We struggled with the decision of what to do and as we grew more unsettled Kim even toyed with the idea of homeschooling. Then one day while the grandparents were visiting, or we were visiting there, I can't remember which, my father said something in passing to us as we were talking about it.

Now I need to pause here and say something about my dad. My dad is a man of very few words and always has been, but for as long as I can remember when dad said something you had better listen. When we were younger it was often because we were acting up and we were only going to get one warning. The older I have become the more I realized that while dad seldom speaks, when he does it usually carries an incredible amount of wisdom behind it.

Anyways, I don't know if dad had really thought it through, or whether he was just thinking out loud, but either way, he said "you know, if all the Christians and christian teachers just went too and taught in christian schools, then who would be there to be an example of Christ to the world?" or something to that effect. Now for the rest of the room that might not have resonated like it did for me, however for me, it was intimately profound and I think God was using my father to speak directly to me.



Now fast forward to yesterday. Yesterday we took Max and Joshua to their first day back at school. This year was completely different. Max remembered his teacher he has this year from the interactions he had with her last year and when he found out she was his teacher he literally jumped for joy. Joshua loved his teacher as well. Neither of them had any apprehensions about going back to school, well except for Joshua who wasn't to sure about his teachers choice to sit them boy-girl-boy-girl. Both of them ended up with Christian teachers again this year. Both teachers recognized the Dietz name and were eager to meet our boys and us because of the reputation the Dietz boys had as good students and who's parents were supportive and people they could rely on. Joshua's teacher even asked "Now you are the pastor, right?" to which when we replied yes, she said "awesome!"




God is good! He has taken care of our boys yet again with awesome teachers! He has used them through their relationships with friends at school to create relationships between us and their parents that Kim and I are praying, allow us to reveal the love of Christ and as 1 Peter says "the reason for the hope that we have..." one of Joshua's classmates from last year and again this year is from Argentina so we have an instant connection because of my background. Another family that has boys both Max and Joshua's ages, well there mom is from Chile where I grew up.

God has changed my perspective and I am so happy my boys are in public school. It has helped ease my worries that God become so institutionalized with their father working at a church. It has already given us the opportunity to teach through life lessons that we need to not just Love God but Love people and that they might be the only Jesus their friends see. To watch them internalize that and take that challenge on already has been amazing! God knows what He is doing all the time even when we don't see it that way!

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P.S. Today was Tate's first day of preschool and yesterday was his first time to go to the big boy potty and #2 completely on his own without having to be asked! Now that is Miraculous!