Michael's Commonplaces
While in many ways this whole wiki is a commonplace book for me, it seems fitting for me to set aside a page as a reminder to myself of what I want the substance of my teaching to be. Material and anecdotes and illustrations and great books and artworks come and go, but every teacher should have a core that every student should walk away from understanding
The Word of God
Revelation 5:8-10: And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. "Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth."
Revelation 22:2: In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
Jesus Christ won us with his blood, taking disciples out of all the tribes of the earth. They are a new holy nation and will reign on the earth. This kingdom is a new tree of life that will heal all the nations. They will perpetually provide spiritual fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, and kindness to all mankind. Through his power you, and I, and all peoples on earth may receive the light and eternal life to dwell with God forever.
Poetry
Coleridge Ballads:
O sweeter than the Marriage-feast,
'Tis sweeter far to me
To walk together to the Kirk
With a goodly company.
To walk together to the Kirk
And all together pray,
While each to his great father bends,
Old men, and babes, and loving friends,
And Youths, and Maidens gay.
Farewell, farewell! but this I tell
To thee, thou wedding-guest!
He prayeth well who loveth well,
Both man and bird and beast.
He prayeth best who loveth best,
All things both great and small:
For the dear God, who loveth us,
He made and loveth all.