My Weblog

Mexico

So, I started the week with high expectations.  Then I got a call from Miguel which elevated my expectations considerably.  He was hiring a crew with a bulldozer to move rocks on the Pilon, and he had five people ready to take a kayak class!  Another couple of calls from a guy in McAllen that wanted to take a class, and had a girl friend that wanted to join him, and I found myself on my way to Mexico!  Ok, so it wasn't that easy.  Somehow I had to extricate myself from my home life including work, projects, dogs, training, etc.  On the plus side I'd planned to make the trip one month ago, but little had developed towards the endeavor until the beginning of the week.  So, many people already expectected that I would not be here in Texas.  My wife decided to join me since I had what amounted to two separate classes to teach. 

This e-mail from the guy in McAllen describes what ensued better than I can: 

Ben..this did not work out.


Shannon and I got into Rayones about 1:30 in the
morning. The entire place was closed up and looked
like a war zone. We never found the hotel despite the
fact that the police officer tried to help us.

She was very upset and scared and we ended up driving
all the way back to McAllen last night and got in at
6am.

What is new

The product of much of my work from last week came to fruition here:

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA031906.01B.kayak_soldiers.2fca8b8.html

I celebrated by taking some members to Mexican Creek yesterday, and on the way someone called to donate a kayak which we picked up on the way home!

Michelle warned that I am not "earning God's favor."  I hope that that is not what it seems that I am trying to do, but I have to say that God has opened some doors of self understanding lately.  In particular, he has really helped me to calm down.  As a result, I'm finding that I love my wife more deeply than ever, and I am beginning to get more done.  I certainly have more energy when I wake up.

We are still struggling financially, and I am really trying to focus on ways to overcome the obstacles that we have encountered since the Powers stopped being able to sponsor us.

I so much wanted to make it big back then to give them more bang for their buck.  Now I just want to make it so that their legacy lives on.

Today I will write a newsletter for former customers.  I will work with Keith on becoming a certified instructor.  I will work with the disabled military guys, and help to spread the good word about the program that was written in the newspaper yesterday.

Spring Break

Last week ended with an Adventure Race paddling certification for team Dynamic Health to prepare them for Primal Quest. That seems like a good place to start this weblog.  They were all over 50 yrs old, and they were all doing everything that they could to prepare for one of the toughest races in the world.  There was just not time enough in the day to work with them, but they have inspired me to track my life a little more closely.  So, this is my forum for that.

Interestingly, the next class was for some young people that go to a similar high school to the one that I went to in Dallas (a magnet school - their computer science teacher was one of my schoolmates).  They did well in their class, and enjoyed Mexican Creek, and the Medina thoroughly.  Then they learned to roll, and ran the Comal.  They even went off the rope swing at the end.  I was very proud.  I paddled my C-1 each day hard, and not only learned a lot, but I hurt! 

On Wednesday, I learned about the whitewater course, and attended a witness presentation by Rick Beal about his struggle to overcome the loss of his parents, and his mission trip to Russia.

This whole week has really brought me back to the turning points in my life from the mission field to the Olympics to the whitewater courses. . . I feel like I am on the verge of another turning point. . . stay tuned.

Thanks Jon

It was another wild weekend with the Dales!  Thank you Jon and Amy for guiding us on an adventure into our relationships with our spouses, and the Lord.

New Years

What a way to start the New Year!  The Dale's house for the morning, a roll class during the day, and then a trip to Mexican Creek!