College Educated

If you add up all my sporadic college attendance over the past 16 yrs., I should have at least a bachelors degree by now...but I don't. I don't even have an associates degree yet. With just 2 more classes and 5 more years, I should be able to complete the associates degree. I'm what they call "fast tracking it!" It's all the way to the top for me.

I've taken classes in literature, mathematics, history, people management, resource management, building construction, physics, and many more. I'm sure I learned something in every class, but I remember some lessons better than others. One of the greatest lessons I learned had nothing to do with any college course I was taking even though it did happen at college during my first college stint right out of high school.

A classmate (for some reason I can remember that he scouted cotton but not his name) and I were talking between classes about something, and at some point the conversation got religious, and we were talking about God and Jesus and salvation. I really don't remember the details of the conversation or how we got to the point where he says, "Oh, you're a Christian...I didn't know that." OUCH!!! He didn't say this to be mean or judgmental, and to this day he probably does not realize the impact it had on me. He was just stating a fact based on his observations of me. Granted we did not spend a lot of time around each other, but we were acquaintances who spoke to each other frequently.

Looking back now I see this as one of the major turning points (maybe starting point) in my walk, relationship, or whatever you want to call it with Jesus. Most of my education up to this point was in a "Christian" school. I knew about Jesus being my Savior and professing it with my mouth. I had done these things so I felt "secure". I knew ABOUT Him, and I knew I wanted what He was offering, and I knew I wanted to follow Him, but I hadn't given much thought to what that meant. I realized I didn't know what it meant to BE a Christian, disciple, follower of Christ, or however you want to phrase it. I was just a "believer". So at this point a switch has been flipped and I decided to follow. To follow requires action not just belief.

In some ways I've come far in the last 16 yrs., but I know that there is so much more to learn. I'm still learning daily what it means to follow Him. There's no "fast tracking" here. Sometimes it's really easy to put one foot in front of the other as I follow, but at other times all that I can do is stand, catching my breath, looking up at the mountain before me. Sometimes I even try to walk around and catch up on the other side...doesn't work very well though...I wouldn't suggest that approach. I feel like I'm at another one of those "points" and that I'll look back one day and realize just what it was. I hope I have the courage to follow.

I learned a lot in college from some guy that scouted cotton . I hope boll weevils tremble at the mere mention of his name...whatever it is.