Ready for C.S. Lewis College?

This weekend, I will be driving with my wife and son out to the campus of what will become C.S. Lewis College. Sited on what was formerly the Northfield Seminary, founded by D.L. Moody in 1879, this beautiful property, with its handsome buildings and rich history, is currently in the process of being restored. Wherever one walks on its hillsides, the skill of dedicated artisans and contractors is everywhere in evidence.

In a time of economic uncertainty, I see all of this as a springtime of hope. A campus shuttered for many years is being reborn. The legacies of D.L. Moody and C.S. Lewis have come together, and will go on together.

I also remember moments from my first stay in Northfield last summer. One evening, honored guests and service project volunteers from Vacation with a Purpose (VWAP) attended a very special concert given by Noel Paul Stookey of Peter, Paul and Mary. My wife Kelly was away on a business trip, so my four-year-old son Sam and I were set to have some good father/son time with all those who had come.

It was a night I shall long remember, especially for little Sam's sake. At dinner, I was asked to sit at Noel's table and tell him a bit about my work on the film Amazing Grace. I felt privileged to do so, and it was then I introduced Sam to him -- a particular pleasure, since Peter, Paul and Mary's live recording of "The Garden Song" is one that Sam loves to sing along with.

Sam was able to visit with Noel for a few moments at the close of the sound check. He could not have been kinder, or more thoughtful. He let Sam strum the strings of his guitar, and as Sam did, he fingered chords and began to sing: "This is Sam's song -- these are Sam's chords." It was an impromptu song, just for Sam. Those few moments, seeing Sam's eyes light up, and the smiles that he and Noel shared, were very special.

Noel then posed for a picture with Sam, and showed a gift for playful banter with a child that reminded me very much of the way that Bill Cosby is with children -- radiating great, good and infectious humor. I loved hearing Sam laugh with his new friend.

Before the concert began, I was asked to offer a word of prayer. I was honored that Dr. Stan Mattson, the President of the C.S. Lewis Foundation, extended this invitation to me.

As I got up to pray, I had to carry Sam to the stage, as he was a bit tired and clingy. I thought little about it, since I have often done this. Sam usually rests quietly on my shoulder until I've finished speaking. He's very good that way.

But that night, as Stan later said, "the Lord of the Dance had something else in mind." As I started to pray, Sam began to repeat what I was saying. What unfolded next was spontaneous and touching. Realizing I now had to offer a prayer that a little boy could understand, I said these words:

"Dear God, please bless Mr. Moody's house, please bless this new house -- Mr. Lewis's house, and please bless all the children who will come here. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Sam said all of these words, as only a little boy can. And when I began to say "in Jesus' name" -- he skipped right to the end of this familiar close and said, rather loudly, "Amen!"

Nothing, as it turned out, could have been more fitting. Following the concert, people stopped by again and again to say how much little Sam's prayer had touched them. The next morning, more friends took time to say the same thing. It was an unlooked-for blessing.

And then, to cap the evening, Noel sang "The Garden Song," asking just before he started: "Is Sam still here?" -- to which the reply was a collective "Yes!" And so, my son and I sang the familiar words with everyone else. It was one of those moments that made me very happy to be a father.

Now that I think about it all -- the legacy of D.L. Moody, all who have served the Northfield Seminary -- and the birth of C.S. Lewis College -- I think of the words that Noel Stookey sang to my son: "This is Sam's song." They make me think of all that lies in the future. Little Sam prayed that God would "bless the children that come here" in the days and years to come.

The thought that Sam might be a part of such a bright company, and know the gift of days and years on this campus is a thought that fills me with expectation. "This is Sam's song" -- a metaphor that harkens to the future of this place -- and a springtime of hope. People coming together, working together. Something very fine, and a welcome reminder of the best things in life.