This poem was written for a friend diagnosed with cancer
Lord, You alone have the answer to the questions cancer poses in my life. Please show me what You have in mind. Remind me that Your plans are kind, that I can trust a God I cannot see.
Free me from kidnapping fear that stalks my faith when no one’s near, that leaves me having robbed me of my will to battle on.
Won’t You hear my prayer and dry my eyes? Surprise my heart with hope that’s grounded in Your character and in what I know is true.
A hope that’s based on what You’ve done and what You yet will do.
Greg Asimakoupoulos and Seattle Pacific University President Deana Porterfield
So you’re about to graduate! Congratulations! As you probably know by now, I won’t be speaking at your ceremonies. I have a previous commitment. Besides, I wasn’t invited to speak. (Laugh here!) There are more deserving individuals worthy of that honor. However, if I had been given the privilege of speaking at your commencement, I would probably offer you the following advice…
This milestone in your life marks a lengthy journey of hard work. You’ve read more books than you expected. You’ve written more term papers than you thought possible. And you’ve taken more quizzes and exams than you thought you ever would.
But there is one big test you have yet to complete. It’s an examination that will last the rest of your life. When you walk across the stage to receive your diploma, someone will call your name. As they do, listen up. The mention of your name signals that you are deserving that long-awaited certificate of achievement. It will also begin the clock on what people will think or feel when seeing or hearing your name. And you alone can determine the outcome. That’s the test that still awaits.
I once saw a sign on a city bus that caught my attention. It was a challenge to employees to do their best every day they went to work. This creative motivational expression went something like this: “Every job is a self-portrait of the person doing it. So, autograph your work with excellence.” That memorable quote attributed to Ted Key is a call to recognize that how you approach a task (no matter how small or big) is a reflection on you. Your name is on the line whenever someone associates what you say or what you do with you.
The name our parents gave us when we were born was their gift to us. It calls to mind that we are part of a family with whom we share a common name. Our shared name comes with a wealth of past associations and connections. “Oh, you’re so-and-so’s kid? Awesome!” But that built-in credit isn’t bottomless. It’s always up for grabs. While our behavior and choices have the power to increase that credit, they can also deplete it. What we do and how we choose will bring glory or shame to our family’s name.
A legend about Alexander the Great and one of his soldiers illustrates this. A young recruit in Alexander’s army was overcome with fear and fled from the frontlines of battle. This deserter was caught running away and brought before Alexander. The general required the recruit to identify himself. “What is your name?” Alexander insisted angrily. The humiliated soldier whispered “Alexander, sir!”
Unable to hear the young deserter’s reply, Alexander asked again more forcefully. “What is your name, soldier?” To which the soldier responded a bit more audibly, “Alexander, sir!”
Not sure he had heard the disgraced soldier correctly, Alexander the Great demanded a third time, “What? What is your name, young man?” At that the embarrassed recruit stood at attention and boldly answered “Alexander, sir! My name is Alexander!”
The esteemed general, shocked by what he’d finally heard, replied, “Soldier, change your actions or change your name!”
With that in mind, remember you take your name with you wherever you go. Leaving the comfortable confines of a familiar campus and venturing out into a rather complicated world, your name will be put to the test. Whether you go on for further education or join the workforce, you will be autographing your performance on a regular basis.
Keep in mind that your actions and choices will not take place in a vacuum. They will impact how others view you and the family from which you’ve come. Be proud of your autograph. In the process make your family proud!
The foothills of Heaven this life has been called marked by footprints of what waits in store. Eternity’s summit. Celestial air and the promise of, oh, so much more.
The foothills of Heaven invite us to climb while exploring the beauty we see in the love of a mate and contentment at work as we wait for what one day will be.
Every day’s a Saturday when you’re as old as I. A weekend’s nothing special anymore. Retirement means sleeping in and coffee on the deck before you do the things that you adore.
For me, it’s writing poetry or taking photographs or going for a long walk in the park. For Peter, a new friend of mine, it’s working in his yard or blowing glass creating priceless art.
Such lazy days are not a waste. When doing what we love, there’s meaning and fulfillment in our play. The stress of work is in the past. Deadlines are six-feet-down. No wonder every day’s a Saturday!
The In Memoriam segment at The Academy Awards is a highlight
It happens so often. Breaking news interrupts and informs us of someone who’s died. Blindsided, we Google in search of the facts that fake news can easily hide.
When Hollywood loses a star that we’ve loved, It’s not just the sky that grows dark. We grieve for a friend that we never have met who has brought lasting joy to our heart.
Their death’s a reminder that life is a mist. Like a vapor it’s here and then gone. But silver screen greats can still be found in their films. When we watch them, it’s like they live on.
My Rhymes and Reasons 