Rambling about Reunions.

"Something Happened." That was a clever line for those who get the joke.

The Blast from the Past (see the link) was special. Several people I invited were there, and they made it richer for all of us. (And several deprived us of your company!) :-(

Reunions are funny. They make me think of good times and bad, and ask weird "what if" questions about ancient history. I guess most of all, they're just very special times, especially a reunion like this one, with all your closest high school friends remembering the excitement of growing together and discovering God's Word, and His love, and His plan (the "A Plan") together. And of course, we got into all kinds of mischief along the way. That's fun too--or at least the memory of it.

Nevertheless, I'm here thinking about the futility of life. Yeah, that's right. It's always been a default position for me when I face things that dwarf me.

Seeing all these old friends--now older, with kids of their own, and all of us talking about our boys playing baseball, our daughters riding bikes and playing with American Girl dolls, and about teachers, and jobs, and bills, and struggles of every kind.... and so many of us have gained weight, lost hair, turned gray. Here and there you see sadness in some eyes, a sort of chronic sadness that's left by the deepest hurts. And it can feel overwhelming.

And I can't escape the notion that we've become our parents. And there will be another reunion and all our kids will be getting married, and more of us will have moved on -- to Heaven, that is. And a generation comes, and a generation goes, right? The world keeps on turning.

But I want to look deeper. To remember how many lives were changed in that youth group. (And it's worth mentioning that while marriage may be challenging for everyone, there were far fewer divorced at that reunion than national averages might have indicated.) No church is perfect (you sort of have to say that, don't you?) but a lot of good happened at First Baptist.

I think a lot of good has also happened since. Many of us have continued to walk with God, however faltering our steps may sometimes be. We share our faith, we teach Sunday school (or we should, right), and we volunteer, and we coach sports and run Scout troops and invest in young lives all around.

We may be gray and fat and bald, but our hearts were changed under Johnny's ministry (thank you) and we won't ever be the same. Nor will our homes. We may have become parents, but we have not become our parents. Most of us still operate with one advantage they lacked--the years we spent in America's finest youth ministry. We were so blessed, largely by the efforts of our parents, that our lives and our families will forever be so much better off.

I loved hearing Johnny speak the other night. It was a highlight for most of us, I'm sure. He will forever command my deepest respect. I learned so much under him, and grew exponentially. And I discovered my favorite book of the Bible one day at camp when I sat down and read--for no particular reason--Ecclesiastes. It blessed me that day and I've loved it ever since.

One line particularly fits these thoughts:

Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth.

I am so thankful that we were so strongly encouraged to get to know God then, to not put it off. I am thankful for that youth group. What a blessing.