DaddyBert

Kenya coming...

2007-11-11T06:29:00.000-08:00

Well... Rachel told me she would be checking for this and I don't really have the time to do it all today, so I will only whet your appetite. Then I am going to branch into the unknown and upload some pictures of the Kenya mission trip.

We left for Kenya October 3rd, meeting most of the group in Chicago. I was participating with International Commission of Lewisville TX, a group our family had gone with for many years. We had 45 Americans and 54 national African missionaries and pastors working in either 32 or 36 churches. God allowed us to lead 9,650 people to saving faith in Jesus Christ. We walked the bush everyday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It was incredible. Pray about going next year... September 3-16.

More later.

Brazil Final

2007-09-10T09:11:00.000-07:00

Well, Pr. Kraig Neet made it back amidst the same travel woes of missed flights and delays that we all faced. He reported another 51 decisions for Christ during his stay in Rondonia, Brazil training the drug rehab folks.

The last decision was his dying father-in-law in Hawaii, as he led him to salvation over the phone, after many years of resistance. Kraig got home and the family was able to arrive in Hawaii before he died. Pray for Lois' family and Kraig as he preaches the funeral today.

Glorious trip all-in-all.

Brazil

2007-08-11T10:13:00.000-07:00

Well, we are all now back from Brazil... nearly. Our group had many travel woes with the airlines, but all-in-all as usual it was a wonderful trip. 876 first time decisions for Jesus as Savior.

Now, Pr. Kraig Neet from Longview, WA is still there in Rondonia to do a drug rehab program training. Troy Smith the author of the S.A.F.E. (Setting Addicts Free Eternally) allowed us to translate it into Portuguese for use in Brazil. One of the state policemen that is a member of FBC Cerejeiras, RO got his government rehab group to approve giving it a try. It has had an 80% effectiveness here in the USA. We made it L.I.V.E. in Portuguese (Libertando Viciados Eternamente). Next week he is training 140-150 state drug rehab personnel in how to administrate the program on both in and outpatient settings. Many of these people are not believers, so pray for his evangelization during the training.

Next year... July 16-30!! Mark your calendars and plan to go with us. Email bnewton@acacialumber.com for more info.

Catching Up

2007-07-03T09:12:00.001-07:00

Wow! I just can't stay on top of this blogging like so many of you that are committed to it. We are having a great summer. As Donna said on her blog, the Oregon strawberries are beyond any you have ever had. They are solid all the way through... don't have that white hollow center the CA or Mexico berries have. And no sugar needed.

Rachel was right... The yard is full. Cherries are picked. Blueberries are starting. Grapes are forming for later and the weeds are growing. We are on a 20% slope, so we elected to have a no-grass yard. We have boulder walls and bark mulch around all the plants. But the weeds still come. I think that is part of the Fall as I remember the story correctly. Blame it on Adam... huh!

Brazil is screaming down on top of me. This year has been wild with the airlines being a pain. I am still trying to get the last 6 of us booked domestically. Has to be done tomorrow. In the midst of it all, we had VBS and I am scrambling to finish the last "after-class" online assignments for Worship and Music in the Faith Community. Don't know if I mentioned or not (Robert & Todd esp.) but at our class in CA, Rick Muchow, worship pastor at Saddleback was a presenter. His book "The Worship Answer Book" was one of our texts. It was a great time of visiting in class and one-on-one. I recommend the book to all. Easy read and great thoughts

San Francisco

2007-06-09T09:20:00.000-07:00

Well early Monday morning it is off to San Francisco for a week long intensive 3-hour class at our Mill Valley (Northern California) Campus of Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary. It is Worship and Music in the Faith Community. I have already read 2-1/2 of the three textbooks we had to read, written 2-1/2 of the three papers to get into class and tried to take the online quiz no less than six times. They are having trouble with the details of all of us doing it. Finally the Prof sent an email telling us that the main thing was to read the text. The quiz was over one of the books.

We read Andrew Hill's Enter His Courts With Praise which speaks of Old Testament worship for the New Testament Church, Paul Basden's Exploring the Worship Spectrum: 6 Views and Rick Muchow's The Worship Answer Book. Rick is worship pastor at Saddleback and will be a presenter on Thursday morning. I am about halfway through this last one. I had stuff due on the other two so I did them first.

The neat thing about the summer classes at NCC is there is an endowment scholarship for all students from the satellite campuses so we don't have to pay tuition. So I get three hours credit for about half the cost. Still have to get there and eat. Oh well... I'm off.

New York

2007-04-27T16:52:00.000-07:00

Oh yeah... as I was reading Donna's blog, I was reminded I was supposed to post my recollections of the trip and see how they compared. New York is an ant hill!!!!!!!!!!! Only Shanghai has been worse in my book.

When I finally got her to stop following the "natives" and stepping out in front of traffic the trip went much better. We did have a great time. I hadn't been there since 1966 and she had never been. We stayed in the old Pennsylvania Hotel right across from Penn Station and Madison Square Garden. Lots of activity to watch and become a part of.

We had dinner with one of my business associates, Michael Pasenchuk, and his wife Joannie. We got to see Mike Jr, who we had only seen emailed pictures of right after he was born just over a year ago. The sightseeing was great and I have to agree the Mesa Grill experience was the tops. The food was great (as you would expect from a Food Network chef) and the staff was too... very friendly and accomodating. We'll be going back.

We did learn something the hard way... If you are going to go to the Statue of Liberty and want to go inside, you have to register online for a timeslot at least 48 hours in advance. Otherwise you do like us and walk around the outside and hit the gift shop. Next trip will be the Ellis Island part of it. We were too tired to get off the Ferry at that stop.

Slow Poster

2007-04-27T16:18:00.000-07:00

Wow! It has been a terribly long time since I have blogged. I have been to Brazil for lumber business and the training meeting for the leaders of churches where we will have teams this July. We have 9 churches committed and 18 Americanos going.

During all of it I have gotten back into seminary. You know, after you preach for 33 years you ought to go to school to figure out what you don't know. Taking an online class on the Gospels that has really been fun and a Creative Expository Preaching class using James' letter. All good. Think I might have an A in both. Planning a weeklong class at the San Francisco main campus in June before the mission trip because the tuition is free. Then was blessed with a "full ride" scholarship for the Fall and Spring. Maybe I can get my MDiv before I retire from something.

Donna and I went to NY on business last week and took Amtrak down to see Rachel and Jason and all the Burch bunch + others. Great weekend. Back home and hit the ground running. Guess that's all that's fit to print today.

Brisket

2006-12-28T21:36:00.000-08:00

The Christmas brisket Donna blogged about was good. It did get a little dry around the edges, but it was our first attempt on the gas grill. We used tuna cans to put the wood chips in to smoke, but the low heat wouldn't keep it smoking. However, Mitch's rub put on the night before really did the trick. We'll try again and then maybe someday I can get a Little Chief Smoker.

Texas

2006-11-23T20:00:00.000-08:00

DaddyBert
Well, in spite of a full schedule at our NW Baptist Convention the first of last week, it was a joy to come home Wednesday night, unpack and repack, sleep 4 hours, and head to the airport for Texas. Sure miss it (worse after every trip to visit the grandkids), but I know we are where God has placed us for a season.

We had our Richard Shaffer Mission Ministries board of director's meeting Thursday night. It was great to see Robert and Shelly. Robert is one of our new directors we elected last year. Also attending was Ernie Clark from Mississippi that some of you know from Brazil trips and Lynn Davis, a deacon at FBC New Boston. Long time board members Jerry & Gerri McKiddy and Mitch Newton were there. A good meal at the Golden Corral and much discussion.

Then it was off to New Boston following Mitch to make sure he stayed awake (he had been on a business trip to Houston since 2 a.m. that morning). Morning came early as Micah & Makenzie were both at my bedside when it was time to get ready for school. I took Micah since it was Grandparent's Breakfast at the Middle School. Back home to rest and work a little by phone and email. Mitch took the day off and slept for awhile. They went Christmas shopping that night for a date and the kids and I hit McDonald's for supper and then rented "Cars".

Saturday dawned with preparations for Makenzie to dance with her group at the Mistletoe Fair in Texarkana. Stopped for a wonderful quick lunch at Ta Molly's and then home to change for the Round 1 playoff game in Mt. Pleasant. NB did not prevail. Home to rest at a reasonable hour.

Sunday dawned early as Pappy had committed to make waffles in the new waffle iron that had been bought Friday night. Enjoyed by all in time to get to SS and Church on time. Mitch taught a great lesson from Heb. 12. Drove to Foreman AR that afternoon to get Mimi 10 lbs of fresh shelled pecans. We ran out earlier in the year. She paid $6.98 for one of those 1 lb packages that was nearly so rancid you could hardly stand them. I had already bought a can of ribbon cane syrup since I have been out of it for about two years and Mitch bought me four cans of Wolf Brand chili to take back. Glad I had travelled somewhat light.

Sunday night Mitch fried a few pieces of catfish Micah had caught, but the real meal was about 16 Crappie filets a friend had given them. Zantac was in order Sunday night and a bedside glass of water for the fish to have something to swim in as needed.

Monday I was up and back to Dallas for business Monday and Tuesday. Home Tuesday night to try and catch up a little before the holiday.

Wow! I better quit.... but when you have been back to Texas, everything is larger and longer... Hook 'em Horns.

Luther

2006-09-01T23:46:00.000-07:00

I know I am always very much behind the times when it comes to movies, but the last two nights Donna and I have wathched "Luther". Even having heard & read the Church historical accounts, seeing it on the screen was very moving. A must see for all if you haven't. Really gives you the perspective of what it took for the Reformation break to take place. I am so glad HE is faithful to forgive, restore, and cleanse from all unrighteousness, when I confess my sin directly to Him.

DaddyBert

2006-08-20T22:01:00.000-07:00

I kept telling everyone I had a blog, but no one in this household believed me. So I had to log on and show them. Then I was asked if I blogged, and of course being so technologically challenged, I said I didn't know how. So I have been duly instructed now and am blogging... whooooppppppeeeee!! Of course, when I asked about linking some of the rest of my friends and family to it, I was told that someone else would have to come back at a later date and explain to me how to do it. Oh well... the struggle of being nearly 60 and not knowing all this stuff. I do have to tell you that the VCR (I know that dates me too) is NOT still blinking 12:00. Oh... yeah, maybe Jessica did set it... can't remember.

heah 'tis

2006-06-19T18:06:00.000-07:00

Heah 'tis. I just signed up so I could respond to others.