“Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.” Proverbs 21:21
Hard to believe that Garrett graduated from high school. Honestly it hasn’t completely hit me yet. As I sit here and think over the past couple months….no the past year…. it’s been crazy busy. Almost, so busy remembering the different things we are supposed to do for this occasion, that it came and went so quickly. Had no idea that the last week of his junior year he would be taking senior pictures at the school for the yearbook – already and getting flyers on what’s going on very soon and what to expect. It made the year just crazy. I pray that planning a wedding someday is easier?! We are excited that he is ready and he really enjoyed the time he had here at the high school.
By the beginning of May Garrett was pretty much done taking classes. Seniors don’t have to go as long and he had the chance to start summer earlier. All the seniors love this. We did a senior weekend at the church too. It was fun to go up and decorate his table with memories and look at the other students too. We got to talk to other parents and really just think about how these guys grew up here and now they would move on. Very thankful for the seniors, especially those who chose to lead the younger students the past few years. They learned a lot and grew up and learned to really trust the Lord. Scott’s parents came and ate with us. It was also a blessings to have Chris Shepherd sit with us. Students were given a chance to ask an adult to sit with them and allow this adult to pour into them one more time. Chris has been a great role model for Garrett and I am thankful that Garrett recognizes that in him. He also was blessed by having Paige and Casey in his walk. Paige has been around Garrett for along time. She has such a love for Jesus and challenges these students well. Thankful to have Casey at the church and for Garrett to have an opportunity to be taught by him this past year.
Course Ashton, Abbey and Nathan enjoyed all of it too and Garrett leaving probably really hasn’t completely hit them all yet. I hope and pray that they are able to see and model some of what Garrett does and that we will learn and lead the last three more humbled and focused on Christ daily.
After we got to celebrate the seniors at church we had the opportunity to go up to the elementary school where all of our kids have gone. We love it there and the teachers are so loving and instructive to the students there. The younger kids (Nathan was one of them), got to give high fives to the seniors that went to elementary school there and the students were able to thank teachers for all they did for them. Garrett enjoyed hugging his teachers and Nathan enjoyed having us at school that day.
Garrett and his friend Zach Babb. They go to church, school and work together – great kid!
Once they finished walking through the school for the day, we finished preparing for his graduation party. Oh and we played a soccer game….more on that later. We were very fortunate to have great help from both sets of grandparents. Garrett was able to see many of you who made the drive over to see him and congratulate him. He was thankful. It was a fun party and many memories were made. That bottom picture is my sister, Alissa (blue hair -ha!) and her six kiddos that made the drive to congratulate him. Thanks Johns family!
This is the first grandchild to graduate on both sides.
Graduation Night was busy! Thankfully Scott’s parents got to the arena earlier and they were able to get us some seats. Garrett got to wear the gold (Distinguished High Honor) because he kept his grades up. The night was full of many great moments. Our only problem was hearing things well, ha! Very thankful that my Aunt Carol, from Minnesota flew down to watch him graduate and then left the next morning. He is blessed by so many who love him.
We said goodbye to my parents and a few weeks later Garrett and Scott took off for his senior trip starting at Yellowstone and finishing through parts of Utah. Both of them enjoyed seeing new places and spending time together. It had been a busy year and heading West was exactly how Garrett wanted to spend some time this summer. I know Scott enjoyed the time too and all the hiking and God’s creation to see, was pretty amazing.
So here we sit in the middle of summer and realize that Garrett will be off at college soon. He will attend the University of Central Arkansas, in Conway and he hopes to major in Digital Film. We are thankful for his great scholarship he worked for and we shall see where the Lord plans to take him and how He will use him in the future. I am thankful that Garrett loves Christ and chooses time with the Lord as important and needed, time at the church worshiping and serving- a calling for all believers, and giving his mom lots of hugs a day- a way to make her smile – a necessary part of his day. I am blessed.
“Whoever pursues righteousness and love
finds life, prosperity and honor.”
Proverbs 21:21
I put this verse at the beginning of this blog, because this is what we all strive for and often wonder why we don’t get there and then we aren’t happy. It doesn’t say on here “whoever walks around….” , it uses the word “PURSUE.”
As a coach, something that drives me crazy, is when a player loses the ball or chooses to jog after the opponent who took the ball and is dribbling to attack your goal. A player in this position should be looking to follow and chase at a fast and hard pace and not stop until possession has been made and instead of defending, we are now turned around and on the attack away from danger. As believers we are called to dig in, to really spend time with God….. not just mumble prayers, but to really spend time with Him. When is the last time you cried in prayer as you talked to your Father? When is the last time that you saw Him move, even in a small way and it brought you to tears? If we chooses to jog behind and not pursue the Lord we will miss out on what He has for us. We are asked to PURSUE righteousness and love. Righteousness is being accepted and living on the side of God. We get to choose everyday how we will choose to live – we can live with God and love Him and others or we can live unwisely and suffer from our choices. God promises us Life, Prosperity and Honor when we choose to PURSUE Him with ALL we have to offer.
I pray that as Garrett heads off to school that this will always be his desire and drive. That he won’t PURSUE money or success, but that his heart will always be focused on his pursuit for and in Christ and that in that, he experiences God’s LIFE, PROSPERITY and HONOR. There’s no other life to live!
“Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.” Proverbs 21:21
Thank you for continued prayers for me. I am in the final few days of my LAST chemo session. I am soooo thankful that I have physically felt pretty good. I won’t complain about the aches and pain, when I know so many others who physically struggle so much more. I am thankful for those of you who tell me that you pray for me daily and send me little messages as a reminder. These are the things that bring me to tears. As I ask the Lord all the time, “who am I?” Continue to pray that I am focused on what I need to finish before school starts so I am starting off ready to go and feeling great about starting, not feeling behind. Continue to pray for Garrett as he gets ready for school and that we get everything he needs to have done – DONE!
……Next blog will be on State Championship….