Friendships

Today I am sitting next to my oldest son Slade Mitchell in a shooting house deer hunting. This has become a hobby that the two of us love doing together. As we were driving up to the camp we had a blast talking about hunting stories and in my mind, I kept thinking how fast the time is going with him as a child. I am truly thankful to the Lord for these times together and being able to build a foundation for a friendship for life. Today we were riding a four wheeler and I was sitting behind him just hugging him and thinking one day he might be doing this with one of his children.

We also have a tradition that when I come home from work that we go at it in the living room wrestling. He loves trying to take me down and show me how strong he is getting. I better enjoy it while I can because one day he will be faster and stronger than me.

I am loving this season in our life together hunting and truly thankful for one of my dear friends Clark Alday. I met Clark back in the early 1990's through his brother-n-law Seth (who I had the privilege of discipling when he was a student at Troy State). The Lord blessed me with letting me know these men. Seth is far away now in Maryland but Clark lives here in South Alabama and we have been hunting together for years but our friendship goes much deeper than being in the woods. We have had some great times together but we have also cried on each others shoulders over the years. I know Clark loves me and my family and I am truly thankful for his friendship. At the beginning of hunting season, Clark sat with Slade Mitchell wanting to make sure he felt comfortable shooting his rifle. He was truly loving and patient and that made a big impact on Slade Mitchell. Several weeks later Slade Jr. was telling me while we were hunting don't forget to breathe correctly like Mr. Clark said to do.

There are so many great friends I have been blessed to have over the years who have loved me and my family. I pray that I would not let life pass me by and not thank those who have impacted me over the years. I also pray that I would be more intentional with my friends and their kids. It makes a difference.

I love how Christ reminds us to live in Matthew 22:37-40, "You shall love the Lord you God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the greatest and first commandment.  And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets."  This is my prayer for us all as we touch people's lives and build friendships.

Pictured:

Slade McLendon, Slade Mitchell McLendon, and Clark Alday