Sweet, special times but way too short

Labor day weekend we traveled to Columbus Air Force Base to be with Kristi and Adam. Simply, sweet, special, surprising, but way too short -- yet such is life now that the "kids" (all 4+4+[3...]) are adults and on their ways. We really enjoyed our time together, several highlights:

• "official" tour of their home complete with Kristi hiding in the game closet and jumping out to scare Julie, the two of them had been scheming this moment for weeks and were not disappointed.
• the kids winning every card game - Skip-Bo and Euchre - and being very pleased ...
• Monday morning birthday breakfast: raspberry pancakes - Wow!
• meeting their friends ... simply a joy
  
• worship time Sunday morning @ www.mtvchurch.com
• walking 9 holes of golf - soon Kristi will beat her father in golf
• supper at Profits Porch - southern cooking ... red beans and rice, gumbo
• Prairie Arts Festival in West Point Saturday morning
• Waverly Mansion tour - learning the history of the region
• celebrating Kristi's birthday at The Grill
• learning that wax candles melt when you stick them in a hot freshly baked apple cake
  
• being guests in our children's home
  

Thank you Kristi and Adam for welcoming us into your home and lives ... we had a wonderful time with you.

PS: Yes, as we left Monday morning for the 815 mile trip home there were tears in our eyes ...

Daily Record "Newsmaker"

Recently I had the fun of being interviewed by Rachel Jackson of our local paper, The Daily Record, for a weekly feature called "Newsmaker." She did a great job taking the interview we had late June on our deck and writing it into an article for print. Enjoy the articles.

Like his plant life, Henry Beun is always growing
http://www.the-daily-record.com/news/article/4653662

20 questions
http://www.the-daily-record.com/news/article/4653631

As I re-enter the classroom teaching our school's Bible classes for high school students my hope is to be someone who invites students to "see" and be a disciple (learner and follower) of the Almighty God, Jesus the Christ and the Holy Spirit.

PS: If you need a login name and password for the 20 questions link please ask us through an email: hjbeun@zoominternet.net

Who's coaching or playing?

As I've been updating the schedule in my Palm handheld a significant change in our family's activities emerged: none of us are coaching or playing competitively in school arenas!

Children being on a ball teams has been part of our family routine since Brad started farm league in the mid 80's, soon Erik, Kyle and Kristi were on ball teams - these teams dictated our family schedule. Soon the children were playing competively in middle school, high school and college. Always, when making plans, their team schedules were very important in our schedules. More recently all three sons and daughter in law Lisa coached teams. Again, we tried to include their games or matches in our schedules.

Among the adjustments we are making is a change to the priorities in our schedules.

We will miss:

• encouraging our children in the athletic arena
• seeing the progress and improvement of their teams
• relishing the wonder of the competitive spirit (I believe it is God-given.)
• learning to know new people which has extended our network of relationships
• the anticipation and hope each new season brings
• creating new memories - all the surprises and unexpected moments

Our family has benefitted in so many ways from involvement in athletics. As we move into a new season of life (this doesn't preclude the probability that someone in the family will be coaching in the future) we look forward to the new opportunities we will have because our schedule is not dictated by sports commitments.

PS: To those of you in the midst of hectic family schedules which include athletics - enjoy these times!