My Diploma Arrived Today

So it's official.  I'm now Troy L. Fullerton, MA (is there such a thing?)  Hmmm...gotta think about that one.  I just got my diploma in the mail today from Mid-America Christian University for my Masters degree.  Since it was in Developmental Leadership, what does that make me?  A "Master of Leadership"?  Some people who know me well would probably smirk at that notion.  I wouldn't blame them if they did.  :-)

This day has been a long time in coming.  Truth-to-tell, I submitted my thesis back in January, and the degree was already conferred, at least by THEIR dating system, on the third of May.  (I say that because I think they do whatever they have to do to confirm and verify everything, and then backdate the official date.  I turned in corrections to my thesis when school got out and waited for what seemed like forever).   In fact, I'm already working on my doctorate at this point--so the degree has been on my record for a while.  But without that diploma in hand, it was like a cake without icing.  The substance was there, but not the celebration.  Then I saw the mailman putting our mail in the box, and I noticed a large envelope...and I knew that the long-awaited day had arrived.

At any rate, as per my personality, I had to make it an event.  I went and got my diploma cover (the empty one they give you at the graduation ceremony) out of the closet and took it out to the mail box with me. There it was. I read it carefully.  I put it into the cover and smoothed it into place.  I came into the house, got down, and gave God thanks.

My degree was challenging.  Not only did it involve areas that are "weak muscles" (such as finance, business), but the material was entirely in Spanish.  It was time-consuming (they all are)--and I stopped and recalled those hours, and hours, and hours---the late nights writing papers, the research for my thesis.  Some of the classes were incredibly difficult (one in particular), and I had a couple of rough spots when I just didn't think I was going to make it.  There were times when I KNOW it was the Lord helping me through.  I'd feel overwhelmed, and then I'd sense this small voice directing me ("Here, just do this, this, and this"--"Just get something written down"--"Look, all you have to do is this, see?"--"That'll work")...and I'd think about how badly I really did want that degree.

So God, this is for you.  I just want to thank you.  It's to YOUR glory, Lord--I couldn't have done it any other way.  I love you, Jesus.