Having an Attitude of Gratitude

I think if I were to say that the last year has been easy for everyone, I would definitely be reminded very quickly, by multiple people that it certainly has not. The world around us has changed dramatically to say the least and we have been forced to suddenly adjust to a new norm and although we are slowly adjusting, there is still a level of uncertainty moving forward into the future.

Recently documented in the news, there has been an influx of children as young as 12 being prescribed antidepressants and grappling with depression and anxiety. Although this is describing students mainly in Victoria and was a result of the lockdown that is currently implemented, the news was alarming and concerning.

There has been so much hardship for everyone this year and it can be extremely difficult to focus on the positives. I know personally that if I was feeling overwhelmed and stressed, the last thing I want to be told by someone is to calm down and focus on the positives, but really this is something we need to start doing to ensure that we look ahead with optimism and to great an Attitude of Gratitude.

Practicing Gratitude is a powerful way to help stay enthusiastic in life, even when everything around you seems to be crumbling. Melissa Dinwiddie recently published an article detailing 13 tips that helped her to stay enthusiastic for life, even when she was crazy busy. The first one that I found helpful was the concept of practicing self-compassion. This is the practice of noticing what you are feeling and remembering that you are human.

You are entitled to feel emotion and react to events that are occurring. It is important that you don’t punish yourself for feeling emotion, but rather you treat yourself the same way as you would a friend. This is really close to home for many of our students, as we need to encourage them to identify how they are feeling and how they can help themselves.

Another tip that I found helpful was the concept of focusing on what is going well around you. Quite often as humans, we are almost wired to focus on the negative. Not only is this draining, but it can also block your perception of what is actually going well. At Emmanuel at the moment, we have so many exciting things happening; The courtyard is on the home stretch to the finish line and other new projects are starting.

We can focus on the longer walk that it takes to get around campus currently, or we can get excited for what is ahead! The final tip that I wanted to share was remembering to practice spontaneous acts of kindness.

Have you ever noticed how good it feels to do something for someone else? It may not be a huge act but even something as simple as giving a kind word of encouragement and a genuine smile. You never know the day someone is having and your gentle act of kindness may just make their day.

Practicing an Attitude of Gratitude is an amazing way to help you turn your negative mindset into one that focuses on the future with optimism and enthusiasm. Let’s encourage one another after a massive year, being encouraged by John 15:12 - "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”

Laura Ferguson — Head of Teaching & Learning

The Importance of Exercise

As I write this, I am aware that another post on this site is on looking for positives, even when life is looking down for you. As a Physical Education teacher, I have been bombarded with information on the benefits of exercise and feeling positive. This is a topic often covered by psychologists. Many would know that exercise releases chemicals called endorphins and serotonin that work to improve your mood. These chemicals can also help with feeling like you are better equipped to tackle the tricky things in life.

Despite the strong knowledge we all have on the benefits of exercise, we often crash out when we are tired or stressed when we would probably benefit from some exercise. The key importance here is to make sure we maintain an awareness of our need to exercise and plan it into our lives.

Unless you are a gym junkie, exercise can be hard to maintain, so here are a few tips and ideas you may wish to use to aid you in exercising.

1. Key number one for me over many years is to find an exercise partner who is interested in similar exercise routines as you are. This could be a gym partner or a walking buddy. Partners are great for encouragement as well as a way to keep you accountable for exercising. It’s also a great way to catch up with a mate.

2. Start small. Don’t expect to run that 10km on your first day. Go for one or two and realise that you will ramp up the km quickly as you keep on with your exercise. You will notice a massive gain in strength, stamina and aerobic fitness in the first 6 weeks of training.

3. If you are young, exercising every day might be a great thing for you, but as you get older, keep in mind that you can possibly overdo it creating injuries and strains (This is coming from an old man) Work to your age and ability.

4. If you are in need of encouragement and can’t find a partner, join a class online or in a gym. This is a great way to meet people who are travelling the same journey as you are. You can also get some professional advice on techniques of your chosen exercise.

5. Put your training in your daily calendar. You might have to get up a bit earlier to fit it in, you could even try early starts purely to exercise and start the day fresh.

6. Take a break sometimes. A week or two off never hurt anyone! In fact it can be a time to heal and rethink what you are doing.

7. Recognise your achievements. Record what you have done each session and watch for improved times in runs, extra kilometres you have covered without stopping or how much more weight you may be pushing in the gym. Celebrate your achievements!

8. Vary your exercise. If you are bored with your gym workout, change your routine. If you are doing squats, have a go at lunges or the exercise bike. If bench press with a barbell is getting to you, use dumbbells. Change is as good as a holiday.

9. Try to work all areas of your body, legs, torso and abs as well as chest and arms. Include aerobic workouts to improve your cardiovascular endurance.

Remember the key is to keep moving so as you age you maintain the strength to do the things you really love. 1 Corinthians 6:19 shares that our body is our temple. God’s wish for us is to lead as healthy a life as we can. If you’re able to add a little care to God’s temple, why not add that exercise routine to your daily or weekly plan. Especially important in COVID-19 times where many of us are running at a higher stress level that ever before.

Ed Moroni — Secondary Coordinator

Looking to the Future

Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?
—Luke 14:28

Emmanuel Christian School continues to grow and thrive. We have enrolled our 18th Kinder student for 2021, and numbers for Year 7 are currently at 42. These are healthy enrolment numbers and further evidence of Emmanuel Christian School being recognised as a school where young people are cared for and provided with an excellent Christian Education.

It has been a joy to meet so many new families. Families from Northern Christian School and many from outside of Christian Schools Tasmania have valued what they see us do at Emmanuel.

I had a meeting this morning with our Project team. Our Architect, Project Manager and Business Manager, spent an hour looking over the plans for our Primary School redevelopment. It was one of those times you feel God’s blessing on our school very directly. This building project is another significant improvement for our school. The total project is $786,000. The Federal Government has given us a grant of $218,000 which is a considerable contribution.

The courtyard work is on track to be finished next term. Although building works are disruptive for a short time, the benefits far out-weigh them.

Planning for classes and increased numbers is well underway. It is exciting to see what 2021 will hold for as we look forward to leaving some of the oddities and stresses of 2020 behind. We have so much to be thankful for.

Scott Winkler — Principal

School Uniform - Exciting Changes

We wish to share some exciting news in regards to our school uniform.

We are currently dedicating significant time and research into updating the Emmanuel school uniform. We are continually encouraged and blessed by the growing number of enrolments, the improvement to the grounds, and the wonderful opportunities that have been provided.

Elements of our uniform have not altered since 1979, and it is fair to say there have been successful and not so successful changes.

We are striving to ensure our uniform is comfortable, practical, functional, and versatile enough to accommodate all students. From the school's perspective, we are aiming for a professional smart uniform that reflects our values as well as giving the students a sense of pride and an understanding of school expectations. There is likely to be some simplification of the uniform with a clear distinction between Primary and Secondary and lastly more distinguishable features so we are not confused with other local schools.

The new school uniform policy will be clear and concise with no room for interpretation.

You will be kept up to date and a letter will be communicated early in Term four outlining a timeline for phasing in and out of certain items. We are mindful of ensuring that any financial burden is kept to an absolute minimum.

Our colours will remain the same but we can tell you we are carefully considering changing the red tartan for a more modern professional look.

We ask for your patience through this process as this is quite a large undertaking with many aspects to be considered.

Drew Roberts — Deputy Principal

Are You Okay Day

Thursday September 10 was RUOK day.

This has come at an appropriate time, as Tasmania sits at what we hope will be the diminishing of COVID-19. While we are in our bubble of safety at the moment, Tasmanians have still been through the issues that a pandemic presents, including dealing with relatives who live in areas of the world that are not as safe.

My call to arms to you regardless of how safe you feel, or how fortunate you are, is to take a moment to check in with someone to see how they are going. A relative, friend or a work colleague. Touch base with them and see how they are. How is their work situation? Family? Headspace?

Some signs to look out for, that stress can cause, are excessive fear and worry about one’s own health, or the health of loved ones. Many families are struggling with the loss of businesses or income, putting pressure on paying bills and mortgages. Many people suffer from changes in sleep and eating patterns. The lack of sleep alone can cause already existing anxiety to worsen. A difficulty in concentration is also common, especially if sleep loss is present. One alone or a mixture of these can also lead to worry and depression.

Most of us say we’re okay, even when we’re not. It’s what we do culturally, so if you hear someone is saying they are okay, take the time to ask them other questions about their lives that may lead to them opening up about what is really happenng. Asking how their family and relatives are or how their work is going can be a good start to opening up a conversation.

God’s word always provides some great advice on life. Philippians 4:6-7 shares “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus”

By pausing in Gods presence and spending time thinking and in prayer, this often leads one’s mind to finding solutions to life’s problems, or an understanding of what is happening and why. 

So, find someone today and ask them RU OK. Sit and spend thinking and praying, and don’t forget to be open to others and ask for help if you need it.

Ed Moroni — Secondary Coordinator