Originally uploaded by Joseph Garibay

Last night I had the chance to walk through the empty halls of my old high school. I’ve done this a few times since I graduated but last night was different. I honestly don’t think I can describe how I felt. Part of me wanted to break down and cry and the other half wanted to smile. I could see all of my old friends walking to their classes. I could see all of the couples fighting with each other because they were ‘head over heels in love’. I could see all of the security guards driving around in their golf carts. To this day I still think they believed they looked cool driving around in one of those things! I’m not sure if I was overtaken with the fact that my brother Josh is graduating on Friday or the fact that it’s been three years since I myself graduated high school. I started wondering what all of my old friends are up to. Where do they work? Are they married? Do they have kids? Are they addicted to drugs? (Sadly, I know of some that are) Did they join the military? So many questions. I haven’t seen or spoken to nearly eighty percent of the people I knew three years ago. People I would spend time with every day. I know of a few friends that completely fell off the deep end. My heart breaks for them. However, I also know of people who have kept their faith in the Lord and are doing great! I softly sang Mighty To Save as I reminisced through those empty hall ways. I used to make that walk week after week as a young immature boy. Now I was walking it as a mature young man. Maybe that’s why I wanted to break down and cry. I was being captured by the Lord’s grace. I never wanna get to the point in life where I forget where it all began. If I forget, then I’m taking away the beauty of God’s grace. If I can’t remember what I’ve been saved from, how I can appreciate the grace of God? One of my favorite times in worship is when I close my eyes and get a glimpse of my childhood and, in a matter of seconds I see images of my whole life. Let me just say this, it never gets old!