And He Will Direct Your Path

You can imagine the way I put my hand to the proud heart beating within my chest when I happened upon the journal Alpha Male kept at camp.

I found it while examining the small pile of items I’d taken out of the studio during remodeling, and now sifted through to determine their worthiness (or lack thereof), and whether to return them to favored spots on the wall or on the shelves.

Two summers back he and several buddies left the confines of pre-pre-adolescence and, for one week, lived in loin cloths and war paint and bonfires over which they cooked the day’s kill. They chanted ancient ritualistic intonations, calling down on their enemies no small portion of Hell’s wrath and, to be sure, Heaven’s blessing upon themselves.

Meaning they went to camp and spent their days being boys and indulging in all manner of Boy Stuff, while rounding out the Whole Man with a fair measure of spiritual exercise, thought, and meditation. As you can see.

This is the only thing I found he’d written in his journal and I’ll treasure it forever.

John 3:16 and Proverbs 3:5-6.

What more could a father hope for his son? What finer wisdom could a child lean into, gather about himself, and equip his young heart and mind while, bravely, he steps forward into the world and ma—

…wait a minute…there seems to be more.

Oh dear.