Covenant Classical School

Back where I grew up in Louisiana, lagniappe (“lan-yap”) was a frequently used term. What does this funny-sounding, French-from-Spanish word mean? Well, a general way to understand this word is “a little something extra,” like a baker’s dozen — receiving 13 cookies or cupcakes instead of the standard 12.

But, it’s more than the definition — it’s a way of life, more of an idea than an easy-to-define expression. It’s in the air. You can feel it. It’s both tangible and intangible. Something special. A little more. Generosity.

You can almost taste it — like the sweet dusting of powdered sugar sprinkled over freshly baked beignets, the crisp feel of fall in the air (for a few days anyway), or the electric excitement of a zydeco band at a crawfish festival. It’s like down-home cooking mixed with a big hug from your grandma. It’s like your favorite childhood smells and musical sounds intertwined. It’s like the scent of goodness wafting through the air as you saunter down the street looking for your next adventure. It’s the knowing and believing and hoping and longing for more. It’s visceral — you can sense its presence. It is in the milieu all around you.

It’s like being greeted by the bubble machine when arriving at school for Parent Orientation or Meet the Teacher! It’s seeing the exuberant hugs and excited expressions as families and friends are reconnecting on the first day of school. It’s the sharing of kind words and the helping out of one another to sort or carry items. It’s teachers praying together before the day begins, families worshiping together through song at Convocation, and students decorating their lockers with joy. It is the sounds of delight and glee shared with one another during those first weeks of recess.

These kinds of things don’t have to cost much. They can even be free. Kindness is the best gift of all, yet it is priceless — the gift of giving and receiving of ourselves.

In Unreasonable Hospitality, Will Guidara states, “Luxury is giving more — but hospitality is being more thoughtful.” It’s intentional and relational and contagious. Lagniappe is the same thing. It’s exceeding expectations and creating a wonder of surprise in the midst of life. It keeps you a little off guard in a good way. What exciting thing could possibly happen next? What is around the corner?

So what does lagniappe look like at Covenant? It looks a lot like loving one another.

We are excited for this coming school year and all the examples and expressions of this love shining forth and spilling over in our school community. Let’s look for lagniappe moments. Here we go!

"Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good" (Psalm 34:8).

Come and join with us in praying for a year of great love and expectations!