Back and Better Than Ever

Dirty clothes, elven-sized toiletries, and random bits and baubles are still strewn about the house but that's okay because MY GUYS ARE HOME!!!

They arrived under the cover of dark in the wee hours of Sunday morning and then hit the hay. Ben and I spent the morning at church while the boys rested. Once home, he needed to eat and catch up on sleep. Then, finally, we got to talk about the trip.

I so enjoyed hearing about all of their adventures. God definitely protected the team in several instances. They formed an amazing bond and had so many inside jokes and little stories. I'm so grateful.

I love that God always knows what we need. When Ben and Luke decided to participate in this trip, they thought it would be a good bonding experience for them as father-son. And it was, but it turns out that Luke was also able to bond with several other people in the group, as well.

This is so important and such a blessing for a 14-year-old boy. He's at such a crucial time in his life and he needs input and friendship and encouragement from those who are wiser and further along in their faith.

Luke's been so blessed with good friends -  boys that he will probably know and keep up with for years and years to come. I'm thankful for them. It's normal and understandable that we seek out those who are in the same stage of life as we are, but there's some element of the "blind leading the blind" in these relationships.

What Luke was able to experience was more of a mentorship - albeit in an informal way - and it made a true impact on him. He found that he can talk with and connect with adults that aren't his family. Through the encouragement of the adults on the team, he learned that his voice and presence are valuable - something adults don't always remember and communicate well to youth.

This entire experience was amazing for both of my guys, but I'm thrilled to see how it impacted Luke. He probably can't even articulate all of the ways it changed him, but I'm sure he'll be benefiting for a long time to come.

 

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