eight years.

It’s been eight years.

Eight long years.

Eight years that flew by.

Eight years that I’m not sure I’d want to go back to.

Eight years that I would give anything to go back and be the change.

I went to two 6th grade graduations this morning.

The first one was for the girls in my small group.

They asked me to come last Wednesday.

And I’m still just in shock of the fact that they think I’m cool enough to come to stuff like this.

I mean, come on.

I’m old.

The second was for Max.

Because, well…

He’s my little brother.

And all this talk of sixth grade graduations

Got me thinking back

To the days when I was in Sixth Grade.

Back to the days when socks with dress shoes was cool.

To me at least.

At the 6th grade graduation with the girls,

The teachers read off some information about each kid.

What they like to do

What their future plans are.

And it got me thinking.

All the kids had high expectations.

Some wanted to be

Doctors,

Lawyers,

Presidents,

“Someone who makes a lot of money”.

It seems like this last one was what they focused on.

Money.

Getting somewhere in life.

Honestly,

I don’t remember what I wanted to be in 6th grade.

Probably a teacher.

I always wanted to be a teacher.

Except for the time I wanted to be a

Lawyer

or Social Worker.

And that’s just in the last two years.

For real.

But, I think the message I would tell the kids

Would be something different.

I think if I was talking to these kids,

I would tell them to

Dream Big.

Chase after their dreams.

Work as hard as the can to do their best.

But in the end,

Leave it up to God.

He might have different plans for you.

Money doesn’t matter.

Relationships do.

I think I wish that someone had told me all of this.

Before I got caught up in the college hype.

The “I want to go to Harvard and be a lawyer” mind set.

Because.

I think it would have changed things.

For the better?

Who knows.

I am who I am today because of the decisions I made.

Decisions to go to Auburn.

Decisions to transfer.

Decisions to change my major.

Decisions to let God guide my paths.

Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.”

It’s true.

Things have changed so much since eight years ago.

May 21, 2002 was when I graduated sixth grade.

Six years later on May 20, 2008

I went to another graduation.

A High School Graduation.

I can’t believe it’s been two years since I graduated high school.

But, my high school just had graduation last night for this year’s Seniors.

It’s been two years.

I’ve changed so much.

For the better. :)

And in two more years

-God willing-

I’ll be graduating

Yet again.

In a different place.

With different people.

And you know what-

I’m willing to bet that I’ll look back and be able to see some changes.

Hey-

I’m already learning to let go and let God lead.

Who knows where that’s going to take me?