Greetings friends,
Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Matt Stage and I live in Saint Paul, MN with my wife Keri and our two daughters, Josie (2) and Julia (4 mo). I have been a certified social studies teacher for the last 6 years, working with both junior high and high school students in both public and private school settings.
Originally from the Saint Paul area, I went south for both school and sports after graduating from Concordia Academy (Roseville) in 1997. Baseball is one of my many passions (Go Twins!); I played three years at Hardin Simmons University (Abilene, TX) and two years at Evangel University (Springfield, MO). After graduating from EU with a degree in social studies education I moved back home to MN, married my lovely bride and began teaching as a substitute. Six years and two kids later, I am still teaching, and currently working on a Masters degree in Educational Leadership from Saint Mary’s University.
I am looking forward to the this school year. It will be a delight to finally meet you all, and to begin the enjoyable process of learning that the students and I will experience in my classroom. I am excited to share with you all the joys and challenges that this school year will bring us.
Blessings in Jesus,
Mr. Matt Stage

1. Bible: Mem wk options Micah 6:8, 6:16; Isaiah 1:18, 5:15-16, 6:8, 9:6, 11:2, 29:13, 35:10 (F 5/21)
2. History: N.A.
3. Language Arts: Definitions and sentances of spelling words (F 5/21); Spelling test (F 5/21); Limerick poem (F 5/21) Spelling and Vocab p.75-77 (T 6/1)
4. Math: Work on your questions for the math final; practice www.glencoe.com - password MC0428c(appropriate Ch number here);  Math per Mrs Laatsch - N.A.
5. Literature: Poem presentation N.A.
6. Spanish: per Senora Lenord - escuchar, cantar, hablar conjugations and sentances; websites for spaning practice: www.bilingualplanet.com  www.spanishspanish.com  
7. Science: per Mr. Malsack - N.A.
8. Health/Physical Education: per Mrs. Barr - First aid wksht (M 6/7)
9. Art: per Mr. Chirhart - N.A.
10. Missions: per Miss. Benschine - N.A.; Technolog: N.A.

• May 19th: the middle school studnts will be performing a Newboys song in Chapel.

8:45-8:55 Home Room
8:55-9:38 Bible
9:40-10:23 History
10:25-11:08 Language Arts
11:10-11:55 Math
11:55-12:23 LUNCH
12:25-1:08 Literature (M,W,F);  Spanish (T,Th)
1:10-1:53 Science
1:55-2:38 Health (M);  Physical Education (T,Th);  Music (W,F)
2:40-3:25 Technology (M);  Elective or Study Hall (T,W,Th);  Missions (F)

“This is my son whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

Matt 3:7

 It is right that so many books have been written to help us in out dealings with children – after all, the subject is certainly large enough.  But are there any lessons to learn from our Heavenly Father?  Did he ever propose any theories on parenting, or demonstrate any effective parenting techniques or strategies; and if so what where they?  I think that in this one instance – the baptism of Jesus by his cousin John the Baptist – we will find that the Heavenly Father did in fact demonstrate a number of thought-provoking responses to his only begotten Son. 

At the age of thirty Jesus, as he was preparing to begin his public ministry, went down to the Jordan River to be baptized by his cousin John.  John, the last of the Old Testament prophets, and the one responsible for introducing The Father’s Messiah, was preparing the way for the gospel message by preaching a message of repentance, and baptizing people for the same reason.  During that time the perfect Son of the Father went to be baptized by John.  John’s response to his cousin was insightful: “I should be baptized by you”, but Jesus’ counter reply was prophetic “…it is proper for us to do this in order to fulfill all righteousness.”  So John, in obedience, baptized the carpenter.

Now that the context is set we can begin to consider the profound events that followed, and hopefully we will gain some applicable insights into the Heavenly Father’s parental practices.  As Jesus came up from the water the Father publically identified himself with his Son; He spoke of the pleasure that his Son brought him.  It is interesting to consider that although the Son was perfect he had not yet even begun to accomplish his two main tasks – the proclamation of his Father’s kingdom and his sacrificial death for humanity.  So then for what reasons did the Father take pleasure in his Son?  Could it be as simple as this: that the Father chose to take pleasure in his Son for no other reason than that he wanted to?  And if that is the case, can we also – should we also – chose to take pleasure in those who are inferior to us, whether they are our children, our students, our parishioners, our employees or any other type of subordinate?  I think the Heavenly Father’s example is as clear as it is instructive.         

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