This past Sunday night was a very exciting one for our family. My youngest son, Scott, was licensed to the ministry.

During the service, Scott talked about how every Christian is expected to carry the Word, but how a pastor has a greater accountability to God. Our pastor, Tommy Kiker, gave Scott a charge, listing his responsibilities as a minister. He also gave a charge to his wife, Tisha, and his two daughters, Brooke and Hannah.

Tisha sang. She had quit for many years, but has started again recently as God called them to minister to people.

Relatives from both sides of the family as well as friends and church members came for the service. It was an inspiring, happy, tearful service. You can believe that Thadd and I sat and watched with great pride and joy.

Later that night, I let my memory run back over the years from the time Scott was born until now. Nowhere in all the years did I see this coming. I always thought he would live a Christian life and serve God. I remember when he rededicated his life to Christ and when he started to teach Sunday School. I was excited and happy, but still never saw where it was leading. God has His own plans apart from ours.

Scott was a curious child and had to explore everything and take everything apart to see how it was made. It is impossible to tell you how many things over the years have had extra parts after he tried to put them back together or how many never worked again.

He had the energy of two people, never slowing down throughout his whole childhood. A nap was never on his agenda and putting him down for one was a waste of time.

Many times when he was still in the crawling stage, he would crawl and explore until he just rolled over on the floor sound asleep. He has always had too much he wanted to do and too much to learn to sleep.

He still hates to sleep because he has the same curiosity and energy for his Bible studies. He spends time taking it apart and studying it just like he has everything else in his life.

The more he feels at home in the pulpit, the more that excitement and energy shows through there as well. If he never lets that excitement and energy die down and continues to bring it to his preaching, he will be a person God can use greatly.

Life is a pretty amazing thing. You never know where you will end up if you let God guide you. It may not be any place you ever expected to be but it will be a happy and peaceful place. On our own we tend to have a wrong idea of what will bring us happiness.

Have a wonderful Fourth of July. Remember at what cost we have our freedom. Spend it with your family. Teach your children how we came to be the United States of America. And keep it safe.

Sylvia Hughes is a retired newspaper editor and regular contributor to the Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald. She can be reached via email at sylvia.hughes@r-cnews.com.