James Derkits

I feel very fortunate that I grew up in a loving family, and I feel grateful to my parents (and four older sisters) for raising me in a stable, nurturing, ordered home. I feel that I was equipped by them to grow into a somewhat healthy adult, and to raise my son Eli in a loving home.  I can have memories of camp-outs with my dad, and of going hunting with him in East Texas, where I learned a lot about patience: waiting hours in the cold rain for any deer to emerge from the protective woods. I remember delicious meals my mom prepared, and being sent to bed on time most of the time. Again, those are experiences I draw on to try to be the best parent I can be for my son. It also helps me know how to be a parent for myself.  I remember my parents teaching me about God as my heavenly Father. I know now that though I've moved away from my parents home and stared a life of my own, that my heavenly Father/Mother God is still and will always remain present with me. God is there to turn to f

 As we prepare for school to begin the Fall of 2020, I have had the opportunity to talk with a handful of parents who hold a variety of opinions about how safe it is to return to school, and about the challenges of weighing job responsibilities with online learning requirements and opportunities. There is anxiety about what this year will mean academically in the long run. Parents are trying to figure out the right thing to do, even as the school is trying to figure out the right thing to do.  I don't believe there is a right thing to do. We find ourselves in a wrong place; an uncharted wilderness. We are playing a waiting game, and all we can do is move forward one step at a time. It is a good time to practice humility, open our hearts, and recognize that everyone is learning how to do this for the very first time. I'm not apathetic, I care deeply about our schools, and what the year will bring. I'm open to letting it be what it will be.  Trinity the Sea Blessing of Backpa