Graduation Day

     Graduation Day,  I can remember it like it was yesterday.  Well actually it was 29 years ago this month.  What a special day, how proud my parent were and how I was excited to finally be done with High School.  The only nightmare was, I got food poisoning that night and puked all the way to ROTC Basic Camp at Ft. Knox, Kentucky the next day.  What fond memories.

     My thoughts for today are directed towards the Roswell High School Seniors, who in 11 hours will be walking across the stage at the Wool Bowl receiving their diplomas.  (note: two of those Seniors are my own children and I am very proud of them!)  They will be going through a range of emotions: excitement, fear, nervousness, and even some will be bored (really?).  It will be a day that they never forget.

     The Seniors during their baccalaureate received some awesome inspiring words from three great speakers.  I was impressed at the fact that all three did it in a short amount of time.  No hour long speeches, short and sweet.  Although the words were encouraging, I felt something was left out, so here are my words of wisdom to the graduating class of 2011:

• The world you will enter into, is in total chaos.

     Wow, talk about words of encouragement!  Your walking out of the safety net of your family into a Mad Max movie (anyone remember those movies??).  Let's be honest here, there is a lot of stuff happening in the world today that doesn't make a lot of sense and effects us all in so many different ways.  Listen, yeah it's chaotic out here, but how you approach it is what matters.  You need to approach it knowing there is someone you can call.  No, no...not Ghostbusters.  In Psalm 86:7 it says "In the day of my trouble I will call on You, for you will answer me  ".  Sounds easy huh?  Well in reality it is.  With God on your side, what can't you face?  You just have to remember to put Him first in all you do.  God is your armor, so don't forget to put it on when facing the giants in the world.

• The mess our generation has made, you will have to fix.

     Unfortunately, my generation has not done a very good job at cleaning up our messes.  In fact, we seem to be making more messes.  So if you want a decent world to live in, it's time to step up.  1 Peter 4:10 it says "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to server others faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms  ".  You all have been given gifts that God wants you to use to better mankind.  Don't waste them frivolously, use them to fix the mess and make the world a better place to live in.

     Bummed out now?  I hope not.  I hope that my words have given you a reality check and given you the ambition to move forward in life with a purpose.  There's that word...Purpose.  Did you listen to your baccalaureate speakers?  Each of them used this word several times.  It means that you need to be focused on what impact you plan on making in the world.  Will you do it God's way, or will you do it your way?  I hope that you do it God's way because man...we need it His way.  When we do it our way, we just mess everything up.

     
     Another chapter written and a new one beginning.  We are proud of you; parents, family, friends, teachers and bosses.  There's a big world out there to conquer, but I know with Coyote blood running through your veins, you will achieve the goals you have set and make a mark in the world.  Congratulations Class of 2011.... you did it.

Chappy

When We Celebrate For The Wrong Reasons

     Over the past couple of days the news has flooded us with up-to-date stories about the death of Osama Bin Laden.  While there was a sigh of relief in taking down the top leader of al-Qaeda, there was also much celebration across the country, including those areas, like New York and Pennsylvania,  which were the most effected by the tragedy of 9-11.  People talked of closure, revenge, satisfaction, some even talked of the fear of retaliation.   

     Myself, I was torn in how I felt about the whole situation, worried that Osama's death would have a domino effect, releasing a rage amongst the Islamic nations and also wondering if it was something I should be celebrating.  So I started looking at the situation through the eyes of my Christian beliefs.  Yes, Osama was an enemy of the U.S. and probably was not a big fan of Christianity, but he was also a child of God.  As everyone is a child of God, they have all been given a gift of Jesus death:  

• John 1:29 says "The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!""  
• 1 Timothy 4:10 says "For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers."
• 1 John 2:2 says "and He Himself is the propitiation for our sings; and not for ours only, bur also for those of the whole world"

You see, Jesus died for EVERYONE, not just believers.  Christians are those who have accepted the gift wholeheartedly.  Many reject the gift, and that is their choice.  I cannot sit here and say Osama rejected the gifted, because I honestly don't know if anyone ever presented the Word of God to him.  He was brought up in an Islamic nation, so most likely never exposed, but I don't know that for sure.

    My concern is, as Christians should we be celebrating the death of Osama or should we weep for the fact that another soul was lost?  Although his death may have comfort for many, and I will not deny those people that right, but as for me, I will weep that as Christians we failed.  We have lost another soul to the darkness.

     Martin Luther King Jr said "I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even my enemy.  Returning hate for the hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars.  Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that.  Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that"

    So I take the stance that I will not rejoice.  If I am to be the face of Christ, God's light to those lost in darkness, then I choose to be the light.  I hope that those of you who read this will choose that direction too.

Chappy