Graduation

Cap and Gown season is here and we find ourselves celebrating with at least 11 families, seven at our home church and several others from families we have been friends with for years. In my youth ministry days I would yearly attend three, or four ceremonies of 700 to 800 graduates. The convention center hosting the graduation would be packed, the pomp and circumstance well choreographed, and the atmosphere electric. Every family waiting for the 5 to 10 seconds of fame for "their graduate!"

Honestly whether the graduation is in southeast Texas, central Texas, or North Texas some aspects are predictable. I suppose over the years I have attended so many graduations the predictable has become the norm. But, tonight the unanticipated burst in to deliver a freshness.

Carolon and I traveled to the small school district of Kopperl to celebrate the graduation of our friend Reagan. Both an accomplished athlete, achieving a full athletic scholarship with Harding University, and Salutatorian of her class; Reagan delivered a remarkable speech, sensitive to her class and expressing the necessary inherent gratitude for all who experience great achievements in life. Others spoke, awards were given out and then it happened -- the unexpected, at least by us. In front of the stage the typical flower arrangements adorned the front, but they were not there to dress the stage. At the given moment each of the grads walked to the front and began taking long stemmed flowers out of their designated vases and delivering them to friends and family throughout the audience they wanted to "thank." Beautiful Celtic music played as 16 grads went back and forth from their vases to the audience. It was touching! Now we might say this is the sort of activity one can pull off in a small school, and perhaps that is true. We also might say many schools have their own brand of this type of sentimental expression of gratitude and perhaps that is also true. But, I have been to alot of high school graduations and I have never been touched in quite the way I was tonight.

Graduations are about the individual achieving a goal, but they are also about all the people who have prayed and supported that individual toward that goal. Is it really one person dancing across a stage, or a host of hearts dancing the "happy dance" across the stage? Long ago I came to realize the weddings I performed should appropriately acknowledge the many people who have poured their love into the two hearts making a covenant. And in premarrital counseling, when I share this with a couple, they are appreciative that what they have felt will be noted; but tonight I saw a school do it right with graduation.

We attended another graduation ceremony tonight like the many which preceded. Except it wasn't. I stand to applause Kopperl High School who has discovered the true meaning of graduation!

The Season

Carolon and I have persistently viewed each time of our lives - marriage, raising children, ministry transition - as a great season of life. Such perspective can bring accurate accusations of being unrealistic about life. The tensions inherent in each season for the sane evokes feelings of frustration, disappointment, unsurety, etc., which is true. And we have experienced the gamut of emotions, but our choice has always been to land on the upside, the sun rising, the romantic sunset, the awards assemblies, tax day behind us, kids tax testing at school in the rearview mirror, vacation just around the corner, the transmission repaired, and I could go on of course.

At this time of life friends I care about deeply are experienced uncertain times, broken hearts, and questioning their next step. I feel their anguish and the distance separating us makes the agony more acute. But, breaking through this cloudy day a light of brilliance has emerged through the freshness of new life as our little Ali May came into the world last Friday with her initial words predicting the promising future awaiting her. As she looked around the room at all the strange faces she paused at one offering an innocent smile. Her words? I Love You Grandad! I see a trip to McDonalds in her future.