Looking Back: Celebrating the Class of 2013

Last week was incredible. 

 

From Baccalaureate to the Graduation Celebration to the Commencement Ceremony, each moment of every day added to the emotions and to the memories of the three year journey of our Class of 2013. 

I sat in the Baccalaureate service last Wednesday and thought, “This is it! We’re getting ready to say goodbye to people who have been a part of our Shepherds family for years. Let’s send them off well God!”

I think we did.

The Handbell Choir played for them…

Christian, residents and staff prayed for them…

Our resident, Dennis, and the Shepherds College faculty sang to them…

Steve blessed them by reading Jeremiah 29:11-14…

And Mr. Wright gave the charge. “Don’t get overwhelmed, just focus on what is next,” he encouraged. “I could answer a lot of questions about ‘what is next’ when you first visited campus – the enrollment process, financial aid, your housing situation, the classes you’ll take… but I don’t know going forward. You will face times of trial and uncertainty for sure, but you will never face them alone.”

Then a flurry of activity went by in a blink – practices, set-up for graduation, last minute shopping for the celebration, photographers confirmed, sound checked, guitars tuned, lighting adjusted – and Friday was upon us before we realized it.

Oh goodness. 

Have you ever attended a Shepherds College Graduation Celebration? I’ll try to describe it as best I can without writing a book – 

It’s a night for graduates, their parents, and Shepherds College faculty and staff to celebrate the growth and achievement of each graduate. 

There are a lot of hugs, and they are tight and long and real.

Gifts are presented, and there’s a story behind each one.

Many, many memories are shared on stage and off…

Like the special talks Amanda and Mrs. Luchterhand experienced over Venti White Chocolate Mocha Macchiatos at Starbucks.

Or the high probability of Laurel becoming a well-known and hard-working movie critic.

Or Kelsie’s flights on Polish Airlines. 

Or Tess’s instinctive gift for creating a beautiful arrangement with flowers and a vase.

Did you hear the one about Ray’s jokes?

Or Zoe’s love of history?

I was so moved when I heard about Sierra’s strength and ability to overcome adversity.

And Anne’s natural ability to love and care for others.

And Daniel’s smile that warms people right down to their toes.

I knew exactly what Mr. Wright was talking about when he suggested Sam as a future President of the United States of America. 

Of course, Sean’s special moment with the Gaither’s received a final round of delighted applause.

It’s a night of friendship and family and joy and tears. It’s Kleenex boxes passed around a table, and laughter so hard you can’t sit upright in your chair. 

It’s roast beef pinwheels, jumbo shrimp, and the best brownies ever. 

It’s family photos, prayers of thanksgiving, and twinges in your heart when you realize it’s the last night you’ll see many of the graduates, maybe for a very, very long time.

And then, as if our emotions weren’t stretched to their limits already, the sun rose again and brought Graduation Day with it. 

We heard the Shepherds College Student Choir sing to the graduates as Shepherds College guitarists played along.

We were amazed as our shy Anne spoke in a clear, strong voice to the audience of 300, giving her reflections on the last three years.

We nodded our heads as Dr. Dixon gave his commencement address and talked about persevering through adversity. 

We watched our eleven graduates get handed their certificates of completion.

And then these eleven graduates turned their tassels and walked out into the sunshine to face the world as independent adults.

I would like to end this blog with “and they lived happily ever after,” as if I could control the world and

how it will treat our graduates. But I can’t. I can only influence, to a small degree, my little corner of it – my friends, my family, and the readers of this blog. I could ask that when you see one of our graduates, or anyone with a disability for that matter, that you smile at them, a grin that’s big and warm and welcoming. Be patient with them if they’re ahead of you in line at the grocery store and need a little extra time to count out their money. Ask them how they’re doing if you pass them on the sidewalk, and maybe treat them to a Tall Caramel Latte if they’re behind you at Starbucks. Stick up for them if you see them treated unfairly on the bus, and open your mind to the reality that they could be an exceptional employee to fill the position you have available at your business.

Let’s be the example for others to follow so every year the world will be that much more ready for the next class of Shepherds College graduates.

God bless our Class of 2013.

Shepherds College - Guiding Your Transition to Appropriate Independence. Please visit us at www.shepherdscollege.edu.

The Office: Your Life Is a Mosaic Masterpiece

The following blog is from the heart of Cathy Harvey, Administrative Assistant to Shepherds College

A note to our upcoming graduates:

 Welcome, upcoming graduates, or graduands as Webster defines you prior to graduation—to your new adventure, and possibly a new church, new apartment, neighborhood, community—and your next big step—Appropriate Independence!  One season of your life comes to a close as a new one begins.  They combine like mosaic pieces to form a stained glass picture, a picture of who you are.  So here it comes, what you have all waited for—the answer to the big question, “What will you do 'after graduation?'"

 

Fill in the blanks:  My name is  ______________________________________.

I will live in  ______________________________________________.

God wired me for (name a skill/task)____________________________________, 

so every day I can serve God at (name a company, organization or church)_____________________________________ by (name an action) _______________________________________________________________.

And so, your mosaic takes shape. In reality, it began taking shape before you were born, with your parents and siblings, where God placed you at birth: what country, what state, what neighborhood, and what era in history. None of these factors were in your control.  They were the first gifts God gave you, the core of who you were to become.

For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb…My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place....Your eyes saw my unformed body.  All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be. (Psalm 139:13, 15-16)

God has had a plan, and He has been adding pieces to your mosaic to create you, me, and everyone in the world—you are His masterpiece from before time began.

 “For you are his workmanship (masterpiece), created in Christ Jesus, to do good works which God planned before you were born to be your way of life.”  (Ephesians 2:10)

Your life is reflected in all the pieces.  Blue, violet, green, gold—all the colors of the rainbow featuring the seasons and stages of life and all the people and experiences who have shaped and influenced you.  Bright yellows and gleaming whites for all of the good and happy times, the triumphs and celebrations.  They are highlighted even more so because of the contrast of the dark pieces of glass: the challenges, the sadness and grief that make you stronger and more compassionate.  Both are necessary to keep life in balance.

I hope you will cherish all seasons for what they offer.  Appreciate the rain as well as the sunshine; appreciate every day and each shard of colored glass as part of the masterful mosaic He is creating for His glory through you.   

No matter how you look at it, you are a magnificent and beautiful masterpiece. 

CONGRATULATIONS, 3^rd year students—you made it to the Shepherds College finish line!

Thank you to Sierra for this beautiful "mosaic" of all our graduates!

 
Shepherds College - Guiding Your Transition to Appropriate Independence. Please visit us at www.shepherdscollege.edu.