21 Gun Salute?
We have ways of celebrating various milestones in our culture. A soldier might get a ceremony with a medal and commendation letters for a job well done. An actor might get a star in a sidewalk. An athlete might get their jersey number retired. A worker might get a bonus or a gift. A graduate might get to "walk." You get the idea.
I'm not given to pomp and circumstance. I mean, I skipped graduation ceremonies at university and graduate school because I didn't want to be bothered with losing an entire weekend (I went to ballgames instead).
I get why other people are all into it and celebrate with them--especially my high schoolers, but, frankly, I'm a bit embarrassed if my accomplishments get noticed. I don't know why this is the case.
However, I tried to keep a personal milestone a secret and apparently have failed in such an endeavor. Today is my 10th anniversary of working at Crossroads Bible Church. It's been the highlight of my professional life working there and I'm still enjoying it--certainly not taking it for granted that I work at a wonderful place with people who are sincere about what they believe and are good at what they do and creative and inspirational and...well...
...I know it's a once-in-a-lifetime situation. And it's a rarity. Most youth ministers never even make it five years at one place.
And here I've made it 10.
And in a fashion that only people who work with teenagers will understand, I got the most glorious of all tributes when I went out to get my morning paper today:
So, to whoever did this (and Alyssa Baker and my cherished group of seniors, you are all HIGH on the suspect list!) I absolutely cannot thank you enough for this gesture.
I'd imagine that since the secret is out there will be more congratulatory notes and such afoot...
...but I doubt that the others will be nearly as meaningful. For a youth minister to get his yard "rolled," well, there's nothing anybody else can do to match it...and I just wanted to say "thanks," but the pleasure of 10 years of service has been all mine.
We have ways of celebrating various milestones in our culture. A soldier might get a ceremony with a medal and commendation letters for a job well done. An actor might get a star in a sidewalk. An athlete might get their jersey number retired. A worker might get a bonus or a gift. A graduate might get to "walk." You get the idea.
I'm not given to pomp and circumstance. I mean, I skipped graduation ceremonies at university and graduate school because I didn't want to be bothered with losing an entire weekend (I went to ballgames instead).
I get why other people are all into it and celebrate with them--especially my high schoolers, but, frankly, I'm a bit embarrassed if my accomplishments get noticed. I don't know why this is the case.
However, I tried to keep a personal milestone a secret and apparently have failed in such an endeavor. Today is my 10th anniversary of working at Crossroads Bible Church. It's been the highlight of my professional life working there and I'm still enjoying it--certainly not taking it for granted that I work at a wonderful place with people who are sincere about what they believe and are good at what they do and creative and inspirational and...well...
...I know it's a once-in-a-lifetime situation. And it's a rarity. Most youth ministers never even make it five years at one place.
And here I've made it 10.
And in a fashion that only people who work with teenagers will understand, I got the most glorious of all tributes when I went out to get my morning paper today:
So, to whoever did this (and Alyssa Baker and my cherished group of seniors, you are all HIGH on the suspect list!) I absolutely cannot thank you enough for this gesture.
I'd imagine that since the secret is out there will be more congratulatory notes and such afoot...
...but I doubt that the others will be nearly as meaningful. For a youth minister to get his yard "rolled," well, there's nothing anybody else can do to match it...and I just wanted to say "thanks," but the pleasure of 10 years of service has been all mine.
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