This was a busy week. I was in DC Sunday to Wednesday night, then board meeting all day Thursday, I got home from the office at 6:14 on Thursday night and was planning on taking all of today off. Jen and I took the boys to school to each lunch as a family together with Riley. Riley is an awesome 1st grader. He really is a cool kid. I love him so much. He reminds me of myself when I was his age. I was a daydreamer just like Riley. Since Riley is our oldest Jen and I are in the process of trying to figure out the school system, the reading program, the lines of communication. You get the point right, we never know what is going on! Ha! It is just funny to me because I remember being Riley. I know this boy gets told all kinds of things and they just fly over his head, he comes home from school and can’t wait to play outside. I really can’t say that I blame him. We live on a great street. Our neighbors are really friends we do life with. As I was away this week Brian mowed the lawn and took Riley fishing; and he took Riley and Aiden to the Park one night when Tina and Jen were hanging out. Riley loves to come home and hang with all the kids on the street. As I look back at the defining moments that focused me as a young man clearly mom and dad’s divorce was on the top of the list. I have read it and heard it said more than once that all great leaders seem to go through difficult situations in life that prepare them to handle insurmountable situations later in life. I do believe that such situations don’t always have to seem drastic to others on the outside. One never really knows what life shaping hardships another is emotionally rolling through. Other folks have had divorces and not dealt with as much long term pain as I have. This single occurrence in my life really started me down the path to doing jr high ministry. I remember those feelings, cars, songs, houses that the event took place in more vividly that I do things from yesterday. That pain was a bedrock foundation for Jesus to build and heal from. I wrote dad a birthday card today and mom(s) a mother’s day card. I called them friends. I love them both. God has really healed as much as any situation I have ever seen before the deep cuts of the divorce. As I look at Riley and think back to those days I vividly remember some school visits of my parents. They flash before me like movie trailers, in slow motion. They are like old favorite colors that you forgot existed. I told Jen today that it takes a village. It does. Parents are the most forging component to the process. This adventure of parenting truly is scary at times. Riley’s heart is good. He is a dreamer. I like that about him. It will be the left sided brain people who will form the new flat world we are walking into. Riley is all left. I love it!