No time to prepare IPWG this week – here is personal update…if you want it. Where my time went, as father, husband, past director of DL, while Living In Partnership With God
Let’s begin with fun ones! Time on phone with daughter, Sea, who is in her 16th month riding her horse across the country – to date: northern CA to MS. To read more: http://www.freerangerodeo.com
Free “housing” available for you in Vieques, Puerto Rico April 12 – 24. Several years ago same daughter, was living/working in Vieques and was able to purchase property off the grid, near the top of a high hill. Deerfooter’s Jason Reitz and David Speers spent 2 weeks beginning construction of the little casita – 16X16 2 story + decks. Finished many years ago – Sally Jo and I have stayed there perhaps 10 weeks. Incredible/simple living. Rain water into 1000 tank, sink, normal toilet and stove. Lay in swinging queen size bed looking out over green valley to Ocean in distance. Irish couple there now for 3 months. Sally Jo and I will stay there April 25-May 1. Would like to fill gap. If seriously interested – chiefchuck@deerfoot.org
Personal things include devotions/exercising with/without weights, walking 5 days/cross country skiing one morning, Sally Jo teaching 2 grandsons piano, fixing supper for son Dirk’s family – every Thursday after lessons-before choir. Got car inspected. 2 Concordia Touring Choir members – overnight. Prepared for and met with chairman of key committee at church. Phone Calls.
Sally Jo spends hours each week as chairman of church’s foreign mission committee. Three years ago church had no relationship with any foreign missionary. Now church significantly supports couple in Nicaragua. After leading trip to Poland, last summer she lead team of 11 men/4 women to work with this couple/school in Nicaragua. This year’s team could be close to 20. I will go too.
Caught up on e-mails for first time since July.
I was the minister for a couple’s wedding 30+ years ago, and they began contributing matching grant gifts for DL staff soon there-after. Last summer their grandson was at DL as a camper and they stayed with us for 4 days. This week – e-mail: $15,000 ready to contribute. E-mails to set things up with couple and Chief Ron
Spent hours evaluating/making 1 suggestion on a new “Recreation and Camp Administration” major at Indiana Wesleyan University. The head of a department talked with me about his dream about 6 years ago. Looks very inclusive.
I spend a couple hours completing a job reference for a former staff member – only to get more and more uncomfortable with what he was applying for, even though he was qualified: 2 Master’s and PhD. I spent 4 hours on the phone talking with 3 people who confirmed my feelings. I called “applicant” – who, when we talked, realized it was not where his heart was. I worked a bit more on another Deerfooter PhD placement.
I was the minister for a Deerfoot family’s daughter perhaps 12 years ago – the husband, 41, died this week of pancreatic cancer – wife and 3 young children. Really Tough!!!!!!!!!!!! Hub Baehr, who was part of DL from its very beginning, and for perhaps 50 years on DL Board of Directors, died this week at the age of 97. Saturday Sally Jo and I drove 354 miles to attend memorial services for these two special people. I spoke briefly at Hub Baehr’s funeral.
Today, after church, we had a 3 hour rehearsal for April 14 concert: Mendelssohn/Bach, etc.
Can you see why I did not have 6 -12 hours to write IPWG?
Sally Jo and I are frequently asked: How are you doing? We live wonderful, very full lives. Hopefully the above illustrates the answer.