I got a tweet from an old friend who was chagrined because he wasn’t listed as one of my mentors.  Fixed.  Since this is the revision of an old series I will give him the designation 3.5

My first memory was of Steve and Tim Merello listening to a CD of potential serenade songs for Sig Eps (My fraternity).  I won’t try to recreate the moment, if he doesn’t remember it and I ‘do’ there might be an argument that I would lose.

I think often of my years living in the Sig Ep House (3.5 years).  I roomed with 4 different guys, 4 different rooms.  I didn’t drink or smoke while I was there.  If I could go back I would smoke a lot.  And drink some.  As a 19 year old fraternity guy I didn’t drink.  As a 34 year old pastor I probably love beer above all beverages not named coffee.  What in the world?

How did living with those men mentor me?  I will probably have to think about this for awhile, but I love (d) being a Sig Ep, loved living there, was prideful when Christians thought it was weird, and maybe even more so when professors did.

Frankly, I just don’t know who I would be if I hadn’t lived there.  Weak right?  I hope I learned to be less judgmental (in the bad way: ontologically).  I know I had fun and that it was good for me socially and academically.  I feel like I hung out a medium amount.  If I could do it over again I would hang out more.  That’s about all I know for sure.

There is the time I wore an Elvis costume for a skit (from Honeymoon in Vegas)…

There were all the times I was at the Diner after 2:00 AM eating a Stretch…

There was almost unanimous unconditional respect for my lifestyle choices…

There was certainly grace for the many many stupid things I did while in college…

There were the times that I had 8 other people in my 2 door MX-6…  It was a 5 speed…  Shifting was sometimes a challenge.

I know I loved it.