Our lives have been in transition…and probably will be for quite some time.  And even though our move has been remarkably smooth, that doesn’t mean there haven’t been a few bumps in the road.

One of the hardest things has been helping Ezra adapt to a whole new world (yes, I sang that while I typed it…but not while flying through the sky on a magic carpet…oh how I wish…), including a brand new school.  School is something that Ezra has always loved.  I can’t think of a time in the last year and a half that Ezra was not crazy pumped about going to school.  He loved his teacher, he loved his friends, he loved the celebration that ensued upon his arrival at class…everything was cool at school.

So, as I watched through the window on his 4th day at his new school, my heart hurt to see how hard it must be for him to make this big change.  Ezra stood still for a long time close to the doorway.  Then he wandered around the room, standing by several groups of kids playing, and just watched them.  He didn’t speak to anyone.  They didn’t speak to him.  I think I probably felt more lonely for him in that moment than he did. He may never even remember it…but I don’t think I’ll ever forget.

Its tough to be the new kid.

A lot of emotions come to the surface in moments like that.  No one was being mean to Ezra…no one was purposefully trying to make him feel out of place, but it brought to mind so many times in my life where I’ve felt discarded…or unwanted…or just lost and wandering.  And I only watched him 12 minutes.

I’m always learning new things about being a daddy, and I’m learning through this about letting him have his own experiences away from me, even though they might be painful or just awkward.  As a daddy, I don’t want to see my children hurt, and I don’t want to rob them of the moments that they can grow from.

Like I said, Ezra will probably not even remember this stuff, and its probably way harder on Crystal and I to watch than it is on him.  He won’t be the new kid forever… and though I’m biased, I’m fully confident that Ezra’s magnetic personality will soon win over some great friends at his new school.  It probably won’t be long before he’s hosting auditions for his new band (seriously).

Everybody has been the new kid at some point in their lives.  And right now, I’m the new kid at Northside.  I seem to be making friends alright (pretty sure at least), but there’s still a monster learning curve, not just in ministry, but to life in general down here.  And there are probably still plenty of moments ahead that I will continue to be finding my fit…and for those, I am thankful because I know I can grow from them.