Meeting in Chicago

It snowed today in Philadelphia. Worst snowstorm in 3 years. It reminded me of Charity and my first meeting. We first "met" in Chicago last winter. For about 6 months, we had never seen each other face to face. Fortunately, I already had plans to go to Chicago for my 10 year college reunion. As many of you know, I attended Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. Every February, they cancel classes and have a conference called 'Founder's Week'. We decided this would be a perfect time to meet up.

I flew out a few days before Founder's Week got underway. You've already heard about Charity's test for me with the kids at her church. After spending a weekend meeting her family and her church family, we headed to Chicago where my test awaited her. I wanted Charity to meet my college buddies and also one of my teens who's a current student there.

Most of the week (except for some reunion formalities) was spent traipsing around downtown Chicago visiting my old college haunts. In this picture, you'll see my friends Laura Beth (a missionary in Uganda), Drew (a groomsman and my best friend in college), Leo (another 'Dryer guy') and, of course, Charity. There were also tons of people not pictured in this one.

Charity was a great sport. It isn't easy having to tag along with a bunch of old pals who were preoccupied with catching up. It snowed that week too. But we weren't deterred. Whether it was walking a mile up to the pancake house we always went to on Saturday mornings, or going coffeehouse hopping (being sure to hit every place we ever went in 4 years at college), or walking over to Lake Michigan in the middle of a blizzard, poor Charity came along dutifully and without complaint.

But she sure made an impression.

My former teen who's now a student said, "Jason, I love her, you have to marry her."

Lisa K. (Drew's wife) said, "Jason, if you don't marry her, I'm divorcing Drew, becoming a lesbian and marrying her myself." (she was kidding, I think, but luckily we don't need to find out!)

Lisa C. said, "She's so beautiful...you absolutely have to make her your girlfriend."

But it was Drew who voiced the prophetic words, "Jason, this weekend was really something special. I'm so glad that we got to be a part of what's bound to be a cherished memory."

He was right. Our first meeting went off without a hitch (almost, but that's Charity's story to tell). It was something special and a treasured memory for us. And for our part, we're so glad that so many people got to share it with us. Thanks y'all.