A LONG TIME COMING

I could write for days about the deep need in me for real friendships with men my age in a similar life stage. I could write about hopes and dreams and hurt and regret as I have pursued this over the years.

But that said, last weekend was like therapy for me. I have been planning last weekend through over 2 years of conversations.

4 days in Huntington Beach with 4 friends in ministry.

Our agenda:

• eat well
• play
• talk about life, ministry, marriage, parenting, our souls
• deep, authentic, real, vulnerable, brutally honest, life on life friendships
• long term and tight knit group

It was all that and more. Not sure I've ever been on a ministry conference or retreat that was better for my inner peace than these few days.

And as a bonus, we stayed in a SWEET donated pad just blocks from the beach/main street pier downtown. But it wasn't really even the location so much as it was the craftsmanship that I fell in love with. I really really LOVE a house with amazing woodwork. I would have just moved my family in and said, we're not going anywhere. I wished I could have been on the design end of this house. It easily has $200,000 in cabinetry and finish work alone. The wainscoting up 3 stories of staircases was to die for and nearly every room had beautiful built in units... not to mention gorgeous hard wood floors throughout.

I know it was really all about the friendships, but dang I dug this house.