Senior Speeches

Last night, my seniors gave their 5-minute addresses to the entire student ministry and assembled parents and friends. It's tradition. An honor for them. A joy for me.

As per usual, there were tears, laughs, wisdom, silliness, the whole deal.

And for me, watching a group who I've truly come to know and love say goodbye is still hard...even after 15 years of this, it's pretty much an occupational hazard. It never gets easier.

These speeches are part of (and I use these words measuredly) a "mini-grieving" process. It starts with the sermon I give each year in the spring, and usually ends when I climb on the bus to go to Mexico (the first event with the "new" group coming in my new seniors).

And this group was very special to me, largely because they had a desire to get to know me. I can't think of another group that spent so much time at my house or that went on so many trips with me en masse. I've enjoyed watching them grow up, both in stature and wisdom and they became a part of my life. Their encouragement and watchful eyes sharpened me, and my walk with Christ is deeper because of them. I don't get to say that about every class, either.

I'll miss them more than they know.