Clay Caissie, aka The Bearded Wonder, is another one of my great friends who I've had the honor of knowing. He's family. He's the kind of friend who I could do life with until I'm old and gray. Clay has taught me more about being a true servant than anyone I've ever known. He lives a self-less life, and anyone that has ever met him can attest to that.
He is the reason I own twelve black pocket t-shirts and wear them 95% of the time...with slight wardrobe exceptions made on Sunday and Date Night. He read somewhere from a monk about simplicity...got rid of his clothes...bought twelve army green shirts...two pairs of pants...a beanie...and some flip-flops. He wanted to simplify his wardrobe in such a way that he didn't have to worry about what he wore each day. He now knows what he will look like everyday when he wakes up. I implemented this technique almost two years ago, and it's the most freeing thing I've done in a long time. However, like me, his endless supply of bags, gadgets, and iphone chargers is another story :)
Clay has recently made the switch to all black, and he looks freaking kick A if you ask me. I recently got to hang out with him in Nashville over Thanksgiving and catch up on life. it was a great time of laughter, good food, beer, and brotherhood. I am hoping we can talk him into moving to Austin real soon...we'll see how it goes. You can find him on twitter @_beardedwonder.
Here are some shots I took of him while we were hanging out in Nashville.
I have had the incredible honor of knowing and living life with Aaron & Jamie Ivey for the last seven years. They have become some of our best friends in life, and I'm thankful that God crossed our paths on the campus of Houston Baptist University. It's the kind of friendship where you stop calling it friendship, and just call it family. We call it a family, because that's what it is. We have seen and experienced so many wonderful things since we moved to Nashville seven years ago. God has taken & is taking all of us on a journey that we will never soon forget. I'm learning that it's not where you end up in life, but it's how you get there that counts. Living life in community is what really counts.
Aaron and Jamie love by example. They have shown us what it means to love selflessly and sacrifice when it comes to their marriage, lives, and children. They have shown Maris and I what it means to live a Godly marriage that makes The Kingdom of God the reason for all things. We have walked with them through three adoptions, and we have seen and learned from their example how our families can and should be a tangible example of what The Kingdom looks like through the lens of adoption...through the lens of The Gospel.
I am so thankful for our friendship...our family. We will be living life, and doing ministry for a long time with the Ivey Family. For that I am greatful...
(all photos shot on 35mm or 120 film)
One of the things I look forward to most in life is spending quality time with the love of my life. One of my favorite ways to spend quality time with her is over breakfast and coffee. We start by getting up, and then putting the water on to boil for french press coffee. We cook scrambled eggs, pancakes or toast, and even some tasty turkey bacon. Little Bush sits in his high-chair and scarfs down his eggs, while my best friend and I sit and talk about life while drinking coffee.
It's a chance for us to reconnect, talk, and engage each other without any distractions. It doesn't take a big date, fancy clothes, or expensive meals. It's just me and my beautiful wife sitting in our sweat pants with our love for each other and life. It's a time where I get to hear what's going on with her and the ministry work she is involved in. It's a time where I can share with her the crazy ideas and dreams I have rolling around in my head. It's a time where we can talk and daydream about our family, our current adventures and stories, and the wonderful things God is doing in our lives. There are times we find ourselves laughing, crying, and even sitting in silence as we reflect on the blessings of life. Bliss.
It's these small moments in our lives that really count for something. I am trying really hard to embrace this present moment. I am learning to really savor the story of life. Once that moment is gone it is gone forever, and it only exists in the memories made and the memories kept. I want to live a life full of wonderful memories, and some of my favorite ones start over breakfast and coffee with the love of my life.
