by Adam Kronberger / Superintendent

One of my contributions to keeping the Kronberger household running is to perform the weekly grocery shopping. It is my role to brave the wild outdoors each weekend and to hunt and gather and provide for my family. Whether it’s a hike to the Trader Joe’s Outpost, or crossing the Commercial Divide to the WinCo Territory, I know how to literally bring home the bacon. And whether its price per ounce, amount of sodium, or suggested due date, I pride myself in obtaining the best nutrition at the lowest price.

This last weekend I had nearly conquered my shopping quest and was preparing to locate my favorite speedy checker when I noticed a late addition to the bottom of my shopping list. Neutrogena Face Wipes! How could it be? I was almost done. Couldn’t the ladies of the house simply use damp leaves? We have a recycling bin full of them. Yet with my innate sense of direction (and ability to read), I located my final prey quickly. Talk about sticker shock! $6.30! I wish they sold them in the bulk section so I could grab only seven wipes (they could share). While the generic brand was three times cheaper, 18 years of marriage has taught me that when the brand is on the list, it’s there for a reason.

No longer the victorious warrior, I grudgingly looked for my favorite speedy checker. Nowhere in sight! So of course I chose the longest line with the most delays. When finally bagging my groceries, God looked down on my suffering. The Neutrogena Face Wipes wouldn’t scan! A gift from God! But the checker didn’t get the message. Instead, he said he could just type in a price. He asked me, “Do you know how much these face wipes cost?” Without thinking I quoted the $6.30 and finished the transaction.

As I walked back to my car, my flesh was a bit disappointed with itself. I didn’t even consider quoting a lower price to the checker! Temporary amnesia is common among tribal hunters and I could have suggested a cheaper price. But the Lord’s Spirit brought a smile upon my face of flesh. What else is a man to do? “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit” Romans 8:5.  If I was going to praise Him and honor Him in my home, in my car, and at work, I suppose it would be natural to continue integrity at the supermarket.

This silly story is a convenient example of how our days are full of mental decisions that can be determined by the flesh or by the Spirit. Don’t get me wrong. I have plenty of experience with both. Perhaps next week’s article will be an example of fleshly failure. But I am reminded of the importance of making Jesus and our faith the hub of our life’s wheel. If we make Him just a spoke, then it gives room for the other spokes to be completely independent of Him and driven by the hub of our flesh. And we know how that often goes. But when He is the true center, then all of the spokes of our lives consistently give room for Him to be honored. And the stakes couldn’t be higher as the eyes of our little ones see more than we think. 
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– Adam Kronberger / Superintendent

by Adam Kronberger / Superintendent

One of my pet peeves is the uncomfortable and lengthy process of refilling the propane tank. Removing it from the grill requires physical flexibility and strength, not to mention warm clothing in January. There are limited locations to get it filled, and the actual process requires me to exit my vehicle and spend more time in the cold. There is certainly a long list of items across the globe that should receive our attention, but a drive-through quick fill propane station would be nice. I guess I could just do a tank exchange, but wasting money is another pet peeve, so I guess I will continue to summon courage to suffer through this seasonal ordeal.

To exasperate the inconvenience, we recently received an outdoor propane gas fireplace. Now our propane use has more than doubled. But who can turn down grilled meat and a smoke-free fire on a cold winter evening? I find myself constantly reorganizing the lava rocks in the fireplace to create the perfect balance of flame. The rocks actually get in the way of the flame. It’s the cracks between the rocks that allows the light of the flame to shine through and provide beautiful illumination.

As believers we are called to shine the light of Jesus that lives inside of us to others. This is most commonly considered to be done through the good deeds God has prepared for us to demonstrate. But God also shines His light of love and redemption through the imperfect cracks. In fact, sometimes our good deeds can point more to ourselves rather than to God. But the cracks in our flesh can allow the light inside of us to peek out, much like cracked clay pots, or a lava rock fireplace. When you reflect on the men and women God has used through the centuries, the light of God’s goodness and power is often revealed through the imperfections of His people.

Nobody is fond of imperfections. We are upset with the imperfections in ourselves, and even more so upset with imperfections in others. Some imperfections are a result of our own willful decisions, and others are painful imperfections resulting from the Fall and are often out of our control. But in God’s goodness, He chooses to use these imperfections to allow His light to shine. When we place our ultimate trust in God, the imperfect cracks in our lives allow God’s light to shine out from us and into the lives of others. In our weakness, His strength and faithfulness can be revealed to others if we allow it. The imperfections in others is not always an opportunity to correct. When the light seems to be dimming in others, they might just need to be refueled. Allow the light that shines through your cracks to shine through the cracks of others to help reignite the light inside of them.
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– Adam Kronberger / Superintendent

by Molly Dillon / Keizer Campus Principal

My favorite childhood memory is camping at Detroit Lake on Piety Island. The amenities were non-existent, but the exploring was phenomenal. During the summer of my 6th grade year I brought a friend whom I was determined to impress with my expert hiking skills. I managed to convince my parents that I no longer needed adult supervision to navigate the rugged trails (and promised we would not go far). Confidently, I led the way up the trail and into the dense forest with my reluctant co-adventurer. At the agreed upon boundary I decided to keep going, excitedly chatting away. Not long after, I somehow veered off onto a deer trail into dark and unfamiliar territory. Brushing off my friend’s concern, I was not about to admit that I had no idea where we were, and reassured her that you really can’t get lost on an island.

Pride is a dangerous enemy lurking in our hearts and minds. Poor choices, disrespectful or rebellious attitudes, arrogance, vanity, laziness, selfishness (just to name a few issues), are all flaming red flags of a sin problem sponsored by pride. Because it is such a hindrance to spiritual growth, a key component of discipleship is training our children to search their hearts and minds for the signs of pride, and equipping them with the weapons that destroy it. Such an arsenal exists in book of Proverbs, and the wisdom of Solomon, “He wrote them to teach his people how to live -- how to act in every circumstance, for he wanted them to be understanding, just and fair in everything they did.” Prov 1:1-3 TLB).

The book of Proverbs provides short and to the point truths for building Christ-like character: “The Lord detests the proud of heart. Be sure of this: they will not go unpunished” 16:5, “with humility comes wisdom” 11:2, “The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe” 18:10, “Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding” 3:13. Equipped with the weapons of humility, wisdom, and understanding, it is then crucial to learn how to draw closer to and be led by the Holy Spirit. Add in the practices of prayer, worship, and the assessment of outside influencers, and spiritual fruit will begin to appear, along with God’s blessing. 

God is faithful to rescue us from our pride either by our request and cooperation, or divine intervention. As a child, I often learned that concept the hard way, forging my own trail, each time ending up lost and broken. Thankfully, God’s mercy and grace abound, and despite a series of prideful decisions back on that Island, He provided protection, rescue, and some pretty significant life lessons.
 
– Molly Dillon / Keizer Campus Principal

by Adam Kronberger / Superintendent

Each fall, off-campus retreats in both the middle school and the high school lay a strong foundation for the school year. Unity in the school community is developed through friendships, and a framework for active discipleship is established.  Three years ago, a group of freshmen boys stayed awake in their cabin until the wee hours of the morning. With the guidance of a CCS teacher, the boys discussed a variety of challenges common to young men. Many of the students chose to be vulnerable and were rewarded with encouragement and wisdom found when one embraces Christian community.  The fellowship was so valuable to the group of boys that they committed to not succumb to the typical retreat “mountain top experience” that slowly fades after returning home. They were committed to live their lives back at school on a new plateau, knowing that meeting together regularly was the anchor they needed.

As a result, “Fight Club” was born as the boys met weekly. The young men chose to call themselves the “Fight Club” because they want to engage in the struggle to discipline themselves to be more like Jesus Christ. In a sense, they wish to “fight the good fight of the faith” spoken of by Paul in I Timothy 6:12. One of the goals this group of young men have set for themselves this year is to demonstrate their support and care for the high school girls at Crosshill Christian. They want to practice living their life as gentlemen in a way that pleases God. The method they chose to communicate this support was through preparing a special breakfast for all of the high school girls in the school the morning of December 14th. Their act of service was intended to communicate their love and respect for the high school girls. It was their desire to honor them by preparing an early morning breakfast. They wanted to show the intentions of their hearts by taking the physical step of action in this very right direction.
 
This year’s annual “Spirit Week” was filled with dress-up days, varsity basketball competitions, and a High school Homecoming Square Dance. United in red, white, and blue, Crosshill students stood together this week in support of being members of the same community. And while school spirit for the institution of Crosshill Christian carries some value, the spirit of walking as a disciple of Jesus Christ in love to one another carries greater value. The Salem community may easily recognize the growth of Crosshill Christian School through its accomplishments. But of even more value, is the growth in the hearts of students as disciples of Jesus Christ. Our prayer is that the Salem community and communities around the world will not only recognize this growth, but be benefactors of the fruit of disciples making disciples. 
 
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– Adam Kronberger / Superintendent