Christian Montessori Fellowship

Dennis the Menace says to Joey, “It’s almost Halloween.” “How do you know?” “Because they have the Christmas stuff out.” So Christmas invades the calendar and stakes a claim on our attention (and pocketbooks). The Holy Day has become a Holiday. Yet, that shouldn’t surprise us because anything that becomes a ritual has the power to lose its meaning.

Our challenge is not to lose the meaning or if lost to regain it. Many of us spend our lives chasing goals that in the end are not the prize we thought they were. The classic Charles Dickens story “A Christmas Carol” relates one such account. The character of Ebenezer Scrooge has given rise to a prototype that has become shorthand for greed, avarice – and unhappiness. But it is through the lens of Christmas that his life is transformed and renewed. This same lens can help us focus on what is dynamic and important in life.

Most of us will never have as dramatic a “Christmas conversion” as old Ebenezer but the outcome of his conversion can belong to each of us. The singular thought from the end of the story was that it was said that Ebenezer Scrooge “knew how to keep Christmas well”. And that is our challenge to keep Christmas well – not to lose it, not to ritualize it, not to commercialize it – but to keep it well.

I love Christmas. It is a time of year that evokes memories, hopes and dreams. It is a feast for the senses. The colors, the sounds, the smells create a world that is different (and more hopeful) than the other eleven months. Christmas holds the possibility of “peace on earth and good will to men”. Christmas changes things. The real gift of Christmas is the possibility that it might change us.

I’ve missed a number of Christmases. Oh, I was there but the cares of life and the busyness of the season made it difficult to “keep Christmas”. The season passed me by without touching my heart. So what is keeping Christmas about? Focusing on Emmanuel – God with us. It’s not just the Babe in the manger. It is not just the mystery of God taking on human form but the mystery that God allows that Babe to be born into the manger of our hearts. To keep that Christmas is to keep the mystery of God’s love for all eternity.

I really love Christmas. It is a magical time of year. The decorations, the lights, the sounds transform the world with feelings that bless the soul, the senses and the mind. Acts of random kindness, a lessening of the edginess of life, the outpouring of good will and real charity makes you wonder about how to keep it. The anticipation of the season heightens the very essence of being alive. And eventually some Christmas season will mark a milestone – the milestone of the anticipation of giving rather than receiving – when you can’t wait to experience someone else’s joy.

God had great joy in giving us the gift of the Babe in the manger. And it is a similar joy that becomes ours when “keeping Christmas” means giving. We begin to become like Him when we joyously enter into giving – not just our gifts but our time, our dreams, our very lives. We model not only the wise men and their gifts but our very Heavenly Father.

It is our challenge (in being good fathers) to help our children to not only enjoy the magical time that is Christmas but to model for them how to enter the mystical time as well. Our challenge is to go from the magical to the mystical.

Economics may change this Christmas season – maybe for the better. In addition to (or maybe instead of) the gifts you are going to give consider what might be the most meaningful present you can offer. What you write on a piece of paper – not your usual Christmas card or Christmas letter – but a note or personal letter that shares with someone what their life has meant to you. Detail for them the character qualities that you admire. Detail their acts of love and compassion and their care for you and for others. Bless them with the same blessing you have received from your heavenly Father.

This one simple gift (which will be treasured for years) has the power to turn Christmas into Thanksgiving. You will not only touch the recipients heart but the very heart of God when we say to each other “I love you” with deeds and words just like our heavenly Father did millennia ago in a stable in Bethlehem.

“Keeping Christmas” is to enter the mystical part of Christmas – Emmanuel – God with us – God within us.

You don’t have to treat them all alike.

One of the first whole sentences children utter is, “It’s not fair!” Justice and equality seem to be a dominating factor starting in childhood. How many of us as children, swore that when we had children we would not treat them like this. (Whatever “this” was.) So we seem to be born with a developed sense that life isn’t fair – and it should be.

And now that we are in a situation as teachers we come face to face with a stubborn reality – life isn’t fair. Our Utopian ideals make us struggle with our sense of fairness and justice and in trying to make fairness and justice our goal we often only make the situation worse. Ironically, we often try to be more just than God.

Scripture counsels us about justice and respect and so we scratch our heads and wonder if that means we should treat everyone the same. In reality, we don’t treat everyone alike. Our relationships with out mother and father are different than with other adults. We treat our siblings, family and friends differently than we do strangers. And when we are married our spouse and children receive love and consideration that is not given to others. Is this unfair?

In childhood everything is easy, simple, black and white. And now you are an adult faced with a classroom of different personalities, different needs and different abilities. What do you do? You meet the child’s needs. And his greatest need is not that of fairness but of focus. It’s been said that the real opposite of love is not hate but indifference. And the opposite of indifference is focus and concern. Ironically, in our own quest for fairness we do want everyone else treated equally but we want to be treated specially. If you say to your class, “You did a good job.” It’s nice but bland (equality for everyone). However, if you look Johnny in the eyes and say, “Johnny, you did a good job!” it makes all the difference in the world.

At conferences I ask teachers, “How many of you have a favorite student in the classroom?” Everybody nervously looks around unsure if the truthful answer will bring them a rebuke because they are “supposed” to treat everybody the same. Yes, we all have favorites – often a student who is just like us (and occasionally one who is totally different.) Our challenge is not to deny the reality of our favoritism but to acknowledge that we need to make sure that that favoritism does not negatively impact the other children – like Joseph and his coat of many colors. (A mother was asked if she had a favorite among her four children. “Yes, I do – but it changes from day to day.)

In our quest for fairness and equality it is shocking to realize that God isn’t fair. Oh yes, He’s just and good and compassionate and tender and loving – but fairness is not a primary concern to God. If God were fair everyone would be smart and beautiful, rich and talented, good and wise (and blond.) But look at your classroom – a veritable panorama of hair and eyes and teeth, talents, gifts, abilities, hopes and fears, with family histories to make you proud or cry. What is not present is equality. What is not called for is treating them all alike.

God puts you there to look into their eyes, into their hearts and to focus on what God has called each of them to be so that you might exercise your gifts to help them realize their gifts. I used to tell my school parents that in order to treat them all alike I had to treat them all differently. And that is how our Heavenly Father treats us – differently. We are called according to the gifts He has given us. We will not all be singers but we can learn to appreciate singing. We will not all be writers but we can learn to appreciate language. And there is math and science and history and so much more to explore with the passion that God has placed in each of us. Each of us is given a different measure – like the servant in the parable who was given five talents and another two and the last servant one. The parable is not about what you were given but what you did with what you were given.

You have some bright kids in school and it’s not “fair” to let them give you less than they are capable of. The bright kids need to be challenged to go higher and farther. You have others that will struggle who need your encouragement to succeed as much as the bright kids need the challenge. Have you ever been bored in school or frustrated? That’s because everyone needed to be treated the same. No, they don’t. What they need is the same respect, the same appropriate challenges, the same appropriate focus and the same opportunity to become what God has called each of them to be without the burden of having to be like everybody else because they are being treated like everybody else. You have the opportunity to free them to soar and to celebrate the unique creation and personality that God has created specifically in each child. They are all different and they need to be treated differently – if you want to be fair!

Freedom has to be earned – respect doesn’t!

At a recent conference we asked the question, “What did you wish you knew before you started teaching?” Interestingly, the answers are a reflection, not only of experience, but of maturity. It is not only knowing what to do – but why – and significantly when.

Freedom has to be earned – respect doesn’t.
What attracts many of us to Montessori is the freedom the child experiences in his learning. It is a wonder to behold as a child actively searches and discovers. As beginning teachers we are sure there must be a magic formula (or magic dust) to make the learning happen. It surely must be the “magic” of the freedom in the classroom – the lack of restraints and compulsion. But when I, as a new teacher, tried to spread that “freedom dust” around all I got was chaos and confusion. I was sure that it was the freedom of the classroom that gave rise to the great learning (and contentment and happiness) that was happening there.

Experience taught me (like many other beginners) that freedom isn’t magical. It has to be earned and trained and practiced. Freedom is a long term process and you cannot rush it until the child is ready to handle it. Earning freedom is like preparing for a marathon. It starts with a step, a walk, a run and longer runs until you have trained yourself for the race.

Freedom’s real value is when you know how to use it wisely. Our society confuses freedom with independence. To many freedom means no constraints. However, independence means the ability to be self-governing. Real freedom has to be built on a base of independence. And that is what you are doing in Montessori, creating an environment where the child is learning to govern and guide himself. Traditional education provides few opportunities for gaining independence and exercising freedom.

The challenge of freedom (and exercising it) is that it is messy. It is not the “ordered” existence of everyone doing the same thing at the same time and coming out with similar results. It is the messy process of making mistakes, correcting those mistakes, hopefully, not making the same mistakes again but invariably doing so and failing our way to success. Our challenge is not to disrespect the process or the learner in the process. We have to be careful in life (in and out of the classroom) that we don’t look down on people who are struggling to overcome, to master and to achieve. Obviously, we can do everything better and quicker than our students but unless we give them the time they need they will never come to independence and real freedom.

We live in a world that hasn’t changed much since Jesus’ day. The disciples didn’t think that Jesus should be bothered by “mere” children. Children are weak, noisy, distractible etc and they should just do what they are told. Jesus saw them differently because He looked with eyes that saw where they came from and with eyes that saw where they were going. He gave great respect to the child and “unless you become like the child” you can’t even enter the Kingdom of heaven.

Respect does not have to be earned. It is the hallmark of our relationship with the child (and each other.) And even the childish abuse of freedom is not a reason to stop the progress of learning how to use the freedom wisely. Just as God forgives us of our sins and starts our slate over so He requires us to “re-present” to our children, with patience and respect, the opportunities of learning freedom.

Strange words that God uses to give us hope.
2 Corinthians 4:8 “We are hard pressed on every side but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.

2 Corinthians 6:9-10 “Dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, yet possessing everything.”

It seems now that we are all faced with difficult times – finances and enrollments are of particular concern. Needed personnel and enhancing our programs always remain at the forefront of our concerns and challenges. And often the prayer that escapes our lips is “God can’t you make it any easier?” We know what we need as we look around our schools – more students, materials, help. And if we listen carefully when we pray God sends us words of Hope.

On the surface that doesn’t seem like much of an answer to prayer. And yet it may be worth more to us in the long run than our pleas for relief. Most of our everyday dealings with the word hope are amorphous wishes. “I hope it rains.” “I hope you have a good day.” There, our hope is nothing more than a passive thought. Yet, that is not how God looks at hope. In 1 Corinthians 13:13 Paul writes, “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” While we hold love to be the greatest – yet none of us would dismiss faith but we don’t seem to know what to do with hope.

Faith, hope and love. Faith is the beginning of our journey (He who comes to God must first believe that He exists) and love (God is love) is the destination of our journey. That leaves Hope to be the bridge between faith and love. What exactly constitutes Hope? Hope is an active persevering and following after God. While faith is a gift from God, hope is the engine of our transformation.

Hope is an active holding on, an active following hard after God. Hope is built on faith. If you lose hope – you give up. As long as you hold onto hope – you hold onto faith and you continue to put one foot in front of another.

Many of us are facing extremely challenging situations this year. And now of all times we need those words of hope. Paul writes, “We are hard pressed on every side”. And that certainly reflects the daily happenings of our lives but he goes on to write “we are not crushed.” Yet we feel like we are being crushed. We feel we can’t take anymore. He writes “We are perplexed.” And that certainly enters into our thoughts and lives. “God, why don’t you make it easier for us to minister to your children?” And then he adds, “We are not in despair.” That is our challenge – to not let the circumstances put us into despair. By and large we have been spared persecution but his word of hope that we have not been abandoned is one we need to hold onto. We feel abandoned at times (and yet He never leaves us). And occasionally we get struck down – loss, illness, people leaving us etc – and Paul writes that, “We are not destroyed.” We sometimes feel mighty close to being destroyed. And yet it remains the Hope God gives us that allows us to continue. There are no easy answers to our present circumstances but if our hope is in Him then we continue. Sometimes it is through lions den’s, or fiery furnaces but He always goes with us. Hold on to Hope!

Next month the Christian Montessori training program will go online.
We will start with the first section of the Christian Montessori philosophy. This phase of the program will combine lectures with scheduled interactive question and answer sessions. The materials training portion of the course will be available on DVD’s.

The first ten hour section of philosophy will be available for $200. Sections B and C will be available at the same cost.

The material training modules will be available on DVD’s.

Full details are available on “Christian Montessori Training” page.

Our next management forum is June 8 – 10. There are still spaces available. Details at www.crossmountainforum.com This is also a great seminar if you are wanting to run your own school in the future. Regular cost $975. Being offered for $675.

The national conference is right around the corner. Details are on www.christianmontessorifellowship.com on “Conference” Page.
Conference cost $350 Early registration $325 and an additional discount of $25 for CMF members. Early registration ends June 1st.

Live Montessori training begins June 21st in San Antonio and goes through the 26th. A tremendous week of getting the transforming basics of the Christian Montessori philosophy. Details are on www.christianmontessorifellowship.com

Scheduled Regional Seminars for Fall 2009:
St. Paul, MN September 26, 2009
Shawnee, KS October 17, 2009
Dallas, TX November 21, 2009

That’s a good Montessori prayer! Actually, it’s a prayer that most of us breathe now and then – and often now! Why can’t God make it any easier? All the good work that is done in Montessori schools that blesses children shouldn’t have to be so hard. No, it is not the children by and large – they are a great joy. It is all the other things. Finances! Staffing! Parents! Life! Why doesn’t God choose to make it easier? That’s a mystery. It is also a mystery why we have been chosen and blessed to know Him and to serve Him. But why can’t He make it easier for us to accomplish His calling in our lives? I keep forgetting a lesson I learned years ago. (It is hard for a type A to remember.) He is interested more in my relationship than in my ministry. “But Lord, this ministry is so important. It blesses little children and families and …” And He smiles. Yes, it is all true. And He knows it but He has a purpose beyond our vision and our understanding. He uses our ministries to forge our relationships. It is in life that we learn to handle life. Why doesn’t He make it easier? I have no simple answer to that mystery but I do have a word of comfort – you are in good company! (Misery loves company is not exactly the word of comfort or encouragement you were hoping for.) Along with the word of comfort I can offer you a word of perspective.

Paul’s resume: 2 Cor. 11:24

Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.
Three times I was beaten with rods,
once I was stoned,
three times I was shipwrecked,
I spent a night and a day in the open sea.
I have been constantly on the move.
I have been in danger from rivers,
in danger from bandits,
in danger from my own countrymen,
in danger from Gentiles,
in danger in the city,
in danger in the country,
in danger at sea,
and in danger from false brothers.
I have labored and toiled
and have often gone without sleep;
I have known hunger and thirst,
and have often gone without food.
I have been cold
and naked.
Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.

Did he mention being lied about,
Gossiped about.
Criticized
Abandoned
Being second guessed
Being in jail.
Being chained
And Oh yeah, being snake bit!

Did Paul “deserve” any of this? Do we? So why does God allow us to go through the tough times? In 2 Cor. 1:3-7 Paul uses the word comfort or comforted eight times. Comfort one another with the same comfort you’ve received. “I know how you feel.” Is no comfort from someone who has no idea of how you feel. Death, divorce, despair, loss, failure, pain, betrayal, humiliation are all part of the fall. Sympathy is feeling for someone; empathy is feeling with someone. Scripture tells us that we have a High Priest who is touched by our infirmities. And He asks us to bear each other’s burdens. So why do you go through hard times? To be able to help others? In Peanuts, Linus tells Lucy, “We are here to help others.” “Well, what are the others here for?” asks Lucy. It’s still a good question! Why doesn’t He make it easier? He has his own reasons. And as Charlie Brown says, “Pain hurts.” There is no way to minimize the discomfort we encounter. People in the world tend to mask it with money, alcohol, drugs, sex, or power. But what do you do when you follow God and it leads through valleys that feel like the shadow of death? I think you have to keep going. Does the pain stop? Not always. Do things turn out right? Not always. Do you get what you want? Not always. What do you get? Endurance. You will reap if you don’t faint. However our reaping may not be in the here and now.

We live both in a natural and supernatural world. We are to be good stewards of that which we can control and are called to cede control to God in those areas beyond our control. There is no way to minimize those challenges except by trusting them into God’s hands. And so when we are faced with “Why can’t God make it any easier?” we must lean into the wind of faith and let it carry us forward. The irony of sailing is that you can make progress “against” the wind but it is how you set your tiller that will determine your progress.

Life is real – and often painful but if we can steadfastly look at Jesus in the midst of our challenges we might say with Paul (I Cor. 4:8):
We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed;
perplexed, but not in despair;
persecuted, but not abandoned;
struck down, but not destroyed.”

“Faster than a speeding bullet … able to leap tall buildings in a single bound …” we are well familiar with the resume of Superman (or Superwoman.) Ironically, because of how well our children perform there is a tendency to view Montessori teachers as Superwomen. They must be, to be able to achieve such amazing outcomes. And when we become Montessori teachers this same myth drives and hounds us.

When Barbara was a young teacher and director she looked at her mature staff in awe. The control, respect and authority they seemed to exude were beyond her experience. That tends to discourage the new teacher. “I’ll never be able to do that” is often the unspoken thoughts of the rookie. It is the same feeling we bring to our regard of mature Christians. “I’ll never be that holy, saintly, confident etc.”

In the years that followed, the younger teachers that Barbara began to mentor would look at her with that same awe and feeling of “I’ll never be able to do that!”

So when do you get the “S” on your T-shirt? When you begin to understand that the “S” is not about super powers but about supernatural power. It is never about how much you work (and there is always work to do to make the environment better.) It is not about how much you know (though the more knowledge you have the better chance you have of earning your “letter.”) It is about who you become and how you become transformed. Each of us starts with the raw talent and ability that God gives us. It is when we become stewards of that talent; when we begin to use it, practice it, develop it and enhance it that we begin to earn our first T-shirt “S” for Steward. And when we begin to expand that stewardship concern to encompass the children given to our care that we begin to become stewards first class.

The challenge of a steward is to do what is best – not only for ourselves – but for the children entrusted to us. Much of our labor in life is done to make us look good. Why do you think that pastor’s children are under such stress and pressure? Because if they are not perfect it reflects badly on the pastor.

The steward does not look into the mirror but into the hearts and lives of the children, choosing the best for each of them.

There is a second meaning to the “S” on the t-shirt – and that is servant. Very few of us growing up had the privilege of teachers who saw themselves as servants and not masters. That used to be the common name for teachers – school masters. Our great teacher came as a servant. The servant and the steward are not looking at what is best for themselves but what is best for their students.

The Montessori (and Christian) concept of servant is not just doing for someone but helping them do for themselves. The classic tendency of mothers is to do for their children (that’s how you show you are a good mother.) but the mother (and teacher) who prepare their children to be independent embody the best of steward and servant.
The “S” also stands for shepherd. As a Christian Montessori teacher our concerns have to go beyond academics. In Montessori academics are wonderful, exciting, phenomenal (and that is what most parents are paying for) but academics are just one component of the child’s life and needs. Academics can serve both the temporal and spiritual life of the child. Montessori children are trained to make choices – wise choices. Since life is full of choices to be made it is wise choice making that brings the possibilities of success.

It is also the introduction to academics – science, math, language, art, music and nature that can usher them into God’s presence – full of awe and wonder. The ability to read (and read well) allows the child to explore the scriptures and to let God speak to him.

The role of shepherd is added to steward and servant. You can be a steward and a servant doing the right things but without caring for the sheep. But you can’t be a true shepherd unless you care. Scripture says that the hireling flees when there is danger. David the shepherd fought for and protected his sheep.

So you too become the shepherd of your sheep. You become their pastor. Sometimes you pastor with words, most often with actions but always with love. You lay your life down for the sheep. You pray for them. You counsel. You guide. You lead them by still waters, through the scary places. You keep them safe from the lion and the bear. The “S” for shepherd is hard won.

But there is one more “S’ to consider – saint. Oh, No! “I’m no saint.” But yes you are. We have a wrong definition of saint. Maybe we’ve let the world define saint. The world wants saint to be someone (a very few someones) who is beyond the “norm” of humanity in goodness, kindness etc. They do this to excuse themselves from even having to bother to even enter this state. “I’m no saint.” Is still a poor excuse.

But what does God call a saint? Someone who is in communion with Him. Someone who is being transformed into the image of His Son. God’s idea of saint does not involve perfection. A saint is someone who in being transformed takes on God’s agenda rather than his own; who begins to think God’s thoughts, who begins to breathe God’s breath in order to put that living breath into others. It is when God breathes into us and through us that we truly become living beings.

That “S” on your T-shirt is imprinted and fulfilled in the supernatural. That “S” is designed to bring many sons and daughters to God. Wear it proudly. Wear it humbly. Wear it daily.

It would seem a rhetorical question to ask a Montessori school what is their educational philosophy. The immediate response would be Montessori of course. But there is such a wide latitude even in that application. The philosophical application starts with your definition of Montessori. The broadest definition would be – meeting the child’s needs. That certainly encompasses hands on, experiential, intellectual, social etc. It is the emphasis and the accent that distinguishes one Montessori program from another.

Typically, all schools start with the intellectual emphasis. First it is the most dominant in the awakening mind of the child. (And it is what parents pay for.) To the child the whole world is new. New eyes are seeing new wonders. “Why?” and “What’s that?” are the most prevalent questions. Second their need for motor skill development to serve them marks their physical needs. Social interaction (especially for only children) also rises to the top. And somewhere in their needs inventory is a spiritual quotient.

Most Montessori schools while non-parochial realize that “spirituality” is a need of the child. The nature of the child (the nature of all of us) has a spiritual bent. And in keeping with the broad definition of Montessori education to meet the needs of the child therefore requires the tipping of the hat to spirituality. But spirituality and spiritual are not the same thing. Our very nature finds its ultimate fulfillment in the world beyond the senses and beyond time. It is that “other worldly” fulfillment and goal that makes this world’s actions directed and meaningful.

To acknowledge spirituality without empowering the fulfillment of the spiritual is to foster incompleteness. Spirituality is amorphous. Spiritual is focused. It is an action and a state of being and becoming. God is a spirit and the scriptures say that true worshippers will worship Him in spirit and truth. (John 4:24) Our very nature cries out to be connected to God. And we find our rest in Him.

You can have a Montessori school without a Christian spiritual emphasis and that is one educational philosophy. And you can have a Montessori school with varying emphasis on the spiritual dynamic. Five prototypes present themselves.

First a Christian Montessori program where the primary emphasis is on the intellectual needs of the child. Many of us start here because we are so enthralled with the fantastic program. Spiritual needs are a valid concern and are addressed within the general scope of the program.

Second, there are Montessori programs that address the spiritual nature of the child by chapel and story time.

Third, there are programs that create an “atrium” a special place for Bible and spiritual lessons outside of the classroom. The child may be presented lessons every week or several times a week. Programs such as the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and Godly Play are employed.
There is also a subset of this approach where the guide is not involved at all and the spiritual teaching and lessons are provided by a Catechist/Bible specialist.

The fourth approach is where an atrium is built into the classroom and children have access to the Bible materials etc all day everyday. And the classroom guide is also the effective “pastor” of the children.

The fifth approach is where “juvenation” occurs. We are familiar with rejuvenation – to make new again and renaissance – to be reborn. Juvenation and naissance are the birthing of the spiritual being. As the child in the womb is already formed it is the birth experience that puts the child into a new dimension fulfilling the destiny and purpose of the womb to bring the child to “life.” So it is with the spiritual birth of the child. The presentation of the prepared spiritual environment along with the nomenclature and the availability of spiritual experience also brings to new life this nascent spiritual life. When the spiritual becomes preeminent the intellectual, physical, emotional and social needs of the child serve the spiritual formation. The spiritual does not usurp the other valid needs of the child but transcend those needs. And in transcending serves to meet them and fulfill them.

Some have voiced a concern that the introduction of “religion” into the environment will coerce the child and that you are imposing on the child. Realistically, what color is your pink tower? Is it not imposed on the environment? If religion and faith are not present in the environment how will a child be able to choose that which he needs to build himself into the man he is intended to become? How will the child be able to meet his needs without the presentation of faith?

Faith is not an option or among a choice of options. It is a vital part of who we are. Just as Dr. Montessori talks of deviations, fugues and barriers as hindrances to the full development of the child, so a lack of spiritual development and knowledge is a hindrance to the fulfilled and transformed life. E.M. Standing quotes Dr. Montessori as saying that God gave her this method in order to advance the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God, not a warm and fuzzy spirituality but a vital faith in relationship with our Creator and our God.

By and large, we are paid by parents to produce intellectual excellence. Fortunately, Montessori education provides a splendid means to accomplish this. However, if we fail to provide spiritual excellence we fail our children not only for time but for eternity and we may certainly miss hearing the most significant evaluation of our earthly work – “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

My eyes opened, I looked at my watch. It was three AM. I rolled over to go back to sleep. And I rolled over and I rolled over and over. I knew I wasn’t going back to sleep. “God you must want to talk so I’ll listen.” I wish I could hear Him in the daytime – I often do. But many times He visits me when I’m asleep – or half awake – sharing His vision and His heart. But I wasn’t half asleep – I was awake.

I’ve been talking to God lately about my need to listen. I talk to Him all the time. Often to breathe is to pray. Prayers escape all the time. Prayer is just talking to God. That is what we teach our kids. There don’t have to be fancy words or formulas – it’s just talking. And it is! But there is also the listening. And I’ve asked God to help me with that. (My wife says I don’t listen – at least I think that’s what she said.) Listening! That’s tough for someone whose gift is talking. And the conversation with God has to be listening as well.

Prayer is powerful – not just for what God can externally do through prayer but for what happens to us when we pray. It is not so much of what God does with our prayers – many of our prayers are supplications for help and aid – but the transformative power that is unleashed within us when we pray. The power to walk joyfully (and in peace) in situations that are not resolved in our petitions comes from the fact that in prayer we touch God’s heart. And it is His heart that transforms us.

We ask God for many wonderful things so we can bless the children He sends to us. We ask for teachers, we ask for enrollment, we ask for materials – all good things which we need to fulfill the ministry He has called us to. And often they don’t come in the timeframe we ask. (“Why can’t you make it a little easier God to do this ministry?” is often our frustrated cry.) God has another ministry. I Peter 1:7 speaks about “the trial of our faith being much more precious than of gold.” James 4:10 reminds us that the prophets are an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Patience! God can you hurry with the patience!

Prayer is not about us – even though most of my prayers are about me and my family, my friends, my ministry. Prayer is about God and what He wants – most of all what He wants is us: totally, simply, completely trusting Him.

So at three in the morning I’m still learning to listen for His voice. Sometimes it is clear. Sometimes I don’t comprehend what I hear, or think or imagine. Each of us hear our Heavenly Father in different ways – but you have to have not only hearing ears but listening ears.

The preceding week we had decided to send out the directory of Christian Montessori schools to everyone who became a member. It would be good for the CMF community to network. At three in the morning what I heard was not a call to network but a call to fellowship. But wait, isn’t that already the name of the organization – Christian Montessori Fellowship?

I Cor. 8:4 Paul relates that the Corinthians wanted to take on the “fellowship of ministering to the saints.” Fellowship in Greek is translated Koinonia – communication, communion, contribution, distribution, and partaking are at the roots of fellowship. Galatians 6:5 tells us to “Bear each other’s burdens.”

I liked the clarity at three AM. To become a fellowship is to commune, partake, contribute and distribute. To become a fellowship is to lift each other’s burdens in prayer otherwise we are just another educational organization. Who can better pray for a director who is challenged with finding a teacher than a director who has been challenged? Who can better pray for enrollment and finances and wisdom than someone who faced and faces the same daily challenge? “Bear each other’s burdens.”

On the website is a new page for prayer. There is also a prayer chart where everyday we can lift up schools from a different state and country. Copy the chart. Put it in your Bible. Make it a part of your devotions, staff meetings and chapel. Bear each other’s burdens. And then pick one school from the list and email them. Tell them you’ve prayed for them. That you lifted up their needs to our heavenly Father. Encourage each other – fellowship.