I've Been Fleeced!!!!!!

WARNING: This blog may contain bad words. Read on at your peril.

I asume most people reading this are believers and are familiar with Gideon's fleece that he set on the ground. This blog has NOTHING to do with that.

I just got back from a meeting with our former landlords. Two years ago when we signed the contract, we paid a month's deposit. Nothing out of the ordinary. Except that this is the landlord from %#@! For safety's sake (the landlord's safety) I took our pastor to this meeting. They presented me with a list of everything taht we had done to "trash" their place. REEEEEdiculous. Sure the rugs were dirty, it costs about $20-25 to clean. Sure the curtains were dirty, especially after they tolds us NOT to wash them! Sure there were otehr small things. The real kicker was charging us for 47 visitors who spent the night with us during our stay these past two years.

As the list was being translated for me by the pastor, I am unsure who was most angry; me, my pastor or the landlord. Mirco was disgusted by the treatment I was receiving from a Macedonian. Afterwards he apologized profusely. It was not his fault.

The Readers Digest version of this whole affair is that we are not going to see one cent of that month's deposit. I have been fleeced.

I am very angry. I admit that. As I was getting into the car, I shouted (in English so no one understood) that these people were crooks. As Mirco backed the car up and turned around the neighbor across the street came out and Mirco talked to him for a minute. Mirco said to the neighbor how sad he was for him (the neighbor) having to live next door to such a man (as my landlord). The man simply said, it's been like this for years.

I know this landlord is not a believer. I know that he needs Christ. I know that in God's economy one month's rent is nothing. But I also know that this money came from honest, sacrificial, frugal Alliance people. I had hoped to get most of that money returned.

Oh well. Thanks for letting me rant a bit. I wish I could say I feel better. :-(

Till next time.

Trent

He Turned the Phone Off AGAIN!!!!

I am not very happy. Our landlord, soon to be ex-landlord, has turned the phone off on us again. He is so paranoid that we will leave him with a big phone bill, he has opted to take matters into his own hands.

He did this about 10 days ago too. We managed to get him to turn it back on again, thanks to a few tears from Sharon, but now it is off once more. This is very frustrating when trying to use SKYPE to keep in contact with children in the States. He knows that our average monthly bill has been around $10 (thanks to SKYPE) but based on his previous experiences with other international tenants, he has decided to cut it off early and prevent any last minute large bills.

So, how do I respond. Or do I respond? Maybe I react. It has been very hard to keep an open mind about him. Loving him is even harder. Yet, that's what I am called to do. Fortunately, I have not run into him since turning off the phone a second time. When I do see him, I want to respond with grace. I don't know if I WILL, but that's what I am hoping to do. Any prayers you can shoot our way about this would be most appreciated.

We have decided to move out a couple days early, partly because of his attitude and partly to help house-sit for a vacationing family here.

Thanks for your prayers.

Trent

Commencement?

This year Sharon and I will attend two commencement exercises. One is already under the belt, and one yet to come. These are always times of mixed emotions; things ending and other things starting. We have all been through that at one time or another.

Currently, Sharon and I feel a bit like we are having our own commencement. We are finishing our time here in the Balkans. No longer will we, nor in fact ARE we, providing the oversight for the C&MA here in this beautiful European peninsula. That is coming/has come to an end. What's next?

The immediate step is to serve as Missionaries in Residence at Nyack College. This next year will be one of completely new challenges, including influencing today's youth toward missions. We look forward to the challenge and ask you to pray with us about this strategic ministry.

Beyond that? That remains a mystery to us. I am confident that God will lead. I guess I am feeling some of the angst MK's feel as they conclude their time overseas.

Pray we finish all the packing that remains ahead of us.

Ciao,

Trent

When Is Enough, Enough?

Earlier this month at a Black Forest Academy Board meeting, I listened to the interim director ask a very important question. "When is enough, enough?" The context for his question was programming at BFA. To unpack that a bit more he was asking things like, "Given the size and constituents of our school how many AP courses should we offer, how many special ed classes should we offer, how many extracurricular activities are enough? Should we offer 10 sports? How many instrument lessons should we offer?"

There were many more questions like these that helped the board understand the dilemma the school faces (wanting to provide as much as possible but feeling the tension of the students and staff being stretched to the limit). But weeks later, I am still replaying that question in my mind, only from a different perspective.

When is enough technology enough? When is enough education enough? When is enough allowance enough? When is enough car enough? ETC. As I have been walking and running these weeks, these thoughts have been crisscrossing my mind. I have no answers yet, just asking these questions. If you have any thoughts on these matters, let me know what they are. I confess, I have more questions than answers.

Well, I think this blog is enough!

Trent

Flat Tire = !@#%&*(

Finally, we are home. Sharon and I have been on the road since April 18th. Meetings in Bosnia occupied our first week. Then we took an overnight ferry to Italy (from Croatia) for a few days R&R traveling to Rome, Florence and Pisa. We celebrated our 25th anniversary (three years late), as well as our 50th birthdays (also a bit late). From there we went to Germany for meetings and then on to Chicago where we witnessed our eldest son's graduation from Wheaton College.

On our trip back we flew into Frankfurt where we picked up our waiting car. From there we drove to Salzburg, Austria. While DUJ (driving under jetlag), we experienced a flat tire. Our second of the month long trip. No big deal, right? Well it was. We limped into the rest stop and changed the tire to the little donut in the trunk. We found a tire store just a few miles away. As we looked at the tires we knew we needed to replace two tires. OK. No problem. Well, actually a BIG problem. Germany is not the most credit card friendly country in Europe (Balkan countires are friendlier). They would not take VISA or MasterCard.

But, they said not to worry, there is a bank in this town and we can get cash from the ATM. However, both banks' ATMs were out of cash! Back to the shop. They suggested a bigger nearby town. We left Sharon's passport and took off with two new tires looking for an ATM. Aftger 30 minutes of fruitless effort, we finally found one. We made it back with just 30 minutes to spare before the shop closed.

Now here is where the title comes in. While racing back to the shop with the cash in hand, I took a wrong turn. This caused a...discussion in the car. :-). We were not going in the right direction. Then I took a second wrong turn. Now, the discussion more accurately resembled a shouting match. Not one of my more stellar moments. The pressure of getting back to the shop before it closed was enormous.

Once again I was forced to look into the mirror and see a very ugly person staring back at me. I wish I had responded better to that situation. So does Sharon. :-). It proves to me that just when I think I have mastered some area of my spiritual life, the daily tests prove that I have a long way to go.

Keep praying for daily victories.

Thanks.

Trent

"Hi, Uncle Trent!"

Sharon and I made it to the Black Forest Academy in Kandern Germany. (Just in time for supper!) As we neared the front doors, we were greeted with those wonderful words, "Hi, Uncle Trent and Aunt Sharon!" Our MK's really do have a second family. They have their biological family and their mission family too.

It was so good to see children that we had a small hand in helping to co-parent over 10 years ago now resembling the young men and women that they in fact are. Hugs were plentiful and catching up on thier lives where we left off was as effortless as paint drying.

We love MK's and we love BFA. It is always a joy for us to be here. I even enjoy the board meetings that I attend.

Pray for us as we head to Wheaton on Thursday! (Pray also for a new camera I ordered online to replace the one I lost in Italy to arrive in time for the graduation on Sunday).

Trent