It’s time to get back to school. What helps children develop mentally, physically and emotionally?

It isn’t rocket science. All it takes is proper rest, nutrition, education and learning to get along with others by working together and sharing. As “elementary” as this seems, we adults often forget about our own development as “children” of the Heavenly Father.

It really is that simple when it comes to our formation as children of God.

God commands us to take a day off every week for rest. God works through his word and sacraments to feed us on the “bread of life” (Holy Communion). We learn of God’s love for us shown in Jesus’s life, death and resurrection (Gospels). We also learn that we are to “do unto others as we would have them to unto us.”

There is also the living out of our faith as we work together in the church and serve others in our professions (callings in life).

The difficult part is fighting our natural inclinations to stay up late, eat junk food, think we know everything, and look out for “number one” rather than others. That is where teachers and parents come in.

They try their best to change us as children. As adults we also need others to keep us in line. We have police officers and judges to correct us when we do self-centered acts that hurt others. God is also at work in us to transform and shape us throughout our lives.

I guess it isn’t back to school. It is really continuing to grow and learn as citizens of two kingdoms — the kingdom of this world and the kingdom of God. May we continue to learn throughout our lives.

Pastor Rev. Andy Carlson, M.Div. grew up with 22 siblings in a log cabin in the backwoods of Alaska (120 miles from the Arctic Circle). He has served 24 years in the parish (five of those years were as a Navy/Marine chaplain). He is a Gulf War Veteran. He has served Funny River Community Lutheran Church since 2015.

Sunday services are at 11 a.m., followed by a lunch that everyone is invited to.

The church is located at 15-mile Funny River Rd. (take a right on Rabbit Run and go a ¼ mile to the church). The church website is www.funnyriverlutheran.org.