Retreat

It's been a few days since I have blogged. Last week, I went on a retreat with Nick and the entire fifth grade class from his school It was great. I got to bunk with 6 fifth grade boys for a few days. So many things that I could share...But, I'll stick to what stands out the most. Fifth grade is a year when these kids are on the threshold of middle school. To me the middle school years are a critical time of formation. It's the time when kids are experiencing some of the greatest changes in their lives. Of course we tend to focus on the physical changes, but I think there is a poweful interrelationship between the physical, emotional and spiritual transformation that takes place. Anytime our lives seem to be on shifting sand (and this is espcially true in middle school), we tend to reach for an anchor. Some kids find that anchor in Christ. Others find comfort for their insecurities in a host of other bad choices and habits. As I entered the fifth grade world for a few days last week I thought about how early patterns of life develop. It's not difficult to see some "middle school" habits that persist in the world of adults. To some extent our culture has taken pride in extending adolescence. While it's nice to feel younger than you are - it's not so nice to act younger than you should be in terms of spiritual maturity. No matter what age we are physically or spiritually, we still need a clear sense of how to anchor our lives and find security in God. Our security in God frees us from unhealthy patterns of living and provides a path to maturity.