Living in Queensland we do not have the same cold-weather endurance as our southern brother and sisters, but we are getting plenty of practice at the moment! Today (Wednesday) is actually the shortest daylight hours of any day of the year, called the winter solstice. It is a unique time, and I am sure the Year Eleven students who are currently camping beside the Noosa River are experiencing the winter chills in a special way. When the weather is like this it is hard to remember the heat and humidity of the first day of school or the beautiful, autumn weather of Easter Mega Chapel. Despite the semester being a blur, and one which has its share of challenges, we can thank God for all he has done this year so far. We can look forward to the great opportunities of Semester Two.
However, right now the students, parents, and teachers are weary and in need of a break! As students finish up their assessments and teachers their marking, the sense of relief is palpable. Working hard is good for us, the sense of accomplishment and completion builds our capacity and confidence. It is a great feeling to gather on the last day and celebrate the completion of the semester, and for the students to leave to go on holidays at the same time. We also are very appreciative of the staff who do not have the chance for time off work and do important work at the school over the break to maintain the campus and its operations.
As we round the halfway marker of the year and start the journey to the end it is important to rest and recalibrate. One of the more confronting yet comforting passages in the Bible is found in 2 Corinthians 4:16, “Therefore do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, inwardly we are being renewed day-by-day”. This theme was made a reality for me at the optometrist recently as it was explained to me that I will need stronger glasses because I am getting older! All of us become tired and weary but the encouragement of this verse is to ‘not lose heart’ as we are renewed day by day in Jesus. My prayer for each member of the school community, whether you can take time off work or not, is that you will be inwardly renewed over the mid-year break and maybe even have the outward ‘wasting away’ delayed a bit!
Todd Langford
