Archive | June 2018

Graduation

Jun29

Last evening was the twenty-fourth graduation ceremony for a high school I teach at. Graduation is the highlight of my teaching year, a time to watch with pride as our Grade 12 students walk across the stage to receive their certificates and awards. The principal said in her address that these young men and women had the ability to create their lives. I thought that while some circumstances would be out of their control, their responses would always be their own.

More years ago than seem possible, a group of my fellow high school graduates and I stood on the stage of the Owen Sound Collegiate and Vocational Institute. The principal announced, “Ladies and gentlemen, here are your Ontario Scholars!” It was a proud moment. The hundred dollars we each received went a lot further than it would now but the biggest reward was in the achievement itself.  Our moment in the spotlight was also balm to the soul. Since graduation took place during October, most of us had already experienced our first weeks of university or other destinations, and with them the sometimes difficult transition period change involves.

The future was before us, unknown, full  of possibilities. I knew what my goals were: to become an English teacher, write, marry and have children. Even though, I have done all these things I could never  have anticipated what lay ahead. I had no idea that my future husband  sat at the back of the room in my Canadian Literature course.  I would never have envisioned that his job would take us across Canada, that our first child would be born in Saskatchewan and graduate from high school in Nova Scotia. There would be difficulties to face, loss and family tragedies, but also unexpected opportunities, adventures and rich relationships. My strong faith in God would always empower me to rebuild and carry on.

After the ceremony was completed, last night, the students threw their hats into the air. This is always my favourite part: a celebration of the past and a nod to the future!

Congratulations and much happiness to our 2018 graduates!  Write your own stories.  Life awaits you. Seize it and use it wisely!

 

 

Guest Post by John Andrew Adams, for Father’s Day

Jun17

Father’s Day tribute to my father, John Rayson Adams, 1916- 2006, by John Andrew Adams

One of the teachings of Jesus was that believers in the true God could and should address Him as “Father.” Even more distinctive was the fact that Jesus addressed God as “father,” and used at least some times a very intimate personal word for father, “Abba.” When Jesus was praying the Gethsemane prayer he used this word as Mark indicates: “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will” (Mark 14:36, NIV)). Paul the apostle also indicates that the Holy Spirit gives true Christian believers the ability to address God as “Abba, Father.” Romans 8:15 in the NIV says: “The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” Galatians 4:6, NIV, also states,:“Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”

The interesting thing about the Semitic word for father, “Abba,” is that it not the formal way to address one’s male parent but is best translated in English as “Dad,” “Daddy,”or “Papa.”God wants those who know Him through faith in Jesus Christ to address Him as not just the formal “Father,” but as we would have addressed our fathers as young children. God wants us to relate to him as Father, as we related to our earthly fathers.

Now for many Christians this is a problem because their earthly fathers were either absent or abusive. I, however, have been blessed in the fact that my earthly father was a very good image of God as father to me. My father, John Rayson Adams, really showed me, especially as a young child, something of God’s Father-love. I can remember one instance in particular when I was probably about 7 years old. We were discussing a number of issues, including who the real Santa Claus was. when my father made this wonderful comment about his life. It went something like this: “Your mother and I got married and we we’re very happy. But what was really special was that then you came along!” By this he was referring to how I, as his firstborn child, made him a father and gave him one of the highest pleasures of his life just by my very existence as his son.

Because of this and other times, I always felt that he loved me, just because I was his son, not because of anything I did. I also could depend on him, to really have my best interests in mind. I even deep down understood that he was being a good father when he applied some, at the time, unwelcome discipline.

Quite some time ago, when I was seeking God for some personal and professional problems, I felt called to address God as I usually addressed my earthly father as “Daddy,” in a prayer about the situation I was facing. Minutes after I typed out this prayer to God, addressing him in this way in a computer prayer journal, I walked to the mail box of my then employer and in the mail there was a check for a large sum of money  that actually allowed my employer not to force me to take a significant pay cut! God was clearly underlining that He wants his children to call Him, “Daddy,” and He was pleased to answer my prayer at this time to show this.

More recently, when I address God as “My heavenly Daddy,” I really sense His love and his presence that was so adequately represented by him. I realize that God loves me just because I am me, no matter what, just as my earthly father John Rayson Adams, just loved me because by being his firstborn son, I made him a proud father!