Thirty-seven years ago I was sitting in the same chairs you are – without
air conditioning. It’s those principles that the Academy taught me, that gave
me the tools that have carried me in my life.
Here is a tool box, full of the tools any 18-year-old graduating senior
would get:
1. Connect with others
2. Stay positive
3. Get physically active
Just to name a few. They are good advice. But the Academy gives us more.
One of my favorite tools that I got from the Academy and that I live from
now is found in Arcana Coelestia: “Peace has within it confidence in the Lord,
that He directs all things and provides all things, and that He leads to a good
end.”
What does that mean? If I can remember that the Lord is in charge and
taking care of everything – and I mean everything – I can feel peace. Who
doesn’t want peace?
Kelsie, our daughter, was driving into Kutztown a couple of weeks ago. It
was the weekend that Kutztown University was closing down and things were
chaotic as all the students were packing up their cars and leaving. One student
wasn’t watching when he pulled out in front of Kelsie, causing an accident.
Kelsie slammed on her brakes but couldn’t avoid a crumpled fender. She was
furious.
All she could think of were dollar signs – dollars she didn’t have, and she
needed that car to get to Wyoming, where she was headed to take a $1,100
course.
The bill for the course came. She still didn’t have the money. She swiped
her credit card and thought, I’ll get this paid somehow, eventually. The day
before she left for Wyoming the settlement for the accident came in the mail.
It was a check for $1,100.
“Peace has within it confidence in the Lord, that He directs all things and
provides all things.”
The Lord took that accident and made it lead to a good end.
When I’m not feeling peaceful I know I am not trusting. I’m not loving the
neighbor. I’m out of sorts.
So it boils down to: when I am not feeling peaceful, I reach out to the Lord
and I reach out to my neighbor. It works. That’s my tool. It’s from the Lord,
written in the Writings, taught in this school. Living my life like the Lord tells
me to . . . works!
Calvin:
So, Maggie described some of the tools your average high school student gets.
385