Thankful Thursday on...

Friday. I am purposely a day late because my gratitude is for last night's event.

Chess and Pele are at Boy Scouts Camp all week and last night was Family Night where we got to see all that they are doing. Last year we didn't have this particular opportunity so I was very glad to see them this year.

They were absolutely grungy. Absolutely stinky. One mom said, "Umm, rotten peaches." Absolutely smeared, bruised, scratched, and sweaty from head to toe. Absolutely delightful.

I was really thrilled to see how genuinely well they looked, in the fullest sense of boyhood and its grime. Big smiles on their faces, laughter with their friends, hugs and kisses for me.

Absolutely thankful for the Lord's safekeeping of them, for the many things they have learned, and for the fact that one day they will nostalgically remember these days as the best days ever. Sweaty memories.

I am writing this today so I can re-read it on Saturday when they return home with the mountain of laundry.