Sorry

It's been a while since I've posted and I would use the excuse that it's been busy but it really hasn't been any busier than usual. Life goes on.

Wasn't that a TV show?

Here's some updates.

Last year one of my sister-in-laws got divorced and her ex is usually working so the kids, which are all 18 and older, don't see much of him. There's a "getting along" issue as well. I don't get involved with that. Sunday was "Graduation Sunday" at church where all the graduates walk down the aisle with their parents and are recognized. My niece asked me to walk with her since her father wasn't going to be there. I was so thoroughly and utterly honored. I cried. They think I'm a great uncle. Maybe I should have been an uncle to my own kids.

Had a talk with my 19 year old son. He seems to have become less than enthusiastic about going to church. (My daughter only goes when there's something special going on, like the Grad Sunday) and we've tried to not push the issue, once they graduated anyway, and allow them to make their own spiritual decisions. I know you can't force that but it's disconcerting when you see your child "straying?". Not sure if that's the right word but I'll use it anyway. He's not really straying. Maybe struggling is better. Maybe just thinking.

I had a talk with Ben on Sunday and I said things like, I love you, I'm concerned about you, "this" is what I see happening, and stuff like that. I really tried not to dictate and control and I think I was successful. He said that he has a hard time worshiping at our church because of some bad memories. A friends' struggles, a youth pastor who left under less than ideal circumstances, and what he perceives as a condescending attitude by certain individuals. My words to him were this; "Don't allow the actions of any other person to come between you and God. If you find yourself unable to worship God in this church, then find another one where you can. And you will do it with my blessing." I would rather he worship God anywhere else than come to church with me and not meet God there. This is a boy (man?) who went on a mission trip to Peru when he was 16 and was "on fire". There have been some changes in his life; World of Warcraft, a girlfriend(first one and she's a sweetie) and a close friend moving to Vegas. It appears the time has come for me to let him go. Damn! That's hard to do. After our talk he said he appreciated my words and that he felt like I was letting go of being the father and becoming the mentor that he always wanted me to be. I cried again. Looks like he's gonna be just fine.

Today is our anniversary. I'm sitting in a Wal-Mart parking lot in Woodstock, IL. I should be home with my wife but life goes on. Twenty four years ago we stood in the sun in front of friends and family and thought we had reached adulthood. Man, were we wrong. I'm not sure I've reached it yet. As a matter of fact, the older I get the further away it seems. We got married with no jobs, no place to live, and we were going to Texas so I could finish school, which never happened (the finishing school part), and the majority of money that we had in our possession came from gifts at the wedding. One thing I learned from that...we were idiots. My kids will definitely marry under different circumstances. That is if I have any input. But she's put up with a lot over the years and all I can say is thank you and I love you. Oh...and my sock drawer is empty.