Advice for Graduates

There is a good reason they call these ceremonies "commencement exercises."  Graduation is not the end; it's the beginning.  ~Orrin Hatch

It has been 2 years since I last participated in any type of Graduation. I have in my life graduated three times (High School, College & Grad School). All three marked the end of one chapter in my life and the beginning of another.

Sure, each held meaning, I was done forever with high school, with college and with grad school. I was so excited about all three; it was the start of new beginnings. There are many who think that way, who will enjoy the next step in the educational ladder but there are also many who don't want to graduate or think it is the end for them to be "a kid" and the end of "no responsibility". I want to take some time to encourage both of these groups. No matter if you are graduating from High School or are graduating from an Advanced degree, it's something I want to share.

Graduation, as stated above is not the end but the beginning. It's the beginning of great things, the beginning of the rest of your life. It's the beginning of what you will be doing for the rest of your life. It's the beginning of learning about yourself and realizing who you are as a person. It's the beginning of the journey without your parents holding onto your hand. Scary thought isn't it? It was for me but after awhile, I realized that it's good to spread our own wings to learn how to fly on our own. Sure we return to the nest at points but we don't stay there.

For me, my mom and dad gave me wings and helped me learn to fly. They were able to let me go and let my fly on my own. It was a new beginning for me, new experiences and new places. Without this new beginning, I wouldn't be who I am today. I think it's true for all of us, without new beginnings, there wouldn't be times that we can look back upon and be able to change and learn from those experiences.

So with all that being said, I want to close with this: "Be who you are in the world, never change who you are and hold onto your integrity"

In Training

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us ~ Hebrews 12:1

I have been doing a lot of introspective thinking recently and wanted to share my findings. I am training for two things; I'm constantly training and improving my Christian Life as well as training to be a healthier individual.

As I have been doing both of these things, I have noticed many correlations. With both of these, I have noticed that when I don't do something to improve, I become complacent and am just "there". Going with the Christian Life, I know if I don't spend time with God and spend time in his Word, I am just "there". Going with the Physical Life, if I don't make an effort to get up and go workout and make healthy food choices, I become just another "statistic" that is lazy and unmotivated. For both of these, I don't want to be known as a complacent person who is lazy about their life both spiritually and physically.

I just started reading a book by Chris Powell (Extreme Makeover Weight Loss Edition) and have enjoyed his analogies thus far. One that sticks out is "An Athlete in Training". This signifies to me when I am working out or making decisions about what to eat, I am an athlete in training and should always think of myself as that. This also goes along with my Christian lifestyle. I am always in training and always "running" to reach the prize. If I stop running for any reason, it just delays my progress to be more like Jesus. It stops me in my tracks and I don't grow.

There are times in my life when the going gets tough and I want to stop and want to throw in the towel; but I know if I do that, I am only submitting to Satan. He is the one who is in the decision of making me stop. He wants me to give up because it's too hard. With me pushing through the hard times, I know I can destroy Satan's motives.

My dad went through rigorous training in the Marine's. During boot camp, he endured many challenges. His motto for anything hard was "Take one step at a time, put one foot in front of the other". In both of these areas, that is what I need to do to accomplish the goals I have for myself.

When one of these areas is affected, the other feels the pressure of it as well. Neither of these areas for me can stand alone. I can't have a weak spiritual life and a strong physical life or vice versa. It just doesn't work.