Measuring Up...in Heart

To measure a man, measure his heart. (Malcolm Forbes)

As our students shuffled in this morning - it's always a little rough on Mondays - they were asked to copy and respond to the above quote that my co-teacher and I had posted on the board. (I had literally found the quote about 2 minutes before the bell rang, but it fit the purpose rather perfectly.)

After morning prayer, we invited the students to share their thoughts about the quote's meaning. Many said that it's not about what's on the outside but rather what's on the inside that counts. Others said that it matters more how someone treats others and values things than what he looks like or says.

These ideas led right into the topic of our community circle discussion this morning - the unexpected death of their music teacher (and our co-worker) and their memories of and feelings about him. He was a rather private person, and he wasn't very old, so the news of his death came as quite a shock to most of us. Their music teacher was a man that will likely be remembered not only for his love of music but also for his smile, genuine care for the students, dry sense of humor, and calm presence. The students shared many stories with each other (and even more students shared at a school-wide prayer service later in the morning) - and those stories brought smiles and a few tears. Clearly, this man had a large impact on our school community, and he was definitely a great man due to his love for others.

So, if I may, I ask that you please keep our music teacher, his family & friends, and our school community in your prayers tonight. We know he's in heaven looking down on us now.