Life So Full It Hurts

We have enjoyed our time in the land of sun and fun, the Los Angeles area. A week from today we will be on our way back to the mountains. So much is going on it is hard to spell it all out, between Payton's birth, Kassen in school (and volleyball) and doing ministry (both Membercare and Mobilization). Just too many things to do and just too little time. Knowing that you won't get it all done is not a happy thought, even after spending a month in the same place. Here are a couple pix we like. Thank you for walking with us, and putting up with my scant blogging. Blessings!

Payton De Lange!! (and family)

Here is your first look at Payton. Trust me, it won't be your last!!

Thank you for being part of our lives. It is a blast having you along for this wild ride.

Back to Virtual Life

After more than a month solely in the real world, I am getting back to my virtual world. It may be tough to regain the virtual prowess I had in the past, but I am going to give it a try. Actually, I have a great way to kick start the attempt. Our newest grandbaby was born yesterday! Yes, Jackson James De Lange now has a sister and they call her Payton. You are needing pictures! Yes, I know, and I should have those up later today. Please be patient. We needed patience as we waited for Payton to decide to "come out of there" as Jackson would say. A doctor told Erin that she could deliver anytime about a month ago. Of course, "anytime" could mean now or a long time from now. I think Erin thought it meant "now" and has been expecting Payton to make her appearance daily since then. So, we have too. Well, Payton understood "anytime" to mean yesterday!! Here are her vital stats at birth.

Born about 2:30 PM, Wednesday, August 13 after a short labor.

19 inches long and just under 7 pounds (Just like Alec, our son, but we will assume that Payton will not grow to be 6'5" like her uncle)

Didn't see her hair or eyes yesterday but my guess is, not much and dark blue.

Erin and James are both doing well. James parents and the "cousins" were all here for the arrival. It has been BUSY and fun.

More soon

The End of an Era

It's over. No more high school or club volleyball for our children, at least, as players. Kassen and her team competed in their final tournament last weekend, USA Volleyball's Junior Olympic tournament in Dallas. It was good to be together as family and we loved watching the team do their thing. They didn't finish where they thought they could, but that happens. It's volleyball.

Kassen played well. She is now looking forward to moving to the next level...college ball. We hope to see some of her matches each year, but it won't be like it has been! Sad!!

Alec, Emmalee and Hudson were with us to cheer the team on. Everyone fell in love with Hudson. Hard not to. He is just the cutest thing and a wonderfully tempered baby!! I guess I have to say that maybe I am a little bias - but if you met him, I bet you would agree.

Happy Independence Day!!

Summer at Bear Trap Ranch

Once again we find ourselves in ministry at Intervarsity's Bear Trap Ranch for the summer. We have two programs that run back to back. The first is a four week training program for new missionaries call Lifeworkx. We cover four basic self discovery areas along with introducing these passionate people to some of the challenges of life in ministry in another culture. Following that we spend the next 10 days with about 100 of our missionaries on home assignment. This program is run by Deänne and the focus is to allow our people just off of the field to unpack their last term in a safe, caring environment. We love it and so do they. For more info and pictures of what this looks like check out the website www.OC08Internship.blogspot.com

Kassen Waterlogged

As Kassen's last high school activity she went with several members of her Anatomy and Physiology class on a seven day river rafting trip. She had a blast - at least, as much of a blast as possible without showering for all that time! Check out the slide show for more pix of the beautiful Green River's Desolation Canyon (and Kassen, of course).

30 Years Ago...

In all the excitement of Kassen's graduation an important event went unheralded. Deanne and I celebrated 30 years together! Seems impossible that we could be even that old. We plan on at least 30 more, as God might allow. Thank you for living it all with us!

Kassen is a graduate! We had a great ceremony together with about 2500 or more people all celebrating the accomplishments of their children. We were excited to have Kelli home from Baylor and there with us to cheer Kassen on. She has received many great compliments from her teachers and I am sure it is just the beginning. She has committed to go to Hope International University in Fullerton, CA in the fall. They were able to give her a scholarship package of about $19,000 a year which includes volleyball and academics. We are proud of her, as we are of all of our children.

Hudson, the Cool Dude

Check this little man out!! He is ready for sun and fun. Right now the Alec Boesel family, including our little stud here, are on their way up to Washington State to visit Emmalee's brother. We hope to see them next month. Grandkids grow up even faster than kids!!

Journey's End

"School's out for summer!" and so is Mobilization and Membercare travel, for all practical purposes. This last four months have seen us in numerous States and walking along with many people, both candidates and missionaries on furlough. This family with me in this picture serve with us in Southeast Asia, teaching at a school for missionary kids. Sound familiar??? As the travel picture fades the summer training programs are looming. Deänne is excited about how our Personnel Enrichment Program is shaping up. She is in charge of seeing that all come together as the Director of Membercare. We will have close to 100 missionaries with us for 10 days in the Rockies!! Pray with us that God will continue to bless us as we seek to obey him.

Sonnet of Thanks

Please accept this sonnet as another "thank you" from us. Rejoice today.

I step out in the brisk of Winter’s day
With mind so full of schedules yet to keep
And harried to be off and on my way,
Forget the peace and quiet of my sleep

Near halfway in my quest of reaching home
With eyes set forward ne’er to look behind
At steps my feet have trudged most oft alone
The mem’ries of good friends lost to my mind

But not so you, dear friends, with every thought
I thank our Father for your tender care
In sharing all you have whether you aught
With ones you nary see but in your prayer

May God with richest blessings bless you too
As blessing me with being close to you.

Humbled

I spent some time this morning finishing up the project of getting Kassen's graduation announcements in the mail. As I stuffed and sealed each envelope I was overwhelmed with a feeling of inadequacy. Nearly every one of the people represented by those invites are people who have been part of our lives for decades...sacrificing for us in some, or many, ways; giving of themselves to us with little or nothing in return. Each of you is Christ to us and we are awed and blessed. Please accept our humble thank you and all of God's blessings.

Pray for missionaries, young and old

As I come to the end of this season of recruiting and Deänne's role of training and caring for our missionaries starts to pick up steam for the summer, I am reminded to ask you to spend some serious time in prayer for the missionaries you know. This is an interesting and, for some, a difficult time. We are at a significant transition point in the cross-cultural ministry experience. The emerging generation of missionaries, like this couple I am talking with here at Multnomah Bible College, are joining mission agencies supervised by people who have developed and "own" traditional forms of ministry. Largely, these types of ministry feel too compartmentalized for the younger, holistic mind. These traditional formulaic strategies have worked well in the past but are becoming less effective in completing the task. God has raised up this young, passionate group of servants with gifts and a leading that is different and necessary to take the work to a different level. Will we, as experienced agencies, meet the needs of providing platform and caring for the next wave? I believe we need to, but it will not be easy. Expectations on both sides have caused significant hurt already. Pray that God will give us all the grace we need to accept, love and care for each other in the process of serving him in obedience. Pray, also, that his kindgom would advance in of our obedience, or, in spite of our disobedience.

Kassen (second from the right) with her girls, ready for their senior prom. Sometimes...well, most of the time...we just can't believe we are this old. How could Kassen be graduating in 16 days? Just yesterday she was going to Estrellitas school in Guatemala as a three-year-old and drinking too much coffee every morning while we were at language school. Well, okay, she still does too much coffee probably...but how did she grow up this fast? We are trying to cherish every moment. Truly, we are blest to have such wonderful children!!

May Day Poem

Who was Gary Dale Rose?

I sat on his bench today,
In a park
Facing a pond.
Just a simple concrete bench;
Rather hard,
A little cold.

He is sadly missed, it seems,
By his wife
And all his kids,
Or so says the small plaque
At my feet
Set in the stone

Do they come and sit here now
And think back,
And smile, and cry?
He was 50 when he died.
I'm 52,
So I wonder...

Who was Gary Dale Rose?

When Dreams Come True

Seven years of daughters in club volleyball with a dream of maybe having a chance to play at the Junior Olympic National Volleyball Tournament. Seven years of waiting. Seven years of hoping. Seven empty years....until this year! At the last qualifying tournament of the season, in Reno, Kassen's team took second and qualified! To experience it was surreal. They just refused to lose, no matter who the opponent. For the fourth time they were in the top 16 on the final day. For the third time they knocked off the number one seed in the tournament. And for the first time, they bought their own ticket to Dallas (where the tournament is being held this year). We are thankful for God's grace that is allowing Kassen to have this experience.

Other Writings

For more on my thoughts of the missions thing you can check out my pages of our agency website at www.ONECHALLENGE.org. You will find them at the Honest Answers link from the home page. Just something I do for fun. As you can tell by the dates, that kind of "fun" doesn't happen very often! Have a great Saturday.

The MIssions Conference Walk

I don't know how many missions conferences you have been to but it is a great place to watch people. As you might imagine, in the last seven years I have been to a few....dozen. Most school-related conferences require that their students spend at least some time walking among the various agency displays. It is actually quite humorous. The set up is usually maze-like and it seems that the "game" is for people to get through the maze without ever making eye contact with a single missionary recruiter. Most accomplish it too! Occasionally one will stumble and glance at a banner and then be sucked into a conversation with a missionary which will most likely result in the leaving of a name and e-mail and months of electronic badgering before the agency rep finally gives up. Sometimes agencies add to the "game" by putting candy or some other giveaway on the table. Then the challenge becomes to take the good stuff from the table without being noticed, accosted and railroaded into some cross-cultural experience. Really fun!

Unfathomable

DEFYING ALL REALITY

BEYOND MY WILDEST FANTASY

THE ESSENSE OF IMPOSSIBILITY

THE HOLY GOD

IS MINDFUL

OF me

Just a thought for this day, a Sunday.

Maybe someday I will be a poet, for real.

Grandsons help

So what do you do when you get frustrated? Well, I just look at my latest pix of Jackson and Hudson. Here, you can too. Maybe it will brighten your day!!

What are colleges thinking????

Okay. You would think that on our fourth child we would have the college and money for college thing figured out. Okay. So we don't! We thought we had things worked out with Hope International in Fullerton, CA. Kassen can play for them....it's in the area she wants to be in....they have strength in her major....and they were giving her enough money to go there with minimal debt....or so we thought. Yesterday we got the discouraging news that Hope, like many other schools, does not allow you to stack, or add together, their scholarships and that, in fact, they have a cap on how much free aid you can get....close to $15,500. Now that SOUNDS like a lot of money. Well it is, until you realize that it costs more than $28,000 a year to go to Hope. Where are they thinking the rest of the money is going to come from. I know a lot of people and few, if any, of them can afford an extra $13,000 a year for college. We should have saved! Good plan except that we have been missionaries for almost as long as Kassen has been alive and stockpiling funds for college falls below survival on our greatest needs list. It appears colleges expect students and or their families to be okay with accumulating huge debt for this valuable thing. That might be okay if you have just one child. What happens when you have four?

Sorry for ranting. I just don't get it.

Don't Wait

This form of communication, blogging, is an interesting and difficult thing for an old guy. It seems that almost daily I think, "Gotta update the blog!" That thought is followed quickly by, "But we should know what Kassen's college decision is by tomorrow" or "I will have that picture to add in a couple days" type thinking. But then, of course, age takes over and I forget all about it until the next day and I am thinking, "Gotta update the blog..."

Father and Son

Nothing like holding your newborn son! In our experience, there is nothing more enlightening about how God loves us than having children. We could not love Alec more and I am sure he is starting to understand that love even now as he holds his son. We are full of joy! We are full of thanks!!

Good Things come to those who wait!!

The waiting is over!! Hudson is here. He decided to show up at 2:30 this afternoon, taking his good ole sweet time, and weighed in at just over 6 lbs. He looks great doesn't he? Maybe we won't be able to wait until March 24!!

What else is there to do at 3 AM???

I woke from an unsettled sleep to the sound of Deänne's phone buzzing. She was receiving a text from Alec saying that Emmalee was in labor and that they were at the hospital waiting for Hudson to make his entry. This morning Alec said that things were going "okay" but what does that mean and what does he know anyway?? So we are waiting. We don't do waiting well!

Hudson: Ready to make his appearance

You actually need to turn your computer upside down to get the real effect since he is head down in there! Pretty cute for being all squished up and safe inside his mother. He will make his appearance on or before Tuesday, March 11. We will first visit him on the 24th.

When Missionary Leaders Get Together

There is a lot of hugging. Every couple years all of our leadership from around the world meets to think through new directions. Many have not seen each other since the last conference. Hence, the hugging. My take...the Brazilians are the most fun...always laughing, singing and partying (in the Christian way!). The end note: there are more places and ways to get involved in cross-cultural life and ministry than ever before!! Pray about it!!!

This ought to be on YouTube!

So you probably think I am obsessed with my grandson. Well, you'd be right!

Who can you trust?

I remembered this lyric this morning as I was pondering the craziness of what God has done or allowed lately. I wrote it years ago but it keeps coming back to mind, especially when I am upset with God.

Do you trust me?
Do you believe that I love you?
Do you trust me?
Do you believe that in all things
I'm bringing about what is best for you?
Do you trust me?
Do you trust me?

So do I? There is no one else I know worthy of trust.

Just about how I feel right now - a la Jackson

Where would we go?

As I have been struggling with God over tragedy he has brought to mind a couple things. Being totally honest, I am not really happy with where I am in my faith walk sometimes or even with God's answers. I want to be "in the know," and obviously, that is not going to happen. First, is the disciple, Peter, who responds after Jesus asks if they, his disciples, will leave him; "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life" (Jn 6:68). For me as well, he is the only option. And second is God's response to Job, after he has been pushed beyond what would be conceivably bearable and is questioning God's reasoning; "Where were you when I laid the earth's foundations?" (Job 38:4). I've never liked that book very much.

What is God doing?

The honest answer, I don't know. Why does he cause or allow tragedy? Don't even want to begin to go there! Where was he last Sunday when six of his missionaries were in an auto accident that killed three of them (including little Isaac, 17 months) and left the other three in critical condition? I know the "party line" answer. He was there all along, but that is really hard to believe at times like this. One thing I have to say, though, and in this is the paradox; he is definitely pouring out his love and care on the families now. Deänne and I will be visiting the Amavisca and Sward families this evening, once again. It is our joy and honor to do so. Pray for them! Make every minute one filled with obedience and love.

Where DOES the time go?

Here is a little poem for February 1st

Where does the time go when it goes by me?
Does it make its home with God
Gone for eternity?

Where does the time go, seconds ticking by?
I have no time to say "hello"
Much less to wave goodbye.

What is its hurry? Does it have to go?
It seems it pass so very quick
And I, so very slow.

I'll make a vow to hold each moment fast
And make the most of every one
The first until the last.

jboesel 020108

An honest reflection

We received a report from one of our new missionaries in Africa and in it she shares what I think is the truth for today. Here is what she said. "Apparently missions is tough. You know, if it weren't so much fun I'm not sure we'd be doing it!" So here is the wisdom. If you are not positive that this is what God wants you to do....don't!! Sure, it is a kick....but sometimes kicks hurt.

Know what we did last summer??

You may be wondering what our missionaries learn during their summer training program. Well, here you have it. Oh, there are some other things too, but this pretty much tells the story. More pix are available at a new blog promoting OC's Internship. Here is the address http://www.oc08internship.blogspot.com/

Don't I look interested?! My focus is on the director of our International Ministries Team, Daryl Platt. His group is an interesting one, doing globally focused ministry all over the world. They definitely get the frequent flyer miles!! God is at work. It is exciting to be swept away by the current of his passion for the world.

Thought for Thursday

It is just as rebellious to pursue cross-cultural ministry (missions) if God has not led you to it as it is to pull a Jonah if he has.

From the "Inside"

My brother, Chris, is a prof at Drew University. He just did a teaching gig inside a medium security prison. His "take" from this experience impacted me, so I thought I would share it with you.
The most powerful part of the experience was leaving, after 3 hours of great hospitality and conversation. [We realized] that as soon as we left, they would have to go back into survival mode and re-enter the system where they are no more than a number. Simply by being present we had created a small bubble of time wherein they could feel themselves being treated as human beings. This suddenly made so much sense of Jesus' enduring concern for the prisoner, and the inclusion of the prisoner in his teaching about what the Kingdom of God means - that we are to include and treat the prisoner as our neighbor, whether they deserve to be in prison or not (I don't think Jesus makes any qualifications here), because it is the prisoner who has their "neighbor" status deliberately and explicitly revoked and denied by society (again, even if deservedly so).

Back to the Mountains

Deänne and I just returned from our Northwest trip. I was a horrible blogger and didn't get any pix. Sorry. The trip was completely encouraging. For those who understand the support raising missionary thing, we were thankful for the number of people who said they had just read our most recent prayer letter. To be honest, at times we wonder if anyone reads them. God humbled us with the honest love and care given to us over the last weekend. Thanks to all.

Every once in a while the Boesel men get together. Jeff, Scott, Dad (Don) and Chris.

Cruel and Unusual Punishment!?

Two Important Things

Just thought I would pass on two of my favorite things, of late.

1) Life is ministry. 'nough said.

2) A missionary is someone who does the ministry they would be doing in their home country in obedience to God, in another country. (Joel Malm)

Another shot from Copper. Kelli (with the headband) and I just made our semesterly trek to Waco getting her back to Baylor. She keeps telling me that she can do it on her own but I don't want to miss the father/daughter road trip opp. She is safely there and started with school and I am home. Lots to do before leaving again this Friday for the Northwest.

Royalty

Actually, royalties. That Christmas song that I mentioned a couple posts ago, I guess, has sold about 3000 copies (only 997,000 copies short of going gold) so far. Keep passing the word along! It was fun to get a check for a couple dollars as a result. Maybe I better try that again!

Catch up a little

Just thought that since I learned how to put up a slideshow with Kassen's senior pix that I would also put up a show of Alec and Emmalee's wedding. It took them next to forever to get their pictures so in reality I am not that late in getting them on the site. Thanks for praying for them as they learn what it is to live life together.

Kassen, the senior!

Kassen's senior pix are in. We all knew she was beautiful but these pix help to make the statement apart from her family. We are proud of her (as we are of all our children). Often I wonder if there might be a way to bottle whatever grace God poured out on us in our children. We would be rich!!

A missions link

Just so we get some business in here. Our agency website is www.ONECHALLENGE.org and I have the honor of writing a column for the site called Honest Answers at http://www.onechallenge.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13&Itemid=42 Just some thoughts about doing the missions thing.

A little Christmas music - late

I do a little music, for those who don't know. By God's grace I had a piece I helped to write find its way to being published. Here is a link to hear it in its complete form on-line. Lots of fun to do and hear - for me, that is. I hope you enjoy it too. http://listeninglab.stantons.com/item.php?stno=326648

It's not too late for Christmas is it?

First volleyball of the club season

Kassen had her last first club tournament today in Denver. She played great and it was sure fun to watch. We are keenly aware that our time of seeing her play is short!! If you want to catch her in action, if not quite "live" you can find her profile and some video at http://prepathletes.us/coach_profile.php?id=440&sec=sN50Dq

Done for now

Well, here it is, phase one. For those who know us, you will know that if we can keep this updated for more than a week we will have accomplished a great feat!! Thanks for checking in. My hope is to actually talk about some "serious" stuff too. We shall see...

Kassen and Kelli, doing the brew at Copper Mountain. It was not balmy but Kelli is a little over-bundled. Remember, she goes to school in Texas!!

Getting Started

Here it is. Getting started in the blog world. It is a big world and we are late into it, as usual. Here is our thought for the day. It doesn't matter when you take the step, as long as you do, in time, take it. God is patient (normally).