Two symbolic events, one that I loved even before coming to ACU and one that has become interesting to me since I've been a student here, are now past. The first one is Freshman move-in. I have always loved this day (except for when I was one of those freshmen) because it represents everything there is about college - parents bringing students to a new place, letting them go, students wanting their family to just-hurry-up-and-leave-so-I-can-start-my-own-life, the students who arrive without knowing anyone, the awkward strain between students and parents, the awkwardness of new students who just don't really know what to do, and watching the first encounters between people that you know are going to form friendships that will be important for years. I like meeting the students and I have come to enjoy meeting their parents. Oddly enough I actually met a set of parents that graduated from OU and met at the Outreach Center. This was always an important day for me at OU and at Alabama because of the tremendous ministry potential. I know people who found their faith community in college because of encountering someone who helped them move in.


The second - the one that I have participated in since being at ACU - is the annual welcome week candlelight devo. This is a tradition where upperclassmen line the sidewalk between the Moody coliseum and the ampitheater and sing while the freshmen file through to the ampitheater. Everyone has candles and soon the whole ampitheater is lit with new students and their candles and the hundreds of upperclassmen who spill out onto the lawn. The worship is great and it's a nice ceremony to bring the students together. I'm impressed by the number of upperclassmen who show up. It's an ACU tradition that I have come to respect.

So, once again we embark on the beginning of a new cycle of life-changing and life-defining experiences for a set of people who have no idea what they are in for. Welcome to the ride. Welcome to college.