Holiday Whirlwind

As advertised, Thanksgiving at the Albright's was fantastic!  We had plenty of turkey and watched a slew of football games and Christmas movies.  I wish I could have seen more of my extended family, but it sure was nice to not have to travel.  

During the Thanksgiving holiday, we celebrated Kaiden's 4th birthday at Chuck E. Cheese.  November 28th.  Justin, Corey, Kaiden and I had over 180 tokens to burn through and we were up for the challenge.  Boys will be boys.  

Jena and I celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary on Sunday, November 29th.  We went ice skating downtown Kansas City at the outdoor Crown Center Ice Terrace.  It's sort of KC's version of Rockefeller Plaza.  Quite festive with a giant Christmas tree, decorations and lights.  To cap off the weekend, we pulled our Christmas decor out of the attic and lit up the house - inside and out.  

Shelterwood's Thanksgiving break wraps up today.  Back to "normal" for the most-part tomorrow.  Thanksgiving - check.  Kaiden's birthday - check.  Anniversary - check.  Next up...the Christmas blitz!

Gobble, gobble

If you're like me, you're scratching your head wondering what happened to 2009?  November 23rd...really?  Thanksgiving is only days away.  This year, our family will be staying home in Independence, MO enjoying a small crowd.  Just 5 of us this year.  Jena, myself, Corey, Justin and Kaiden.  With Jena in the kitchen, we are assured plenty of food.   Lots of turkey and, of course, the annual Dallas Cowboys game.  Now that I'm the dad, we eat around the game.  When I was a kid I had to miss part of the game to eat.  Can you believe that?  Gotta get my priorities straight.  Anyway, I pray and hope that all of you have a blessed Thanksgiving with your friends and family!

A few words about Shelterwood....things are pretty quiet.  Thanksgiving break started on Saturday and most of the kids are now gone.  There are a few stragglers but it was a ghost town at work today.  

The Narrow Road

Last week was Shelterwood Beyond.  While half of the Doulos team of staff and residents was busy serving locally including some shelters and a Habitat for Humanity project, I was up in Rushville, MO on the Narrow Road retreat.  In order to provide a more intimate environment of service and spiritual growth, we split up to focus on personal relationships.  I led worship and enjoyed good times around the fire pit sharing stories and exploring small group discussion surrounding our theme of "Deeper."  The location was God's Mountain retreat center, a spot we frequent two or three times a year.  We had three different special guest speakers including two folks from local church Life Connection and one of our own house directors.  It was amazing.  Are you compartmentalizing your life?  How does the Gospel transform you?  What are you putting before God?   What is the next step?  Just a few of the questions that we spent many hours diving into over a 48 hour period.  We enjoyed some light hiking and beautiful sunsets.  It was a real blessing and a great launching pad for many of the kids including myself.  Typically the residents who are further along in the program will attend the Narrow Road  but some younger kids were in attendance too balancing out a group of fertile hearts to explore the deep things of God.  It was a good week.    

Things are getting back to normal.  Today we had another intake

 and received girl resident into the Shelterwood family bringing our current total to 10 girls and 11 boys.  Thanksgiving break will begin this coming Saturday.  Stay tuned!

A Week in the Mile-High City

As I sit here updating my weekly blog I am watching the Denver Broncos on Monday Football and reminded of the week I just spent in the Mile High City.  As most of you know, I lived in the Denver area for 10 years and I left friends, family, familiar faces, an empty house and a decade of memories for Kansas City in the summer of 2008.  

So how was it?  Fan-freaking-tastic.  I spent the early part of the week connecting with guy friends, mostly single or newly wed.   That was interesting for a 40 year old vet, but the moments were oh-so-precious.  Animated conversations, lots of laughter, and endless stories.  Sean, Greg, Matt, Nick, Corey, Keith, and Phil.  I also spent time with my daughters Sumer, Savannah and Samantha.  Jena arrived on Thursday via Southwest Airlines and we spent time with my sister Sherrolyn, who recently moved to Colorado from Sacramento.  Jena and I had a chance to visit dear friends, Desi, Amanda, Melissa, Rick, Josh, Bree, Pam, Stephanie and so many more.  The wedding was Saturday evening up in Evergreen, CO.  Absolutely beautiful.  Congratulations to Sean and Julia Brock, November 7, 2009.  

Jena took the 90 minute flight home on Sunday and I made the 9 hour drive.  With miles to kill, I had plenty of opportunity to reflect on all the deep friendships.  It is truly a gift from God and it blows my mind every time.  It's like no time ever elapses.   

I am back in KC.  This week is Beyond at Doulos and tomorrow I leave for a 3 day spiritual retreat.  It's known as the Narrow Road and I will be leading worship.  God is good.  

2009 Fall Parent Weekend

 The 2009 Fall Parent Weekend concluded on Sunday afternoon and, as you can see, has me in a slight delay with my weekly Blog.  I am taking the week off from Shelterwood and I drove from Kansas City to Denver immediately following the dismissal of Sunday's parent weekend events.   My good friend Sean is getting married on Saturday and so I am spending the week reuniting with friends and family in the Denver area.  

About Parent Weekend, though, it had the usual running parts--you know, seminars, meetings, big meals, talent show,  share time--but it is the little things that stand out.  Things like working with the kids musically and watching their parents beam as they perform during chapel and talent night.  Things like a simple meal with mom's and dad's talking about life.  Life as a parent and life as a Believer.  As always it is was richly rewarding to see relationships, once filled with strain and loss of hope, find healing and growth.  It is rewarding to literally watch kids and parents laugh and embrace.  Sure, there are still the kids that want nothing to do with mom and dad, but we'll get there.  God is interested in the process.  It takes time to undo the mess we so often make of our lives and relationships.  If God can extend grace to my mess, I can certainly extend grace to the families of Shelterwood.