Exciting Times

These past few days have been very exciting for me. Of course yesterday we had the big celebration at Church for Dr. Butler’s 45 years of service playing the organ and also my friend Ron had simply an awesome day on his retirement Sunday, but those celebrations seem to only be a small portion of what has been going on in my world.

Probably one of the main reasons for excitement is my upcoming graduation. It seems like there are a lot of people working very hard to prepare for that. Yesterday afternoon my daughter-in-law Crystal and Karen were busy making plans for an “Open House” on Sunday May 24th here in Crothersville at the Fellowship Hall, and even though I am not a big fan of those types of things, Karen has already informed me to keep my mouth shut, smile a lot and say thank-you, that the party is not for me, it is for everyone that has helped get me through these past 4 years. It is certainly hard for me to argue with her on that one, so I will follow her advice.

It was also exciting to hear that the kids were all planning on coming over to the graduation exercises in Ohio. I know that I have made that drive many, many times, so I can certainly appreciate the sacrifice for those who are planning on attending.

Another factor is of course the challenge of getting my balance at school down to $ 0.00 in order to graduate, but I am sooooo close right now, that I can begin to, for the first time, breath a little easier, realizing that it is actually going to happen. Words really can’t describe for you the challenges that we have encountered in paying for a Masters of Divinity Degree. I have been very blessed along the way by help from scholarship opportunities through the school and though our Annual Conference. I have also been assisted greatly through my home church of Trinity UMC and of course I couldn’t possibly be here without the help and support of my two congregations of Crothersville and Cana UMC. The bottom line is that this has been a very long marathon, with an uncertain and seemingly ever changing potential outcome and now I am so close to the finish line that even if I were to stumble and fall, there are so many people running with me, pulling me, and pushing me that through their shear strength and will power I will be swept across the finish line.

These are truly exciting times, and I am blessed to be a part of them.

Blessings!