Transition

Last night I gave the commencement address at Immanuel Jr. High School, I felt important.I sat with the principal, the superintendent, and the Jr. high drama teacher. Essentially the rat pack (without the cigarettes and scotch) of IJHS. I was nervous too, I speak in public all the time, at Youth, in church, sometimes i just start talking when I am in line at Save Mart in hopes people will listen, so far there have been no convert in my Checkout-line ministry, maybe soon though.

Regardless, I was nervous, and I don't get nervous when I speak. I believe it was because of the weird dynamic of the situation. I was speaking to 8th graders, who were being watched by their parent, grandparents, siblings, and friends. I felt like I was a fish talking to other younger fish while a lot of people were watching us from outside the fish tank while waiting for their turn in the Doctor's office (I went to a doctor who had a fish tank once, I stared at it for 2 hours while I was waiting to be seen by him.)

I wanted to make sure I was talking to the graduates, but it is hard to do that when the podium is placed with my back to them so I did a half turn to see them but then I had to lean over so the microphone would pick up my voice still. I felt awkward, which didn't help my nerves at all. Once I settled in I told the graduates I had 4 words I wanted them to remember, "Love God and Love Others." Obviously I missed the Sesame Street where I found out that there is a number greater than 4, it is called 5.

The main thing that struck me though was as I was speaking to this class and looking at all of their faces, I realized I have had a conversation with the majority of them. I realized I knew most of them by name, and had played basketball or gone to Magic Mountain with the majority of them. I essentially helped see this class of students through their Jr. High career. There are a lot of leaders and strong willed people amongst these 8th grade graduates, they will do great things I am sure, but seeing all of their faces just remidns me of how fun and scary transitions can be.

I had an 8th grader talk to me last night and tell me she didn't want to graduate, she wanted to stay in Jr. High, and I thought about how much she would miss if she decided to stay an 8th grader (Not to mention she would be very creepy as a 52 year old dancing with 7th graders at their dances).

I have a couple different friends in the midst of transition, some moving, some getting married, some having a baby. Change is fun and terrifying and it reminds me how we are called to move and to change, we are called to not get comfortable, we are called to pursue God fully and unashamedly. We are called to follow Him witha reckless faith.

I have enjoyed every stage of life I have been a part of, and each time there is a change it is hard at first, I resist as much as I can, but eventually I realize how amazing the new stage of life is once it is embraced. Embrace your new stage of life, embrace the stage of life you are in and when it is time to transition accept it with open arms and thank God for the opportunity to grow.