Commencement

Last week Bryant Earl Byers graduated from Oklahoma State University with a Bachelor of Technology degree as a member of both the honor roll and the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. Today he left home, driving west two and a half hours to the bustling metropolis of Pond Creek, Oklahoma, where he will be living as he works in nearby Medford for ONEOK. This Fortune 200 company selected him for their staff after two lengthy interviews, a background check, a drug test, a physical, and thorough review of his education and training. I think they made a great choice...and so did he.

It simply could not be possible to be more proud of a child. God blessed us with the two greatest kids in the world and we have done our best to bring them up in the nuture and admonition of the Lord. We've also been blessed to receive help from both sets of their grandparents, and the heritage of faith we passed on to them did not come from us.

Now after twenty-one years, Bryant is moving on. This morning before he left we prayed together and I asked him to be an example of a Christian and gave him four charges after reading I Timothy 4:12-16. 1) Fear God. 2) Love God. 3) Serve God. 4) Call your mom.

I'm so excited to see where he goes with the great opportunity. Congratulations Bud on the commencement of your adult life. God bless you. (And Roll Tide!)