2006: The Year in Review

We received a Christmas letter from some friends this year and they let their son write it. Mommy and daddy were inspired so they thought it would be neat if I did it too. So this is our year in review in my (Gabrielle's) words:

January: We started off the year with an amazing trip to Singapore to see my Nai-nai and Tha-tha - that's mommy's parents. One of our dear friends gave us something called frequent flier miles for daddy's ticket, and grandmother & granddaddy in California bought mommy's ticket as a Christmas present. It was so fun and I got to fly on my first airplane. I don't think mommy and daddy had very much fun though b/c I didn't sleep very much. But I loved it and got to know everyone on the plane because daddy walked me up and down the aisles for most of the flight. I'm a Glasgow girl, so Singapore was very hot for me. All of my friends and relatives there were so nice and generous with me and gave me lots of nice gifts. My favorite part was celebrating Chinese New Year!!!

February: We returned from Singapore to very cold weather - which I'm used too. Daddy did something very crazy... he fasted for two weeks!!! He lost 16 lbs. and weighed the same as he did when he graduated from high school. He was skinnier and looked much younger.

March: Mommy did something new this month. Daddy had to go away for three days up to Inverness for a meeting for his ministry's curriculum. Mommy took care of me all by herself, and though it was hard, she did a good job and we really enjoyed girl-time while daddy was gone. It also snowed really hard this month and Glasgow got its most snow in 30 years. I didn't really know what to think about it though... it was very cold and wet.

April: Mommy enrolled me in my first music class called Colour Strings. We had so much fun. We listened to music and did fun exercises to the music. I think I'm going to be like mommy and be a musician. I love music and singing! We also went to Amsterdam to see our good friends, the Grafs. They're missionaries there and mommy and daddy got married at their farm. That was my second airplane ride and it was better because it wasn't as long as to Singapore. The Grafs loved on me and mommy and daddy a lot and we had a great time. I can't wait to go back!

May: The weather started getting warmer and mommy and daddy took me and Cole to the park a lot. I loved watching all the kids play on the playground and all the doggies running around.

June: Mommy and daddy took me on another airplane ride to California where I got to see grandmother, granddaddy, Aunt Jenny, Uncle Tom and my cousins, Nico & Molly. We went there to attend CRM's world wide staff conference at daddy's alma mater, Westmont. Mommy and daddy also got to go to something called a Romance Conference at Hume Lake. Granddaddy was the speaker, but I don't know very much about romance.

July: Mommy and daddy had so much fun showing me off to all their friends in California. Everyone was so nice to me and loved on me a lot. We also got to go out to Palm Desert w/ Troy and Kristina Pierce and I got to play with their son, Owen. He's BIG! Oh! We also had my dedication. Granddaddy performed my baby dedication and lots of people came to celebrate. We had a Bar-B-Q and there were lots of kids and presents for me!!! I loved California. I woke up every morning and hung out with grandmother for about an hour while everyone else slept in. We really bonded and she showed me how to point at things and water all her plants. Oh! And one more thing: mommy and daddy found out that I'm going to have a little brother or sister. Yea!!! I could really use a playmate. Cole keeps running away from me.

August: We had to leave California and go back home to Glasgow, but the weather was really nice and we got to go to the park some more. This time, mommy and daddy let me get in the little-girl's swing. I love to swing. It's so fun! Daddy had to start preparing for the new participants. He got a promotion and became the Glasgow Director. He really loves his ministry!

September: This was a big month. I turned one-year-old and mommy and daddy had a big party for me. More than 60 people came to celebrate with me and I got tons of presents. I also got to eat a fruit tart - which was the first time I had something called SUGAR. I really liked it and smeared it all over my face. I got some of it in my mouth too. The participants also showed up this month and daddy was working a lot. Mommy had to watch me by herself again for three days when daddy went on a Listening Retreat with the new participants. They spent three days in silence listening to God. I don't even know how to spend three minutes in silence, so that's impressive to me.

October: Yea!!! I started walking this month. I love to walk. I also love to dance to the Fimbles on TV. Mommy also started letting me play the piano. I love the noise it makes when I bang on the keys. The days got shorter and it started getting cold. But that's okay with me because I have lots of warm clothes to bundle up in. People have been so kind to give me lots of clothes! Daddy got to fly back to California for a wedding. His friend Nate and his wife, Becky, flew him home so that he could co-officiate the wedding - whatever that means. He was home for a week and mommy had to take care of me by herself for the longest time yet. Oh yeah, and mommy's belly started to get big. The doctor said that she thinks it's a girl, but only 75% sure... boy will mommy be shocked if it's a little boy!

November: This was a really special month because grandmother came to visit from California. She didn't even tell us that she was coming. She just surprised us by showing up at the front door. Mommy and daddy were shocked! Mommy even started crying... but she was happy. I don't get that, but I guess it's a good thing. Grandmother bought me a rocking horse as an early Christmas present and I love it! This was a big food month. Mommy and daddy hosted an evening for all the staff and participants and they made Pad-Thai. We also celebrated Thanksgiving, even though it's not a holiday in Scotland. We had a huge turkey and grandmother made a delicious thing called cranberry sauce. We invited lots of Scottish friends to celebrate with us and they really enjoyed it.

December: I really like December. I didn't remember Christmas last year, but I really like it! I love all the decorations and the lights. Daddy also turned 34 this month - which means that he's older than Jesus. He had a nice birthday party with some of his friends here. I got a stocking for Christmas and a little table and chairs that me and mommy sit at to color and read books. I say lots of words now... my favorite words (other than 'Momma' and 'Daddy') are: Nose, Eye, Hot, No, Hi, Bye, Daggy (for Cole), Shees (shoes), Moe (more), and Ubiquitous... just kidding. I also just string a bunch of sounds together that sound like talking, but mommy and daddy have no idea what I'm saying. Mommy's tummy is HUGE... daddy says she's as big as a house, but mommy just smiles and shakes her head. I can't wait for my little sister or brother to come in March!

Well, that's the year through my eyes. It was a really good year and mommy and daddy say that it was filled with God's goodness and his blessings. If you want to see pictures from our year - lots of me getting bigger - you can click the link on the right side of this page that says, "Photo Album," or you can log on to: http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisandjasheen// to see all the pictures we took this year.

Thanks for checking out my first Blog entry. We're looking forward to another great year and can't wait to share it with you again!

Bye-bye!

Catching Up with the McKenzies

My goodness, where to begin???
Since we returned to Glasgow from our furlough in the States our schedule has been more than hectic. I know it seems like a stretch, but I've been waiting for the time to actually sit down and update the Blog, and insodoing I've waited far too long.

In the past two-and-a-half months we've seen our latest group of participants/students arrive for their nieuCommunities training/mission year; Gabrielle turned one-year-old; Jasheen's "bump" is growing; and our church (plant) has been displaced from the building we've been renting since it's up for sale.

nieuCommunities:

The latest batch of young, emerging leaders have officially settled in and are underway in their training and development. I've embraced the new role of director and am thoroughly enjoying the new responsibility of leading our team. We have a wonderfully diverse group of young leaders hailing from California, Ohio, Canada and Texas... and ranging from ages 21 to 34. The group, as a whole, is very engaging and has started the year full of hope and enthusiasm.

Gabrielle:

We were so excited to celebrate Gabrielle's 1st birthday last month. But even more than that, we were amazed at the turnout for her party. Of course, we know that a child's first birthday party is more for the parents than the child, but she had an impressive turnout nonetheless. We hosted more than 60 people in our flat for the festive soiree. It was a true testament to the relational and missional investment we've made here since arriving. We were graced by the elderly ladies from the park, families and kids from our prenatal class and from Gabrielle's music class, our neighbors, some of Jasheen's piano students, our own teammates, and some of our local friends here... even Jasheen's hair-dresser made an appearance.
The kindness and generosity lavished upon Gabrielle was truly humbling. And to cap it all off, Gabrielle got her first taste of sugar - a small, but tasty fruit torte that she bathed herself in thoroughly (check out the Photo Album link on this page to see pictures).
Gabrielle has also started walking!!! She's still more proficient on her knees, but she has loads of fun walking back-and-forth between mommy and daddy in the lounge. her arrival to our arms is always accompanied by a shriek of jubilation as she beams with pride at her latest accomplishment.
Aside from the obvious joy that she brings to our lives, Gabrielle has been as effective a ministry tool as anything else we have. She is the consumate conversation starter and Jasheen has made many relationships with other 'mums' as a result. We praise the Lord daily for her and couldn't be more excited than we are as we watch her develop.

Jasheen:

Jasheen is nearing her 18th week of pregnancy and all is good. She's been battling back from a bout with bronchitis, but she's on the mend and feeling better. One exciting development for her is that she will be 'coaching' two of the participant young women this year (Kathi & Melody). Jasheen is ever humble in her ability to pour into the lives of other young women, but she has proven to be very effective in this area thus far and we're excited to see her in this role. Please be praying for her as she seeks the Lord's wisdom and guidance in shaping and coaching these young leaders.

Me (Chris):

As I mentioned, my responsibilities have changed this year as I have accepted the role of director. Accompanied by an extremely capable staff, this transition has been easier to adjust to than I'd expected. In addition to the teaching that I'll be doing, I will also be coaching one of the young men here (Johnvir) and would also appreciate your prayers.
I'm also leading a Bible study with some guys I've met at the gym (pictured) - Johan, Dave and Drastic. This has proven to be a rich and rewarding experience for us all.

Re:Hope

Our church-plant will be two-years-old this January and we've just been asked to vacate the building we've been using as it's gone on the market for sale. We've been talking with our ministry back home (CRM) about the possibility of being the buyers, and Lord willing that will happen. Please be praying that if it's the Lord's will, He'll provide the necessary funds to make this happen. At the very least we're hoping that if we're not the buyers, that whomever purchases the building will allow us to continue using the facility as it really is perfect for our needs.
In the meantime, another local church in the area is allowing us to use their building on Sunday afternoons for our gathering.

We continually praise God for the way He moves hearts to support us in ministry here in the city of Glasgow. We look forward to keeping you posted on the events and experiences that unfold this year.

Blessings and love!

The Long Journey Home

It's got to be a record: Los Angeles to Glasgow in 43 hours: one car, two planes, one subway, four trains, 3 buses, 4 cabs, and a ferry - over 100 lbs. of luggage, one set of clothes and no shower. All of this for a little dog named Cole.
Britain doesn't allow pets in the cabin of an airplane on inbound flights. That's what kicked this whole amazing journey off.
Since we didn't really want to subject Cole to 11+ hours in the cargo hold of two airplanes we decided that I would fly through Paris and take the EuroStar (the chunnel train that goes from Paris to London under the English Channel). However, upon arriving in Paris I discovered that pets were not allowed on that train either - this would have been extremely good information to have received from our travel agent when planning the journey.
Consequently, I had to take a train from Paris to Lille, and then another train from Lille to Calaise where I could take the ferry across the channel to Dover (England). I took a train from Dover to Victoria Station (London) and cabbed over to Euston Station (London) to catch my final (sleeper) train from London to Glasgow... getting in at just past 7:00am the next morning. It only added about 16 hours to my journey.
It would probably have served me well to eat more than three meals the entire journey (two of which were airplane meals and one Whopper w/ cheese).
My shoulders felt like someone had taken a sledgehammer to them by the time I got home... partly b/c the pack I was using weighed in around 60 lbs.
I don't think my anxiety subsided until I was actually on the ferry with the security of knowing that if I had to spend the night sleeping on the ground, at least it would be in Britain.
Jasheen and Gabrielle arrived a little later that day and we were all finally back home in our own flat in Glasgow.

There was not much rest for the weary, though. Three days after arriving home we were planning to host another "Road Trip" for a small group of young people exploring our ministry. And on top of that, we had less than a month before our next group of 'students' arrive for the coming year. God has been most gracious though. The group has been here for several days and they're a great group of folks (mostly from Rock Harbor Church in Costa Mesa).

Jasheen and I continue to settle back into our life here in Glasgow and prepare for the upcoming year. As many of you know, I have taken a new role here as the director for the 'students' that are coming and I'm experiencing a new kind of pressure as we await their arrival. But with the help of a very competent, capable and gifted team, I think we're going to be more than ready to welcome the incoming group.

On an encouraging note, our first Sunday back in our church-plant (Regarding Hope) we had more than 60 people at the service... and the local students that make up the majority of our parishioners aren't even back in town yet!

We've posted a lot of new pictures from our furlough/trip in California so please click over to the online photo album and check them out.

Thanks again for all your prayer, care and support!

Road Trip & Furlough

The first of three Beyond Borders Road Trips (BBRT) has come to a close. A group of six young leaders came for a little more than a week to explore nieuCommunities as we took them through a microcosm of what a full, 42-week nC term looks like. They experienced our learning environments, our outreach to the west end of Glasgow, our involvment at the Glasgow City Mission and our weekly rhythm as a community here in Scotland.
The visitors (all from Rock Harbor Church in Costa Mesa, CA) ranged in age from 22 to 39 so we had ourselves a pretty diverse group.
This particular BBRT comes just as we're preparing to leave Glasgow on furlough to California. Jasheen, Gabrielle and I leave tomorrow for London where we'll visit some dear friends for a couple of days before flying to L.A. on Wednesday.
We have an incredibly hectic schedule ahead of us and would appreciate your prayers. After arriving in SoCal on the 7th, I attend the Influencers men's retreat June 9-11 in Lake Arrowhead, CA. We then hit the CRM worldwide staff conference June 15-21 at Westmont College in Santa Barbara. After leaving the staff conference we head up to Hume Lake for another conference June 22-25.
Although we land in CA on the 7th, it won't feel like we're home until around the 26th.
Please pray for travel mercies (especially with Gabrielle), and for pockets of rest and recharging. This will also mark the first time that we leave Gabrielle for more than a couple of hours at a time. We will not be taking her to Hume Lake with us so please, please, please pray for us and her as our dear friends care for her while we're away.
Our time home will be a time of retreats/conferences, fundraising, catching up with people we haven't seen in two years, and spending much time with family and friends.
I'm actually curious as to how we're going to do being away from Glasgow for two months. Being with family and friends will be great, but being away from home for that long can be challenging.
Oh... and for those of you that are wondering, we're taking Cole with us. He has his own passport and everything. Not sure he's going to like the 10+ hour flight from London to LAX, but he'll have two months to decompress and enjoy the warm California sun.