Shonnie Calina (Miss Shonnie)

Tomorrow, March 6, is the very first day of the season of Lent. This day is called Ash Wednesday. It is a time, day, season where we purposefully take time to really reflect, be ha‘aha‘a, mihi or repent and make things pono with God. Although our Church seasons and days are focused times to make changes, being forgiven and forgiving others is for any time of the year. I encourage us to make mihi (sincerely apologize) and hui kala (to forgive) a normal practice. This act can make long lasting, permanent transformations in how we interact with each other and our honua. Being able to forgive and admit when we are wrong and ask for forgiveness is an essential part to real E Ola! God bless us with His kuana‘ike.

Eva-Pearl in the 5th grade is our Keiki Kahu this year!  She has been doing a wonderful job stepping up to her kuleana and being an example for her hoa papa.  Please pray with us as we continue to encourage and pray for Eva in this leadership role at our kula!

You can make an impactful and positive difference and change in our world, community, and ‘ohana no matter your age. See how a 12-year-old boy, using na‘auao, pono, koa to share his mana‘o influenced major change for the good.   Read the article here.

After you finish the article, share your mana‘o.  Here are some suggestions to start your sharing.  Make connections to your own learning, growth mind-set, kuana‘ike (perspective), koa (courage), na‘auao (wisdom) or kuleana.  What are you feeling?  How does this inspire you?  What are you thinking about this article, about Gideon, or about injustice? Why? 🙂

Kūha‘o did a wonderful job at our Charles Reed Bishop service in January. Being our Keiki Kahu isn’t always easy, but he’s been doing his best to uphold the values and the pono that come with this kuleana.

When you see him, be sure to mahalo him, encourage him and pray for him too. Maybe even ask him how he’s doing and what he’s learned so far about himself and about God on this journey!

Mahalo e Kūha‘o! Continue to do your best and truly, God will do the rest!

I did watch the Super Bowl, but didn’t cheer on any particular team.  I realize there are hardcore fans of both teams and many other teams that were in the playoffs.  We don’t always agree on which team is the best!  However, we can agree that professional football is a popular sport, lots and lots of people watch it regularly, and many people look up to the famous players.

Watch this video and comment your mana‘o.  What do you think and why?

So blessed to have a new year!  I almost always have a positive feeling at the start of a new year.  I think it’s because it’s simply new and the “old” is gone.  The feeling of a fresh start, a clean slate, and renewed motivation, is awesome!

I’m very thankful though, that with God, a fresh start is every day that He gives me.  I don’t need to wait for a new year to begin to do better, be better, love more, apologize, forgive, prioritize, clean out, try something new, learn…  I pray in this new year, 2018, that each of us will know the heart and love of God, the heart He has for us, and that He wants to bring us to be the person He created us to be.  May God’s blessing and favor be upon each of you in 2018!

What do you hope to do better or how do you plan to be better in 2018?

Lamentations 3:23 His great love is new every morning.  Lord, how faithful you are!

This year we are exploring what God’s kuana’ike is of everyday issues. We are doing this by looking closely at His Word, the Bible.  Look at the graphic above and look up some of the verses that you’re curious about.  What do you notice? How does God’s perspective differ from what we might think? How can knowing this, these verses, or knowing God’s kuana’ike be helpful to you? Answer in the comments.

This year our Keiki Kahu is Kūha‘o from 5B!  Today at our October Chapel the announcement was given and he was also blessed for the school year by all who were present!  Please join us in welcoming, encouraging and supporting Kūha‘o in his duties this year.  The Kuleana is a big one, but nothing that God cannot help him with! Congratulations e Kūha‘o and may God guide you in every decision and may you have peace and joy each day as you serve Ke Akua and our kula!

Prayer or Pule is such a special privilege that we have been given. This video is a short mana‘o about what prayer is. Watch it and comment about any wonders, connections, questions, or other mana‘o you may have.

Think about these questions:

• Is there only one way to pray?
• Do I have to sound a certain way when I pray?
• What’s the difference between praying with or for a group and myself? Is there a difference?
• Is there are certain way to close a prayer?
• What do you notice?

September ‘Ekalesia 2017

Our first ‘Ekalesia was blessed and God’s mana‘o to us was to stand firm in all seasons. This means to have faith, trust in God,and do what’s Pono even when we are right in the middle of a challenging time. Like the ‘ulu tree that has fruit all year round, we too must produce good “fruit” or have good actions all year round even when it may be difficult to do so. The key is knowing that with God, anything is possible. We are not perfect and we will fail. We will make mistakes. It is how we become better and bless others, with God’s strength, through those mistakes and challenges that determines or kūpa‘a! God bless each of us to have the courage, faith, trust, and aloha in times of trials and even in times of triumph.