Good morning, prayer warriors. I (6) have a number of prayer requests that have been building up for a while, so will put them in two different comments.
Prayers for safety for daughter, son-in-law, and infant granddaughter living next door to where drug-dealing is going on. Law enforcement can’t make any arrests when only drug paraphernalia has been found, not drugs themselves.
Prayers for Wesley, the 1-year-old first cousin of a former piano student. In April, W suffered 2nd- and 3rd-degree scald burns on 24% of his body, including lower face, chest, abdomen, and right arm and leg. He was at daycare at the time of the incident, and the woman in charge was arrested a few weeks later and charged with child abuse in the incident. W was released from the burn center in May, following a skin graft to the chest and a measure of healing. The (unlicensed) daycare provider is out on bail, with orders not to have any contact with any minors except her own children.
Prayers for Kyle’s family. 36-year-old husband and father of two children. He was killed in an apparent drive-by shooting in a little community of barely 500 people. Kyle was a kindergartener in one of my music classes the last year I taught school. Kyle’s mom was the bookkeeper in the school district, so I had contact with her about wage payments the two times I went on maternity leave while working in the district.
Prayers for wisdom in communications, written and/or verbal. I’ve made a decision to discontinue my membership in a professional organization for independent music teachers. A vote of the membership present at the national conference last March (I did not attend) led to adoption of a resolution that all documents would be changed to gender-neutral language to reflect international trends that have moved beyond “he/she” wording to “they/them,” etc. I’ve been seeing this Diversity/Equity/Inclusion philosophy getting bigger all the time.
I see this latest resolution as going well down the slippery slope, where if I don’t, for example, affirm a student’s “pronouns,” I would be in contempt of the standards the national organization expects of its professional teachers.
My thinking was further confirmed when, after the vote, the next magazine the org put out included the departing CEO’s last column, quoted in small part below (emphasis mine):
“[The national organization] exists to improve the level of professionalism in music teaching. … [The org] is vital for teachers who are seeking to establish their expertise, advance their careers and maintain relevance in today’s rapidly changing culture. …
“… As [a member], you are a custodian of our professional ideals… you are entrusted with the beliefs we cherish about music teaching… you represent our permanent hopes and dreams for the future of our profession…”
I have struggled with how to bow out of the organization gracefully, how much (if anything) to say about why I’m leaving. In addition to the national level, there are state affiliates and the local level, the latter of which especially is home to many friends. I know my departure will come as a shock to some, and will prompt questions. I have many non-Christian colleagues, so, on the one hand, this is an opportunity to witness truth. On the other hand, there are other, less important, reasons for ending my membership, and I’m inclined to simply be vague, to say something like, “Times being what they are… I am bowing out…”
Or just say nothing and not renew. (I’m not holding any offices at the local or state level, like I once did, much less at the national level.)
Part of me says, I’m nearing retirement, and I don’t want to deal with the trouble that could come if I speak up. I would like to simply walk into the sunset without having made waves and have a tsunami at my back. The other part of me says, where’s your courage to speak the truth in love?
So, wisdom and prudence on how to proceed this month. My current membership goes through June 30.
6, these are days to pick your battles wisely. My thought is that it is best to say nothing. There will probably be others who exit now, too. The top leaders probably expect it. Let them make assumptions. You can always truthfully say, “I am leaving for a variety of reasons and have no desire to discuss it.” If someone tries to push it then say something like, “I’m firm in my decision to not discuss it.” You may later have opportunities to share the gospel with some who would not be open to hearing if they had already written you off as a “hater(in their deceived minds).”
You do have a heavy load to bear in all those serious prayer requests. I will lift them to the Lord who will be working things out in His timing go bring safety (maybe arrests), comfort over loss of loved family member, and other. I have a phone call so can’t finish my thoughts. But God knows. He cares. He is our God of acgion and love. It is all in His hands! Be of good courage for He is trustwothy to turn things to good when things look really bad.
Thank you for the prayers, everyone, and for your encouragement, Debra, DJ, and Janice. It has been hard, especially the murder of that young father, whose name wasn’t announced until this week (he died May 15).
I’m trying to wrap my head around it all — all this evil happening in our tiny towns. (The arrest of the daycare co-owner happened six days before Kyle was shot and killed, and when I’d heard about a suspicious death — later understood to be the homicide that snuffed out Kyle’s life — in the neighboring community from where the daycare provider lived, I wondered with horror if those were connected, knowing that the daycare operator was out of jail, and viewing one of the angriest-looking countenances I’ve ever seen in a mugshot).
There’s nothing new under the sun, of course, but it’s chilling when it happens close to home and to either a person one has met or to a loved one of a family one knows.
It rattles me, and I thank you, Janice, for the reminder that God is in control — always. I needed to hear that again.
Wandering Views 
Good morning, prayer warriors. I (6) have a number of prayer requests that have been building up for a while, so will put them in two different comments.
Prayers for safety for daughter, son-in-law, and infant granddaughter living next door to where drug-dealing is going on. Law enforcement can’t make any arrests when only drug paraphernalia has been found, not drugs themselves.
Prayers for Wesley, the 1-year-old first cousin of a former piano student. In April, W suffered 2nd- and 3rd-degree scald burns on 24% of his body, including lower face, chest, abdomen, and right arm and leg. He was at daycare at the time of the incident, and the woman in charge was arrested a few weeks later and charged with child abuse in the incident. W was released from the burn center in May, following a skin graft to the chest and a measure of healing. The (unlicensed) daycare provider is out on bail, with orders not to have any contact with any minors except her own children.
Prayers for Kyle’s family. 36-year-old husband and father of two children. He was killed in an apparent drive-by shooting in a little community of barely 500 people. Kyle was a kindergartener in one of my music classes the last year I taught school. Kyle’s mom was the bookkeeper in the school district, so I had contact with her about wage payments the two times I went on maternity leave while working in the district.
…
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Prayers for wisdom in communications, written and/or verbal. I’ve made a decision to discontinue my membership in a professional organization for independent music teachers. A vote of the membership present at the national conference last March (I did not attend) led to adoption of a resolution that all documents would be changed to gender-neutral language to reflect international trends that have moved beyond “he/she” wording to “they/them,” etc. I’ve been seeing this Diversity/Equity/Inclusion philosophy getting bigger all the time.
I see this latest resolution as going well down the slippery slope, where if I don’t, for example, affirm a student’s “pronouns,” I would be in contempt of the standards the national organization expects of its professional teachers.
My thinking was further confirmed when, after the vote, the next magazine the org put out included the departing CEO’s last column, quoted in small part below (emphasis mine):
“[The national organization] exists to improve the level of professionalism in music teaching. … [The org] is vital for teachers who are seeking to establish their expertise, advance their careers and maintain relevance in today’s rapidly changing culture. …
“… As [a member], you are a custodian of our professional ideals… you are entrusted with the beliefs we cherish about music teaching… you represent our permanent hopes and dreams for the future of our profession…”
I have struggled with how to bow out of the organization gracefully, how much (if anything) to say about why I’m leaving. In addition to the national level, there are state affiliates and the local level, the latter of which especially is home to many friends. I know my departure will come as a shock to some, and will prompt questions. I have many non-Christian colleagues, so, on the one hand, this is an opportunity to witness truth. On the other hand, there are other, less important, reasons for ending my membership, and I’m inclined to simply be vague, to say something like, “Times being what they are… I am bowing out…”
Or just say nothing and not renew. (I’m not holding any offices at the local or state level, like I once did, much less at the national level.)
Part of me says, I’m nearing retirement, and I don’t want to deal with the trouble that could come if I speak up. I would like to simply walk into the sunset without having made waves and have a tsunami at my back. The other part of me says, where’s your courage to speak the truth in love?
So, wisdom and prudence on how to proceed this month. My current membership goes through June 30.
Thank you.
~6
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These are heavy weights to carry, 6. I will be praying with you.
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Ditto to what Debra said, praying 6.
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6, these are days to pick your battles wisely. My thought is that it is best to say nothing. There will probably be others who exit now, too. The top leaders probably expect it. Let them make assumptions. You can always truthfully say, “I am leaving for a variety of reasons and have no desire to discuss it.” If someone tries to push it then say something like, “I’m firm in my decision to not discuss it.” You may later have opportunities to share the gospel with some who would not be open to hearing if they had already written you off as a “hater(in their deceived minds).”
You do have a heavy load to bear in all those serious prayer requests. I will lift them to the Lord who will be working things out in His timing go bring safety (maybe arrests), comfort over loss of loved family member, and other. I have a phone call so can’t finish my thoughts. But God knows. He cares. He is our God of acgion and love. It is all in His hands! Be of good courage for He is trustwothy to turn things to good when things look really bad.
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Thank you for the prayers, everyone, and for your encouragement, Debra, DJ, and Janice. It has been hard, especially the murder of that young father, whose name wasn’t announced until this week (he died May 15).
I’m trying to wrap my head around it all — all this evil happening in our tiny towns. (The arrest of the daycare co-owner happened six days before Kyle was shot and killed, and when I’d heard about a suspicious death — later understood to be the homicide that snuffed out Kyle’s life — in the neighboring community from where the daycare provider lived, I wondered with horror if those were connected, knowing that the daycare operator was out of jail, and viewing one of the angriest-looking countenances I’ve ever seen in a mugshot).
There’s nothing new under the sun, of course, but it’s chilling when it happens close to home and to either a person one has met or to a loved one of a family one knows.
It rattles me, and I thank you, Janice, for the reminder that God is in control — always. I needed to hear that again.
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