The Pilgrim's Progress

As a young man, I was zealous for Christianity. This got me into Bible college, church leadership and world travel. I was trained to preach, teach and evangelize.

When I went to Southeast Asia the first time, I had to begin to come to terms with the fact that I really didn't know what I was preaching. I was assigned to go with a group of girls, and because of the culture, I was forced to be the lead spokesmen. No longer would my simple Sunday School answers work. Silly skits and self-help-love-your-neighbor-motivational speeches just don't have the same impact cross-culturally, and they lack the depth of truth needed to pull someone out of ingrained paganism and idol worship. What was I preaching? What was my message? What is the Gospel? Was it that the creator made a bunch of rules that none of us can follow, so He sent His Son to suffer and die to set us free from His own instructions!? How does that work? Is the Son working against the Father? Did the Son accomplish what the devil could not, allowing guilt-free braking of the Father's instructions in righteousness?

I remember confessing to the leader, “I have nothing to say.” To which she retorted, “That's a lie!”

I managed to preach the sermons like I knew what I was talking about.

When I returned to Thailand the next year, I felt like G-d was telling me to just shut up and listen. This seemed strange as I was supposed to be a missionary, sharing Christ, evangelizing, ect. I thought, “Salvation is found in knowing the Savior.” But even the demons know who the Savior is, so it can be just knowledge/education. So I thought, “It's about selflessly loving your neighbor.” But nearly every religion teaches love. Are all religions the same with different packaging? That's certainly not what the Scriptures say. “Do not worship the L-RD your G-d in the way these pagan peoples worship their gods.” Deuteronomy 12:4

I realized that I needed and wanted to know the message of the Messiah.

One day, over tea, a close missionary friend confided in me that he couldn't reconcile the G-d of the Old Testament with the G-d of the New Testament. The first seemed to be about laws, judgment and wrath while the latter seems to be about peace, love and forgiveness. How can this be? How does this work?

I was disappointed with myself that I could not give him an answer.

Meanwhile, I was doing an independent study trying to finish my Bible college degree. One of the assignments was to interview someone from a different religion. So I met with a Islamic professor. During the interview, she asked me, “Do you follow the teachings of Paul; or do you follow the teachings of Jesus?” That was a curve ball I wasn't expecting. I hadn't made the comparison, so I denied that there was a difference.

Again, I was disappointed at my ignorance.

Another year or two passed, and I was back in the states. One day, while reading my Bible I found myself in Leviticus 23. There G-d is explaining His annual holidays, and He repeatedly says (in various ways) “...it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings”. I thought, “I have never done these.” So I walked across the street to the seminary student center. I explained that one of the biblical holidays is coming up, and I would like to be involved if anyone is acknowledging it. The lady looked at me a little puzzled and said, “I don't think anyone is dong anything for that.”

I walked away thinking, “Some-thing's wrong. Our scriptures repeatedly say to do this forever, and the place that trains our spiritual leaders doesn't follow the instructions.”

So I got on craigslist and found a family that celebrates according to the Scriptures. They came over, and we had a good visit, but they lived too far away to fellowship regularly. The man recommended I watch some teachings by Jim Staley with Passion for Truth Ministries. I watched some of the teachings, but replied by email to my new friend, “If you're trying to bring back the Law, no thank you.”

I was willing to obey by having more holidays, but I didn't want the responsibility/obligation of real lifestyle change. I thought, “Didn't Jesus change all that, so we don't have to follow all those rules anymore?”

Meanwhile, my mom was exposing the paganism in Christmas and Easter. It didn't take much research at all to see that she was right, and those are some disgusting holidays. But my conscience began to bother me about Sunday. Again, it wasn't hard to find that Sunday really isn't the Sabbath. Yet I always understood that Christians are still responsible to follow the ten commandments, so what do we do about the 4^th?

In my ignorant zeal, I began to follow the Lunar Sabbath. This is a theory that teaches that the weekly Sabbath is based on the New moon, and therefore changes each month. One month the 7 day cycle may start on Tuesday; the next month it may be Wednesday, and so on. My employer was very compliant with my confusing calendar, but it was rather silly. I later realized that Yeshua affirmed the Saturday Sabbath cycle that the Jews were and still are honoring.

It was during this time that Heidi and Kendra (my daughters) moved out, and I moved back to KC to be with Keen (my son, who was attending a private Christian school). We then attended my grandfather's church on Sunday's, but I was secretly (halfway) honoring a different Sabbath.

One day, an old friend invited me to meet him for coffee at McDonald's. I was really into End-Time prophecy, and I was always hungry to find another piece to the puzzle. He asked for my thoughts on Isaiah 65 and 66. “What do you think about this?” he asked pointing to the first few verses of 65. This is the end of Isaiah's prophecies. G-d is giving a list of things (or people) that have Him infuriated enough to bring judgment on all flesh with fire and bring about a New Heaven and New Earth. End-Times... hasn't happened... right up my alley... bring it... and then I read, “...A people who provoke Me to anger continually to My face;...Who eat swine’s flesh, And the broth of abominable things is in their vessels;” And later He mentions it again in 66:17, “'Those...Eating swine’s flesh and the abomination...Shall be consumed together,' says the L-rd.”

It was like a light came on. I thought, “If the dietary instructions still apply, maybe all the instructions still apply.” I argued with my Torah observant friend for a couple weeks, but all my arguments fell flat under the wealth of Scripture against me.

Of course, I went to Peter's vision. But Peter and the elders both interpret the dream as an invitation to Gentiles. With two interpretations of the vision, no one mentions food after Peter's confusion is settled.

I went to Yeshua's declaring “all foods clean,” but in both passages He is talking about the tradition of hand washing (although good for health and hygiene, it's not a Torah commandment). Just because I'm ceremonially unclean (because I had an adult occurrence, a fun night with the wife, touched a dead body a couple days ago, etc) doesn't mean I have to fast until I'm in proper standing again, nor does the hand washing make me or the food extra sanctified. And pig (for example) was never food anyway; the Torah tells us what is food and what is not food. So declaring all foods clean changes nothing.

I realized that there is one thing that the Messiah said not to think. He said, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.” I have learned that when a Jew talks about doing a commandment (giving to charity for example), it is referred to as fulfilling the command. He obeyed (fulfilled) all of Torah, and we are to live like He lived and fulfill the Torah also. He said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”

I even tried the argument that the Torah is just for the Jews. But that fell apart terribly. To begin with, it was a mixed multitude that came out of Egypt and received the Torah. Then, He says, “One ordinance shall be for you of the assembly and for the stranger who dwells with you, an ordinance forever throughout your generations; as you are, so shall the stranger be before the Lord. One law and one custom shall be for you and for the stranger who dwells with you.” Numbers 15:15-16 Even Paul says, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Yeshua the Messiah.” Galatians 3:28

Then the excuse came up that those instructions are only for when the people are in the land, and we are a long way from Israel so they don't apply to us in this place. But this is a terribly weak point in light of passages like: “Now it shall come to pass, when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind among all the nations where the L-rd your G-d drives you, and you return to the L-rd your G-d and obey His voice, according to all that I command you today, you and your children, with all your heart and with all your soul, that the L-rd your G-d will bring you back from captivity, and have compassion on you, and gather you again from all the nations where the L-rd your G-d has scattered you.” Deuteronomy 30:1-3

I began to read the Scriptures with new eyes looking for evidence of the eternal commandments, and I began to feel like it was on every page. Why hadn't I seen this before? There was no longer a disconnect between the Old and New Testaments. Its one story with one unified message.

Moses is saying it repeatedly. For example: “You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the L-rd your G-d which I command you.” Deuteronomy 4:2

“‘Cursed is the one who does not confirm all the words of this law by observing them.'...” Deuteronomy 27:26

The Psalmist says it over and over. For example: The longest chapter in the Bible, Psalm 119, is dedicated to the topic.

142 “Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness,

And Your law is truth.

143 Trouble and anguish have overtaken me,

Yet Your commandments are my delights.

144 The righteousness of Your testimonies is everlasting;

Give me understanding, and I shall live.”

160 “The entirety of Your word is truth,

And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.”

The Messiah even says, “...For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth...” (John 18:37) And a chapter earlier He defines Truth as He prays with, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” (John 17:17 granted, I don't understand how John got record of these two conversations, but that is for a deeper study).

All the Prophets are talking about it. “Yet the L-rd testified against Israel and against Judah, by all of His prophets, every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways, and keep My commandments and My statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by My servants the prophets.” 2 Kings 17:13

“Remember the Law of Moses, My servant,

Which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel,

With the statutes and judgments.

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet

Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the L-rd.” Malachi 4:4-5

The Apostles affirm it. For example, Peter says, “[H]aving been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of G-d which lives and abides forever, because

'All flesh is as grass,

And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.

The grass withers,

And its flower falls away,

But the word of the L-rd endures forever.'

Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.“ 1 Peter 1:23-25

The other writers make it clear (with perhaps the exception of Paul, but again, we can get into that later). “For I give you good doctrine: Do not forsake my law.” Proverbs 4:2

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:

Fear G-d and keep His commandments,

For this is man’s all.” Ecclesiastes 12:13

In contrast to the signs of who is included in the Kingdom and how we ought to walk, we also find many disturbing passages defining who is not and why. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘L-rd, L-rd,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘L-rd, L-rd, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” Matthew 7:21-23

“One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, Even his prayer is an abomination.” Proverbs 28:9

“To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Isaiah 8:20

I realized that, as I taught children religion apart from the Torah, I was one of the wolves in sheep's clothing that Yeshua was warning about. Because the prophet Ezekiel defines a leader who is a wolf, “Her priests have violated My law and profaned My holy things; they have not distinguished between the holy and unholy, nor have they made known the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they have hidden their eyes from My Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them. Her princes in her midst are like wolves tearing the prey, to shed blood, to destroy people, and to get dishonest gain.” 22:26-27

I found a ministry (119ministries) that helps Greek-minded westerners like us better understand how the Torah is lived in todays world and why. I loved it and ate it like candy. I was so hungry for answers. Their motto seemed to be “Test everything”, and they encouraged their viewers to test their teachings with the scriptures.

After I repented and began my walk in the Way, the Truth and the Light (not that I have arrived or have it all figured out), I was so excited about this new insight, and I was concerned for my loved ones who where outside of Truth. So I somewhat threw it in their faces, and quoted scriptures like,

“...The Gentiles shall come to You

From the ends of the earth and say,

'Surely our fathers have inherited lies,

Worthlessness and unprofitable things.'” Jeremiah 16:19

This is not what parents and grandparents like to hear. Go figure. Its kind of like the proverb, “A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.” 18:19 I didn't know how to present it to them, and I thought that if they would just watch 119ministries' teachings they would understand. This made it look like Brian found some website and joined some cult. The poor poor man...yada yada.

Anyway, it's been (and still is) an exciting journey, and I'm happy to go on and give more details, but hopefully this gives you a little better understanding of the changes I have made in my life lately. I love the Torah. Moses was right; in it you will find Life. It's the primary message of the sermon on the mount. We have a rock we can build our lives on. It is the foundation that our entire value-set and world-view should be based. When we detox bad doctrine, misguided cultural priorities and personal opinions about how to love/serve G-d and others, and we in-turn reprogram our minds and hearts around what He says is important and how He says He wants to be loved / served, our walk goes to a much deeper level (if we were even walking to begin with).

Tears of Injustice

"Fifteen girls are going to have their hearts broken, and he doesn't even care!" Tears streamed down Kendra's face as we stood alone in a dark room, and she was almost yelling in frustration over what she saw as selfishness and injustice.
Once a week the children at the hostel are treated to a movie night. They get out the projector in the chapel, and stay up late watching movies. The moving pictures are a treasured escape from the concrete walls of the campus and the slow pace of village life.
This week, the girls had their hearts set on watching a certain teenage chick-flick that had been loaned to us by a local missionary family. The movie was a common kids movie in the States, but it was contrary to the values the hostel leadership was trying to teach.
Kendra didn't understand how offencive the movie was to the leadership. All she could see was a young male administrator practicing his authority by overruling the girlie movie so he could watch a guy movie. Kendra knew they would watch the chick-flick in Thai, so she wouldn't be able understand the movie if the girls won. That wasn't the point. In her mind it wasn't fair. The one with the power should not ignore the voices of so many and selfishly do as he or she wishes.
I was so proud of my young justice fighter. I told her that it's good to hurt for the suffering of others, but we must not let the love for the seemingly oppressed turn into finger-pointing and passing judgment on those who hold the power. We must not let the love for some turn to bitterness for others.
It's interesting how so often my children face the same frustrations I do just on a different level. It's so easy to speak truth into their "little" issues, but usually when I do the words swing out of my mouth, slap me on the cheek and dart back in my own ear to stab my heart right where I'm struggling.

Some highlights from the past few weeks

Offended a co-laborer by going to sleep in the first staff meeting (jet lag was rough).
Helped make bricks.
Scolded Heidi for making fun of the king in public.
Worked with hostel kids to sort trash into 3 categories (compost, burnable, and plastics).
Planted vegetable trees.
Called Mom to make her feel better.
Planted banana trees.
Took a walk with Keen.
Found that the sorted trash had all been taken to the burn pile.
Planted lemon grass (mosquito and bug repellent).
Went to an organic farm to learn about growing worms to produce fertilizer.
Made new desks for the school.
Built two outhouses.
Stopped to watch the sunset over the mountains (We can count 7 layers of mountains in one direction form the new campus)
Sent the hostel boys in to rescue Kendra from the "rat" in her room.
Installed "security systems" in the boys dorm and school building (rebar on windows)
Bought Kendra a rat trap.
Built bunk beds for boys' dorm.
Led communion for Sunday Service.
Got beat by a little girl at checkers.
Gave Kendra permission to move into girls' dorm.
Rebuilt the dish-washing station
Gave Heidi permission to move into girls' dorm.
Fought to stay awake in second staff meeting.
Brainstormed with Nick about windmill designs.
Brainstormed with Dad about timber construction and proper footing for adobe buildings.
Took a walk with the girls.
Bought graph paper to make building designs for the new campus.
Visited a rice mill.
Ate fried termites.
Shaved my goat and stash (but Ahtapa said, "No more shaving.").
Went to a mountain village to comfort a family that lost a baby to malnutrition.
Appreciated the natural light, but was a little uncomfortable with the glass walls on the public restroom.
Played in a 300 foot cascading waterfall.
Received temporary healing from a terrible headache long enough to preach a Sunday morning sermon.
Slept like a baby.

visas and tickets

We received the kids' visas this week. It felt good to finally have them in hand. It has been an interesting experience, and I'll spare you the boring red-tape details for now. The nut shell is that we're going to need to leave the country every three months to renew our visas. It's really not a big deal. Basically, it's just a matter of driving to the border and checking in. The upside is that we'll probably get to act like tourist for a week: visit yet another country, stay in a hotel, visit some markets, ... touristy / family-vacationy stuff. It may also be an opportunity to do some networking with other church leaders.

We've purchased the tickets. We're scheduled to fly out Monday, April 27 from KCI. Kendra is excited that we have a 2 hour layover in Tokyo. We arrive in Chiang Mai, Thailand 7:25AM Wednesday (that's about 7PM Tuesday US time).

The school curriculum has been ordered, and it seems someone has covered the bill for us(Thank you for that $900 gift!). The outreach needed the same books my kids needed, so it is a win-win. My kids will be able to pass the books on to the next person or share as needed.

We were also given a new laptop computer. That was a huge blessing. Thank you to the group that made that happen.

Two weeks from tomorrow...!

A note from Kim (posted with her permission)

A Farewell to My Dear Friend & To the Loves of my life....

Heidi, Kendra, and Keen,
It breaks my heart to think about you all going so far away. It makes me sad to know you won't just be a phone call or short drive away. When this adventure was first brought to me for consideration my first thought was "NO WAY!! NOT A CHANCE!!!".....Then the anger and tears were quieted by conversations with our Heavenly Father, and family and friends that love you all as much as I do. I am comforted by this amazing peace that you will be so very Blessed by this journey. What an Awesome opportunity to experience a new culture! I know you will make the best of every part of this time. There will be so many new friendships formed.....So try not to forget about all of us back here in the good ol' U.S.A!!

I Love All of you so much it hurts!! I am already looking forward to your return and will be praying for and thinking about you everyday without fail!! But while you're away be Blessed, Be Safe, Have Fun, Laugh Tons, Love like there's no tomorrow, and at the end of the day KNOW that I Love you MORE than all the stars in the skies between us!!!

You'll be Missed & Loved Always,
Kim/Mommy

I got my visa!

I got my visa today!! That was a big learning curve, and it feels good to have it past (for now).

I spoke with Ahtapa today, and here's a bit of the news:

• He has me scheduled to teach once a week at the public school.
• They planted 200 banana trees this week, and the Lord provided a good rain.
• They have the bamboo to build another staff hut, and he's looking forward to using my help and tools.
• He looks forward to our coming and relieving him to come back to the states for a visit.
• They have an interview next week to for more children to come.
• He can get me a 40% discount on my kids' school curriculum (originally $900).

On the road again

Our last week in KY was a bit crazy, but we survived and are now in KS. We're working on making my grandparents' house more handicap accessible. Sis. Lawson recently had surgery and is wheelchair bound for a few weeks. We've been needing to make the improvments on the house for years, and now I have a few weeks to work on it. I'm also helping out a little at KCCBS, but they can't afford to buy materials to keep a volunteer busy.

We "de-stuffed" a lot last week. We divided our things into 3 categories. The "things to keep" went into Mom and Dad's attic. The "things to get rid of" went into the yard sale, and the "things to take" needed to fit into suitcases.

We had a room for each category. This was the fullest room, the "let-it-go room."

Then, we had our yard sale, and we let go of so much stuff. It was wonderful. There were furniture, clothes, books and toys.

The Police even stopped by twice, once to see how the first yard sale of the year was going and another time to serve papers to one of the Menefee clan (not Keen). We red-necks like to do our civic duty by helping the small-town police earn a living.

Last weekend Kim came to town to say, "Good bye" to the kids before we leave for Thailand.

No doubt our broken family is a tragedy, and I wish I had the wisdom to mend it. But it's in the darkness that our little lights shine the brightest. I'm thankful that, even though there isn't unity, there is peace.

Kim wanted to get pics of us and to spend some time together, so we drove up near Cincinnati to see her sister, Keni, and her girls, Natalie and Nicole. Keni is a professional photographer, and she took us to the flower conservatory.


It was beautifully constructed with plants from all around the globe, but the greater beauty was not the flowers, but rather the expressions of love and forgiveness by the people enjoying them.

Kids mess'n around

Here's a video of Keen showing his skills on the rip stick.

He can even go up hill without touching the ground like on a traditional skate board.

The girls made $6 selling handmade jewelry and book marks in the parking lot of the town grocery store.














Note the sign on the side of the grocery store, "We serve a great God."

We're not in Kansas anymore, Todo

I think I'm in the land of the poppy fields. It's that place in OZ where the witch has cast her spell, and it slows our journey as we stop to do nothing. It feels like I've been watching grass grow for weeks. I'm so bored, so trapped. We're waiting, waiting on money mostly. We aren't currently involved in any real ministries and have virtually no social life, and it's killing us. It's like cabin fever to the max.

I know, I should live in the moment. Seize the day! Life is ministry! Be in the now! But my heart and mind just aren't here. I never really left Thailand. God has shown me where He wants us. I am only physically here taking care of physical things. Watching the clock, watching the calendar, waiting for the sale on the house to close, waiting for the tax return, getting things in order.

There's also something about being back in your parent's house. Even though they don't live here, I still feel like a dependent. Often, when I sleep, I am a child in my dreams.

Is there a fast forward button we can push to get through this transition time?

Update on the Northmen team and our house sell

An update on the team visiting the Asian Gospel Outreach I received today:
"Hi all, just a short note to let you know that the men arrived safely at the hostel on Thurs.morning. Will be leaving Fri for the mountains and the Thai Northmen. Thank you for all your prayers. Terry"

As for the house, the sell fell through. The buyer got cold feet...something about his possible divorce. I don't know. So anyway, we've lowered the asking price from $89,900 to $85K. It showed again today. Please continue to pray.

Heidi's Thoughts About Honor vs. Justice

I personally think that honor is better than justice; because well if you honor someone you usually respect them and put them first. It says in the Bible, put others first; love your enemies ,treat them with love and care just like you would your son, daughter, or even a pet that is very dear to you. It says pray for those who persecute you. It also says commandment num. 5- honor you father and your mother like kings and queens.

So I have to say I respect that command; and I try my best day by day to follow that command. As I was told by my dad, friends, pastor, and many of my grandparents.

Justice I’m not that sure about. Some people say that when someone is about to get someone back for hurting them they sometimes say “justice is served…” or something like that.

Some people are in the army or in the marines; they sometime just do it for the justice of their country or maybe because their close friend is in it; but quite frankly I can’t see God holding a gun and shooting at men, women, and children. The people they are fighting against need to be taught how to love. Not only that but they are very thirsty for the word of God. They may not show it but you should know in your heart that they do. If you don’t know that; that’s fine but don’t point a gun at them.

People have been fighting in Iraq so much that they have killed so many men. So now they are fighting for justice, even though they are running out of men. So they are recruiting children; and women. Soon they won’t have anything to fight for.

So no offence to those who I am talking about; the whole war thing pretty stupid. If you’re fighting for justice of your country, just stop fighting period.

Why not show some honor to them. Like I said in my first paragraph; love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you. So if they (the people we are fighting as of now) are considered enemies then don’t kill them, don’t even hold them hostel. Let them live their life how it is; and if you can try to help make their lives better.

Its called changing the world. So if you want to be famous. Love, learn, and live try to change the world. Don’t join the army and the marines because its cool; in fact try not to do it at all. Try to make honoring people your goal in life.

Life with out honor would be a catastrophe. We (us kids) would probably not be here this very day if we didn’t honor the law, our parents, ect. What if we didn’t honor police authority? What if we didn’t follow the lights? This world would be a disaster. When all we have to do is honor authority.

So my vote has to completely go to honor.

Bench "warming," easy money & red tape

This week Kendra and Keen had their first soccer game. They tied with no scores from either team, but Keen made a lot of good blocks and Kendra was smiling on the field. It was a good game. Kendra admitted that she spent a lot of time on the bench, and she didn't mind. The boys talk on the bench.

Heidi has become quite the entrepreneur. She wrote up fryers and went out yesterday to drum up some dog-walking business. I don't think she walked any dogs, but one lady donated $10 to her effort. Now, the woman across the street has agreed to hire the three girls to walk her dog every week day for $5 a day. Their eyes lit up when they started doing the math.

I went to the Social Security office this week to get cards for the kids, but they would not accept birth certificates as valid id. They will accept daycare records, church records, Passports, etc, but not certified birth certificates (go figure). So I went by the Post Office on the way home to see what I need for the Passports. They just need my photo id and the kids birth certificates, so I use the birth certificates to get the Passport. Then, I can use the Passports to get the Social Security cards. Does this seem kooky to anyone else?

a few moments of entertainment from the week

Kendra and Keen had their first soccer practice this week. They were really excited about it and had a good time.

Kendra is the only girl on a 15 player team. It's interesting watching how kids react differently to the opposite gender. While Kendra used pink shoe strings, a pony tail and sweaty competition, Heidi, on the other hand, did her hair, put on a cute jean skirt and showed up at the practice with Freddie on a leash.

Keen was having trouble walking, so we prayed for his foot that night. They've been hurting for some time now, and it seemed to be getting worse. I was afraid he might have a bone spur or something serious like that. The next day we went shopping for soccer cleats and I think the Lord answered our prayer. I found that the shoes Keen had been given from his cousin were 2 sizes too big. No wonder his feet were sore; the arch was hitting him in the wrong place. We bought him new shoes that fit.

Heidi made an interesting observation at church this morning. She had put a lot of effort getting ready and perfecting her look, and she did look good, nice hair, cute shoes, fun bag, trendy note book. She was happening. Then she realized that her bag said, "not listening" across the side, and her notebook said, "blah" boldly on the front. She decided that they might not be conveying the best message for church. I was impressed that she reached her realizations without my coaching.

Update

It's been a couple weeks since my last post... life's getting a little crazy, so this is going to be brief. I noticed a couple of post back I was thanking God for our many blessings; well, as life goes, it looks like I'm going to have to give most of them back, so to speak.

Yes, the rumors are true (that is, the ones I've heard). The Menefees are planning to move to KY this summer. The Lord is opening opportunities for me to attend Asbury College & Seminary.

Our biggest snags at this point (apart from leaving friends) is finding a home for our dog, Freddy, and selling the house. I thought I had a buyer last week, but that fell through. It looks like I will have a renter until the house sells, so that should help.

By the way, my summer trip to Asia is fully funded! God is so good and faithful; I'm really looking forward to the adventure, this summer and beyond.

I had better get back to the homework. TTFN

Is a portrait still a portrait if you look at it from the backside?

I came home from class yesterday, and Keen was setting at the computer in the living-room. He promptly looked up and excitedly told me about how a complete stranger came up to him after his basketball game and shook his hand. The man highly complemented him and told him that he has what it takes to be in the pros! With that, Keen turned back to the computer and stated, with a hint of remorse, "My life in the NFL is over."

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Before reading this next story, one should know that we just painted the house a few months ago.

Keen brought in the mail this evening, and as he was announcing each item, he read the bold print on the Sears envelop, "Brian Menefee, never paint your house again!" Kendra spoke up, in a voice of disgust, "How rude! What? Do they think you didn't do a good enough job?"

Too Hot for a Fourth Grader

We had a PTF meeting tonight, and the kids played in the gym. Heidi was the only one of mine that went, and when I went to pick her up, she was sitting on the stage with a group of boys. As she went to get her coat, two boys came over to me. They stood about ten foot from me. The second grader pinched the fourth grader's ear and said, "Tell him."

The older boy argued, "It's not natural."

"Tell him!"

"Okay..." Then, quick and loud, as if to get it off his chest, he blurted out, "Your daughter's hot!"

How does a father respond to these things? Heidi walked up just in time to hear the proclamation. She tossed her head and laughed. I simply pointed out to the boys, "She knows."

The Value of Middle Schoolers

I love working with tweens. They speak their minds openly, and you always know where you stand with them. I went upstairs at church recently and within 3 minutes I was told that my sweater looked like I was wearing a paper sack and within 5 minutes later another girl told me I looked like I was growing a mullet. One can't take their comments too seriously, but I think, I had my hair cut with in 24 hours, and I haven't worn a sweater since. The truth is, they have more of an eye for these things than I do. So I find it healthy to get exposure to their raw opinions. You win some; you lose more; and you learn a lot.

My daughter is in this tween stage. Some of the outfits she puts on I would not have put together, but before I say too much to her, I try to keep in mind that I may not have a fashion clue.

She still has me dry her hair after her showers. I used to try to convince and teach her to do it herself, but not so much anymore. I've changed. I think I'll dry her hair as long as she'll let me.

Pressing On

My entry about backward thinking seemed to have caused some confusion. My trip this summer is still on. Nothing has changed there. I'm starting to raise funds for it, and things are looking promising.

The agency I was applying at was part of my long-term planning. I am trying to study, network, apply, and test various missions agencies for a long-term assignment(s). That may be as far as 7 years out (when the kids are no longer under my wing), but I'm willing to go right away. I have a lot of learning to do, but I'm trying to make myself (and the kids) available for God to use/send as needed.

I still highly respect the agency that turned me down, and I fully expect to find more closed doors, but we will press on.

Backward Thinking

I'm really chapped today. Maybe I shouldn't blog while I'm upset, but I need to vent.

I applied to this missions agency that I really admired. They have vision, growth, and opportunities for carpenters. Their rep (whom I know well) agreed that I would be a good fit. I was really excited, and I felt like I could see God putting the pieces together.

They called me today to let me know that they got my app, and I am not qualified for long-term placement with them because...get this...I'm a single parent. Ya, no big surprise, but after I hung up, the more I thought about it the more irritated I became. You see, the nervous, young lady that called rambled on about company policy regarding separating children from their mother (as if that's an issue). Then, she went on to say that if I -- (wait for it) -- were remarried, then the divorce wouldn't be an issue! Talk about backward; that is so absurd...I -- I -- I'm okay; it's policy...not her fault.

Apart from that she said explained that most teams would not want a single parent because the person would be distracted by obligations to the kids. That might be so...if my children were pets, furniture, handicapped, immature, or dead weight, but on the contrary, we are potentially a team within a team. My children are simply younger missionaries. We are a four for one deal. They can be a blessing and tool for the team and agency that has the right perspective and strategy.

I guess, they are simply not the agency God has for us. As I told the misguided, young lady, I will continue to look for another agency.