Today, I graduated from Southeastern University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Pastor Ministry. I am quite relieved to finally be out of school and excited to see what “the real world” has to offer. My time at Southeastern was great, and it’s surreal now that it’s all over. The ceremony was good, and it was great to have all of my family in town. Tomorrow we’re all heading to Disney World for a day of family enjoyment. I’m sure it will be funtastic. As for now, I’m going to bed. Ir’s been a long day. After graduation the whole fam had lunch together and then drove to Sarasota for church.  Special thanks to my mom and dad for always being amazing.  Also, a huge thanks to my beautiful wife, Kristin. It’s hard enough to be an over committed, full time college student, it’s way harder to be married to one.  And here’s to you, Southeastern. It’s been fun.

Here in the great stats of Florida, we have to pass the College Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST) before graduating. It’s the most pointless thing I’ve done since moving to Florida. It takes an entire Saturday and you have to pass each section. If you fail a section, you have to retake it until you pass it, or until you’ve tried three times, then you just get a waiver. What’s the use of a test that can be waived?

Anyway, I took it last fall and (of course) failed the Math section. So, I re-took it about a month ago and just received my results. 295 is a passing score. It’s official. I passed.

The countdown starts today. Ten more school days until graduation. I only have class on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and there’s only five more weeks left in the semester, so ten more days an I’ll be free….I can’t wait.

I’m graduating from Southeastern in less than two months. During my nearly four years in Lakeland, these are the places that I’ve found to be the most unique and/or enjoyable. Tell me what I’ve missed.

1. Palace Pizza – Absolutely the best pizza around. It’s because they use Grande cheese. It’s run by an Italian family who moved from Italy to New Jersey to start an authentic pizza joint. Somewhere along the line they ended up on the corner of Main and Kentucky here in Lakeland.
2. Subs N’ Such – A small sub place on Florida Ave. This place has been in the same location since the 70′s. The owner is there every day and treats every customer like they’re his favorite regular. This guys really knows how to do business and he is ridiculously passionate about subs.
3. Silver Moon Drive In – A great throw back. There’s nothing like watching a horror flick in the comfort of your own car. It’s located somewhere off 92. Google it.
4. Orange Bowl – A great bowling ally. They have really good cosmic bowling, and the best bumpers in town. The bumpers are computerized so they raise and lower depending on whose turn it is.
5. Lime St. Park – This is the best park in Lakeland. You should go really late at night. Why? You just should.
6. Jimbo’s BBQ – This place has been serving amazing B-B-Q since 19**. There’s a bowl of fantastic homemade pickles at every table, and if you’re a huspuppie person, you definitely have tot check this place out.
7. Lake Hollingsworth – I’m not a big walker, but Hollingsworth is really nice.
8. $2 Theater – They play movies that have just left the theater in a “Mugs n’ Movies” format…Round tables, food, and drinks during the movie.
9. S&L – An old school diner from the 70′s. They serve amazing burgers (which are huge) for quite the bargain. Make sure you have some greenbacks though, because they’re a no-plastic business. Cash only.
10. Lakleland Motor Speedway – I know, it’s a stretch. My friend Chris and I went and watched a bunch of amateur drag racing when we first moved down her . We were out of our element, but it was fun.

Does anyone have something to add? Restaurants, parks, stores…Anything?

Each Friday, Southeastern has religion chapel. This service is designed specifically for religion students, and is generally a panel discussion on a particular topic of interest. Today, Dr. Robby Waddell was responsible for religion chapel. He recruited Chris and I to help him produce a Tonight Show like presentation. Dr. Waddell is currently working on a book that will advocate contemporary Biblical translations, such as The Message. More specifically, it explores humor in the Bible and the loss of humor in linguistic translation.

So, today Dr. Waddell played talk show host, Chris was the band leader, and I was the announcer. It went really well. The audience was very responsive to the humor, and the message was clearly communicated. Chris plays sax, so we called his one-man-band “Chris Moore and Sax Appeal”… At one point he was being hassled by a guest and I said, “Hey! That’s saxual harassment!” It was unscripted, but it got a great laugh. I’ll post some pictures as soon as Shea finishes editing them.