Mission Moment

Dear Covenant Families,

It is something that I say every year, but there is just nothing like the beginning of the school year! It is filled to the brim with excitement and newness, but there is also a tinge of anxiety in the anticipation of what the year holds. Certainly the joy of freshly sharpened pencils, the smell of new books, and a sparkly clean lunchbox won’t last forever. Pencils become dull, lunchboxes begin to smell, and then things like homework start to happen. Add in a row with friends or a discipline notice and it is easy to start counting down the days until the next summer vacation... unless we choose a different approach from the beginning.

I assume a good majority of us recently watched at least some of the recent summer Olympic games that took place in Paris. Historically, our family has not been enthusiastic Olympic faithfuls, but this year we were. Perhaps it was the Eiffel Tower that drew me in, but the competition and spirit of the athletes is what kept us all anticipating the evening recap of the day. While we all likely have different sports that held our attention, I bet at one point or another we were all touched by one cord that ran through the entire event…. the importance of teams. Whether competing as a team or individually, it was blatantly clear that support from fellow teammates was crucial for the athletes.

Watching the teams work together whether in competition or on the sidelines was inspiring. Their connection was palpable and I began to realize that obviously this was not just an Olympics thing, but something much deeper. Most of the team relationships were forged for months and years before the games in Paris. Many of these athletes trained together regularly and competed routinely with and against each other. No doubt, a deep camaraderie was formed through tremendous accomplishments as well as through crushing disappointment.

While preparing for school with one eye and watching the Olympics with the other eye, I began to see a correlation between what the athletes were doing in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower and what we we are about to do in the shadow of LBJ on our little campus in the middle of Dallas, Texas.

The Olympic athletes joined hands and chased after their dreams together. We will only realize our dream of being a school of like-hearted families who desires its graduates to not just know Jesus Christ, but to articulate His goodness and truth to our despondent world, if we lock our arms together tight. Very tight.

This does not mean that we will all be besties and our days will be free of struggle. Quite the contrary. For us, the daily grind of training together will look like math homework that seems too difficult, or a recess conflict that left feelings splashed all over the field. It could mean a bad grade or feeling inadequate because we are pulled into the comparison game. Progressive education and modern psychology can give us the feeling that trust between home and school is not possible. At Covenant, we need to be teammates with arms locked trusting in God’s goodness and living for His glory.

Instead of allowing our heads to spin in confusion or spending time mincing words to make our team plan, how about we commit ourselves to the Lord, to what we know, and to each other? First, we know that we are sinners saved by amazing grace. Let’s set our eyes on our Savior each and every day. Secondly, God has placed us together at a school whose mission is completely counter to the culture of the day. Let’s stay on course and not drift to the right or the left from that mission. Finally, while we walk through life together, let’s see each other as image bearers, presume positive intent, and give each other the kindness and grace we so desperately need ourselves.

Pencils sharpened, arms locked, and eyes heavenward….can’t lose!

Non nobis, 

Laura Mountjoy
Grammar School Head