One Name

On a sunny spring day, cool with no humidity, we sat and waited.
Waited for two sons to end one phase of their life and begin another.
Waited with other families who were there for the same reason.
We waited for that one name.

Our family came prepared for the college graduation.
We had our air horns, a small one and one that could signal a boat in thick fog.
We had our cowbell; a man behind us went into a comedic soliloquy about a cowbell.
One person in our family was able to join along.

Everyone was in high spirits.
It was a celebration.
It was a culmination of four years of hard work and determination.
It was bittersweet; looking ahead to the future but leaving many good friends behind.

Over five thousand people waited on the soccer field in clean white chairs.
Waiting for that one name to be called.
That one name out of 662 names that you came to hear.
That one name that you came to cheer for, and ring cowbells for, and sound air horns for.

As my oldest daughter chose our seats, I noticed her.
A dear friend, a sweet sister in the Lord, two rows in front of us.
We hugged and reminisced and I was introduced to her family.
I was introduced to two rows of her extended family.

I met sisters and brothers and their children and grandchildren.
The family was well represented.
When my friend’s niece was called, an uproarious cheer came from our section.
This was the moment they waited for; it had finally arrived.

My husband got up to take closer pictures of our son.
My daughters got up so the sound of the air horn would not be directly in someone’s ear.
There I was knowing that my one voice would not carry to the ears of my son.
And then my friend stepped in.

Ok, he is five names away. Are we ready? she said to her family.
I looked down at the program.
Five names away was the name of my son.
They were ready to cheer for him.

His name was called.
A deafening cheer went up as all two rows, and me, stood up and called his name.
The man who had just done the comedic soliloquy suggested that we all do the WAVE.
We laughed but I wouldn’t put it past my friend and her family.

Such joy for that one name.

I was touched.
I was moved.
My family came back from their vantage points and remarked at the ruckus.
It was simply perfect; a celebration matching the glorious day God had given us.

The next day, we traveled to another state to listen to more names being called.
We would sit through more names until we heard that one name we came for.
One name out of 297 who would be hooded as he received his law degree.
No air horns, no cowbells; just a classical quintet playing glorious music.

The day matched the day before.
Sunny, cool, and no humidity.
It was midday as we waited with the sun in the center of the sky.
We all sat on the lawn in clean white chairs waiting for the name we came to hear.

We saw our son as he stood up in his row.
We followed him with our eyes as he made his way to the stage.
We saw him walk across and receive the degree he worked three years to receive.
We cheered loudly and this time our voices together did carry across the gentle breeze.

My other son waited those seconds after his brother’s name and before the next name.
He cheered his brother’s name loudly in that moment when there wasn’t another sound.
It was heard loud and clear.
One name above the rest.

One name.

Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, “Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep. I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. (Luke 15:3-7)

Rejoicing over one name.
One person whose face you want to see.
One person you were waiting for, suddenly comes into view.
One name above all the others; one face standing out from the crowd.

I thought of that parable as the two rows of my friend’s family cheered my son.
If there is rejoicing for a graduation, can you imagine the rejoicing in heaven?
Rejoicing because one more person has turned to Jesus for their salvation.
Uproarious rejoicing.

The speaker at my son’s college graduation was a former president of a seminary.
He challenged the graduates.
When it’s all said and done, it’s all about Jesus.
So my charge to you is simply this: Be faithful to Jesus.

Nothing could have been more appropriate to say to them.
Be faithful to Jesus.
Be faithful to Jesus in whatever you are called to do and wherever God will place you.
That is the only thing that matters; that is the reason to rejoice.

Imagine the celebration in heaven over that one name, over that one person.
Cowbells and air horns will pale in comparison to the heavenly celebration.
A celebration over one name.
One name who was faithful to Jesus.

 

2 responses to “One Name”

1. Thank you, my dear sister friend! Another great blog! Thank you again!

   Reply

   • Felicia,
     Your family touched my heart on Graduation Day…the way you cheered for my son!
     Can you imagine the heavenly rejoicing we will hear someday?
     May you and your family be blessed.
     Gina

     Reply