Well...It was a matter of time...

So, my daughter gives me the heads up that a young boy is interested in taking her out on a date. Being the good daughter she is she informs the young lad that he needs to come to my home and chat with me. So..he does. The talk went well but here are some highlights of the conversation. If anyone has any questions or comments please let me know.

* The Treasure Chest - I used this example when talking to the young man. If you had a treasure chest worth million of dollars inside would you let just "anyone" hold it or keep it? Of course not. I explained to him that Vanessa is a treasure chest and it's my job to protect that treasure until she gets married.

* Are you a Godly man...or a man who believes in God? - Last year Vanessa wrote a top ten list for the things she is looking for in a husband. Her #1 thing listed was a Godly man. So as I spoke to him I let him know believing in God isn't enough...even the demons believe in God. That he had to be a believer and follow of Christ. That all the items on the list wouldnt matter if #1 wasnt met. Furthermore, the person who would be in Vanessa's life needed to be a person who treated her with a level of respect that God would be proud of and also expect from a young man.

* We're not the average family - I don't accept what "everybody" else does...nor do I really care. My standards are high and I let him know that. In fact I told him that my rules are different than anyone else he has probably dated....he agreed :)

• First, my wife and I need to know him before she goes out on a "date". So we invited him to come over..visit with the family..and get to know us. This process could take however long we deem it to be. My wife and I don't see dating as something that should be taken so casually. When emotions become invested into someone else then the whole famly becomes involved.
• When the day comes when he's allowed to go out with her it won't be one on one. It'll be in a group setting with other friends. (He has a look of bewilderment during this time but oh well LOL)
• The one on one date.

* Sex is.. - I'm sure I'll have a bunch of people who may disagree with me on this but...I dont care :) I let the young lad know that no matter what...sex is left for marriage. If this wasnt acceptable to him then he should find another hen house. Period.

* Honor and Respect - I made it clear. Honor my wife and treat her well when you visit. Respect me by obeying my rules.

So....school is in session....

Call Mr. Bill!!!!

Sometime back one of the families in our church had an interesting situation happen which gave me some time for pause. This couple's son was learning how to use the potty. During the pee-pee process the lid came crashing down on him...the rest you can imagine on your own. As he yelled and screamed he was bleeding a bit. So they took him to the hospital to be checked out. That following Sunday the family came up to me and let me in on what had happened. Mom followed up by saying "He really wanted you to know about this. As soon as the injury occurred he said, we need to call Mr. Bill!" So here I sit..humbled..that the children in our church would think to call Mr. Bill when suffering from the war wounds of potty training....

-The Hispanic Crusader

So, How's the Cow?

My grandfather is a man of tremendous patience and understanding. Some years back my father was sharing a story with me which has become part of Avila folklore. My aunt, while driving in the backwoods of Mexico, had hit a cow. The car was the only car my grandfather had and the only car shared amongst most of my aunts. My aunt calls my grandfather who ends up borrowing a car to get to this remote location which apparently takes hours to get to. During this time she's was dreading the lecture she was about to receive. Like any one of us she played the situation over and over in her head. When my grandfather arrived he walked up to the car, which was demolished, and slowly approached my aunt. She remained quiet and my grandfather simply asked, "So, how's the cow?" Now..that's the kind of understanding dad I would like to be....



Bill

Can You Hear Me Now????

While at Disney I had a moment to "people" watch. Lauren and I were having breakfast at the hotel restaurant. We had a good time, we joked about all sorts of things and the breakfast was rather pleasant. But something struck me as I watched all these people from different parts of the country and all parts of the world...they had something in common....something that made the place noticeably more silent...most everyone kept checking their phones for text messages or emails. The situation was almost saddening. Whole families were seated together with very little to any conversations going on. Heads were down in the prayer position but instead of praying their thumbs were typing away on the phone. Some children, who didn't have phones, were playing away on the DS. Perhaps an attempt by Mom an Dad to keep the child quiet. Who knows. What I do know is despite our advances we've taken so many steps backwards. Phone's once brought people together. Relatives and friends who were 100's or 1000's of miles a part were able to speak to each other more frequently. However, now the phone serves as a distraction to keep us from the very basics of communication. Friendly hand shakes are replaced with a "poke" on Facebook. The once elegant art of letter writing is lost to an email language obscured by LOL's and BRB's. Families no longer talk at the dinner table but instead meet in some fantasy land chat room. Make it your goal to talk...not on the phone...but eye to eye. And here's a crazy idea...write a letter....using a pen and paper..no keyboard allowed.

Bill

What's Your Mark?

My daughter and I had the opportunity to go to Disney for the weekend. It was a blessed weekend and we had a wonderful time. During the visit we stopped into one of the museums that focused on the life and times of Walt Disney. We walked around the museum in awe of the creation he built. One particular display caught my attention. During a trip back to his old school he saw an old desk which he had carved his initials into. He purchased the desk and it is now on display in his museum.

What's your mark? What have you done that will leave an impression for people in this lifetime? Walt Disney said "it was all started by a mouse." The first step was a vision..the next step was making that vision a reality. What's your vision...? Make a difference...make your mark...

Bill Avila