Skip to content

Tis the Season: Faithful Reflection, Rest, and Renewal

Scott Barron
Culture, Professional Development

There is a season for everything.  The last few weeks of the year can be frenzied, hurried and chaotic.  But they can also be a season of Reflection, Rest and Renewal.  Educators need this break in the action to honor our higher purpose while also preparing for what’s coming up in the New Year.

Tis the season!

If our greatest need had been information,

God would have sent an educator.

If our greatest need had been money,

God would have sent an economist.

But our greatest need was forgiveness,

so God sent a Savior.

— Max Lucado

(Check out this special podcast Tammy and I recorded)

Watch "'Tis the Season" on the Educators Among Us Podcast


Christmas is a story of how God’s love interrupted the world as long promised, and yet in the most unexpected way—it was dramatic, emphatic, and catalytic. Something cosmic disrupted ordinary life with angels, shepherds, wise men, and countless witnesses confirming that He had acted decisively in history.

Evidence abounds to reasonably trust their testimony as authentic and true. The birth of this child was a turning point in history for the sake of all people. That's worth celebrating often!

There is a time for everything,

and a season for every activity

under the heavens.

— Ecclesiastes 3:1

Christmas is a season, a time of the year that's unique in tradition and tenor.

It's a season in which we wisely pause to reflect on the memories and events of the past year to hold onto the people and insights that must not be forgotten. 

It's a season to rest, quietly restoring the rhythm of mind, body, and soul while also reconnecting with the eternal truth and purpose that elevates perspective.

It's a season to renew relationships with a grace that reflects the grace received.

Christmas is the mystery of God’s willingness

to enter the mess of human life.

― Eugene Peterson

Christmas is a summons to humbly consider who we are and why we are here.

Listening to, evaluating, and grappling with ideas is core to being educators. Our integrity rises or falls on the willingness to honestly engage with the evidence, even when it feels uncomfortable, to discern what is right and true.  

We're all a mess and remain adept at making life messy, despite our intentions.

‘Tis the season to open ourselves to the gifts that are only received by faith.
 

Honor the season, my friend, making the time to reflect, rest, and renew. We are grateful for the gift of you!

 

Listen to "'Tis the Season" on the Educators Among Us Podcast

Listen to the School Growth podcast

Read On

The Enrollment Trust Framework: Why Families Really Choose Your School

by: Dr. Amy Galloway Swann
school enrollment strategy, student retention and enrollment, how families choose schools, school enrollment marketing, school brand vs reputation, Enrollment Trust Framework
It is 10:47 on a Tuesday night. A mother sits at her kitchen table, laptop open, a cup of tea going cold beside her. She has fourteen browser tabs open: school websites, review platforms, a neighborhood Facebook group, and a virtual tour she has now...
Read More

Love What You Do and the People You Do It With

by: Scott Barron
School Culture
Watching the World Cup this summer has been intriguing—it reminds me of teaching middle school with the overly dramatic injuries, shrewd bullying, and constant complaining about the rules. Every team has very talented athletes, but some are more...
Read More

Why Parents Choose One School Over Another

by: Dr. Amy Galloway Swann
why parents choose schools, parent decision-making, school enrollment strategy, school choice, increase school enrollment
The Psychology Behind School Choice In Brief: Why Do Parents Choose One School Over Another? Parents choose schools based on more than academics, programs, rankings, facilities, or tuition. Those factors matter, but the final decision is often...
Read More