Trinitas Blog

When asked which is the “great commandment?” Jesus tells those gathered to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” Then he says the second, which is like it, is to “love your neighbor as yourself.” Astonishing the hearers, Jesus confirms that all the law and the prophets can be summed up in those two commandments (Matt 22:36-40).

Last week, we shared ten practical tips for achieving enduring success and experiencing the wonderful fruit of classical Christian education at Trinitas, This week, we have ten MORE practical tips we've assembled from our teachers which we hope will benefit your family.

The best things in life are often also the hardest things in life, and classical Christian education is no exception to this truism. To help Trinitas parents and students achieve enduring success at Trinitas and experience the wonderful fruit of classical Christian education, we've assembled these ten practical tips for success at Trinitas taken directly from our teachers. Simple, practical, but sometimes a bit pointed, we hope these steps are received in the spirit they are offered and are helpful to you.

God has created the world to work in a very ordered way. He is a God of order. He brought order out of nothing—out of chaos if you prefer—to establish a peaceful habitation for humankind. Adam’s job was to maintain God’s order in the garden. When he failed at that, he was cast out of the garden, and the job got a lot harder; nonetheless, as his descendants we inherited the job. God’s people are to maintain order, a God-like order, of God’s creation. It is a hard job. Just look around at the mess we must bring to order. But we were made for it.

What an unexpected joy it has been to see the sunrise over the Escambia River these past couple of weeks. I have to admit that the hectic pace that our family has kept over the past three months has not motivated a desire in me to get up before sunrise, but there is nothing like getting back to school and driving in from Pace to change that! These first glimpses of the sun dispelling the darkness remind me of the resurrection and the new life we have in Christ. I am especially thankful to have the Trinitas community with whom to celebrate that Good News.

Speaking of unexpected joy and the Trinitas community, of everything I have found commendable about this school, the thing that has brought me the most peace and joy is my observation of the obvious strength of our community.

As Trinitas begins its 25th year of providing classical and Christian education for like-minded families, it's a good time to remind each other that Trinitas serves parents in the mission God has given them for the education of their children without replacing them altogether. Yes, our experienced and gifted faculty do have the enormous responsibility and opportunity of taking the lead in students' education for the next 174 school days, but they are not replacing the role of the parents nor are parents mindlessly handing their children over to the school. Both are working together to be faithful instruments of grace in the education of the student. 

One goal not written in the Trinitas mission or vision statements is the goal of building a close community among Trinitas families, but it is our goal nonetheless. Community building isn’t a foreign concept at schools, and especially at the college level since it is a retention tool for colleges and universities. College students who might otherwise consider dropping out or transferring to another school may be reluctant to do that if they have grown close to their classmates, professors, and others at the school. For Trinitas, our reasons for building community run deeper.

What's the best way to begin the summer break here at Trinitas? With a book recommendation, of course! Several years ago, I read The Vanishing American Adult: Our Coming of Age Crisis and How to Build a Culture of Self-Reliance and think that it is still of value to parents today.  The author, former Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse, has been in the news here in Florida frequently this year as he has assumed the helm of the University of Florida.