BH Schultzes

2011-04-16T22:21:00.002-06:00

As we come past the fateful - often dreaded day - April 15 - it seems appropriate to make note of concern I have for our country's future. Living in Muskegon, it seems like the paper is filled with editorials about somehow sticking it to the rich and making certain everyone else gets SOMETHING. Bill Whittle has several thought provoking videos posted on Youtube. He calls them "fire wall." The following link takes you to his thoughts about the hysteria that somehow the rich should pay their fair share. I would LOVE to hear your thoughts and comments. Check it out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=661pi6K-8WQ

Time with family

2010-12-14T06:05:00.003-07:00

It's great to have Reva's Dad and Mom here. In our nearly 30 years of marriage, her parents have come out once or twice a year, but this is the FIRST time they've come in December! How cool, because they got to see the house decorated for Christmas. We also got to celebrate Dad's 83rd birthday last night - complete with gifts, steak dinner, cake and ice cream!

Tonight, they join us to watch Christy play varsity basketball with the Lady Rockets. Should be a good - but tough game.

Heather comes home from Minneapolis this weekend. We have Laura Scott's graduation in Marion on Saturday, church open house on Sunday and then move into Christmas week. Whew - looking forward to things slowing down a bit!

Jason will not be back for Christmas since he was here for Thanksgiving. We will miss having him with us for Christmas.

Home for the holidays

2010-11-26T21:39:00.002-07:00

It's great to have Heather and Jason home for Thanksgiving. We went to Indiana Wednesday and Thursday. When we came back, Laura Scott came with us. We had an AWESOME day! Had a big breakfast (actually brunch) this morning. Then, we went to a Christmas tree farm and picked out a beautiful Black Hills Spruce for a Christmas tree. Put it up and decorated the inside of the house today.

For Thanksgiving, we saw Reva's Grandma Hoover (on Wednesday). She is 101 years old and still doing amazingly well. Enjoyed the few hours we spent with her and Aunt Ruth. Then, we went to Lafayette and spent Wed. night and Thanksgiving day with Reva's folks. We always have a blast there. Dan and Reenie Bickel were there. Janna, Jessa, Christy (she spent the night in Marion with Jessa) and Janna's boyfriend came in the morning. Joel came too. We had a super day with games, food, football games, more food, laughing and just reveling in each others' company. Great to be with family. Drove home LATE Thanksgiving night.

Saturday, my folks come over to Muskegon and we'll have a Thanksgiving with them. Looking forward to seeing mom for the first time since her heart attack.

Christy has a BB scrimmage in the morning. We'll have a later dinner and then Dad and Mom will stay till Sunday. Looking forward to our time.

Also looking forward to the church's Advent theme starting this Sunday. "The Christmas You've Always Dreamed of" should be an exciting Advent event for 5 weeks.

This N That

2010-11-11T09:59:00.003-07:00

Well, things continue to move along rapidly in good ole Muskegon. Ministry here has been both a BLAST and a CHALLENGE. We love the neighborhood. The diversity is amazing. The church has an impact and there are kids and teens coming around ALL THE TIME! We even plan to have open gym after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning in January.

We recently hired Jeremy Lenertz as Assistant Pastor. He directs teen and children ministries. He's also married to Brittany (Wahl) Lenertz. She is a Dakota District girl. God continues to keep our connection with the Dakota District:-)

Most recently, at the church, we baptized 11 people on Sunday morning - 10/31. That evening, we hosted a community event - Harvest Festival. About 400 people came through for candy, games and door prizes. Great event.

I'm stoked about our Advent theme - The Christmas You've Always Dreamed of"

About the family:

Reva continues working at Bethany - here in Muskegon as a pregnancy counselor. She is getting into a lot of the schools to speak to classes. Together we lead a 6th grade Clubhouse class every Wed. at our house. She has lots of creativity and passion for ministry - in lots of areas.

Heather is in Minneapolis studying the Montessori method of teaching at Bethany College of Missions. She will be here for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Then, sometime after the first of the year, she heads to South Korea to teach elementary children at the University of the Nations.

Jason still lives in Rapid City at the Wiley home. He will come for Thanksgiving too. He's never been to Muskegon, so we are eager to have him here. He still works at TGIF back in Rapid, although he is looking for another - or a second - job.

Christy is in 10th grade at Reeths Puffer High School. She just made the girls' varsity basketball team and is excited about that. She broke school track records in her freshman year and placed second in State competition. So, she has her name on the record board and soon, picture in the hallway as an "All State" athlete.

Lots of this and that going on here.

Time Flies

2010-05-04T13:40:00.002-06:00

After spending time in Marion, Indiana this weekend for Heather's graduation from Indiana Wesleyan University a thought came to me. My nephew, Zack, reminded me that I had a BLOG - who knew - APPARENTLY NOT ME.

Quite frankly, in all the transition of the past 2 years, I had FORGOTTEN that this blog was created. So, for anyone that still checks out things like this, here goes.

I left Rapid City First Wesleyan in July of 2008. In June of that same year, I went to work as a Ministry Representative for Mission of Mercy. This international child relief agency faced some fiscal challenges with the challenging economy and in March, 2009, I was laid off.

We had just bought our first house (previously lived in a parsonage). I worked at odd jobs - consulting for Rapid City Christian, roofing and stocking ice cream - until I accepted a position as Senior Pastor at Muskegon First Wesleyan Church in Muskegon, Michigan.

We moved to Muskegon in late July, 2009 and are currently finishing out our first year here.

Jason graduated from High school in Rapid City last year. He chose to stay in Rapid City and lives with the Wileys (our friends). Heather graduated from IWU with a children ministry degree and plans to spend about 6 weeks in Israel this summer. Christy is a Freshman at Reeths Puffer High School and still loves sports. She played basketball and now is on the track team.

We have an international student - Natasha - staying with us until June 15. She lives in Italy and has been a delight to have in our home.

Major changes

2008-04-14T12:48:00.003-06:00

Hey, for those of you that don't know, I am currently seeking God's will and direction for "next steps" in our lives and ministry.

After serving as Senior Pastor at Rapid City's First Wesleyan for nearly 17 years, we recently resigned to search for what God has in store. These are exciting, awesome and sometimes frightening times! All these things keep us on our knees - no better place to be!

CELEBRATE

2008-04-13T23:10:00.002-06:00

WOW! After we received the talent offering on Easter, we returned the initial investment of $7,250.00. The amount increased beyond that was $7,300.00.

Then, in the following couple weeks, more people brought their talent proceeds in to the church. Currently, the total stands at $8,358.00 - increase beyond the initial investment!

What an awesome start to the World Outreach budget for the upcoming year!

Jerky, Jerky EVERYWHERE

2008-02-04T13:56:00.000-07:00

The other element of our World Outreach weekend came in the form of a challenge. We handed out envelopes on Sunday morning, 1/27. Those age 16 and over received a red envelope and those K-15 received a yellow envelope.

Red envelopes contained a $50 bill, and yellow - a $20 bill. After sharing briefly on the Parable of the talents, people received the challenge.

1. It's not YOUR money - it's entrusted to you
2. You now have a choice. You can give it back or you can put it to work
3. You have 7 weeks to live out the parable of the talents. Everyone brings back the original amount + the increase - on Easter Sunday morning.
4. The Everything made - above the initial investment - creates the base for the coming year's World Outreach Budget.

Well, since I don' have a lot of other talents and no one pays you to hunt, fish, hike or do a triathlon, I decided to make BEEF JERKY. Late in 2007, I tried to establish a business - Dakota Tender Jerky - but things didn't take off too well.

Now, with the $50 investment, I'm making jerky in order to impact the world for Jesus! There's jerky meat EVERYWHERE in our refrigerator! Soon, people will be enjoying the most delicious and tender jerky they ever tasted.

Any beef jerky fans out there can contact me SOON and place an order:-)

WOW!

2008-02-01T16:49:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday, we had our World Outreach Weekend - WOW. Actually, it turned out to be WOW!

Brenda Wahl, from Russia, came and shared. We hosted a Family Fun Night on Friday evening. What a blast! People came in and had to take off their shoes. We provided cheap slippers for the night.

We spread table cloths on the floor, so people had to eat while seated on the floor. A group provided DELICIOUS Indian Tacos - on a donation basis.

Following the meal, Brenda shared a few words from the Bible and we went to 4 different "theme" rooms.

PC - created a New Orleans room complete with laptop slide show quiz. Everyone made Mardi Gras masks and received prizes and beads.

Brenda W. - created a Russia room with lots of games and toys from Russia. She had pictures running on a laptop.

LaVina V. - created a Cambodia room with Cambodian games, food and prizes. She also had a laptop with pictures AND a scrapbook from her recent trip.

The Bonfleurs (Bruce and Marsha) - created a "555 Whiteclay Project" room that highlighted their ministry in Whiteclay, NB. They talked about the Lakota Crafters Initiative - crafts from native people.

We capped off the evening with ice cream and everyone came away with a truly cosmopolitan mission experience.

We all need to think - and remember

2008-01-24T12:14:00.000-07:00

As the parent of teens, the following link made me cry - thinking about all the pain and suffering experienced by those who lose a child. Hopefully people everywhere can grow and learn from one of those painful tragedies.

Go to the following site for Jill's story.

www.journeysafe.com/Presentation

MLK Day and changes in plans

2008-01-22T18:32:00.000-07:00

This weekend, Christy had a BB tournament in Sturgis, SD. The first game was at 8:00 and required leaving at 6:40 am. Really didn't matter much, because though our girls were there, they didn't quite show up. WOW, what a one sided game:-(

Well, the later game went much better, but the girls lost in a heart-breaker by 3 points. They played their hearts out against a large and aggressive team. The lead shifted several times throughout the game. What an exciting time! We had a blast.

Big news here is SNOW AND COLD. After having 50 and 60 degree weather for the first part of January, winter decided to show up. We got 4-6 inches of snow and sub zero temps for the past 2 days.

I took Monday (MLK Day) off since Reva and Christy would be home. We were awakened on Monday morning by a phone call from one of Reva's birth moms. Her water had broken - and Reva ended up working most of the day.

Christy had Hannah Q. spend the night on Sunday night. She and Hannah planned to catch National Treasure 2 on Monday - matinee. Reva and I planned to catch "The Bucket List" at the same time in the same complex at a different screen. Well, the girls saw NT 2, but TBL is for a future date for Reva and me.

How's it Going

2008-01-11T12:02:00.000-07:00

Here we are, 11 days into the New Year. How's everything going with those resolutions?

Around here, they're going alright. I love working out at the YMCA, but hate the first part of each new year. A lot of people come in - making a good start on their resolutions. Usually, the crowds taper off as the year progresses.

I find it interesting that other people are a lot like me. Sometimes, the only consistent element in my life is inconsistency:-) Oh, not in the area of working out and staying active, (I love getting into the pool, workout center, on my bike or out on a hike). That stuff comes easily and naturally. But as to weight management and some other "disciplines," my consistent inconsistency brings consistent consternation:-) It's also rather remarkable how easily I can recognize OTHER people's inconsistencies - while remaining tolerant - or blind - to my own.

Anyone else find yourself in the same predicament?

God's been getting my attention lately - and not all of it has been pleasant. However, all of it has been right on and necessary for my personal growth.

I'd love to hear what He's doing in other lives too!

Happy New Year

2007-12-31T08:55:00.001-07:00

Following our Wednesday evening family Christmas in Lafayette, Indiana, we spent some time with family - laughing, playing games and thoroughly enjoying our brief time together. We left on Thursday morning to drop Jason off in Minneapolis (so he could connect with the Youth Group and fly to the Youth convention in Orlando). After about 8 1/2 hours on the road, we arrived at the Mall of America (the appointed rendezvous point:-)

Jason connected with the group and they all departed (from the MOA) at about 8:30 PM to get some rest prior to their EARLY morning departure for the airport. Reva, Heather, Christy and I decided to spend some time wandering the mall.

We checked out some stores, rode the "Pepsi Twister" roller coaster and finalized out time with mozzarella sticks and "Lava" nachos at the Rain Forest Cafe. We had a blast! Then we hit the road again and drove through the night - arriving in Rapid City at about 8:00 AM Friday morning - LONG DAY.

We unloaded the van and then crashed for several hours. Unpacking could wait until we woke up.

The rest of Friday and Saturday included unpacking and finalizing preparations for Sunday. We attended a wedding on Saturday afternoon and had Worship Team rehearsal on Saturday night. Sunday was a crash day (after church) - except for First Response team at 5 pm and an introductory meeting for "Financial Peace University" (that Chris and Nicole Drew are leading for the church) at 6.

When all the above was done, we played a family game, watched a video and called it a night.

Now, here we are on the final day of 2007. Today I woke up before the family. I brewed some coffee and recorded several of my thoughts and goals for 2008 to try and approach them in a purposeful manner.

I love the promise of "fresh starts!" Maybe that's why I love ministry and the chance to regularly share how God constantly offers people fresh starts.

Hope your year includes some awesome fresh starts. Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas to all!

2007-12-26T22:20:00.000-07:00

WOW! Every year God reminds me again how much I love my family and how blessed my life is to share with them. We left on Sunday, December 23 following church. We braved blowing snow and icy roads to travel towards my family in Detroit.

Late Sunday night, following many miles and lots of other cars and trucks off the road due to slippery roads (makes me glad we spent the money on new tires, inner tie rods and allignment prior to leaving) we arrived at Reva's sister's house in Madison, Wisconsin. After some popcorn - and reconnecting, we cashed in for the night. The following morning, the Bickels fed us an awesome breakfast and we headed out for Detroit.

That night, we arrived at my parents' home in Detroit at about 7:00 PM. We had dinner together and simply enjoyed one another. The next day (Christmas) we celebrated Christmas together with Mom, Dad, Tim (my brother), Amy (his wife) and Hannah (their 5th grade daughter). Lori, my sister, and her family couldn't come up from South Carolina - so we missed seeing them. But, we still had a blast. Tim and Amy had to leave early in the evening for celebration with her family. We all stayed up and watched Hallmark movies until about 1:00 am.

We got up at 6 am and pulled out for Indiana at 7. After having lunch with Reva's aunt Ruth and Grandma Hoover in Marion, we headed on to Lafayette. I'm writing from Lafayette. Almost all Reva's family was here for Christmas tonight. We pull out for home tomorrow.

Well, even though it was a lot of miles in a short amount of time, we PRAISE GOD for family and their love for Jesus! A common faith brings an extra dimension to our bond!

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Long week:-)

2007-12-12T12:04:00.001-07:00

I noted that somewhere in October I updated my blog and said that there would be a post within the week. Well, it's been a MIGHTY LONG WEEK!

But, in all seriousness, LOTS of things have happened since the last post. Here's a smattering:

+ Continued in PT for shoulder surgery (getting better)
+ Hunted several days with my pal Chris - passed on several bucks and then ended up without a deer:-(
+ Participated in an all church "Harvest Festival" where literally hundreds of people came through the church
+ Continue working towards the "next steps" with Rapid City Christian school board
+ Performed a couple very difficult funerals - one for a 31 year old lady - a runner in the peak of health - that had a virus attack her heart. Flu like symptoms began on a Thursday and she died on Monday morning. Second was the daughter of a friend - only 24 years old and died suddenly from diabetes complications. I'm thankful for faith and hope during the holiday season with so much hurt and pain.
+ The shooting at YWAM in Denver left Dan Griebenow (family that attended our church - brother and sister now attend) in critical condition with a bullet in his neck. The attack killed Dan's girlfriend, Tiffany Johnson and another friend Phillip Crouse. Dan continues to get better! For that we praise God.
+ I reconnected with someone that went to college with Reva and me. He has a son who was serving in the Marine Corps and died from a sniper's bullet in March of this year.

Looking forward to the Christmas holiday. Heather comes home tomorrow from college. Jason and Christy have school this week and next week. Then, we'll celebrate family Christmas and ultimately travel to be with extended family.

More soon - at least hopefully sooner than 2 months:-)

Yes, I'm still alive

2007-10-16T09:34:00.001-06:00

I'm shocked and appalled that I've made NO updates since March!:-(

Well, here we go. I wanted to make initial connection and note that this week I will update with new information and photos!

ciao

Life is good

2007-03-22T11:54:00.000-06:00

We went to Williston, ND on Saturday. We went to spend some time with Brent and Laura Beth Bickel. This fine young couple are related to me through marriage (Reva's sister's son and his wife), so they're our niece and nephew.

Brent serves on staff at the Williston New Hope church. Sunday was set to be his first time preaching. What a great excuse to spend some time with them!

Brent did an awesome job preaching. His several years of teaching high school gave him a comfort with being in front of people. He had an amazingly relational style for someone preaching their first sermon!

The weekend included time playing games, connecting with other friends for dessert (all of us) and eating at Applebees on Sunday afternoon before heading back to Rapid City (by the way, Applebees really needs some competition in the area:-)

It's awesome to see a young couple - early in their married life and expecting their first child - so passionate about doing God's will! We loved our time together!

Together again!

2007-03-11T07:10:00.000-06:00

You know, it seems you can make plans all you want – yet they’re always subject to change. Take for instance March blizzards that coincide with college spring break.

Here’s the story. Heather planned to drive back to SD with friends from college in Indiana. They planned to leave Friday following classes and drive to SD via the southern route – I 80. Well, a snowstorm that closed interstates and stranded motorists throughout the mid section of America caused them to rethink their plan. However, the storm hit the northern route too – Minnesota and SD. Still, the brave collegians decided to drive to Madison, Wisconsin and spend the night with Heather’s Aunt Reenie and Uncle Dan Bickel. After all, snow and ice presents less of a challenge when driven in the daylight hours

Enter Dad and brother. I planned to drive to Miller, SD on Friday and pick Jason up from school. We planned a dad and son time. Cabellas, here we come! We also had a room reserved for Friday night in Sioux Falls. Plus, friends recommended a great Mongolian grill for our dinner.

The weather changed our plans too. I couldn’t leave Rapid and Jason was stuck in Miller one more night.

On Saturday, I 90 was still closed most of the day. Jason caught a ride back to Rapid with a teacher who bypassed the interstate. We finally got word the roads opened. So, Christy and I left to get Heather around 1:30 PM on Saturday.

We made decent time since the roads were okay from Rapid to Murdo. Then, things got a bit interesting. The road had scattered icy spots and offered some minor challenges to our progress.

We made one final stop in Mitchell before the final stretch to Sioux Falls. When we reentered the highway, it was dark. What a bummer, because all reports said that the stretch from Mitchell to Sioux Falls was the worst. What a great time to pray!

I found it an awesome blessing that we looked up and saw the full moon midway through its scheduled lunar eclipse. Then, something unexpected happened.

Looking ahead, about 200 – 300 yards beyond my headlights, the road looked like fluorescent lights. I slowed down a bit. It seems that the angle of the full moon began to “light up” icy spots several hundred yards ahead of my lights!

The rest of the way to Sioux Falls, the icy spots showed up in plenty of time to slow down. Thanks God for “lighting” my path while heading to get our oldest child home for Spring break!

Amazing Grace

2007-02-04T22:42:00.000-07:00

In worship today, we sang Chris Tomlin's version of "Amazng Grace." Tomlin's version adds the chorus, "My chains are gone." It is the song used in the upcoming movie - Amazing Grace - about the life and political struggle of William Wilberforce. Wilberforce was the "conscience of Parliament" in England over the issue of slavery in the late 1700's and early 1800's. It was in 1807 that legislation he had been resubmitting for nearly 20 years was finally passed to outlaw the trafficking in slaves by English companies and ships.

It was nearly another 20 years before slavery was abolished throughout the British empire. Less than 72 hours after the vote to abolish slavery, Wilberforce died! What an amazing man. What a legacy of a Christian serving as a social conscience to a nation. How many lesser persons would have abandoned their "good idea" after getting shot down for so many years? Makes you think.

If you want to check out the website and learn about modern day slavery, cut and paste the site listed below (namely b/c I haven't figured out how to insert a link:-)

http://www.amazinggracemovie.com/

Injustice Anywhere Is a Threat to Justice Everywhere

2007-01-15T16:33:00.000-07:00

The following is a quote posted in the daily briefing from Family research council: It seems appropriate that on a day honoring Dr. King to post some information about him:-)

On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we pay tribute to a powerful visionary for equal rights--a man who electrified the nation with his dream to work for a more just nation. As we fight to roll back the modern tides of injustice against the unborn, we too must take a righteous stand, despite the personal and political cost. In his letter from the Birmingham jail, Dr. King reminds us, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny... Human progress never rolls in on wheels of inevitability; it comes through the tireless efforts of men willing to be co-workers with God, and without this hard work, time itself becomes an ally of the forces of social stagnation. We must use time creatively, in the knowledge that the time is always ripe to do right. Now is the time to make real the promise of democracy and transform our pending national elegy into a creative psalm of brotherhood. Now is the time to lift our national policy from the quicksand of racial injustice to the solid rock of human dignity... and in some not too distant tomorrow the radiant stars of love and brotherhood will shine over our great nation with all their scintillating beauty."
-------------------

Free Hugs Campaign - Inspiring

2007-01-13T16:29:00.001-07:00

Original from Youtube - http://youtube.com/watch?v=vr3x_RRJdd4

YOUTUBE DESCRIPTION:

Sometimes, a hug is all what we need. Free hugs is a real life controversial story of Juan Mann, A man whose sole mission was to reach out and hug a stranger to brighten up their lives.

In this age of social disconnection and lack of human contact, the effects of the Free Hugs campaign became phenomenal.

As this symbol of human hope spread accross the city, police and officials ordered the Free Hugs campaign BANNED. What we then witness is the true spirit of humanity come together in what can only be described as awe inspiring.

In the Spirit of the free hugs campaign, PASS THIS TO A FRIEND and HUG A STRANGER! After all, If you can reach just one person...

There has been thousands of emails from all over the world by people seeking to participate in the Free Hugs campaign and asking for permission. You do not need permission. This is the peoples movement, this is *your* movement. With nothing but your bare hands you can make THE difference.

Overdriving conditions

2007-01-13T15:08:00.000-07:00

When we were driving back from celebrating Christmas with family, we ran into some bad weather on I 90 between Mitchell, SD and Wall, SD.

First, the rain fell. Then, as things got colder, ice and snow came.

We tried to adjust our driving according to the weather. Some others on the road did too!

However, several vehicles went off the road and needed assistance. I think that we saw about 6 vehicles off the road. All of them had assistance at hand and didn’t need other help.

A thought occurred to me during the drive.

Often, on our trips, we hit bad weather. Many times, vehicles hit the ditch or the median. Looking back, the vast majority of those seemed to be 4 wheel drive vehicles – trucks or SUVs.

What is it about owning great “all-weather vehicles” that makes people think they needn’t worry or adjust? They overdrive road conditions and get into trouble.

But it seems we sometimes approach life in the same way. Just a thought.

Family matters

2007-01-05T16:08:00.000-07:00

It was great to spend time with family over the holidays! Heather was back from college in Indiana. Jason was back from school in Miller, SD. Christy was off from Rapid City Christian. We had a blast together.

We celebrated family Christmas on Saturday, December 23rd. It's still a rush to see family open presents!

We got Heather an I-Pod. Jason got a djembe (African Drum - you can see the exact one at Musician's Friend website:-) Christy got a cell phone with pre paid minutes.

It seems that ALL the gifts were hits this year! Oh yeah, Reva and I got a computer for the home and signed up for high speed Internet:-)

Mainly, we thank God for the gift of Himself, in Christ. We also deeply thank Him for health and the love of family!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!

Holidays

2007-01-05T15:57:00.000-07:00

We had an awesome time with family over the Christmas holiday. We traveled to Madison, Wisconsin on Christmas Day. Then, on Tuesday, we traveled to Lafayette, Indiana. We celebrated Christmas with the Hoover family on Tuesday evening. WHAT A BLAST TO HAVE NEARLY 30 FAMILY MEMBERS THERE!

On Wednesday, we drove over to Marion, Indiana and saw Reva's grandma Hoover. She's 97 and lives with aunt Ruth and Uncle Eldine. She's an amazing woman - sharp mind and quick wit even at age 97.

We stayed long enough to have dinner and then traveled up to Detroit, Michigan to spend Christmas with my side of the family. My sister and her family weren't there, and we missed seeing them. Still, we had a wonderful time!

Friday morning, we left for Madison, Wisconsin again. Made great time through Chicago, and made it in time to have dinner with the Bickels. We always enjoy spending time with them. What a treat that Brent, Laura Beth and Brice were all there too!

Saturday, we tackled the final 11-12 hour leg of our trip home so that we could arrive in time for worship team at 7:30 PM on Saturday night!

We praise God for family and for safe travels. Roads were cruddy from Mitchell to Wall - in South Dakota. Snow and ice with several cars (SUV's) in the ditch. We made it fine - but tired.

Prayers answered!

2006-12-20T12:29:00.000-07:00

Thanks for praying on behalf of Pastor Sideth and family. Below is a quote from an e mail dated Dec. 18th. The Gallants minister in Cambodia, and they sent this update.

"Pastor Sideth and his family are leaving Calemet Hospital to return to their home in Kampong Chnang. He is still without some of his speech and memory capacities, but he is doing remarkably well for severity of the accident. Thank you for your prayers for they really have made the difference in this man's recovery."

I wish for you and yours a very merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

PLEASE PRAY

2006-12-12T09:54:00.000-07:00

Some of you know that on 2 separate occasions, I made short term mission trips to Cambodia. We partner with the national church and Bible school.

Here's a special need from our current missionaries in Cambodia - Tim and Tiffany Gallant:

One of our Cambodian National pastors was in a moto accident this past Friday. Pastor Sideth has been diagnosed with high-blood pressure, and apparently this caused him to faint while driving his moto. He sustained a head injury which caused his brain to swell, and he is now under care at the Calemet Hospital in Phnom Penh. Please pray for...

* wisdom for the doctors to know how to best treat this head/brain injury. Several years ago, Tim's father sustained a similar injury. Without the expert care of the physicians, he would not have survived the accident. So it is very important that Pastor Sideth gets the best care possible during these critical days after the accident.

* the Lord's healing hand to be upon Pastor Sideth that the swelling may go down and that he may regain conciousness without any lasting effects.

* the family of Pastor Sideth, his wife and son, that they may know that God's grace is sufficient for their husband/father's healing.

* for a miracle to happen in the recovery of this strong national leader. This is a desperate situation and we know that true healing can only occur through a mighty miracle of our Lord.

Thank you for your prayers, and please pass this prayer request on to any other people who are able to pray for this urgent request.

God Bless you all,

Tim and Tiffany Gallant
------------------------------

The picture is of Pastor Sideth. Thanks for praying

MAN I LOVE TO HUNT

2006-11-28T09:08:00.000-07:00

Well, after several hunts and a couple unsuccessful shots at deer, I finally dropped a buck on the last day I hunted!

Jason was home from school, so he got to come along with Chris and me for the morning hunt. He agreed that the ranch is an awesome sight! We spotted deer within the first 5 minutes of leaving the truck.

After watching the first several deer, we continued on to another ridge. There we saw a small buck and I considered taking this 2 point. At about the moment I considered sighting him in, he bounded out of sight.

We walked a high ridge and a larger (3 point) buck was in an opening with a few does. We checked the range (250 yards). Yep, this one is the one.

I sighted in, but couldn't seem to hold completely steady, because after the first shot, the deer simply looked confused. Must have been wavering in my aim more than I thought. Rack in another shell and shoot again! This one caused the deer to hunch up, take one step and fall. Successful hunt!

He wasn't the 5 point I had hoped for, but he was a nice buck - or as Chris would say, "Yeah, he's alright I guess!"

The only pictures taken of the event were on Jason's and Chris' cell phones and Jason's digital. Will post a picture when I can load a copy:-)

Home for the holidays

2006-11-22T13:13:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Heather arrived home from college in Indiana. Tonight, Jason comes back from school in Miller, SD. Tomorrow, the Wiley family will gather with us at the Schultz home.

Reva and I will wake up earlier than the others. I'll get the turkey in the oven. Then, we'll roll out homemade rolls together. WOW! I love Thanksgiving. This year it means even more since Heather and Jason are away at school

The Schultz family will get a Christmas tree (not a holiday tree:-) on Friday and decorate the house for Christmas. I hope anyone who might check this blog has an AWESOME Thanksgiving.

Please take time to pray for those serving our country and away from family. Please pray for those that have an empty place at their table because a loved one died. May God Himself be part of all our festivities during this time to reflect and give thanks.

The Nativity Story

2006-11-22T12:20:00.001-07:00


The theatrical trailer of the film - The Nativity - hope people will have the chance to see the AWESOME story.

What a day

2006-11-18T14:42:00.000-07:00

Today, we said our "temporary" final goodbyes to Gwyn Regan. WOW, what an event. People came to the church on Friday to help set up. We had overflow seating in the basement, library, main entrance and in 2 large areas upstairs. All were wired with video and sound feeds so people could catch the funeral.

It seemed like people just kept arriving. We had crews covering the parking lot and overflow lots secured. We had greeters and ushers at every door and on every level. The place was PACKED!

What a beautiful tribute to a beautiful girl!

Gwyn, age 15, was killed on Tuesday night when she went off the shoulder of the road, overcorrected and spun into the path of a Chevy Suburban. She and her family have attended First Wesleyan since about 2000.

In the midst of tragedy, God does amazing things. I told several people that "it seems like when life is at its worst, the Body of Christ is at its best." How true! So many people helped and showered the family with love and support. What a fitting tribute to God's love for Gwyn and her family.

Please pray for Michelle (mom), Katie (younger sister) and Shawn (dad).

We had the chance to share the Gospel message during the service. Gwyn knew and followed Jesus. What a comfort to have hope for eternal life with Christ.

Successful Hunt

2006-11-16T10:50:00.000-07:00

WARNING:
If you're an animal rights activist, you might want to discontinue reading this post immediately.
But, if you love to hunt like I do, read on and check out the picture attached.

On Monday, I took the afternoon off to hunt with Chris D. We hunt on the ranch his wife's family owns. By the way, I feel EXTREMELY BLESSED to have received an invitation to hunt with him on such an AMAZING parcel of land.

Well, on Monday evening, we came upon a couple small herds of deer. One herd was bedded down on a hillside. We had an advantage (other than having rifles that can reach the kill zone at about 600 yards:-) in that the wind was blowing across us and not taking our scent to them. Thus, the only challenge we faced was getting closer without being seen.

We ambled over several ridges to get closer. (Oh, the reason we did this is because there appeared to be a HUGE buck with the herd) So, after practically wearing ourselves out traipsing up and down hills, we finally came to the "magic" ridge that was above the herd.

We crawled to the top (cactus REALLY hurt your knees) and saw that the deer had gotten up and started down the draw. We were now at about 300 yards.

Sure enough, the one deer was a really nice buck. Chris graciously asked if I wanted to shoot that particular deer - (did I mention that he was a really nice buck?!). I told him to go ahead. He drew down and shot. The bullet hit and the deer staggered and fell. Shortly after that, he rose to his feet again and stood there! We waited for what seemed like forever (probably about 2 minutes).

The shot caused all the rest of the deer to run around, but they still didn't know where we were, so they weren't running off. Another nice buck appeared at about the 400 + yard range and I drew down on him. Unfortunately, I missed (because the wind had risen to nearly hurricane force gusts:-) My shot caused Chris' deer to start walking away. Chris took one more shot before the deer walked out of site behind another small ridge.

What do we do now? We decided to give the deer a chance to lie down - and probably die because he had been hit hard. We went back to the truck to retrieve some warmer clothes (remember the hurricane gusts), our knives and some water. We had only planned to take a "short look" on these ridges, so had left much of our stuff in the truck.

We walked into the draw, and as we approached the spot where Chris shot, we saw the buck bedded down very near where he was first hit. Chris took one final shot and we went to check our success.

As you can see, the buck is a beautiful 4X4 mule deer buck. So, the hunt was successful - sorta. Chris got his, but I missed mine.

Actually, the land is so beautiful, I couldn't bear the thought of not continuing to hunt for another buck, so I purposely shanked my 425 yard shot. - If you believe that, I've been authorized to sell you a parcel of the ranch:-)

A time to mourn

2006-11-15T12:11:00.000-07:00

Looking at my blog, I realize that I'm still learning about the cyber community. My last post WAS AUGUST FOR CRYING OUT LOUD.

Much has happened in a few short months. Many of them pale when I consider the events of Tuesday, November 14th.

I took the morning off and went hunting with a friend. We shot a beautiful buck the night before - will post pics tomorrow - and I passed on several that morning. We came back to Rapid with rain falling and temperatures dropping.

About 5:30, I took Christy to gymnastic practice at the YMCA and then went to the church to prep for a meeting. Pastor Chris called me looking to get ahold of the Regan family.

He soon called me back to let me know that 15 year old Gwyn Regan had just been killed in a car accident. The news came like a kick in the head. Gwyn is a smiling 15 year old who attends First Wesleyan with her mom, Michelle and sister, Katie. Now, in a moment, she was swept out into eternity!

We went to the hospital. The board vice chair conducted all the business at the meeting and I went to be with the family.

Gwyn was traveling east on Catron Blvd. bypass. It appears that she hit an icy spot and fishtailed. After going off the shoulder of the road, she overcorrected and swerved sideways into the path of an oncoming Chevy Suburban. Officials say she died immediately.

Please pray for Gwyn's family. We're planning the funeral for Saturday at 10:00 a.m. at First Wesleyan in Rapid City. Gwyn's mom is Michelle, her dad is Shawn and her little sister is Katie. They all need prayer, love and support in the days and weeks to come.

Please pray for Pastor Chris and me too. We will somehow need to speak a word from God's Word to bring comfort and hope. We need help from God's Holy Spirit for direction!

Man, life is short! Reminds me just how vital it is to KNOW JESUS! GWEN DID, and for that, we rejoice in eternal life.

Old Friends in new places

2006-08-12T21:44:00.000-06:00

Man, WHAT AN EVENT! Jason and I have been at the "Leadership Summit" at the Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois. Bill Hybels, James Meeks. Wayne Cordiero and many more were absoultely AMAZING! It will probably take weeks to process the information!

We experienced an unexpected blessing and connected with old friends. On Friday night, as we came out of the service, we connected with my brother and sister in law - Dan and Reenie Bickel. While they waited for me, they ran into some of my old friends. When I rejoined them, it was time to greet dear friends that have been off our radar for about 12 years.

Dave and Leann Gormong brought their daughter Kristen with them to the Summit. I had been on staff with David in Bartlesville, OK for 2 years. They were some of our dearest friends in Bartlesville. We rejoiced with them when Kristen was born in May of 1990. They rejoiced with us (and stood by us) through the whirlwind adoption of Jason after he was born in September that same year. Both Jason and Kristen were dedicated on the same Sunday.

We worked side by side when our Senior Pastor was ill and ultimately died on Christmas of 1990. Then, we both left for other ministries in the spring and summer of that year. We kept in contact for awhile. We even made it a point to meet once when we were both in the Chicago area. But, as sometimes happens, we lost track of one another.

What a blessing to have friends from all over who love and serve Jesus! I always enjoy seeing friends and renewing connections. What a blessing to connect with old friends in new places. Of the 6000 + attenders, God allowed us to cross paths and renew our friendship.

We exchanged all our pertinent contact information. I'm guessing it won't be another 12 years before we connect again!

Looking forward to attending Rob Bell's church, Mars Hill, in Grand Rapids tomorrow morning. We drove on to Grand Rapids from Chicago following the final session this morning.

GETTING THE "RIGHT" WRONG NUMBER

2006-08-04T10:24:00.000-06:00

I had a series of interesting phone calls yesterday. It seems the church’s second phone line’s number is only 1 digit different from another family in Rapid City.

That’s not necessarily that unusual, except when you get a wrong number phone call from a family in Kyrgyzstan!

They called several times. Their daughter Regina was coming to Rapid City as a foreign exchange student. They hadn’t heard from her. They dialed a number they THOUGHT would connect them with her host family. Instead, they got First Wesleyan.

Lyz (our office manager) and I tried to find the host family and help connect this young lady with her loved ones in Kyrgyzstan. Our hearts went out to this family. Having a child far from home in a strange land and, up to now, no contact had to create anxiety!

The city’s school administration put us in touch with Betty, the foreign exchange coordinator in Rapid. Betty helped us connect with the designated host family (sure enough, their phone # was only 1 number different).

PROBLEM! The host family wasn’t sure they were going to get a student. On top of that, the coordinator wasn’t expecting students to arrive yet.

To make a long story short, Betty ended up heading to Rapid City Regional Airport and picking up Regina. Regina had arrived with no one to greet her, but help was on the way. No one was secured to house this girl, but help was on the way.

HAPPY ENDING!

I hope to meet Regina at some point during her stay in Rapid City. Mostly though, I’m glad we didn’t simply disregard a wrong number from people that didn’t sound like me!

I don’t believe in coincidence. God must have been holding an anxious family close to His heart when they “accidentally dialed the “right” wrong number!

2006-07-02T22:52:00.000-06:00

Well, we came through the first of three major events for our current trip. We celebrated my parents' 50th anniversary this past weekend. On Friday, we had a family dinner at Mountain Jacks (suffered through with prime rib:-) My brother, his wife, Amy and daughter, Hannah along with my sister, her husband, Rick and children, Rachel and Nate - joined with my family and dad and mom. We had a wonderful dinner and great time together.

On Saturday, we set up the basement of the church. Later, about 60 people gathered for a catered dinner to pay tribute to my mom and dad.

Reva and the children had a chance to meet some of my family they had never met. Dad and mom had an awesome time. We shared many smiles, memories and some tears. What a legacy to celebrate 50 years and have all your children celebrate 25 or more years of marriage.

Sunday, after church and dinner with family, we went on to Lafayette. We expect about 30 people in on Monday for a family dinner and about 60 in on Tuesday for a family reunion.

More - plus pictures later. I'm posting now because high speed access is now available.

2006-06-25T00:22:00.000-06:00

Picture one is of my parents on their wedding day, June 30, 1956.Picture 2 is of Reva's parents (married August of 1946) and her in the early 60's.

WHAT A YEAR!

2006-06-24T23:11:00.000-06:00

What a year this is! Our oldest daughter, Heather, graduated from high school and will attend college this fall. Jason enters his sophomore year(note the cool pose) and Christy (SECOND FROM LEFT) joins the ranks of middle school and enters 6th grade.

This year, we also celebrate my parent's 50th anniversary. We celebrate Reva's folks' 60th anniversary. Somewhere in there, we celebrate our very own 25th anniversary. What an amazing year. God is good - ALL THE TIME!

Next post will include pictures of my parents and Reva's parents!

2006-06-23T11:53:00.000-06:00

A New Normal

Today, I listened to KTPT, “The Point,” on the way out to family camp. A group of 43 people (associated with the station) recently returned from a short term mission to Sri Lanka.

People talked about this life changing experience. They ministered to the people and helped build an orphanage. One theme came through time and again: “How can I go back to ‘normal’ after being in a place like that, seeing the things I saw and doing the things I did?”

What a GREAT question!

Yesterday, I talked with LaVina (who, by the way, just returned from Cambodia on Monday). She taught in the Bible school at Phnom Penh for 2 weeks. She noted that it’s been difficult to somehow return to “normal.”

Participating in a short term mission changes your perception about almost everything. All of a sudden, things seem different. A dinky house doesn’t seem so dinky after meeting a family that has 10 people sharing a 10X12 living space.

You hope that you never again take blessings for granted. Things like: When you turn on the water, you can drink it without boiling it; Air conditioning, soft beds, clean streets, fast food places, medical care readily available – everything that we consider part of life. These things aren’t reality for most of the rest of the world. Even if they are, most couldn’t afford them.

Having been on several short term missions myself, (the West Indies, India, Mexico and 2 trips to Cambodia) I relate to the dilemma. How can things ever go back to “business as usual” after experiencing something so life changing?

Not only that, but it seems absolutely impossible to adequately relay your experience. Somehow, normal now seems “dull!” Why can’t people relate? Why do they look at me with the “There, there now, you’ll get over this soon enough!” look.

But, what if we don’t want to “get over” it? What if we want everyone to somehow experience what we experienced? Maybe then they’d understand! What if we want them to REALLY understand that we’ve changed as a result of our experience?

HOW CAN WE ADJUST TO A NEW NORMAL?

If we don’t come to a new normal, we’ll simply go crazy. Here are some thoughts for people desperately seeking a new normal.

· Keep in mind that ministry in another country and culture under difficult circumstances is very intense. However, that doesn’t mean God isn’t doing REAL ministry here and now!

· Not everyone WILL understand and appreciate your new perspective. Let God bring them to that place – when, and IF, He so desires.

· Do what you can to continue making a difference. Give in new and sacrificial ways.

· Invite someone to come with you next time. Perhaps they’ll need to find a “new normal” too!

· Pray for the field you visited and the people that live and minister there. Ministry doesn’t just occur while you’re there. You can still return, daily, through the power of prayer.

· Recognize the temptation to think you’re now somehow “more spiritual” than other mere mortals. Pray for God to deliver from any budding element of spiritual pride.

· Thank God for the new perspective He’s opened up to you. Never look at some of the same “little” blessings the same way again.

· LISTEN! Is God calling you to something?

How about you? Have you had experiences that made it tough to somehow get back to normal? How has God helped you establish a “new normal?”

2006-06-16T06:54:00.000-06:00

Yesterday morning, a dear friend died. Rev. R.L. Gowan lived a long and full life. He died peacefully, at home, at the age of 91.

This man spent his entire life serving others while serving God. He loved people and had a passion for sharing Scripture wherever he went. He distributed Bibles, Testaments and books to help people discover a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Once, I had preached a message on the theme, "I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation for all who believe. . ." During the message, I noted that the original word for power is the same root word from which we get the word, "dynamite." It means "explosive power."

Well, Rev. Gowan went out and had some bumper stickers made. "Carrier of Dynamite" became his trademark.

I thank God for his influence on my life. He always listened and gave godly advice when requested. He also PRAYED FOR ME, my family and the church.

Though I grieve our loss, I celebrate his gain. He now KNOWS the power and glory of the God he loves.

2006-06-05T22:45:00.000-06:00

Sideline Experts:

On Saturday, June 3^rd, Jason, Christy and I went to Sioux Park for a soccer game between the Sioux Falls “Spitfire” and the Boulder “Rapids” professional men’s soccer teams.

While we were sitting there, with one of Christy’s friends and her family, enjoying the game, people were “pumping” the crowd by throwing out all sorts of freebies. We caught 3 water bottles – YEAH! But, that’s not the story.

Directly in front of us was a man with several of his friends. It looked as if he was a soccer player too. He seemed to personally know many of the players on the Sioux Falls team.

Sioux Falls scored early, but went on to lose the game.

Throughout the game, this fine upstanding young man had advice for EVERYONE in the game. No one seemed exempt.

The ref couldn’t make the right calls
The line judges were making “pathetic” judgments

After all, why would anyone think the officials on the field were better positioned to make calls than this “sideline expert” in the stands? He even had “encouragement” for players on the Sioux Falls team.

They missed plays they should have made
They passed – only to have the opposing team steal the ball

What encouraging words did he offer? He shouted, UNACCEPTABLE repeatedly. He reminded them that they should be winning, because shortly into the game, the Rapids had a player red carded and leave the field. That put Colorado at a (10 players to Sioux Falls’ 11) disadvantage. Who can’t win with one extra player?!

Have you ever noticed the same thing happening in life? Sometimes, people on the sidelines shout the loudest about how “players” and “refs” should do their job. The world teems with “sideline experts.” You know the type. They have all the right answers and can point out all the mistakes and inconsistencies from their vaulted position off the field.

Here’s a more penetrating thought: Have you ever been guilty of being a “sideline expert?” I have – far more often than I care to admit. At those times, I try to remember one of my favorite quotes. Teddy Roosevelt said:

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”

How about you? What thoughts can you throw my way on this?

Grace and peace

The people have spoken

2006-04-10T10:30:00.000-06:00

Hey everyone, just wanted to let you know I have created a blog and look forward to sharing, communicating and keeping in touch with your lives and ours. Have a great Easter season. He is risen!