Thinking Out Loud, Volume CCCXXX

The auditorium at George Welch Elementary School was filled to capacity, with standing room only, as parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins and family friends gathered to watch as eighty-three  students marched down the aisle for the 2012 kindergarten graduation.  When the processional began, hundreds of cameras began flashing as proud family members began snapping photos of their favorite little graduates, and no one there could've been more proud than I was.  It was a noisy place as several hundred people all seemed to be talking at the same time, until my little grandson stepped to the microphone and said, "Let's all stand for the prayer and the pledge."  Maybe I'm bragging a little bit here, but he said the sweetest little prayer that actually brought tears to my eyes.  Yes, I was (and still am) proud, and I told him so.  My heart swelled just a little more when they began giving out awards and he was selected to receive the Sportsmanship Award.  But it was that last seemingly small recognition he received that touched me the most, although in the whole scheme of things, it came across as a relatively minor honor as he and a few other students were recognized for "Perfect Attendance."  I think the reason it affected me the way it did is because it confirmed to me that one of the life lessons that I tried to instill into my children was now being passed down to another generation...the lesson of dependability.    He was supposed to be there every day; he was expected to be there every day; and so he was.  I firmly believe that when habits of dependability and faithfulness are taught to our children, those same habits will stick with them throughout adulthood.  One of the greatest, most valuable character traits that any man can attain is the fact that he is "a man of his word."  How many people do you know who will tell you with the best of intentions, "You can depend on me," when we know from their past actions that what they promised may or may not happen.  That's because they allow other distractions to gain a higher priority than their word; then when they are forced to explain or offer excuses for their failure to keep their word, those same "high priority" distractions begin to appear somewhat lame.    None of us are exempt from occasional catastrophes that throw up a roadblock in the path of our good intentions, but to "a man of his word," those events are rare, and that's because of the importance he puts on his word and the value he places on being dependable.  One of the definitions of a Christian is someone who is "Christ-like," and Jesus Christ is the perfect example of "a man of his word."  Selah.  Pause and think about that.  What does your reputation say about you when it comes to faithfulness, reliability, and dependability?  Whatever it says, it can be changed, both for good and bad.  If it says good things about me, I can lose that if I don't remain diligent; and if says I'm undependable, I can change my ways and, with time, transform a faulty reputation into one of honor.    Have you ever wondered what epitaph will be placed on your tombstone?  I can think of no greater honor than if mine would say, "He was a man of his word."  I love the way a friend put it to me one day a while back when he was talking about a mutual friend, "If he said it, you can put it in the bank."   Preston