I was so sorry to hear of Mr. Aven’s passing. Growing up with Karen and the other kids, I always thought of him as my family’s personal elder. I remember asking him when I was about 14 years old if it would be all right for me to go to a Beach Boys concert on Wednesday night, and miss Bible class. (I had entered a contest for the tickets and never dreamed I’d actually win.) When he gave me the broadest smile and said, “I think that would be OK,” my heart was put totally at ease. If Mr. Aven said it was OK, that was good enough for me! It was so evident, even to a gawky teen like me, that Mr. Aven was a man after God’s own heart. I’m so glad I had the chance to know him.