It’s that time of year when hard-working students – AND those making it by the skin of their teeth – walk across platforms and get their diplomas. Anybody besides us have a graduate this year? If so, tell us about him/her! No matter what the age or kind of graduation – from kindergarten to tech schools to doctorates – if an official ceremony is involved, let’s celebrate! If you ARE the graduate, that’s even better. We love any opportunity to celebrate a Siesta. Tell us what God has enabled you to accomplish and what your plans are now. This is what community is for.
While we join you in your celebration, please join us in ours. Here’s a huge Siesta shout-out to Melissa Moore Fitzpatrick for earning her second Master’s degree, a Th.M from Columbia Theological Seminary. Child, you have worked your fingers to the bone. You’ve done what it takes and at no small cost. Your Dad, Amanda, Curtis and I are so proud of you and amazed by you. THIS from the high school athlete dash prom queen with the blue and white 69 Camaro Z28 who mostly studied for a test on the way to school that morning…while driving. You are a stud, young lady. Just like your sister. I celebrate the different directions Jesus has taken the two of you and I am so proud of the young women both of you have become. Make no mistake. You both need Jesus equally to make it through the lives He’s entrusted to you.
Colin, Melissa was so right to say that this graduation was just as much about you as it was her. Thank you for so often gazing at your new bride over a sky-high stack of books and papers and for listening to Hebrew lingo and doctrinal debates you never cared to know about. I have a feeling you didn’t see this coming when that young woman passed you in the halls of Langham Creek High School ten years ago. Keith, Amanda, and I will love you forever for how you love our girl and for how much you support her continued theological education. She’s so worth it, isn’t she? I speak this blessing as much over you as over her:
May God sanctify you, anoint you richly and shine His light brightly on your next steps. “May He remember all your sacrifices…May He give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. We will shout for joy…and will lift up our banners in the name of our God.” Psalm 20:3-5
OK, Siestas! Let’s hear it for your graduates!
Congratulations Melissa! What an accomplishment! Well, I just have to say I have graduated from the “school of hard knocks” if you know what I mean. God has AGAIN gotten a hold of me and we are headed down the the right path 🙂 What an amazing God we have…never gives up on us and will use it for His glory! Praise Him, I am already seeing it….
Thank you Beth, your ministry was what God used to help me get back on track. I pray for you and thank God for how He is using you!
Love,
Sara
Ha, ha! Me, too! I have triple doctorates from this school (hard knocks, that is). I’m surprised they don’t put me on the faculty!
Congrats to all the grads! May God bless each of you and yours richly in your future endeavors and may His Kingdom come because of the work of His saints in this world.
My cousin Kim graduated from William Jewell College this weekend as an RN. She is a mom and a grandma and we were all very proud of her accomplishment! Her youngest daughter, Kamara, graduates from high school THIS weekend! Isn’t the cycle of family so cool? Something only God could create. And one final shout out – my cousin Lauren will graduate from HS this weekend as well.
I pray the Lord uses each of these women to further His kingdom and bring glory to His name.
Congrats, Melissa!
Congratulations Melissa.
Got my Master’s in Theological Studies from Liberty University.
My 10 year old is graduating from Elementary (end of June) and heading to Middle School. So proud of him. He knows a few students from the Middle School that he will go to and he would say ‘Mommy – from what I’ve heard,there’s so much drama in M.S.” He needs prayer.
Love you Beth.
Thanks.
Yes! Our middle child — and second son — graduated from Kennesaw State University (metro Atlanta) on Thursday with a B.S. in Psychology. On to law school, Lord willing! I blogged about him at http://nancys-ordinarymoments.blogspot.com last night, too. This mom couldn’t be more proud! At least this time he didn’t wear his tie around his forehead pretending to be Rambo — like he did in his pre-school graduation! Yes, they do grow up.
You must be so proud! Good for him! I hope he thoroughly relishes law school if that indeed is the direction he heads ~
I graduated on Saturday with my Master’s of Arts degree in Theology. Beth, God used your Bible studies to draw me to the Word. When I did my first Bible study 13 years ago, I was a bartender in a casino. He really is amazing, isn’t he?
Wow! Yes, He is amazing. Wow!
congrats on so much more than a degree! you are an inspiration!!!
Susan, that is so awesome! He is a redeeming God!
Susan I love it!!
Love this story!!! Congratulations!!!
Susan, God knew all of that and He knew where you would be today. Love that, oh how I love that about Him. He is so amazing and full of redemption. You go Siesta!!! With love, Yolanda
My first born Benjamin graduated this month from the University of South Florida with a degree in Business. Praise the Lord!
Congratulations, Melissa!
My middle daughter, Rebekah, just graduated from Hannibal LaGrange College, in Hannibal, Missouri, with a Bachelor’s degree in Human Services and Missions. She is now looking for a job. She says her “dream” job would be an internship at Living Proof Ministries! 🙂
Actually, I graduated on 5/8/10 with my Bachelor of science in human development. I want to go into Christian counseling and getting ready to start my master’s program. It was a long hard road as a single mom but there was no greater joy than to look out into that audience and see my precious 9 year old girl smiling across at me. She sacraficed just as much as I did and I’m so proud of her for being such an encourager at a young age.
My precious blue-eyed son who loves life better than anyone is graduating from 5k on May 25th. We are so proud of him!!!
Thank you for caring!!
TSmith
“loves life better than anyone” – I love that! Way to go!
What beautiful pictuers. Congrats to all the graduates out there!
Congratulations, Melissa and each one of you siestas. I greatly esteem you for all the commitment, discipline, sacrifice and good old fashioned hard work you have all put in. I feel smarter just being here in siestaville.
So proud of you, Melissa!
May the LORD richly bless you!
I graduated from Ooltewah High School this past Saturday! It has been an amazing Senior year as God led me away from my plans (imagine that?) and to an awesome Christian college – Bryan College – that will allow me to be close to my mentor and church but far enough away from home to not visit every weekend. I plan on majoring in English- Secondary Education (I LOVE to write) but am most excited about my Christian worldview classes.
Although not a Siesta, lift up the prayers of my buddy Vincent who after a year following graduating High School is heading off to the Navy on Wednesday. He is an amazing young man and will be missed during his six year tour, so siesta or not, keep him in your prayers please.
Are they still the Ooltewah Owls? “Ooo Ooo Ooltewah! Ooo Ooo Ooltewah! Go Ooltewah!” 🙂 Congrats and I’m praying for Vincent.
they are indeed. We have a new principal – Mark Bean instead of Ed Foster – but the OWLS are still at large and dominating Hamilton Co.
congratulations to the graduate! now, not to change the subject or take the spotlight away from anyone, but are you starting another (or already in the middle of) a siesta scripture memory group?
My wonderful watch-care “son” graduated from Florida State University with a degree in Information Technologies. He has also completed Naval ROTC training at Florida A & M University and was commissioned as an ensign in the U.S. Navy. We “adopted” him while he has been attending college here, and is as dear and loved as our own son. We are so proud of you Van Williams!
Congratulations! What a woman!
Congratulations, Melissa!! What an accomplishment! And congratulations to all other graduates I’m reading about–young and old alike! Way to go!! 🙂
Our oldest son Andrew graduated from Clemson May 7th with a major in History. This was a bittersweet celebration because his grandmother ( my sweet mother-in-law ) dearly wanted to attend. She is in the end stages of breast cancer and was bedridden at home on that Saturday. We set up a laptop for her to watch the ceremony as it was fed live on the internet. Liz was able to hear Andrew’s name announced, and she clapped for him. She is so proud of him, and I believe God answered her prayer to be a part of her grandson’s graduation. She is now in hospice, so if you could pray for her and the family, I would greatly appreciate it. Congratulations Melissa!
We have 3 in our family this year– granddaughter “graduating from 5th grade to middle school, nephew from high school and another nephew from college!
so proud of my girl! Justine, graduated cum laude from USC with a BA in neuroscience! smart…sweet…beautiful!
Congrats Melissa!
My youngest of four children graduates from kindergartin! She has heart disease and was very sick when she was a baby. Everything about her life has been a miracle, nothing seems to come easy for her, but evidence of God’s hand on and in her life is everywhere. Now, sweet Maddie can run, jump and loves to sing songs of praise to our Lord (look out Sandi Patti :). She has been able to catch up with her classmates and is finishing Kindergartin and today’s her Happy Birthday! Happy Birthday Sweet Maddie!
Hi Miss Beth,
I have several special graduates to report upon …….
First and foremost, there is a camping friend’s daughter named Amber H. who graduated from high school in northern IL this past weekend, after losing her dear father, Harley, this past January 5th, to a massive heart-attack.
Then the is a wonderful young lady whom I met while working together at a Christian Bible Camp nearby here. She is graduating from a Christian college in MN sometime soon. Her name is Kim K.
Then there are “my” darling little Kindergarteners at the Ark Homeschooling Center in Northern, IL. I was asked to take over at the last minute, just after Christmas break. Well, these darling children have been so eager to learn that they are already beginning readers; but all the praise and glory go to our Lord, as I know that I could never have done that by myself in only 5 months time… Their names are Faith C., Iona M. [female], and Seth S.
And, there is one more graduate, too. His name is Bryan Z., and he graduated with his GED while taking classes in a prison situation in SE Texas. And, to top that off, he was transferred from that unit to another one in North-Central Texas in order to go to Culinary Arts School, and he graduated from that program with superb grades.
I knew Bryan as a dear friend for 3 years before he was sentenced to this awful prison situation. I know that I am obviously not God, yet I feel deeply in my heart, mind, and spiritual soul that he is innocent of the charges that were brought up against him. I know that he would appreciate Y’all’s prayers, regardless of his innocence or guilt, please. I almost think that he must be a stronger Christian than I am, as he has written to tell me that there is a great deal of persecution in prisons for Christian men and women.
In Christ’s Love,
Jennifer O.
Southern Wisconsin
This weekend I graduated with a degree in Creative Writing and Italian and will be raising support for full time college ministry in the fall. It feels totally surreal. But when I walked across that stage it was amazing to know that this was allllllll God. All of it.
Congratulations, Everyone!
My daughter graduates in about 2 weeks from Klein Oak. I didn’t think we would ever make it this far, to tell you the truth! I mean that literally – after several suicide scares we didn’t know how long she would stay with us! So I am praising God for this gift to see her turn 18!
Kelly
Houston, Tx.
This year we have two graduates. Pre-K 4/5 and a graduate from high school. Little Johnny, our biological 4 year old was a champ in his little white graduation robe. He even giggled as he walked past us while marching in to “Pomp and Circumstance.” Precious.
Our high school senior, Tabitha, is graduating from our private Christian school here in Rome. What a miracle of the Father she is. Before we were foster parents for WinShape, I was a first grade school teacher. Tabitha was a student of mine in my 2nd year of teaching. It’s a long story, but GOD had his hand on her life from the beginning, praise Him, and she ended up in our home at age 15. Each year she has been with us, her GPA has increased by a point and a half. She received a partial scholarship to Samford University, my alma mater, and will be attending there in the fall majoring in PreLaw. A female, christian attorney, we need more of those!! God has worked a miracle in her life and she is a strong believer that loves JESUS!! I will be bawling my eyes out on Saturday as she marches down that aisle, but praising God for once again showing up like none other in her life!
Wendy-Mom of Eleven
Wendy I just love you and Emmy!!!
First, it sounds like you are in Rome…ha!
Second, I can’t wait to see you next to me in good ol’ Alabama. We will have to meet up! I am so close to Samford! Tell her to come to Hunter Street!!
That is AWESOME!!! God’s handiwork is so amazing! Congratulations to you all!!
My one and only will be graduating preschool with a cute little ceremony. She will be heading off to Kindergarten next year (big kid school) where did the time go??? I am trying real hard to savor these years because I know to well graduating from college will be in the blink of an eye. So proud of my sweet girl!
Way to go Melissa!!
My sweet daughter (my eldest child) will graduate high school on the 26th of May and then get ready to head off to college. She is majoring in Secondary Education with an emphasis on graphic design and coaching. She is also going to play volleyball on a scholarship in college so we are very proud of her! It’s really bittersweet to see her leave home though. Exciting but sad all at the same time.
Congrats Melissa!!! We at Siestaville are very proud of you too 🙂
I have a 6yr old graduating from Kindergarten and he seriously feels that he’s had enough schooling already haha (thank God we have two months of summer vacation to convince him that Grade one will be worth it)I can’t believe my little boy will be finished Kindergarten in 2 weeks where does the time go?? We are also very proud of him and he’s a talented and gifted little boy with such a wonderful imagination and heart for the Lord. Congrats Matthew on your Kindergarten graduation Mommy and Daddy are very proud of you!!
Love you all and congrats to all our Graduates!!!
Lori
Maine
My first-born son will graduate from high school in two weeks. It seems like only yesterday that he began kindergarten! He moves into the dorm and begins college in late August, and on the same day he starts classes, I will start work on my master’s at Talbot seminary. (I haven’t been in school in 28 years!)
Congratulations, Melissa–you are my hero! 🙂
My youngest sister graduated on Saturday with her nursing degree and ready to help those in need. My family and I are SOOO very proud of her! Congrats, Sis! Love you!
God had a very different plan for my life which included no children of my own, but 4 PRECIOUS niceces and nephews — the baby of the group will graduate in 2 weeks from High School and will be going on to college in the fall. He has endured much and I am so proud he will first take the walk to join our church this coming Sunday and then take those steps from high school to the wonders of the world. God’s blessings Jake – I love you…
I also have a cousin who will be graduating from high school in California and both of her parents passed away before she was 17. I am proud of her and she needs God’s special protection to be around her.
A big contratulations to Melissa on he very huge accomplishment!
Congratulations Melissa! Way to go!!
WAHOO MELISSA … YOU GO GIRL!!
We just came back from Springfield, Mo where we celebrated my stepson’s graduation from Missouri State University! Seven years and a few bumpy detours later he has done it! Oh Beth, he is lost without his God … I am constantly praying for his heart and mind to surrender to his Father’s love, but he fights it back when he gets too close.(the iphone picture and excitement over your friend’s AA coin in a recent blog was not lost on me)
I know – HE has THE plans…
Beth,
Looks like your tutorial with A.J. has paid off nicely! Congratulations to your whole family, what a joy.
We are celebrating {in 2 weeks} the 8th grade graduation of one of our twin sons. James {our grad} and his brother Henry {now a 7th grade special ed student} were born at 26 weeks gestation, and weighed 1.7 and 1.8 lbs. each. They were not expected to survive the day. Today we are the proud parents of 2 almost 15-year-old boys, and couldn’t be more blessed.
Without telling their life story, let me just say that it is truly by God’s amazing grace, and the prayers of so very many, that we look forward to this day, to celebrate LIFE! Our son has blossomed in junior high {who knew that was possible – I wouldn’t repeat those years for all the tea in China}, and as we look back to the bad news on the day of their most premature birth, we rejoice with thankful hearts.
Here was our verse while the boys fought for their very lives;
“May the God of HOPE fill you with all JOY and PEACE as you TRUST in Him, so that you may overflow with HOPE by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
-Romans 15:13, emphasis mine
Blessings to all the celebrants – what a mighty God we serve!
My youngest child, Miss Annette will graduate from preschool on Friday morning. She’s so excited. A new dress and hair bow, a cookie and punch party afterwards and then finally Kindergarten!
We are so proud of the little lady she is becoming and can’t wait to see what God has planned for her future.
Just thankful He will reveal it a little at a time; not sure this Mom could take knowing the “big picture.”
Final child off to school next year. What’s next God? Just waiting to hear.
Congratulations Melissa!
My son, whom I have homeschooled since kindergarten, will be graduating from the 8th grade in early June. Our church is having a graduation celebration for all 8th graders and this will be his “ceremony.”
I am proud beyond words of the young man my son has turned into. As I look at him right now, working diligently on his science assignment, I thank God for the opportunity He’s given me to be his mom. He is an amazing kid. I am so excited to see what God has planned for him!!!
My Matthew is graduating from High School in a couple of weeks. He is one of the most godly young men I know. He is kind and compassionate and is learning to love God’s Word for himself…and he is an absolute FREAK at the drums! He plays for the glory of God and the glory of God rests on Him as he plays…I am amazed by him and so very thankful that the LORD has allowed me the privilege to be his MOM…
Way to go, Melissa! So proud of you!
Okay, they technically aren’t “my” girls but I’m so darn proud of them that I can’t help but mention them here!
I used to work in vocational ministry, with a ministry that reached out to girls in public schools in grades 3 – 12. We were in 10 Tennessee schools, so we had a LOT of college-aged girls helping us! A couple of weekends ago, over 100 of those volunteers who began serving with us while they were bright-eyed freshmen in college graduated, including a handful who come to my house every Monday night for dinner and our Life Group together (I would just like to mention that I can’t actually cook very well, but hungry college kids will eat basically anything so it works out well for all of us).
Some of the girls wanted me to take their pictures in caps and gowns and, as I was processing the photos, I decided to write them a letter to tell them just how very proud of them I was. I don’t know if links are okay (feel free to delete this link if needed), but here’s the letter I wrote them (it’s too long to copy and paste here!):
http://ministrysofabulous.com/2010/05/08/today-you-graduate/
My little man, Corban who has Autism is graduating from Developmental Preschool! Off to Kindergarten he will go next year!
Yay, Corban! My son has autism, too, and is just about to finish 1st grade. Moving from Dev. Preschool to kindergarten was a big step! For the past 1 1/2 years he’s been in a regular classroom with an aide. Praise Jesus for his faithfulness and direction! Best of luck to your whole family! 🙂
How tender is that and what a wonderful accomplishment!!! I pray that God keeps an extra tight grip on his little hand through this next stage of his journey… and I pray for strength and courage and discernment for you as you journey along side him!
I know of no graduates this year in our realm of face to face. But I wanted to congratulate Melissa for her hard work coming to a close and to let her know how proud I am of her!! “Lord, go with Melissa and Colin into this new season. Walk before them and surround them. Fill their marriage with joy and let their work bring their hearts great fulfillment and purpose for this time on the kingdom calendar. May they make their Jesus-mark all over everything they do! And give them a time of refreshment in every way. In His Name that Accomplish-eth much, Jesus! Amen”
Congrats Melissa, what joy to celebrate such accomplishment.
Our son Robert will be graduating June 10th from 8th grade. My man and I are
smiling as we recognize time is marching on, and praying that Rob stays strong
in his walk with the Lord. He is a delight to us and he is looking forward to High
School. One of the blessings for him will be the ability to study the bible in a
College prep course; The Foundation of Christian Thought. We are so blessed
that he is looking forward to this in his first two years of high school as the course
will expand his love of God’s word and the reality of living a life in and through
Jesus.
Congratulations to all the graduates and the families behind them.
My beautiful firstborn daughter will graduate from Connecticut College on May 23 with a bachelor of arts in French. We are going from Florida to see her graduate and we are thrilled and excited. Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gifts.
Congratulations! Melissa
We have a promotion of a grandson from 8th grade to high school. They stopped doing the ceremony, but we are still proud of him and are planning to celebrate. His name is Brandon Paul and we love him like crazy.
My Little girl will be graduating Kindergarten next Wed. the 26th- She was diagnosed in December with Luekemia so she has been at the hospital much more than the classroom. She took her year end test from a hospital bed, and passed with flying colors-I am so proud of her!
Oh, Lord, please raise this little girl up from that bed. May this be the first of many graduations in her life. In Jesus’s Healing Name, Amen.
Krystal,
This must be a heart-pulling time for you and your family. Thanks for letting the Siestas know about your precious daughter…be assured she will be prayed for!
Woo-hoo, Melissa!!!!!!
Our sweet firstborn, Madelyn, is also graduating from Kindergarten in about a week. The tears have already begun. Her teacher is right, smack-dab, in the middle of what God has called her to do. She is one of the most Christ-filled women I know. Has been an incredible year for Madelyn and our entire family…Thank you Lord!
Oh Yippee, Melissa! Good on you! Please will you now work on your PhD so we can rightly call you Dr. Siesta Melissa Fitzpatrick???
Also – I keep hoping when everything in your world settles down you’ll grace the community with some of what you learned in your Song of Songs class.
My oldest, Boaz, “graduates” (or, really it’s a promotion) from 8th grade on Thursday. We had his class “After Dance” party here late Saturday night after their school dance. One parent counted 70 kids – in the lake, hot tub, bball court, by the fire pit, trampoline, etc. Every towel in my house was put to use. Guess what I’d doing today? The laundry!
Yay for graduates!!
Congratulations Melissa!
Lawan
Phil 4:8
Congratulations to my son, Matthew, who is graduating in the top 5 of his class at Northmont High School, Englewood, Ohio. He is going to Purdue University in the fall to study Engineering. We are so proud of his accomplishments and what is in store for his future.
Congratulations Melissa!!! And Hats Off to Colin for hanging in there and doing a great job from what Mama Beth says!!! I love the blessing from Psalms. Awesome!