pauses and tears

Joshua.......Ryan........Pinyan

As he stood at the edge of the platform, waiting for his name to be called so that he could walk across the stage to be "hooded" by Dean Staver, and then receive his diploma from the Liberty University School of Law.....my thoughts go back to other graduation ceremonies. Each time, he would stand at the side of the stage and wait for his name to be called; and every time...there would be a pause.....my heart would jump up to my throat and my vision would blur. (Why is it that the tear ducts fill up when I want to see clearly as I video my children finishing one chapter in their life, and beginning another one.)

This was a familiar pause that I have heard all through his life; Pre-School Graduation; High School Graduation; College Graduation; and now Law School. You would think that I would be accustomed to this pause.....this waiting to hear his name called.....this moment when my son, my little boy, takes his next step in life and continues to grow into the fine young man that God has been shaping from his first breath. Even then, there was the pause.....the tears.....and the words...Joshua....Ryan.....Pinyan.

I guess you could say that I am a proud father, but the correct term would be.....

I am a blessed father. God has blessed me beyond words. He has blessed me with Karen, to help me in this life. He has blessed me with two beautiful children and a great son-in-law. Most of all, He has blessed me with pauses......and tears.