amazing friends

It seems like I'm on a cause case recently in the previous two posts.  Hang in there with me...

just wanted to finally post regarding my friend's amazing trip around the world.  

eyestosee2009.wordpress.com

You've got to check out their blog and keep up with them if you are interested.  Give if you can/desire/feel led by God.  Read the blog for inspiration and to be moved to compassion.  I'm trying to get more readers to their blog.  If you're already reading then spread the word and if not then I hope you gain interest.  These two friends of mine are great friends.  I think the trip will make a huge difference in my life and in the lives of others.  May the Lord give them speed!

freedom bags

I like the name.  I like the cause.  I like the people.  I would like you to think about it.  Check out the website...

ijm.org

I know most of you will not be able to make it, but I think the idea is great, and I hope it goes well.  Live music and Austin for a good cause!  I will be in Houston for a wedding.

this world (swirling lines and colors)

a song I once loved and thought of again this past Sunday at Liveoak.  The line I thought of is

This world has nothing for me and this world has everything.

All that I could want and nothing that I need.

Those lines summarize much of what I've been feeling the past few weeks.  I am having a tough time not hanging onto what I know and yet knowing what I have is not all there is.  I'm made for another place and yet also for this place.  Both are great in their own way, though the future/present place (my real home) is so much better.  I'm reminded again of Hebrews 11.  They did not receive the things promised;  they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance.  Perhaps that is what has been happening to me these past few weeks.  I think I might have posted on this subject before.  I can't remember...

I was walking on campus last week listening to the iPod and going to my next meeting all the while picturing the soundtrack for the song.  I could picture live drawings of crisp lines.  The lines were swirling and bursting with colors right in front of me.  Actually the drawings were more like 30 feet in front of me.  I think sometimes my heart gets too big for my mind.  

This post might not make sense, but if it does then I hope to hear from you.  

ties and such

bolowithbarry.blogspot.com

check it out.  

live the dream.

get involved.

enjoy the tie.

spread the word.

bring back the fashion.

and for my next trick

Well the natives are restless or so they say.  I want to thank all of you who come here regularly to see what new post might be up.  I'm finally writing again after a short (busy) time away from the keys. 

So I've been thinking about a friend of mine who is living in Argentina.  He has a BS in Math from UT, but he is an artist selling his paintings and drawings on the streets.  He looks the part and his work is very interesting to me.  I'm trying to know if I think it's interesting because I know him or because it's good work.  I think it's good work, but it helps that I know him.  Anyhow, I hope to purchase some of his work to support the cause and to continue my collection of one of a kind works from around the world.  The collection idea came to me this week that perhaps I could have a small collection of pieces of art.  I think it would be cool to be the owner of street art.  Perhaps a museum would one day want to acquire my collection for their gallery?!  

These thoughts made me think of two other things.  

The song, Please Come to Boston-Loggins.  The song has a line saying, 

You can sell you paintings on the sidewalk

By a cafe where I hope to be working soon.

Since rediscovering this song about 3 years ago I've been wanting to sell paintings on a sidewalk for part of my life.  Now if you know me you would know I cannot paint.  I can draw a little (thought I'm rusty) but I cannot paint.  Perhaps I will have a chance someday to attempt to sell works of art.  

The other thought:

I want to complete my personal sketch book of UT this year.  This is something I've wanted to do for about 8 years, but never take the time.  I hope this year I can take time to draw or paint the University for my own keepsake.  I want to capture UT life for my memory and collection.  So I began yesterday with taking my sketchbook to the Domain.  I was there for the Apple store, but since I had time I thought I would draw.  It was fun getting back into drawing a little.  The weather was great, under the big trees by Starbucks, and just off the main path enough to relax and observe.  I hope to move onto UT today.  We'll see what happens.  

Here are the links to two websites.  One my artist friend.  The other my bolo tie blog.  Check both of them out.

www.justingrant.com.ar

www.bolowithbarry.blogspot.com

more love

We visited 6 Flags in Denver a few weekends ago, Winter Park this past weekend, and hiked down from the tundra two days ago.  Winter Park does not look anything like itself in the winter.  They have an alpine slide, mini golf, bungee/trampoline jumping, rides, and a maze.  The slide is the big attraction.  We were able to go with friends minus Ana.  We also had free admission because of the Y.  $50 saving per person!  Here are a few pics from each place.  

Driving back from Winter Park.  2 hours West of us.

Our family and Greg climbing down from the tundra.  The hike started at 11, 500 ft at noonish.  We were rained on lightly for a few hours and were threatened with lighting.  We were scared for a little while thinking the storms might catch us.  We were picking rock outcroppings to hide below if needed.  

The hike took us through all the terrains found in Rocky Mountain.  Here we are about halfway through the hike.  

The entire hike took over 6 hours and we covered 6.5 miles!  Naaman once again walked the entire way with only a few sitting breaks, Kyra walked half way, and Kelsie was carried the entire way.  They did awesome.

Kelsie playing with sun glasses

Kyra and Daddy on a date in town

Brook and Kelsie riding the chair lift up to the alpine slide.

Kyra and me riding the same chair lift

I have short video of Kelsie and Kyra riding with me down the slide.  I'll try posting those some other time.  They are kind of funny.  Kelsie in particular looks disinterested in the ride.  We'll be home soon.  

finally the pics

our family together at 12,000 ft

you know where we are...

Kelsie and I climbing to the top.  it was cold up there!  my ears were hurting because of the wind and cold.

Dave at the top

Naaman riding his first horse.  Dave, Naaman, and I rode together.

Naaman and Kyra at 11,000 ft.

flowers on the tundra

Geneva and Naaman at 12,000 ft.

Karina and Geneva on a 4 mile hike.

Bull Elk

the kids on the 4 mile hike

Dave and I carrying the babies up Eagles Cliff

the pics don't do this place justice, but we at least want to give you a glimpse into our amazing summer home.  we will miss the view, the clean fresh air, the sights, the sounds, the running streams, and animal hunting.  we hope to still see the bear.

family down(or variation to Geeva down)

Well everyone has left.  

The Browns have left, and it seemed like they just got here.  They actually left two days ago, but I've been busy working since I missed 5 days in there last week.  We had a great time each day staying up until 1 am ish hanging out at their condo.  We could do free laundry there, spend time with the family, and just relax.  Our kids went to bed there two nights in a row, and we transferred them when left for our cabin.  The Browns are amazing!  We hiked, drove over the Continental Divide into Grand Lake where we ate breakfast, saw a bull moose, a pika, and many more elk.  We also watched the sunset from 12,500 ft elevation!  Man it was beautiful.  I will post pics when I get the camera cord.  Natalie, Leticia, and friends even babysat for us one night so all 4 of us could go on a date.  We went to McDonald's (the only place open that late at night) and then drove into the park and sat.  We joked about how different 18 years makes you because none of us were trying to make out with our spouses.  At one time, David asked Martha (they were sitting in the back of our CRV) to scoot closer to him which made us think about the old days.  He asked her to move closer because he was cold!  We all got a laugh out of that time, and we also had good heart to heart talks.  They are really good friends and they are family.

The morning the Browns left, Brook's aunt and cousin's family came into town.  We did a short hike to a waterfall (we forgot our camera) and then ate ice cream in town.  It was a short visit, but a fun one.  

We are now back to normal and it is very quiet.  I think we were all so tired from the constant activities and late nights that we all were just chill for about one full day.  We are now back to our daily life here, and that too is coming to a close.  Much has changed in us again this summer, and the thought of being back in Austin is making us feel excited, relieved, rested, and also busy.  There is much to finish here, and tons to go back to at home.  We can't wait to see our house, bed, grill, street, and neighborhood again, but we also have many many things to get going on soon.  

Thanks for reading and keeping up with us.  I will post pics soon.  I think the ones from the sunset should be awesome!

Family visiting

Well I spoke with David Brown this morning, and he said they were on the road on their way to visit us!  We are very excited about getting to show them our home for the summer.  

I can't believe we have been here for so long already, and we only have about 3.5 weeks left!  We will be sad to leave, and yet we will be ready to be home.  Our family is very adaptable!  I like that about us.  The kids are loving being with their friends here, and they are excited to introduce the Brown kids to the Klunke kids.  Brook and I continue to have great talks on a nightly basis.  We love our students here.  We love being in CO and only wish we had come earlier than this year.  On that note... We also see how being in Columbus two years ago was very important to our experience this year.

What an amazing God we serve! We cannot thank him enough for his great provision for our life!

On a non related note- I might be getting a free iPhone! It would be the first gen iPhone, but it's an iPhone. I've read reviews about it, and it just seems like a great phone and tool for my ministry. I am constantly having to make schedule changes on the fly, and I think it will help.

thoughts?!  

This would mean a change from Sprint to ATT, and perhaps a little more money each month. I will need to find the money, but it might be a good 

move.

Oh yeah... one more thing. I am done reading the Shack. I did not like it. I am not going to finish it, but I did promise someone here I would read up until the guy gets to the shack.

beautiful... wish you were here!

this was taken at an approx elevation of 13,000 ft.  Bighorn sheep.

Kelsie's bday celebration.

on a mountain hike.

close up of a pine tree.

close up of a flower. 

The kids looking at the lake.

This is what we say almost every day.  What an amazing place.  Thanks to all of you for making our ministry with GCM possible, and thanks to GCM for making it possible for us to be here, and thanks to God for making such a beautiful place.  The first pic is of Kelsie's 1st b-day!  We had a great time with our new friends celebrating her life.  

On more park news... we saw a badger today!  None of us have ever seen a real badger before so it was quite the sighting.  Each week we drive into the National Park, and each week we pray we will see more wildlife.  God had blessed us with seeing almost every animal possible.  We still hope to see a bear, a mountain lion, a ptarmigan, a pika, and a bull moose.  There are only 50 bear in the park, and only 10 mountain lion so we most likely will not see the lion.  More to come later...

most likely circling

I am waiting in the Denver airport for Brook and the kids to arrive. I don't think I like this place so count me in the group who made this place controversial in it's design.  Brook and kids keep getting delayed so perhaps they're just flying around due to other planes needing to land.  Who knows how these places work.  I suppose Ben does.  he knows how to fly.  

Anyhow, I continue to wait, and I wonder how Brook and the kids are doing.  They have been in transport to CO for most of the day.  It's not 8:23 CO time, so the kids are probably ready for bed since it's an hour later their time.  

I can't wait to hear the constant noise again.  The cabin has been really lonely this past week.  I'm glad we'll all be back together here soon.

We'll start taking more pictures of again of this beautiful place.  I just found out about some hikes this week that made me scared to climb them even though we were just talking.  I also met a guy from Nepal today.  Everest is approx. 29,000 ft.  Our tallest peak is approx. 13,300 ft.  I can't imagine these mountains being dwarfed by Everest!  Two times taller than our place!!!

ok so here we are...

 

this is the main grounds

this board is on the main grounds

our cabin is in the background

the elk

We made it to Colorado and now Brook and kids are gone again!  They left today for Alabama where they will spend one week with her family.  Granny is quite sick, Grandmother turns 90, and Brook wanted to see them both as well as spend time with her family.  I was not able to go this time due to LT duties and us just getting the program started for the summer.  What a first week it has been.  I'll take Natalie's thoughts on bullets and abbreviate my entry.

• Brook is taking the kids to YMCA activities every day (bottle rockets, crafts, animal searches, ect)
• the place is beautiful.  mountains are our backdrop, elk roam the grounds, and it's just an amazing place
• our family has a new rule:  we can never get tired of the view!
• we saw a beaver in the pond down the road.  we think it was a beaver, but it could possibly be a muskrat.  it did slap the water with it's tail when we got too close.
• i am coaching a project with no UT students in it.
• I'm not sure how ministry will work here since I'm not seeing people everyday yet, but things will most likely work themselves out as I try to take care of the people God has given me for the summer.  
• we have small but comfortable cabin (500ish sq ft)  we most likely cannot house you in our place, but we love being close to each other.  come out if you can!

we love all of you and look forward to sharing more later.

yeah so the writing strike is over

I've been thinking I should write something, but then I go to the blog, have a look around at the latest entry and decide not to write.  It's not that I don't have much to say, but it's more that nobody seems to read.  I have a very difficult time speaking to people if I get the sense they are not listening to me.  Most people who know me know about my 8th grade coach story.  He's the man who told me we listen with our eyes, and he would get right in my face and speak to me as if eye contact was not only form of communication.  I love that man!  Anyhow, seeing that there are no comments on the last entry makes it difficult for me to keep up.  So if you stop by, and you read, and you want to help...leave a comment.  I'm sure most other bloggers in the world just write for the sake of their own passion, but this is a place I can talk.  I want...no, I need to know others are listening.  

By the way, 8th grade was fun for me.  When it came time to seek God for a switch in my major from Architecture to Kinesiology I spoke with my 8th grade coach.  He was a very nice man.  Intense as all get out, but very nice.  I know God used him in my life.  

We leave for Colorado Leadership Training in less than 3 weeks!  May 19th is coming quickly.  

life- just a quick catch up

I can't believe how long it's been since we last posted!  So much has happened, and though I know you have a strong desire to know the happenings of our family, you will need to just take these few morsels for now.  Sorry for the lack of info here, but there is too much going on for more.  

So we've gone to Spring Break which was a great time again.  We've celebrated Easter with our family in San Antonio.  We've also had crazy things happen to our house.  It turns out the problems with our house are not as bad as originally thought.  Thanks to our good friend, Nathan, for helping us figure out our house problems and helping us with new doors for our bathrooms.  The doors were much needed items because one had already fallen off the frame.  

The kids birthdays are coming up soon!  Well at least Naaman and Kyra's-6 & 4.  Where is time going?  

I've been traveling to Houston in order to raise our ministry team and meet new people who wish to partner with us.  It's been a fun time meeting all these people from First Baptist Church as well as a few others who live in Houston.  Praise God for his great provision!  We are on our way to being fully supported and being able to cover our insurance change.  We have plans for every weekend until the day we leave for Leadership Training in May.  I'm sure that's much like your life too!  

I suppose that's the very quick rundown on our life.  I will write more later.  For now I must get to lunch, work on sending out our next update letter, get to campus for Bible discussion tonight, and get ready for the weekend.  I'll write more later on what God is showing me.  I have another must read for you too for those who enjoy reading!  More on that later.

charades

Tonight was one of those great family nights in our home.  Brook worked all day, but when she returned we ate dinner and then played a game.  The kids were given a game of charades so we thought we'd try it out tonight. Wow there were major ups and downs in a short span of time!  

To the highlights:

Naaman drew the card for napkin so he proceeded to lie down on his side rubbing his hands together.  We all took a guess, but nobody could get it right.  When he said he was a napkin, Brook and I tried not to laugh too hard.  We didn't want to embarrass him, but man it was funny.  I hope you can picture it.  

Kyra really grasped the concept of the game quickly, and though she made sounds she did a great job acting out her subject.  One time she said, arrrrrgh.  Brook guess teacher, Naaman guessed lion, and I guessed pirate.  She was a pirate!  I was the one who usually guessed correctly which made Naaman really sad and mad, but Kyra really happy.  

The low lights:

Naaman was upset that he lost.  It was not a huge fit, but he did cry.  He really does not like to lose at anything! I kind of like that about him though we're also trying to teach him to be gracious.  It was another teaching moment for us with Naaman.  You really should have seen the napkin skit!

one week

so there has been a lot happening and it's been difficult to keep up this past week.  here's a run down of the past week. (edited for your convenience.)

Brook and I decided to go to Leadership Training in Colorado this summer.  It's a 12 week training time for students and staff of GCM, and this summer we should be in the mountains of CO.  This decision has lots of influence on our lives, family, and ministry.  Big news!

Brook and I went on a date last night.  We ate an amazing dinner for 1/4 the cost due to a generous gift from our friends, Nathan and Katie Robinson, and a $25 discount if we were seated before 6pm.  Brook had wild boar prepared 3 ways while I had venison, poached lobster in a pomegranate sauce.  The meal was excellent, the atmosphere great, and the company beyond description!  We then went to the Drafthouse and watched No Country For Old Men.  The movie was amazing too!  Thanks to Thomas Brady for his gift cards that allowed us to go out with no cost!  So an amazing meal and a great movie for almost nothing!  Thanks to Ana and Natalie-Longhorn Life students- for baby sitting so we could go out together!

We also bought a mirror on sale for our bathroom.  We've been without a mirror for sometime now since I painted the room.  I think we finally found a mirror we both like.  Come on over and see it for yourself.

Kobra strike

Many of you know I see the Kobra just about every week at our meeting on campus, but it's not every week I have my camera and I think about trying to get pics of the legendary figure.  Even though I was walking towards campus within reach of his strike, I managed to get this pic.  

One of my new goals of this blog is to re-introduce the world to the Kobra.  I'm really enjoying this task.

lots of love

I love seeing posts on the blog.  I love that people are interested in life and keeping connected with us through this modern marvel of cyberspace technology.  It's funny to me that the word blog has the same number of letters as the acronym, mmct.  perhaps I will begin to call this blog a mmct.  thoughts?

Yesterday I had a snack with a good friend, and even though I was listening intently to my friend share life I also overheard a brief portion of the conversation behind me.  It went something like this:

girl: (reading a magazine poll) So Buddhism is considered one of the fastest growing religions worldwide.  pause It's because Buddhism is the least controversial of all religions.  

boy: So what does that have to do with anything.

girl: that explains the reason for this one model being really tall and beautiful.

I love hearing people share their perspective on life.  Most of the time I find it really interesting, and most of the time I want to jump in on their conversation.  Ahh to be young!

So I'm teaching at Liveoak on Feb. 17th, 2008 and for those of you who might want to listen online you can do so at liveoakaustin.com/teachings

I might suggest you not listen to the message since it will not be a traditional type of teaching, but perhaps you might want to listen anyhow.  My teaching is titled- Right over Left or Left over Right-Salvation from Religion. I hope it encourages all of us to be mindful of how much God has done for us as Christians.  I look forward to giving the message and to seeing just how God might use all of us to change the world.  Who wants in?

Update on the new ministry:

I'm not sure where it is going for now, but I continue to seek God for a way to make this thing possible.  We now have a plan on how to tackle the outreach portion of the ministry on campus.  I can't wait to kick that off in about two weeks.  Stay tuned for updates on the campus thing.

Update on neighborhood:

I think we will begin our neighborhood support/Bible study this next week.  I am so looking forward to being able to serve my friends here in our area as well as looking forward to seeing how God will bind our hearts together in love.  

Teaching moment:

Naaman told Brook yesterday that another kid in his class came up to him and asked to play with Naaman.  Naaman told the kid, "No I don't want to play with you."  Brook had the chance to talk with Naaman about loving other kids even if they are different and how Jesus wants us to treat others with kindness.  We're hoping Naaman shines today as he tries to love a kid who just doesn't fit in.  It's weird having the cool kid in class.  We hope Naaman turns out to be a nerd, and more importantly that Naaman loves other kids equally.  It would be cool if Naaman were a nerd though. 

another Kobra sighting

so I saw the Kobra again last night.  In fact he picked me up and drove me to help a friend move some furniture.  He is storing the furniture while it gets posted to craigslist in order to help the friend make a little extra money.  I should see him again tomorrow in his new element.  Two Kobra sightings in one week!  Look out world.

On a related note:  both Naaman and Kyra held a ball python tonight at a Math and Science Night taking place at Naaman's school.  Snakes.  (nothing funny to say.)

I'll try to post another pic of the Kobra tomorrow.  Hopefully I can catch him in action.

I'm currently reading another crazy book.  You don't want to read it unless you wish to be challenged.  I'm reading it thinking of this recent thought I've had regarding our ministry.  I think God wants us to do more and talk less.  We'll see what happens this week, but it seems like God is leading me along this kind of action/thinking.  Pray.

1,000,000

Kyra's new favorite number.  She sings songs and makes up stories using the number.  Here's an example.

This Ol' Man he played 1,000,000

He played knick knack on my shoe

With a knick knack paddy whack give a dog a bone

This Ol' Man came rolling home.

There's many many more.

letters, edits, pics, stamps

I just sent out our latest installment of our "monthly" update letter.  The letter is our way of keeping ministry partners up to date on the work being done here at UT.  I love our partners!  We love our partners!  We get the sense they love us too!  I know they love Jesus so that counts for more than them loving us. 

Anyhow, I just sent out about 120 letters to various people around the country.  It's a great thing to send out letters.  It means people pray and support the work here on a regular basis.  So sending out the letters allows us to stay connected with friends in the gospel.  It's an amazing thing!  We are very blessed to have such amazing people in our lives.

So the process is I write the letter and Brook edits it.  (see early blog post)  Sometimes this means we get behind in getting letters out because my writing is sooooooo poor.  Brook does a great job of keeping me concise and understandable, and yet is able to fit a lot of info onto the page.  I work on the layout and she makes sense of my thoughts.

So one of the pics is really small.  I love sticky stamps!  let us know if you want to get the letter.

family

these are taken from our trip to the San Antonio Zoo.  The last one is of us three brothers.  Roland, me, Eric.

lover

So I downloaded a new song, Lover by Derek Webb, yesterday because the first time I heard it; my life changed.  Many of you know our good friends, Nathan and Katie Robinson, so most of you should know they both can sing.  They help us with Longhorn Life meetings by leading us in singing worship songs to God.  One day Nathan surprised us and played a song for us.  The song has stuck with me since.  

I felt weird buying the original artist's rendition of the song because what I really wanted was a Nathan Robinson version.  So with some sense of fear that the original would not be as good as Nathan's, and with a sense of disappointment that I could not get a Nathan version, I purchased the song.  I'm glad I did.  

I walked around all day yesterday on campus looping the song back on the iPod and enjoying the deep gratitude towards what Jesus has done for me, and a greater hope for the salvation of people.  The song talks about people being set free.  I love the chord progression and the cadence.  I love the lyrics.  It's my kind of song.  

If you want to hear my favorite version of the song, Nathan's, you can catch him on Feb 1st along with other Longhorn Life favorites playing at our Back to Texas coffee house concert.  7-9pm at Crestview Baptist Church.  

answer and "new" thought

Thanks to those of you who check in to read and respond to the blog.  The answer to the last post is the bottom one.  Naaman, Kyra, Kelsie, and I went to play tennis last week, and I took a couple of pictures of the kids.  Kyra asked if she could also take some pictures so I gave her the camera and went back to playing with Naaman.  After taking some of my own pictures and uploading them to the computer, I noticed all the pictures Kyra took.  I was impressed with some of them.  There were the usual nonsense pictures like the time Naaman filled a memory card with pictures of the TV, but then there were several interesting pics too!

As for the new thought, I continue to ponder the ministry idea.  I wonder how it will work, and I question the timing.  Yesterday, I might have made a loose connection with someone who could help me make the ministry a reality.  This is a good thing.  So now I'm off to read and prepare for a day of meetings with people.  We'll watch Idol tonight, and I need to work on a teaching I'm giving at liveoak  in a few weeks.  

can you guess?

Which of these pictures is taken by a 3 year old.  Which is taken by an adult?

A Kobra on campus

don't be fooled by his smile.  he's dangerous.  be sure to keep your distance, but also don't be afraid to photograph.  keep checking back for more Kobra on campus sightings as I catch him in his new element.

idea man strikes again

so I'm an idea guy.  everyone knows i'm an idea guy.  i loooove ideas.  i have a new one for a new ministry.  i think this needs to happen and perhaps the idea already exists.  

the idea is called You Need To Know.  It's a Hebrews 11 ministry.  I'd like to make this happen, and if it does take place then I think I will look back at two friends as the catalyst-Abey and Heidi.  

Some of you know my idea and others will need to wait to hear.  I wonder if I will ever make it happen?  I can only hope so because I could see how critical it might be for all of us who follow God.  Today, I thought I might leave my current job in the near future in order to make this other idea happen.  Ask me in person if you want to know more...thanks for listening.

Rites of passage

killing a lion

first day of school

your first bank account

sleeping on the top bunk.

Naaman is sleeping on the top bunk for the first time in his life!  next stop... driving lessons.

michael jackson

so i bought a few Michael Jackson songs off iTunes last night.  I felt weird buying songs from a guy knowing some of his personal life struggles.  It just felt odd and almost embarrassing, but I love some of his music.  

So one song in particular played over and over again last night- Man in the Mirror.  Michael co-wrote the song and made it number 1 on the charts in 1988!  (Side comment- for all you high school football fans in Texas.  My high school, Converse Judson, lost the state title game to Dallas Carter that year.  I was in attendance at Texas Stadium to see us get crushed, but we were later awarded the title when Carter was found to have cheated.)  So with all of our efforts today to consider the state of the world and the plight of others "less fortunate", Michael was thinking like many today.  Only he was doing it in '88!  I think that's pretty amazing.  I mean it's not like he was the first to try to make a positive difference in the world, but he was doing it a long time before others.  He was also thinking this way when the world was larger- no email, internet, etc.

So here are a few lines I really like from the song.  

I see the kids in the street,

Without enough to eat,

Who am I, to be blind?

Pretending not to see their needs. 

and

They follow the pattern of the wind

The second line makes me think of the verse regarding the Holy Spirit.  John 3:8

He is like the wind in that nobody can know for sure how He acts in people's lives.  The song makes me want to be a wind follower.  To follow the pattern of the One who is like the wind- unpredictable and untamed.  

a few pics to get us started.

 

Kelsie with PaPa.

You mean tricycle!- Kyra

Naaman running from school.

for the two of you who said to write

We've started a blog. we will post pics of kids/family, comment on life and the arts, give you insight to our crazy life, and in general keep up the communication.

This blog is for all our family out there who live far away and cannot keep up with us on a daily basis but always wanted to do so. (you know that's most of you) You should begin to notice a difference when Brook writes and when I write. You will need to tolerate my writing, but you will love her sentence structure and adherence (knowledge) to written language rules.

We will need to comment on the title- drink offerings. for those who did not go to the GCM Winter Conference- Ignite- you might need a refresher on the subject of drink offerings. The basic idea is for our lives to be spent unceremoniously for the sake of Jesus' name and people who need him. The Apostle Paul referred to himself as a drink offering, and we, not being so great as him, are learning and trying to be drink offerings. We wish to be poured out for you and the rest of the world. Let's see what happens.

So where can we begin? I thought it might be good to ask if anyone knows where our title comment is from. Here's a clue... it's a movie quote.

Look soon for our movie info since Brook has a self title of Movie Girl.

Oh one more thought... I'd like to comment on some of my favorite quotes from people I know. More on that subject later.