Taking Clark to College (Part 3)

The VP of Student Services at OBU had asked Jim to speak at the New Beginnings program on Thursday, after the freshmen were all moved in. This program was for all new students and their parents. Jim was supposed to speak, for 3-5 minutes, on leaving your child at college...from a parent's view. Since we've moved 2 of our 4 kids to OBU and 1 to another college...I guess they thought he'd be a good choice.

The fact that they asked him was particularly funny to many of our friends, since Jim is a HSU REDDIE, which is the University just across the street from OBU...and a HUGE rival. OBVIOUSLY.

You wouldn't think a REDDIE would even be allowed up on stage at an OBU event!

I told Jim to prepare to be "boo'ed."

Or heckled.

He wasn't. :)

He had kind of stressed over what to wear to this shin-dig. I told him to just wear his shorts and t-shirt...I mean, it was MOVING DAY and he was speaking on behalf of the parents. He went 'round and 'round with it. He finally decided to pack jeans and a pull-over shirt to change into., but, in the end, he decided to just wear his shorts.

When he got to the auditorium, they showed him up to the stage where the speakers were going to sit. There was only one place left to sit: right beside the interim president of OBU...who was wearing a suit. Jim was in shorts and tennis-shoes. :)

In preparing for this speech, I told Jim that he was, under NO CIRCUMSTANCES, allowed to get up there and talk about how much money he has paid for our kids' college educations. No moaning and groaning. No pulling the insides of his pockets out to show they are empty. No opening up his wallet and pretending to shake it out.

All things I could see him doing...in an attempt to be funny, and prove his point.

He asked me to help him write his speech, and I did. He did a great job, even tho he did threaten to pass an offering plate at the end to help pay for Clark's tuition.

After all of the speakers has spoken, they had a girl come up and lead in prayer. At the end of the prayer, she said, "And God, we pray specifically for..." and she started saying some new student's names. I thought, "oh, that's neat. I wonder if they just randomly chose a few names to pray for, or were they international students...or students that had traveled a far distance...or were they part of a group that had been involved in an accident or something?"

Clearly, I was in the spirit of prayer.

All of a sudden, I heard talking...and I was, like, WHAT THE WHAT? I thought it was maybe someone on their cell phone and I was thinking, "HOW RUDE." The best part was when Joshua heard this LOUD talking during the prayer...he raised his head and spun it around to look...like he was in the Exorcist movie or something.

Then, ANOTHER person started talking. And then ANOTHER person started talking. And then ANOTHER person started talking.

I was about to have a panic attack until I stopped to hear what they were saying. They were praying specifically for every single new student...by name.

All over the auditorium, people stood up to pray over a list of names. All at the same time. Out-loud. Until every name had been spoken.

I heard them pray for Faith-the-girlfriend...but I never heard Clark's name. It was probably spoken during my "freak-out time."

After the prayer, we were dismissed to go. As in...they wanted the parents to GO. As in...they wanted the parents to LEAVE ALREADY.

We went to get pictures before we left. We decided to get pictures in front of the chapel at OBU, because that's where Jim and I got married...35 years ago.

Interesting SIDE NOTE:  we ran into a Little Rock pastor we know in the bookstore at OBU. He said he was there with his 8th and youngest child...moving her to college. WOW! He said, "yes, my wife and I just kissed over on the steps of her old dorm...where we first kissed 42 years ago."

I glared looked sweetly over at Jim.

I said, "WELL, HOW SWEET! I mean, that is SO NICE! Jim and I got married in the chapel here, and we've walked past it about 5 times so far...and I got nuthin'.

"For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” Matthew 18:20