I received an instant message from one of the teenagers at church last night at about 10 p.m. informing me that a friend of theirs from High School had been killed in a ATV accident and that another student was also seriously injured and not expected to make it. The students were both freshman at Pekin High School. Just about 4 weeks ago, three other PCHS students were killed in a tragic car accident. The trama from that event is still affecting many of the students in our church, almost one month later. Now with this newest tagedy, I'm quite concerned that it will throw the school into a funk that it will be difficult to get past.

I'm reminded of the first loss of a close friend when I was a student in College. His name was Chris, and he was killed in a car accident shortly after I had accepted Christ and left to study for the ministry. The thing that sticks with me is the sorrow that I have at not having shared my personal faith in Christ with Chris before he died. I hope that if nothing else these students begin to take seriously the fact that life is short and uncertain, and that they would make it a point to begin sharing their faith more regularly.

All of that doesn't change that fact that the loss of these two young men will be felt for quite some time. I just pray that we all would take our mission from God to share the message of hope in Christ more seriously.

I've been late getting home the last two nights. Usually when I get home late things are pretty chaotic. Steph will be running around finishing dinner. Helena will be working on homework. Brenna will be tearing the living room apart. Whie Mia is crying about a lack of food. All the while the television would be creating additional noise in the background.

The last two days have been different. Steph, without my knowing, had determined that she was going to begin leaving the television off until after the girls have gone to bed in the evening, usually around 9 p.m. I'm telling you I love the advent of the DVR...can't watch it live...DVR it...then watch it whenever you want...then rewind it and watch it in slow motion...what a great invention!

Anyway, becuase of Steph's genious...the last two nights have been great. I've actually been able to play with my daughters: hide and seek, dollhouse, and starwars...yes, I said "dollhouse". I was reminded tonight of just how different little boys and little girls are. While playing with Brenna, I imediately fell into "macho GI joe mode" trying to break into the dollhouse with a Sharkman mcdonalds toy. While Brenna simply wanted to place the grandma and grandpa dolls on the sofa and have them watch television. It was a great night.

I've been thinking a lot about growing up lately. I've been a father for 8 years now, but I'm just now starting to mature and see myself as a grown-up father. I'm thinking it's becuase I'll be turning 30 in a few days, but what do I know. But in some weird way, playing dollhouse reminded me that I'm growing up...how bizarre is that?