Graduates – the World is Your Oyster!

You did it, Grads, and we’re so proud of you! I know it’s not a laughing matter because the pain is real, but this guy amused me with his sentiments about the graduation situation. The other photo here is of a virtual graduation where robots were used to represent the graduates. Can this be the Twilight Zone?

I've sent off dosh-loaded graduation cards to some of my beloved family members because -- well, there won't be graduations-as-usual. I’ve been entertained by the way some of you moms and dads are making sure your graduates are being applauded – signs in yards, drive-bys, photos, and expressions of love and support on social media. Congrats to all of you -- graduates AND parents! It's a great feat to have made it to this Rite of Passage even though all those 12 years (and more) have ended abruptly in a lack-luster way of celebrating you. But, the celebration isn’t the goal – the accomplishments, perseverance, tenacity, fortitude is what matters. So, well done! What a memory you'll tell your kids about one day!

Of course, you were supposed to have had a BIG graduation party to kick-start your accomplishments. But, instead, you’ve already been introduced to the world of complexities and challenges. In the commencement speeches, you were supposed to have heard “the world is your oyster” as you embark on your adult life. Everything is open to you like the metaphor of an oyster that there’s a chance it has a pearl in it. I’m believing that you will find MANY pearls!

Here’s some GOOD NEWS -- you’ve gained a head start on conquering. You’ve acquired a great start on mental toughness and being a winner and winners never quit and quitters never win. Go forth into this world declaring that “if God is for me, no one (or thing) can be against me!" (Romans 8:31) Run your race. You’re in it to win it – regardless of the way your graduation looked. I pray that all of you graduates pursue God's will first and foremost -- being a God-pursuer. Because as a God-pursurer, you'll land right where God intends you to land.

To all Graduates and Dreamers – “Before you ever came into being, God called your name. He formed you with love and intricately designed every part of who you would become. You truly are made "in an amazing and wonderful way" (Psalm 139:14). You are here because God looked out over all of time and space and chose you for this generation right here -- right now! There will never be another you or another opportunity to do what only you are chosen to complete.

So, go out there in boldness knowing that you don't have to be like anyone else. You are chosen for one life — yours. And the wonderful news? Whatever God chooses for you to do, He has equipped you for it. Being chosen means that success is simply obedience and trusting God will do the rest. Being chosen means that you have God as your partner every step of the way. We'll be cheering you on every step too! The best is yet to be for you and we can't wait to see it unfold. Now show off that life by making it the best life it could ever be for God, others and YOU!

Grads -- Your Future is So Bright, You Need Shades

I have been enamored by all the graduation photos of all who are celebrating this momentous time of the year! Congratulations to all of you -- children AND parents. It's a great feat to have made it to this Rite of Passage that took a village to see it through. I know. I've been there too.

Graduation Day is so exciting! The ceremony is filled with speeches about pursuing your dreams, trusting yourself, taking risks and embracing change. Graduates get to celebrate the past and look forward to the future. This year, my granddaughter graduated from high school. I’m so proud of her. Right along with those who celebrated their child being the valedictorian of their class, I celebrated that my granddaughter was the valedictorian of her class – she was home-schooled. I have a great, great nephew and many family friends who are also graduating.

Whether they are getting ready to go to college, pursuing lofty goals and dreams or are sashaying into the next season of their lives, they all have expectations of how their lives are going to go. They've pictured it in their heads. Some pictures are of traveling the world or pursuing a dream job. Some pictures are of a white picket fence with four beautiful, well-behaved children and an always-loving husband or wife, and some see themselves owning a Fortune 500 company by the time they turn 25. And, there is absolutely nothing wrong with pursuing their dreams, but as those of us older, wiser folks know, those dreams may be absolutely opposite of what God's plans are for their lives and so we pray that all of these wonderful graduates pursue God's will first and foremost -- to be God-pursuers.

To all Graduates and Dreamers – keep these words in mind – “Before you ever came into being, God called your name. He formed you with love and intricately designed part of who you would become. You truly are made "in an amazing and wonderful way" (Psalm 139:14). Your journey on this path is not by coincidence. You are here because God looked out over all of history and chose you for a particular time and purpose. You could have entered the world a hundred years ago or a thousand years from now. But you are in this generation, this time, and there will never be another you or another opportunity to do what only you are chosen to complete. So go out there in boldness knowing that you don't have to be like anyone else. You don't have to do what any other person has done. You are chosen for one life — yours. And the wonderful news? Whatever God chooses for you to do, He will equip you. Being chosen means you will be given all you need. Being chosen means that success is simply obedience and trusting God will do the rest. Being chosen means that you have a great big God as your partner every step of the way. Those who love you will be cheering you on every step too! The best is yet to be for you and we can't wait to see it unfold.

Dreamers and Graduates -- you are chosen for one life - yours. God gave it to you. Now show off that life by making it the best life it could ever be for God, others and YOU!

Back and Forth -- Embracing the Past and Gearing up for an Amazing Future!

In usual "Wallace" fashion, we went to the opening night of the new Star Wars "Solo" movie. Indeed we are "star" struck with Star Wars, but, I'll admit, during the movie, I whispered to my daughter, "What's the matter with me? This isn't at all like one of my Hallmark movies! LOL!" Believe me, it wasn't! Spoiler Alert: The movie goes BACK in the Star Wars storyline to fill in the backstory of Harrison Ford's character of Han Solo. No doubt, a sequel will soon come that will take us FORTH to the future.

Last night we celebrated Payton's 18th birthday by going BACK and FORTH. Staci put together a slideshow that took us BACK to the past AND many of us wrote letters of advice for Payton's FUTURE. Staci and I were talking about this benchmark year and the hopes and dreams that Payton has for his future, but not before she reminisced about two-year-old Payton and 3 months old Alexia going with her clothes shopping.

Staci was in a department store dressing room of a department store with both little ones in tow. Overseeing Alexia was no problem. She was confined to her infant carrier. Staci undressed to start trying on some clothes when big brother scooted under the door and the captive was set free. Staci, barely clothed, ran from the dressing room to capture her escapee only to be alarmed that he had disappeared. With customers and employees of the store, the manhunt, rather toddler-hunt ensued. The escapee was finally apprehended sitting under a rack of clothes with a smile that could melt any heart. We went BACK in time and then we came back FORTH in time to embrace the Rite of Passage of this boy-to-man celebration.

Yesterday, I walked out to check on my little herb garden and was pleasantly surprised to see a gardenia bush growing right beside the garden. I've lived in this home for over a year now and never realized I had a gardenia bush. That, immediately took me BACK in time, to my Aunt Lillie Mae's home here in Dallas. Oh, how well I remember her incredibly fragrant and beautiful gardenia bush. It became one of my favorite flowers. Here I am way into the future and I am getting to love that "back" memory and my present and future thoughts.

For many circumstances in our lives, we're encouraged to NOT look BACK because of the stinging, hurtful and disappointing things we encountered. But, as God encouraged the Israelites in Deuteronomy 6 to remember how they were slaves to Pharoah but were freed, the Passover, the crossing of the Red Sea and most of all to go FORTH in faith and trust in their delivering God.

Maybe, today, it would be good to look BACK at your own life. If God healed, restored, opened doors for you before, He can and WILL do it again. The FUTURE is bright. Let's go FORTH in the light of a new day with goodness and mercy chasing us down. Maybe it's time to look BACK -- to see how far we've come!

Alexia's Rite of Passage

So, I'm wrapping up our trip to Mexico by sharing about our last day that included completing what we started on the first day of Alexia's Rite of Passage. Now it was our turn to give her our gifts of love and best wishes, as well as show her videos sent to her by friends and family. In the Jewish tradition, when a young girl has her Bat Mitzvah -- Rite of Passage -- it's a time of celebration.

My first gift to her was a Tree of Life Pendant necklace, symbolic of the Tree of Life she will be as she seeks God’s wisdom and as she lifts her branches to God in praise and worship, and as she gives protection and love and strength to those who need God’s touch through her.

And a “Tzedakah” Charity Box, the Hebrew word for the acts that we call “charity” – doing what is right! Charity is kindness performed out of the goodness of someone’s heart. It’s a heart that can’t help it – they just HAVE to give. The Charity Box tradition started in the First Temple in Jerusalem. It was placed near the entrance, so that contributions could be dropped in. The money was used to help the sick and the poor. Lexi's Tzedakah (Charity Box) represents her missions' heart that she will collect coins in to be sent to those in need. This was my letter of blessing to her.

My Precious Alexia,
This is a very important day – celebrating your Rite of Passage from a little girl to a mighty woman of God. You are still a “little girl” in the eyes of the beholders, but I already see you as a beautiful young woman who is starting her own life of faith and wisdom – finding out all the life treasures and experiences that God has designed JUST FOR YOU! Since you were a little baby, I’ve loved every minute of watching you grow in talent, beauty, and heart after God. And, I’ve loved your joy, sense of humor, silliness, and that fun-loving side of you, and I don’t want you to ever lose that. Those are God-given traits – a lot of folks would love to be a “free spirit” like you are. Competition and people’s approval haven’t been such a big deal to you. Even when you were “Punky Brewster” and wore quirky clothes – you were “your own girl”. Don’t EVER let that go. But, most of all, as you continue to grow and mature, being a God pleaser is what will bring out the best in your life. Before He formed you, He was already calling you a mighty WOMAN of God, because He doesn’t look at us the way we are today – He sees the way we will be. He has already put the seeds of greatness in you and He has such great victories to be won by you. Just like Hadassah….a little Jewish girl, God already called her Queen Esther, and He is already calling you Queen Alexia because He called you “for such a time as this”.

Alexia means: “Defender of the People”
Gabrielle means: “Devoted to God”
That sounds to me that God led your Mom and Dad to name you Alexia because they, and God, already knew you were a Queen in the making – caring for the people, like Queen Esther did – saving her people, and they dedicated you to God when you were just a baby so they knew you would be a fully devoted follower of Jesus.

Today, your Nana sees that too, and that’s why I wanted to give you some very special things that exemplify your heart for God and His people. I loved going to two Jewish synagogues to find just the appropriate gifts for my girl for her Bat Mitzvah – her Rite of Passage. As soon as I saw these things – I knew I wanted them for you because each one has special meaning for Queen Alexia and what her royal reign will prove to be.

Your gifts were purchased from Temple Israel and B’nai Emunah Synagogue in Tulsa in honor of your Rite of Passage.

With all my love, Nana

Alexia's Rite of Passage

Alexia's Rite of Passage Day

The first full day we were in Mexico, we got a beautiful view of Puerto Vallerta -- from a tourist's point of view. Lots of palatial hotels and resorts and shops galore. Cruise ships in port. Who would ever realize what we would eventually experience from "behind the scenes"?

But, this day was devoted to Alexia Wallace's Rite of Passage -- a very special event and occasion of celebrating Alexia's 13th birthday and transition from a little girl to a young woman. In the Jewish tradition, it would be her Bat Mitzvah -- celebrating her passage as a "Daughter of the Blessing". Staci Wallace and Larry Wallace devoted 12 special weeks of training that included 12 keys to living a life of blessing and abundance and being used by God to pour into her life, during this strategic time of transition and preparation. They used movies ("Joan of Arc", Queen Esther's story of preparation, "One Night With the King", as well as, for the first time, getting to see her Mom & Dad's Wedding Video and hearing their own "purity before marriage" story), experiences (special dinners and trips to specific places) and other specifically designed illustrations to carry out the special "Rite of Passage" journey.

The final key and blessing took place in the company of our wonderful missions team in Mexico, as well as Dr. Terry L. Mize and his wife, Renee Mize, the hosts of this wonderful trip and missionaries to missionaries around the world. What better location for the final key, as Alexia's heart is missions.

These photos capture some of the precious moments of our celebration with her -- from our early morning enjoyment of the beach to the evening blessings given by Larry & Staci.
Taking time to pour into our children these valuable lessons will not only impact their lives today.... but it will be carried on for generations to come. It is worth every effort and the time investment.....that will bear fruit beyond what we can imagine.

God Takes Pleasure When We Take Pleasure

Yesterday was planned around Alexia -- some girl time, her getting to choose where we would eat for breakfast and dinner -- being pampered at the nail salon, her picking some great decor' for her new bedroom, getting her "Fall Harvest" costume -- it was a "by design" day that continues to celebrate her Rite of Passage (she'll turn 13 in Sept).

I was thrilled to be a part of this day and getting to watch as she received the next "key" that might be the "one" that would open her Rite-of-Passage Treasure Chest. Yesterday's leadership "key" was COURAGE. It was another key she received during these many weeks of intense training and preparation by her dad and mom who are pouring into her.

Last night, as an example of courage and willingness to fight and die for a cause bigger than herself, we watched the movie, "Joan of Arc" -- so compelling to see a young woman of courage, power and ability to lead armies and command men. She won many military victories over England and saved France from English rule. She had the ability to endure adversity patiently. She was steadfast and loyal to a king who abandoned her to her enemies. But most of all, she loved God, and her loyalty and patient acceptance to His Will for her life, makes her a genuine heroine and role model for us all -- not to mention my precious granddaughter who is being equipped with the "keys" that are creating a firm foundation in her life as she continues to grow into womanhood.

As I took this day in -- with all its enjoyments and pleasures -- and ending with this strong emphasis on courage, I realized that is what Father God wants for all His kids. He wants us to enjoy all that is around us -- He takes pleasure in our joy. But most importantly He wants us to grow in all the ways of becoming, being, and doing -- people of courage, purpose and destiny -- to change our world. I pray this for Alexia, I continue to strive for this with all my heart.