Amazingly Strange...

This week, one of my sons is in Haiti helping to build a medical clinic and a school. He got a last minute invitation to join a team of people heading there last week, when another person was denied medical clearance by a physician. The trip was all paid for, his passport was up to date and his grandparents were leading the team.... how could you say anything but "Sure... i guess!?!"

i got to thinking about this kid and his willingness to go, and to help at the drop of a hat and wondered... "Is this the son that i helped raised?!?" He along with his siblings really do love to serve... they complain sometimes but for the most part they love to help people. i continue to be humbled by this when i see it. And to be a bit honest it scares me a little bit because i know both of my boys are headed in the we'll-do-whatever-go-whereever-no-matter-what-the-personal-cost... i say that not because i am this dad sticking out his chest... but because it is humbling to realize... it seems my guys get it.

It's what every parent really hopes will happen and wants to happen, then what do you do when it does happen?

i spend most of my time trying not to think about just what these guys are headed into.... my oldest is going to end up making a difference in an urban center somewhere in this country loving on people that would be called ..."the least of these". My other son is going to end up half way around the globe in some country where they don't have near the standard of living we do here in the United States, loving and serving people who have very little in the way of material possessions but more love than can be imagined!

The strangest part in all this is that Ruthie and i would readily admit in a way we didn't see this coming... but it's pretty cool to watch these boys becoming men who are learning to love and live with their hearts on their sleeves.

And while it's also a bit scary (especially for me... i am the worrier), we can't think of a more incredible blessing.