Becoming Real

For many months now Willow Tree has existed only in the imagination. Now we have a building, and having a physical space definitely brings an air of reality. And today we received our first real piece of mail. Also, my dining room is full of actual books that are organized by grade level that will be actually read by actual children. The classroom teacher in me is itching to start going through them and planning for the students, but right now administrative duties are more urgent. I spent today creating forms: an enrollment checklist, a student/medical information card, an interview questionnaire, a media release form, an enrollment agreement form, a request for records form, a supply list, and a book list. Now I need to work on a line-by-line list of needed start-up supplies and their estimated costs so that a budget can be created. It is enough to make your head spin, but then I remember what Oswald Chambers said about rest:


"'...and I will give you rest,' i.e., I will stay you. Not--I will put you to bed and hold your hand and sing you to sleep; but--I will get you out of bed, out of the languor and exhaustion, out of the state of being half dead while you are alive; I will imbue you with the spirit of life, and you will be stayed by the perfection of vital activity." (From My Utmost for His Highest)


And this work is vital activity by either definition.


We picked up another student today whose parents' decision was based largely upon the mom's participation in an immersion group during the Mason conference last week. She said it really helped her understand the paradigm shift and the distinctives of a Mason education. I'm going to go think about how I can include this idea in the parent information meeting to be held next Monday. I think that living a day as a student is going to be critical.