Daniel Skognes

There are many keys to learning, but this is about three keys that you might not think of immediately when it comes to the learning process and how to unlock the door to learning.

The first key is imagination. I heard a parent talking about his discussion with his young son and he asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up. The boy said, “A doctor or an astronaut.” The father was thinking how that would be good because the boy could at least feed HIM when he got older, but then the son added, “Or a dinosaur!” LOL. Now he went from being fed to being food! Be careful what you wish for.

Imagination is a wonderful thing that small kids in particular love to use. For some reason, as we get older, many of us lose this beautiful tool or just forget to use it. When I teach kids, I use imagination to take them places they would not normally go. That is why I tell kids I am Superman. :o) Being that I am pretty old and bald, I don’t exactly fit the description. What it does is get their wheels turning and thinking, “What if…?” I really throw them for a loop when I tell them I am married to Wonder Woman! LOL. Then I grin and give them two big thumbs up! LOL. To help sell the deal, I actually called my wife from home one day and she just played along. It was wonderful and hilarious at the same time.

The second key is laughter. A smile is a universal language, and laughter is the byproduct. I use humor regularly with kids to break the ice, help them refocus, and liven up an otherwise dull subject. Smiling and laughing is a great relief when used appropriately.

The third key is love. When you love what you do and love the kids you teach, it comes through in ways that are almost hypnotic. You add to that the imagination and laughter keys and you have some very powerful tools that satisfy the soul, but leave them wanting more…and THAT is a good thing! That is when a deeper level of learning truly unfolds. Imagine that!

Shalom!

Daniel Skognes

Many people were expecting 2020 to be the year that went from good to great, but it has not turned out to be quite what we expected. This year has grated on the nerves of everyone! Imagine yourself ten years in the future and you are having a conversation with someone about going back in time to any year that you could choose. How many would choose 2020? Hmmmm. I am not a betting man, but I bet not many if any would choose 2020…at least to this point in the year. Of course, we CAN have a different second half of the year. We have to learn to move from grate to great.

How do we do that? Listening is a key to moving forward, but listening alone will not solve the problems we face. If you listen to lies long enough, you move from being fooled to being a fool, and the Bible says a lot about that, and none of it is kind:

Proverbs 18:2 says, “A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.”

Proverbs 29:11 says, “A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man holds it back.”

Proverbs 18:6 says, “A fool’s lips walk into a fight, and his mouth invites a beating.”

Proverbs 29:9 says, “If a wise man has an argument with a fool, the fool only rages and laughs, and there is no quiet.”

Proverbs 28:26 says, “Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.”

Proverbs 18:7 says, “A fool’s mouth is his ruin, and his lips are a snare to his soul.”

Proverbs 26:3-12 says, “A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools. Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes. Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off his own feet and drinks violence. Like a man’s legs, which hang useless, is a proverb in the mouth of fools.”

Wow, does any of that resonate with things you have seen or heard recently? The world seems to be filled with people like that. So, how do we “fix” this? The problem is not just a matter of listening better, but the real question is who are we listening to?

There are three types of truth: 1. Your truth. 2. My truth. 3. God’s truth. Only one of these is pure and untainted. Sadly, your truth and my truth are often tainted by politics, religion, race, media, family, and friends. The only way our truth has any validity is when it lines up completely with the Word of God. That is our benchmark.

Recently a friend of mine and I reconnected on the phone and he was sharing with me a funny experience he had when his liberal nephew came to visit him in Atlanta. My friend is a conservative both politically and spiritually. What could possibly go wrong? LOL. They did get into some deep discussions during the week and broached the taboo subjects of religion and politics. When it became apparent that neither one of them was going to budge on what they believed, my friend said to his nephew, “It is OK that you don’t believe like I do. I can respect that, but you will be here two more days and by the end of the week I will have you loving Jesus and wearing a Make America Great Again cap! They both broke out laughing at THAT visual. Laughter is indeed good medicine.

Sometimes we have to agree to disagree on volatile issues; I get that. However, there needs to be more open discussions of differences politically, spiritually, and racially, but more importantly, there needs to be an alignment to God’s Word in what we say and what be believe. Some people have been in a rut all their lives and they think that is normal because that is all they have known. We ALL need a spiritual alignment. Just some food for thought, but I believe we can move from grate to great this year if we do this.

P.S. You know the only time everyone seems intent on listening? When there is some juicy gossip to hear!

Shalom!

Daniel Skognes

Where do we go from here? 2020 has been a tough road for most of us. We have been devastated economically and physically from the Corona Pandemic, and that is not over yet. We are now reeling from the George Floyd death, and that has brought much anger and disillusionment under the magnifying glass for all to see. This year has been a mess for all of us!

So, where do we go from here? Things have to change…and they will. Change is inevitable. The question is, will it be for the better or the worse? I think the most profound change I have seen is in me! I never thought in a million years that we would be pummelled the way we have as a country. We have been brought to the realization that this country is not quite as united and impervious as we once imagined. We are fragile in many respects.

The Corona Pandemic exposed our fear, and the tragic death of George Floyd exposed our deep-seated divide racially. We need some hope, and we need some clarity as to what to do next. I do feel that in many respects we are at a tipping point. We can reunite as a county or we will fall apart if we continue to succumb to fear and anger.

I wish that common sense would kick in faster for us as a country, but it seems that we are victims of the press and social media far too often. There is so much misinformation out there in regards to the virus and the death of Mr. Floyd that I sometimes just want to turn it all off.

Here is what I know to be true for me going forward:

• I can’t allow fear to dictate what I do or don’t do. I have to rely upon common sense and solid information that has not been distorted for political or personal agendas.
• I have to be a better listener to hear the hearts of those who look different from me. I need to understand better how they feel and why they feel the way they do.
• I have to draw closer to God, trust His Word, and pray more.

I am tired, like most of America, with the misinformation and outright lies from the news and social media sources. It seems that the truth has been sacrificed for the sake of ratings in far too many instances. Even sources that I thought I could trust have now become suspect.

I hate what is going on in cities all over America. Yes, the police involved in this death are guilty and they will have to pay for their crime. Yes, we have to come together as a country or we will not make it as a nation in the future. If we allow the anarchists to dictate how we are to respond to tragedy, then we will reap what is sown and have nothing left of our great nation but ashes and tyranny.

This is a time for healing…but the healing will not take place as long as we keep picking at the wounds. Forgiveness has to take place on all sides. Love and acceptance have to be our primary goals. We have several roads ahead, but only one on which we can walk together. Let the healing begin.

Shalom!

Daniel Skognes

How we view life is formed by many things: our past, our present, and what we hope is our future. World events and the media also play a big part in what we think and how we feel. So, the question today is: How do you view life right now?

I realize that 2020 has been an incredibly difficult year so far, and we are just half way through it. What do you want to see in the second half of this year? The Corona Virus pandemic has devastated the world economy. We are not even fully out of danger with this problem when we get hit with the George Floyd murder. Unbelievable what has happened and tragic on every level. When I turn on the news, I am almost afraid to hear what else has happened. But, even though tragedy surrounds us, I am hopeful.

I try my best not to believe everything the media puts out. I think we can all agree that they pander to our fears and seem to take great joy in spreading that virus. Secondly, my heart breaks for those who are suffering from the pandemic and the fallout of the George Floyd murder. We live in a fallen world, no doubt. Evil abounds and it seems that it controls a LOT of people right now.

Having said all that, I still believe that life is beautiful. If you have never seen the film, Life is Beautiful, this might be a good time to watch it with your family. It is an incredible story about having hope in spite of all the hatred, racism, and discouragement that this family faced in WW2 at the hands of the Nazis.

I put my faith and trust in God despite what I see, what I hear, and how I feel. I know God still has a plan and He is ultimately in control. I pray for our world and our country in particular that God heal our land. The thing is…in many ways we have tied God’s hands. We took God out of our schools, out of our Government, and out of many of our homes. This is a time for those that believe in God to turn to Him, trust Him, and be an example to a world that is desperately crying out for help.

Yes, we need change in our police departments. Yes, we need change in our government. We need change in our own hearts! I truly believe that God will do a miraculous healing in our collective hearts if we will just let Him! We are all cut from the same cloth. We may look different, sound different, and have different customs, but we are still one race….the human race. I think our diversity is a beautiful thing. I don’t hate those who are different from me. I enjoy their companionship, their thoughts, feelings, and hopes.

I am encouraging you and anyone that reads this to first examine yourself. Are you free from hatred? Do you judge those that are different from you? Do you have anyone or any race that you need to forgive? Until we learn to love and forgive one another freely, we will have a hard time moving forward as a country. It begins with God and our relationship with Him, then it has to take root in the heart of all believers. Life is still a beautiful thing. We just have to live it. Let’s pray for revival in the heart of mankind. This could be an awakening that will change our lives and the lives for generations to come. Isn’t that what every parent wants for their kids and grandchildren? Our world may be upside down right now, but it does not have to stay that way.

Shalom!

Daniel Skognes