Graduation

Our business administrator at North Avenue gave me one of the strangest looks I've seen today when I asked if I could borrow a wheelchair for a few days. I told him it wasn't for me. That didn't seem to help. It's for Stacey's grandmother for this week. Funny in office moment though.

Graduation week is here. My sister in law Rachel (avid blog reader so here's your shoutout) graduated from Richmont with her Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy on Saturday. She graduated in the same class with Jeff Foxworthy's niece. Always funny to attend a normal event like that with a celebrity and watch him stand in line like everybody else.

Stacey graduates on Saturday from the Morehouse School of Medicine. As a part of the pre-grad festivities she has been participating in some class get togethers. Last night was bowling. Tonight is roller skating. I just love the fact that after getting six figures in debt in graduate education they decided to celebrate like rising 7th graders.

We had our house power washed this week. Looks like we painted it. Amazing the difference.

My parents are in the area this week. It's been quite a visit. My dad preached at the Homeless service I oversee on Sunday at North Avenue. The guys really enjoyed his sermon. I think he enjoyed the experience. I then took my parents over to the largest homeless shelter in the southeast in the afternoon. We then finished out the day with our contemporary service. It was a lot of church for one day...and mother's day at that.

On Monday we visited the World of Coke. I had received a suggestion from a friend to view the experience from the perspective of Coke as a religion they were selling. Really interesting thought to process. Don't get me wrong, I love coke, but when you really listen to what they are selling its a little scary and definitely emphasizes the need for people to look for "happiness" in faith and not a consumer product sold in an aluminum can or collectors glass bottle.

On a less serious note, my dad's favorite part was at the very end watching people sample the products from around the world. There is one particular product from Europe that was so bad it registered my gag reflex. It was quite funny to watch other patrons come across the same flavor. Remembering that flavor as I write this is giving me full body shivers.

My Dad also fixed a bunch of stuff in our house. A gate, a faucet, some drawers, and probably some things I have yet to discover. Handyman parents are awesome.

Finally, with all the focus on graduation this week I got to thinking about the path my family is headed down. In about 3 years I could get into a car wreck and be treated by my wife, use my brother in law Michael to sue the driver who hit me and then get trauma counseling from Rachel. I'd say my siblings and I have done a pretty good job of marrying into a complete continuum of care.