The Morning After a Dumpster Fire. Election 2016.

   I woke up this morning to a different America. I woke up this morning burdened for my friends that  have to explain this to their kids. For my African American friends who feel like "men without a country". I think of my Muslim friend here in Nashville who said " I am so fearful for what my life will look like, if He becomes President". Beyond all that, and I think why this election has affected me more than in previous years, is that I have to ask the question " Where are the good men that could have opposed this guy?" What saddens me most is that its folks like me that put him there.

Folks in the media have referred to Trump's demographic as " The Back Row Kids". The deplorables. The hillbillies. I didn't vote for Donald. I do however  understand how he won and that makes me sad. I'll tell you a story.

In 12th grade I ran for Senior Class President. It was mostly a joke because I wanted to plan our ten year reunion because, while I didn't have a knack for Calculus, I knew how to plan a party. The election went to 3 recounts. I was told that I won the first one, won the second one, and some teachers demanded a third one. Perhaps not surprisingly, I lost the third one and was told I wouldn't be president. I was bummed but not heartbroken. My friends Jeff and Travis put up a fight however, and during it the teacher told me " You aren't the kind of guy we want giving the graduation speech". The teacher then told me he would give me full class credit if I no longer came to his class. He would just tell the powers that be that I was there and I could sleep in. What I had believed my entire life had been solidified that day. "Folks like you have no business dabbling in things that really matter". Multiply that by every kid in Appalachia, Coal Country, The Rust Belt, and the Midwest, and you have some pretty upset folks. Read the book " Hillbilly Elegy", J.D. Vance has said it better than anyone else ever has. For myself though,  I look at the diplomas on the wall. I look at this beautiful city that I love. I look at  this job that I am beyond thankful for every day. I look at this incredible West Coast beauty who has promised to marry me, and I think " I'm not supposed to have any of this". I will be interested to see in the coming days how it is all broken down demographically, but one thing is for certain, My family members, My Appalachian brothers and sisters, My parents who lost jobs to Mexico after 35 years of service to their companies, showed up to vote, and I never remember that happening. "The Back Row Kids" have stopped throwing spit wads at the nerds up front, and have angrily voted to remind everyone that they haven't disappeared.

The thing that really saddens me is that Trump is a front row kid. His trust fund got him there. He built a business exploiting folks like my Appalachian friends. He claims to know all the best words, and those words got him elected. Where are the men to oppose him? Where are the folks who will stand up to him? Where are the Roosevelts? The Eisenhowers? The George W. Bushes?

I don't know much, but what I do know is this, Politics won't give us what we really need. What we need is hope. What we need is a reminder that this world isn't our home. What we need is to remember that some have placed their hope in chariots and horses, but the Christian has placed his hope in the Almighty. What the Church has now is an amazing platform to say to those lost, sad, confused, scared, and hurting is the same message the church has had for 2,000 years, that we are offered citizenship in another kingdom. One that is not subject to the whims of a ballot box, but are guided by the loving hands of a Sovereign King. I love America. I will stand for the National Anthem, I'll wave a flag on Independence Day. But America is not the church triumphant. America didn't die to take away the sins of the world. At the end of it all, America will be no more. The Kingdom will continue to march.  She has survived, as Russell Moore wrote " everything from the rage of Nero to that of Middle Eastern Terrorist Cells". Our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness, and because of that I can lift my head this morning. Because of that I can look at the Trump regime and say that my prayers are with you. I can work with Trump where I can, and oppose him when needed. I hope that Trump doesn't keep some of the promises he made during his campaign. We don't need a wall. We don't need " stop and search". We don't need to torture the families of terrorists. We are better than that. We have to be.

Oh and to that teacher that said "folks like me don't make speeches", I speak for a living, so go suck an egg...... j/k.

One Year Later: A Letter to Southpointe Community Church

  Precious Brothers and Sisters,

It seems futile to even try to express the joy I have in being with you over the past year. Living life along side of you in Nolensville has been so incredibly enjoyable and life-giving. This year has been both the busiest and the most enjoyable year I have ever had, and for that I am humbled by both God’s grace and your warm welcome. I remember as if it were yesterday, getting word that SPCC was looking for a Youth Pastor. After attending Tennessee Tech and having multiple friends in the Nashville area, coupled with my love for the state of Tennessee, the opportunity caused my heart to leap with excitement about the possibility of moving back to Middle Tennessee to walk the road of repentance with precious saints, following the leading of God in my own life as well as the life of Southpointe Community Church.  I was with SPCC and the folks of the search committee about 10 minutes before I knew this was a place I would like to be for a really long time!

So, on this, the one year anniversary of our stories coming together I want to say Thank You. Thank You that you allow me the privilege of spending time with your covenant children, to walk alongside you as we carry them to the foot of the cross, preparing them for seeing their Savior who loves them and gave himself up for them (Gal 2:20). Thank You that you allow me to stand and deliver the Word of God to you, and by God’s grace you see that this Jesus I proclaim to you is the Christ (Acts 17:3). Thank You that you open your homes to me. As an unmarried man in ministry, the looming loneliness can be overwhelming. You have not failed to treat me as a native among you and not a sojourner, and you have loved me as one of your own (Lev. 19:34). 

My prayer as we continue on is for many more years together as the Lord would allow. I pray that you and your covenant children would continue to see the beauty of the Lord (Psalm 27). I also pray that SPCC and Elevate Student ministries would be as a city on a hill.(Matt. 5:14).  A beacon for the community of Nolensville that loves and serves the town with gospel intentionality, so much so that if, God forbid, SPCC would ever have to close its doors, the town of Nolensville would be heartbroken to see her leave, and that a watching world would see, believe, and fall in love with the Gospel of grace, and that SPCC would continue to be humble, gracious, and loving as it seeks to advance the Kingdom to all the corners of the Earth, and that the knowledge of the glory of the Lord would spread across Nolensville and the surrounding areas, as the waters cover the seas (Hab 2:14). 

It is the desire of my heart to walk this road of repentance with you. I hope that I will always be the chief repenter on the journey of faith and obedience to a greater dependence of God and his transforming grace, for as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His steadfast love for those who fear Him (Ps. 103:11)

Because He Lives,

Darrell E. Jones

Ninety.

"We are plain quiet folk and have no use for adventures. Nasty disturbing uncomfortable things! Make you late for dinner! I can't think what anybody sees in them." - Bilbo Baggins

“I have held many things in my hands, and have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God’s hands, that I still possess.” - Martin Luther

"Was trying to find me something but I wasn't sure just what/ Funny how they say that some things never change"

- 'Sweet Carolina'  by Ryan Adams

  Three months. Ninety Days. Thats the amount of time I have been at my new job as Director of Student Ministries for Southpointe Community Church. I love to reminisce. All my life long I have been a sucker for nostalgia. Not sure what it is about the past that I find so compelling. I could chalk it up to being a history major, or being a decent storyteller, or the fact that in spite of the brain cells I lost in my teens and twenties, I have still been gifted (or cursed) with a steel trap for "toasting the good times". A beat up old Braves hat sits on my head. A picture of my roommates from college hangs on my wall. I spent the weeks leading up to my move from Charlotte back to Middle TN receiving multiple texts, emails, and phone calls from fellow Nashvillians anticipating hanging out once again. A Continuation of the "good ole days". An "on ramp" to the social pipeline. A place to step into the river midstream. As the third month begins, there have certainly been a few lessons I have already learned. Some easy and fun. Some difficult. All a part of the story being woven by a Loving Creator who will not relent to nostalgia or any other idol. A Father who will not relent until I look like his Son on that great day. 

     One: In both moments of ease and moments of difficulty, Christ is all I have to offer. 

            I get to have lots of conversations during the week. Some of them are lighthearted and fun, some are sad, some are hard. All of them require something of me that I simply can not give. It is in these moments that Jesus increases, and I decrease. It's also one of the hardest things to do. I'm a fixer. I don't like to see people hurting. Sometimes its wise to say things. Other times its wise to stay silent. The most important, and most loving things we can do is listen, pray, and appeal to Scripture. Whether its a confused high school kid, or a beleaguered parent, we must point them to a listening Lord, who not only speaks through his Word, but listens with his ears. 

   Two: Moving is tough and so are friendships. 

          I wasn't prepared for the loneliness that comes with a new town. It was loving of my friend Brent to warn me of this. Brent married my friend Alissa. They both did well. When meeting with Brent the first time I mentioned that the ebb and flow of being in a new town is weird. Early on days were fast and crazy. At night they came to a screeching halt. The anticipation of the weeks leading up to the move was met with unmet expectations. I really wanted to just see familiar faces after the whirlwind of new introductions. I struggled with knowing that maybe, just maybe, there wasn't room for me in the lives of my established friends. Life grinds on, patterns are established, disruptions and change aren't readily embraced, and circles are tough to break into.  It's the sad reality of life on this side of Heaven. However, in light of this I have seen the beauty of God's church, namely the local congregation in which I work. SPCC has surrounded me, overwhelmed me, and spurred me on to righteousness and holiness. Members have had me in their homes and let me sit with them at sporting events. They've shared wisdom on everything from finding a date to finding videos of exploding hogs and tannerite. Tim Keller speaks of how our generation is the best and worst at community There is nothing like transition to expose your idols. There is nothing like the insecurity of an exposed idol to push you to Jesus.

 Three: Hold tight to things that cannot be shaken.

         A couple of weeks ago I couldn't hold tightly to anything. I went to throw a frisbee and couldn't. 2 days after that I went to pick up a 15 lb dumbbell and wasn't able. The next day I was simply picking up my laptop bag from my passenger seat and it was as if someone was whacking me in the forearm with an extension cord. I've always prided myself on being sufficiently strong. I like lifting heavy things. I like flipping tractor tires. I like working outside. Last year in seminary my friend Matt and I literally paid the bills by moving furniture. I knew that it likely wasn't anything serious, but I began to wonder "Who am I if i can't pick up things?" I had to come to a place of realizing that, much like the relational woes, if this was something God was wanting to take away, then I trust His decision. It wasn't an easy conclusion to reach but while looking back on a lifetime of His faithfulness to me, the things of earth always grow strangely dim. Therapy and rehab may repair the damaged nerve. I hope it does. I enjoy being able to do things without it nagging me. If it doesn't, I can still look to Jesus as the one who purchased my redemption. I can remain hopeful that we inherit a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and offer to God acceptable worship in reverence and awe of all that He has done. 

  Surely there are lots of lessons in store for me in this new adventure. If they are share-worthy I will gladly pass them on. Come visit.  Oh and I've gotten to speak a couple of times Listen here. here, and here. Seriously, come visit. 

Love in A Hopeless Place: A Guide To Singleness In a P.C.A. Church.

    

  “Let the wife make the husband glad to come home, and let him make her sorry to see him leave.” -- Luther

"Maybe I have that gift that everyone speaks so highly of. It's funny how nobody wants it" - Derek Webb 'Can't Lose You'

     Typically, a heading like that grabs attention. Clickbait. Fodder for argument. The gloves coming off as another “bachelor till the rapture” enters the cage in a Jesus Didn’t Tap shirt, equipped with an Xbox controller, Chicken in a Biscuit crackers, and 2 cans of Cheez-Whiz. But alas, that is not my intention. Though I do enjoy Cheez-Whiz. 

      I’m in Seminary. I’ve even come to love being there. The Lord has grown and stretched me in a way that I’ve never been before. I’ve been immersed in the “weird question asking, milk crate full of books toting, Rollie backpack dragging” nerd herd for quite some time. I’ve also been exposed to some of the saintliest, hardest-working, salt of the earth, men and women you will ever meet. It’s not hyperbole, there are many there to be admired. But,  Today, something weird happened. I say it’s weird, but I am probably being a little dramatic. I was told “No” for a job. Not that far out of the ordinary. Not a word I haven’t heard before, both from my parents, and girls I’ve fancied over the years. But this one came with an explanation. “We won’t be pursuing employment of you because we would like the person we hire for this position to be married”. I was left with a choice. Do I cry and retreat to a can of Pringles and Season 3 of New Girl? Do I bust out a bunch of New Testament knowledge on someone who likely knows more than I do about The Apostle Paul? Do I kick down the door Rambo style, with a copy of Wild At Heart in One Hand and a case of Silver Bullet in the other? All of those things came to mind, but luckily none came to fruition. Instead, I said “Thank You” like a decent son of the South would do, and I asked people older and wiser than me for advice. Not because I’m good, but exactly the opposite. Because I’m a sinner. And sinners need help. But also because most of the advice for dealing with singleness in the church is just bad. 

     I don’t believe they necessarily intend for it to be. It’s just kind of a weird spot to be in. It’s different. There are many folks in the struggle and I think I have found a couple of ways to help navigate this maze. They aren’t perfect, nor are they one size fits all. Nothing is. And many folks much wiser than myself have spoken on this, and much like every guitar pick I’ve ever owned, I’ve taken the liberty of stealing a few things from other folks.

1 1)     Pursue Jesus: In order to operate in this crazy world, we have to know the objective love of God on our behalf.

This is easy to forget because there is no dating manual found in the Bible. And because of this single Christians, and married Christians offering advice, have a tendency to lose their minds in this area. However, scripture is permeated with this truth. Adam and Eve sinned, and God covered them with animal skins, ( a precursor to the cross) Israel wasn’t chosen because She was a mighty nation, She was chosen because God chose to choose her. The only way to navigate the sometimes painful world of singleness within the church, is to know that your relationship status is not the truest thing about you. The truest thing about those who belong to Christ is that you belong to Christ, and because He was forsaken on a cross, you will never know what that feels like. You’re beautiful and ugly. And by his mercy, God is making you who you are to be. It won’t be today, and it won’t be tomorrow, but there is a day when every tear is brushed away by his nail scarred hand.

22)     Pursue Community: In order to be a part of the Church, You must be a part of the Church.

This one is difficult. My pastor says “If you act like a visitor, you will always be treated like a visitor”.  In the context of South Charlotte, where I live, this can be difficult for single folks because it can appear that everything is geared toward families. We can even hear the Pastor reiterating the importance of families and kids, and watching Downton Abbey, or going to the Farmer’s Market with your spouse. None of those things are bad, yet Singles abandon the Churches where they attend for “places where other singles go”. Which creates a catch 22, because singles will never come if singles do not stay. They are chasing their tails. At the Church where I attend, you can likely count the single folks on two hands. I was faced with a choice. I could run to the “shark tank” next door. There is no shortage of those around where I live, and embarrassingly t admit, I tried doing just that on several occasions, and what always brought me back to my current congregation is the knowledge that the folks in the shark tanks didn’t love me. The church where my membership was held, those folks did. And they would call. And text. And Email. And stop by my house. They refused to let me go elsewhere. It wasn’t because I can set up chairs, or make funny jokes on the mic, or teach their kids about Jonah and a Fish, It was because when I joined the church, when I stood up front and made vows to commit to her purity, they made a vow to help me keep that commitment. I’ve been given a far greater picture of what the kingdom truly looks like in the church, than you would ever find outside of her walls. Our hearts must be like the Psalmist who would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of the Lord than to dwell in tents of wickedness.

33)  Pursue Holiness: Repent. Believe. Fight.

This is hard. It’s supposed to be. Enough people are talking about it, but I am not sure its landing in the way it should. Character matters. I tried my entire life to get by on charm, and that well has run dry. As RUF big wig John Stone says “When you think about yourself well, then you can think about dating well”.  We must see ourselves rightly, and order our rank of affections accordingly. When we see ourselves rightly, we will find a sinner. A hostile hater of God. When we see ourselves rightly we begin to see the Lord rightly, because at the end of it all, before the throne of God above,we find that God is surrounded by people who were once his enemies. He saves sinners. He also sanctifies sinners.  Justification. Sanctification. Glorification. This is the ordinary way an Extraordinary God deals with sinners who trust and rely on Jesus alone for their salvation.  His grace gets all over everything and that gives us a glorious freedom to pursue the things of God. We can begin to look at our sin seriously, and seriously fight it.   A “cokes and jokes” approach to life will wear everyone out around you. Ask God to make you into someone who is worthy of being fallen in love with, and wait upon the Lord. Changing your wardrobe or exercise habits will not be the cure for singleness or the cause of your singleness, The Providence of God will, and whether he gives it to your or not, nothing comes into your life that doesn’t first pass through his hand. As Paige Benton Brown writes so eloquently “I want to be married. I pray to that end every day. I may meet someone and walk down the aisle in the next couple of years because God is so good to me. I may never have another date and die an old maid at 93 because God is so good to me. Not my will but his be done”.

I am deeply indebted to Tim Keller and his book "The Meaning of Marriage", Les Newsom's article on Dating and Freedom, and Paige Benton Brown's Article "Singled Out For Good" as well as multiple conversations with Richard and Brenda Seitz, The fine folks at Church, Dennis Fuller, and the 20 friends who have allowed me to be a groomsman in their weddings.

Proud.

“But playing your music as loud as you want and coming home drunk aren't real life. Real life, it turns out, is diapers and lawnmowers, decks that need painting, a wife that needs to be listened to, kids that need to be taught right from wrong, a checkbook, an oil change, a sunset behind a mountain, laughter at a kitchen table, too much wine, a chipped tooth, and a screaming child.” 
― Donald Miller, To Own a Dragon: Reflections On Growing Up Without A Father

"If you're 30 years old and have 3 or 4 good friends you can depend on then you're doin' alright"

- Dad

"The moments in life that require faith, that is where true adventure lies"

-Dwight Wilkinson

    

  Perhaps one of the hardest lessons I've had to learn (other than how to interact with introverts) is learning what growing up looks like. It's weird, and sometimes I wonder if its something anyone has ever figured out. I just always assumed growing up meant boring stuff like comparing mortgages, spending Saturday mornings at the Farmer's Market, and remembering to take your multi-vitamins and change your bedsheets. Being a single guy, at the stage of life I'm in, affords me some pretty cool opportunites, sometimes it means watching Netflix and eating burritos alone. Other times it means I get to be the guy folks call when their wives are out of town and they want to go eat burgers with fried eggs on them. Then there is the rarest jewel of all, sometimes folks invite me to be a part of their lives. These times are the sweetest, and certainly the most humbling for a few reasons:  A) It really does allow you to not feel like a second class citizen, which happens so often inside the church and seminary world. Don't get me wrong, the Church is the wart-filled bride of Christ that he came and died to win. I love her more than anything.  It's also full of folks that sometimes don't know what to do with meatheads who rarely wash their towels and haven't seen Frozen. This can leave folks feeling a little disconnected. B) It allows you to see sides of your friends that you

otherwise would never experience.  

     Recently I got to spend the weekend with some folks that I'd give my left bicep to have the chance to live around again. Our first night together we made the terrible decision of staying up until 3 o'clock in the morning. Something we used to do all the time had turned into a mexican standoff as to who was going to be the first to admit they were tired. But what I found myself thinking was I would spend a thousand sleepless nights with these men because they had all transitioned from guys I've done dumb stuff with to guys I find myself admiring. They have wives, and a couple of them have kids, and when the morning hit they were with their children, feeding them cheerios and making sure they didn't crack their heads on the coffee table, or lose them at a theme park. The thought that came to mind was how proud I was of them. They had done it. They somehow tricked beautiful women into spending the rest of their lives with them. They were raising kids. They were working jobs. They had somehow made it all not look terrible and that real life is lived in the mundane, and God's grace meets us there every time. 

     Sometimes I wonder if the single/married dichotomy that exists in our churches is more akin to a Middle School dance where the respective parties are on opposite sides of the gym waiting for the other side to make the first move and praying that their parents don't show up wearing dark socks and sandals. I can't speak for the married side of the gym. I can only speak to what I know. I haven't learned much in my 32 years, but I've learned recently that calling girls "high maintenance" is typically a bad idea and that being selfish and afraid has caused me to miss out on a lot of great moments with my friends. My hope as I go forward is that I do that a lot less. Which probably means I have to start answering phone calls.

Big D. Ruining sweet moments since 1982.

Some of the best folks around!

A sight I never thought I'd see. 

BFF's

Mia, Melting folks like popsicles. 

The Best. 

2013.

"Men go abroad to wonder at the heights of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motions of the stars, and they pass by themselves without wondering." - Augustine

"I see the Master's Hand, In every leaf that trembles and in every grain of sand" - Dylan

The Door has shut pretty firmly on 2013. While there was a lot that I didn't like about this past year, I decided to throw down a few things that I thought were awesome, both in Pop Culture and in my own life. There is really no particular order to the madness, and while another passing year brings wrinkles and gray hair, there is still much to remind us that God is good, and " I do not know the way I go, but Oh I know my guide".


1)  This past year, George Jones died. "The Possum" was one of my Dad's favorites, and quickly after shedding the rebellion against "3 chords and the truth" Country Music, he became one of my own. I find that outside of Nashville, Vince Gill is one of the most underrated musicians. This stirring performance shows a heartfelt love and admiration for one of the greats, by one of the greats.



2) This past year, Boston ( and the world) looked evil in the face in a way we haven't seen in quite a while. Yet, Grace is always lurking, and this story proved once again why Young Life Leaders are some of my favorite people in the world.

3) As a bit of a softie I'm always a sucker for when men show emotion. So much so that for my Senior Thesis, I wrote about Walter Cronkite crying on the air the day JFK was assassinated. In a world that tells men to "cowboy up" and "hold it together", death stops us in our tracks. Here Stephen Colbert speaks fondly of his recently passed Mother.

4) From Cart boy, to Ski Lift Operator, to Janitor, to batting Clean-Up for the Atlanta Braves. Evan Gattis is my favorite sports story from 2013, Every boy's dream is to "go yard" in your first Major League at-bat. Evan did it, and offered a shot of hope to every Atlanta Braves fan.


5) My nephew Connor remained awesome.

World's Smallest Braves Fan

                 
6) Some great friends got hitched, and they let me have the best seat in the house.

Hugs....not Drugs

Wilkinson Security Squad

Flash Mob

7) 2 of the best people I know brought a baby into the world.

Big Welly Style

8) In 2008 my Roomate and dear friend Clay told us he would be moving out of the Player's Den and moving on to Brevard to help build Young Life's newest property, Carolina Point.We visited every chance we were given and it has been a huge blessing to see it go from a hunk of dirt to an immaculate camp over the years. With many good friends on staff and many memories of jumping Gators and barely escaping death, taking some friends from Marvin Ridge there this fall is something I will cherish for a long time. 

9) I became Twitter Famous for about 20 seconds

10)I found a Fake Best Friend

11) I was reminded often that Real ones love you back

             

Studs.

RTS Grad Party

Friendango

My 90's Cover Band. The Truly, Madly, Deeply's

Bro-ga Party

Gold.

 “Every good relationship we have is a gift of God's grace"- Tim Lane

" I'm not interested in caring about people" - Ron Swanson

 Christmas is weird y’all. It really is. I don’t know if it has to do with being old and single, or with the fact that no one ever tells you when you’re parents split up, that holidays can be pretty tough. You can be more inclined to the feeling of Decking someones Jaws instead of Decking the Halls. So every year the question is asked “ What would you most like for Christmas?” and every year the answer is the same. I don’t necessarily care about getting peppermint bark or Nike Elite Socks, I always just wish that all my friends could be in the same room. That’s it. If there were some way to make that logistical nightmare happen it would be pretty sweet. But this wish always whispers of a deeper longing, because above all else, Christmas is about waiting, and what the Lord did to fulfill the need of our longing hearts. We know this story, yet it is always an amazing truth. Fullness of God in helpless babe. Jesus put on skin. Immanuel. God with us.  He came to make his blessings known, as far as the curse is found. And boy that pokes at the wound like a redneck poking a dead deer with a stick. As far as the curse is found, the curse of sin that separated humans from a loving God. You don’t have to be in a relationship with another human very long to know, the curse is there, in relationships, and that’s why folks hate Christmas family gatherings.. It’s the grown up equivalent of being forced to eat your vegetables.

We’d much rather throw the baby out with the bath water and hole up in a shack somewhere in Middle Appalachia where people can’t bother us. Yet, God is on the move, redeeming relationships is the business of heaven, and even on this side of the Jordan we stumble upon some special moments that remind us we need each other. Sitting with a friend who lost someone they love. Watching two people vow to forever love one another, and forgive each other when life sucks. Gathering around a table in a tasty donut shop in Middle Tennessee, laughing so hard you think you might die. We take the time to write pen pals, make phone calls, pass the pigs, engage in bro-hugs and cook pancakes for each other because we know at the end of the day, We don’t deserve each other. We hurt folks we love, we argue, we hide, we avoid, and we run a million miles in the opposite direction, because the curse still exists. Yet, Christ walks into the middle of all this filth and fixes it. So we hope. And we wait.

This past weekend I got to be with some of my dearest friends. Whenever I’m around them I always find myself wondering how in the heck I got so lucky. This quote from C.S. Lewis answers it better than I ever could

“In a perfect Friendship this Appreciative love is, I think, often so great and so firmly based that each member of the circle feels, in his secret heart, humbled before the rest. Sometimes he wonders what he is doing there among his betters. He is lucky beyond desert to be in such company. Especially when the whole group is together; each bringing out all that is best, wisest, or funniest in all the others. Those are the golden sessions; when four or five of us after a hard day's walk have come to our inn; when our slippers are on, our feet spread out toward the blaze and our drinks are at our elbows; when the whole world, and something beyond the world, opens itself to our minds as we talk; and no one has any claim on or any responsibility for another, but all are freemen and equals as if we had first met an hour ago, while at the same time an Affection mellowed by the years enfolds us. Life — natural life — has no better gift to give. Who could have deserved it?

An affection mellowed by the years enfolds us. We have to search for this truth and track it down like the Cowboys of Coronado (http://cowboysofcoronado.blogspot.com/) and if we are lucky enough to find it, stay and fight for it. We love one another. Pray for one another. And goof off. We journey together toward a heavenly city, whose Architect and Builder is God.