Sharing the Moments

I attended another graduation tonight and thoroughly enjoyed the entire commencement. It was particularly special to me to see some of these young people walk across the stage. This class has several people that I have invested in over the last 3 1/2 years. We have been through tough stages of life, counseled through
heartbreak, shared cups of coffee, and served in the mission field together. It was a deep pleasure to hug each of them and tell them how proud I am of their accomplishments.

This is one of the main reasons I loved teaching and why I enjoy ministry. It's found in the life-to-life moments we share that build camaraderie and a depth of relationship that is carved out of good & bad times together. These relationships (some of them developed over the last 20 years) bring me deep joy & satisfaction and serve as an impetus to seek out more of the same.

Journey On

I am headed to a high school graduation tonight at a local school. By my estimation I have attended somewhere between 30-40 of these in the last twenty years. Each celebration is capped with

motivational speeches, planned (and unexpected) humor, proud parents and families, and satisfied graduates. It marks the end of a long journey of education, (hopefully) maturation, and experiences.

We celebrate their efforts to this point, but also the future that lies in front of them. They aren't really ending a journey and beginning another, but are looking up to realize that the road in front of them has just become more difficult to traverse. While they won't travel completely alone they will be more personally responsible for what happens next. These graduates have endured trials, pursued parental and individual expectations, and fit their lives into a routine bell schedule for twelve years. This next phase of the journey will give them the opportunity to develop their self-discipline, define their character, discover their strengths, and delve into new territories. It's an exciting and frightening future all at once.

It makes me think that we should more frequently celebrate tough portions of life's journey and new horizons. They happen more often than we realize.