woods on a day when it was clear outside and about 25 degrees. We went to Jubilee State Park and spent about 45 minutes hiking, walking over fallen logs, looking at the trees covered in ice and scaring all the wildlife for a good two mile radius. Gavin took a header running down a hill and wailed at the top of his lungs, Caleb spotted a downy woodpecker and I was filled with wonder that I get the opportunity to shape these two boys (and of course, two others, as well, eventually).
There was a moment in the woods, where I thought of John Eldredge's Wild at Heart, and this idea, that one of my jobs is to teach my boys what it means to be men -- real men. I don't mean the macho man stereotype that is so prevalent today, but I don't mean the "sissified" version either. I was specifically thinking today of overcoming fears -- having the confidence to try, where you might be afraid of failing -- or falling in this case.
Today the lessons were to (1) overcome some fears (like walking across downed logs covered in ice and snow), (2) that dad loves to be with them in the woods and (3) Gavin learned that deer, as a rule, don't generally attack you (especially when you're as loud as the two of them are!)
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