Has it really been 10 years?

One year ago a small group of our classmates and our families got together in Captiva Island, Florida, for a long weekend. Though we had all seen each other individually on various occasions, it was the first time several of us had all been together since college. The weekend was a blast.

Click HERE FOR Captiva 2005 SLIDESHOW

On Sunday morning while we were in Captiva, Brian, Nolan, Jonathan and I chartered a boat and went fishing. While we were all competing to see who could catch the largest fish, our guide asked us how we all knew each other, figuring we must have been colleagues from work. One of us quickly pointed out that we were high-school classmates and we were there on vacation.

Our guide was shocked. He shook his head and said, “I don’t think I know where a single one of my high-school classmates are. And even if I did, I sure wouldn’t want to go on vacation with them!”

This weekend we had the opportunity to come together again as we celebrated our 10 year high-school reunion. While some came from just up the road, others traveled great distances—Oregon, California, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and a host of other places.

As Joy and I sit on a plane flying somewhere over Arizona reflecting on the events of today, I’m trying to decide what was more impressive, David’s sermon at church or the fact that Brian still knows where his class sweater is. Or maybe it’s that at only three years old, we know exactly what Nolan’s little boy is going to look like when he’s 28 years old. Truly that acorn didn’t fall far from the tree.

It was great to see old friends and classmates, and it was exciting to see how our class has expanded with the addition of husbands, wives, children, and others who are special to us.

How fun it was for us to catch up and hear about how our friends are chasing their dreams and pursuing the plans that God has designed for their lives. Ten years ago we all had lockers and textbooks and homework and tests. Today we have families and careers and mortgages and life.

Our methods of service are as unique as our varied personalities—business, healthcare, education, music, technology, sales, law, the ministry, mechanics, full-time parents. Some of us manage our own businesses and others work for large corporations.

As Joy and I drove to Nashville to catch this flight we talked about the significance of surrounding ourselves with good friends, and what a difference they’ve made in our lives. Indeed we’ve been blessed by knowing each one of you, and this weekend was a reminder of that. Though the roads have taken us in different directions, it’s exciting when on occasion our paths cross, and we’re allowed the opportunity to pause and reflect on where we’ve been and look forward to where we’re going.

Next year we’ll head to Mt. Pisgah Academy for Joy’s 10-year reunion, and we can’t wait.

Click HERE FOR class0f2006 SLIDESHOW