Joy in the Journey

Traveling brings me JOY! My wife and I love to travel, we find joy in the journey. For a number of years my mother-in-law would “snow bird” in Marana, Arizona. For the Christmas holiday or spring break we would use our Southwest airline miles to visit. One year we decided to share the joy by purchasing an airline ticket from Allegiant Airlines for our niece so she could join us on the journey. Unfortunately that was the year the COVID epidemic hit and we canceled our plans for spring break. Allegiant airlines gave us a flight credit for our nieces ticket and allowed us six months to use it. Fast forward from March to August. The ticket needed to be used, I looked on the internet and the place with the least COVID at that time was North Dakota. So I flew up on a Thursday for an extended weekend. My journey across the state of North Dakota was filled with Joy! Wide open spaces, huge farms, stops at State and National Parks (wild horses and bison @ Teddy Roosevelt NP). The long hours of driving weren’t always enjoyable but the destination was worth it!

Teaching, much like a cross-country road trip, definitely has its long, grueling stretches.

However, the breakthrough moments make every mile worth it! The spark of Literacy: watching a child unlock the joy of reading for the very first time, the "Aha!" Moment: Seeing the exact instant a complex concept like the quadratic equation finally clicks and the Ultimate Destination: Supporting students as they make eternal decisions and take a stand in their faith through baptism. You’re not just filling out lesson plans; you’re shaping hearts, minds, and eternal destinies. Here’s to finding deep, steady Joy in the Journey throughout this entire school year! May you be continually refreshed along the way.

~Matt Pacer, Interim Superintendent