There are a few people throughout life who have a special impact on us, beyond the normal routines of life. Obviously, our parents, spouse, and other family members fall in this category, along with certain close lifelong friends. But, then you also have other folks who display such consistent examples of character, faith, integrity, etc. that they influence you without really even trying. Erin Sipe was one of those people for me.
In a world of self-indulgence, entitlement, and constant demands for our "rights", Erin was a bright light of selflessness, kindness, and sacrifice. She was one of the hardest working teachers I have ever seen, but never asked for anything from me other than a classroom and students. It was her sanctuary where she felt at home, at peace, and full of joy. Other than God and her family, Erin's greatest treasure was to love, teach, and influence the next generation. She simply thrived as an educator, and her students loved every minute of her class; certainly not because they loved the selected novels or papers to write, but because they loved the one who was loving them first. They knew that Erin's purpose in their lives was far more than passing the test on The Great Gatsby. She cared about them. What was in the Great Gatsby that could lead her students to understand God in a deeper way? What life lessons were there in that book that might bring them joy and success in life? Her students knew that they were her personal focus, far more than the curriculum.
When we hired Erin to teach at HCA, six years into a 10 year battle with cancer, we knew we would likely face this moment in time. Erin was very candid about that as well, almost to a fault, always trying to protect the school and me from undue stress. But when you get one of those special people in life, you take it, even if it carries risk, and even if it is for a short time. She taught two of my own children, and I am forever grateful for the influence she had on them during that time.
Monday night, when I knew Erin's time was at its end, my wife and I were on a walk, and I asked her, "What stands out to you about Erin?" Gayle mentioned five or six things that everyone who knew Erin would agree with, but the very first thing she said struck me, and has stuck with me this past few days. When asked what stood out to her, Gayle said, "Erin always hand wrote Thank You Cards". At first, I thought this was a minor thing, but the more I think about it, this truly defines who Erin was.
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| Erin leading morning faculty devotion |
Someone who hand-writes Thank You Cards in 2021 has some unique qualities. It would be so easy to do what we all have become accustomed to do these days, and just text my "thank you" to someone. Or maybe email. But, to take a couple days to go to the store, pick out the right cards, find a pen in the drawer, use cursive handwriting you learned back in school, lick the envelopes, buy stamps, and put it in the mailbox displays more than thanks. This is someone who is so intentional in showing kindness and gratitude that she refused to rush through it. And, when you recieve that card in the mail, there is little doubt that you have someone on the other end who loves you. This is not just going through the motions. It is deliberate in its personal touch, a truly rare thing in today's world.
So, as I take the quick route and electronically type my words, I just want to say Thank You to Erin Sipe for showing me how to endure a trial as a believer in Jesus. You never complained, even though you had more reason to do so than anyone reading this today. In the midst of stage four cancer, you loved my kids more than you loved yourself, and you taught them eternal truths far more valuable than any high school novel could reveal. You also loved Hickory Christian Academy, teaching through a pandemic while going through chemotherapy and other treatments, all the while knowing it could threaten your life. But, the beauty that we all saw was that your life was never your own. you knew you had been bought with the matchless grace of God, and so your desire was that the rest of us would see what you already knew - life is not about protecting, but about giving (a lesson you learned from Jesus Himself). Thank you for giving yourself to our school, our families, and our students for these four years. You are already greatly missed, and you will always be loved and treasured at HCA.
