Seeing and showing Mercy

I hope everyone enjoyed the last hurrah of summer.  It is been oppressively hot and hard to believe fall is upon us.  We realize this makes it very uncomfortable at pick up to turn your car off but we ask again for everyone to follow the pick-up procedures.  For the safety of our students and others in the lot, please turn your car off until all students safely in their cars.

 

It has been a great second week of school!!!  Things are starting to settle down and everyone is getting used to the schedule and flow of the day.  We look forward to our Friday assemblies starting on a regular basis this week, please join us!

 

Last Thursday and Friday, our 8^th graders were on retreat at Fatima Retreat House, it was an inspiring 2 days. The theme of the retreat was Mercy.  In continuation of this theme, I have a couple of thoughts…

 

Next week we start our Car Question of the week.  On the morning announcements each day we remind the students of the question, so they can be on the lookout for ways to do things better or help others.  Then, each afternoon, we hope that all the parents will ask their child about the question of the week and have a discussion on the car ride home.  It is a great way to expand on the typical, “How was your day?”  “Fine.”conversations.

 

The question for our first Car Question of the week came from Deacon Wagner’s talk to 8^th grade parents and students at the retreat last week - Where, today, did I fall short with friends, teachers, or parents?  I know this may seem like a real downer-type question but the purpose is to remind all of us that we are not perfect, no one is.  We are all human beings and we make mistakes, especially when we are frustrated or tired.  It is okay that our children fall short now and then, it is inevitable.  It is through the short comings that we hope they learn to better handle these situations and we need show them mercy and guide them through making amends or rectifying the issue.  A great follow up to whatever the answer they give would be, “How are you going to make amends, or ask for forgiveness?”  Will asking for forgiveness, or saying you are sorry, be hard the first time?  Yes, but just like anything else, the more you do it the better you get and the easier it is to do next time.  I imagine if you really hate doing something like admitting your short comings to others, maybe it will make you think the next time before making a mistake again.

Let’s all realize that no one is perfect.  Let’s all realize that we all make mistakes.  Let’s now take some time to teach our children how to recognize their mistakes and how to make amends for them.  Let’s do it now, before it is too late.