As my stay in Honduras progresses, I keep reflecting on graduation ceremonies. For the record I think they are a joke. The hats are terrible, the ceremonies are painfully long, and the gowns take away all individuality each student once had for 4 years. The worst part though is the speaker. "We did it!" "This isn't the end this is the beginning of a new chapter!" "Congratulations, you get to begin life now!" So annoying! They get you really excited for new life prospects when (and I'm ball-parking this based on my own friends) 70% of us just end up with an hourly paid job and little to no benefits. So, I say we strike the graduation ceremony from existence and celebrate another mile marker in life instead.
Why not celebrate the day you become a Christian or the day you start following him with your entire being? (Still with out the cap and gown... they are awful.) "It's be beginning of the end/beginning!" "Congratulations you get to begin a new life now!" The only difference is, that this ceremony should never end.
The group I traveled with went to La Victoria and watched the most epic sunrise. The scenery can't even be described, and a picture can't do it justice. I'm pretty sure a Crayola box melted in the sky and you could hear the "The Circle of Life" song by Elton John bouncing in the air as the sun broke the horizon... mainly because Tommy was humming it, but that's not the point. It was one of the most beautiful celebration of colors my eyes have captured. It brought me to Psalms 100.
As I sat surrounded by family, extended family, and friends that I consider to be family, I was beyond overwhelmed. In that moment, I felt God calling, I felt the heavens celebrating and eternal love that would endure forever. No matter what hard times where to come on the mission field and no matter what loneliness would try to overtake me, I knew that the Lord is God. I stayed on the mountain top for a while after everyone left and shouted to the Lord. The house below me thought I was a crazy gringa, but it didn't matter. (Since we all look the same, I'll just blame it on some one else when I go back.)
As a result of that morning, I'm a huge fan of celebrating God and entering his gates with thanksgiving for all he has created. Being reborn as a Christian has it's perks, eternal life, the best commencement speaker, the gowns are gold, and you get to wear crowns instead of caps. I've always seen myself in a tiara... Plus, the speaker made hand outs that are 600 pages, single spaced, and not boring at all.

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. - Psalms 100