What if this is THE day!?
Spring had sprung, and it was a beautiful day on the playground at Central Valley Christian School. As I looked across the horizon toward Corvallis, I noticed an unusual cloud formation. It wasn’t your typical fluffy cloud, or was it a flat one. I can’t quite explain it—but it looked odd.
I wandered over to a group of three students sitting on the picnic tables and said, “Doesn’t that cloud look funky?”
You should know—my classroom doesn’t include many Adventist students. In fact, Adventist families are in the minority, and from what I can tell, many of the families aren’t attending church regularly. This group of students falls into that latter category.
The boy turned to the girl as they looked at the cloud I had pointed out and said, “Hey, do you think this is THE day?!”
His comment caught me off guard. Was he referring to Jesus’ second coming? With joy in her voice, the girl replied, “Yeah, what if THIS IS the day!?” Another girl sitting with them chimed in, “It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s Jesus!” before they headed off to continue playing.
I had to turn away as tears welled up in my eyes. One of these students tragically lost their dad last summer and is most definitely looking forward to Jesus’ return. Another, who I believe doesn’t have much religious influence at home, still exclaimed—with nothing more than a cloud as inspiration—her excitement for Jesus’ soon coming.
How often are we excited by the clouds, wondering if today could be the day? Shouldn’t we be?
I don’t take credit that their first thought upon seeing that unusual cloud was Jesus’ return—but I do believe it’s a result of the influence our school, pastors, and churches have had on them throughout their time here.
If you’d like to help our students learn more about Jesus and support moments like this, please consider donating to our Elaine Marshall Memorial Fund. This fund provides financial aid to families who might not otherwise be able to afford a Christian education at Central Valley Christian School.
– Amanda Nawara, May 2025
