Graduation

Graduation.  This is a moment of life that brings many mixed feelings for all involved.  This is the time of transition for the child who finds himself graduated from high school, facing life as an adult.  Kids long for the day they no longer have to go to school.  Life ahead seems golden.  Parents face the challenge of the empty nest.  While facing uncertainty is inevitable, most people look forward to graduation as a sense of completion.  My own son graduated last year from high school and next year, will graduate simultaneously from the local community college and the Emerging Leaders Network (ELN) program at our church, preparing for some type of full-time ministry.

In the world of special education, graduation is not always a happy time.  Children with significant disabilities have the option of remaining in high school until the day before their 22nd birthday.  These kids have been cared for by wonderful teachers and teaching assistants for most of their lives (since age 3).  Even if they wait until age 22 to graduate, they often find life after high school devoid of a job, day program, or independent living.  Budget cuts to area agencies and a re-priorization of public funds has left many families finding themselves caring for their adult children at home.  The young lady in the photo is one of the lucky ones to have the funding to begin at Macon Resources immediately.

There is a local church that has been featured in our newspaper that has a choir of people with disabilities.  This is a much needed outlet for this population, as it gives them a sense of belonging and purpose.  The choir is called Heart and Soul.  This is just one example of something the church body could do to showcase the purpose this population has on the rest of the body.  They sang at the senior banquet yesterday, and when they sang the song, "Friends," by Michael W. Smith, there were many smiles and tears in the room.  Indeed, their friendship is an example for all of us.

I hope to find more ways the body of Christ can get involved with this population.  They are such a joy to be around.

Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them.  

Then he said, "I tell you the truth, 

unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, 

you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.  

So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven."