Saturday, May 20, 2017

To my Son, on Graduation Day

Dear Clayton,
It's today.  It's finally here, the day that we've worked for, prayed for, dreamed of, wondered if we'd ever see!  It's finally arrived.

And before we get you ready in your cap and gown, before you leave to go meet your friends for pictures, before you walk across that stage and Dad and I meet you in the middle, I wanted to say just a few things to you.

I'm so proud of you.
I'm proud of the man you've become, not just in your lifetime, but the man that I've seen emerge over this past year.  It's been a hard year for you in spiritual and emotional growth.  Not many people know what you've gone through, but I do...and I stand AMAZED at how you've allowed God to mold you and shape you into a godly man of integrity!  One of your mentors said it best when he told you, "You've been forged on the anvil of the Gospel."  I see this on a daily basis.


I am blessed by you.
You continually bless me every day.  Your attitude of respect and love for Dad and I give us daily reasons to thank God for you!  I do NOT want to take our relationship with you for granted.  I see and hear of so many teenagers that can't stand their parents and can't wait to leave home and they refuse to hang around with mom and dad.  I'm so very grateful to God that that isn't our story.
And I thank Him often that He blessed me with the opportunity to be your Mom.


You are enough.
In this world today, the pressure is on for kids to go to college, to rack up huge amounts of debt for "higher education," but I want you to know that you don't have to do that.  So many kids go to college and they have NO IDEA what they're there for.  You know what you want to do for now, and it's OK that it doesn't involve college!  If you never set foot inside another classroom it will be fine.  You are ENOUGH without a degree!  At some point, if you decide you want to go back to school, do it because you feel it's what God is asking you to do.  But know that our love, our acceptance, and our belief in you does not depend on a piece of paper with the name of a university on it!


God has a plan for you.
I know that this day can feel scary as you think about your life without classes and learning, books and papers, homework and field trips.  But the learning and the adventure isn't over!  In fact, it's just beginning.  The "good stuff" is coming!  God has something great for you, and I don't know exactly what it is, but I can say with confidence that it will be AWESOME!
 Keep your heart open to the Holy Spirit as you seek Him for direction. 


"Adulting" isn't easy.
The carefree days of being a kid are over, and now the "real life" begins.  You already know a LOT more about real life/paying bills/working hard than probably 90% of kids graduating in this country this year, but I just wanted to remind you that being an adult is not a walk in the park.
There were lots of hard, painful days in school when kids were mean, friends betrayed you, you didn't get included in groups, and someone broke your heart.
Guess what?  That happens to grown ups, too.  People are mean, friends will often betray you, sometimes you don't get invited, and you are probably going to get your heart broken, maybe more than once.  Just know that Mom and Dad are still here, we're still your biggest fans!
Advice is free, meals are free, and I'll always listen and pray with you!


Stay in church.
There's a growing trend among young adults that were raised in church to drift away after graduation.  I'm fairly confident that you're not going to be one of those people, but I just want to caution you to not do that.  Community is so very important, and you have grown up in a body of believers that puts "community" as a TOP priority.  Someone is going to track you down if you start missing church!  The first person will be ME. :)  This world is a scary place, and getting worse all the time.  Now, more than ever, we need encouragement and accountability from like-minded brothers and sisters to keep us focused on Christ and on our end-goal.  Make a commitment to yourself to stay involved, to give back to this community, to serve others.  


Go after your passion.
I have loved watching you grow.  I've had a front row seat to your development and love of many things, and it has been wonderful.  You've fallen in love with motors and mechanics and it has been so fun to watch that become something that you're passionate about!  You have been working on things since you could toddle.  Hammers and nails, chainsaws and weed eaters, jack stands and creepers have been some of your favorite "toys."  You've saved money and bought trucks, motors, parts, parts, and more parts, and spent many hours in that garage.  


The smile on your face and the pride in your eyes when you fired the motor or test drove the finished product are PRICELESS memories to me.  The bond that you've formed with your Dad while laying under a car or truck is something that I know he treasures more than anything!  The times when you, your brother, and Dad have all worked on something together, the countless conversations about various hot rods, the car shows, the road trips...it brings out something in you that I don't even know if YOU can explain.  It's PASSION.  It's what you love!  Do that!  Keep that wonder and excitement.  It's a beautiful thing!


Most of all, go hard after God!
Son, there's NOTHING else in this life that's worth anything if you don't have Him!  I remember when you gave your heart to Jesus for the very first time, you were not quite 4.  You have always been tender to the things of God, and I have thanked Him over and over for that.  He's called you, drawn you to Himself, and it has been my honor and joy to talk to you, pray with you, and point you to Him over and over again. How amazing it was for Daddy to baptize you, and for us to watch as you grew in your walk with the Lord.  You have a way with kids, and your service in the children's ministry has been so awesome.  


I cannot even tell you how much of an honor and privilege it was for me to go with you to Kenya and watch how you bonded with those kids!  Oh, Clayton, my heart just about burst with joy to see you dance and play with them.  


And now I think about your summer ahead where you'll be working with kids at Camp Arrowwood, and I pray that God will enlarge your heart again with more joy and more passion for Him through this ministry!  He has His hand on your life.  
And while I know there have been days where you've wondered if you're "spiritual" enough or "Christian" enough, or you've even questioned if you're saved because your walk with the Lord doesn't look like someone else's, please, please hear me:   
God has captured your heart with His grace and love!  You are HIS!  He is yours!  And He only requires your obedience to Him.  
Don't look around at others and doubt.  Look to Jesus and LIVE!  
Keep your eyes focused on Christ and what He has accomplished for you on the cross. 

Rejoice in the hope that flows out of the empty tomb.  
  
You are unique.  You were made for a specific purpose.  
Just as one bolt on a motor requires a specific socket, so YOU are unique and your walk with Jesus is going to look different than the person next to you.  
Run this race with focus, with determination, with passion!


I hope that you will remember these things.  There are going to be hard days, good days, exciting days, and sad days.  But always know that there will never be a day that you go through that God is not with you, and that I do not love you!  

I am proud of you.  And I am praying for you.  

All the time.  

With so much love, I can't even describe it,

Mom

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