Graduation

1991 was the year I graduated from high school. I had dreams of becoming a famous well-paid graphic artist. And while I did eventually start a career in that field, God obviously had other plans for my life. 19 years later I watched as my son Robert received his diploma and my hopes for him are very different than hopes I had for myself at his age. His dreams are similar to the dreams I held then. He aspires to become a famous and well-paid surgeon. I would like nothing more than to see him reach his dream, but if I could I would change his focus from fame and riches to honoring God and serving others.

This year continues to test our resolve and trust in God (just so you know God is still winning our trust). As you know the past two years have brought many trials our way. This year has been no exception. Least of which has been the troubles afflicting the city of Juarez. It seems that family issues are much more difficult to bear especially when you realize you are no longer able to make the choices for your loved ones but have to watch them find their own way.

Three days ago Robert graduated from high school. Two days ago we held his graduation party. We showered him with gifts and held a feast in his honor. To the best of our ability we gave him our blessing to go into this world and be all that God has made him to be. Yesterday he left for Louisiana where he will be living with his grandparents while he attends Louisiana State University. It has been a very difficult process over the last few months, him trying hard to assert himself as an adult and us trying so hard to hold on to our child. When he told us a few weeks ago that he had decided not to return home after his student orientation I was both proud of him and sad at the same time. Time slipped away so quickly, something that when I was his age I had no understanding of, and now I feel like a spectator watching from the stands cheering on my team when I used to be the coach showing him how it was done.

We attended church yesterday before he left. Our church meets in downtown El Paso at a coffee shop, and every other week we hand out burritos to the homeless that are around the area. We had a lot of food leftover from the graduation party and only Jackie would be home for the next two weeks to eat it. I will be away working on the San Carlos Apache Reservation in Arizona. And we sent Danielle with Robert to visit her grandparents and see her brother off. So we had a lot of food left that would only go bad. So I took the left over rolls, brisket, and turkey and made sandwiches to hand out around downtown. As the others attended the service I quickly went about handing out the food. As I did this, I came across an elderly woman that appeared to be sleeping but I could not tell. I laid two sandwiches at her feet unsure if she was even alive. When I returned to church they were in the middle of a message from Matthew chapter 6:25 through 34, in a nutshell, don’t worry. As I sat there I thought about the woman on the street, I wondered how she would feel about that message. That she should not worry. I thought, “Easier said than done, God”. But then I heard the still small voice speaking to my heart. It said, “I fed her today.” And here I was thinking I had done that. As I sat and prayed I realized that this is what I want more than anything for my children that they allow themselves to be used by God.

We love both our children so much. And that love gives us a better understanding how our heavenly father loves us. So we will continue to follow where he leads no matter how hard the road.