When I moved to Nashville I worked at a restaurant on West End Ave. I'll be honest. Not the best job in the world. What it did for me that was great was introduce me to some people who'd end up being long term friends.
One such friend is Chris Boeskool.
For those of you reading right now who don't know how on God's green earth to pronounce that last name let me help you.
Such a great blog. Seriously! Read it.
I casually talked with Chris from time to time while we worked together but for the most part we were on completely different planes. Or Plains. Somehow I think either one works.
He was seeking and searching out his faith and trying to articulate beliefs as he rounded the corner toward thirty years of age.
I was working for the tips to get enough money to go out and get drunk every night as I was rounding the same age corner.
Then several years ago I found him in the Facebook and started paying attention to what he was writing and posting and such.
What I found was a guy willing to live out loud his wrestling match with his faith tradition and push back the assumptions made from an ancient text.
Today he writes a blog.
I know. Everyone seems to be writing a blog these days. Shucks, you're reading one right now. But his blog is a whole other level kind of blog. He writes from the heart in an unapologetic, poke the bear while loving all people kind of way.
His blog's tag line is "Jesus, Politics and bathroom humor."
Never could there be a clearer descriptor.
He writes about social justice through the eyes of a Christian.
He writes about the candidates during the presidential race.
If this photo doesn't satisfy your giggle maker I'm not sure what to tell you.
He writes about farts.
Come on! Who amongst us doesn't like a good fart blog. I know I do.
But what sets Chris apart for me isn't necessarily his blogs themselves. It's the comment moderation he takes on in the aftermath of posting.
A few months ago when the anti-social social media monster blew up with Kim Davis: Hero or Heretic Chris was right there.
He was certainly not agreeing with Ms. Davis. In fact he called what she and the "never miss a moment" politicians were doing as he saw it.
I might add he disagreed with them just in case you decide not to read The Boeskool.
So when the Huffington Post picked up his blog post he was bombarded by the most hateful Christians I've ever had the misfortune of reading.
This is the pic. The picture that best defines the Chris Boeskool I know. The people in back are saying and proclaiming horrible things and Chris takes that moment to laugh at the hipocracy.
They came at him with guns ablazin' anf the bible verses at him like throwing stars.
I would pop on every once and a whole to read their hateful words thinking I'd need to submit a word of encouragement to my friend as he was barraged.
What I found was this calm, cool, collected response to nearly every single comment that had just the right measure of sarcasm, humor and love.
I was, and still am, amazed at how Chris is able to read these words and seem to not take them personally.
What's equally impressive to me is the fact that if ANY of these people were stranded on the side of the road or found themselves being bullied he would do everything possible to help.
So today I give #thisiscrazylove2016 to Chris Boeskool. When I grow up I want to be just like you.