As we turn our attention to Thanksgiving this week, there may be quite a few thoughts and emotions that come to mind. Certainly, as we may have some time to spend with family and friends, some of which we perhaps don’t see on a daily basis, there is an opportunity to reconnect.
Maybe this week also provides a setting to reconnect with our gracious Heavenly Father, who has blessed us with so many earthly blessings. This might be at a worship service or just in some simple quiet time.
At Concordia, we have eLearning days Monday and Tuesday, but it’s not just because the decision was made to take the week off. The faculty are attending a teachers conference that will include over 1000 educators from Lutheran schools in Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan – and it is being held right here in Fort Wayne at the Grand Wayne Convention Center. This gathering, appropriately enough, is called Connections Conference and happens once every three years. This conference is a great reminder to us at Concordia that we are not an isolated Lutheran high school, but part of a much larger family of Lutheran schools throughout northeast Indiana and the country. Though I am sure the keynote speaker and the breakout sessions will, no doubt, contain interesting ideas and philosophies, I’m really looking forward to the opening worship service and opportunities to reconnect with high school and college friends who now teach in other Lutheran schools around the Midwest. In addition to discussing what is new with their schools and families, I’m sure there will be a little bit of reminiscing and sharing stories of years ago.
This Thanksgiving, I’m especially thankful for Concordia Lutheran High School and the connections that are made each day. Some of these connections will last for a lifetime. And when this lifetime is through, we look forward to reconnecting with countless other saints who are gathered around the Lord’s throne and singing His praises.