We graduatin’ now, everybody wants a photo

You only live once, that’s the motto brother - YOLO

So welcome to the families, uncles, aunts, grandparents

Welcome also to the normal people – the Arkansan residents

I hope you’re enjoying our presentations, like trophies on a shelf

We are so glad to be here, Home Ed class of 2012

 

Now before I dig any deeper, start to waste any more time

You may notice that my ramblings are taking the form of a rhyme

But listen. Let’s be serious here…I’m not tryna make this a joke

This ain’t a rap, I’m speakin slow here, catering to the older folk

The song I quoted earlier, to listen would be a mistake

Lil Wayne and Tyga were trippin, doin silly songs with Drake

YOLO stands for you only live once - a great hashtag to use

You can say it after silly actions and be immediately excused

But HEY! I’m not hatin’, I agree that we should savor

Every moment of our life, like we were sippin 23 flavors

 

Staying up all night after the prom, or eatin lots of junk,

Hanging out, playin call of duty, listenin to "King Kongs in the trunk"

Slapping brothers on the chest, using the Banana Song to mosh

Saying stupid things, inviting the response of “oh my gosh!”

Ridin’ with our tops down, listenin’ to Trip Lee’s "Superstar"

Your top don’t drop? You’ll have to live with the ’98 Ford Winstar

Driving more than the allotted five miles over the speed limit

I won’t make you raise your hands (Ben Danforth) if you’ve been hit with a nice ticket

We’ve done a lot of stupid stuff, from the highest to the low

Our parents are listening with open ears…trust me Mom, you really don’t want to know

 

So I hope you aren’t hearing me say "live recklessly and be foolish

Drive recklessly, procrastinate, live your life up to the fullest."

Because let me tell you fellow friends, you aren’t guaranteed tomorrow

And within our homeschool community, we’ve been reminded that with sorrow

A sudden heart attack stole from us Miss Mary

If I tried to describe the impact she made, I really couldn’t say

Beloved wife and Mom, Miss Sample was a faithful friend to many

Elementary kids at Academy dearly miss her at Assembly

Or not even a month ago, the Lord in his sovereign plan

Took Mr. Gregory Oxner, we all dearly miss that man

We’re all still reeling from the shock, as if we’re in a coma

His absence is felt even tonight, announcing our diplomas.

 

So while it’s nice to have some fun and be a little bit silly

Please stop and think about what your actions mean, really

I sleep around, I’m doin drugs, chill out man, fo reals, YOLO!

I gotta party hard, fill up and lift my red cup…SOLO

I gotta send while I’m drivin’ this “I love you” text

Cuz they may never know my feelings if I get in a car wreck.

Or bring it in to our future jobs – I’ll work more for the cash!

But you never know if that night with your family will be your last

 

Now listen, I’m not just talking about the things we make a mess

I’m talking about the good things we should do that we neglect

There’s more to life, a universe, created by a supreme being

This God created us for his glory but we aren’t seeing

That from the beginning, man rebelled against this sovereign ruler

And when the judge is disobeyed, he puts down his foot like a ruler

When laws are broken, justice calls for punishment for the crime

The punishment laid out for us was you shall surely die

We all know we have splotches on our record, just like mine

Even if you swipe a gumball or tell a small white lie

Separation forever from God – time cannot tell

The pain that will be experienced by those people who rebelled

 

But there was one man who was also given life to live one time

He lived his whole life perfectly - he committed zero crimes.

He was tried and tested, just like us, in every situation

The devil could think of, assaulting him with hunger and temptation.

But this man stood firm, above reproach with integrity

And for all this perfection…humanity hung him on a tree

He willingly submitted to those nails in his hands and feet

No one took his life, but the shepherd laid it down for his sheep

They crucified him on the cross, that punishment was mine!

He suffered, crown of thorns on his head, breathed his last and died

The death that Jesus died in our place, being punished when he was sacred

Was a great enough gift from God…that judge would wipe our sins right off the record

Instead of suffering forever, with the eternal rejection

He paid the price for us, instead, giving to us his perfection

 

But the story doesn’t end there, Jesus didn’t stay in the grave

He was made alive again after the prophesied three days

This proved that he was stronger than death, and death cannot keep those

Who Jesus snatches out of sin, made possible because he rose

All we need to do to receive eternal life and be acquitted

Is to ask God to forgive you for the sins you have committed

Ask Him to rule in your heart, to take you to heaven forever

And He will do it, then and there – that relationship can never be severed

 

Now even if you haven’t understood a single word

I want to conclude this poem making sure that you have heard

That yes – you only live once, but what will you do with this one life?

Make it count, make it last, don’t just do it, do it right

We’ve been given gifts from God, call em talents, every minute

As it says in Matthew 25, faithfully taught by Michael Bennett

We should live with excellence, not wasting the precious time we have been given

Being responsible, reaching out, serving, loving, being driven

Now you may have heard that that the day when Peter walked on water

He fell because his confidence in himself started to falter

But if you actually went on to the next few verses, the truth comes out

Jesus snatched him when he was sinking: “You of little faith, why did you doubt!”

The key to doing great things in life is not to succeed in what we do

It's to trust the Father for strength, and do NOT trust in YOU

 

We may not know what’s going to happen in ten or fifteen years

Read the Word, it’s like a mirror, the truth is closer than it appears

It tells us God is working all events for good if you’re in Him

If life is bad, it’s well with your soul, like Spafford said in his hymn

So let’s rejoice, let’s celebrate, we can live with confidence,

Don’t worry about a thing, God’s got you in his hands

And when you’re livin’ your life right, I’ll approve it you yell YOLO

People will tell you "doitagain", "yeah", "readysetgo"

And even if our future seems to look a little hazy

Guys, we’re graduating, everybody go crazy!!!