Ever since I graduated from the University of Texas in 1994, I have kept in close contact with a handful of men that shaped me during those formative years. In the beginning we all lived in Texas still and traveled together to Longhorn games, etc. But 10 years ago, we decided to be more purposeful in our time together...and add a spiritual component to our annual gathering. At the time no wives or children were really in the picture. Well, today that is much different with 11 kids between us now and 5 wives and us residing in Georgia, Alabama, Texas and Massachusetts.
During this retreat, we reminisce, catch up on our careers and Christian walk, learn of our families, challenge and encourage each other. Over the past 10 years, you can imagine there have been times of great joy and seasons of suffering and pain.
These men sharpen me like none other and I trust their evaluation of my life. These past years, we have had gatherings in the Texas Hill Country, North Carolina, several at Lake Martin in Alabama and even a farmhouse with four-wheelers and hunting (scary getting us all with guns in our hands!). These past two years we have been given a home in Stowe, Vermont which has been as beautiful as one could imagine.
Being that Joe lives in Boston, we all flew in a day early a caught the Red Sox vs. the LA Angels. The Sox won with a walk off single in the bottom of the 9th with the bases loaded and two outs. Incredible game especially from our front row seats upon the Green Monster!
We then made our way across New England (sadly before the colors have come out) and stopped for lunch at Dartmouth (props to Uncle Al - his alma mater).
The men are: John Ibsen (Jibs), Clay McDaniel, Scott Berry (always say the full name), Afshin "the Dream" Ziafat, me and Joe Januszewski (Joe Jan for the New Englanders)
1 comment:
Those are some handsome men.
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