Merry Christmas

Christmas is just about here I hope today's blog finds you with holiday cheer! Having a 5 year old in our home certainly brings a childlike perspective on the Christmas season for Jena and I. We received our first snowfall of the year about 10 days ago and Kaiden woke up the next morning thinking it was Christmas Day. He was slightly disappointed to learn it was a false alarm but he quickly recovered. Hopefully in snows again on Christmas Day so as not to disappoint?

Shelterwood Christmas break begins this Wednesday and there is lots of movement this time of year. Last Friday the December Leadtime graduation ceremony took place in the Guys Lodge. One big brother and 6 big sisters completed a Doulos year. This afternoon, two boys graduated from the Shelterwood program. In fact, both families transitioned in August from Branson to Kansas City to see the process through to completion. A new big brother joined our team a few weeks ago and two more big brothers will arrive in January.

Jena and I will be in KC for the holidays. I am actually relieved to not travel this year. We left on Christmas day last year for a drive to Georgia in a foot of snow and returned a week later to 8 degree weather. I trust all of you have a wonderful Christmas with your families. Thank you for your faithful support of our work with Doulos Ministries.

How Time Fly's

It's hard to believe my son Kaiden is 5 years old. 3 short months after I started working for Doulos, along came Kaiden. Now here we are. Oh how time fly's by. We celebrated with a few families and some of Kaiden's friends.

Today at Shelterwood we received a new teen boy from Nashville and also a new Big Brother on the same day. Another Intake is scheduled for later this week and two more Big Brothers are coming by year's end. A few boys are on the calendar to graduate just before Christmas Break and two of our current Big Brothers will graduate Leadtime too. Par for the season. As of now, we have 27 boys. Last week a new direct care staff was hired to join our team. A local guy with much needed experience and maturity. The plan has always been to fill up the Guys Lodge which holds 36 residents and so the hiring and Intake decisions will take us in that direction. The Doulos Christmas Party is later this week. I only mention it because some of you reading this have attended past parties and know exactly what to expect. Tis the Season!

Looking ahead...Shelterwood will be taking a mission trip to Haiti in April 2011. 12 kids and 8 staff. It's not likely that I will attend but it should be an amazing experience for those who do. Our Big Brothers and Sisters will be making the annual Mexico missions trip during Spring Break 2011. With all the uncertainty in Mexico, we actually to go El Paso but with a similar purpose.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today is the BIG day of "Thanks" so Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. Jena's folks are in town and Justin arrived safely home from college last Friday. I know it sounds cliche' to "give thanks" so maybe a more appropriate response is to focus on all the good things God has done in our lives as opposed to the list of complaints we usually carry around. It doesn't take much effort to find the things awry in our life but it is much healthier for the soul to reflect on the blessings. Today I am thankful and as Scripture says, "do not about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself."

November, especially Thanksgiving, is always a busy time in our family. Corey celebrated his 14th birthday earlier this month, Kaiden will turn 5 on Sunday and Jena and I celebrate 8 years of marriage on Monday. Note to self: "if you need something to be thankful for, read the previous sentence."

Thanksgiving and the Holidays

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and the Christmas decorations are coming out. It gets dark now at 5:30pm and cooler weather has come to stay. The holiday season is upon us. Trying to coordinate and plan family time along with budgeting for gifts can be a little stressful but for the most part it is the most wonderful time of the year. I am clearing out space on the DVR for all the Christmas movies! May all of you have a blessed time with family over the coming weeks.

Thanksgiving break starts next Saturday for Shelterwood. It is always a little crazy organizing the travel plans for all the kids but it is coming together.

Say the words

Halloween finally ended tonight. I say "finally" because it seems like decorations have been up in the neighborhood and seasonal isles out in the local stores since mid-September. Kaiden has a nice inventory of costumes including Iron Man, Spider Man, Batman and Optimus Prime, but we opted for a new Superman suit this year. One thing that I did notice; however, as I handed out candy to a cast of characters is that most kids don't say, "Trick-or-treat" anymore. They just stand there with bags open or buckets held out. Odd. Of course, I still gave them a treat but I did ask a few of them to say the words. Reminded me of a spiritual shortfall I make frequently. I get busy living a life of ministry or Christian service and I begin to expect things from God without asking. I just hold out my pillow case and expect a treat. There is nothing like good ole' fashion communication. In spiritual terms, we call it prayer. Don't forget to say the words.

Fall Family Retreat was incredible last weekend. This year we invited some alumni parents to join us and that was a smash hit with the current parents. The alumni provided much needed volunteer service, shared personal testimony and even held a special Q&A session. From the evaluations we received at the end of the weekend, the parent group sessions and alumni Q&A we're among the most appreciated times. I especially enjoyed the personal conversations with parents and the packed-out worship time on Sunday morning with over 230 folks present.

On Saturday afternoon of Parent Weekend, our founder, Richard Beach passed away in Denver, CO. Rich battled cancer for over 15 years. Doulos was started in Rich's basement with a few young adults he chose to mentor in obedience to a call from the Lord. Shortly after, he took in the first struggling teenager from a desperate parent. Interaction with Richard was memorable for all who were blessed to share it. A man of God.

Fall Parent Weekend

Shelterwood Fall Family Weekend is underway. Started last night, actually. With 28 guys and 25 girls in the program it has been interesting with lots of logistical hurdles, seminars, conferences and new faces. Next week I will bring some personal insight, but for now, you are welcome to check out out the Shelterwood Facebook link above for real time updates. It will be a long weekend but worth every minute. Parent Weekend has always been the most impactful and life-changing event in Doulos Ministries as we come face-to-face with the families we serve. I as sit here at my desk and pause to write this blog, your prayers and your support are making a difference.

The weather has been beautiful here in Kansas City. All the colors of fall are on display. There is also an estimated one million leaves in my backyard. I split time last Sunday between raking and watching my football team lose another game--all with the help from one of my favorite residents, Josh. We filled at least 40 bags of leaves, although I lost count after the fourth box of trash bags. I am starting to think Spring is my favorite season. The Fall brings the leaves. Winter brings the snow shoveling and during the summer you have to cut your grass weekly or be shamed by the neighbors. Gotta love Missouri!

Breakpoint

A few weeks ago, Shelterwood was featured on the Christian radio broadcast, "Breakpoint" by Chuck Colson and Prison Fellowship. I actually had a chance to hear it live and it was pretty cool. One listener, a retired professional photographer from New Mexico, heard the show on the radio and decided to come out and take some promotional pictures for us. That was amazing. The link is below if you would like to listen. Look for the show title "Shelterwood." http://www.breakpoint.org/bpcommentaries.

Later this afternoon, one of our boys is graduating the program. A fine family from Missouri. Those are always fun to share and celebrate. Believe it or not, parent weekend is coming at the end of next week. We will have a property serve day tomorrow to prepare for all the families.

Last weekend, I had a chance to go camping with some friends down in Devils Den State Part in Northern Arkansas. Never been there before and it was worth the 300 mile drive south. Beautiful country, great hiking and plenty of camp stories.

Pause for the little things

Life at Shelterwood is still in the fast lane but sometimes it's nice to slow down. Like on Thursday mornings for chapel. Today was our weekly chapel service and it was nice to worship with the students and staff. The band has been progressing nicely and even though I have more work than I know what to do with, having 30 guys in the lodge and all, I still try and carve out time for music with the kids. The time commitment is a challenge but it's worth it.

By the way, with an Intake this past week, we are now at 3o boys and 25 girls. Yes, 55 total.

The family is doing well. A few weekends back, Jena and I took Kaiden to Santa Calligone Days in Independence. An annual festival with live music, merchandise booths and carnival rides. It was everything you would expect from such an event. Cotton candy, hot dogs, country music, and lots of locals.

Settling into Fall

It was quite a scene last Thursday as we held our first chapel of the year. We set up over 90 chairs in the Guys Lodge and they were all full. It was good to worship with the kids and the rest of the staff. On Friday, we celebrated another graduation. One of the kids I had the pleasure to spend time with on the worship team. A great family. Earlier in the day we received another family through the Intake process. The two extremes of Shelterwood life. A new chapter for two different families.

Fall weather here in KC is getting plenty of attention. We had some baseball size hail on Saturday that actually broke out one of the back windows on a Shelterwood van. The weather has cooled down and the leaves are starting to accumulate. There doesn't seem to be any mild seasons here in the Midwest.

From Mexico to Shelterwood

Jena and I had a great time during our vacation. I actually celebrated my birthday in Progresso, Mexico this year. I have to admit, I enjoyed being in a place where no one knew who I was on my birthday. We also made some new friends on our trip too. Some great folks from Knoxville, TN who are in ministry, close in age and have shared many similar life experiences. We ended up spending quite a bit of time together relaxing, laughing and sharing stories. That was a blessing. Amazing how God orchestrates those things.

Re-entry into Shelterwood was a slap of reality. With all the changes taking place I walked into a whirlwind but things are progressing. There is still much work to do but it's one step at a time. The model of ministry is completely changing and it's no small task to implement. The new school year is underway and chapel begins next week. I have new musicians to work with and the worship will be great. We have started practicing the kids are excited. New big brothers and sisters, new kids from Branson, new kids from the intake process, and a new vision and paradigm for the Guys House that I am developing and teaching. I have lost track, but I think we have 28 boys and 20-something girls in the program with a staff of approximately 13 in each house and 3 house directors in each house. Plus me. I think I may need another vacation soon?

Back to the Future

Jena and I leave tomorrow morning for a vacation we planned months ago. The timing is fantastic since work has been so crazy but I have paid a hefty price leading up to today. Shelterwood post-summer break will be wrapping up throughout the weekend and by the time I return to work we may be near 55 residents. So what has this week looked like? My role has changed from Case Manager to Resident Director. I am responsible for the 30-35 boys we will have in the lodge as well as responsible for the house staff. We will have 3 house directors who will function like they have in the past. Sort of like house parents. The boys will be equally divided between the 3 house directors for a "case load" or house-within-a-house. The HD's will report directly to me. I will be in regular contact with the parents and will provide leadership and vision for the direction of the boys house. All of the functionality of the case manager will fall on the house directors but I am still responsible for it all getting done. Sort of strange how that works? Each lodge will have one resident director.

It's all still a little nuts around Doulos and probably will be for a while. But for now, I'm off. Got a new book to read and an appointment with some relaxation. It will all be waiting for me when I return.

Divine Disruption

Post-summer break begins today for our Shelterwood residents but that is small potatoes to the Divine disruption of this week. As the economy struggled a year ago, so did Doulos. In August we shut down The Sky's The Limit, eliminated the corporate staff still lingering in Colorado and, much closer to home, Jena lost her job as office manager. All moves of desperation. More change has arrived.

Doulos Ministries is consolidating all operations to Independence, MO. That means the Branson campus is no more. Effective immediately the residents from Branson will be transferred to Independence. This will take place during the post-summer break. The big brothers and big sisters of the Doulos Discipleship program will all report to Independence as well. As I sit here and type this blog, we have 33 residents and by the end of August we will be near or over 50. Of course, some of the Branson families are still deciding. My role will be changing too but I will save that for another blog and allow this one to sink in. The Doulos Discipleship program (aka Leadtime) is also changing. More to come on that.

Please pray for the families of Branson. They are a close knit community and it has all ended abruptly for them. Just last Friday the news broke to them and today all the residents leave for break. I am encouraged and excited about the good things God has in store for our campus here in Independence. Understanding God's disruption is never a promise or guarantee. However, learning, growing and moving forward through the disruption develops persevearance, character, and deeper faith.

Leadtime Graduation

Yesterday we celebrated the graduating class of Leadtime 30. The Leadtime program AKA Big brothers and Big sisters, is a parallel ministry on the Doulos campus of mentoring and training young adults for future leadership. Our big brothers and big sisters provide front line ministry with the Shelterwood residents. The Leadtime program has been transitioning a name change and will now be called Doulos Disciplieship. Leadtime 31 will be starting soon in mid-August and back when I started working at Doulos, Leadtime 25 was graduating. Congratulations to the young men and women of the 30 class.

We actually have a wedding taking place on campus tomorrow at Shelterwood. No, it's not two Shelterwood residents, it's a couple in the Leadtime class that meet during their year of ministry. This will be a first as I have not seen a wedding on campus before. I am sure it will be picture perfect (as long as one of the fire or door alarms do not sound off during the ceremony). With Shelterwood, anything is possible.

It's been hot here. Triple digits with the humidity pushing the heat index much higher. I have been in survival mode since you really can't do much outside for any length of time. It's brutal but it still beats the rough winter we had several months back.

Hold on loosely

No matter how hard you try, some things you just cannot hold onto. Seasons change and people come and go. The two pictures I posted above where taken on the steps of my front porch. One on Christmas day and the other on the 4th of July. August is here, July is gone and the summer tide is rolling into "Back-to-School mode." Try and fight it if you will, it's still coming.

Change has been felt closer to home as well. Justin is returning to Boulder on Monday to get ready for the fall college semester. My daughters returned to Colorado last Saturday. Corey is currently in Georgia but returns home in mid-August. Jena, Kaiden and I are still trucking along. Enjoying the warm weather and adjusting to a much quieter home.

Shelterwood summer is still in autopilot. Pre-summer break and the new Leadtime class will be here before you know it. Of course, change is always a staple around here. Since the last week of May and Memorial Day we have brought in 12 new kids and seen 9 exit. It is one of those things that keep me motivated. Like I always say, you never know how much time you have with a kid so make the most of everyday you are given.

Happy Birthday Sam!

There is one more birthday on the July calendar tomorrow. July 28th is the day to celebrate 14 years for Samantha. Today, as we call it in the Albright home, is her "birthday-eve."

Summer keeps rolling on for Sam and the rest of the clan. Over the weekend a few of the girls visited Worlds of Fun in Kansas City (the photo to the right was taken there). A full day of riding roll coasters in the Missouri heat. Last week our local church, New Community, hosted a Vacation Bible School and the kids volunteered all week long with music, games and a variety of other tasks. Justin has been life guarding all summer at the local water park and Saturday night was the much anticipated Life Guard Olympics or "LGO" as he often refers to it. Good times for all the young life guard folk.

The Shelterwood boys came back Friday from a successful summer camping trip to Northern Arkansas and Branson. The two week summer break ended on Friday, as well, and this week launched the second summer school session. Today we celebrated another Shelterwood graduation with Corrin and her family. A sweet young lady and a fantastic family. Congratulations to another completed journey. That brings our resident total to 24 but 3 new families are coming next week and one more the week after that. We pause today to celebrate one family before we embrace the new ones coming our way!

Another day at the lake

It has been blazing hot in Kansas City lately but it is much easier to cope with the heat when you're out on the lake. Some friends invited us out yesterday to Blue Springs Lake and it was wonderful. A big group of us pitched anchor and sat on an inflatable 10-person island all day. We also took turns on the jet ski and diving off the pontoon boat. It is certainly a blessing to have friends with a boat. It will be another busy week starting tomorrow. Two of my daughters (Sumer and Savannah) and I are working at Vacation Bible School each evening through Friday. Tuesday, I am taking Sumer on a campus tour in Columbia to visit Mizzou and Corey is flying out Thursday to visit grandparents and cousins in Georgia.

Shelterwood is still on track with the summer schedule. The girls came back Friday from a successful camping trip that included horseback riding, water slides and a Branson show. Sounds like they had fun. The boys leave tomorrow for their trip. One more week of mid-summer break until the teachers come back and the second school session of summer begins.

Campus Life and Family Fun

It's hard to believe today is already July 12th. The summer is flying by, but not without plenty of action. On the Shelterwood campus, today begins a two-week school break. The first summer school session ended last Thursday and the Houses will be taking trips this week and next before the second summer session begins on July 26th. This week the girls will be traveling and camping and next week, the boys. The first summer session ended with the tradition of the annual mock trial. Once again, I was a juror. This year was much more challenging. We handed down a "Not Guilty" verdict based on the lack of evidence and argument but found out later she was guilty the whole time. Our History teacher, Dena, does a fantastic job with the summer trial and it is always fun to participate. The week ended last Friday with a graduation and celebration of one of our girls, Adrienne. We currently have 24 residents. 12 in each house. The month of June and first part of July saw 9 new residents enter the program and 5 exits with 2 graduations during that time.

Back at home it is time to celebrate summer birthdays again. Two this week. Justin and Sumer will turn 20 and 17. Later this month, Samantha will turn 14. The kids enjoyed the crazy 4th of July. We had some rain the evening of the 4th but that did not stop the explosions that went well into the early morning hours. We spent the day last Saturday on Blue Springs Lake in a pontoon boat. It was an absolute blast. We rented the boat for some family fun and to celebrate the July birthdays. It was fun to drive around the lake, stop and pitch anchor, dive into the water, and eat plenty of food. Thank God for a warm and sunny day.

Summer rolls on...

June wraps up today but summer rolls on tomorrow. I really don't have anything exciting to Blog about today but I enjoy staying in touch regarding life at Shelterwood and in the Albright home. My kids are busy with the usual stuff. Swimming, movies and evening walks to a local spot in the neighborhood with a large firefly (or lightning bug) population. Same can be said about Shelterwood. Summer school, activities, etc. I am enjoying the slow pace of summer and I hope you, too, can take a deep breath and enjoy the longer days and warm weather of your summertime.

Sunny Side Up

The sun is out today in Kansas City, the humidity is high and there is a lot happening. For starters, one of our Shelterwood boys is graduating today. It always seems rather epic when we have a graduation, but it makes sense when you consider the tumultuous first year of operation in KC. Today's grad has been around since close to the beginning. Despite the epic nature of our first generation of graduates, things are actually getting back to normal with time spent at Shelterwood and the progression through the levels.

Following the graduation, we are hosting a family night here on property. The swimming pool opened up recently so the activities with be centered around swimming and grilling. I heard over 100 folks are coming?

Change is always a staple around here. In the last few weeks we have had 6 new residents and as many departures through graduation and other reasons.

This Saturday, Jena and I have 3 more kids coming home. Our house will be at capacity. It will make for a messy house, lots of noise, mountains of dirty towels, ravenous appetites and empty cabinets...but good times. A full house is a full heart.

Worship Reloaded

One of my other ministry interests outside of Doulos is leading worship at New Community Church. The band at NCC has reloaded recently and it is really cool. You see, I lost most of my musicians last spring and winter. Keyboard player left for college, guitar player left Shelterwood, and the bassist left the church. With some grace, natural church growth and some hard work, the team is back. New drummer, new bass, and new keys in addition to the original two of myself and Pastor Jeremy. The music rocks, worship is happening, and God is good.

As I mentioned last week, today begins the summer schedule at Shelterwood. Pre-summer break ended last night. Some change usually accompanies summertime. Four new kids are coming this week, one resident left during the break and one is leaving Wednesday. In some other random news, Doulos Ministries is putting together some promotional and informational video regarding Shelterwood, the Doulos Discipleship Program, and the stages of growth and development. A professional film crew arrives tomorrow and will shoot video through Saturday.

Memorial Day begins summer

Summer has arrived in Missouri and I have the mosquito bites to prove it. Warm days and lots of grilling out and swimming. Today is Memorial Day and I feel fortunate to have the day off from work. I have been enjoying the weekend with the family. We spent the day at the lake Sunday afternoon. It sure would have been nice to be out on a pontoon boat but we still had a great time at the swim beach. Justin is back home on summer break from college and just started a new job at the local water park. A certified lifeguard, a great job for a college kid.

Shelterwood officially started pre-summer break last Friday. It should be a relatively quiet week to catch up on some paperwork. We wrapped up the chapel season on Thursday morning and will resume in late August with the conclusion of summer and the start of a new Leadtime class. I admit, it will be nice to have a few months off from planning the weekly chapel service. Following pre-summer break, we will begin the summer schedule. Half-days of school Monday through Thursday with various activities throughout the week.

Camp Galilee 2010

We had a great last week at Camp Galilee down in El Dorado Springs. About a 2 and 1/2 hour drive south from campus. You can see some pictures on the Shelterwood Facebook page at:

http://www.facebook.com/Shelterwood?ref=ts

Each morning we worked together serving the campus staff with various work projects such as clearing brush and raking leaves. During the afternoons it was all competition. We were divided into teams for some "friendly" games and competition. The theme this year was the TV show '24.' Team building, relay races and a variety of ways to earn points. I was on team Red this year. Once again, we won the skit competition on the last day and pulled from third place overall to first. Camp champs two years running now. Did I say "friendly" competition?

The evening "club" time (or chapel) included creative videos by our house directors, a message/testimony from one of our big brothers or big sisters and worship time led by myself. I included a few humorous original songs about Shelterwood life along with worship. Surprisingly, the kids did an amazing job engaging and worshipping. Made for a pretty cool week. It was nice to sleep in a real bed last night. I love camp but you can only survive so many nights in a humid cabin on a thin bunk mattress. Overall, it was a great week. I had a chance to spend time with kids and house staff in a personal and unique way.

The Wild Wood

Things have been quiet on the Blog front for a few weeks so you kinda knew stuff was brewing at Doulos. Indeed it was. We just concluded the Spring Parent's Weekend. The weekend schedule included the usual things like parent groups, fancy-meals-that-make-the-parents-think-we-eat- like-this-often, and lots of quality family time. The Kansas City property is amazing. Each of the lodges is furnished with rocking chairs and benches on the porch. A front row seat of the huge "Shelterwood Oak Tree" and the western horizon for sunset. I watched family after family rebuilding relationships on those rocking chairs as I passed in and out of the lodge throughout the weekend.

One event, in particular, that deeply impacted my life was a graduation held on Friday night. I had not yet witnessed a Shelterwood graduation during Parent Weekend. Mostly due to timing but it worked out last weekend. One of the boys that I spent much time with, Michael. One of the main guys on my worship team and young man loaded with talent. Wonderful parents. A heart for Christ. A teacher and role model to other residents. A transformation to a level I have only seen a handful of times. I had the privilege of sharing at Mikey's graduation and I spent hours talking with his sisters, his parents, his grandma, aunt and cousin. All in attendance from Wisconsin. The ripple effect of Mikey's graduation was felt by all the families at Parent Weekend. Hope for the dads who would get few or no words from their sons during this weekend. Hope for moms who desperately miss their daughters and wish them home. Hope. I will miss Mikey.

Next week is Camp Galilee, an annual house trip with both guys and girls, and I will be making the trip. I'll lead worship each night, hang out in the boys cabins and join in the team games. Last year was a blast. On the heels of Galilee will be Pre-summer break at the end of May before we roll into the summer schedule.

California Adventure

Jena and I spent most of last week in Southern California at Disneyland Park. We took two of our boys, Kaiden and Corey for a first time visit. It was a nice mix of walking, rides, parades, and pool time. If you haven't been before, two parks are literally across the way from each other: Disneyland and California Adventure. It was my first time to the newer park, California Adventure, and being a California kid myself, it was an amazing experience. The whole park is dedicated to California. As far as favorite rides, it was a tie for Kaiden between Buzz Lightyear and Pinocchio and for Corey is was the Haunted Mansion. I think Jena most enjoyed Indiana Jones and my favorite still remains Space Mountain. One of the best vacations I have experienced. You are welcome to view pictures on my Facebook page.

I can honestly say that I don't have much to report from Shelterwood. Life is moving in full speed at Doulos and I will eventually catch up. With or without me, plenty of drama and activity goes on. Next weekend is Shelterwood Parents Weekend.

Bloom

One of the things I have always enjoyed about Kansas City is the distinctive seasons. Spring has arrived and the signs are everywhere. The grass is green and the hum of mowers can be heard almost every day. The trees are in bloom and the flowers and plants are emerging. The Royals season has begun with hope of a miracle season and traffic has picked up on the local bike paths. You get my drift. Of course the spiritual parallels of new life are everywhere, but I will leave those to your creative imagination. What looked dead and dormant, buried in snow and ice a few months ago is now fully alive.

As mentioned last week, Jena and I will be taking off for a family vacation. We leave tomorrow for California.

He is Risen

I am pretty sure I used the same title for my Easter Weekend blog last year; "He is Risen," but it still applies and never gets old. Our family celebrated in true Christian American style. We attended a city-wide egg hunt sponsored by a local church on Saturday. It was pretty crazy. Tons of eggs and people from all sorts came out of the woodwork for the free stuff. Sunday we attended church and Sunday afternoon Jena and I colored eggs with Kaiden. The true meaning of Easter was certainly not lost in all the cultural celebrations. He has risen, indeed.

Some Quick Hits:

-The co-ed volleyball league started last Thursday. I quickly came to the realization that volleyball is much harder than it looks. We had a great time playing, though (staff, residents, big brothers and sisters). By the way, we lost too. Team Yellow got roughed up by Team Green.

-During our weekly chapel service last Thursday, Larry did a fantastic job sharing his personal testimony. He served in Leadtime last year and is currently an intern.

-Coming up at the end of month, the Killer B's, once again, have another concert. I am losing a key musician and it will be his last "gig." More to come on that...

-Our numbers have shifted a little. 12 girls and 15 boys. It always seems to come in waves.

-Jena and I will out of town next week on a much needed family vacation.

You are deeply appreciated as members of our ministry team!

Disney on Ice

Last Sunday, Jena and I took the boys to see Disney on Ice at the Sprint Center. Whether 13 years old, 4 or even 40 we all had a blast. Disney seem to have that effect on you.

Shelterwood life is moving forward at the usual pace. On the horizon is Parent's Weekend, Camp Galilee and Pre-Summer break. For now, the new volleyball league is about to begin. Similar to basketball, this is another c0-ed all property league. 25 folks are signed up and games begin next Thursday. To add to the team spirit , this time around we have color's and jersey's.

I shared this morning during our weekly chapel service. With Easter just around the corner, I took a page out of the Josh McDowell school of thought. Specifically Evidence That Demands a Verdict and More Than a Carpenter. Jesus was no ordinary man. He claimed to be God. Lots of people like to downplay it by sticking with the old "Good Teacher" position. Not gonna work. No only did he claim to be God but he was tried and executed for that very claim. I addressed the issues, the facts and the validity of the Bible by taking a non-spiritual approach and no scriptural references. The Core of who WE are is centered around who we believe Jesus to be.

Last Day of Spring (break)

I only wish today was the last day of Spring season but it's just the last day of Shelterwood Spring Break. Of course that would be mean summer is here, but it will come soon enough. The rain has started but not yet in full swing which means the healing process of the long bitter winter has begun. It has been relatively quiet on campus during the break week. With all the recent intakes; however, we did have a fair number of residents around including two additions during the week. One more guy and one more girl.

Blessings to each of my faithful ministry partners. You are appreciated!

Thorny Ground and Beyond

No matter where you journey, you cannot escape difficult people.  Yes, even in ministry.  Last week I was reading the parable the sower and I specifically noticed the thorny-ground seed.  I realized that those folks are still in the "church."  The worries of life (what other people think) and the desire for gain (personal agenda) make them ineffective (insecure and even detrimental). Wow.  Two things surface:  1) Lord keep me from "sliding" into thorny ground and 2) Give me the strength to deal with those that have.  

Last week, as mentioned before, was "Beyond Shelterwood."  We sent one group of staff and residents to El Paso to serve local families and champion nearby mission/outreach organizations.  This morning in chapel two of the teens shared and I wish I could relay all the stories but suffice it to say they encountered God.  Upon hearing the testimony of a local from El Paso, one of the teens re-committed her life to Christ and both of them chose to be baptized in water.

Back in KC, our groups split in two.  One team worked with Impact Ministries and refurbished a duplex belonging to a missionary to Haiti.  The second team worked with Faith Hope Ministries.  Faith Hope is located downtown and provides food and daytime shelter to the homeless of Kansas City.  Since I worked with Faith Hope I have a few additional details.  We helped them sort a large warehouse of furniture.  When homeless folks are transitioning to independent living they are given furniture from the warehouse.  Kansas City residents have donated to Faith Hope and the warehouse was full of unorganized stacks of donations.  We sorted, moved and tried to provide easy lanes for Faith Hope staff to fill "orders."  We also served hot meals during the day and sorted through bags of donated clothing.  

Next week begins Spring Break for Shelterwood.  Many of the residents will be travelling home to spend time with family and several will stay back, too recent to our program for healthy interaction back at home.  We are now at 29 residents.  15 boys and 14 girls.

  

Smackdown

Worldwide Wrestling Entertainment (aka WWE) came to town last night with the weekly television show, Smackdown.  Corey and I attended with our friend, Jeremy and had a great time.  Live from the Sprint Center, it was filled with a lively cross-culture of Kansas City.  Even though I had a fun time hanging out with Corey, I think what I enjoyed most was realizing that my life has a lot less drama than the WWE.  It was a soap opera with spandex, tattoos, and masks.  Folks held up signs and screamed when their favorite wrestler was announced.  Good times.  

A few notes from  Shelterwood:  our marketing team is doing a fantastic job of bringing in new families.  After an intake this morning we are up to 27.  Another family is scheduled for Friday bringing us to 28.  It's a little stressful as the lone Case Manager handling 28 kids but I am thankful that our vision is slowing unfolding.  Next week is our semi-annual Beyond Week.  We are sending one group to El Paso, TX for a Hispanic missions outreach and the rest (including myself) are staying in KC and participating in serve projects with local non-profits organizations.  I am not a team leader (which is a good thing) so I don't have details yet.  The inaugural Shelterwood basketball league wraps up tonight.  The 4th and final week games.  We will resume with a volleyball league in early March following Spring Break.

First but not last

The famous photo accompanying this latest blog was taken in August 2008 and is know as "First Day in Kansas City."  Now, don't be too fooled by all the smiles; it was a construction zone and we were busy unloading trucks and assembling beds and desks.  The look on Nate's face (back row, second from right) is probably a more accurate depiction of how we all felt.  This was the first day but not the last.  Many faces have already changed and the property has certainly changed and yet God is not finished.  The Doulos train rolls on and I am thankful beyond words that you are on board!

Lots happening lately on campus.  We had free tickets to the Casting Crowns concert at the Sprint Center in downtown KC yesterday.  Both houses attended, over 40 in all.  One of our newest residents is a close friend of the lead singer and so the band sent a slew of tickets.  The Wednesday night inter mural basketball league has created quite the buzz.  Great games, trash talking, lots of smiles and shortage of breath.  Senior directors, kids, teachers, staff and leadtimers are all involved.  It is a glimpse of the Kansas City property vision...another first but not last.  Our chapel season is going strong.  In our last service, one of the Shelterwood residents shared a personal testimony.  For chapel, having one of the kids share was another first . Lastly, this weekend the parents of our Leadtime students are attending the annual family weekend set aside specifically for that program.   Kicks off tonight with dinner and a "talent show" and concludes Sunday morning with a worship service.  Shelterwood Director, Todd Ellet will be sharing preceded by worship led by myself the the Killer B's.

Pressing On

The dog days of winter are still upon us here in Kansas City.  It was 25 this morning and it looked no different from an 80 degree morning in July.  Construction workers were busy remodeling a local store, the local Quick Trip was bustling with coffee mugs, high calorie snacks and commuters fueling up and roads were busy as normal with daily life.  I guess the point is really this:  you just gotta press on.   Some dreary weather doesn't stop folks from living and it shouldn't with me either.  It won't be long before the thunder and lightning of Midwestern spring rolls in.  

A few notes of news from campus:  I am starting an inter mural winter basketball league today in the gym.  Kids, staff, leadtimers.  It's gonna be great.  I'm just trying to motivate folks to get active.  It has been fun listening to the trash-talking all week.  Of course, since I am the one who organized the league, some have accused me of stacking my team.  All in good fun.  It's a 4 week season with 6 teams.  One hour on Wednesday nights.  

Our Leadtime class enjoyed a short spiritual retreat on Monday and Tuesday of this week.  A well deserved getaway while those of us on staff held down the fort and worked in the house.    No new families since last week but we do have an intake today.  Supposed to be a "live" one if you know what I mean.  We'll see how it goes?  Blessings!

Heat wave and new opportunities

Last week's heat wave of consecutive 30 and 40 degree days has caused most of the roadway snow to melt here in KC.  We might actually be able to put away our outdoor Christmas decorations soon if it keeps up? When I let the dog outside it's sort of like the dove on Noah's ark.  Brandy goes out looking for a dry patch and she usually comes back within minutes scratching the back door.  Well, this weekend she stayed out all day!  I didn't exactly offer a burnt sacrifice of thanksgiving like Noah but I did fire up the grill on Sunday and I am thankful.  By the way, the photo was taken on Christmas morning of the street out front our house. 

As mentioned last week, we had some new families come into Shelterwood this week.  Our numbers are gradually going up.  Funny how God works though.  While we get busy worrying about numbers and stats, life and ministry happen under our nose.  Since September 2008 when we started in KC, 42 residents have made their way to Shelterwood.  23 Currently and 19 departures.  The point is simple: don't miss the forest through all the trees.  The next opportunity is all that matters.  I tell people all the time that what I love most about working at Shelterwood is the fact that I am entrusted by God to make a difference TODAY.  I never know how long I will have with a kid.  Maybe a year, maybe a month or two or maybe just a week.  It's a simple task but one we miss often.  No use in fussing over missed opportunities from yesterday but through grace we get another chance today.  

Tardy for January

Apparently I am starting off the new year with a slow first step as evidenced by the tardy blog update. Geesh.  Jena and I made it home safely from Savannah.  It was 50 degrees outside as we drove away and PRESTO...a minus 6 as we pulled into our driveway in Independence.  As matter of fact, all last week it was single digits and below zero outside.  Brrr.  Justin loaded up his stuff a few weeks ago and headed back to Denver to attend the University of Colorado.  He transferred his local college credits and will now finish up at CU.  Things are back to normal at Shelterwood and Doulos.  Last week school resumed for the spring semester and the winter Leadtime class checked in.  We now have 12 big sisters and 5 big brothers.  Our Shelterwood numbers as of today are at 21 with 3 new families/residents coming later this week.  On Friday January 8th, the last of the Denver Shelterwood kids exited the program through graduation.  A great kid and a wonderful family.  As for me, I am still up to the same stuff as the case manager.  I enjoy keeping the administrative wheels turning, spending time with the boys, and sharing some occasional old-time wisdom with the big brothers and house directors.