What’s Trending?
Do we have any TODAY show fans out there? After having a few mornings here and there this summer to enjoy the show, anchors Savannah, Al, Matt and Natalie feel like some of my closest friends now! One of my favorite segments on the show is What’s Trending? #Orangeroom. The segment spotlights trending topics in the news and culture. I learned a few things this summer!
Did you know that apparently there were many folks who were in quite an uproar about how their new iPhone 6 was ripping out their hair #hairgate? I had no idea! Here are a few other trending topics I learned about from this summers’ #Orangeroom:
#PlutoFlyby: New Pluto picture brings us closer than ever before.
#EatKale: Kale cures everything . . . but it kind of tastes like spinach with hair!
#AmericanSelfie: Viewers share photos showcasing their patriotic pride.
#TheNew10: Who should be the new face of the $10 bill?
#Olympics2022: Beijing is selected to host the 2022 Winter Olympics.
#MinionFever: The adorable yellow Despicable Me henchman hit the big screen.
Trending at LCS #Vikings . . .
If you have made your way onto campus for the start of the new school year, you may have observed some of our own new trending topics. For those of you haven’t been around yet, here are a few of the latest:
#helloblueskies: Although we were sad to see our Turtle Town tree removed, we see a lot more blue sky around the amphitheater now (when it’s not cloudy and raining!).
#letsplaycheckers: Our cafeteria has a shiny, new blue and white floor with a fun checkerboard look.
#newdresscode#noties: No doubt our students were shocked to see many of our male faculty without
ties. (How will Mr. Overholt get through his collection this year?)
Finally, in polling some of our teachers and students, a few additional trends are #longnecklaces, #chacos,#Chipotle, #flowypatternedpants and #nappyhairspongebrushes.
Trends within a timeless heritage . . .
Trends are certainly fun, informative and telling in the sense that they can be indicative of what is churning at the heart of a society, a business or a home at a certain point in time. They can reveal what is valued, treasured or even worshipped. They can point to where money and time are spent. And they can, to some extent, even predict what may be ahead. But as I kept a record of things trending throughout this summer, one thing was for sure – trends change quickly and often seem contradictory from one day to the next.
As we observe trends from year to year, week to week or day to day on the LCS campus, often we can gain some insight aboutthe hearts of our students and what they value. However, a very significant difference between the trending messages of the TODAY show #Orangeroom and what we see here in our school community is the assurance that whatever the trending flavor of the day may be, its importance is filtered through the lens of a biblical world and life view. The unchanging heritage of the LCS mission, “ . . . education in the light of God’s Word,” should give us great confidence that regardless of what culture upholds as “trending” or important enough to give our time, money and hearts to, God’s Word consistently points us to the hope of the Gospel that is unchanging and all powerful.
Ephesians 4 teaches us that as we grow in our knowledge of scripture “ . . . then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching . . .”
I think it is wise to be mindful and informed about what is going on in our culture and among those who do not know the truths of God’s Word. It enables us to engage in conversation and build relationships with unbelievers. But at the same time, investing our hearts and our minds in learning and memorizing His Word so that it is the foundational influence in our thinking and living is the best “trend” we can foster in our lives and the lives of our children. #GodsWordisTruth