In Kansas City

Well, kind of. Actually I'm in Lenexa, KS this week for USA Canada Council meetings. They have graciously created space to keep me around for four more years, really had to twist my arm. I love this group who help to shape events like Nazarene Youth Conference and District Leadership Conference. Besides the work, they are a fun group to be around. We work hard, laugh hard, and sometimes even play hard when time permits.

This week we begin planning on NYC 2011 in Louisville, KY. Head to the GMC this morning, and work all day today and tomorrow.

Couldn't sleep very well last night. Finally gave up the fight and got up at 5:00, and by 6:00 was already on my second cup of coffee. Might be a four cup morning before 8:00, that should keep me wired for a while.

I'll fly home Saturday, and Terry is picking me up to go downtown Chicago and spend some time with Chris and Kelli. In case you haven't heard, both of our girls are pregnant. Kelli is due some time in December, and Kristin is due some time in January. Gonna be a fun month for the Holcomb clan.

Also, I'm glad to report that as of September 24, we will no longer own a home in Indy. We sold it this past week, after four years of trying, so needless to say, Terry and I are thrilled. We are cutting our last material ties to a town we thoroughly loved living in, but have friends that give us a reason for return visits.

I've also gone public with the fact that this is my last year to be an RD. With some of the other responsibilities I've taken on at Olivet, there is too much going on for me the first couple of weeks before school starts and the first week. The fact that I'm writing this from Kansas City the first day of my Fall classes verifies that. I love what I do, and love being an RD, but something has to give, so that is it.

Well, guess you're caught up for now. Finishing my second cup of coffee, ready to fill it up again. Today I'll need all the artificial stimulant from caffeine I can get.

The summer is over!

Well, yours might not be, but mine definitely is. Terry and I got back last Thursday, and I hit the ground running. I'm excited and overwhelmed with what the Fall has for us. It will be busy, but life with college students is always exciting. Let me get you caught up on the new things that have taken place this Summer into this Fall.

Both of our daughters are expecting. Kelli is due the end of December, and Kristin is due early to mid January. Needless to say, our Christmas break will be more than eventful.

Luke, our son-in-law has been in Iraq since June 6, 2008, with the exception of a three-week leave, explaining #2 coming in January. Well, after a long wait, he finally arrived home on Tuesday. Terry and I made time on Sunday to welcome home a National Guard reserve group from this area on Sunday, and both stood on the side of the road, crying like babies thinking ahead two days to the homecoming that would be taking place in Killeen, TX with Luke, Kristin, and Brayden. Welcome home Luke!!

I took on a new role at Olivet last year, to develop leadership initiatives on campus. They won't fully kick in until next Fall, but I am taking on some responsibilities that I've not had before, like training student mentors for our incoming freshman class, the largest in the history around here. It's fun, challenging, and scary all at the same time; but I'm having a blast.

I'm still teaching, looking forward to a hopeful deer hunt in October, counting the days to welcoming into the world two new grandbabies, and hanging out in the NYI world of our church. Life is good, Terry is still just as beautiful and fun as ever, our girls are healthy and happily married, (duh), and we're about to become grandparents again.

Pics later. Hope you're life is full as well. God is good.

Santa Fe

There are two places that words and even pictures can't do justice; Sedona and Santa Fe. They are both incredibly beautiful towns, and filled with history. Santa Fe is preparing to celebrate it's 400th birthday next year. Names like Coronado, Billy the Kid, Wyatt Earp, and the Trail of Tears, bear some of the history that is centered on this town.

This is where the Santa Fe trail, that starts in Olathe, KS, ends. Guess you don't have to be a brain surgeon to figure that out. This is where the army came over the Santa Cristo range and drove the Navajo nation into what might have been the first concentration camp. 90% of the Navajo people died in that camp.


One of the oldest missions is here, and it's surrounded by incredible scenary. It's just a great place, full of a wide variety of people. This is one of the places we would like to return. The picture show you why.


Not much from me over the next couple of days, just some hard driving. Home on Thursday. I'm ready for regular life to kick in. Happy trails.

Flagstaff to Santa Fe

Yes, that's a really big hole in the ground!

Being true to our "catch phrase", we made a 5 hour drive into a 10 hour adventure. We decided at the last minute to go to meteor crater in no man's land Arizona. We had already planned on going to the petrified forest and the painted desert, but made the crater an extra stop. We also drove through "Winslow, AZ," where the Eagle's sung about standing on the corner, and some chick in a flat bed Ford checking them out. I know those aren't the words, just didn't want to sing the whole song, you get the point.

What we discoverd was the crater was worth the trip, Winslow wasn't. The petrified forest was worth the trip, and had the painted desert not been included, we probably could have done without it, especially experiencing the drive through the valley between Gallup and Albequerque, New Mexico; never get tired of looking at the mountains and those incredible red rocks.

We were tired when we arrived in Santa Fe, but had a blast, as you can see. Day two, one more to go before our trip changes gears.

Payson to Flagstaff

Terry and I started our journey home after working on her mother's home in Casa Grande, AZ. It has been quite the journey, I might add. We're spending three days playing on the way back, with our catch phrase, it's more about the journey than the destination, then changing gears and playing from the other side of that coin, making it more about the destination then the journey. We want to be home by Thursday, the 30th. Then life kicks in.

I'm a couple of days behind, so bear with me. We'll pretend like today is Sunday, with our trip from Payson to Flagstaff, AZ. By the way, Arizona is much more than dessert. It's quite the state. And for the record, Sedona is B-E-A-Utiful!! Terry and I have decided that much beauty in one place is just not fair.

Check out these photos, and come back tomorrow to check out some more on our trip from Flagstaff to Santa Fe. Have I told you it's hot out here? Oh yeah, but it's a dry heat, sorry, I forgot.

Hey, made me laugh. Two posts in one week, beggars can't be choosey.

In Dallas this week for Terry's Mary Kay Seminar. We head to Phoenix arriving on Thursday to get her mom's home ready to sell. Meeting her sister and one of the brothers there to work on Saturday, then head home on Sunday for life to get as back to normal as it gets.

Had a great couple of days playing with "Bubby", that's Brayden if you're not aware of the nickname. He is talking up quite a storm, and Kristin has done an incredible job holding the fort together with Luke in Iraq. They sold their home this month, so Terry was there the last couple of weeks helping Kristin move into their new/old rental home until Luke finishes his four years of service to the army.

I'm very proud of my daughter, and my son-in-law for the sacrifice they have made for country and freedom, whatever you think of this war. He has served well, and she has lived well. He'll be home in the next three weeks, and then life gets back to normal for them as well, or as close as it gets when your husband is in the army.

Hey, what's up?

I was scolded today by one of my friends, reminded that some of you actually come to this for, whatever; comic relief, information, ranting, etc.  Well, there has been a lot going on in my life over the last month, as their has been yours.  I'm currently on my way to pick up Terry in Killeen, TX, to take her to her Mary Kay convention, then go to Phoenix to get her mother's home ready to put on the market.  Not my idea of fun, especially driving through west Texas and southern New Mexico and Arizona in July.  

What's been going on the last 30 days:  Kristin and Luke have sold their home, and we've re-listed ours; General Assembly has come and gone, with one of the most eventful ones in the history of our church, with Dr. Bowling elected, accepting, and rescinding the nomination.  It was truly one of the most courageous things I've ever seen done.  I can't help but admire a man that has the integrity to remain true to who he was created to be and do.  Way to go!

I was also honored by being elected the Global President for NYI, one of the greatest honors of my life, next to marrying Terry, the birth of my two daughters, their marriage and gaining two sons, finally, and the birth of my grandson (think I sufficiently covered the family).  It will be an absolute honor and privilege to serve the young people of the church for the next four years.  I get to stay around, and I'm thrilled with the opportunity.

I was able to reconnect with many friends, and be a part of the best NYI convention ever, with 7 sites outside the US, with full voting and floor privileges.  It was incredible.  

Well, I'm driving the other half tomorrow to see my wife, Kristin, and Brayden.  Excited to be with them, but already thinking of what is waiting for me when I get back home on the 30th.  

To the four of you that read this, I'll work on being more consistent, and more substantial.  For now, know that I'm alive and well.

We Still Have Work to Do

Read an article from the New York Times about a high school in Georgia, that still has segregated proms. Guess I've been living with my head in the sand, but thought those times were long gone. You know what the sad thing in this was, and I guess not surprising to me, it wasn't the kids that wanted it that way, it was the parents.

Can you imagine, as an American person of color, showing up to a prom on Friday night to take pictures of your friends as they walk on the red carpet, into "their" prom, and after taking pictures, having to leave, and wait until Saturday night for "your" prom.

They talked with frustration about how they wished their friends, who were now 18, would stand up and change this, but confused by the acceptance of the way things were, especially considering some of them wouldn't be able to attend prom with the person they were dating, because they were at the "other" prom.

A couple of things.

One, WOW!

Two, it reminded me that there is no ministry to students that doesn't include ministry to parents.

P.S. The white students were invited to the Saturday night prom, the students of color were not invited to the Friday night prom, and would be escorted out by parents if they tried to go in. No white students showed up.

Penn Says: A Gift of a Bible

Thought this was pretty interesting.