There are big culture and spiritual things going on in our lives right now–many of them to do with just getting older and the kids really “owning” their own lives, but also in terms of global and national events and changes in the community we have been a part of our whole lives. Some of my very best friends have died (Warren B. and Al R. in particular. I was feeling a little sad yesterday when I noticed this picture of Warren and I from the time I visited him when he worked in St. Thomas, V.I. I could be mistaken, but I think this picture was taken from above Trunk Bay in St. John. He was the best of friends. Al was that way, too. Whenever we had not seen each other for a long time, we would just start up where we left off. I had to hold nothing back from either of them and they would call me out when we disagreed, but they did it agreeably. They are both gone now, but I am grateful for the times I had with them. It is really good for me to remember people who loved Jesus and lifted me in my always too weak efforts to follow Him. Al and Warren were both that way.