The final steps in a 7-year journey are being taken right now to complete my double Masters at Dallas Seminary. (I don’t consider it fully-final until I’ve got those diplomas in my hand!) A few more phone calls and that should be that. I’ve mentioned previously that I’m still processing all of this and I will most likely continue to process it for much, much longer.
Actually, let me honest: I’m so busy that my so-called “processing” of this monumental event will take a far backseat behind many other things that need to be processed.
!!!
And that’s the problem, right? I almost never have time to celebrate much of anything because I’m on to the next thing the moment I’m done. In fact, most things typically have significant overlap so moving to the next thing is as natural as breathing.
But I’ve been told by more than a few people, including some of my most respected mentors, that I need to celebrate in some way because it is a really big deal, not just about what I’ve accomplished but what God has done and His original call on my life to go back to school.
I tried to calculate last night the overall “cost” of those 7 years, not just financially but from many different angles in terms of my resources. It became increasingly difficult and I eventually gave up, but the cost was considerable.
Apparently you shouldn’t ask me about the History of Doctrine…
I leave DTS with a 3.79 GPA, which I’m very proud of. I have all A’s except 2 B’s and one D+ that a professor gave me to “keep me humble.” Honestly, I’ve never contested a grade so hard as that one since my track record obviously showed this very-out-of-character performance (apparently I forgot an entire assignment… right…). He didn’t budge. Sigh.
In any case, the point is that I need to celebrate, especially the people who sojourned with me and especially those who invested incredible amounts of time, resources, and wisdom into me as I made this trek. I’ve been directed by a few of my mentors to review models like Moses and Noah who after many incredible achievements choose to celebrate the work of others in his stead, especially the work accomplished by the Lord Himself rather than what they had accomplished (or simply survived through).
But those models are hard to follow, for a number of different reasons. So it leads me to ask “How shall I celebrate?” How do I go about doing that? I’m not one for celebration – a perfect example is my birthday which I haven’t celebrated since I was 11. It’s just not what I do. Some of it’s because I don’t like the attention but the other is because I simply don’t know how to do it well. Add the fact that I’m busy doing great work and it just never ends up happening at all.
So I’m collecting ideas and I’d love to hear from you. How do you celebrate significant moments in your life? Who do you choose to invite to those occasions? What does that look like?
I’m excited about this new season where graduate work is no longer a part of my everyday life. It is certain that I will at some point return to school for some Doctoral work but I’ll first take a long and much needed break. Perhaps that period of rest is celebration enough.
First of all you need to celebrate. I used to not celebrate my birthday, but by you not doing it or not showing interest in it, you take away the excitement that should be shared by your family. Don’t let your girls miss out on being excited about what daddy did. They may not understand now, but don’t let it slip by without doing something that is tangible.
Make it a simple dinner with family and friends. Do a formal invite. Think about those guys who have helped you through this whole time. You had folks from various organizations who probably gave you time to do it, you had guys who who leant you couches, coffee… Honor them too in this time. Make sure you let them know how much you appreciate their friendship through all this and that it was in part due to them that you made it through.
By the way, congrats John. I’m not sure how you do all that you do. If you can loan me the cloning device, I’ll take it.
I agree, honoring others that help you is probably the best form of celebration.
My celebration for my double masters was ordination. It was something that I felt was important, even though I never desired to be a regular pastor. But I still pursued it and it felt appropriate as a culmination event.
through what denom?
A baptist church that was dually alliented with the Alliance of Baptists and Southern Baptists. I was working for Southern Baptists at the time.
You are part of the Baptist Alliance and a Traitor… Take her away
Yeah and I now attend a non-denominational church. So I have continued in the direction.
cloning device is still in the works.
thanks andy.
First of all, congratulations! That is quite an accomplishment! I barely made it through two art schools so I’d be bouncing off the walls if I were you!
I don’t have any suggestions about celebrating because I’m in a similar boat. Since starting my own biz, the biggest issue I have is no vacation and no time to just take a day of rest after I get a big project finished (which is several times a year). They do often overlap, to the point where I find just Sunday mornings at church is actually a tiny “vacation” some weeks!
I’d just go do something you love. Even if it’s just a family picnic. Turn your phone off for a few hours and tune out of your normal day. Soak in the great outdoors!
Congratulations! This is a great milestone in your life. I celebrated with my family by taking them on a much needed break to the beach. I realized they had made as many sacrifices as I had in the process. It was a way to celebrate with them and to thank my wife and children for their sacrifice.
Lie! @dewde and I surpised birthday you two years ago when you lived in his basement!!! … well we worked.. but we said happy birthday
BIG Time Congrats!!!!
Congratulations, dude. I’m in the process of finishing my masters at Southern Seminary.
From a team perspective, I’ve always been coached by older dudes to always celebrate what you want to replicate. So we do this on a weekly basis at our team meetings when people give an update on their work or things we notice about each other.
Celebration comes hard to me as well– for myself that is. When it comes to celebrating others, I’m all about it!
For me, I’d rather rest and do something fun with a few close friends. Even if it’s just my wife and I going out to dinner and a movie to celebrate, that’s enough for me.
Just be sure that if someone wants to celebrate your accomplishment that you’re not too humble to accept (that wouldn’t be humility at all)!
Oh, and I’d like to get my hands on that cloning device too so don’t hold out on us John.
John,
Thanks for sharing. Your post is encouraging as I am 1.5 away from completing a dual masters program at Dallas Seminary as well. It has been a long journey so far but I can see how God has ordered my steps so far. May God bless you bro as you make a impact in the marketplace and leverage your gifts for his glory!!!
congrats John! Huge accomplishment.
I too can forget to take time to celebrate things, so my wife helped me out a couple weeks ago when I walked out of the cubicle on my last day at the old day job. When I got home her and the kids had put up balloons and a banner and they had put out a spread of my favorite food. To be honest, it was overwhelming. I had been so excited about that moment, and so ready to move on to the next phase, that I hadn’t even considered celebrating it with the people I love most. And yet when I walked into the celebration I couldnt hold back the tears (can’t hold them back now thinking about it). It was a moment I’ll never forget.
All that to say that yeah, celebrations are important because they remind us that the people we love are the reason why we do the things we do.
so go party like it’s 1999…or like your D+ professor just got a traffic ticket. you deserve it!
Celebration is a important part of life, it is same like milestone in life. Most of people do not prefer celebration in their personal life but I’m of them those do not celebrate! I like to celebrate anything weather happiness or sadness.
Way to go, John! Congrats on completing a tough journey. Now you get to read what you want to read.