a fella

Annie and I had dinner with some Evan and Kim Griffin the other night at Chinatis (maybe the best pizza in Cincinnati?) and had a great time with some of our oldest friends. (take that however you like)
 
I've known Evan for twenty years(ish) now and there aren't three people I look up to more than him.  He's a little hard to describe, but if you know Fulller - think of an older, wiser, more athletic and insightful guy that's less sarcastic, less commitment phobic, about the same height, visits less churches and doesn't wear elf shoes.  Notice I didn't say sexier or with less hair.  I'd say they're equal in both departments.  Boom!  (too strong? I mock those I love)
 
Annie says that every time I meet with Evan it costs me twenty bucks.  That's because I always walk away with a ripped up napkin with the name of a book I've "got to read Murph".  He's the boy who cried book.  Every book is the greatest...even if he hadn't finished it yet.
 
I'll buy whatever book Evan tells me to because Evan has earned the right in my life to gently encourage me to think about some new things.  I've watched his life enough to know that maybe following after some of the same things Evan seems to go after might not be a bad way to go (Heb. 13:7ish).  He's been a great example to me of an older (much) guy who loves his wife, family and friends in a way that's uncompromising, full of grace and tons of truth. 
 
Evan has had more impact on others than anyone I've ever met.  He's had more impact on people than any organization or church I've ever seen.  He's talked about this idea of one on one time and investing in people's lives for so long, that now I get to see some of the fruit.  He's impacted tens of thousands through himself, and the people he's mentored doing the same...and so on...and so on.  He's not about events, he's about conversations...and most of us could learn from that.  It takes longer in the short run...but over time, it just wins...

When Annie and I were thinking of names for our first little Murphy, Griffin came up because of the influence that Evan Griffin has had on my life.  To be honest, if Evan's name was Gern Blansten...I'm not sure we would have gone that way.  It was a combo of influence and a great name, but I'm not sure what more I could say about Evan than that our Griffin was named with the hope that he too would live out his life for others, and impacts tens of thousands...