Inspire, Summer 2006

Summer 2006 Extreme Balancing W e live in an extreme world. People want to push themselves to the limit physically, overcome their fears, and extend the boundaries of their experiences. The opportunities for extreme experiences seem endless. There are the obvious sports such as whitewater kayaking, drag racing, jet-skiing, mountain biking, or windsurfing. Then there are the over the top ones (sometimes, literally): BASE jumping, kitesurfing, free diving, mountain boarding, skysurfing, and bungee jumping. There are even parodies of these extreme activities, such as “extreme croquet,” “extreme wheelbarrow,” and “urban housework.” My favorite is “extreme ironing,” described as “the latest danger sport that combines the thrills of an extreme outdoor activity with the satisfaction of a well- pressed shirt.” Not all extremes are so bizarre — extreme commitment to Christ is the heart of true discipleship. But we are talking here about extremes in lifestyle. In this area, George Chapman reminds us, “Extremes, though contrary, have the like effects. Extreme heat kills, and so extreme cold.” Finding balance in life is not only desirable but essential. Balance is not a matter of weighing one extreme against another; it is finding equilibrium among many varied interests, concerns, and activities. Most of these are good — but too many good things can suffocate us and take the joy out of life. The most well-known “balance” passage in the Bible is found in Proverbs 30. “Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread” (Proverbs 30:8). We tend to focus on the last half of the passage and the possible harmful responses: “Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God” (Proverbs 30:9). Both poverty and riches are extremes that can lead to spiritual arrogance or moral expediency. But don’t miss the opening request: “Keep falsehood and lies far from me.” The wise author is asking that he live an authentic life; not one bruised and cut by extremes. He knows his limitations and his potential to sin, so he asks for a life that avoids extremes in every direction. He wants balance. In this issue of Inspire we will explore how balance in your life is God’s way of providing joy, fulfillment, and effectiveness — and possibly a well- pressed shirt. President’s Pen Dr. Bill Brown President Honor to Whom Honor is Due Alums Named Faculty and Staff of Year Dr. Jeff Fawcett ’82, associate professor of marketing, and Faith Linn ’83, director of alumni relations, were selected by the student body as Faculty and Staff Members of the Year at the spring Honors Day chapel. Forensics Team Highest-Ranking Among NFA Christian Schools Of 82 teams from around the country, the CU Forensics Team took eighth place in the President’s I Division of the National Forensics Association National Tournament. Cedarville was the highest- ranking Christian school at the event and tied with Kent State University as the top Ohio school. Debate Team Finishes Strong At the National Parliamentary Debate Association (NPDA) National Debate Tournament, the Cedarville University Debate Team finished 14th out of 400. In addition to this strong improvement over previous years, the team received the top ranking within NPDA for the state of Ohio, for Cedarville’s five-state district, and among institutions affiliated with the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU). SIFE Team Earns Regional Honors In the spring SIFE USA Regional Competition, Cedarville’s SIFE team was named first runner-up in the league as well as finalist in the Market Economics and Success Skills Criteria categories. 2006 SOCHE Excellence in Teaching Awards Each year, SOCHE (Southwestern Ohio Council for Higher Education) selects outstanding faculty from their 22 member schools to receive the SOCHE Excellence in Teaching Awards. On April 21, four Cedarville University faculty members received this honor. Students Receive Ohio Space Grant Scholarships The Ohio Space Grant Consortium (OSGC) has presented Cedarville students with four of the state’s 51 available undergraduate research scholarships. In addition, OSGC gave three of its 18 Ohio math and science education scholarships to Cedarville students. Freese Honored by Ohio District 7 Kathy Freese, associate professor of exercise and sport science, was recently inducted into the Ohio District 7 Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. To find out more about these honors, visit www.cedarville.edu/whatsabuzz and follow the prompts for the Inspire page.