Panties In A Bunch

I went to a dear friends graduation today. I know that she and her family have been looking forward to this day for a long time. She has become a beautiful young lady in the time that I have been privileged to know her and be a part of her life. Thinking about what God has in store for her as she starts this new chapter in her life gives me chills! Her family isn't the only family that is going to miss her tremendously when she leaves for college in August. My prayer for her is that she learns to always keep her eyes and ears tuned to be looking for and listening to what God is doing in and around her life in such a way that she instinctively opens her heart to become his hands, arms, feet to those around her. I can't wait to see what adventures she embarks on as she leaves home soon.

With that being said ... my panties are in a major bunch! There was much "ado" about this graduation ceremony being "dignified". There was a flyer that was distributed in the program that encouraged everyone in the audience to hold their applause until after all seniors had received their diplomas. But it went beyond that. No yelling, screaming, crying, or dancing allowed. That if all seniors as well as all of their guests complied with this rule, they would receive a FREE DVD of the graduation ceremony.

To take it a step further, when it was time for the diplomas to be confered, the principal took another 5 minutes to admonish the audience not to make any noise and to continue the tradition of a dignified graduation ceremony for the school.

Now I know that I have a skewed view of graduation, etc... I went to a small Christian school. I graduated in a class of 22. But can I just tell you - that my graduation ceremony was longer than this one, and there were over 300 graduates? And I was good with that - because it was personal. It meant something to us and to our families - it was memorable.

But this made me so angry that the graduates and their families were not allowed to celebrate this momentous occassion that they had waited so long and worked so hard for. I asked several people - what could have possibly happened in the past to make them swing so far in this direction as to not allow any celebration whatsoever? Apparently nothing happened - they just have graduations every 2 hours for 3 days or so to get through for the county and they can't afford for the ceremony to go longer than an hour - they have to turn things around for the next graduation. Seriously? Why can't they all have graduation in their own football field - you know - like we all did? Why do they have to have it at the civic center? It's a big deal that you only get so many tickets - not enough room. Well, over half the room was empty at this graduation! There could have been plenty more people.

And why do I care? Well, dang it! I was so excited for Kelsey! I have been planning for years what I was going to do when she walked across that stage ... I was going to scream and shout and let her know just how proud and excited I was. So my panties are in a bunch because I had to reserve my excitement for when she left the civic center. Everyone was so proud of me for behaving myself - but I was disappointed - not just for me - but for the graduates and their families. They deserve to have this time to revel and to celebrate in this huge milestone in their lives.

Ok - I'm done with that.

Kelsey - you rock, girl! I am so proud of you and excited to see you take off for Asbury College soon!