FCS Blog
FCS Blog
FCS Blog
May 07, 2024
My granddaughter Everley loves to play babies. This entails me sitting down, preferably
on the floor, and she brings her dolls to me to hold or line up on my legs. After I have all
of her babies, she tells me to be quiet because they are sleeping. She will then find a
bottle, and we will need to feed all of them. Then we need to be quiet again because
they fell back to sleep. I don’t have to do anything in these moments but be there.
These are some of my favorite moments. These are moments that I haven’t always
enjoyed and lingered over.
One author that I have enjoyed reading spent a whole chapter on the word linger.
Laura Vanderkam is a time optimization writer who lingered on this word for a chapter
in her book Off the Clock. Lingering is taking time to remember the moments that are
important to you, so you can bring these moments back to mind and enjoy them again.
She said, “It doesn’t imply that you have nothing to do or that you are avoiding the
important stuff. It implies that you have important things to do and you are giving
them the time they deserve.” After reading this chapter, I decided to make linger my
word of the year.
Too often I breeze through an event to just get through it to get to the next event. I am
not as bad as my children were when they were young. We would be on the last day of
a fun trip, and they were already talking about how they couldn’t wait until our next trip
or Christmas or whatever was next. I did not want to be like this as often as before. I
wanted to enjoy the moments that were important to me and hold onto those
memories.
Most moments are not worth lingering over. I am not too excited about remembering
the drive to and from work each day. Going grocery shopping is not something worth
spending extra time remembering. Doing most of the mundane jobs around the house
probably would not be events that you would want to bring back to your memory
unless you were doing this with someone special or for a special occasion.
You get to choose which moments you want to remember and linger over. To make that decision, you
need to be present in your moments. If you are just living your life to get through it, you are not being
present. Vanderkam says, “Lingering is about enjoying the enjoyable. It is about understanding that
you have the power to stretch time when you are in it and when you wish to stretch it.”
This is not natural for many of us. I know that I have had to be intentional about lingering in moments.
When I do something new or with family, I am now aware that it may be a moment to try to capture
and remember later. In an article entitled “Learning to Linger in the Midst of a Busy Life, the author
says, “I think we can still practice the awareness of seeing the best in whatever moment we are in and
be present there. Even if only for a few minutes.” A few minutes can make all the difference.
Lingering is a great thing to do with Jesus. I have often rushed through my devotion and prayer time
and not even remembered what verse or chapter I read or who or what I prayed for. I have tried to
remember to pray for God to show me how I can apply this verse or chapter in my life today. I have
tried to add a few minutes after to linger in God’s presence. I have tried to take a few moments
throughout the day to recall my morning devotions and linger on a verse or pray again for that
someone or something. Lingering with Jesus is time well spent.
Now it is your turn. Give it a try. Take a few moments today or tomorrow or this coming week to just
linger in a moment you want to remember. Thank God for that moment and hold it close to your heart.
If you don’t like lingering, you can always go back to the way you did things before.
Inspiring MindsThoughts from the Admin...
David Freberg, Head of Schools
FCS Blog
April 30, 2024
Embracing the Season of Renewal: A Spiritual Journey with God
In the tapestry of life, each season brings its unique colors, textures, and rhythms. Just
as nature transitions from the barrenness of winter to the lushness of spring, our
spiritual journey often mirrors this cyclical pattern. Among the most profound of
seasons is the season of renewal, where God's grace breathes new life into our souls,
awakening us to His presence and purpose.
The Beauty of Spiritual Spring
Spring is a time of awakening, a season bursting with the promise of new beginnings.
Similarly, in our spiritual lives, God's renewal revitalizes our faith, infusing it with hope
and joy. As the tender shoots of faith push through the soil of doubt, we witness the
beauty of His transformative power.
Cultivating the Soil of the Soul
Just as a gardener prepares the soil for planting, we too must cultivate our hearts to
receive God's renewal. Through prayer, meditation, and reflection on His Word, we till
the soil of our souls, creating space for His love to take root and flourish. In this sacred
space, we find solace, strength, and sustenance for the journey ahead.
Embracing Growth and Change
As spring unfolds into summer, we witness the fruits of our labor as our faith
blossoms and matures. Yet, growth often requires change, and God's renewal invites
us to embrace transformation with open hearts and minds. Through surrender and
trust, we allow His divine hand to shape us into vessels of His love and grace.
Nurturing the Seeds of Faith
Like a gardener tenderly cares for fragile seedlings, we must nurture the seeds of faith planted
within us. Through acts of kindness, compassion, and service, we water the soil of our souls,
creating an environment where God's love can thrive. In doing so, we not only deepen our
connection with Him but also sow seeds of hope and healing in the world around us.
Harvesting the Fruits of Renewal
As the season of renewal draws to a close, we find ourselves reaping a bountiful harvest of
spiritual blessings. In the abundance of His grace, we discover renewed purpose, passion, and
peace. With hearts overflowing with gratitude, we offer thanksgiving for the journey thus far and
anticipate the new adventures that lie ahead.
A Season of Abundant Grace
In the grand symphony of life, the season of renewal stands as a testament to God's boundless
love and mercy. Through His grace, we are continually invited to experience the beauty of
transformation, to journey from darkness into light, from brokenness into wholeness. As we
embrace this sacred season with open hearts and willing spirits, may we be ever mindful of the
infinite possibilities that await us in the loving embrace of our Creator.
Inspiring MindsThoughts from the Admin...
Micheline
FCS Blog
April 23, 2024
I graduated from Clemson in 2000, and almost every job I’ve ever had has been in
athletics, so although not blessed with money, I’ve been blessed with the ability to
essentially play basketball with kids for a living. I’ve won championships and played
overseas, yet have also been cut from my high school team and lost every game I’ve
coached in a season. In sports, there will be wins and losses, it is as the old saying
goes: you never really lose, you only learn.
Faith Christian has about a 75 percent rate of high school students participating in
athletics, and the middle school number is increasing rapidly. If you’re a parent or
student wondering what can be gained from playing a sport, here are a few of my
favorite lessons sports has given me.
1-Teamwork
Working with a group of people on a common goal is what we do everyday at our
jobs, and to be able to learn these lessons through a sport is great practice.
2-Success
There is nothing quite like preparing your best for something, and being able to see
your hard work come to fruition. Success can be defined by more than just a
championship and wins or losses. Improvement, mastering or learning a new skill, or
completing a grueling season can all be versions of athletic success.
3-Failure
We have all failed in some way during our lives, and that’s okay because it is
sometimes the only way to learn. In athletics, you will fail. You will lose games, you
will miss shots, and you will struggle. However, that moment of failure makes you
realize how to become stronger and what it takes to succeed the next time.
4-Sense of Community
There is nothing quite like showing up to a game on a Friday night in a small town with all of your friends,
family and school there. That sense of family is what makes a small school like Faith so special, and
participating in a sport brings everyone together. There is nothing quite like running out on a football field
with those bright lights and having your school family cheer you on. It is truly a once in a lifetime
experience.
5-Family
You will remember your teammates forever. Even if you didn’t like all of them at the time, you have a bond
that you will always remember. I still regularly talk to my old teammates and many have come to games at
Faith for support. The bonds you make over hard work and shared successes and failures is something that
will never fade. You won’t remember the wins and losses, but the locker room talks, bus rides, and laughs
will never fade. My dad passed when he was 75, but even at that age, his best friend was a high school
teammate and they would tell the same old stories and laugh for hours over their experiences, and their
teams weren’t even any good (if their stories were to be believed!).
Inspiring MindsThoughts from the Admin...
Mr. Steve Guerry, Athletic Director
FCS Blog
April 16, 2024
One day early in my marriage, I said something to my beautiful, loving, understanding wife that
I thought was pretty innocent. Her reaction to my comment was not what I expected. She took
it in a negative way while I meant it as a positive comment. After we had a chance to discuss
this, we came up with a new communication rule in our relationship: If a comment can be
taken one of two ways, we should always assume that the other person meant it in a positive
way. That rule has served us well over the years. It is something that I have tried to carry over
into other relationships.
Recently, I was reading an email from a leadership and relationship expert that was talking
about this. The main idea of this email was that as a listener, we need to make the distinction
between 1) what is being said and 2) how we are interpreting what is being said.
What is being said can be misunderstood. That can be from the words that one person uses
that may have more than one meaning or the person is using words that the other does not
know the meaning of. This can cause confusion, and where there is confusion, there is the
potential for offense.
We are often quick to judge what was said. We interpret what the person saying the words
means through the lens we use to see. If you are having a difficult day, you are more likely to
interpret things in a more negative way. Depending on the relationship you have with the
speaker, you are going to be more likely to interpret what they say in a more positive or
negative light.
Sometimes it is not necessarily what is said, but how it is said. The tone of voice can change the
whole meaning of the words. If a message is said sarcastically, it has a completely different
message than if it is said in a conversational tone or yelling it. Body language also plays a bit of
a part in face-to-face communication. The experts say that anywhere from 55-93% of face-to-
face communication is nonverbal. Be careful what message you are presenting with the way
you are standing, the positioning of your hands and arms, and your facial expressions. Much
can be said without speaking.
Speaking is not the only form of communication that we use. Much of today’s communication is written word such as
emails and texts. This is a perfect time to believe the best intention of the speaker/writer. Intent can be difficult to
determine at these times. All you have to determine the intentions of the writer are the words on the page. It is very
easy to bring your own thoughts or experiences to the message even if they were not intended by the writer. This may
be a good time to respond with some clarifying questions.
If you have had an experience where there is a misunderstanding, the author of the leadership email mentioned that
it may be worthwhile to think about what you can learn from times of misunderstanding. “If you assume that this is
happening for you rather than to you, then you can use this as an opportunity to level up and grow...Each obstacle is
an opportunity to strengthen my character and improve my skills, including my mindset.”
When you do have the opportunity to try to make things right, make sure to do it with the right attitude. If you
confront the other person while you are upset or accusing them of something, your results may not be what you are
hoping for. Go into the conversation with the intention of allowing the other person to clarify what was said. Often, it is
just a misunderstanding that can be easily cleared up without any hurt feelings moving forward.
James 1:2-3 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you
know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” We need to learn from these communication tests, but
we can grow from them and become a better communicator and person because of them.
Question: Where can you assume positive intent when it would be easy to assume negative intent?
Some ideas taken from Full Focus email dated 5 April 2024
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