Meet and listen to my new friend, Adam Jones of North Carolina, Bosnia and Philly

• Listen to Adam's sermon from last Sunday at Chichester United Wesleyan Church in Aston, Pa.
• Read Adam's blog, "Ironies and Musing from, a white, middle-class, twenty something
  

I met Adam Jones, 27, in the same way that a lot of fathers do who have twenty-something daughters.

After hearing "super-pumpkin" talk about him and why he was in the first spot on her list as a "guy-of-interest", we got a chance to meet him.  When I shook his hand for the first time, my dad instincts immediately reached back into my memories of the film "Meet The Parents." 

Knowing that this guy could have some serious long range possibilities with favorite daughter, I instinctively kicked his tires.    I tried to be nice about it.  But, having been trained as a professional question-asker from one of the world's great universities, I started my "who, what, when, where, how, why and so-what." 

I really wanted to find out what made this guy tick.  My daughter was relaxed and my son laughed and my wife smiled during our visit in Washington, D.C.

And, here's what I learned:

• He's a great guy, very authentic, motivated, a ton of passion, humble and sincerely cares for my daughter.
• He has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  That seems to be number one in his life.  Everything is driven by this.  It sets his goals, his values and his relationships.  Super-cool.
• He's a servant.  He puts others ahead of himself.  At least, that's the way it seems from our first meeting and from conversations with my daughter.
• He's not afraid to get his hands dirty.  In fact, he seems to thrive on it. 
• He's trained and ordained as a pastor in the Wesleyan Church.  But, he seems to have a tentmaker mindset not unlike the Apostle Paul.  His church is where he works and where he lives.
• Right now, he's working as a waiter at a Champs Restaurant near Delaware while he's involved with a local church.
• Okay, there's a bunch more.  I learned about his love of sports, various books, his mission work in Bosnia, his parents and much more.

"Super-pumpkin", I'm impressed.  I am even more impressed with you.  You are a woman of character and discernment.  You are a total winner.