The Italy Church of Christ hosted a luncheon on Wednesday for the graduating seniors of IHS. Brother Walter Buchanan of Italy Church of Christ and his congregation invited the students for hot dogs and melt-in-your mouth homemade cookies. The seniors obliged their hosts and enjoyed their meal.

“This began about 4 or 5 years ago, when the Italy administration called and asked if we would be one of the churches that hosted a meal for the graduating seniors. We considered it to be an honor and a privilege and we have been doing this ever since,” Brother Buchanan explained.

When the meal was over, Buchanan gave a short message to the graduates, “We are so pleased you have come to eat lunch with us and we all wish you the very best. I want to know who can stack ten 16 penny nails on the head of another.” Senior Curtis Cole, who always wants to try something new, announced he would try. He tried and failed. No one else volunteered to stack the nails on the head of another.

Brother Buchanan explained, “Only balance makes this work.” He put four nails on one side and four on the other and stacked ten nails on the head of one. “Balance is important in our lives. Just like a car cannot run smoothly down the highway if all the tires and wheels are not balanced. Our lives are the same. People who work all the time and don’t play or people who play all the time and don’t work are not balanced and steady. We will all do well in life if we strike a balance, like Jesus Christ. When He was 12, Christ increased in wisdom, stature, favor with man and favor with God spiritually. We all need to learn how to get along with one another.”

The students listened intently as Brother Buchanan explained how we should be well-grounded in God and this will create the harmony we need to lead productive lives.

Walter Buchanan is semi-retired from College Street Church of Christ in Waxahachie. Parishioner Ron Scott said, " We are blessed to have him here with us."