gratitude

Homecoming week ended with a bang up weekend.  Friday was a school-wide lunch on the lawn followed by a pep rally.  That evening we had a carnival for our alums and their families complete with bounce houses and face painting for the kids, snacks and drinks, and free admission to the game.  Our football team played well and won 21-7.  The next day was the homecoming dance and by all accounts, the kids stayed and danced right to the end.  As far as I know, everyone got home safely.

I work at an Episcopal school.  Part of our mission is to foster spiritual growth in all of our students, regardless of faith.  As a result, we have a diverse population of not just Christians, but also Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Atheists, and a host of other faiths and plenty of kids still trying to figure everything out.  Every week we have chapel, and we say a prayer at the start of each assembly, but there are very few other times where we pray, and we certainly are not in the business of conversion.  I like that about our school, our willing acceptance of all members of our community, no matter their faith. 

Not all teams are the same, but at the end of each football game, our head coach says a prayer over the team, win or lose.  As the parent of a player who has suffered broken bones and strained tendons due to the sport, I'd like to think they give thanks for the opportunity to play and the safe conclusion of the game. 

This past week was an eventful homecoming.  I loved watching the joy it gave the students, the memories it built, and the safe return of my scholars on Monday. 

That's not really a prayer.  Just my gratitude.