Tonight? A Lesson in Flexibility

*To my parents - I'm sorry. You should have been there.
**To Heather - I'm sorry. I know you would have been there had you known.

This is one of those stories that you hate when you're in the middle of it, but you just have to laugh eventually. There's just nothing else to do.

Preface: I had graduation rehearsal last night. After rehearsal, there was this graduate/alumni banquet dinner scheduled. Heather was not in town, so I wasn't planning on going. After all, I didn't really care about it. There was no reason for me to go. Or so I thought...

The story: A couple weeks ago, I got a call from my school. They asked if I would speak at graduation. They said GRADUATION. I thought that was pretty cool, so I agreed. Mom, you have no knowledge of this because I planned on surprising you when you were looking through the program and saw your son's name. Teehee, I'm sly like that.

So yesterday, with rehearsal scheduled for 5 o'clock, I show up at school at 4:30 in order to pick up my cap and gown. Just enough time to grab them, change out of my work uniform, and get to rehearsal. The office ladies asked if I wanted my tickets to the banquet. I explained that my fiancee was not in town, so I probably was not going to attend. Here's where it got interesting:

Office Lady: Wait, aren't you speaking?
Me: (confused) Yeah.
Office Lady: (perhaps more confused than me) Then you have to go.
Me: No, I'm speaking tomorrow...at graduation.
Office Lady: No, you're speaking tonight...at the banquet.
Me: Are you serious?!
Office Lady: Yes. Here is your name in the program.
Me: I was told on the phone "graduation."
Office Lady: Well, it's tonight. Can you speak tonight?
Me (visibly frustrated) Yeah.

So now it's about 4:45. I'm supposed to drive 15 minutes home, shower, change, and drive 15 minutes back...all by 5 o'clock. Does anyone else see a problem with that? And the baquet was IMMEDIATELY following rehearsal. I got permission to be late to rehearsal, so it wasn't terrible. I drove home. I showered. I got dressed. I drove back...literally hitting every yellow light I could. Ridiculous. I went to rehearsal. So far so good.

The speech I had prepared had a lot to do with graduation and congratulations and all that jazz. There were portions that would have seemed slightly out of place for last night. So while others were enjoying their dinner, I was quietly eating while trying to plan what else to say. I think the food was good, but I really couldn't tell you.

I was introduced. I walked to the microphone. I began with a story about the importance of flexibility. Yep, you guessed it. The story from a few hours earlier. People seemed to enjoy it. The audience laughed a few times during my speech, which, if you know me at all, is a goal of mine. Overall, everyone I talked to said it was good. Those who knew I winged half of it were impressed. Gotta love all that public speaking practice I get at SeaWorld. Phew.

My initial reaction to the whole situation was frustration and anger. How could they mess that up? Why are they always so disorganized at that school? Geez. Once I calmed down, however, I began to look for the lesson I was supposed to learn. I think I found it. To me, God was saying, "Jon, you had a plan. I had a wrench. I threw it at your plan. What are you going to do now? You don't have much of a choice except to rely on Me. You need Me right now, or you're going to look like an idiot. I have the words for you to say, but you have to calm down and let Me speak to you. This is not about you. It's about Me. Just like it always is."

I can tell you there was much praying before I took the podium. And they were answered. I could have been up there, fumbling over my words, looking foolish. But I wasn't. Praise the Lord for that. And now, it's kinda funny to look back on.

Mom and Dad: I had a nice surprise for you. God had a wrench. His wrench won. I am sorry you were not there to see me. You were supposed to be. I only had one spare ticket with my graduation fee, and any extras would have had to be purchased a week ago. But since I wasn't even planning on attending, I had no interest in extra tickets. I know you would have been there if I had known all of this in advance, and I than you for that.

Heather: You already know the story, but again, I'm sorry. I know you would have driven down here, just to drive back for work, just to drive here again for the ceremony tonight. I can't express how much that sort of stuff means to me.

If you find a wrench in your plans, turn your focus to the One who deserves your focus. Hopefully, you'll be more successful than I was. I spent too much time being frustrated and throwing my little square hat into the back seat of my car in anger. But I'm learning. And thankful for the opportunities to learn.