My students went back to school today.

I passed by the brand new high school this morning to see a stream of cars and buses hurriedly trying to get kids to the building. I thought of all the emotions that go into a day like the first day of school.

I sent my students a text message last night encouraging them to read 1 Tim 6:11-16:

“But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.”

The first day of school is just as good as New Year’s day. It is a fresh start; a new beginning. I challenged my students to pursue God from day one this school year. My prayer is that they will.

For me today is a fall cleaning day. My office glorified closet should be declared a disaster zone. Seriously. I’m thinking about filing for federal disaster relief. When you’re gone to camp things pile up. When you leave for a mission trip the pile gets a little higher. By the time you are gone for the third week in a row you don’t recognize anything.

I spent a full week working from the sound booth in the auditorium because I was afraid to be in my office.

This has gone on long enough. A clean office: It will be a fresh start; a new beginning.

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