How precious also are Your thoughts toward me, O God!  How great is the sum of them! Psalm 139:17

We are approaching graduation season and there will be many speeches given during various commencement ceremonies.  For those successfully finishing and readying to embark on another leg of life’s journey, many of these speeches will be encouraging, some will be thoughtfully challenging, and a few may even qualify as controversial or irrelevant.  Webster’s defines commencement to mean beginning; rise; origin; or first existence.

That being so, our eight year old grand daughter, Serena, would qualify in a significant way as commencing in life. As one of our 12 grandchildren, it was a real blessing for me to spend a couple of days with her recently.  She calls me Pa Pa (Grandfather) and all I can say is—our time together was precious.

Beyond the privilege of encouraging her to drink water, eat right, exercise, to play fair in cards, pray before eating meals, brush her teeth and other good stuff, I wrote her a note after our first day together.  I believe it contains elements of a type of commencement speech.  Serena beamed after she read it, and was gracious enough to give me permission to share it with you as today’s message of hope.

Dear Serena,

Do you know how special you are?  Let’s take today, for example.  This has been one of the most wonderful days of my life because I have spent real quality time with you.

To look into those big brown eyes of yours makes me melt.  To walk hand in hand with you makes me proud.  To show you around Kyler’s Fish Market and watch you take it all in (holding your nose, of course) makes me feel good.  To hear you answer my question “What don’t you like to do?” with “Sit around doing nothing!” makes me want to jump.  To share a candle light lunch with you brings tears of joy.

Serena, you are such a talented, unique, and observant young lady.  You are right at home with talking with me or writing or sculpting by yourself.  There is an old poster that says, God don’t make junk!  That is so true, especially when it comes to you.

Serena, do you know how special you are?  According to God, you are wonderfully and beautifully made.  If you need any more than that, the grandfather you’ve treated with your company today, whole heartedly agrees!

Even though none of us will ever be perfect like Jesus, I can’t help but love you a whole bunch, Serena. You are that special!

Pa Pa

So family and friends, as you commence your day, please be reminded that the same gracious God loves you and me too.  Yes, in His mind and heart, we’re that special!

Psalm 139:14; Prov 22:6; Psalm 138:7-8