For the third and final service of today, I went with a new look altogether: earth tones that portray South Dakota well, especially this time of year. White FC dress shirt + buffalo nickel cufflinks Wool knit tie Brown herringbone vest Grey herringbone tweed jacket Cotton PS with burgundy/mahogany border Sandstone wrangler jeans Sage trout socks Cole Haan brogues

The altar colors for today are pink. The only other time in the year this happens is the Fourth Sunday in Lent. It is also known as Gaudete Sunday, Gaudete meaning Joy in Latin. It represents a change in the penitential nature of Advent to upcoming joy of Christmas. This is also why there is a pink candle on your Advent Wreath. So my outfit for the day starts with a pink shirt. From there, I have dressed for the weather with a light grey flannel sports coat with a window pane, dark charcoal flannel trousers and black Allen Edmund derbies with a dainite souls. The outfit is finished off with a black and pink checked bow tie and a dark pink pocket square. My outerwear includes my grey Pendleton over coat, caribou Stetson Temple and a Scottish cashmere scarf.

Good afternoon gentlemen As I was watching football games after church and I recall wanting to be like Fran Tarkington, Roger Starback, Dan Marino, and so many other athletes. Back then us wanting to be like them had nothing to do with how much money they made but out their ability to make plays and their talents. But as I got older I began to watch my father and my grandfathers, uncles, because of their positions they had in their fields, the time they put into their careers and families and the ability to balance all of it. Now days kids look at athletes, actors, performers, not because of their abilities but because of the money they make. Some unfortunately look at some that have criminal minds and behaviors because of what they can get away with. I know many of us have young men in or around our lives that we can pour into positive qualities and attributes that will shape their futures. We have a responsibility to lead young men in a way that will help them to succeed in life. If we do not take the initiative, we leave it up to them to follow those who might not be the best influence . Don’t get me wrong I am not saying that all athletes, performers, celebrities are bad influences by any means. But what I am saying, it if we do not take the initiative to teach them what are the good influences and how to balance their desires with the foundation of being gentlemen and career minded men, we are leaving it up to them to find path that might lead down the wrong path. These young men need to not only have a solid foundation but also how and why to have a plan “B” for if or when they either don’t reach their plan “A” or if something cause them to have to change from their plan “A” . This is also why we have to mindful of what we do, how we act, and how we carry and present ourselves even when we think no one is watching or paying attention, be because you never know who is watching or paying attention. So let’s lead by example and be intentional an all that we do.