Only 55 days are left of this year! Wow! Reflections on the past year are not far away. Advertisements for 2022 planners are in my inbox. We will soon hear, “Where did the time go?”

One of my goals is always to write more, whether it is in a book, blog, or letter correspondence form. This blog, letters to friends and family, and periodic attempts at my book, Pandemic Principal, help me achieve this goal.

The best part of a goal is when it is accomplished. Seeing your writing in print is incredibly rewarding. Is that too proud? I hope not. As I reread it again, I see that I could have used better word choices, but it’s okay. Writing is a hobby I want to continue. Read on…

Pandemic Principal

A visitor walking into our school during early summer may see stacked furniture outside classrooms, blank bulletin boards, and a variety of maintenance workers. Administrative assistants could be opening packages and delivering them to the proper classrooms. Peeking into a classroom, one might see a group of educators, jokingly named Calendar Creators. Any teacher is welcome to attend this meeting, but only certain ones show up. Armed with calendars, pencils, and sometimes chocolate, they gather around a long conference table, ready to provide reasoning and set dates for the many school events. 

At the Summer 2020 Planning Session, dates were set with a different twist. The question “Will we even have it?” seemed to repeat itself for each event. Despite the uncertainty of the looming school year, the Calendar Creators completed another session (with a few more chocolates digested). “I guess we’ll just wait and see how the year progresses,” commented a teacher as the meeting ended. 

As the school year evolved, the Calendar Creators found themselves with a different job description: how to plan an event in a COVID world. The group could have been retitled “The Imaginers.” Every single event on that established calendar needed to be redesigned using three lenses: Christian, community, and COVID. 

So many events were redesigned, but Grandparents’ Day will be forever etched in my memory. My father, a resident in a memory care facility, propelled me forward in the planning process. He often mentioned how much he missed seeing young people. I assumed this must be true for the students’ grandparents as well. Planning started with the office. “How can we make this happen?” I asked our office manager. “The Veterans Day parade worked. Let’s make a Grandparents’ Day parade happen!”

Veteran’s Day, another re-imagined event, worked well. Veterans drove through the back parking lot where students were holding flags on the sidelines. The middle school band played patriotic songs, bringing tears to the veterans’ eyes. A special fife and drum group led the parade procession. 

Determined and feeling persistent, the office manager and I started planning in January. We kept the planning largely to ourselves because the pandemic stretched teachers and simplicity was key. But is anything simple when planning for Grandparents’ Day? “We need to give them something,” the office manager decided. She began creating seed packets with a note enclosed. It was difficult to determine an exact number, so we settled with one hundred, with the idea of giving one per vehicle. As the day drew closer, communicating to parents through the school newsletter, social media, and handwritten letters from students became a focus. “I hope the grandparents come!” we often remarked to each other.

The event seemed simple: follow the same route as the Veterans’ Day parade with the middle school band and bell choir playing music. The director of advancement reminded me that signs for students’ placement would be helpful. “Do you think we should contact the local police to inform them of possible overflow? What if there is a back-up on Union Street?” I resisted, remembering the messy correspondence with the city traffic department regarding the Veterans’ Day parade. “It will be fine,” I encouraged, with no reasoning behind that statement and optimism as my guide.

This is an abridged version of this article. To read more, subscribe to the print or digital edition of Christian Educators Journal.

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Michelle Tuinstra, author, accepted God’s calling to lead as a “pandemic principal” at Lafayette Christian during the 2020–21 school year. This school year, she hopes to find time to write her book, Pandemic Principal: Exhibiting Ridiculous Amounts of Grace in a COVID World. She can be reached at mtuinstra@lafayettechristian.org.

“I can’t believe I did that!” she exclaimed, as she bent down cleaning up the spill in our van. It was coffee, but I just didn’t care. “It really doesn’t matter,” I repeated, although she kept expressing her apologies.

How can you express that the only true thing that matters is being with people who are your friends, no matter what? My cousin, Julie, is like that, which is why I make an effort to see her while in Michigan.

Our favorite pasttime is frequenting consignment shops and this Saturday was no different. As we ended our time together, we planned our summer escapade for 2022.

Time is short. We need to make the most of it!

One of the best gifts my mother provided was the gift of music. Her listening habits followed a certain predictability. Weekday music included a mixture of soft rock. Saturday mornings included some polka, ABBA, and John Denver. Sunday mornings and afternoons included Christian radio station music. Despite the variety, she tended to view newer Christian praise music as too repetitive and lengthy. Her favorites included Steve Green, ” People Need the Lord”, songs by Twila Paris and Natalie Grant. Listening to a variety of music is a blessing that I continue as well.

I thought about a Saturday visit yesterday, but it didn’t set well. After a student left school with a 100.2 temperature, I didn’t feel right about sharing my germs with my father.

Do other people go through these same types of scenarios? Balancing safety and the need to see the elderly?

My father, recuperating from a recent kidney stone surgery, is struggling to stay awake during the day, although this picture, taken by my brother, indicates otherwise. He looks good!

As the month of October continues, I keep hoping that he will stay positive, remembering that his life is precious.

The day dawned bright with an abundance of sunshine as we traveled for a Saturday day trip to see my father. As we greeted him, he kept nodding off. ” I am so tired,” he muttered as his head drooped down. Since he just had surgery, it was expected. “Come on, Dad. I will play the piano,” I urged. We ambled over to the piano. Just like two years ago, the broken C note greeted my ears. As I started playing the familiar hymns, other residents gathered around and started singing. It ended up being an impromptu hymnsing, with voices joining together in praise and my father, staying awake. Surprisingly, they stayed for one hour, singing and rejoicing on a sunny Saturday afternoon. It was a great weekend memory.

• #13- eat outside under the new umbrella

It actually fits two items on my list: eating outside/picnic and under an umbrella. My mother always loved eating outside. Picnics were noteworthy excursions. At their Cutlerville home, they enjoyed a three season room where they ate all meals and read books on Sunday afternoons.

On the way to church today, more ideas came to mind.

• plant tulips in October. This was definitely one of my mother’s favorite things to do in the fall.
• Go on a picnic. We always can picnic in our woods!
• The acrostic poem created for her funeral provided the idea of listening to her favorite music: Strauss, Handel, Bach and also Neil Diamond, ABBA, John Denver.
• MOPS stands for mothers of preschoolers. While I cannot volunteer for this organization right now, I could definitely donate.
• Burger King- Hmm. I don’t know about this one, but maybe I could purchase a shake?
• Romantic dinner with Mitch. She was ALWAYS encouraging me to do this and make sure I didn’t get too busy with teaching.
• Installation of a fire place. This has been on our list of home tasks for such a long time. She would constantly remind me of the value of a fire place in a home. “It’s gezellig”, she would say. It’s the Dutch word for cozy.
• Ireland was one of her dream destinations. My father’s mobility canceled their trip. Maybe this could be our dream destination now.
• Raisin bread was always in our house. I think I will purchase some !

Only two more! As the days draw closer to her “birthday”, more ideas will come to mind.

I wonder if other people do these types of checklists of remembrances. It definitely has allowed me to continue her memory in unusual ways.

How does one develop patriotism for your country? Is it natural? Is it parent taught?

My parents, Dutch immigrants, definitely instilled patriotism in our family from a young age. My father, a Dutch citizen, then a Canadian, studied hard to pass the United States Citizens Test. Our family stood proudly as we attended his naturalization ceremony followed by a family party.

The American flag, prominently placed in the front of the house, stood as a reminder of their devotion to our country, but it didn’t stop there. My mother often wore patriotic clothing at holidays or just on a regular day. Two flags hung from the car windows. American stickers could be seen on the bumper. They frequently donated to Wounded Warriors. Sometimes, I marveled at how two people, born in a different country, could have such a strong allegiance to a country where they were not raised.

As I reflected upon the events of September 11 and shared the details of it with my students, I realized that I was also honoring my mother by wearing patriotic clothing. Another item to add to my list– #13- wear patriotic clothing- done. It’s another way, rather somber, to remember my mother this September.

Trees

BY JOYCE KILMER

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in Summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

As I looked at the tree planted in my mom’s memory, I thought, “What next? What can I do this month to remember her?

I decided to make a list of 24 things, in honor of her birthday on September 24.

1. Write an encouraging letter to someone ( done, see last post)
2. Donate to Elim Christian Services, an organization that helps those with special needs- done
3. Donate to Purdue Campus House, the church where her granddaughter attends- done
4. Donate blood- not done yet
5. Work on my book, Pandemic Principal- need to do
6. Give away items I don’t need– need to do
7. Send a box of goodies to her other grandchildren away at college.
8. Write a note to her sister, Janie. She lives by herself.
9. Read a book by Beverly Lewis, one of her favorite authors.
10. Eat Kentucky Fried Chicken. This was really one of her favorites.
11. Eat Dove Chocolate (s).
12. Order some Dutch peppermints for our family. We actually passed these out at her funeral.

#13-24— Stuck for now. I will need to revisit.

Remembering those we love who passed away— important, valuable, and thought- provoking.

It was the number……- Matt and Sarah  are missionaries that we support with Faith Promise. . They work with educating children of missionaries in Antigua, Guatemala. Sarah’s mother passed away on August 9. The announcement went on to include her mailing address to encourage during Sarah’s sadness over losing her mom. I knew I had to write her, a total stranger, especially with September 9 coming closer.

Thinking back to September 2019, I remembered the cards sent from others, the words that encouraged, and the feeling of how others understand when your parent enters eternal rest with our heavenly Father. I kept every card and periodically reread them. At some point, I will need to throw them away but not yet. A familiar sight on Sunday evenings was my mother paying bills and also writing notes to others. She would send notes to my aunt in Virginia, people in the church, and various other people.

As September 9 comes closer and I am trying to think of ways to remember my mother, this is one way- letter writing.

September is here, let’s all give a cheer!

It was another lunch at Russ’ restaurant. My father, remarkably talkative and engaged, enjoyed another tasty burger. Apparently, he eats one almost every day at Waterford. At 89 years, it can’t hurt him.

It’s strange heading into September, thinking back to two years ago when we were facing my mother’s death. Now, our conversations are so different. We don’t really talk about her at all. I am not sure if that is a good thing.

As the date of her passing draws closer, I am faced with the challenge of how to remember her. Last year, we planted a tulip tree in her honor. It is growing well.Maybe I will send a memorial gift in her honor to Elim, the special needs school in Illinois. Or maybe I will work on my book, something she always encouraged me to do.

We ended the day at a surprise birthday party for my sister-in-law. Life goes on as the journey continues.