Two Down, Six to Go.....

Last year our oldest daughter graduated.  This year, it was our oldest son as well as our middle daughter (from gr. 8).  What a night!  We get the privilege each year to speak into our children words of blessing in front of our homeschool community.  This is never hard for me as I could go on and on. What is hard is holding it together emotionally.  This year, more than one family stood on the stage, hugging and holding one another, saying such beautiful things that no one was able to be strong.  At one point, even a young boy graduating from gr. 8, heard the words from his mom and was wiping his own eyes.  How are you supposed to hold it together when even the kids can't?!

But, thank goodness for my son.  He saw me wiping my eyes just before I went up with my daughter and he leaned over and said, "You can't get all your tears out now!  You have to save some for me!" It was just what I needed to get a grip.  I got through her 2 minutes, virtually tear-free.  We were able to remind her, just like on her ceremony into womanhood, that she is like a fine china plate.  She has a purpose and though she has been set on a shelf in our family for a time, being carefully watched, protected and cared for, we now realize it is time to take her off the shelf and slowly but surely start to see her used for God's purposes.

Then it was my son's turn - gr. 12, oldest boy.  These tend to be the hardest when it is the oldest girl and boy.  They were the guinea pigs for everything and may need firstborn counselling at some point! After my daughter's grad last year, the next day I read a passage in 1 Chronicles where David is passing on the baton to his son Solomon.  When I read the words I knew a year ago it would be what I would say to my son last night.  It was perfect, because I knew the words came from God, not from me.

David "called for his son and charged him".  We did that last night, too.  David said to his son, "Now, my son, the Lord be with you, so that you may succeed in building the house of the Lord your God, as he has spoken concerning you.  Only may the Lord grant you discretion and understanding, that when he gives you charge over Israel you may keep the law of the Lord your God.  Then you will prosper if you are careful to observe the statutes and the rules that the Lord commanded Moses for Israel.  Be strong and courageous.  Fear not: do not be dismayed.  With great pains I have provided for the house of the Lord.....Arise and work!  The Lord be with you!" (1 Chronicles 22:6-16)

It was perfect - that's exactly what we wanted our son to know, too.  He will only succeed if he follows the rules and laws of God.  He will need to be strong and courageous and fight fear and discouragement all the time.  It has been with great pains and great sacrifice that we have attempted to give him the education he has at home, a literal cost, an emotional cost, a spiritual cost.....but it was all worth it.  So now David simply puts it, "Get on with it!  Go!"  We ended our charge to him the same way - Arise and work!  The Lord be with you!

We shared a few more verses and I was completely fine.  Totally had it all together.  Until I put the mike down and my son said, "Can I say a few words?"  Oh no.  What was he going to say?  "Sure?" I whispered to him.  He then went on to briefly tell the story of Dmitri Mendeleev, the inventor of the periodic table.  In his research this year, my son learned about this famous man.  But what struck him was the story of his mother.  She saw his potential and was determined to get him a higher education. She traveled all over Russia with him determined to get him into university.  He was turned down at the first one, so she continued on with even greater determination.  She finally succeeded in getting him in and, as the story goes, she then died of exhaustion.  My son finished telling the story and then said (and I'm paraphrasing because it suddenly became a blur for me), "I recognize the sacrifice my parents have also made for me and my education and I want to honour their sacrifice by making something with my life."  Uh.....wasn't expecting that....don't know if that was a spur of the moment thing or what, but I was stunned.  It was hard to hold it together at that point.  Thank goodness I was already walking off the stage and didn't have to stay up there much longer.  Special words, a very special moment.

Before the parents and grads began their blessings to each child, our local member of parliament came and spoke to the graduating class.  He is only 19 years old, only a few years older, or months even, than some of the grads there!  He gave such a great charge to the grads, all from Scripture, as he is a solid believer who was also entirely homeschooled from beginning to end.  It was amazing.  So glad he was willing to come and speak.

All in all, a great night.  My younger two now know what grad is and hate it.  It is a looooong night! They started asking when it would be over right at the beginning.  Sorry!  Poor things have many graduations to sit through before it is their turn.  The desserts were their only thing to look forward to and running around playing tag in the parking lot.  They are still in bed and will be for a long time. My older ones don't get a break.  Just like the words in the Bible, they had to "arise and work".  It is tough growing up!

Two down, six to go........