I like to read. I am pretty sure reading is a vast conduit to being smarter. Most of the words I know came from a book somewhere. So do most of the ideas, lessons, practices, and philosophies I own. Some books I read one time while others I go back to frequently. I love reading the Old Testament. Jesus [apparently] liked to read the Old Testament, too. During His temptation in the wilderness, Jesus quoted three times from the book of Deuteronomy, which just happens to be where I was recently challenged to read. He prefaced each retort by saying, “It is written…”

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I have been blessed with one, two, three astounding kids. I have long believed that physical intimacy is important in the development of children. (Interestingly, the older I get, the more I notice myself becoming less intimate with those outside my family, and more intimate within the family.) I’m not talking about just hugs, though. Hugs and kisses can get boring. Many years ago I began transforming the hugs into tickle-tackles and that has evolved into everyone-against-everyone wrestling, where even Bella, the 100-lb, I’ll-start-my-diet-tomorrow dog, joins in.

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It is almost November and we are well into autumn. The air has a chill here in South Carolina and the leaves are only now starting to change. Last weekend, we went to a large farm near Clemson and picked pumpkins, navigated a corn maze, and [the kids] played around in the hay. I was reflecting as I drove (on my friend’s advice) down the winding country road near NewSpring, with the sunroof open, and the leaves dancing in my rear-view mirror. I thought of the natural rest that the land gets every year via the seasons. But it seems that sin itself can disturb the slumber of the earth.

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I have seen a lot of people in the past few days as I have traveled to Ecuador and back. I love watching people in airports and other public places. Some are funny-looking, others are stressed out. Some are sleeping because they are tired, others sleep because they are drunk. Some are happy to be on an adventure, others are sad to be forced to obey rules. Some are peaceful waiters-in-line, others are constant pushers-in-the-back. One thing I noticed is that most of them are not people I am normally drawn to. Today, I read a verse that made me smile.

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We traveled just about 1600 miles to get to South Carolina. It was a long, but fun trip. We drove through Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, a few feet in Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and finally arrived in South Carolina. We had two cars, three kids, one dog, and a bunch of fast food hamburgers. Lizzy rode with me and spent much of the time reading — which left ample time for me to think. And think I did.

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It seems there has been a lot of junk happening in our lives recently. It is as if someone is trying to interfere with progress. Makes sense, right? If we are truly following God we can only expect to have some difficulties. Jesus promised that right before His high priestly prayer:

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I have met many new people in the past few days. It is uncanny how so many of them are so cool. Not like leather-jacket wearing, piece-of-hay-in-the-mouth cool but just real people who I have been able to connect with. In one conversation I had, the discussion of the call of God came up. I have always struggled with this topic and yet in this quick conversation, I was amazed by the simple equation given to me.

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There are many things in the world to be fearful of. As a husband, a father, and a leader, I try to be fearless whenever possible. I love to fly, I enjoy public speaking, and I enjoy being in places others think are dangerous. There are a few things that scare me, though. I am afraid of heights. I have tried many times to conquer it (even sky diving) and endured the scorn of those around me, but the fear remains. I really do not like small rodents, like mice or rats or voles. Mandy thinks this is a fear, and she is probably right. Then there are the fears of the intangible. There is a fear for the safety of my children. There is one fear, though, that I have that has the potential to be the most damaging.

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