A Beautiful PreSchool at FCC!

Sometimes I am powerfully reminded of what a beautiful preschool we have. In several ways, it stands out. Not the least of which is just the space. With its large rooms and seemingly even larger windows, it invites a environment of warmth and openness.

But we can have the best space and still not have a beautiful thing. Right? I was reminded this week of the beauty of FCS more to the heart of what is ultimately important. That is, FCS creates an experience over a long haul that forms people to be authentic lovers of God in the spirit of Jesus. It is something that happens in nearly every instance and at every level. Certainly the children are nurtured in an environment of the core values of FCS. But it is something that happens with parents and staff as well. As a ministry of First Christian Church, FCS functions so well as a mission outpost of love and grace.

I want to (and you along with me) acknowledge the leadership of Carolyn Maloney, and her assistant director, Tara Barouch. The teachers also are tremendously dedicated and dependable. One note on this score is that the average tenure of all our FCS teachers is over 6 years. Half of the 20 teachers have been here for 7 to 20 years. That speaks volumes!

You might be asking, "Well, what reminded you this week of how beautiful FCS is?" Well, the answer is that I received a copy of a resignation letter from one of our teachers, Laura Reprezza. Here is a transcript of it. I share it with a desire to share with you what I see, in the hopes that you will see it too. Blessings:

Dear First Christian School Family,

With contradicting feelings, I'm enjoying my last days at First Christian School. As you probably already know, my husband has accepted a job offer with Telemundo Network in McAllen, TX, and I have happily accepted to move back where my family lives.

For the past four years I have had the best experience ever, a wonderful job and the most loving school for my daughter. Working at FCS has been very fulfilling; I have grown as a person, as a mother and as a teacher.

It seems that the word "Thank You" is not enough to express my gratitude; to the teachers who were asking me how my daughter was when she was sick, to the ones who were holding and hugging her when she was crying, to the parents who were taking that extra time in the mornings to talk to me, to the ones telling their children, "Ok, let's go and look for your second Mom" ... again, thank you, it was an honor for me, when they were asking for my help.

The Blue room will always be the Blue room because Ms. Yolanda is there and from her I learned that no matter how cloudy it looks outside, it will always be a sunny day inside the Blue room. It's her energy and optimism that has made me enjoy these past four years.

Thank you Mr. Dunn for your warm smile and your jokes, for your spiritual guidance and your prayers, and thank you church members for all your support; to Robert my deepest appreciation for always taking care of me; to Kenneth, thanks for being such a great friend and I hope you continue to let the children call you "Swiper", because they love it and love you.

Thank you Langdon for holding hands with me when I most needed it, as young as you are you gave me more that what I could have given you.

So big thanks to the parents for letting me be a part of your children's life, to the children for all the love and the hugs, to the teachers for all these four years full of great moments and that you to Tara for being so thoughtful with my family.

And even when I know Thanks is not enough I have to say Thank You! Thank You! Ms Carolyn for not just offering me a job but offering me a big Family here in Houston...and Thank you for trusting me with your most precious treasure at First Christian School...your children!

I will always keep all of you in my heart!

Laura Reprezza

Houston Sports Authority

This week I had the pleasure to pray for the opening of the Houston Sports Authority's bi-monthly board meeting where they meet at Minute Maid Park. HSA's board was established by the legislature to oversee the three major sport stadiums in Houston (Reliant, Minute Maid, Toyota Center and Dynamo). The money to fund those projects comes from hotel taxes, car rental taxes and the lease arrangement with each location. The HSA is now engaged in, as board chair Kent Friedman said, "a marketing function to get heads in beds and butts in cars" in Houston.

I wondered how to pray in such settings and exactly what to say. I did what I normally do when I am asked to pray at such functions: I get there early and meet some of the people and ask lots of questions. I learned a lot. Both about what the HSA does but more importantly about the people present and their families. I learned also that at least three major religions were represented. I learned that these folks dress really well in very high dollar suits. I learned that we could find things in common to make us laugh and pause reflectively. But behind the things that were said were fathers and mothers with families and joys and struggles. You learn the more you meet people that all of us are so completely just normal people with lives and loves and losses.

I think where I saw that so clearly was in the the way they received my daughters, Grace and Hollis, who came along with me. It was nice to see a very high functioning and professional group of people find joy in their presence.

So, as I thought about how to prayer and exactly what to say, I did what I normally do on such occasions: I sat quietly by myself and wrote a prayer to God for us all. Here it is:

Most gracious God, we express our gratitude that You remain near to us, Your creation. As Your handiwork, we are aware that when You made us, You pronounced that we were not just good, but VERY good. For that, and so much more, You are greatly to be praised.

In the context of the work of this team of people, we first thank You for the gift of sports and stadiums and elite athletes and competition. They all combine to bring us so much joy.

In the context of the work of this team of people, and perhaps specifically in light of today's agenda, we ask for Your Spirit to be very present. For the decisions that must be deliberated on and made this morning, we ask that a spirit of truth-telling mixed with humility and unity would prevail. We ask that these things would prevail for some higher collective purpose and good, than just our personal desires and what we feel we may need. We ask these things by Your grace.

To God be the glory. Amen.