How did I end up in the middle of Iceland with two sons and a bag of freeze-dried reindeer soup in my backpack? Let's start with the obvious - the boys in our Troop are ambitious and the leaders are crazy. But there's logic to our insanity and I think the other dads would agree with me on this. Let me explain. 

I've asked my kids to be different from the culture they live in. They don't have cell phones or use social media. Not that those things are inherently wrong, but we all know too well how quickly they can consume us and make us feel numb. I want our kids to feel alive. So instead of technology I try to offer them purpose and adventure. Sometimes that leads you down a path you never thought you'd be on - like the Laugavegur Trail in the highlands of Iceland.

We have a saying in our house: "Do hard things." It comes from a book by the same name. Hiking 16 miles up and over a mountain that first day was not easy. We dads had to get in shape for it and I still struggled at times. Coming down the mountain on middle-aged knees is another story, and hiking along the ridge with the wind threatening to lift you off our feet can be both unnerving and invigorating. I find that a true adventure will paradoxically humble us while also giving us new confidence. These subtle life lessons are why I want to spend time doing hard things with the people I love.

What will I remember most from this trip? The landscapes we witnessed will forever be etched in my memory. It was a constant reminder of the miracle of God's creation. Even the harsh lava fields were beautiful in their own unique way. Being able to share that with my sons and our friends is something for which I am beyond grateful.

I'm also thankful for the example of other godly men. The boys were watching and learning from them, and we dads were watching the boys to see how they would respond to adversity. I am proud of how they took the initiative to do hard things. It felt as though they were literally growing up before my eyes.

At the end of the trail, we met two Icelandic women who were surprised to hear the boys had hiked the whole way. They were not joking when they insisted, "You should no longer call them boys, they are men." We are not naive enough to think that one hike makes a man, but we are all on a journey and I can say without a doubt these Trailmen returned home feeling a little more humble, confident, and alive. If you ask me if I'm crazy enough to do something like this again, I'd have to confess planning for our next adventure started on the flight home.

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