PALS

Legend has it that after Billy the Kids gang was disbanded and he was shot by Sheriff Pat Garret in the dark, unarmed, he was buried at the graveyard at Old Fort Sumner. Sources say that someone snuck in and chisled a one word epitaph that read "Pals".

I guess I've always had a fondness for Billy the Kid. When I was young I thought "Well HEY! I'm a kid too!!! We have so much in common!" Then when the movie Young Guns was released and I finally pestered my pop enough to let me watch it, it of course deepened my affinity for the wise cracking, loyal, fast drawing (and HIGHLY romanticized) outlaw. But I'm not writing this blog to tell you about Billy the Kid. I am writing to tell you about friends and blessings.

Recently our church started back up an older ministry they had called 4x4s. It is when you are assigned to 3 other couples (4 couples in all for you math majors out there) and are given 4 months (get it? 4x4? eh? pretty nifty huh?) and must meet AT LEAST once a month at each couples suggested place or event. In my group there was Jessica and I, Kyle and Heather, AJ and Ashley, and Robert and Cheryl Gauthier. Now this was kinda neat cause me and Robert and Kyle all already hung out before the reinstatement of 4x4s, so that was fun, also each of our respective wives already had a relationship with each of the other ladies except Ashley. But the real suprise firecracker here is the friendship that has fired up between Kyle, AJ, and myself! (Ashley and Jessica have hit it off and become BFFs. whatever that means.) Well, last night (tuesday night) these guys came over to the house and helped me (tho they may tell you I occasionally helped them and they did most of it) rip up the carpet in the living room and replace it with the laminate wood floors that are currently all the rage.

Kyle knew most of any of us what he was doing having just installed the same type of floor in his home and started us off with a bang and a whirlwind of action. AJ tore right into it as well and they were really working well together and the bad part is...I HAD NO IDEA WHAT TO DO! So I got a little bit defensive at these two younger fellas coming into MY house and doing a better job that ME! Now at this point, I had two choices: Get all sulky and a small attitude, or learn what they were teaching me and GO! Sadly I must confess that I chose the former. I got all sulky and a small attitude. Here's the great thing tho, instead of returning my sourness, these guys called me out on it! They could have acted mad and immature (like me) yet they just were really patient with me and helped me get into the groove (pun intended) of laying these floors down! We had a great time, finished up all but 1 piece in the living room (ran outta material), and I ended up having a great evening working side by side these two great young men.

I wish I would have known AJ better at the time me and Jessica got married. I would have asked him to stand next to me on that day. He has joined the very short list of the best men that I know. Kyle also! He actually called me up this morning and called me out on some stuff I had said to him outside as he showed me up on the manly power tools. He just reassured me that I had no reason to be insecure (really all it was!) about these things. I am learning them the same as everyone else! Just a bit later than most.

Hopefully going on my first varmint shoot next month, also gonna cut down some trees that need clearing. Thanks to my friends I'm exploring all these things and sides of myself that I normally wouldn't if I was all by myself! I am also discovering myself on the husband front, but that is another entry ENTIRELY. lol.

AJ, Kyle, I am honored to call you my friends. I thank God for each of you and your wives. I'm sorry for last night and I thank you for everything. I am at your service as readily as you were at mine.

PALS.





jon