Resigned Repartee

Real Life Bartending

2008-12-09T17:01:00Z

“So, what’s your story?” I worked at a restaurant and heard that phrase over and over as the bartender would approach every person that walked into his domain. “What’s your story, buddy?” he always asked with a smile and a listening ear. I learned a lot from him. This is the approach we use at Real Life Boise, we want to know people and their stories. We want to know where they are coming from so that we can direct them towards Jesus. At Real Life Boise we want to reach the world for Christ one person at a time, but to do that we need to know what Jesus has been doing in the lives of people. So we seek to know what their story is. Here are a few stories that we have been able to be a part of.

A woman who has a couple of young children and her husband just recently sentenced to prison. She is hurting and needs support. We are now a part of her story.

A family who has been hurt by leaders of a previous church and lost all hope in Him. Now they have found hope again. We are a part of their story.

A young couple that is struggling through what it means to live like Jesus. They have to make some choices that will change everything. We are part of walking with them through their story.

A man who has been challenged to reach his lost neighbors for Christ. After years of hesitant attempts he is passionately pursuing the vision. We are coaching him through his story.

An elementary school girl who recently got baptized because her heart seeks after what Jesus wants. Her family is now responding by her example. We are guiding her through her story.

A grandmother who left everything she knew to move to Boise to be a part of an amazing church. She is now committed to living for God and not just attend church. We are providing her new chapters in her story.

A family who had been a part of church for years but never did anything but complain about it. Now they are a participating part of the church and growing like never before. We are opening their eyes to new opportunities in their story.

A college student who has committed himself to serving and spends countless hours in the lives of people. He is discovering what it means to truly live. We are participating in shaping this leaders story.

Acts 1:8 says, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

The word “power” is the Greek word dunamis. This is where we get the word “dynamite” (JJ Walker fans!). At its core the word means that the Holy Spirit will provide everything necessary for us to accomplish His purposes through us. So He gives us power to be His witnesses. I might be stretching this too far, but eventually the power becomes the stories. These are the stories that we witness. These are the stories that we share. These are the stories that transform lives. So what is God doing in your life or maybe I should ask, “What’s your Story?”

A few thoughts about gift-projection

2008-11-14T17:16:00Z

     I have a friend who can read individual names out of the white pages during a Sunday morning sermon and people end up giving their lives to Christ. His undying passion is leading crowds to Christ. I have tried it myself, and it doesn't seem to work as easily for me (or at all). I have a friend who is gifted and natural at building systems in order to reproduce growth. I have built a couple of systems in my day at great time and resources, they seem to flourish in a blaze of glory on the chopping block. I have a friend who has the ability to motivate and persuade people which creates unstoppable momentum.  I have a friend that leads worship as if the angels in heaven were living vicariously through his voice. I have a friend who is extremely intelligent and can reconstruct obscure and difficult concepts making them easy to understand. I have a friend that has mastered the ability to connect unrelated and uninterested parties in order to accomplish unity and vision.  The diversity of people is astonishing. Have you ever wondered what part you play in that diversity?  Or better yet, looking at others, have you ever wanted to be someone else or desire to have a bit more of their gifting?  I think a few of us have pitched our tents in that place.  Let's take that path a step further. Have you ever expected others to adhere to your passions and giftedness? Have you ever become frustrated when someone didn't follow through with your expectations?  Have you ever been confused at how someone could lose passion, while you were committed?
     In his book, A Contrarians Guide to Knowing God, Larry Osbourne writes "Gift Projection takes place whenever we begin to project our own unique gifts and calling upon everyone else, as if our assignment should be their assignment, and our strengths their strengths. At its core, it's an arrogant assumption that my calling is the highest calling, and my gifts are the best gifts." Wow! As a pastor and leader how many times have I unknowingly projected my calling and gifting on other people?  At times in the past I would become frustrated with people and their inability to accomplish what I had called them to.  I have experienced many years of ministry where I had run over people and served up a share of guilt to make them do what I think is best for them-- the things that have worked for me. Scary, isn't it?
     So let's say I am called and passionate to serve in cross-cultural missions.  Let's say I have personal issues because people don't get as excited about missions is I do. Maybe they are fine with staying in Jerusalem (home).  Is it my duty to project my gifting/passions on other people? Let's say I end up convincing you to serve because there is a hole to be filled.  Maybe you were falsely motivated because you were empathetic to my convictions and motivated to action by my drive by guilting. In this situation the problem could be that you didn't have any convictions of your own....so what happens then?  Being in the church a few years I have seen many people take on other peoples callings and convictions. There are many people who struggle to have a passion for something--so they end up doing anything and everything without thinking. Don't get me wrong and don't miss my point..I believe cross-cultural missions are extremely valuable and most should experience it. I am just using it as an example here.  Seriously, who wouldn't feel guilty at the need to leave the familiar to go share Christ with other cultures, it is an immense job.
     So what if I don't want to do that? Is that a bad thing?  Does it mean that I don't care or acknowledge the need? Does it mean I can't participate in other ways?  If I can convince you to do something should you do it? If all the Christians left to go somewhere else, what then? (these are the crazy questions I ask myself!) For me traversing through the jungle with my daughter on my back isn't something I need to do at this point in my life. It wouldn't work for us..is that okay to say that? My family isn't created that way, is that okay? I know some people are definetly called to cross cultural missions work.. I am not. Can I say I don't want travel the world to be a missionary and not feel like a heathen? For the gift-projectors it isn't okay for someone to say that. They want to project their gift on everyone. Does this sound like you? What is the passion or gift you are projecting on others?
     You see my family is passionate about serving and loving our neighbors. We are passionate about having our kids in public school.  As a family unit we believe our calling is to be a light in the darkness of the public school system.  We think that it would be tragic if Christians left the public school system.  We are worried and sickened to think what would happen if we all huddled safely in our churches.  Where will public schools be in ten years if all the Jesus influence was pulled out today? Can my family be a part of changing and shifting culture and hold fast to our convictions while changing things from the inside? Yes, I believe so. We live in conviction about this. We believe strongly its best for our family and who we are and how God has created us to be.  We want to be a supporting part of the secular community. We want to extend our reach as far as possible. Do all families feel the same as we do?  Should I expect them all to share our conviction and passions?  I know what your thinking...does that mean we think homeschooling kids is a lower calling or outside of God's will? Absolutely not. Or maybe we think homeschooling families believe we are outside of God's will?  I hope not. Because each family and individual is created differently to accomplish what God has called them too.  There is that diversity thing again. You get the picture?
      Osbourne continues in his book "For all of us who have ever been on the receiving end of a gift projector's well placed drive-by guilting, there's no reason to feel guilty or inadequate for being who God made us to be, or for doing exactly what he called us to do. God pleasing spirituality is found in pleasing him -- not everyone else."
     For me, I want to stop projecting what I think is most important and help others discover what God has called them to. I want to give people at Real Life Boise the tools they need to accomplish what they have been created for. If your are wired to be a missionary, then lets disciple and train you to be a missionary. If you are passionate about homeschooling your kids, then lets discover the best way to do that and learn the best possible way to serve God that way. What it comes down to is this I am passionate about not being a "personality" centered church but a "values" centered church. Join me. Be Free. Live your conviction and help others discover theirs. if you don't have conviction don't seek after another mans...seek Him and I guarantee that He will answer.
Chew on that for awhile and see what you come up with.

Alan Hannaford

2008-11-13T04:09:00Z

     Tonight I went to a farewell party for Alan and Jenny Hannaford. Alan was the senior pastor of Crossroads Christian Church in Boise for 14 years. Crossroads has gone through difficult and catastrophic changes and about a year ago began being transformed into a Real Life church--no easy task. Changing the mission, vision and values of an existing church would be listed as an impossible task by most church growth experts.  Well, we did it, and about 4 weeks ago we launched Real Life Boise out of some of the leadership of Crossroads. I am the lead pastor of Real Life Boise, so you can see there might be a little bit of awkwardness in my relationship with Alan.  Actually that might be true in a normal church, but not a Real Life Church. We are different.
     I am not sure how I would define my relationship with Alan. He is a friend and a colleague who has decades of wisdom under his belt. To be honest I haven't known Alan all that long.  But what I know and respect about Alan is not just the words that he has spoken but the actions and decisions he has made. His support of what we are doing in changing the mission, vision and values and his participation in that process has been above and beyond. He humbly surrendered his position and willingly supported changes that didn't benefit him. He did what most men couldn't do. Don't think for a minute that it was easy for him to do it, because it wasn't.  But he did. I am humbled to follow in his footsteps. He truly lived as Jesus would in this situation.
    Alan is moving in a couple of weeks from the Boise area and headed off to Seattle to serve at an amazing church. God is good. I want to thank Alan publicly for all that he has been in the midst of this time of transition for me, my family and the church. There are very few real men that would be able to step in and selflessly support the new "inexperienced" guy as he did.
Alan, I am not sure if you will ever get to read this...but I wanted to let you know how grateful I am.
Thank you Alan and thank you Jenny.

Insights from one of my favorite books

2008-11-11T21:11:00Z

Okay, so we have this book in our bathroom here at the Real Life Boise offices.  I laughed out loud today while reading the book, not the best time or location considering there were people working in the offiice today. Anyhow, I wanted to share part of my comedic therapy with you.  The book is called "A Field Guide to Evangelicals and their Habitats". Kind of a no holds barred look at the church. Here is what is written about pastors and their beloved sermons.

"The sermon is the high point of the pastor's job and determines the emotional health for the week to come. He wants to entertain, enlighten, and convict his audience. To this end, he may use clever methods to make his sermon more effective:
        POWERPOINT PRESENTATION
    when a pastor acts like Bill Gates at a shareholder meeting, with PowerPoint slides popping up to accompany each of his points, it probably means his true calling is to middle management.
        ACROSTICS
    Pastors somtimes thing people are too flaky to remember the sermon points unless the first letter of each point spells out a word, creating a helpful acrostic, like so:
L-et other know how you feel about them
O-wn up to your feelings
V-olunteer to give hugs not drugs
E-arn people's love in return
    OR
U-nderstand your calling
S-ay yes to God
U-se the abilities he gave you
C-all on him during hard times
K-eep going!
        GREEK AND HEBREW OVERLOAD
    Some pastors justify their seminary education and whopping student loans by endlessly defining Bible words in the original Greek and Hebrew. This often mystifies listeners, who know the Bible was originally written in King James English.
        MOVIE CLIPS
    Pastors desperate to be "relevant" use movie clips as jumping-off points for their sermons. If a pastor does this, there is a high probability he also wears a goatee and sports the latest hip look in glasses.

the African Anteater Ritual

2008-11-03T06:28:00Z

I am not proud of my past. I have frequent nightmares when the distraught memories of tearing it up in places like Club Post Nuclear in Laguna Beach, Marilyns in Pasadena, and Club Metro in Riverside haunt my soul. If I could live my life again...I would probably pull a fight club on all these places. My hearing is forever imparied by the obnoxiously disturbing beats of a synth and drum machine. One thing that I loved about the 80's was the dirty (as in sound) British punk bands like Toy Dolls, GBH, UK Subs, Stiff Little Fingers, Subhumans, and Strawberry Switchblade. Okay, so I had issues. In the midst of it all and now that I live in my own Private Idaho my conclusions lead me to the fact that some of the best dance moves ever created were birthed out of the 80's. Wouldn't you agree? Here a few...maybe you remember them....can you add a couple to my list?

Slam Dancing...or Moshing ---oh how we used to get kicked out of places for this
The Cabbage Patch...never too good at this one--later after the punk phase
The Roger Rabbit...sick and wrong
The Running Man...who could resist?
The African Anteater Ritual....thanks to Patrick Dempsey (Dr. McDreamy) in Can't Buy Me Love
I learned the Moonwalk from watching Michael Jackson..I also had red and blue zipper pants....
Breakdancing was radical to the max
Pop Locking was phat

Some of the best dance songs:

I want candy...bow wow wow
Rock this town....stray cats
She blinded me with science....thomas dolby
karma chameleon.....culture club
Our house....madness
Wild Thing....tone loc
Rock the casbah...the clash

As we grow older lets try and move our children away from the 80's.
Here is a great picture of my friend Shawn Felner doing a video shoot for camfel...in the good old days...hahhaha oh man. Hilarious

peppermint rhino and habachi chicken

2008-10-29T02:29:00Z

okay, so we went out to lunch today. It was Jakes birthday. Jake turned 20. Jake is our Connections Intern at Real Life Boise. So we, that is me, Justin (our associate pastor) and big Cam (our chauffeur --because he has an amazing truck) decide to take Jake to Koyoto's. It's like a Bennihana at your moms house. Okay, its cool.
Our chef comes out and starts going crazy with his weapons of food destruction. It was a good show. Then he starts talking about the peppermint rhino and how I should go there. Awkward. At first I didn't understand...then he hinted what it was. Well the problem is he never stopped. So I thought about breaking out the ....hey -- you know what I do for a living? --- I get paid to save guys like you. But I didn't. I kept my mouth shut.  So be careful and watch out for the chefs with the slick moves at the teppan table, you may get more than you bargain for.

I am an arrogant jerk, sometimes

2008-10-27T19:23:00Z

     I find myself very defensive at times. I am not sure what is wrong with me (well, I have a few ideas).   I don't like it when people tell me what they really think, especially when I know they are correct. I am not sure how and when I became so defensive-- but I am much more self aware then I have ever been.
    Okay so what is it that I am trying to protect or prove? Come on, seriously? Do I really think I have it all together?  Do I really believe that through out all time and history what I think is the best possible way? What is wrong with my thinking?
     So the other day a good friend suggested some small changes I needed to make...and I thought to myself..."and you are"? Wow.. where did that come from?
It came from sin. Sin in believing that I don't need anybody else. Sin in believing I can do all things on my own. Sin in believing that my own experience is the ultimate truth. Sin in believing in myself way too often.  Do you know where believing in yourself way too often leads? Sorry Oprah.
     Eventually the best got a hold of me and my idiocy was put to rest. I know those tendencies are still there, waiting to attach themselves to the next challenge of my supreme knowledge. It will always be a battle..but I want to be aware of my enemy.
God hates pride. Proverbs 8:13 says "Pride and arrogance and the evil mouth, and the perverted mouth I hate."
Why don't we hold people accountable to their pride?
Isn't it strange that we are more apt to hold someone accountable for missing a quiet time than calling them out on their blessed assurance of self-love.
     This is what I love about working at Real Life. There is no room for pride here. Because we all know where we have come from and understand how easily it would be to digress there. We are real people that struggle with real things and are learning to be aware of our need for God and each other. The best part is -- we can admit it here. We have built an environment where we are able to speak into each others lives...and take it personally. Yeah, take it personally, because that is what its about. If I am ever going to grow, learn and change I need to take things personally from those who care for my best.
So next time someone challenges your pride, listen to them. Maybe what they are saying is exactly what you need to hear.

being fully present

2008-10-26T23:00:00Z

     Lawrence Kushner writes in a few different books his thoughts on Exodus 24:12.  Kushner states when God calls Moses up to the mountain to get the 10 commandments He asks him to "Come up to the mountain and stay here". Some translations define the words "stay here" as "be there" or "be here".  The question then becomes if God called Moses to the mountain, wouldn't he already be there with him?  Maybe for some of us we spend too much "headspace" in thinking about yesterday or tomorrow and not thinking about the place we are in, in that moment, with the people immediately around us. So God tells Moses, come up to the mountain...and be there. Because too many times when we get to the top of the mountain we are already strategizing on how to get down or get over the next mountain.  The curse of trying to define our successes by our accomplishments maybe.
     When we look at Jesus, he only spent 3 years in "official" ministry capacity.  By todays standards you would think that he would have filled up his schedule meeting with the top leaders of his day, the best of the best, and starting the church on the foundation of social influence and power. Yet, interestingly enough, we find Jesus eating with Pharisees, sinners, and tax collectors.  Not at all what I would do to start a movement that would take over the world.
     So I have some thoughts and questions about this..messed up as they may be. Did Jesus strategize all of this? I mean, did he set out before time to use these people to accomplish the task at hand? So when He shows up, he had a couple of meetings and voila the "church" is birthed? Or did he simply live a life that was "fully present"?  Maybe He worked hard at "being present" wherever He was and was trying to show us that to live the best possible life we need to be doing the same.   Maybe His agenda then became about the people around him, working in that particular moment, and dwelling in that particular place? In other words because he was fully present wherever He was...it changed the world.
Or maybe it is a mixture of both-- I don't know. I'm not sure if I am making sense here.
     Regardless I want to live a life that is fully present. I want to be a person that sees God in the common and ordinary things that most are unaware of. I don't want to spend my mental resources wishing I was somewhere else or dealing with the issues of yesterday or tomorrow--for today has enough for today. I want to live with these people, during this moment in time, and at this particular place. I guess the challenge for us is to "be here". Does anybody out there want to join me in living life this way?

jumping is relative

2008-10-24T21:11:00Z

Madison and I went to the park today. Settler's Park is within walking distance of our house, so we decided to walk. The park has great activities for the kids. This park has climbing rocks. Yes, serious climbing rocks. Amazing. So Maddy gets up on the rock here in the picture and then freaks out thinking she will fall. I walk over to her and she is about at chest level to me. From my perspective I have everything taken care of. She is safe. She is secure. If she falls I will catch her. From her perspective she is going to fall and get hurt. It is high. It is unsafe. She is unsure of her footing. She begins to cry. I laugh to myself because there is no way I will let her get hurt, but she is unaware of the security she has right before her. I reached out my arms for her. Trembling and unsure she didn't know what to do. Then I looked at her eyes and told her to keep looking at me. She smiled and jumped.
There is no greater place to be than being able to jump.

beelzebub the trainer from hell

2008-10-24T19:06:00Z

yes..i am trying to get back into shape so Michelle purchased a trainer for me. I own him. Well, he owns me. He is a cross between satan himself and a hammerdrill. Anyhow, I only have six sessions to shape up with him, and I just finished my fifth one. He has been quite easy on me until now...because I am an old wimp...but yesterday I think I offended him. I was late to the gym and he didn't appreciate it. So he thought he would make me pay. He added another set of reps to my workout along with more weight. In fact...he promised...that I would be extremely sore today. The sweat that was released yesterday was proof of his madness. Well beelzebub-hammerman I can handle what you dish out. This morning I woke up and to smite you I HAD NO PAIN. That's until I attempted to walk down the stairs and found myself falling. You win.

knowing comes from living

2008-10-20T00:37:00Z

    "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." John 8:31

     According to the book of John if we abide (dwell, live, reside) in His words we are His disciples and we shall know what is truth and that truth will bring freedom. Jesus is inviting us to live a certain way. His way.  If we make being a Christian just about just saying "yes" and having a head full of facts, rather than a metamorphisis of how we live, we may have missed the message. In other words, if we want to know truth than we need to begin to live a certain way. Does knowing then come from living?
     Is living the way of Jesus the best possible way to live? Does a church then become a community of people learning how to live the best possible life?   First century historians often describe first century believers as "living" differently. They called them "followers of the way". They described, not what christians "knew" but how they "lived". Simply put, they lived differently and it stood out ... that is what defined them as "the way". Does that describe the church today? The early church earned the name Christian. They didn't have to define themselves because their lives defined who they were. So does this pose a problem-- if we call ourselves Christians?  Okay so Christians do have a tainted name and we often put up some pretty good grace excuses. But if I have been invited by Jesus to live a certain way and if I take him up on that and desire to live this life, shouldn't that have some effect in the community that I live in?  Do I have to remind everyone who I am and what I live for? In other words --does my life define me as a Christian or just my mouth.

bills collection of automobiles through the years

2008-10-15T21:45:00Z

Okay, so I was thinking over how many cars I have actually owned. Check this out.

1. 1979 Red MGB Convertible
2. 1980 Silver Mazda 626
3. 1988 Red Mazda B2000 truck
4. 1985 Brown Jeep CJ7 Renegade Beast
5. 1966 White VW Karmann Ghia Convertible
6. 1982 Red Nissan 280zx Turbo
7. 1960 Primered Dodge SuperCab Truck
8. 1987 Red Acura Integra
9. 1990 White Jeep Cherokee Laredo
10. 1994 White Honda Civic Hatchback
11. 1982 White and Blue Ford Bronco
12. 1995 Green Saturn SL2
13. 1999 Red Chevy Blazer
14. 1982 Black Toyota 4-Runner
15. 1980 Blue Jeep CJ5
16. 2002 Silver Toyota Corolla
17. 1999 Burgandy Ford F250 4x4 Diesel super cab
18. 1999 Tan Ford F250 V10 super cab
19. 1999 White Chrysler Town and Country
20. 1965 Yellow Jeep CJ5 v8 beast
21. 1992 Black Honda Accord
22. 2003 Gunmetal Jeep Cherokee
23. 1974 Burgandy Pontiac Grand Prix (this should be between number 17 and 18)

hahha...oh my gosh. I love cars. I would have to say my favorite of all of these has been the 1999 F250 V10 and the 1985 Jeep CJ7. The 66 VW was a piece of junk and 2 Hondas were very reliable. The Nissan 280ZX Turbo was by far the fastest car and the Mazdas were reliable, but boring to drive. The 1999 Blazer had a very solid feeling. The 99 F250 Diesel was a blast to drive but very loud. The 82 Bronco made me feel like a cowboy. The 95 Saturn was a great car but horrible in the rain. The 80 CJ5 was a death machine and the 66 CJ5 never ran right. The 87 Integra was like a go cart. The 90 Jeep Cherokee was a blast to drive and did well off road. The 79 MGB was an amazing first car but not very reliable, and its more of a chick car. Lastly the 1999 Town and Country is the best and most reliable car overall...we have put many miles on this thing and tortured it with 3 kids and 2 adults that ignore its maintanence needs...it still treats us well.
Ahhhh but my favorite that wasn't listed because its not technically a car --was the sandrail....I miss her so... this would have been a blast in Idaho!
Hey Michael Gotto...remember the night we almost died....."bleached bones...is all that would have been left of us!"

mexican wrestling

2008-10-11T00:31:00Z

I love mexican wrestling

Meet Americano Ultimo

Monday Monday Job Flashback Monday Monday

2008-03-17T17:46:00Z

It's Monday morning...Saint Patricks Day. My moms Birthday. Green Day. I took a walk this morning with Michelle and Madison in downtown Glendora. I must say..it was the most beautiful day. The sky was bright blue with no clouds and even the crazy "gray" cat came to visit us on our walk. I don't like cats...but this one is cool. It seems to know when we are in the neighborhood and waits for us. Cats.
It's about 11am and I have been frantically making phone calls and sending emails to various churches and friends. No response. It's kind of funny that even though your world stops everyone else's world keeps going. Michelle and I feel like we are in a state of limbo. Trusting God for the future but having to wrestle through each day. It's been hard for me since I have never been without a paid job. Really...not since I was about 12 years old. In case your wondering..here is a "off the top of my head" list:

Ages 12-15: Paper Boy for the Tribune/daily aluminum can collector, yes, I rummaged trash cans for cash
Ages 15-16: Casa De Burrito -- professional dish washer, burrito creator
Ages 16-18: Alpha Beta Courtesy Clerk, master of the mop, cardboard box crushing king
Ages 18-19: Remax Mortgage cold calling sales (we were getting people out of their 11% rates back then)
Ages 18-20: Focus on the Family (bookstore, Batch clerk, Returns department, Dr. Dobsons yes man)
Ages 20-20: Camfel Productions Ministry, traveled western US, cheap motels and ate really bad fast food
Ages 20-22: Clearwater Chemical Professial Pool Technician, Uniform = flip flops and short shorts hahah
Ages 20-24: Internship with CCV, worked with a group of interns learning youth ministry
Ages 22-25: Server at TGIFridays, master server and connoisseur of fine dining
Ages 25-29: Full time Youth Pastor at CCV in San Dimas
Ages 29-32: Youth Pastor in Portland Oregon...I miss the trees, pale skin, and lack of vitamin D
Ages 32-38: Back serving at CCV
Now --- leaping out in faith and trusting God

Thank You God for giving me the most incredible life and incredible years.

our opportunities prayer list

2008-03-16T19:51:00Z

Okay...so many have asked about what opportunities are out there...here is a list with little detail.

Locations:
Austin, Texas
Lubbock, Texas
Boise, Idaho
Salt Lake City, Utah
Pennsylvania
Louisville, Kentucky
Fort Meyers, Flordia

All of these are in the "discovery" stage. Pray we find a place that I will be able to use my giftedness to benefit the church.

Pray for the HEYDORN Kids!!!

2008-03-15T19:58:00Z

Could you keep our kids in prayer. They have different thoughts and worries about moving. They are scared at what lies ahead but trusting in God.

Mackenzie 4th Grade -- Excited about the adventure, but at times cries because she will miss her friends. She has had an incredible impact at Willow School with her teachers and classmates. She will be greatly missed and her ministry to others as well. Pray that she continues to work hard even though this will be her last year at Willow.

Cooper 1st grade -- Does not want to leave school at all. He loves Willow and also has been a huge blessing to his friends and classmates. He loves his sports and karate and will have a hard time leaving.

Madison 3 years old -- She just smiles a lot. She is ready to go anywhere.

Thanks...Bill