Laying aside important matters it's time I gave an update on the MOST important thing in my life --- family.My wife Rachelle, entering her senior year for the BSN in Nursing degree and having just completed a heart disrhthymia course at Integris Baptist in OKC, will be working this summer in the Intensive Care Unit at Bass Integris here in Enid. I filled in for her adult ladies Sunday School class last week and I left once again amazed at all that Rachelle is able to accomplish as a wife, mother, nurse and servant at our church.
Charis has just completed her first year at Baylor University. She has made several new wonderful, Christian friends. Charis had a great time at Baylor this year and experienced what I did twenty five years ago when all the professors pause during roll call at the Burleson name and ask, "Are you related to Rufus?" Our forefather, Dr. Rufus Burleson founded Baylor and half the campus is named after him. This embarrasses Charis but I told her to get used to it. Charis is living in Norman this summer working two jobs to save up money for her sophomore year.
Kade will be entering his senior year next fall at Enid High School. He was named to All Conference in basketball for the second straight year and is looking forward to his senior season. Coach Sean Shenck, Enid High's basketball coach and the Coach of the Year in the Mid-State Conference two out of the last three years, is leaving Enid to become head coach at Edmond Sante Fe, probably the most prestigious basketball school in the state. We think the world of Coach Shenck, and know he will do a fabulous job in Edmond. Enid has already hired Will Jones and Kade's looking forward to learning a new offense and playing under Coach Jones.
Boe just finished his track season as a sophomore at Oklahoma Bible Academy. Mom and Dad went to watch him run anchor in the 4 by 100 relay in the State Championships. I forgot how exciting watching track is, but as I watched those boys FLY around the track in record speed, I was probably as nervous as Boe. Yesterday he got his braces off after a record four years and his pearly's look great! He is very excited about playing football next fall at Oklahoma Bible Academy and his hard work this spring and summer in the weight room and on the track should pay off great dividends.
Logan, our youngest has hit a growth spurt! He may end up being taller than either his 6'4" or 6"2" brothers. He is graduating from the sixth grade at Emmanuel Christian School and will be joining his brother Boe at Oklahoma Bible Academy here in Enid. He was on the state academic team this year and Dad is committed to help Logan excell in his test scores. We have learned with our other kids that athletic scholarships for college are possible (but hard to get), while academic scholarships are where the financial support really lies, and we believe Logan has an excellent opportunity to excel academically. He also is playing for his first traveling basketball team this summer and is looking forward to the experience.
Well, enough on what matters most to me!
Have a great day.
Wade
18 comments:
You have a lovely family. I'm sure they are proud of their dad and husband the same way you are proud of them.
Wade - do you have any contact info on Sean Shank. We graduated OBU together and I would love to touch base with him.
Be blessed.
Tad
What about your dog peeking out from the window in the lower left corner? He looks so sad being excluded from the family photo! You're a closet cat lover, aren't you Wade?
Seriously, what a great family! How do you manage blogging on top of keeping up with them?
Wade,
That was a wonderful update. The Lord has blessed you with a magnificent family. I was hoping for a word about that cute dog peeking out the window.
Tad,
I would suggest you contact Enid High School at 580-234-2407 (Athletic Department) and leave a message for Sean with your number. He is a great guy! They are currently in transition, but he is at the school for another week.
Rod,
For the life of me I never knew the dog was peeking out the window. It is a Champion Yellow Lab, indoor, spoiled and the best guard dog around (all bark no bite), but a mean bark at that!
WADE,
Thanks for sharing your special BLESSINGS with us. A good looking FAMILY of GOD’S.
Your 70 year old BROTHER.
I agree on the preciousness of the family to the husband, as a biblical matter.
Jesus didn't liken my relationship with my dog, to that of Himself and the church. That's reserved for my wife.
Since God seems to bless us and edify us as we submit our life ... and I mean ALL of it ... to Him, I'd guess that your blessedness stems from (after salvation as the bedrock) your view of your family.
The only downside to your posting is that my Grandkids are both older than any of your children. Ouch.
Way to go, sonny.
Man, I miss that bunch.
Wade, are you sure you don't live in Lake Wobegon, Minnesota? Garrison Keillor has spoken of your family quite often. . . ;^)
In His Grace and Peace,
Tom
Wade,
Your posting today is the best testimony about what God has done in your life that you could possibly give.
This introduction helps us as we continue praying for your family. Our adult children have shared with us how they were impacted by whatever circumstances we were in as they were growing up as MK's overseas.
Blessings,
Nannette
Family. We should all stop and thank God for what we have.
In Him because of Him,
Ray Earley
Wade: What a beautiful family!! You are truly blessed of God. I'm sure Charis is so proud of her heritage, as well she should be. And your handsome sons are such a testimony to their peers by being doing the best with their talents that God has obviously given them.
And, Rachel reminds me of the Prov. 31 woman. She certainly is to be praised.
I share in what's most important to you, (outside of my salvation), my wonderful, Godly husband, a Godly son who is Minister to Youth at Grove Avenue Baptist Church in Richmond, VA., and a daughter who is a Godly wife and mother in Houston, Tx.
Hasn't God been good to all of us!!!
D in OK
A few of the riches that money cannot buy. Isn't the LORD good. May his continued blessings fall on you and your family. p/s That dog tells me you are one scrutinized fellow in all that you do!
Wade,
I very much appreciate learning more about your beautiful and wonderful family! But, in the wake of the man you approached saying No to being nominated for the presidency of the SBC, several others who read your blog daily and I are of the unanimous opinion that you seem to be dodging the question that is lurking like the elephant in the room that nobody wants to admit is there: Are you still willing to be nominated yourself--which you have already, in print, inferred in pretty clear terms?
If you are still willing, why aren't you saying it clearly? If not, what has changed your mind?
Prayerfully,
One who is impressed with your leadership and humility
Dear Mr. Anonymous,
You ask an important question in the following:
" (I and) several others who read your blog daily are of the unanimous opinion that you seem to be dodging the question that is lurking like the elephant in the room that nobody wants to admit is there: Are you still willing to be nominated yourself--which you have already, in print, inferred in pretty clear terms? .
My answer:
Unless a candidate arises that is willing to address the issues that I, and others, have articulated these last few months, I would allow my name to be nominated.
But since there are four weeks until the convention, there is no need for me to announce I'm running, because I'm not running. I would -- at that time -- be ready. I would -- at that time -- be willing. But that time is not yet here. Further, when it comes, if another candidate has arisen that I believe will address the issues our convention faces, I would support him and choose not to allow my name to be nominated.
There is a difference between me saying, "I am willing to be nominated for President" to "I would be willing to be nominated for President." Again, the contigency for me is that no other person arises who, in my opinion, is ready and willing to address the issues that have been articulated by many in these last few months.
I wish to continue discussing the issues on my blog. I have no desire to talk about a Presidential campaign. I just prefer doing what I believe God has called me to do to help stop the narrowing of the parameters of cooperation in the SBC and simply leave other matters in His hands.
I realize this may be a different approach than some take, and not that they are wrong, and I'm right. It's just that I may view things a little differently than most.
I hope that answer helps you get rid of the elephant.
In His Grace,
Wade
Dear Wade,
Seeing and reading about your family is indeed an inspiring blessing. I pray that this whole episode arising out of your IMB trusteeship will not become a burden to any of your precious family. In them God has truly blessed you with the greatest treasure that any man can hope to have in this world. I pray that He will continue to bless every one of you with firm and steady faith and faithfulness among yourselves and to each other and to His invitation to follow Him. May He give each of your loved ones the peace that you, thankfully, know.
Yesterday, in your May 16 blog, you wrote in issue (1) against “narrowing the parameters of cooperation.” That issue read much like a familiar complaint against duly adopted IMB policies and their consequences? If not that, what other agency-entities have offended by being too narrow? Please be specific and concrete, and identify the narrowing actions that you wrote “must stop”?
You may want to check a typo-spelling error in issue (2). Then, Wade, what, in the form of resolution(s) and motion(s), do you want adopted that will effect the establishment of new and satisfactory ways of making appointments? Since you write that our appointment processes are unsatisfactory, and since you fail to propose any concrete action that you believe will correct the problems, do you intend for readers to conclude that electing you as President will assure correction of the problems? Will that assure the appointment of better people? Is that all that is needed to correct the problems that you sensed so keenly and wrote about?
If you know how you would solve the problem, why not spell out your solutions in the form of resolution(s) and/or motion(s)? Then, whether or not you are elected President, perhaps we can adopt the actions you believe will correct these problems. Please don’t keep your solutions secret any longer? Please share them with us? Many of us would really like a chance to vote for resolution(s) and/or motion(s) that would solve any bona fide problems with Convention appointments. But, we need to know how you propose to solve the problem(s) that you wrote about. If you fail to put forward concrete resolution(s) and/or motions(s) that you believe will solve the problem(s), is there any reason why we should not conclude that you believe the only solution is to elect you, or someone you approve, as President?
In issue (3) you wrote that changes are needed in—“labels,” “exclusivist spirit,” “young leaders,” “essentials,” etc. But you failed to specify what resolution(s) and/or motion(s) should be adopted to accomplish the needed changes? Are these problems like issue (2) which can be solved by your election as President, or someone you approve? Or, can adoption of your ideas expressed in resolution(s) and/or motion(s) help solve these problems? When are you going to put forth solutions which are actionable within the procedural framework of standard Baptist polity?
How can we do what you wrote we “must” do in issue (4)? How do we elect “Presidents of agencies who are empowered . . .”? Are our Presidents now denied the empowerment of which you wrote? Who can empower them? When are they to be empowered? You wrote “there must be trustees elected to the different agencies who take seriously their responsibility and accountability to each other AND the SBC at large.” Does this “must” signify that our present trustees do not “take seriously their responsibility and accountability . . .”? Otherwise, why is electing such people now a “must” for us?
In issue (5) you wrote, “We must move in a direction where people in our world know what Southern Baptists stand for, not what we stand against.” What is wrong with “people in our world” knowing that Southern Baptists are against, abortion, judicial tyranny, homosexuality, alcoholism, gambling, child molestation, etc.? Let’s welcome people knowing both, what we agree to stand against, and what we agree that we stand for? Didn’t Jesus and His apostles forcefully declare things that they stood against, as well as what they stood for? Otherwise, why did Jesus speak against “whited sephulcres,” adultery, stealing, murder, etc.?
Then, you wrote, “Ronnie Floyd has announced that he is running for President of the SBC.” A great difference exists between ‘a person announcing he is running for office’ and ‘person #1 announcing that he is going to nominate person #2, and that person #2 has agreed to the nomination.’ Do you recognize that difference? I have still not found any source, other than you, for the statement that “Ronnie Floyd has announced that he is running for President of the SBC.” Therefore, I repeat, please share a source who can reliably state when, where and to whom Dr. Floyd announced “that he is running”? Thank you very much for your assistance in my pursuit of sources.
You honor me too highly by suggesting that I start my own blog. I’m a novice who never blogged before writing to you. My own blog would be immensely boring, because, unlike you, I have no SBC position that gives me access to information that is essential to making a blog worthwhile. Your blog has made a great contribution to strengthening SBC life, more I think than you realize. You have let us in the pews see from afar what life is like on the inside. For that, the entire Convention should salute you. I sincerely regret that it has been such a rocky road for you. Thank you so much for hanging in there and bringing us into the tents of the camp with you. Please keep it up.
I have been trying to get a resolution phrased that will effectively make the case for establishing official blogsites for all of the SBC agency-entities. We need them to allow the wonderful power of sunshine to cast light upon how Southern Baptists arrive at our united voice of harmonious testimony to our Lord, the Creator and Supreme Ruler and Judge of His universe. I am confident that the more open we are, the more that peoples of the world will know how we do what we do, the more they will be drawn to repentance and saving faith. For, like a jury, they need to hear clearly what our Lord has said and done and how He works in our lives, including our Convention activities. And this, before they make a decision. “To whom much is given, much shall be required.” God has disclosed Himself to us in Jesus Christ. Let us not withhold disclosing ourselves along with the treasure of His disclosure to the world.
With you in His service,
Hiram
Psa.23:1
PS: Apologies again for spellings and grammar. My checkers are still on strike.
Hi Wade,
There are a couple of our former church members over at Baylor. One is the girl's head softball coach and the other a grad assistant for the team. I also have a next door neighbor headed there in the fall. With the Okie and Mississippi takeover, things must be very interesting over there! ;)
Rob Westbrook
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