It was August 2004, and like children all over the country right now, our kids were getting ready to go back to school. Our oldest, Paul, was going to be taking his first classes at McNeese State University in Lake Charles. Our second son, David, would be a junior at Sam Houston High here in Moss Bluff, and our daughter, Libby, was starting her freshman year there. Michael, the baby, and 9 years younger than Libby, was beginning kindergarten at our church’s First Baptist Academy. Before we just sent them blindly into this important year of their education, Cheryl & I decided that we should gather the kids together, and that I should give them each a talk, to prepare them for the special challenges that each would face. The appointed time came, and our whole family gathered in the living room. I can remember parts of it as if it were yesterday.
Starting with the oldest, I would work my way down the lineup to Michael. I reminded Paul of the importance of getting a good start in college. He had the Louisiana TOPS scholarship, and it was going to be important for him to keep his grades up in order to retain that scholarship, which virtually paid for his education at McNeese. He was going to be working out with the football team as well, so this was going to be a challenge.
David faced some similar challenges. He was going into his junior year at SHHS, and would be a wide receiver and punter for the Broncos, and he had a rigorous schedule with some advanced placement classes. He needed to keep his studies up too, as he had a high GPA and class ranking, which would serve him well for a college scholarship if he would continue to excel.
Libby was now entering her first year of high school, so I reminded her that her grades were really beginning to count now. She had always done well; straight A’s were not uncommon for her, but starting this year, every grade would be going on her high school transcript. It was important for her to do well in every class.
I looked directly into the eyes of each of the kids as I spoke to them, making sure that they were listening, and were taking seriously what I had to say to them. They were indeed. There was a weighty air in the room as I moved down the line to each sibling. Little did I realize just how weighty it was, until I turned to our final child.
“Michael”, I began … but he couldn’t handle it. The pressure was too great! He burst into tears, jumped up, ran right out of the room! We all just looked at each other, and the older kids all broke into spontaneous laughter. “What in the world?”, I said. “I guess the pressure was just too much!”, Cheryl laughed. We went after Michael, and I asked him, “What was the matter; why did you cry? What did you think I was going to say?” He didn’t know. I guess with all the unknowns of school, his imagination just got the best of him. We laughingly reassured him the best we could. There wouldn’t be anything too substantial on the line for him in kindergarten!
Tonight we took Michael to the First Baptist Academy for “meet & greet” night. He seems to be very comfortable now as he enters the 7th grade; he has been with this group of classmates for several years, and is familiar with his teacher, Mrs. Tracy from last year. And the only speeches he got were from the principal in the opening assembly, and a very brief one from Mrs. Tracy. None from me. Since 2004 I’ve decided I should just save my speeches for my sermons on Sundays!
shawnethomas 