Senior Blessing Day

Seniors and their parents are blessed by our elders during morning worship

Andrew listens to his "Barak", or blessing, read by youth minister Aaron Scott

Our high school class of 2014 at College Church of Christ (clockwise from front: Branden Mack, Jamison Norby, Cheyenne Blackwell, Cheyenne Corona, Sam Amezcua, Andrew Ocheltree, Crystal Alonzo, Marquois Ellis, Jericho Locke, Dustin Swain, Aaron Scott (youth minister)
Not pictured: Akayla Varnel and Viviana Hinojosa

Today was Senior Blessing Day at College Church of Christ. We began the day with a blessing and prayer time during the morning worship service, with parents/guardians/significant adults and high school seniors receiving laying on of hands and prayer from our elders. Then we ended the day with a church party and "Barak", the Hebrew word for blessing or praise.

Each family was asked to write up a blessing for their own high school senior. I share, here, the blessing we offered to Andrew, who graduates from Bullard High School on June 10:

ANDREW'S BLESSING

Andrew, you have been a joy since you arrived in our home on August 15, 1995! You make us laugh, make us think and make us thankful to be your parents. We appreciate, admire and respect the young man you have become.

You have been a philosopher and a comedian since you were a little boy.  There was that August day, just before your 6^th birthday, when you came in and asked, “Does Paul miss his self when he was 7?” When Mom said, “I don’t know, do you miss the 7-year-old Paul?” you replied, “Yes, because the 8-year-old Paul is mean!”

Then the night before your 6^th birthday, you announced, “I feel sad inside my body.” When we asked “why?” you said, “Because I miss myself when I was 5.”

“But you’ll like yourself  being 6,” we reassured you. And sure enough, the next morning you woke up and told us, “I feel happy inside my body because it’s the first day of being 6.”

We want to reassure you again that “you will like yourself being a college student”!

You have a great heart for helping, leading and teaching others. We are proud of the fact that as soon as you graduate from high school you are leaving for a week to be a counselor at Opportunity Camp, where you will be leading underprivileged, inner-city youth. 

Throughout high school you have been a teacher and leader for other students, through Bullard High School  Link Crew, being a drum major, a teacher’s assistant, traveling with the Hutchison’s to Mexico on Project Nino,  and working with leadership in children’s church and church youth group. We know you will continue to teach and lead others as you continue on to college and on into your chosen career.

We also know that you will keep that philosophical, witty way about you that can help us all see the world a little more clearly and a with a few more laughs!

“Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

Graduate with God, Andrew!

We love you,

Mom and Dad

--Posted by Mama O.