Why "Crusading?"

I confess that I used to make jokes at the expense of the Point Loma "Crusaders" because it seemed like such a silly mascot- soooooo you guys like to kill people to get land and do it all in the name of Jesus. Awesome. (maybe they overheard my jokes during warm-ups because the next year they became the "sea lions.") This is why it is ironic that I am now a Valley Christian crusader. It's a politically volatile word and conjures up negative images from the Church's dark past but I have decided to attempt to change the connotation of the word; partly because I love the definition- it is exactly how I am attempting to live and partly because well, I love alliteration and it sounds great with Katie.

So yes, I am a crusader and I am on a mission. I am striving towards an end and doing so continuously and vigorously. What is that end?

To know God and make Him known (totally stole that from my church)

To be His ambassador in the classroom, on the basketball court, in grocery stores and around the world. For the time being my mission field is primarily room A1 at Valley where I am continuously and vigorously striving to motivate, mold and model; to encourage, instruct and inspire; to correct, convict, and challenge and most importantly to LOVE my students; the timid and the out-spoken, the popular and the socially awkward, the geeks, the jocks, the bullies, and the beautiful. They are under my care and they are the focus of my crusade. Many of the stories on this blog will be about them as I continuously and vigorously embark on this crusade of a teacher.