Amazing Friends....

Have you ever had a friend in your life who simply amazed you? Not in bad way of course but rather someone whose life was just amazing! The funny thing is this... most of the time friends like that don't even know that you think their lives are a marvel. In fact, they usually seem to go along like everything is pretty normal. They don't pretend to be something they aren't, the majority of the time they live by the credo WYSIWYG.

i have a friend like that, he is staying with my family this weekend. He'd probably be embarrassed if i told him any of this..."your life is amazing" stuff. i have known him since we lived in Canada, as a matter of fact the friendship that my wife and i grew into with he and his wife is one of those sorts of friendships that i trust will transcend time, space and (prayerfully) eternity.

The night my wife went into labor with our first born son, he and i stayed up playing a Nintendo (yeah that's right ... the original 8 bit deal....none of this Wii stuff) game called Nobunaga's Ambition right up until the time we called the OB/GYN and made our way to General Hospital (really that was the name of the hospital). When we finally did go to the hospital they were among the very first people we had come and meet our new little one! All along the way while we lived in Canada our friendship grew into this amazing thing. He in some ways became another brother to me (no disrespect Ken... you're still my favorite brother). Our kids actually refer to him as "uncle" although my youngest doesn't quite fully get why they do that and instead calls him "grandpa". Probably the most exciting thing for me has been watching his growth as a person of faith, a husband, a father and a leader. It is one of those things that if you let it, can just happen and you'll miss it if you don't pay attention.
i guess the thing that i love the most about friends like this (and truth be known... we all have them) is you never have to say stuff or be something that you aren't. i mean you can absolutely be yourself and it's completely alright. i love that.

At any rate it has been great to get to spend sometime with him and i hope that next time his wife (whom i've know since she was in High school) and his children will get to come our way again and spend some time with us.

i will continue to be amazed as i watch from where i am, his life and his leadership impact grow and grow. It's been great and i trust will continue to be, just being friends.