"God Is Proud of You" and (Wear Sunscreen)

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ Rev. Rich Luh of St. Johns United Church of Christ told graduating seniors during Sunday's baccalaureate service at the First Baptist Church that "God is proud of you and take advantage of his love for you. Go for it!"

Rev. Luh went on to suggest to seniors that, "One talent all of us has is the ability to love one another, and you need to decide what servant you are going to be."

"Don't use the excuse that 'I'll get around to it'," he continued. "Do it now. Get it done today. We fall short because we let ourselves fall short."

"Use your talents. Some of you haven't discovered your talents, but you will," he said. He finished by saying, "God, we know you are with them."

The message to seniors from fellow classmates Haley Conner and Mackinzie Hooker was down along the vein, "The Lord helps those who help themselves."

Their advice: "Wear sunscreen."

It anchored a very down-to-earth list of do's and don'ts for seniors that included things like: "sing" and "do one thing every day that scares you."

"Don't be reckless with other people's hearts. Remember compliments you receive."

"Stretch." "Lvfe in New York city once, but leave before it makes you hard. Live in Southern California once, but leave before it makes you soft." "Respect your elders and don't expect anyone else to support you."

The service included a recessional by Marla Uhles, invocation by Jayci Jeremiah, welcome by Andrea Dimitroff, scripture readng by Ashley Dimitroff, a poem by Savanna James, Ali Porter and Caitlin Williams, vocal and accompaniment by Chris Maddox and Trevor Hoffman and the closing by Ali Holford.