a hundred

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Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. (Matt 13:8)

This session brings a new opportunities for us to learn about the Kingdom.  As part of our year-long partnership with Kids Food Basket, Ms. Christina, Youth Engagement and Education Coordinator, provided the heroes with all kinds of seeds and soil to plant, care for, harvest, share and invite others to bless KFB in return.  This Kingdom paying it forward is a blessing for us this session.  Just recently, Kentucky Wonder Pole Beans, Blue Lake Bush Beans and Sugar Snap Peas were planted in pots.  Once we build our raised beds, we will add radish, zucchini, cucumber and bok choy to the garden.  Jesus used concrete images and stories to help illustrate the Kingdom.  As we considered the parable of the sower this week,  the act of planting as well as the anticipation of what is to come took root in many heroes’ minds.

To be sure, the Kingdom is not something to be domesticated. Clark, Asa and Jack taught us this lesson as they were studying the spring plants.  Asa and Jack located a plant (pictured above) they called, “Tribe.” Clearly, they were familiar with it. And it wasn’t until they held up a plant to share with Ms. Sarah and myself that we realized that they had located wild chives.  The harvest began soon after as Will stuffed chives into a bag to bring home to his mom who “loves chives!” Clark has articulated a dream to farm someday.  This spring, his dream came early.  In a wonderful touch, Ms. Sarah collaborated with Clark to make a Chive Dip with potato chips as the perfect way to end our week.  Taste and See that He is good.  Indeed.

So much has been sown here at Journey.  The soil is rich.  We wait on the fields we all have invested in.  And like the gospel writer, I believe we will soon declare, “they are ripe with harvest.”  May we all have eyes to see.

//Dr. T//

 

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joy and listening

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For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21

To begin our entrepreneurial quest, the guides invited parent Mike Kalis to give a hero talk about marketing.  After an afternoon of selling bananas, building houses for special clients out of marshmallows and spaghetti as well as developing tools to convince parents about buying a pet, Mike reflected this with me out loud. “If they could walk away with two things I’d want them to think that business is joyful and it’s important to listen to people.”

The heroes found Mike persuasive as they built with joy and listened intently.

In the middle of the afternoon, Mike told the heroes, “You heard what Dr. T wants in a house.  He wants a huge dining room to have big dinner parties. He wants a porch for sitting.  And he threw in a request for a zip line and game room for his grandchildren.” You’ve got ten minutes to design it with the materials you’ve been given.” I was eventually persuaded by Carter’s group who came up with an innovative zip line and a multipurpose dining area.  They heard my heart’s value of innovation and multi-tasking.

Even with all of this collaboration, the vast majority of heroes are developing individual products for the Children’s Business Fair.  Conversations around slingshots, lemonade bombs, doll clothes, pillows and placemats have resounded during the week.  They have been bringing their initial plans and elevator pitches to colleague-heroes for feedback.

It’s this blend of personalized projects with social engagement that creates the dynamic flow of Journey Academy’s day.  The joy and the listening are at the heart of our endeavor.  And they will continue to accompany us for the rest of our journeys.

//Dr. T//

 

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heart

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I will take away their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 11:19)

As we came to a close to our session of innovation, we spent time contemplating this verse from the prophet Ezekiel and what it might mean for us as innovators. After journaling, Charlie reflected, “We can become stone for protection.  But then it will keep us from feeling and growing.” The heroes and I took an appropriate pause after that word.  It connected deeply with our quest to become innovators.

As a way to show what they know, the heroes hosted roundtables at Cascade Park.  The blustery Wednesday afternoon was not for the faint of heart.  But as parents and friends looked through the Roundtable Brochure, it became clear that these heroes had learned about the design thinking process.

I invite you to read through some of the introductions that the heroes composed for their innovations .  I suspect you’ll be struck as I was about their capacities to see and imagine.

Jonathan delved into the philosophical realm as he started toward an infinite source of power.   While Ella focused on the more practical conundrum of how to avoid climbing on the counter (a big plus for her mom) but still getting the candy stored out of her reach above. 

The hearts of these heroes are beating strong and growing.  We invite you to keep walking with us as we discover new ways to dream, fail, learn and dream some more.

//Dr. T//

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