Thoughts on Ordination

I am a bit quirky about things. I always have been and probably always will be. I don't value ceremony and tradition as much as a lot of people do.

• In High School I refused to get a class ring, I just was not interested in it.
• My mom literally made me get senior pictures. She told me it wasn't for me, it was for her. I just didn't get the point.
• I was content to skip my college graduation ceremony and just pick up the dipoloma, again my mom would not have it.

On and on it goes. I just don't value some of these things like I should. Tonight, I will be ordained as an elder in the church of the Nazarene. It is something that our denomination does not take this lightly. In order to be ordained you have to complete 5 years of full time ministry and fulfill a course of study.

Because I did not graduate from a Nazarene College I was left with several classes to complete after college. Unfortunately, my graduate work in Org. Management did not meet the qualifications for these classes. I kept putting the classes off because "I had more important things to do".

Tonight is the culmination. I have done the class work, I have put in the time, I have been interviewed by the ordination board and been found worthy of ordination. I am actually excited about the service tonight. My parents have flown in, I know that a bunch of friends are coming to support me, and I even have a nice new suit to wear. My dad will pray a prayer over me and I will bawl like a baby.

I have learned a couple of things in this process. I need to be less selfish. I need to understand that the world does not revolve around me. These times in life are not about me, they are about others being able to recognize and celebrate certain milestones in my life. These ceremonies always prove to be meaningful and I am always glad to have been a part of them. They are kind of like playing board games. I never like the idea, but always have fun once we get them out.