So . . . What are You Doing New Year's Eve?

Saw this and thought it was pretty good. You will recognize Zooey Deschanel (Elf and New Girl) but you may not recognize that guy. Remember Angels in the Outfield? That is the one and only Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Enjoy.

Merry Christmas from the Turners

Evelyn, Shelbi, Paul, Morgan, Sondra

Happy Rama-Hana-Kwanz-Mas! (you know me & political correctness)

Here is a quick rundown on the Turner household –

Shelbi – she turned 21 in July & somehow I am still responsible for all of her financial needs. She has had a great year. She worked FUGE Camps at Glorieta this summer and now has one semester left of nursing school at Union University. She and Mark are still dating 2 yrs later. He graduated this month from Union.

Morgan – is 19 and loving Union. She is a social work major, involved in student government, Chi Omega, and about a hundred other things. She is doing great grade wise as well even in her crazy busyness. This summer she worked at Winshape Camp sfor Girls (Chick-fil-a) and had a great time.

Sondra - just had her first anniversary at McGavock High School as a secretary to one of the principals there. She loves working with the students. She is involved in the praise team at church and is truly an amazing woman.

Paul – still at LifeWay and teaching a college-aged class at church. Went to India in January on missions, had both knees scoped in the Spring and is back running.

Evelyn – what? Who is Evelyn? Only the coolest Chinese teenager in the world. She is a 10^th grade international student at DCA and plans on finishing her high school career here. We love having her and she is pretty convinced that she lives in a home of giants.

Love and Merry Christmas from The Turners -

Paul, Sondra, Shelbi, Morgan & Evelyn

PS - If you did not get a photo card from us in the mail, just print this out.

Christmas in Kansas City . . . almost

It is true that I am a sentimental goober at times. For those of you who have grown up in Kansas City, you know how cool the lights at the Plaza are. While we will not be here on Christmas day, we were able to spend some time at the Country Club Plaza one night this week. It does a KC boy's heart good.

Crazy Turner Christmas Greetings

Merry Crazy Turner Christmas!

NOT What Handel Had in Mind

I am thinking you might enjoy this one. Just for grins.

My Advent Conspiracy Experience . . . so far

Poly Rouse, our pastor, has been leading us through a series of sermons loosely based on David Platt's, Radical Together book. I sort of pride myself in being frugal, not wanting for much, and basically considering myself better than I actually am. While confession is good for the soul and bad for the reputation, I feel compelled to share a experience that God and I wrestled through recently.

I, in no way, am saying that electronics are evil or of the devil. I have greatly enjoyed my iPhone, TV, microwave, and on and on. I do have a tendency to "want" more technological devices and this past summer was able to use an iPad that work provided. It made travel a little easier, helped me stay a little more current with work, and let's face it, I liked the cool factor of it. "Oh, you have an iPad. Those things are so cool." And, I was quick to get caught up in the coolness of it. In August, the iPad gig was up for me. Work needed it back. I lamented it for awhile and I guess honestly, still do.

Black Friday was a critical day in the wrestling match for me. Apple puts their "stuff on sale" for the only time of the year. I had received a nice honorarium check for a series of talks I did  and proudly announced to Sondra, "that iPad2 is mine now." I went online, secured an iPad2 in my basket, but could not press complete sale. For about 4 hours on Black Friday I had it in my basket, but could not press complete sale. Not because my motives were pure, but because I could not get an "easyness" about spending that money on something that was useful, but not necessary for me to live.

Sunday, November 27 began the new sermon series. As I walked into the worship center at church, set up on the stage was a set for the mission that our church supports in Guatemala. (Los Conchas I believe is what it is called or something very similar to that.) I knew immediately where that money was to go. No one had to tell me, it was confirmed in my spirit. As Poly talked about our work with those in Los Conchas, I felt myself getting more and more irritated and frustrated. Evidently the wrestling that started on Black Friday was not over yet. Sondra finished singing in the praise team, came and sat down my me and I looked at her, pointed to the area of the stage with the Guatemala set and said to her, "Stupid Advent Conspiracy!" How submissive I am! The focus of Advent Conspiracy is to give so that others might have. I get it, I just did not want to. All that to say, I wrote the check and placed it in the offering plate yesterday. And, I did it with a fairly pure heart. I am getting there. I know it is the right thing to do. I know that people will eat and many will hear the gospel. I am praying that lives will be transformed, beginning with mine.

God, break my heart for what breaks yours.

The Envy of My Running Friends

If you are a runner, then you know that most drivers do not really pay in attention to us and if they do, they are normally impatient. Agreed though is that some runners are obnoxious but the majority of us are not when it comes to running in traffic. You will love this short video of an older woman who gives an impatient driver what he deserves and she does something most of us would love to do.

Merry Christmas to all my running friends.

Another Christmas Miracle or uhh, Disaster

Well, they meant well but it just did not go as planned. And evidently the one who posted this video on youtube has now taken it down so I cannot share it any more. 

Evidently one disaster was not enough. They did not want to share it anymore.

so I share this from last year - The Digital Nativity

Get in the Christmas Spirit

This is too good not to pass along to my family and friends -

You will thank me later.

Come Ye Thankful People, Come

There are many things that I am thankful for . . .
Christ's amazing love
Family - my wife, Sondra; our daughters, Shelbi, Morgan, and our newest, Evelyn; my dad; my mother-in-law; my brother and sister-in-law; Sondra's sister and brother-in-law; many nieces, nephews and greats as well.
Friends
A Christ-centered church
A job/ministry that I love

This old, hymn is a little old school but sums it up well for me

 
Come, ye thankful people, come, raise the song of harvest home;
All is safely gathered in, ere the winter storms begin.
God our Maker doth provide for our wants to be supplied;
Come to God’s own temple, come, raise the song of harvest home.

All the world is God’s own field, fruit unto His praise to yield;
Wheat and tares together sown unto joy or sorrow grown.
First the blade and then the ear, then the full corn shall appear;
Lord of harvest, grant that we wholesome grain and pure may be.

For the Lord our God shall come, and shall take His harvest home;
From His field shall in that day all offenses purge away,
Giving angels charge at last in the fire the tares to cast;
But the fruitful ears to store in His garner evermore.

Even so, Lord, quickly come, bring Thy final harvest home;
Gather Thou Thy people in, free from sorrow, free from sin,
There, forever purified, in Thy garner to abide;
Come, with all Thine angels come, raise the glorious harvest home.

Happy Thanksgiving . . . and, Count Your Blessings.

Why Do We Underestimate What Kids Can Do?

Recently I have been reading Robert Epstein's Teen 2.0 and wish I could have stayed for his symposium after the YS ATL mtg this past weekend. His whole premise is that we need to help kids reach core competencies and stop prolonging adolescence. He says much in the book that I agree with and some that I do not but overall I think he is on to something.  Here is a video of a 13-year-old who I think help proves Epstein's point. You will enjoy this kid.

Touching Nurse Commercial

I remember three years ago when Shelbi said to us that she had been praying for awhile and really felt like God was calling her to the nursing profession. We were a little surprised since she had never ever intimated that to us but were very supportive. She has great skills, talents, and the temperament to help others so it definitely fits the way God has wired her. A couple of days ago, I saw this commercial, It definitely reminded me of Shelbi. She is currently doing a clinical at St. Jude's.

Oh My, Joe Pa

What a sad turn of events in the last few days with the Penn State University child molestation scandal. What seemingly was a clean, above the board program, was, in fact, one of the most vile. In no way am I trying to grandstand and take advantage of an opportunity to rail against someone else, but it is an opportunity for me to learn from so that I and others do not repeat the same mistake.

I am a Jo Pa fan, or have been for many years. I liked the black and white, no frills approach to football. I liked the way that he coached hard nosed football. I liked that he coached from the box, when a few years back, he got hit on the sideline and broke his leg. There are so many things that I liked about Joe Pa. But there is one thing that I cannot stand about him now that it has come out; he values football, appearance, and fame above young boys, their families, players, etc. What he did legally was a good start, but when it was evident that the University "legal" system was not going to act properly on the intelligence they received, he did nothing further. And, because he valued football above everything else, many boys and their families were forever scarred. It could have been handled differently. It should have been handled differently. All the good he has done for his players in helping them develop character, teamwork, unity, etc. cannot be negated nor should it be. But, . . . all of the pain and suffering endured by young boys and their families by Mr. Predator Sandusky cannot be negated either. Much of it could have been averted . . . and Jo Pa did nothing further than what was his "legal" obligation.

It is a very sad day and time. But, . . . it has been many sad days and years for the true victims of Mr. Sandusky's predatory ways. May God be merciful to those who are the true victims. May God restore their lives and may He show them true purpose that comes through Him.

Jo Pa, evidently you are an incredible coach.I have admired you for years for your coaching prowess. Unfortunately, there are more important things in life than football. Thanks for reminding me that nothing is more important or more valuable than real, live people. It is for people that Christ came and died and rose again to redeem us back to Himself. I am praying for the victims and their families. I am praying for you. I am praying for Mr. Sandusky. I am praying for myself.

Be It Resolved . . .

The Courageous movie that has been out since September 30 is one of the best movies I have seen if not the best ever on men being courageous men of God. I have been fortunate to see it three or four times with my work at LifeWay. Our church, Hermitage Hills Baptist, has been spending the last month focusing on addressing the issues associated with men being courageous men of God. Last night was a powerful time of men signing the resolution promising to honor God, our wives, and families. It was pretty awesome.

I have to admit that it was a little uncomfortable for me though. I found myself struggling with the whole idea of "do I sign in front of a group" or "do I show up and just not sign it." Let me explain. A number of years ago, I met with a small group of men and we made a very similar commitment. I was much younger, our girls were much younger, and my wife is still younger. (Notice how I just honored her there. Big smile.) Trust me, I have made many mistakes along the way as a husband, a dad and a Christ-follower, but I am committed already. I am not trying to sound better than I am, I get that I am a sinner saved by grace and left to my own devices, "I will return as a dog returns to his vomit." I never want to bring shame on the name of Christ, His bride the church, my wife or our daughters. I really just thought that since I have already committed to these things, why would I need to do it again.

I know why. And my pride was trying to tell me otherwise. I needed to sign in front of my church family as a strong form of accountability. Not so others would think, "what a great guy for making this commitment", but "what a weak guy that we need to continually hold accountable in his walk with Christ." I needed to sign the resolution in front of them not because  I am strong, but because I am very weak and I need love; encouragement; a swift kick in the butt at times; and, people who will not be afraid to walk with me in strong and weak times in my life.

I am thankful for a ministry like Sherwood Films who is willing to address the hard issues in a medium that will communicate the truth and I am thankful for a church who values people over programs. I am praying for all of us men who signed last night. I am praying for and thankful for Joey Hickman who is willing to hold me accountable. I am thankful for a God who loves me just the way I am but is not willing to allow me to stay the way that I am.

Does God Really Hate Sin?

I know that sounds like a stupid question to most of you who read this and you are quick to say, "Of course God hates sin." I am quick to agree with that He does hate sin but too many times I am quick to justify that what I might be thinking or wanting to do is "not really all that bad". It is called justifying my thoughts and actions in order to please me rather than honoring God.

The last few months I have been praying, asking, pleading with God to remind me just how much He hates sin. In fact my prayer has been, "God, help me to see sin as You see sin." It has been refreshing, painful, frustrating, energizing, etc. I wish I could say that I have a full understanding of God and sin and that sinful thoughts and actions are no longer a part of my life, but I cannot say that honestly yet. I know that my heart breaks when I watch others who love Him become deceived by their own desires and choose sin over His best for their lives. I know my heart breaks when I am confronted with my own sin. I long to honor Him in everything. It is my desire to do so because of my love for Him, not so that I can somehow get Him to love me more. He already loves me as much as He can. I cannot do anything to to effect how He loves me or anyone else.  I can take that pressure off of the table.

Today I heard of another one who has chosen to chase sin and its pleasure who has been incredibly effective in ministry. I do not say anything in judgment and pray that this individual will allow God to reveal to Him again how much He hates sin, but is so in love with the sinner. I am thankful that God accepts us the way that we are and that He loves us way too much to allow us to stay that way.

Sin cost Him His very Son's life. God help me to better understand how much You hate sin, and allow me to be the first to come alongside of those I know who need You to remind them how much You love them.

October 26, 1985

Since the World Series game has been postponed for this evening (Weds., 10/26) due to inclement weather in St. Louis, I thought I would do a short World Series '85 blog entry. It was on this day in 1985, in Game 6 of the Series, that most Cardinal fans would love to forget, Denkinger made his famous bad call. Now, being a Royals fan, I know that I benefited from it but what goes overlooked is what happened in the 4th inning of this very same game.

Jorta is called safe - Denkinger

Granted, the game was marked by controversy. In the fourth inning of the scoreless game, the Royals' Frank White appeared to have stolen second base, but was called out. The following batter, Pat Sheridan, hit a single to right field. Through 7 innings, Danny Cox and Charlie Liebrandt pitched a couple of gems until Liebrandt gave up a hit to Brian Harper that scored Terry Pendleton in the top of the 8th. Cards fans were excited until the blown call in the bottom of the 9th on the squibber by Jorge Orta where Denkinger called him safe. The Royals ended up scoring two runs in the 9th and taking game 6 to even the series. That next night, Sunday, October 27, 1985 the Royals won their one and only (to date) World Series 11-0. It was a complete melt-down by the Cards. It probably did not help matters that Denkinger was behind the plate calling balls and strikes and Andujar came completely unglued arguing balls and strike calls. He would later stick his hand in a fan and get suspended 10 games in the '86 season for charging Denkinger.

I am not a Cardinals hater. I am a long-suffering Royals fan. Go Rangers in the 2011 World Series!

Parenting Notes - Festival of Marriage - Ridgecrest

Here are the notes from our breakout that we promised to put online for you.

Parenting Teenagers

Facilitated by Sondra & Paul Turner

Biblical foundation of parenting

4 “Listen, Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. 6 These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart. 7 Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them be a symbol on your forehead. 9 Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. – Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Our primary role as parents is to teach our kids to love the Lord your God with all their heart, soul and strength. These have to be in our heart in order to pass on to our kids.

                What does it profit if we teach our kids to love the world and lose their own soul?

Even the best parents don’t always get everything right –

   ⁴¹ Every year His parents traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival. ⁴² When He was 12 years old, they went up according to the custom of the festival. ⁴³ After those days were over, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but His parents did not know it. ⁴⁴ Assuming He was in the traveling party, they went a day’s journey. Then they began looking for Him among their relatives and friends. ⁴⁵ When they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for Him. ⁴⁶ After three days, they found Him in the temple complex sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷ And all those who heard Him were astounded at His understanding and His answers. ⁴⁸ When His parents saw Him, they were astonished, and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for You.”       ⁴⁹ “Why were you searching for Me?” He asked them. “Didn’t you know that I must be involved in My Father’s interests?” ⁵⁰ But they did not understand what He said to them. - Luke 2:41-50

When the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they came together in the same place. ³⁵ And one of them, an expert in the law, asked a question to test Him: ³⁶ “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” ³⁷ He said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. ³⁸ This is the greatest and most important commandment. ³⁹ The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. ⁴⁰ All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commandments.” – Matthew 22:35-40

Practical Steps to Getting Most of It Right

1.      Start where you are – evaluate where you are in the greatest commandment

2.      Commit to finding three – five people who will pray for you and for your kids. (parents, grandparents, people in your church, people whom you trust, etc.)

3.      Commit to having one spiritual conversation with your kids at least once a week.

4.      Commit to having one – two meals/week as a family

5.      Show love and respect for your spouse/the child’s mother or father

6.      Do not abdicate your role to a paid professional (youth minister, etc.)

7.      Be an advocate for other parents and students

8.      Stay in the Word

9.      Pray with and for your kids

10.  Do not be their friend, be their parent. All major research projects conclude that parents are the #1 influencer of their kids, whether positive or negative.

11.  Remember that you are a steward and not an owner of your kids. They are God’s on loan to you.

12.  Learn the dance of when to be up close and when to back off.

13.  Know that girls find their greatest security in a good relationship with their father, boys need their fathers just as much to show them how to me a man of God. Mothers are just amazing. No man will ever match how incredibly gifted God has made each of you.

14.  Never stop praying for your kids. Never! Some will choose to run, some will choose to stay and not really be there, and some will choose to be who God created them to be. Our role is to create the environment for them to see and learn how to love the Lord their God.

Some Helpful Resources

www.christianitytoday.com/parenting

www.covenanteyes.com

www.cypu.org

www.family.org

www.heartconnex.org

www.teenswithproblems.com

www.theparentlink.com

www.troubledwith.com

www.lifeway.com

www.realworldparents.com

This Will Make You Smile

I love people that love to live life regardless of how old they are or what circumstances they may find themselves. This video has been around for over 3 years but it a true delight. Enjoy

Choosing to Be . . .

Point Loma taken w/ iPhone

This past weekend I was in San Diego teaching, attending, & exhibiting at YS-National Youth Worker's Conference. I always enjoy being around youth leaders and especially those who are not in my normal circle of friends in ministry. I love being around those in our denominational tribe, but I am so encouraged to be around those leaders from other denominations. They love God and students and their families. So very encouraging.

I have found myself the last few days not really being on my game relationally. I have been quick to be short with others. Little things have set me off. I am by nature an introvert and most of my last week has been spent with many people. Don't get me wrong, I like being around people but I need a little time each day to just be by myself. All that to say. I have been choosing to be . . . nicer. I needed to choose that intentionally this past week. It has been more work than I want it to be but it is necessary, because no one deserves to be treated unfairly or for me to ever be mean to others.

I have many choices to make each day. You do too. I am choosing to be more like Christ because I do not come by that naturally. Actually my choice is to choose to surrender. I do not do that well either.

Pray for Morgan if you will. She broke her finger playing intramural football at college the other day. As she would do it, it is not a normal break and will require surgery and a couple of screws. She is scheduled for surgery on Weds am at 730. Thanks for praying.

Posturing - Hmmm.

I am prone to a mid-back that is not easy to adjust. I am also prone to a neck that seems to get out of whack at some very inopportune times. This summer my regular chiropractor (witch doctor as I affectionately call him) was out of town while I was in dire need of some adjusting. I was able to make it to another fine chiropractor who helped me tremendously, but it was not the same. He did a good job, but he did not know my posture only because I was a new patient to him. It is best when everything is in its rightful place because my posture tends to correct itself when things are where they belong. We will go to great lengths to get in the right posture because we think that pain will go away when we have the right posture. Barney Fife is a good example in this pic and in the show he was always posturing to get himself to look better than he actually was though. He was always funny, but always trying to be someone he was not.

There is another kind of posturing that is a whole different story. I find it interesting, mesmerizing, unbelievable, crazy, and somewhat sad when I notice that I am intentionally trying to put myself in situations to make myself look better for the sake of trying to "position" myself to look better to someone that I actually am. I have been guilty of that too many times in the past.

I find myself watching a few others right now who appear to posturing for a position. This honestly is not an attempt to judge those who may be posturing and really serves to show me what I look like when I am intentionally posturing for a certain role, position, etc. It is not pretty. I know all too well because I am a repeat offender. It is one thing to show others what you are capable of doing using your God-given talents/giftings, and it is another altogether to oversell yourself, speak up when one should be listening, and demanding service rather than serving. It really is not a fine line between the two. Both are intentional, but one is about what God wants to do with/in/through you rather than what one things he ought to do whether God has been consulted or not.

Yesterday's passage in bible study was Luke 923-26 If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself, take up my cross daily and follow me. I don't like that verse or that passage because it demands that I surrender. I cannot surrender and posture at the same time. I cannot surrender and play out my own agenda. It is impossible for me to stay the way that I am and go with God. It is a daily struggle for me. I guess that is why Christ said I had to take up his cross DAILY. He knows me and loves me enough to not allow me to stay the way that I am. I long for His posturing in my life. It is the only posture that really matters.

What Am I Missing?

I have the opportunity to come along side many people who are in ministry in local churches, hear their stories, listen, encourage, and learn from them. I honestly cannot believe at times that God allows me to do what I get to do. Most of you know that I work for a very large Christian publisher and have for almost 19 years. It is a very good place to work. It is a ministry funded by business and I get to work alongside some of the greatest people I know. No kidding. They are great folks. They push me to be better at what we get to do collectively.

This week we hosted about 250 youth leaders at our place and we offered them opportunities to hear from people like Pete Wilson, Kelly Minter, Jess & Thom Rainer.We even mixed in The Skit Guys and my friend Jake Gulledge along with The Chris White Band. It was a great "platform". So many of those in attendance are wonderful people. They love Christ, they love students and they love ministry.So many of those who attended shared with me and with others how much they appreciate the conference that we hosted. They were encouraged, challenged, loved on and even led to confess shortcomings and sins in their life in a safe environment.

Why is is that ministers have to come away from their churches for these things to occur? Do not get me wrong, I am not bashing the church. It is the bride of Christ. I understand that. I do think however that the church has in many ways become a place for perfect people who think that to belong to our church (club) you have to act a certain way, believe certain things and choose not to do some very bad things. Notice I said very bad things because all of the people in all churches sin and fall short of the glory of God.

Am I helping people fall in love with the person of Christ or the teachings of Christ? No wonder people leave the church if all we busy ourselves with is telling people how to do all the right things without ever telling and showing them how to fall in love with a person, who is the Christ.

I am wrestling with this. I am guilty of this too many times. I am determined to place my life in the middle of doing all I can to help others fall in love with the person of Jesus Christ. I am starting with me. I think that is what I have been missing.

Holding Onto What? (again)

I posted this a year ago but it is one that I need to be reminded of and one lesson that I have yet to learn.

Saw this video again from Francis Chan and the way I too many times hold on to stuff that hinders me from being all that Christ has created me to be. Is it really right that I live life in balance? Or, is the Christian life designed to be an "all out" kind of life? I know the answer. I struggle with the action.

Never Assume

I am one of those people who stay away from definitive words like "never", "always", "all people", "every time", etc. but I am learning the importance of never assuming.

Evelyn, the international student from China who is living in our home this school year, is reminding me the importance of never assuming. I take many things for granted, especially related to my faith. I just assume that most people have a baseline of knowing who Jesus is; the importance of Scripture; etc., all things Christianese. She reminds me every day that not "every one" has a general understanding of who Jesus is. She has reminded me how much I use terminology that is very Christianly but not very culturally relevant.

We are blessed to have her in our home. She is truly delightful and very smart. The language barrier in communication audibly is getting so much better in our home, but English terms that I think are pretty easy and simple, are really very difficult. Earlier this week, Evelyn and I were working on some Chemistry terms and trying to memorize the Ion chart. Those that know me well this is pretty scary to start with, but English is hard; and it is my native language!

I am learning to slow down, think through what I say before saying anything, and using words that are more simple and concrete. I have a lot to learn. How is it that at almost 48 I am having to learn my own native language?

Same goes for my Christianese. It does not communicate if the one hearing does not understand. I have much to learn.

The 8 "Nations" of Innovation

A co-worker shared this with our team recently. I found this to be very good. It is not a real short watch, but a very good one.

Moving Days

This has been a pretty busy week. Sunday started with church and then I did a training session for our student leaders at Hermitage Hills. Big fun to invest in training the leaders at the church we are members. I am usually out training/encouraging others but lots of fun to do that at home.

Joyce, world's best mother in law, left on Tuesday and went to visit her sister, Nola and her husband in Atlanta. What a delight to have her with us for a week. On Wednesday, we loaded up a borrowed Yukon with Morgan's stuff and moved her back to Union. She has a nice room and three wonderful roommates. We are thankful for the influences in her life and the way she influences others too.

Thursday was videotaping day at work. Four of us were in the studio working on some of our student ministry messages and shooting a bunch of student ministry tips. Hard work for sure but also a lot of fun. We are trying to be very strategic in the way we are doing training.

Today was another moving day. I drove to Jackson with Shelbi's stuff and helped her get sort of moved in for her final year of college. Crazy to think that as well. The time goes so quickly.

Lots of moving going on. Sondra, Evelyn, and I are the only ones not moving right now. We kind of like home. Speaking of Evelyn, she is just a real delight to have in our home. She seems to be settling in to school, making our house her home, and even tonight is with a friend from school at the Wilson County Fair. That should be a pretty eye opening experience for her.

Too Busy/Lazy to Blog?

It has been an entire month since I last posted. I have no real good excuse for not posting. Just have not done it. It has been a busy month and one of change for us, so here goes.

Our biggest news is Evelyn. Evelyn is an international student studying at DCA this school year. She is 16, very bright, and her English is getting better every day. She arrived a week ago Wednesday and has fit right in. Her first week consisted of Shelbi and Morgan coming home from a long summer of camp and a short week of fun at friends. She was immersed in western culture with getting a phone, international calling cards, attending a wedding I officiated on Sunday; church (a whole new experience for her) and school starting on Tuesday. We have ordered a computer for her, she is conversing with her family and friends via the computer and all together fitting in well. We have eaten chinese food twice in the last 7 days. We are fitting in too.

Shelbi and Morgan had a great summer with each working at different camps. It is great to have them home and Shelbi went to visit Mark, her beau, and they have arrived at our house now. All three of them (Mark, Shelbi and Morgan) head back to Union mid-to-late next week.

Sondra has been back at school for a month and doing great. She loves her job and I love her. Works great. I am pretty sure she loves me too. Sondra's mom is with us this week too! What a delight to have her around the house. She continues to do pretty well with some aches and pains but overall she is in very good health.

My work has been good and I have not traveled much the last few weeks which is good. I am in FL tonight, will lead a training session tomorrow and be back home tomorrow night. I am also helping in our college aged class at church and love being with those students. They are teaching me a lot. What a blessing to get to do what I get to do.

Accountable

I find myself on the road alot lately and with much travel comes much tiredness. Hotel beds sort of run the range from "slab of stone" to so soft that "my nose and feet end up in the same area". It makes for a sore neck, back, hips and blood shot eyes at times because sleep can come in "fits and starts."

One of the great roles I get to play (and use my gifts) is to encourage others in ministry whether they be full-time, part-time, volunteer, "tag, you're it" ministers, to FUGE staffers, and a myriad of others in ministry. They are people who love Christ, love students and their families, and they also find themselves stretched very thin. They work hard, provide for their families, get little to no earthly recognition, but love what they get to do in the Kingdom. They also find themselves, like all of us, very vulnerable at times. It is in our weakness that we are made strong, if we will allow Him to work through us.

You and I cannot live like Christ on our own. We know it, yet many times we try it on our own. I try it too many times on my own. I am asking you to help hold me accountable. I want to be guilty of living this life through His strength - Col. 1:29. I am praying the same thing for you.

Exciting Times

Summer has been very good and very busy. I have been at FUGE camps in MO, AZ, NM, FL so far and will be in AL and SC before the summer is over. I also am doing some training in MS this weekend.

Sondra and I had a great time at Glorieta, NM and got to hang out with Shelbi some. Sondra and Shelbi shopped alot on Shelbi's day off while I took pictures of wildfires and slept on park benches while they shopped. We did visit the square in Santa Fe and all the sites there that include the Loretto Church with the mysterious spiral staircase and ate some wonderful food.

Sondra and I returned home for a day and a half and then headed out to Orange Beach, AL for some vacation time. We enjoyed our stay but it was very different without the girls. The weather was good, there was another wildfire close by that authorities got under control, and we enjoyed our time together. On the back side of that trip we headed to Rome, GA and visited with Morgan who is working Winshape Camps this summer. It was good to be with her and know that she is having a great summer.

I am able to run again and got 35 min. in today which is the most at one time I have ventured out. The knees are both doing good. I am pleased. I am in FL some this week and the ground is very flat here which makes the running much easier on the knees.

Sondra is enjoying a couple of weeks more off from work and heads back to work on the 18th. Our big news is that we will be hosting an international student for this school year beginning in August. We are getting a female student from China and I will share her name and more info. once it becomes completely official this next week. We are very excited. She is a sophomore in high school and will be attending DCA where we have been heavily involved the last few years.

Happy Father's Day

We have had a wonderful day today in Santa Fe. We started out by eating at Harry's and then doing all things on the Plaza in Santa Fe. Only wish Morgan could have been with us. We make our way to her in a couple of weeks.


Here is an earlier post that I did for my dad and with the exception of me being a little older, this still rings true.
You can read it here.

5, 8, 10, 12, 15, 30

Interesting pattern of numbers in the title. I always disliked those problems in math where you had to figure out the pattern. I was and still am terrible at those things. You look at the pattern and figure out the next set of numbers. I am terrible at those problems.

So what do these numbers have in common?
5 - a couple of weeks ago my dr. let me start running 5 min. easing into it
8 - I got to move to 8 min/day running
10 - I got to move to 10 min/day running
12 - you picking up the pattern yet?
15 - two days in a row of running 15 continuous min w/ no pain (yesterday and today)

I have traveled quite a bit this week. I flew to KC on Tuesday after work, spent the night with my dad and headed to Bolivar for FUGE. Our first week of camp at my alma mater and it went great. Wonderful team lead by Brady. Was great to be back on campus after 25 years and  I got to stay with my mother-in-law. We had a great time together and got a little painting done along with a little sink drain repair.

We laughed together and even cried a little together this morning. We watched some old video of Shelbi as a baby (she will be 21 next month) and as a surprise my mom was on the video as well as Bernard, my father-in-law. We lost both of them in the past 3.5 years and it was the first time I had seen either of them on video since their passing. Very touching and tough at the same time, but a real blessing.

I am back in KC with my dad, hanging out this weekend and then on to further travels.

30 - you thought I had forgotten that number probably. Not so. I am attending a 30th high school reunion tomorrow night. How in the world has it already been 30 years since I graduated high school? Crazy.

Where Did the Time Go?

I have been remiss in posting. I am embarrassed, ashamed . . . and now I am over it. We have been busy around here. The girls finished their semester of college and are now in Rome, GA working camp (Morgan at Winshape) and in Glorieta, NM (Shelbi working FUGE). It was nice to have them home for about 2.5 hours. (slight exaggeration)

My dad came to visit last week and we enjoyed him being here. He and the cicadas hit about the same time and both made a lot of noise. We welcomed Dad, not so much the cicadas. If you are unfamiliar with cicadas, google it and we have the 13 year kind hanging around. Loud, everywhere, and creepy. There are millions of these things. They show up, breed and die. Turn on your weed eater and they swarm. Morgan is not a fan.

I have been traveling to FL, LA, and various other locales. None of them exotic although I did get to spend a little time on the beach last week in FL. The knees are recovering well. I have become a bike rider, elliptical beast and stationary bike riding dude too. I am to begin running some in the next couple of days. Starting slow and building up. Hope to make it around the block in one continuous run by the end of September ;-).

Sondra has about two weeks left of school and then she gets about 5 weeks off. She is planning on meeting me in NM in a couple of weeks to hang out some with Shelbi and to eat wonderful New Mexican food.

Sondra's mom is the real hero of the family right now. She has been volunteering in the clean up process in Joplin, MO. The tornado that blew through there a week ago Sunday was devastating. Joyce is a bright spot to many in that area who have suffered so much.

Work is good. Play is good. God is always good. I will do better in posting to this blog.

The Turtle Man

I am not even sure how to comment on this. Be sure to watch it all the way through though. Gives one a new appreciation for the many uses of chain saws, as well as, a new spokesperson for Gatorade.

Happy 26th Wedding Anniversary

Wednesday, May 11th marked our 26th wedding anniversary. I know that the gift for 25 years is silver and since my hair turned that color about 10 years ago, I figured I was good for that. Not really sure what the gift is for the 26th wedding anniversary but I presented Sondra with a Kindle a week or so earlier. She loves to read you know, and I think she will adopt the technology well. Actually, she already is.

It has been an incredible 26 years and yesterday we headed out to Carrabba's for dinner and The Cheesecake Factory for dessert. It was awesome. Many of you have asked how we have made it so long. I was reminded of this clear, concise answer via video. This is the secret to our happy marriage - it's all about the fries.

Happy Early Mother's Day

Love The Skit Guys and here is one for Mother's Day