It was the most important choice we made all year.....
Choices.
Thousands of choices come at us each day, but some are definitely more impactful than others. Some of those choices will affect our lives and the lives of others for years if not decades--even into eternity.
Earlier this year Mr. Jonathan Williams and Ms. Quindaya Crawford received a postcard in the mail from a nearby school they had never heard of. Intrigued by the smiling children portrayed, the slogan DISCIPLES. HEIRS. LEADERS, and the claim of the highest school rating possible by the Wisconsin DPI for 4 straight years, they decided to reach out.
A change in school for their large blended family had already been on their minds, but they weren't exactly sure where to start looking. As the son of a reverend, Jonathan was especially intrigued by the prospect of a Christian school and one that seemed to have high educational standards. Not unlike so many other children in the city of Milwaukee and beyond, their children had gotten behind in their education. They had also seemed to be lacking the desire and effort needed to get caught up.
"It was the most important choice we made all year...."
Jonathan stated in an interview earlier this year how instantly welcomed they felt at Mt Lebanon. From the moment he heard the voice of the bubbly Mrs. Foelske on the phone, he knew they were on the right track. After meeting the teachers, deans of students, principal, pastors, and others, they knew there was something very special at Mt. Lebanon. Not only did their children begin making noticeable progress in their studies, but they were also very engaged with the Bible story lessons.
In addition, Quindaya had started attending the "Coffee and Kids" moms group on Friday mornings and was feeling more and more connected with the ministry at Mt. Lebanon. It then made sense to take Pastor and Mrs. Krueger up on their offer to have dinner and get to know more about Mt. Lebanon. It was during this conversation that Pastor Krueger brought up the prospect of baptism for their children.
On Disciples Heirs Leaders Sunday, Quindaya and all five of their children received the blessing of Holy Baptism. Jonathan described the experience like this:
"We had always wanted to get the children baptized but just hadn't done it. You know, it just didn't come up. I’ve been in church all my life. My dad is a reverend, but I hadn’t been to an actual church home in a while. Being there it was warm, you could feel the welcome. We knew it was the right time and place. It was the most important choice we made all year."
Choosing to enroll their kids as Mt. Lebanon was a step in the process, but the impact of choosing baptism for their children was that which hit home the most.
This is what happens at Mt. Lebanon on a day to day basis. Not every choice or event will be perceived as the most important of the year, but every day, the Holy Spirit will continue to work in the hearts and minds of children and parents, faculty and staff. We will sometimes fail and we will sometimes succeed. Some students will make amazing progress and some will feel frustrated. But, no matter what, we will continue working hard with a spirit of grace and truth and a knowledge of and trust in Christ our Savior. It is He who bestows these amazing blessings on us. It is He who chose us. We just get to enjoy the ride.
(Vol 1, Issue 1)
