Just as the graduation, commencement, commissioning ceremonies stress in speeches, advice, and directives, like pretty much everything else, the Bible has the best takeaway truth.
“Wisdom is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. She offers you life in her right hand, and riches and honor in her left. Wisdom is a tree of life to those who embrace her; happy are those who hold her tightly.” Proverbs 3:15-16, 18.
We know summer has begun. Graduation from high school and college these last two weeks, the end of school this week for others, the arrival of Florida’s nemesis: lovebugs, our first two thunderstorms, with hail and fierce lightning, the first-of-the-season’s hamburgers seared on the grill, and the Indy 500’s in the books. Yesterday at our senior living facility we heard the roar of motorcycles, the recitation of “In Flander’s fields the poppies blow, and the soul-piercing playing of taps played in honor of America’s dead. The VFW men and women go from place to place. Our little flags wave, we pray, and honor our vets who live among us.
In a few weeks, the President plans an awesome parade celebration of Flag Day, June 14th. It’s a special day in my family. It was the birthday of Grandpa; it’s President Trump’s birthday as well. For us in the north, it was the week before school was out, officially. Florida’s graduations are earlier. The lilacs bloomed, dessert was strawberry shortcake, and flags were displayed on houses and businesses like yesterday and the Fourth of July. Patriotism ran high in the three months of May, June, and July when I grew up. May it once again be so this year.
I, for one, am tired of the protests and nastiness we see on our news reports. I so wish there could be a resurgence of patriotic fervor for America as we prepare to celebrate her 250th anniversary. We have much to celebrate and many to honor. We should honor those who made the huge sacrifice of limb and life in our wars for freedom and dominance. We should pray for peace, the solving of two current wars on other soil, the equal justice in our courts, the freedom of exercising initiative in business, and the launching of hundreds of students looking for opportunities found only in America.
May we begin the summer season enjoying the beauty of nature, reading good books, attending outdoor festivals, drawing closer to our families, and embracing the wisdom of the ages and bringing forth joy and peace. May we look at the contributions of others, be encouragers, and look forward to the harvest of greatness in our society. May we honor those who have vision for improvement and correction of hurtful wrongs, and may we recognize that “wisdom is the tree of life to those who embrace her, and happy are those who hold her tightly.”
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