by Adam Kronberger / Head of School
My family was recently blessed with our first quick trip to Hawaii. As we exited the plane on the Kona airport tarmac, we immediately experienced a degree of Hawaiian culture shock. Beads of sweat quickly formed on our brows at the open-air airport as warm sunshine was to be found everywhere. Within hours we realized that many items would remain in our suitcase (socks, shoes, sweatshirts) until we returned to PDX. Our natural daily rhythm had to adjust quickly to the time delay. We were required to quickly decipher street signs with multiple vowels and limited consonants. Cost of goods, high surf warnings, and local traffic patterns became important details. Can you imagine trying to reject Hawaiian culture and not embrace it upon arriving on the island? Perhaps by someone wanting to bring their Pacific Northwest culture to the middle of the Pacific? They might continue wearing their layered rain jacket, knitted beanie, and rainproof pants with wool socks, hiking boots, and no sunglasses (or sunscreen). They might not adjust to island time, but continue operating on their own unique Pacific time zone. Perhaps they might choose to boycott any groceries disagreeable to Winco prices (and probably starve). But who would be that silly to reject Hawaiian culture after receiving the blessing to visit the island? The writer of Hebrews insists, “Therefore, let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire” (12:28-29). As citizens of the Kingdom of God, we should not participate in the more serious silliness of rejecting His Kingdom culture by staying satisfied with the culture of this world. We must remember the enemy’s limited dominion over this world is to destroy us, while Christ came to give us life abundantly. This requires daily attention and focus to choose which culture to embrace. His consuming fire will refine us through teamwork, or burn us through rebellion. The first couple of days in Hawaii we were constantly looking for air conditioned spaces while we experienced some painful sunburns. But in less than a week, our bodies became accustomed to the heat as our skin adjusted and welcomed the Vitamin D. We gladly let go of our Salem January habits as we naturally began to embrace the Hawaiian culture. Walking as a citizen in the kingdom of God also becomes natural when we deliberately make His Kingship a priority in our lives. Like wearing a hooded sweatshirt to the Hawaiian beach would be miserable, attempting to fit in with this world and the Kingdom of God can also be miserable. In each of our lives and the lives of our children, there are old habits of this world that do not belong in the Kingdom of God. I have a great t-shirt that proves that I have been to Hawaii. But I am obviously still an Oregonian through and through. May we not be T-shirt Christians only, living a life that only vacations in God’s Kingdom. But may we gladly throw off the insulation of this world which keeps us at a distance from God, and may we walk in the Kingdom of God daily under bright skies from the Son. by Adam Kronberger / Head of School
Before I transitioned from teaching to full-time Christian school administration, I would spend my 3 months of summer working jobs in the construction industry. My summer employment not only kept food on the table, but also taught me valuable skills that have stayed with me to this day. Framing, siding, roofing, concrete, and painting are all trades I have minor experience in doing. But perhaps the greatest skills learned during those summers helped me to develop into a mature man of God. On one of the first days on a new job, we were doing a fairly basic concrete pour for a new patio. My job was simply muscling the wheelbarrow from the concrete truck to the framed patio with fresh “mud”. My boss had handed me a hard hat to wear, but of course I laid it to the side because my “many years of experience” (and fashion sense) knew better. By about the tenth trip of transporting wet concrete in the wheelbarrow, I failed to duck under the chute on the concrete truck and smacked my skull with a thud. Within minutes I literally had an egg-sized welt to accompany a splitting headache in my brain ...which soon was wisely sitting under a hard hat for the rest of the pour. Pride is a natural part of our sinful human nature and it can often get us into a lot of trouble. But thankfully, pride is not a natural part of the spirit that lives inside of us through Christ Jesus. The apostle Paul writes, “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, and I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me” (1 Corinthians 13:11). This verse describes the process of discipleship training as one matures from a state of selfish pride to one of surrender to the wisdom that comes from above. School is such a strategic place for this maturation process to take place. At each grade level, childish ways of the mind, body, and spirit are identified and corrected and improved. Proverbs makes it clear how the fool thinks they know everything, while wisdom is found in listening to others. But this process can often be a painful process for the student, parent, and teacher. Just as it took a lump on my head to figure out that I didn’t always know what was best for me, it requires surrendered humility at every stage of our lives to listen, reflect, and change as God desires. In John 21, the resurrected Christ instructs his disciples to throw their fishing net on the other side of the boat, despite no success in their prior trip. Even though they did not recognize him as Jesus, the disciples simply obeyed and reaped the rewards of a net full of fish. If the disciples can put into practice the wisdom of a stranger, how much more can we surrender to His wisdom as we clearly know Him and know His people. While the occasional “bump on the head” may be necessary, pray that our community of students, teachers, and parents daily make our ears attentive to His wisdom. by Adam Kronberger / Head of School
An odd thing happened a couple of months ago at our Parent-Teacher Conferences. I was standing in our cafeteria visiting with one of our Crosshill families among a dozen teachers and several other families in the large meeting place. Almost in unison, several fellow teachers all glanced across the room in my direction, first with a look of confusion and then with a look of humor. As I finished my conversation and walked back to my teacher station, several teachers approached with their laptops in tow. They eagerly shared an email on their screen revealing how a scammer had just emailed them pretending to be me in an effort to build trust and eventually ask for money. The email was easily a fraud as the email signature did not even have our school name spelled correctly. Additionally, the body of the email simply asked, “What are you doing right now?” My fellow colleagues got a kick out of the ultimate fail of sending the probing email when we were all in the same room! The apostle Peter reveals that the “devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (I Peter 5:8b). Jesus describes there are those in the world who behave as “the thief [who] comes only to steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10a). The apostle Paul explains the spiritual battle we face and to be aware of “the flaming darts of the evil one” (Ephesians 6). My fellow colleagues quickly realized that the source of the impersonating email was not me. They are familiar with my communication style and my signature. And since they literally walk with me daily, they were able to double-check the counterfeit by simply comparing it to the original. Our children are approached almost daily by the schemes of the devil. He “was a murderer [scammer] from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44) The discipleship training we provide as parents and teachers prepares our children to identify the attack of the scammer. In order to identify what is false, they must know what is truth. Make your children aware of these differences over breakfast, when driving around town, as you listen to the radio, as you watch TV, and before bedtime (Deuteronomy 6:7). CCS teachers receive dozens of emails from me each month, so a random fake is easily identified. But if the proportion were reversed, deception would follow. In the same way, may we ensure our children receive regular communication from the Good Shepherd, so they can easily filter out the lies of the world. by Adam Kronberger / Head of School
I am a big fan of games, whether they are around a kitchen table or a physical activity. While they may carry limited meaning in and of themselves, they are excellent at revealing character and providing training in Godliness. Take the popular game GaGa Ball (a variation of Dodgeball in an octagon). When I play and get squarely hit by the ball, I am out and immediately exit the playing area. But if I am only “nicked” by the ball and nobody notices, my initial response in the flesh is to quickly look around and determine if others have noticed. If my survey reveals nothing, there is the temptation to simply continue my play. If nobody saw it, did it really happen? Isn’t it OK unless I get caught? Paul writes to Timothy, “physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” Godliness may be best defined as Devotion in Action. As Christians, so often we know more than we do. The heart is most reflected by what we show, not by what we know. In that moment of playing GaGa Ball, I get to choose to allow God to truly reign on the throne of my life, or for my selfish desires to maintain me on the throne. I get to choose to either sow to please the flesh and ultimately reap destruction, or sow to please the Spirit and ultimately reap eternal life. This is what makes games so much more than simple play. For children especially, they help define truth and sin, or the proverbial right and wrong. They highlight deficiencies in character such as love, kindness, patience, and forgiveness. But they also teach so much about grace and the eternal nature and divine power of God and salvation through His son Jesus Christ. Even as an adult, I am constantly reminded that I continue to be in process as a disciple of Jesus Christ. The rules don’t help make us more Godly, but they may help us understand where need growth. Whether GaGa ball or making an entertainment selection, when I put myself first over God, my flesh tightens its hold on my heart. But when I choose to demonstrate devotion in action, something releases inside of me providing the freedom from the bondage of sin Jesus came to provide. by Adam Kronberger / Head of School
Perhaps the favorite part of my job is greeting students as they arrive on campus each morning with a “High Five.” Generally the welcome begins when the CCS bus arrives with students commuting from the Keizer Campus. Whether I am greeting Kindergarten students, High School students, younger siblings, or the occasional parent, packing hundreds of “High Fives” in 15 minutes is part of my workout routine. It is a joy to attempt to let every student know that I see them and I know they have joined our community for the day. Occasionally when my duties take me away from this routine, my day somehow feels incomplete. Not all of the students share the same enthusiasm for this morning routing as I do. Many may arrive still half-asleep or working through the “morning grumpies”. That’s OK. My joy tank is full and overflowing and I’m always ready to share. Between time with God at home, prayer with the teachers at school, and a Triple-Shot Irish Cream Latte, I can’t wait to joyfully greet students. I cherish the opportunity to put a smile on a groggy face, speak life into a dark morning, or share a burden by pointing others to the eternal source of all joy. As Jesus was sharing his heart with his disciples near the end of his ministry, he explained how “these things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full” (John 15:11). The Savior of the world desires that His joy lives inside of us. His joy is always complete and fills us up by invading every area of our life. His joy is not an idea, but rather an emotion and feeling as a result of daily seeking Him. My morning “High Five” party transitions quickly into the daily routine of school full of learning, growth, challenges, successes, failures, and the occasional “Extra High Five”. It is in the daily rhythm of life that the Joy of the Lord brings fullness of life. This Christmas season, as your morning quiet times quickly become exchanged for daily crazy times, remember the words of Jesus that His joy may be in you. And if you happen to see me over Christmas Break, please don’t hesitate to give me a “High Five”. by Adam Kronberger / Head of School
It seems like families are growing right under our eyes as new babies seem to be arriving at a regular frequency. I remember the excitement and anticipation during our first pregnancy. It was all we could talk about. Each day was an important milestone toward reaching the day of the birth of our first child. Preparations were made and the entire process strengthened community. Friends and family members joined in with support for the upcoming celebration. The Christmas season of Advent is full of excitement and anticipation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus. Despite Santa’s attempt to highjack the purpose of Christmas, the month of December provides Christians an opportunity to daily share the reason for the season. Much like the jubilance of expectant parents, we should eagerly talk about the hope God provides through His Son Jesus Christ. There were unexpected complications with all of our pregnancies that had the potential of stealing our joy. It forced us to remember to place our trust and hope and joy in God instead of the season. As premature births seemed likely for us, our babies desperately needed more time to develop. Impatience was replaced with an attempt to slow life down to provide them as much time to develop as possible. Perhaps this Christmas season may have circumstances or memories that can steal your joy. God’s will and timing are always better than our own, even in our current fallen world. The spirit of the Advent season is one of waiting. Slow down and take the time to wait upon Him, and discover the hope and joy we have in Him. His first coming brought salvation and His second coming will bring eternal blessings. The healthy births of our children regularly give us reason to celebrate. Let the birth of Jesus and the hope of His life, death, and resurrection provide the true reason for the season. by Adam Kronberger / Head of School
One of the key foundations of discipleship training is the development of faith ownership. Key relationships in a person’s life are often an initial factor in someone's declaration of faith. This is often a part of God’s plan as parents pass on their faith to their children, or as friends share their salvation with loved ones. But as the parable of the sower explains (Matthew 13), receiving the Word initially with joy is short-lived without developing long-lasting roots. The process of developing a personal authentic faith is based upon convictions. Convictions are the core of true belief, and they determine worldview and actions. But we know that not all convictions are equal. I hold a conviction that the Diet Coke from McDonald’s is better than Diet Coke from a can. Now while I may be able to back this up with research, the consequences of this conviction on my life are minimal. Perhaps you know of someone who holds the conviction that the world is flat. They may be able to provide their own research as well, and hopefully, the consequences from that conviction are also minimal. Other convictions carry much more significant weight. And our children are developing convictions at an accelerating rate. Even demonstrations of apathy quickly develop into habits and convictions surrounding purpose and value. While a true authentic faith is no longer dependent on the faith or support of others, the development of the convictions of such an authentic faith still remains in our hands. As parents and educators and disciplers, we need to daily facilitate constant reflection and development of personal core beliefs founded on God’s truths. It is the application of these truths in reality, and the resulting relevant questions, that can develop a personal ownership of faith. Jesus remarks, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (John 15:18-19). It is our responsibility to contribute to a home, a school, and a church that is constantly and clearly juxtaposing the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of this world. If we choose to relinquish this responsibility to the world, the consequences will far exceed falling off a flat earth, or sipping on a flat Diet Coke. by Adam Kronberger / Head of School
I generally eat lunch at my desk for a quick 5 minutes as I check some emails. I am currently having some challenges with my routine. Apparently, my eating habits are not consistently hygienic and sometimes crumbs are left behind. So some sugar ant friends have begun to show up. At first, it was just a few scouts. But now they have told all their friends and it is becoming more of an issue. Actually, it is a big issue as my desk is sometimes a shared workspace and it is just downright embarrassing! I know exactly what I need to do. I have already purchased the proven Terro poison and simply need to leave it out on my desk. The “poison” is almost entirely composed of sugar with just a little bit of poison mixed in. My reservation is that when I finally put out the delicious poisonous bait, the problem will temporarily get much worse. I need to be prepared for an ant party on my desk for a couple of days as they tell all their friends where the “good stuff” is. Eventually, they will return to their hole in the wall and share their poison and fall asleep hopefully forever. I have a tough job to do, but it must be done. God is in the business of handing out tough jobs to us. In Ephesians 2:10 we read that “we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Oftentimes we have reservations though in truly engaging in these good works God has called us to. Why? We know that often things will get harder before they get easier. In order to “overcome evil with good” we must go into the darkness and shine the light. Whether the darkness is in our world, our community, or is in our own heart, bringing to death the pests that plague God’s design isn’t easy. But God has already prepared the results. We just need to walk them out. I am grateful that you (hopefully) overlook my imperfect eating habits. I am even more grateful that the Lord gives allowance for my shortcomings. Before God calls us to these good works he proclaims in Ephesians 2:8-9 that “by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” The good works do not produce our salvation. Only faith leads to salvation. And there is no more reasonable response to this great gift than to ask God about the jobs He has for us and then to get to work. by Adam Kronberger / Head of School
A couple of years ago I knew our house was in dire need of a paint job. As a former painter, I knew I would certainly not employ another for the job. The big challenge was that our house sits on a ridgeline and some of its peaks are 30 feet above uneven sloping ground. I did the math and determined that investing in scaffolding to do the job myself would still leave us money ahead, with a direct hand in quality control. Besides the typical painting supplies, the final purchase included a safety harness. A safety harness, when anchored to a secure high point, provides a safeguard against the risk of a fall from dangerous heights. The design, while not focused on comfort, provides a shock-absorbing lanyard that spreads out any potential fall over 6 feet of increasing tension (kind of like a parachute). While still potentially painful and shocking, the harness basically “catches” you as you fall. Even when harnessed to a secure point, there were many moments on the top level of the swaying scaffolding that I would be frozen in fear. In those moments it seemed like the completion of the job was just too big for me. I would feel like giving up. But my motto became “Simply focus on the next thing...the next step, the next handhold, the next brush stroke.” Those thoughts must have been repeated in my head thousands of times, and you know what, the entire house got painted! Sometimes we might find ourselves in crises that seem overwhelming. Despite the Lord’s promises and eternal safety He provides, we can become frozen in fear. Do your current circumstances have you hanging on for dear life? Consider reading the book of Acts this month. Allow the narrative of God’s intentional hand of faithfulness in the life of Paul to give context to your situation. As you find comfort in the testimony of the safety we have in Christ, continue reading through Paul’s letters to the churches (right after the book of Acts) to take your perspective to another level. When Paul declares he can do “all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13), he is referencing all circumstances, especially the difficult ones. With Christ, we can simply focus on the next thing He has for us as He is all we need. While there is fortunately a limit to the heights of my house, there are heights God has prepared for you that you have yet to imagine. If I had fallen when painting my house, I would have experienced a surprising and somewhat painful tension on my harness. But I would have been safe! Sometimes we fall, either because of our own doing or the fallenness of this world, and experience some pain and tension in our lives. Most importantly, we remain safe. Let us live out the prayer, “Father, let all circumstances work together for Your good and Your glory,” and He will take us to heights unimaginable! – Adam Kronberger / Head of School by Adam Kronberger / Head of School
We have probably all experienced or participated in the blame game at one time or another. Maybe we were accused of something we didn’t do, or perhaps we shifted our own blame onto somebody else. Perhaps a stranger bumps into the pyramid of oranges at the grocery store and looks at you with a condemning eye as shoppers watch the fruit cascade onto the floor. Or a passenger on a bus begins to smell the effects of Taco Tuesday while the guilty passenger points toward the innocent baby in diapers. The star player commits his final foul in a playoff game so his teammate quickly attempts to convince the official the foul was on him instead. Once when sledding at Diamond Lake as a child, I joined in with a crowd playfully throwing snowballs in the direction of the snowmobiler grooming the slopes. My throw happened to be less than playful as it landed squarely on the windshield of the snowmobile. The disoriented driver looked past me toward somebody else and commanded, “Off the mountain!” My flesh rejoiced! How fortunate for me to have the blame placed on someone else. My conscious was fully in the clear….until I found out that it was my companion who had been unfairly discharged. Within minutes, my clear conscious was replaced with a tortured disappointment in myself. What was I to do? We know that sin entered this world through us humans. Since then, God’s creation has played the blame game, not choosing to take responsibility for continuous transgressions. God decided the solution was to take the blame for us. The crucifixion of His son Jesus Christ on the cross was the penalty for the sin we are incapable of reconciling. Even one of the thieves on the cross recognized this truth while the other thief insulted Jesus (Luke 23). It is helpful to be reminded of the reason Jesus died on the cross. He sacrificed His life for us because we were to blame and he took the guilt for us. What are we to do? Respond daily with a grateful and repentant heart eager to be an ambassador for His offer of redemption for others. For an inspirational story of God’s forgiveness and redemption, I highly recommend the movie Overcomer! – Adam Kronberger / Head of School |
Adam Kronberger
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