Proverbs, Pupils, and the Preacher

The Power of the Perennial Proverb

Zane Vandaveer

                The last Woodland High School baccalaureate service that I had attended was five years ago. Helping my family care for my father following his stroke became paramount over all other activities, but I still missed those end-of-year school events. I viewed my presence at these milestone experiences as a signal of my support for those former students. How important it seemed to me to give them congratulations on what they had accomplished and encouragement for the new adventure on which they were embarking!

Bridget Rogers

Cecil Barden and Nolan Bratton

                Since Dad died in October of 2015, with mixed emotions, I walked up the steps of the Fairfax Christian Church for the baccalaureate service on May 11. My father thrived on these times. He counted each senior that he knew as a friend even though the age gap was over 70 years. He took very seriously being a source of encouragement to these young people.

Hannah Godfrey and Kelsey Anson

             My life had changed so much from the years when I taught third graders. I didn’t often think of my days in the classroom with eager 8-year-olds. These now-grown-up “kids” filed  down the aisle of the church. A flood of memories filled my mind.

                Jay Clapp, the pastor of the Fairfax Assembly of God Church, began the message to the Class of 2016. He mentioned his intent to use quotes to remind the seniors of their need to future commitment. Then he began quoting proverbs, some of which had been on my perennial proverb bulletin board in my third grade classroom so many years prior.

Julz Brown

             You catch more flies with honey than vinegar.

            Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

            When the going gets tough, the tough get going.

Honesty is the best policy.

Madeline Pennington

Rowdy Heath and Gage McKinney

                As I listened, I thought how each of these proverbs continued to be important in my life as a retired teacher. How important it had been for me to live out these proverbs in my daily life!

                Solomon wrote in Proverbs 16:34 “Kind words are like honey; they are easy to accept and good for your health.” As we cared for Dad, my mother frequently mentioned the importance of kindness. His condition worsened and became tenuous, but with our kind urging, he would swallow nourishing meals Mother prepared, surprising his medical team. Kind exchanges between Mother, my sister, my brother-in-law, and me strengthened us and deepened our respect for each other. Throughout his life, I observed Dad approach people in difficult situations “in a kind way.” That is using honey instead of vinegar.

                Jesus Himself spoke what is known as “The Golden Rule.” Bottom line, Treat others they way you want to be treated. This attitude excludes retaliation, bullying, intimidation, or verbal or physical abuse. What a different community, nation and world we would have if we only lived out this one principle!

                When I heard Jay say, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going,” I realized how much I had learned about that proverb since I had taught these Seniors of 2016. The first year  that I retired, I toughened up through innumerable experiences. I recalled the first winter when lifting a heavy vintage iron bale ring, with tears streaming down my cheeks, as I yelled the prayer in the pasture, “Lord, help me. I have to get this hay out. The storm is coming.”As I stepped back to watch the cattle devour the hay, I realized I was developing physical and emotional toughness. At other times, when listening  to Dad’s labored breathing on several different nights, I prayed for the strength or “toughness” to trust Dad to the Lord and relax so I could get much-needed rest.

                Little did I know when I was teaching the value of honesty to third graders of its importance in my life upon retirement. On numerous occasions, I answered the phone and had to say after a few minutes, “I’ve got to go check on Dad.” Over and over I had to decline participating in good endeavors. Dad needed my help more than any other person or group of people. I learned to form my mouth into “no” more frequently than I ever thought I could. The practice of responding honestly to requests proved to be a type of truthfulness I never mastered as a third grade teacher.

                As Jay encouraged the Seniors of 2016, I hope to continue to master implementing those proverbs in my daily life. No matter one’s age, position in life, or career path chosen, living out these pithy sayings will provide rewards far beyond any fathomable expectation.

               Just a note about the photographs - Most of the photos have students posed with collage hearts created prior to Mother's Day. Inside the students had written tributes to their mothers or grandmothers. A couple of the photographs, taken just before Christmas, show the students holding their own version of stained glass art reminiscent of a Judean shepherd with his sheep. Photographs provide such tangible memories of precious times in the past. Blessings to the 2016 Seniors of Woodland!