Now that wrestling season is over we can get back to reading more (you always have to have a book with you at a tournament, but somehow not much gets read).  So here is what we are reading these days:

Derek:

• The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris
• The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoffer
• The Complete Book of Discipleship by Bill Hull
• The Hidden Hand by E.D.E.N. Southworth
• Crazy Love by Francis Chan

Julee:

•  A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers
• So Long Insecurity by Beth Moore

Caleb:

•  Generous Justice by Timothy Keller

Josh:

• Shadow of the Almighty by Elizabeth Elliot

Kylee:

•  An Echo in the Darkness by Francine Rivers

Zach:

• Every Ranger’s Apprentice book by John Flanagan over and over

Hudson:

• The Pearls of Lutra by Brain Jacques

Happy reading everyone!

I was reading through Proverbs 16 with the boys.  We were looking for one verse that was relevant to our lives at that moment.  Things were really going well.

Hudson was reading verse 24, “Pleasant words are a honeycomb…” but then  his eyes dropped to the second half of the next verse “but its end is the way of death.”

“Uh dad, this doesn’t sound right…OOOHHHHHH!”

We had a great laugh over that one.  It sure is fun to be reading the Bible with my kids and laughing.  And then talking through how they make sense for daily life.

For those wondering, the Boulder fire is not that close to us, but the smoke is.  A nice cloud had settled over Boulder and has made outdoor activity a problem.  For others, this has been devastating as their houses are gone.  Many never even had a chance to grab any belongings.  They cam into town for the day and were not allowed to return.  As for containment, there doesn’t seem to be any containment yet that they can tell us about.

Some of these are staying temporarily on campus in the Coors Event Center.  The Red Cross has things pretty well in hand (or hasn’t communicated very well about needs), but we are looking for ways that we can help or volunteer.  Information has not been outstanding so far, so I guess there has been some difficulty in the command getting all the information they need.

Thanks for your prayers as we look for ways to serve.

Summer has officially begun around the Gregory house.  This means oldest boys are working many days and the others are working around the house as much as we can find for them.  The pace of life has changed for a brief time.  Its also the time when I can get to Julee’s honey-do list that has been growing through the winter and early spring.

So the cedar siding on the house has been painted (while I was out of town), the new fence has been stained, the sprinkler system has been repaired, the leak in the upstairs shower has been stopped ( I think.  Redoing this bathroom may be next summer’s first project. It would be a nice feeling to know that the shower is not leaking onto the first floor ceiling and would be even nicer to sheetrock the first floor ceiling knowing this.), and the back patio has a nice flagstone paved area on one end (the house came with an endless supply of native red flagstone buried all around the yard).

Summer challenge has started and we have been following a study called ‘Operation Worldview’.  This study looks at how God is about His glory being revealed to the nations and how we fit into that story.  We have had a great time!

Our trip to SE Asia is only weeks away now and we are growing more excited.  We still need about $2000 to cover trip expenses and so are a little anxious as well.  We have been learning a way of sharing the story of the Bible from creation all the way to Christ and His death to pay the penalty of our sin and it has been fun to sit down as a family to do this.  Please be praying.

In 2006, our family had the opportunity to lead a mission trip to Oberlin, LA, contribute to the rebuilding of

First Baptist Church and begin some encouraging relationships.  God used that trip to not only reestablish a place for community in Oberlin, but also to establish a heart for people in our family and a desire to be part of what He is doing in the world and to explain Him to the world.  Of course, the main expression of this heart and desire takes place in our sharing our lives with college students at CU, ASU before that, and OU before that.

     As a continuation of this desire, we have been preparing as a family for a trip to SE Asia.  A former student and his family are now serving full-time among students in this country.  They have seen God draw many students to Himself and have their hands full.  Several people have spent the last two years laboring alongside them and are in their last days and months of service. 

     We will be spending around 7-9 days in country.  During this time we will travel with a group of students who are involved in the ministry with the purpose of speaking into their lives and discipling them as we are able.  We will also be working at an orphanage alongside a mix of Christian and non-Christian students.  Our friend there says that this has been a very effective way of seeing new students move to accept Christ.  Another goal would also be to encourage and pray for our friends and the ministry God has given them.

     Finally, we hope to work out the timing so that we can travel to another SE Asian country close by and spend a day or two with a former associate and his family and our summer team from CU and then join them for the trip home.  This last hope is still very tentative, but is on our prayer list.

    The tentative dates for this trip are July 12-21.  Our estimated cost is $15,014.  We would like to invite and ask you to pray about partnering with us financially and prayerfully for this trip.  An undertaking of this size is far bigger than us and we would value anyway you can be part of this with us.  Contributions for this trip can be made to Christian Challenge and will be a missions contribution as this trip is part of our summer missions program.  Please send to 167 Cherokee Way, Boulder, CO 80303.

Thank you for your prayers.

Zach turned 12 yesterday and that means it was an important day in the Gregory tribe.  Years ago we borrowed the idea of a bar berith (son of the covenant) party from our friends, the Fosters.  This is not your normal birthday party, but is a special time where family and friends gather to encourage the young boy or girl (a bat berith) in their transition into young manhood or womanhood.  It is also a time to charge them to not make life about themselves, but about serving the redemptive purposes of God.

 It is important for us as parents to provide some transitional times in our kids lives to help them move along.  It is maybe more important for us to help them realize that life is not about them.  This party does both and is cool because it includes our extended family and our community.  It encouraged Zach  and also provided him with a lot of accountability.  We don’t do a whole lot real well, but this bar berith sure seems to be a good thing.  Each of our children has looked forward to their 12th birthday like no other and remember it like no other (even though I even ask them to memorize a portion of Scripture and recite it to everyone.  Zach had Psalm 1).

This also provides a great excuse to buy our sons some really cool swords.  These only have symbolic significance of course. (with all apologies to the nice cactus we had in AZ)  The sharp edges just give us a chance to talk about being a useful tool in God’s hands (and safety).

If you would ever like to know more about this kind of thing feel free to give us a call.

My good friend, Menkes, is a post doc here at CU.  He is now famous.  you can see it here.  Check out his mad skills in the video.

Just arrived in Oklahoma to see our families over the Christmas break.  This was due to the good hand of God on us.  Our van was having some issues, yet we made the trip as well and as quick as ever. We know a Ford guy here who can take care of our issues.  He is a fellow follower and is a great guy and mechanic.  He also calls square dances and drives a Harley.

I was up until 2:30 last night grouting the tile.  So now we have a floor back in the kitchen.  Yeah!  That means I can get the cabinets installed and we can move the things that go in the cabinets out of the garage and into the kitchen.  Yeah!!  It also means we can have a sink in the kitchen and bring in the dishwasher from the back porch and not wash dishes in the bathroom anymore.  Yeah!!!

So all this started when we thought a construction crew was coming.  We started getting things ready for them so they could open up our kitchen/dining/living room areas.  This was driven by the need for good ministry space.

Well, the construction crew didn’t come and so we became the construction crew.  It is not good timing for such things, since we have been in the middle of a semester, but the damage had been done.  So things get done during free moments -  of which there are not many. I won’t quite make the thanksgiving deadline, but should be almost there.  maybe all but the countertops.

If you need any thoughts on kitchen stuff, I might have some.

During some family time yesterday morning, we were talking about 2 Kings 9 and the fate of Jezebel.  We decided that it would be better to be on God’s side than to oppose Him.  It reminded us of an old classic message which includes this story.  You can find and listen to it here.

On another note, Zach and Hudson had to have a little dental work yesterday.  Zach had some molars sealed and when I asked how it went he had this to say - “It was like having 5 people working in my mouth at once.”  Ouch!  Sorry about that Z.