DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO!

Mom! That's me, that word means I'm in charge. Am I grown up enough to do it - to handle it? These past few weeks have pushed me and challenged me to step up to the plate. We've been short-changed, overlooked and been on a computer generated list without so much as a thought if that what was best for my kids. confused? me too. I've had to go to bat for my kids 3 times in the last two weeks and I feel exhausted- mentally! I can't really give specifics but I know what I want for my kids and I know what will benefit them the most and I had to go up against some tough circumstances. With the prayers and advice of friends we made it! We got what we wanted for Hailey and Cassidy and the funny thing is. they never even knew that I was fighting for them and what I knew was best!!!! Thank you Jesus!!!

Summer Adventure

(Hailey & her friend Valerie)

It's already August and school will be starting in about 2 weeks. It feels like we have been on the go ever since the beginning of June when the girls finished school. We've already got our supplies and today we finished VBS. The summer has been packed with horseback riding, cooking classes, adventure camp, some 4-H classes and a trip to the water park. We also had a wonderful experience of blueberry picking at the home of Ms. Ethel and in her we met a real inspirational lady which was the biggest highlight for us. Some friends introduced us to her and we could hardly tear ourselves away. She is almost 70 and puts me to shame. We have had a great (but extremely hot) summer and I know at least Cassidy is ready to get back to school. Hailey will be in her last year of elementary school this year - I can't really believe it!! Someone once told me "the days can go by really slow but the years just fly by" - how true!

One of her favorite things to do

Horse & Rider

Well our summer is in full swing! The kids have been keeping busy with swimming, biking, horseback riding (Cassidy is our real enthusiast and will talk your ear off about horses), trips to the library and playing with friends. So far Hailey has taken a kids cooking class and is looking forward to adventure camp again next week. Cass is enrolled in two mini horse camps in July. As for us, Chris is off to Florida on Monday and then to Kansas two weeks after that. I have been enjoying the wonderfully hot weather and being able to have a flexible schedule now that school is finished for the summer!!

2nd Place!

Hailey took 2nd place again this year in the Karson Carroll Kids Triathlon! She also beat her time from last year and we were so proud of her!!

a few new things!

Lately it seems like we've been really busy and also doing some things we don't normally do. Here's just the short list;
-Hailey and I went to see Romeo & Juliet (her best friend had a part), put on by the 3 high schools and Davenport (our elementary school)
-tried fried pickles (not exactly low fat - but suprisingly good)
-The girls participated in a musical (the Tale of Three Trees)
-Been to a whole lot of birthday parties. (6 in the last two weeks)
-Hailey has started some training for her 2nd triathalon
-Chris has been helping with a Habitat build (3 houses in 3 days)
-I have finally come to realize I love my yoga class and look forward to going.
-We've been trying to wean the kids off of SpongeBob ( Arthur just doesn't cut it anymore - it's a sad day)

just a few thoughts before the craziness of our days take over again!

Beck

Well it's official, we have a 10 year old - hard to believe! She now has her first MP3 player and her sister can play in peace! Right now it's all about Hawk Nelson and nothing else! Hailey invited 10 girls to her party and had a great time with her friends. Instead of receiving gifts, she asked for donations to go toward "Locks of Love". She now has $70 to donate! Happy Birthday Peanut! (can I still call her that?)

Our recent letter to our supporters

We’re well into 2008 but not far enough to pass by sharing an update about our year end. Now that our taxes are completed we have a reason to celebrate. Not because of a big tax refund but because for the 14th year in a row we have meet our fundraising goal. Thanks to you, our supporters, we have never failed to meet the year end goal. Many of you have been there since day one when I was 21 years old and moving into Winnipeg's North End neighborhood. Thank you once again for another successful year!

Recent Highlights
Politics: I have always enjoyed following politics, Bec thinks that’s both strange and boring. This years U.S. political race is of extra interest to me. Things need to change in this country as the dollar dives and unemployment and debt skyrocket. The toll of the war continues on in its steady march of human tragedy but I am hopeful that better days lie around the corner. Of particular interest has been the growing popularity of Barack Obama. His campaign encapsulates the struggle of race relations that we face in our area. In a recent speech he focused on the topic of race in America. He stated that the words of the constitution aren’t enough to stop racism, what is needed is people willing to do their part. We feel like our move to North Carolina is part of us doing our part to bring the kind of healing and unity that Jesus modeled for us.

Ministry Quest: I had the opportunity in February to take one of our high school youth to British Columbia on a leadership development retreat for one week. Geron’s first trip to Canada was a great chance for him to be mentored and connect with other great Christian young people from across both of our countries. I had the chance to help lead the retreat and truly enjoyed teaching these up and coming church leaders. Please pray for Geron as he seeks to implement his leadership skills in his home setting. I took advantage of being in the Vancouver area and had a great visit with my cousin Angelo and his family and spent a day with my brother Trev who flew in from Calgary so we could go snowboarding in Whistler.
Pastoring: A lot of my highlights have to do with Pastoral duties. I have been giving the Sunday morning message two times a month on average. I recently baptized 2 youth, and I really enjoy helping steer the vision of the church and conference with our Senior Pastor and Moderator Terry Hunt. I feel really drawn to the Pastoral role lately because I know that our youth won’t benefit greatly from a dynamic youth ministry if there is not a dynamic church to connect to. I feel more progress is made when I am working at growing a dynamic church for them to participate in.

Family Life (by Bec): We just returned from a short get-away to the coast (always a treat for me!) and it was a welcome break. The kids are on spring break and we just needed to get away for a few days after a busy schedule and the kids taking turns with being sick. I told Chris that while I enjoy the mountains I would love to live on the coast. We stayed at a bed & breakfast with a wonderful hostess and toured around seeing 4 different lighthouses. We have now reached our goal of seeing all 7 of the NC lighthouses!

Coming up
Our group of churches have been talking about a new building for over 2 years. Now, after waiting for so long for the right opportunity we have a real date to put on our calendars. The materials for our new building will be arriving on site on April 22nd. We have a lot of work to do before then. The site is still only 1/2 graded and the concrete pad has to be poured but it is good to finally have a firm date in place. This is a big stretch in faith for our small group of churches and we couldn't do it without help from the larger U.S. Mennonite Brethren Conference The new building will be a great tool to strengthen ties between our 6 NC churches and it will be a great boost for the community that surrounds our church, since the church will look and feel more like a community center than a traditional church.

What a treat!

Penn came for a quick visit and I loved having my sister here!! We shopped, we hiked, we ate, we just hung out and I loved every minute of it. (miss you already)

beck

"She looks just like Mom" (so I'm told all the time!)

Look at that face! Gorgeous!

My favorite valentines!

Paul sings Nessun Dorma high quality video/sound

this one always brings tears to my eyes! I love it!
Beck

Manitoba

Hailey really missed the snow and both the girls played and played in it at Christmas time! They seemed fairly oblivious to the cold and went outside every chance they got. I enjoyed watching them from the window (where it was warm). I really shouldn't complain because in terms of cold it really wasn't so bad but when you've been in N.C for almost 4 years it feels COLD! (yes I'm a wimp).
Beck

cousins!

Together at last! They don't see each other very often (two North Carolinians & one Texan) but when they do they have a blast!

a snapshot of Lenoir, NC

Martin Luther King Jr.

As for my first blog post... I really enjoy studying the making of great leaders. During the last 1/2 year I've focused a lot on Martin Luther King Jr. I read a biography on him by Marshall Frady that was a profound insight into the greatness (and faults) of this famous civil rights leader. In November I visited the King Center in Atlanta; I walked into MLK's first church and hung out on the street where he grew up. I ate BBQ pork and biscuits at the restaurant where his family frequented. It was almost like the spirit of hope still hung in the air from all those decades past.
Today on the US holiday to memorialize this great man, I took part in a march in our home town to commemorate the civil rights movement. After the march we packed into the MLK Recreation Center here in Lenoir and had a service of enthusiastic Black choirs, loud preachers and the representatives of the NAACP encouraging Black folks to register to vote and let their voices be heard. The meeting, with lots of political undertones and talk of power for the future sounded straight out of the biography of King and his rousing messages that he preached.
King's dream of unity is still alive and still unfulfilled. That's one of the reasons that we're here in the South. We believe that we can be a part of his dream, even if it is in just a small way.
Chris

william wilberforce

well this is probably a strange way to start off a brand new blog, but I was moved by this movie and I enjoy movies that are a little "off the beaten path"! (Chris usually doesn't agree with my netflix lineup) This one is worth watching! by the way, welcome to our journey!
Beck

Amazing Grace movie trailer