always ...

I love having individual time with each of my kiddos. To be one on one with them, doing something special they each enjoy, talking, laughing, making memories. Well, last night I got a chance to do just that with my son. We went to a Switchfoot concert together. Us, along with my nephew and sister-in-law. And we had a blast!

It was an awesome concert. Switchfoot put on a great show (loud and fun, with a positive message ... great for the kiddos) ... but the time together was priceless. We laughed, sang, whispered, and have now talked about it ever since.

It was a fairly small venue, but still there was quite a few people there ... kids with parents, groups with youth pastors, teenagers, twenty-somethings, all ages. Once the doors opened we staked our claim against a railing near the back above a ramp area. That way the boys could sit on the railing and have a perfect view. Once the band took the stage the lights were lowered and you could feel the excitement. But at the same time we noticed a man climbing up on the railing right next to us. A little alarmed I guess, I held onto my son. The man sat down and when we looked up at him, (after a long moment) realized that it was the lead singer of Switchfoot! He had entered through the back of the building, found his place to sit quietly for a moment, then with a single spotlight on him, sang the entire first song the show right there next to us! The look on my sons face (and nephew's) was sheer excitement, plus a little shock. While the lead singer sang he looked down several times and as a parting moment shook hands and "high-fived" my sweet boy! Of course, I hadn't brought my camera in with us, as I thought it would be too cumbersome ... yet the moment was awesome. And the picture will remain in our heads forever. Probably better than any photograph could have done it justice. I think some experiences are simply better left as shared memories.

This was definitely one of them! Good times ...