Today is a time to celebrate and a time to mourn.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:

a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8

These words have taken on new meaning this past week. No sooner had I witnessed my father pass away in a hospital room, and spent a day with my Mom and brother making all the funeral arrangements, than I drove with friends and family to Pennsylvania for the weekend for my son’s graduation at Grove City College. I was drawn to this passage as I prepared for a short time of family worship Sunday morning before we headed back to Chicago. It has been quite a juxtaposition to say the least.

I’m very proud of Marshall and his accomplishments, as I am of each of my children. Marshall has excelled academically, graduating with two degrees from Grove City College: a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Economics… both with highest honors, summa cum laude. He was nominated to be “senior man of the year” (and made it to the top 10) by his classmates, and received several scholarships and special recognitions. He served in the worship and music ministry of a small church near campus, and was a leader in his fraternity… Beta Sigma. He has made some deep friendships with some really great guys and gals we have come to know and love as well.

Marshall is home now for a few weeks, then heads off to Washington D.C., to work for a year at the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation. Then he heads somewhere (yet to be determined) overseas to get his Masters in Economic Development, the result of a scholarship from Rotary International.

We celebrate all of this and at the same time mourn the loss of Dad, who would have loved to watch Marshall’s graduation, and would be very proud of his grandson. While we celebrate life, we also face the visitation, funeral and burial services for Dad today and tomorrow.

There really is a time for everything.