An old adage laments: "All too often, we don't appreciate what we have until we lose it." We take youthfulness, health, innocence, faith, trust, parents, children, friends...for granted. I would like to propose an alternative adage: "All too often we don't appreciate what we have until we hear about the exceptions." In order for you to understand what I mean by this abridged version I have chosen to share an appropriate application. Near and dear to me for many years is the education children receive in a Lutheran school. Consistently true over the years is the fact that Lutheran school graduates "shine like stars" when they go on to public, private, or other parochial schools. Even those of average academic performance in a Lutheran school consistently do well academically when they move on to another learning environment.

There are exceptions, of course. A few who did well in a Lutheran school do poorly thereafter; and some who did poorly in a Lutheran school continue to do poorly elsewhere, and some who did poorly in a Lutheran school do well elsewhere.

However, if it weren't for the exceptions, we may never recognize the exceptioinal quality of education students receive in our Lutheran schools. There excellence would be easily taken for granted, a multi-faceted complacency would likely set in, and, sadly, the first adage would come into play---we would recognize what we had too late.

High standards? They start with Jesus Christ and are translated through thankfulness into outstanding performance and achievement. That's what you get in a Lutheran school