By HAROLD KELLER

Newsmakers are usually people who have broken the law, big-time celebrities, entertainers or politicians. As a rule, hearing about ordinary people doing extraordinary things doesn’t attract much attention.

Please allow me to share about someone in my family who has achieved a “not so ordinary” goal.

Monica married my only son, Matt. (I have three daughters.) They met while attending Southeastern University in Hammond.

When Matt introduced me to this young lady, whom he seemed to be very serious about, and told me that she was from St. Bernard Parish (Reggio, to be exact), my thoughts went back to a story in the Bible in John, Chapter 1. It refers to one disciple telling the other about Jesus of Nazareth, and the other asked, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Jokingly, I thought, “Can any girl good enough for my son come out of St. Bernard?”

They were married while still in college. I’ve often said that one reason Matt wanted to get married was because then his report card would be mailed to him, instead of to me.

Monica was well on her way to getting a nursing degree when she got pregnant. Her career in nursing had to be put on hold. Monica is a good example that God’s plans are not necessarily our plans.

During the next few years, she blessed Matt with four beautiful children. My wife and I are very proud grandparents of Amber (19), Mattie (15), Kane (10) and Kameron (6).

The Bible says that when a man finds a wife, he has found a good thing. God has blessed my son abundantly with a very good wife and a devoted mother to his children. She also turned out to be a pretty good daughter-in-law.

In today’s world, that can almost be classified as extraordinary. However, with all of her responsibilities, which she has handled well, a few years ago, she decided to go back to Southeastern with her focus on getting a degree, not in nursing, but in elementary education.

After four years of commuting as a full-time student, she also continued being a full-time wife and mother and graduated in May with a 3.9 grade point average.

This year, she will teach a fourth-grade class. Will she be a good teacher? No. She will be a great teacher! The students will be blessed, just as our family has been over the past 21 years with Monica in our lives.

Monica, congratulations, and we love you!

HAROLD KELLER writes this column as part of his affiliation with the Get High on Life religious motivational group. Call him at (985) 652-8477.