Storm clouds were beginning to gather over the mountains. Rain was coming and the late summer thunder rolled in the distance over the town of Monument, Colorado. I glanced at the clock in the car.
7:00 PM.
It had been a long day—actually a long few days. Turning into the driveway, the running lights swept across the bushes, guiding me into the garage. My ride home from the airport had been uneventful, but I was exhausted. Eager to be reunited with Jean and the boys, I couldn’t wait to walk through the door, put down my bags and catch up on what I had missed. If I were lucky, there might even be some leftovers with my name on them.
A few members of the Focus team and I had been visiting ministry friends in Jacksonville, Florida, and Atlanta, Georgia. Over the course of nearly four days, we had met with more than a thousand people. What terrific folks! Highlights included a conversation with Bob and Pam Tebow, parents of the University of Florida’s Heisman Trophy winner, Tim Tebow. On Saturday, I attended a board meeting of the World Children’s Center. On Sunday morning, we attended a worship service at The Church of the Apostles, where our good friend, Dr. Michael Youssef, serves as senior pastor.
How encouraging it is to see and talk with fellow Christians.
But now it was time to turn my attention to Jean, Trent and Troy. The boys threw their arms around me, big bear hugs and kisses. “Hi Dad!” they hollered. What sweet sounds, music to my ears, 
really.
I was ready for some rest, but the boys were eager to play. I glanced at Jean, who smiled back, as if to say, “They’ve been waiting all day for this.”
Trent disappeared. In a flash he was back, holding a box containing his 799-piece Lego set. Seven-hundred ninety-nine pieces!
Now, those who know me would tell you that I’m not the most detail-oriented kind of guy. I love the big picture, lean toward the grand plans, not the blueprints chronicling the path of the pipes in the wall.
“This is great, Dad!” Trent shouted. “Let’s build!”
I smiled. I got it. Getting some rest would have to wait, at least for a few hours.
In many ways, the task of putting together a 799-piece Lego set is a lot like the challenge of assimilating back into the home after a few days on the road. It doesn’t necessarily happen all at once. It isn’t always easy. Sometimes, you need to reassemble things piece by piece as you reconnect with your loved ones. Every piece, however small, has its place.
After I’ve been gone for a few days, I try to ask a lot of questions to reengage the boys. I find it’s best when they do the talking and I listen as they tell me about their world. Sure, we talk on the phone when I’m out of town, but there’s something extra special between us that happens when we’re face to face.
How did we do with the Lego project? We didn’t quite get all those plastic pieces put together. In fact, I think there were several hundred still left in the box. But, it was a start, and Trent was happy.
And boy, was it ever good to be home.
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