I have to say this is a special season for me.  I am quite often overwhelmed at the enormity of what I am taking on at this time in my life.  I have three children 5 years and under, I am running a business as a sole proprietor, and planting a church in an area where it is far more than frowned upon.  Every area of my life is challenged and I have to be engaged completely or else suffer the consequences.  It is what I call a stretching season.  No, I am not doing yoga, I am talking about my inside.  The good thing I have learned in the last 10 years of my life is that when I allow the stretching, my capacity increases.  I think this season makes or breaks many people, marriages and families.  Right now most of my friends are in the same stage with young children.  I can also say that 9 out of 10 of my friends come from broken families as I did.  When I look at them and how they are raising their children and investing in their marriage, it really makes me feel good.  I can also say that 10 out of 10 are committed to keeping there families together at all costs.  I just hosted several couples at a vacation spot in Hood River that I rented for our vacation.  We wanted to share this beautiful place with them so we had a fat barbeque to kick off our vacation.  You know, our time together is definitely different than it used to be (prekids).  Most of our time is spent keeping our kids alive, comforting the scrapes and collisions, changing diapers, training and discipline.  I have a deep sense of pride when I think about my friends.  It actually lessens the pain of my own youth when I see men my age loving their children and wives.  It means even more to me when they are gutting the whole thing out without the backdrop of a committed family.  I have to say I am surrounded by incredible men, all struggling in different areas of life, but fighting for the right things.   It is amazing to hear how a father asked the Lord and his son for forgiveness when he missed the mark on any certain area.  I really believe God honors that and we are going to see a turn in our culture.  There is a generation of men coming, and I know they will impact the nation in a positive way.  How do I know?  I just look at my friends.