Chasing Amy

So, my friend Amy mentions that several times she's stopped by The Diner and I'm prattling on about regrets I have and rarely (if ever) talk about the choices I made that I'm actually pleased I made.

So, here goes:

I'm glad that I married Tracy, that's for sure. Proverbs says a lot about the value of choosing a good wife, and I don't know that my diagnostic skills at that stage in my life were all that keen (it's like I found a diamond that I was looking for, but didn't know the value of diamond), but she's definitely made me happy. I know guys who can't say that.

I'm glad that I chose to go to Auburn University. I made great friends, had great times, and discovered who I was and what I was about there under the discipleship of my friend Charles (and who never swayed me off my dispensational background into his Covenant theology world despite MANY attempts). And Bo Jackson and Charles Barkley were there at that time so the sports were winning and therefore more fun. I made a C+ grades at a state-school football-factory, and deep down I don't regret it.

I'm glad I chose Dallas Theological Seminary for my post-grad education. I'm not sure I'll ever regret that. And I'm glad I worked hard and became so much more than a C+ student at a state-school football-factory.

I'm glad got my youth ministry stripes with Youth for Christ. There's no better way to start your ministry than doing high school outreaches on public high school campuses...and the training YFC gives staff is top-drawer. It's the ministry that had Billy Graham on their staff before he was "Billy Graham." It was an honor to serve over five years at almost every local level with them.

I'm glad Tracy and I were sensitive to Him in stepping away from a very large ministry at a time when I was making lots of progress "up the ladder." We learned so much about ourselves and our God and our faith in Him during that time.

I'm glad that I'm still doing youth ministry right here in the FlowerPlex, and I'm certainly glad to have come to Crossroads. Working for Tim Stevenson and doing ministry alongside him (and on this staff) has been one of the highest honors in my life...and I'd say that if he fired me tomorrow.

I'm glad that I fell in love with baseball at an early age...even if my new team seems to fall short of the playoffs every year, and my old team wins the division for a decade and a half but never wins the World Series.

I'm glad we got Lloyd. He's a great dog...and I'm glad we had Buford, the greatest of all dogs before the demise. I'm glad we keep dogs in our house.

I'm glad I chose to get ordained because I get to do so many weddings even if I get all sappy about them.

I'm glad I've been to Amsterdam, New York City, the Rocky Mountains (in winter and summer), Disney World, Gulf Shores and San Francisco.

I'm glad we let Joshua and Kendra live with us for various stretches.

I'm glad we got a DVR.

I'm glad I like to read. Everything from Dr. Suess to Frances Schaeffer and anything and everything in-between.

I'm glad I dated my high school girlfriend. It was a great choice for a high school girlfriend...even if it wasn't necessarily a great choice for a wife and even if the break-up took a while to get over.

I'm glad I joined a fraternity and roomed with Hollywood. It was definitely a good match in roommate choices.

I'm glad me and all my friends worked a couple of summers and weekends at Green Valley Country Club. I don't remember all the hard work but I remember every funny thing that happens when you give 16 year olds the keys to golf carts, tractors, Cushmans and such and then leave them alone to water the greens at night.

And, I could do this all day, but I'm glad I've got a job to go to.