By Roderick O.

Earth Day

Last Wednesday, April 25, 2012, morning chapel service with Pam Allen focused on Earth Day. With documentaries and special prayers for our planet the students left the chapel with a different view on the world.

The documentary presented how much waste and garbage humans use every years and every day. It showed where our garbage goes after we throw it away and how we can prevent our world from becoming a giant dump. They had clips exhibiting that scraps of trash that don’t get thrown away end up in oceans, woods, beaches and endangering animals. There was a certain clip that hit me the hardest and this clip showed a young bird tangled up in a piece of trash not able to get loose.

Pam asked, “How does this relate to our spiritual lives and God?”

From listening to her preach about the question I believe that this has everything to do with God and our spiritual lives. God made this earth for us and we are not doing our jobs as followers of Christ if we don’t try and keep it clean and sanitary.

We then finished with specified prayers for our earth and for our lives.

By Roderick O.

Jewish Service for the Week

This weeks’ Tuesday morning Jewish service explained that you can find peace and happiness wherever you go. Rabbi Michelle asked the students a couple questions to help them wake up.

Describe your past month in one word.

Some students answered with negative words and positive words. Rabbi continued to explain that we all go through positive and negative moments throughout our whole lives and if you answered with a negative, how can you change it into a positive if I ask this question again in a month?

What is something that makes you smile?

No matter how angry you are or how bad of a situation you are in, you will always have something to smile at. Some students responded by saying that their families or puppies make them smile. Rabbi than told us that one physical action of smiling can brighten our whole mood. It’s weird to think that such a small action can have a huge impact on your day.

What is something that you hope for?

What I noticed about this question is that all the students answered in a positive way. No one hopes for bad things to happen. We all hope have peace in the world or to get along better with our families.

By Roderick O.

Easter Sunday at The Family Foundation School

With over a thousand hidden eggs, a scrumptious ham and pie supper, and a game of Bunny Bingo, Paul G. and his crew transformed The Family Foundation School into an Easter filled campus. God granted the grace of gratitude during this day. You couldn’t walk by someone without receiving a bright smile and a warm “Happy Easter” greeting. All staff and students were in a cheerful mood not only because of the Holiday, but due to the fact that it was a beautiful day outside. Paul provided the activities and Bill C. provided the food but God provided us with a warm relaxed atmosphere.

Easter chapel service is one that I am familiar with; considering my family is Catholic and I go every year, but this one was different. Father Chris blessed the chapel at the beginning of the service with sage. Then he continued his blessings by spreading oil among the students. “I was in constant prayer throughout the whole service and I had an overwhelming sense of inner peace due to the presence of Christ,” said Cameron S. a practicing Presbyterian. Similar to Cameron, the tranquil service allowed me to practice my search for Christ and express my gratitude for God.

The serene service was followed by an Easter Supper hosted by Bill C. in the families. There was Ham, corn pudding, potatoes, vegetables and Apple Pie; no one left the meal hungry. Once the supper ended, all the families joined Paul G. in the gym to start the Egg Hunt outside. With students enjoying the beautiful weather, the Hunt was a success. Mann House retrieved the most eggs and received a prize, but everyone won in the end because no one was left without candy. After the Hunt was over the student returned to the gym for several rounds of Bunny Bingo. Every winner received a candy box of their choice.

This was my second year of Easter at the school and both times have been memorable. I would be lying if I said I didn’t miss my family on this day because I did, but the school provided an Easter than wouldn’t have been possible if I was home. Bunny bingo and an Egg Hunt with over a thousand eggs is a pretty special day. The entire Holiday reminded me of how much I love my family and how grateful I am for my journey at The Family School.

By Roderick O.

With Easter approaching Pam A’s Wednesday morning chapel service was based off some of Jesus’ words at the last supper. Before he passed out the bread and wine he told his disciples to love each other as he loved them. Why is this so difficult for us? I know that I allow my own character defects dictate how I act towards other people. In reality my actions can either have a positive effect or a negative effect.

Pam strongly expressed during the scripture reading how God gave up his only son to save us. She then stated that she has a son of her own and that she wouldn’t give up her son for the world.

God loves us so much that he sacrificed his only son for us. Even when Jesus was suffering a horrible death his last words were “forgive them father for they know not what they do.”

So know I go back to my question, why is it so difficult for us to love on another? There is already enough hatred in the world as it is, so why add more? One act of kindness and love can make a person more prone to passing that act of love and kindness onto another person. If I wanted to be loved and respected than I must treat others the same way. Despite the movie Semi-Pro’s idiocy, there was a clear message in it; everybody love everybody.

By Roderick O.

Every year The Passover Seder is celebrated at The Family Foundation School and is hosted by Rabbi Michelle. The dinner lasts a couple hours because of the traditional blessings that were said before the meal started. In between the blessings songs of praise were sung, as well as played by the Jewish band that was hired for the event. Each family in the school was given two tables and they were all set up in the gym. Also, in respect for the Jewish religion all males that attended this event all wore Yamakas.

Once the blessings were said, Rabbi announced the food to be served. Head chef Bill Cortz and his kitchen staff whipped up some special food for the celebration. We were served a small chicken with potatoes and vegetables by the catering crew. In the middle of the food being served, students joined Rabbi in a festive dance around the gymnasium. I danced as much as I could, but after I had consumed the delicious food and a large amount of it, moving around was the last thing I wanted to do. The celebration allowed family’s to reunite and savor the celebration to love one another.

By Roderick O.

This week’s Jewish service was led by three Jewish students in the absence of the Rabbi. By taking on a leadership role and hosting a chapel service these students took a step in the right direction of doing Gods will. They removed themselves from their comfort zones and lent a helping hand. This was only made possible through faith in God.

During the service Adam B. shared about his experience with faith and gratitude. He explained that it is our choice in what we put our faith into. We can put our faith in God, our parents or friends, or in our jobs. This is something I struggle with a day-to-day basis. I allow my fear to get into the way of making smart decisions. If I had some faith that everything would work out for the better, I’m sure I would find myself making better decisions sometimes.

Have some faith that things will work out the way they are supposed to.

Adam also talked about gratitude. He shared that there are many things to be grateful for at the school and in life. If you are reading this right now than you clearly have access to a computer and this is something to be grateful for because some people don’t even have clean clothes to wear or a warm bed to sleep in at night. I know that I take things for granted most of the time. I don’t consider the fact that I am more fortunate than other people and I should be grateful for what I have.

Be grateful for what you have. 

Spirit of the Week

By Roderick O.

Wednesday morning chapel services are usually a delight. This week was no different. Pam’s reading came from John talking about a Samaritan woman meeting Jesus. The reading followed a video clip of a song which the entire student body sang. Since I’ve been at the school this was always the best moment for the students; when everyone was singing together like one big family.

The reading talked about how Jesus asked this Samaritan woman for some water from the water well. The Samaritan woman was surprised because no man has ever asked her for water or even treated her with any respect. She got so little respect from men that the guy she was with didn’t even tell her his name. Jesus knew everything about her life down to every detail. She realized that honesty was not something she practiced in her life. She soon realized who Jesus was an d ran to the town to spread the good news; Jesus was there.

Honesty is something that I have struggled with my entire life. What I have found out about myself is that most of my lies stem from being fearful of the unknown. I get scared of consequences or of what people will think of me. What I have also realized is that, God isn’t the truth; the truth is God. In order to stay spiritually in touch, I must be honest.

By Roderick O.

This Tuesday morning Jewish service reminded each student about choices that we make on a daily basis. Even though God puts forth many opportunities for us throughout the day to do the right thing, we don’t always take them. It is our choice to do a nice act for someone or be in a positive mood. We choose to allow the external environment around us effect how we live.

It may be difficult sometimes to realize that God is always there for you. When I am down in the dumps I sometimes lose sight of my faith in a better day and that God has a plan for me. My choice of accepting the fact that God has a plan can affect my whole day. I don’t want another day to go by were I doubt God’s love for me and it starts with making a choice.

“Gracious God, it seems that life is always requiring decisions. Sometimes everything in my life is stable and settled, and then a new opportunity presents itself, and I feel unsteady and unsure of which way to go. At other times I become weary with stability and decide I want a change in my life. Unsettled about making a decision, especially when there is still some haziness in my heart about the course I should take. I do not, after all, want to make the wrong decision. I pray that you will guide my thoughts when I am searching through options for my future. Help me be patient when the process is unfolding more slowly than I would want. Help me trust the spirit of intuition that you have given me as an aid for interpreting the signs that help me move forward. Give me a spirit of risk and the faith to trust, so that I will try something new, speak something new. Remind me that even if I make a faulty decision, your boundless grace will bring goodness to the decision I make. I ask this for the sake of Your love. Amen.”