It's official! Tonight i was graduated from high school! It's a very exciting thing for me, as it is for all graduates. As i sat in my chair, i couldnt help but realize where i was. I remember all the way back to the end of eighth grade, to my first marching band practices. The place i stood for the opening of the marching band show was a yard or two to the left of where i was sitting on the football field tonight. I'm not sure what's so significant about that, but the idea of leaving a few yards away from where i arrived is interesting.

Spiritually speaking, the past couple of days have been joyous. The end of senior year is a very joyous time, so i've been reading some very joyous scripture from Psalms.  I've been thinking about the phrase the Psalmist uses: "praise the Lord, o my soul, praise the Lord." It's short, i know, but for the past couple of days it's been keeping me thinking about the proper perspective i should have.

Finally, with graduation come awards and "graduation gifts." My school had the awards ceremony the other night, and i was given some awards for things i didnt know deserved awards. I was thinking "why do i deserve this?" Same with "graduation gifts." People are sending me cards and i'm thinking "why do i deserve this? I'm just doing what i should be doing (schoolwork)." I've been thinking about how similar that is to grace. There's no real reason to get stuff for doing what i should be doing, but people give anyway. There's nothing i did that God owes me for. Yet He gives it to me anyway, because He loves me. I've thought about that every time someone says "congrats!"