Big Cedar

You know, it's funny that you think when you graduate from college that that will be the end of family vacations; however, I have found that to be untrue.

My family takes a family vacation each summer.

It is quite a feat to get all of us off at the same time and then to try to be in agreement as to where we should spend time together. We have been to Red River, NM (a family tradition). We have also been to Maui, Lake Quachita, Newport Beach, Galveston, and this year we went to Branson, MO. Now I know this is a hotspot for the Keenagers, but McKenna was at Kanakuk and it only seemed logical to meet up there and experience American culture.
We started with the amazing Sunday brunch at Big Cedar Lodge.

One of the things attractive about Big Cedar is that it has alot of recreational activities. You can swim, play sand volleyball, or rent a boat (fishing, ski, pontoon, canoe, paddleboat). It is rustic and relaxing, yet nice and quiet. John and Kelly are the die hard water people.

Now in addition to outlet mall shopping, we went down in the evening to the new Branson Landing on Lake Taneycomo. It is anchored on one end with a Bass Pro Shop and on the other with the Hilton and a Marriott. It is right on the water and is a neat waterfront to stroll on....there's also ice cream!

A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL

Shackin' Up

Ok, one week ago, my mom told me about a book that she was finishing called, THE SHACK, by William P. Young. Now it is one week later, I have finished the book and no less than 10 of my friends tried to share their journey while reading this book. It is an incredible story of a man who experiences some horrific tragedies in his life. In the most recent one, concerning his daughter, he finds God in a most unique way. Through his encounters with God as Father ("Papa"), God as Son (Jesus) and God as Holy Spirit ("Sarayu"), Mack has his preconceived notions of God redesigned to a more intimate relationship rather than a distant religion full of responsibility and expectations. This is a story of healing and our love relationship with God, regardless of the starting point.

I highly recommend this book and will leave you with several quotes that will speak for themselves:

All love and relationship is possible for you ONLY because it already exists
within me...I AM Love. p. 101

Trust is the fruit of a relationship in which you know you are loved. p. 126

Grace doesn't depend on suffering to exist, but where there is suffering
you will find grace in many facets and colors. p. 185

Faith does not grow in the house of certainty. p. 189

Rwanda Review

Baylor in Rwanda
Youth Sports & General Ministry Team, Social Work Team, Religion Team

It has taken me so long to get here. First the 48 hour return trip from Kigali, Rwanda to Burundi to Nairobi, Kenya (9 hour layover) to London's Heathrow (5 hour layover) to Chicago (for Customs & Immigration) and then to DFW...only to get on a bus and ride another 2 hours to Waco, so that I could drive another 30 minutes home....it was exhausting but a good "re-entry" into society as we know it in Central Texas.

This blog would be too long to tell you everything...so I will start with my talking points that you may hear in person over and over again...and if anyone is interested in exploring deeper, then a lunch or phone call or another blog may touch on it.

Talking Point #1 - Why do I go on these trips?
I do not feel "called" to foreign missions; however, I do feel that part of my calling is to take students to see the needs of the world...to do my part in "educating men and women for worldwide leadership and service" as part of Baylor's mission and purpose. I absolutely LOVE to be with Baylor students when they GET IT. They finally understand that they are among the top 10% of people in the world with regard to education, wealth, lifestyle, etc. As they see the first HIV/AIDS infected person in a hospital in Kigali and they dig deep into their pockets to help meet her basic need for water and juice...this is when the needs of the world become real. I love being with them when they make a decision to "deny themselves" (Luke 9:23) and purpose to reallocate their own resources to make a difference in someone's life.



Talking Point #2 - African saying:

AMERICANS - they have watches but they have no time!

This was said early on in our adventure and it has really stuck with me. We are in a hurry all the time. We are late half the time and apologizing the rest of the time. African culture allows you to get there when you get there as long as you have been all there - being fully present in a conversation with family or friends. They truly value relationships. We seem to value time over people. Lawyers have "billable hours" and service providers have "installation fees" even counselors have "time slots" billed by the amount of time spent talking through issues. One of the most popular series of books starts each title with "The One-Minute...."



The time we spent in Africa, we spent together....with each other, with our brothers and sisters from "every nation, tribe and tongue" sometimes we played, sometimes we worshiped, sometimes we shared, we traveled, we ate, we prayed - together. What a different culture than the one I live in now...where I set alarms to prepare me for waking, eating, meeting, leaving, etc.

LORD! Help me to understand that...
you are not concerned with TIME - but you are in control of TIMING!

Talking Point #3 - Re-evaluation of Community & Commitment
I realize that this will be a controversial topic and I don't intend to be political here. But in 1994, the genocide in Rwanda (as depicted in Hotel Rwanda) devastated the lives of the survivors of over one million people - men, women & children - who were murdered with clubs, hoes, and machetes. Women were raped by HIV infected males and children were killed in their mothers arms. We went to the Kigali Memorial Centre to see the exhibition including photographs, video, written accounts and artifacts (including skulls, clothes, bones, and pictures). As we were there a group of young people employed to sell phone minutes with MTN walked to the memorial as is their annual custom...so that they never forget. We were about mid-way through as they started through. You could hear some sobs, then some moans, then all out wailing of grief...these kids were very young and must have survived - but some of their families did not. The memories overcame them and the sounds overcame me.



"GOD FORBID that anything like this ever happen again in any place, any time, for any reason." This was a line from my journal written on-site. This was one of the countries that the USA did not show up for...the scene in Hotel Rwanda that was so disturbing was when the Rwandan said "Yes, please take the pictures and send them to America - then they will come and help us." The American reporter replied, "Americans will be eating dinner and see this on the news and say, 'that's terrible,' and they will go on eating their dinner."



So, I look at the strides we have made in Afghanistan and Iraq - where women are being educated instead of raped - where democracy is in its infancy - and I cannot deny that our willingness to fight for freedom, education, religious liberty has made a difference.



Beyond the political parallels, there is one spiritual aspect that I cannot possibly describe adequately in words. The Rwandan people have not only survived but thrived. The Hutus and Tutsies are living side-by-side in true community centering around forgiveness, healing, and growing beyond and through the tragedy. It is not uncommon that younger people don't know what they are (as in Hutu or Tutsie)....but more importantly they are finding out WHOSE they are. Many of them are strong believers and our trip was one of encouraging the saints.



I will leave you with a quote originally attributed to Helen Keller, and later Grant Teaff added the action step:

I AM ONLY ONE. BUT I AM ONE.
I CANNOT DO EVERYTHING, BUT I CAN DO SOMETHING.

AND THAT WHICH I CAN DO, I OUGHT TO DO,
AND BY GOD'S GRACE, I SHALL DO.

Hotel Rwanda

Well, in less than 24 hours I will embark on a journey that has already taken several turns. over one year ago, I began to talk to several students about going to Kenya to work with orphans. Just before Christmas the climate in Kenya changed to one of violence. We quickly linked up with a Baylor Alum, Brenner Campbell, who has started a non-profit organization called Children's Mission Network, working to build a orphan community in Harare, Zimbabwe. They partner with the Hands of Hope. Then just as we were breaking for Spring Break, the elections in Harare made the country unstable. We then decided to join with teams already going to Kigali, Rwanda. We leave tomorrow.


If you have seen the movie Hotel Rwanda, you will remember that in 1994 the two governing tribes began to fight. This escalated into a civil war and led to the genocide of the Tutsie tribe. In three months over one million people were brutally murdered.



We are planning to work with the orphans doing sports & activities. Some others from our team will lead crafts and lessons, similar to VBS. Maxey Parrish and I will be speaking to the youth both Wednesday nights on "Purpose Driven Life for Teens."

I hope to be able to blog while we are there....one of the miracles that is already logged in for this trip is that we found three refurbished laptops that were donated to several pastors in Kigali. Baylor rolls them off of a cycle and laptops are hard to come by...but thanks to Rick Mattocks and his crew, we will be delivering them in person on Tuesday. Our God is the creator and He is in control. Maybe I can use one of them to update. If not, I will blog the first week of June. I will leave you with this quote - sort of a thoughtful reflection for our trip:

“Too often we think of God’s call (or our vocation) solely in terms of what we do. People speak of being called to the ministry or feeling called to work in healthcare or teaching. However, while doing will always be involved, vocation is much more than our occupation. It is the face of Christ we are called from eternity to show to the world. It is who we are called to be.” (David Benner)

White House(s)

Well....Happy Spring! It has been about 2 months since I blogged - I have thought about it but just never seem to get around to it...so here it is...in condensed "Reader's Digest" version.

March 2008
I traveled with the Courtside Players to Albuquerque, NM to cheer on the Lady Bears in the NCAA tournament. Why, you might ask, with the Courtside Players? Well, the band director called and said he couldn't be in two places at once and would I consider going as the band sponsor with the women while he accompanied the men to the NCAA tournament in Washington DC. I tried to explain that I HAVE NO RHYTHM but he insisted that all I had to do was watch the game and when they were about to in-bound the ball, I would cut them off. Relying on the transferability of my skills, I likened this to calling a baserunner "SAFE" and crossing my arms then swinging them wide.

So, that is what I did...only the first time I did it - no one stopped playing. The second time I did it, I hit one of the cheerleaders in the forehead as he was coming off the court! Suffice it to say I could wear the t-shirt that reads: "WILL DO ANYTHING FOR NCAA TOURNAMENT TRIP."

April 2008
I decided to go up to Washington DC to see a friend of mine. She is working at the White House. I signed up for a tour of the East Wing which has the Library, the East Room, and the State Dining Room. They accomodate over 2000 visitors on weekdays...because the White House is "the people's house." All over the White House there are portraits of Presidents and First Ladies that line the corridors and hallways of the Ground and State floors. The State Dining Room was the most intriguing - to think about all the dignitaries from around the world who had eaten in that room. Carved into the fireplace mantel is a quotation from a letter by John Adams: "I pray Heaven to Bestow the Best of Blessings on THIS HOUSE and All that shall hereafter inhabit it. May none but Honest and Wise Men ever rule under this Roof."



Later that evening, we were honored to get to go on a tour of the West Wing of the White House. There is the Cabinet Room, the Situation Room, the Officer's Mess, the Press Briefing Room, and of course the Oval Office. As we stood in the hallway and looked into the Oval Office I saw a painting of George Washington (which always stays there), Abraham Lincoln (the choice of the sitting president) and a Larry Dyke painting of Texas Bluebonnets! There was also a rug that was in bright yellows, cream, and muted oranges with the Presidential Seal in the middle and bright rays of sun extending out. Bush said he wanted it to be a bright place full of positive thoughts and optimism that would remind him of the bright future of the United States of America.



Of course you already know that I live in Crawford - home of the eco-friendly "Western White House." That link has a tour given by Laura Bush a week or so ago. The inside is nice yet rustic and President Bush has hosted many foriegn dignitaries including Vladimire Putin (Russian President) in this picture.


In 10 days this beautiful land will host the wedding of his daughter, Jenna Bush. For a great write up please see EJ's blog HERE. Scroll down to "Historic Wedding Bells to Ring in Crawford."

I have had the honor of visiting the Western White House and meeting the President and First Lady during his first term. I could write a book on my impressions of George "W" Bush but I will simply say that he is a humble man who seeks God each day. He is not concerned with popularity or really politics - he gets up early each day and seeks God's wisdom on how to lead our nation. Etched in my mind is the picture of him on top of the rubble at Ground Zero in September 2001 giving that historic line: "America today is on bended knee in prayer..." To watch the bull horn speech click here.

To watch the post 9/11 speech click here. I leave you with his words:

Our Country is Strong...Great people are moved to defend a great nation.
They cannot dampen the steel of American resolve....NO ONE WILL KEEP OUR LIGHT FROM SHINING. We stand together...I ask for your prayers...

Kim = Khem = "Happy"

This is my new friend - KHEM! She told me that
Khem = Kim = HAPPY!
She is a believer in Thailand who serves as a tour guide.

Well, it has been a long time since I posted but I have had alot happening. On Christmas Eve, I was reflecting on the year and remembered that the pastor had asked for volunteers to help with a missions conference in Thailand. One question I asked myself was "what is holding me back?" When I tried to come up with the answers I realized that each and every one was temporal. So I called to discuss the needs and within a week, I committed to lead the youth part of the retreat. This is in a land that is 95% Buddist but these 50 families are in China serving.



On our way to Chiang Mai, we stopped for a day in Bangkok. I got to see Kat Ford (recent BU grad) and Kirk and Suzie Persons and family (they are also BU folks serving in Bangkok). It was a fun and quick reunion. Then we took a short long-tail boat ride to tour Bangkok on our way to the Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.



We then flew to Chiang Mai where we had until 2:00 pm the next day to see the sights in Chiang Mai...we went to an MaeTang Elephant Camp to see and feed the elephants. We saw them play soccer, play harmonicas, work with logs and paint!



Then we rode them across the pass to the village of the "long-necked people." They are supposedly Christian in their beliefs but at the age of 5 these iron rings are placed on the necks of the girls to make their necks long...the rings never come off but they add one each year. It struck me as bondage but then I thought that their bondage is visible...whereas, ours here in America may not be visible but is just as uncomfortable and our burdens just as heavy. This village broke my heart...but we stood in the middle and prayed out loud for the freedom of these Burma refugees and the power of the Word that is spoken in that town to release them soon.



The retreat was for 50 families serving all over China. They all work for Christar, based in Pennsylvania. We all met in Chiang Mai, Thailand at the Imperial Chiang Mai Sports Resort (i know...suffering for Jesus!). The facilities were great but the people were the ones who won my heart. I had 7 girls and James had 4 guys.

The Girls: Irina J, Margie, Charlotte & Emily C, Becca T, Alicia V & Nicole B

The guys: Michael B, Caleb O, Matthew J, Paul C

We spent 5 days together...talking about ourselves and our faith. We also played water polo and went white water rafting down the Mae Ping River over some class 4 rapids. We had a great time and laughed and screamed for about 10 miles. Sarah Rogers put it best when she said, "I feel like I stepped into the Discovery Channel." It was a surreal experience.

I have left out so many things...but one really neat part is that one of the girls that I had coached and had in Sunday School at Woodway over 10 years ago was on the trip - on our team with her grandmother. This was a sweet reunion for us. We laughed and prayed and worshipped and finally decided that we would get together on a regular basis back in Waco to pray and share and lift up our new friends. Sarah is one young woman who knows the hand of the Lord and experiences Him in creative and unique ways.

God is Good - All the Time!

Pre-Christmas Festivities

Wow...it has been for-stinkin-ever since I have posted....so here is the thumbnail sketch update:

November 28-30 - went to Orlando for an Athletic Business Conference - unfortuantely...by myself. Disney is not worth seeing if you can't see it through the eyes of a child and share the experience with others (see previous blog about whose hands you hold).



December 9th - After a month of working on strategic plans and budgets I accomplished one of my life goals...I completed the White Rock Half Marathon in Dallas Texas with two friends: Jennifer Baker and Rachael Johnson. I dressed for the weather...it was supposed to be 60 degrees...but about 2 miles in in started to drizzle and the temperature did not get over 45 degrees...but the three of us completed the 13+ miles for Will Butts and the Scottish Rite Hospital.



December 14-17 - I flew to San Francisco to meet up with some friends to see the city and see the #10 ranked Lady Bears play the #5 ranked Stanford Cardinal. We had a great time in Union Square, China Town, Ghiradelli Square, and Pier 39...the trolley was a bit frosty but dinner at Cheesecake Factory on the 8th floor of Macy's overlooking Union Square was unforgettable.



December 19th - my stubborn dad took a tumble while clearing out some land and split his eyebrow and gave himself a black eye...the most frustrating part was that he refused to go to the doctor...thanks to our community nurse, Elaine Walker for making a house call! Now we all know where the Scott "tuffskin" genes come from! But he's still cute! :)