Celebrating 10 years with FamilyLife!!! Rejoice with us!!

August 25th 2013!!  Yesterday, Shawn and I celebrated 10 years of being on staff with FamilyLife in Little Rock!  August 25, 2003 was our "report date" to FamilyLife Headquarters in Little Rock.  We can hardly believe that it has actually been 10 years since we packed up our family and our U-Haul in Houston, (sort of like the Beverly Hillbillies) and set our course for the next chapter in our lives in Arkansas.  

And it has been a great 10 years -- and at the same time a challenging 10 years.  We have had some awesome highs in our ministry and family and some discouraging lows in both as well.  But the ONE CONSTANT has been the Lord God's Faithful Love, Care, and Provision for us.  Thank You, Lord, for Your Great Faithfulness to us!!!

And we would like to thank our MINISTRY PARTNER TEAM as well.  The 120+ families and individuals who support us make up our Ministry Partner Team.  Without their financial support and their prayers, we would not be serving with FamilyLife.  So THANK YOU!  THANK YOU!  THANK YOU!

Shawn and I look forward to the years ahead as God continues to faithfully provide for our every need.  We believe wholeheartedly what our FamilyLife President Dennis Rainey has said on many occasions:  "Our best years are still ahead of us"!

End of Our Sabbatical --- Thanks for Your Prayers for Us!!

Shawn and I would like to thank you all so much for PRAYING FOR US during out time off this summer for our Sabbatical.    We were asking you to pray for 3 things as we asked God for those as well—and He was faithful as He always is!  1) We did have some great uninterrupted times with Him during out time off.  2) We also felt we were truly able to let go or the ministry side of things for this time—although we did have to do some “ministry stuff” along the way, it was a joy and not a burden.  And 3) we were able, by God’s grace, to make some good memories together as a family.  It was a VERY RELAXED time away!!  We thank God for providing this needed time of rest!!

Update on our Sabbatical AND Great Weather in Arkansas!!

Just wanted to take a minute to "brag on God" for a minute or two!!  He is an awesome God and, in His Great Grace and Goodness, shows us tangible means of His Care every day.  Here are just two of them!

OUR SABBATICAL:  Shawn and I have really been enjoying our Sabbatical this month - this is the 2nd one we have taken in our 10 years on staff.  We were able to start our sabbatical when our Cru/Campus Crusade Staff Conference ended in Colorado on June 21st.  So we have had about two weeks of extended time off and have about 10 days left!  When people ask me what we have been doing, my normal response is "as little as possible"!  For me (Glen), that is challenging because I am a natural "doer" - always something to do next of my to do list.  But I have been fighting the urge "to do" and really just enjoying some extended times with the Lord, some time to read some great books, time to enjoy the kids, and, last but certainly not least, time to talk and have fun with Shawn.  It has been sweet.  I am reminded how much God designed us for REST!  And we ALL need this in our very busy lives!

GREAT AUGUST WEATHER:  As I looked at the weather forecast this week, I was dumbfounded.  This is mid-August in Arkansas.  We are usually sweltering with 90+ degree temps and high humidity to boot.  But, in God's Goodness, this week is different.  High today and tomorrow are 81 degrees - and the Lows both nights at 57 degrees!  Unheard of!!  Thanks be to God for His Respite from the normal summer heat.  See screenshot below from weather.com.  Thank You Lord!!

Half a Century!! Can it be?? Glen celebrates his 50th birthday!

Half a century!  That sound SO OLD!!!  Well whether it sounds old or not, the reality is that I (Glen) celebrated my 50th Birthday!  My official birthday was on July 15th but since we were in Colorado at the the Cru Staff Conference then, we decided to celebrate when we all got back to Arkansas.  So we were able to celebrate my 50th on Monday the 29th - just a couple of weeks after my "real birthday".

I also got to "order" my birthday meal - which I chose some delicious lentil soup with some great salad to boot - all made by my beautiful bride, Shawn.  Then Shawn gave me a "bonus" by making some delicious and finger-licking gluten-free chocolate muffins!  The kids would have eaten them all if we had not restrained them :)

In any case, I felt well loved as we celebrated.  I also so appreciated all the cards and phone calls I got from friends and family.  And while I don't like being the "center of attention", I do appreciate those people God has placed in my life that show love to me on my birthday!

And yes, the mail from AARP is already coming.......:)

What's our Sarah doing this Summer? Check it out!

Sarah enjoying a "little one"!

Since we had posted something about both of our sons, also wanted to let you know a little something of what is going on with our daughter, Sarah.  She is 15 years old and is enjoying her summer taking care of "little ones"!

My wife and I believe that God has given her a nurturing and caring spirit - and especially with babies and younger kids.  She is taking care of one of our neighbors 2 year-old sons at their home several days a week.  A couple of days a week, there is also another little boy, about the same age, that comes to stay while both of their Moms are working.  Sarah really enjoys taking care of these young ones and it is great to see her using the talent God has given her.

She also worked at our church's "Kids Camp" this year.  It was about 4 1/2 days of doing activities to teach them about the Bible and God and also having fun.  She volunteered to do this and we know God will bless her for the time and effort she invested in those young folks!

She will be a Sophomore in High School this Fall and will probably soon get her learner's permit to begin "driver's ed with Dad".  Thanks for praying for our Sarah - she and her two brothers are a real TREASURES that the Lord has entrusted to our care!!

Dad and Caleb Outing: Having fun together!

Caleb biking near the Arkansas River

"Can we go to the BMX track at Burns Park, Dad?"  Those were the words I had heard from Caleb a few times over the last few weeks.  So I knew that he wanted to go - it was just a matter or making the time to go with him.  And that finally happened last Friday - although our time together looked DIFFERENT than either of us would have envisioned!

The good news is that we had Caleb's bike loaded up and he was ready to ride - the bad news was that there was a race about to start at the track - so he could not ride (bummer!!).  But, as the saying goes, "when life gives you lemons - make lemonade".  We decided we would just have to find some other things to do to have fun at Burns Park - and we did!

On some rocks near the River

First we took him down to another area of the park where he could ride his bike around.  Then he rode from there to an area where they have a number of soccer fields.  Finally, we ended up on a trail near the Arkansas River (See pics below) as the sun was setting.  It was a fun day and Caleb got some exercise in riding all those places.

We finished up our time by grabbing a couple of Wendy's Frostys on the way home as a treat.  We thank God for allowing us to have this time together AND for helping us to enjoy "His Plan B" for our time!  His Plan B is ALWAYS better than our Plan A!!



Josh's Big News! An Official "Arkansas Driver"!!

Josh holding his license!

It was one of those "MOMENTS" that you have as a parent - some of those moments are what we see as bad things and some of them as good.  But this was a GOOD one!  

Josh and I were sitting at the Arkansas State Police Headquarters in Little Rock and he was walking off with the officer to take his "driving test".  Many thoughts were going through my head as he and the officer left for the test.  Many prayers were being said for Josh and his future as a driver.  The good news:  HE PASSED!  Yes, Josh now has an official Drivers License in the state of Arkansas!

He has what is called a "Intermediate Drivers License" for young people between the ages of 16 and 18.  It has restrictions for teens that things about their driving, who they can have in the car, and the hours they can drive.  We, his parents, have also given Josh some restrictions on driving until he gains more experience! 

We are excited for this step of maturity and for all the work Josh put in to pass the written test and to log more than 50 hours behind the wheel as a "Learner" during the past year.  We pray that God will watch over Josh and keep him safe!  We would ask YOU to pray for Josh too - thanks in advance for those prayers!



Fishing on Lake Ouachita! Cold but fun!

Caleb and Glen had the chance to go fishing last week with one of Caleb's old teachers from church.  And it was a fun but cold time! 

"Mr. Bruce", as Caleb calls him, is a professional guide on Lake Ouachita - about an hour from Little Rock.  We were hoping to do more "catching" than fishing that day, but it ended up being more fishing!  But that is OK - we had a wonderful time with Bruce and we did catch 3 fish - all black bass - and Caleb caught two of them!

We plan to go back when it's a little warmer....and hope for more "catching" next time!

Caleb and "Mr Bruce" with one of his fish!

Caleb enjoying the beautiful but cold day we had.

Windy but fun!

Late Post: Shawn's Birthday!



Eating out a Jason's Deli!



So sorry this is late in getting posted....

Shawn had a BIRTHDAY back last Saturday - March 30th!  It was a day God tailor-made for her.  It was raining early so that kept things dark so she could sleep late -- which is one of her love languages :).  Then when she got up, had made some coffee and had a simple breakfast for her.  She "lounged around" the house relaxing and enjoying the day until we got ready to go out to eat dinner at Jason's Deli in North Little Rock.  This was her choice and it was a good one since we all enjoyed our food there!

Each of the kids gave their Mom some type of gift - and all of us worked on a "special gift" that is coming in the mail to Shawn in the next few days.  We hope these gifts will help her feel SPECIAL - because she is!

Thanks to all of you who wished her a Happy Birthday by mail or email or Facebook or a phone call!

Birthday Girl: Our Sarah is 15!!!

February 6th is a day we celebrate at the Solberg Home in Arkansas!  That is our daughter's birthday - and this year our Sarah turned 15 years old!!  Hard to believe that baby girl we brought home from the hospital in February of 1998 is already fifteen!

To celebrate, Sarah had a few friends over to have some fun and even had a sleepover as well (did you ever wonder why they call it a sleepover when they don't sleep much?)   Sarah and her friends had a good time and we were glad they were able to have fun!  Then this past weekend, we were able to celebrate as a family with a special meal with some of her favorite enchiladas!  Guess she still has some Texan in her with her love for Mexican food!

See pics below!  Please say a prayer for Sarah as she grows in to the woman God created her to be!



Sarah with her B'day candles!





Opening presents withe her friends





More goodies from her friends!





Trying NOT To smile - but she has a beautiful smile!!



Caleb's a Teenager!!!

It's hard to believe but it's true!  Caleb, our youngest, is OFFICIALLY a teenager as of today, January 20th!  Shawn and I are asking ourselves, "Are we really OLD enough to have our youngest at 13?"

Caleb planned his birthday party for the last couple of weeks.  He was able to have that party with a couple of his good friends this past Friday - with one of them staying for a "sleepover"!  He as also able to "Facetime" with a good friend of his who moved to England with his family. 

He and his friends enjoyed playing with their airsoft guns outside along with playing some football and some other fun outside stuff.  He also enjoyed both a "birthday pie" (Razzleberry!!) and the "teenage staple", pizza, for his party.  Caleb was excited to get a few cards and gifts and giftcards from family and friends!  He also bought himself an airsoft rifle (M182) to enjoy for his birthday.

Thanks to all of you who remembered our Caleb on his birthday!  We pray he will continue to grow in wisdom and stature and favor with God and men as he becomes the man God created him to be!

Caleb with his Legos!

Josh gave Caleb a giftcard!

Caleb with his buddies, Landon and Alberto!

Caleb with his b'day cake (he had a cake for the "traditional candles" and a pie because that's what he wanted to eat!

The "3 amigos" having fun!

OVERDUE: Our 20th Anniversary Trip Update!

I know this post is very late...but the old saying says, "better late than never."  So Shawn and I wanted to share a little or our 20th Anniversary trip to Hot Springs - we had a great time!

BACKSTORY:  God had provided a $250 gift certificate that Shawn won from our chiropractor in Little Rock back in early 2012.  We both knew we wanted to use it to celebrate our 20th anniversary but knew we couldn't do it ON our anniversary date (November 28th) because we would be on a Ministry Trip to Texas during that time.  So we looked online in March and booked our trip for three nights:  Dec 9-12 at the Lookout Point Lakeside Inn (bed and breakfast) in Hot Springs AR. 

And we were NOT disappointed with God's choice for us!  The staff and facility were fantastic.  The views were spectacular.  And our time together was "priceless"!!  December is one of their slowest months so there were only a couple of other couples staying there while we were there from Sunday afternoon thru Wednesday morning.  They served us a hearty and delicious breakfast each morning and even accommodated my gluten free diet by having alternatives for me!  And each afternoon they served an "afternoon snack" of cookies or hummus and chips or some other tasty treat to enjoy!

During our time there we didn't plan a big agenda - really just wanted to relax and enjoy our time.  They had a "movie library" so we watched a few good movies that we both enjoyed.  We also had the fun of eating out at some "local places" in Hot Springs that were recommended by others - seafood one night, Mexican one night, and a local "Jason's Deli type place" with great salads and stuff our final dinner out.  We also took some time to remember our wedding 20 years back and all that God has done in our lives since.  And last but certainly not least, we took time to pray and praise God for His putting us together and sustaining us by His Daily Grace for those 20 years. 

Hope you will enjoy a few pics below!  Thanks for those of you who prayed for us AND for the safety of the kids while we were away.  They all had fun at their friends homes while we were gone!  Thanks to our friends the Drogos and the Boylands!

You can find out more about Lookout Point at:  http://lookoutpointinn.com/

Outlook Pointe B&B in Hot Sprins AR - great place to stay!

The view from our balcony one cold and foggy morning!

View of the B&B itself - right on Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs

View from the back of Outlook Pointe - beautiful place!

20 years!!  And she's still SOOO BEAUTIFUL!!

Merry and WHITE Christmas in Arkansas!

As we took time as a family to celebrate JESUS' Birthday on Christmas we were greeted with an unexpected surprise.  Shawn and I and our kids all experienced our first ever "White Christmas" this year!  It started with freezing rain and sleet in mid-afternoon and then changed over to all snow later on Christmas day.  And it kept on snowing until about 5 or 6am the next day!  We had somewhere between 8 and 12 inches in different places in our yard! 

The weight of it all broke several limbs in our yard but no trees down - thank the Lord!  Our neighbors on both sides lost trees, but by God's grace, neither one of them hit our house or damaged theirs!

In the midst of all the "White Christmas" pictures are also some of us enjoying Christmas day at home as a family!  It was fun sitting around opening presents and having a "lazy day"!  We are thankful to all our friends and family - God has given THEM to us as the BEST GIFTS ever!

Shawn checking out her stocking!

Caleb with all his "goodies"!

Josh with his new game "Skyrim"

Sarah with her "Christmas bounty"!

The kids were trying to make an "igloo" with all the snow!

Caleb was the "chief engineer" of the igloo!

Josh having fun with the snow!

Sarah and her friend Lucy enjoying the winter wonderland

Shawn even ventured out in the "white stuff"!

Front of our house on the morning of December 26th!

Down our street on Dec. 26th! Tons of snow and ice!

Who is that "Brunette" with Glen?

No need to ask the question, "Who is that Brunette with Glen?" It's Shawn - with a new hair color! Yes, my Blonde Wife is no longer blonde!   She is a stunning Brunette!!

She has been contemplating a change for quite a while now.  In the past, she had "highlights" of different colors in her hair, but had never really changed ALL her hair color until now.  Even the night before her appointment, she was still wondering IF she really wanted to do this.  But she went ahead and I am so glad she did!  Now she should know she is both a stunning Blonde and a beautiful Brunette as well!

November Wedding to Share - and Chance to Pray!

Michael and Angie "tying the knot"!

My brother, Michael, and his bride, Angie, were married in Paducah KY on Saturday Nov 3rd!  It was a small and simple wedding ceremony...but very, very nice nonetheless!  My youngest son, Caleb, and I traveled to Paducah for the wedding - Shawn and our other two kids were not able to join us as they already had commitments that weekend for our church back in Little Rock.

The wedding was at 10am on Saturday morning and only lasted a few minutes.  Then they took some pictures and were off to the reception to enjoy some friends and family.  We all had lunch together at the reception and enjoyed talking and getting to know some of Angie's side of the family that I had not met before the wedding.

This is not the first marriage for either Michael or Angie - but they are both committed to making this marriage the one that lasts a lifetime!  And we know, with God's help and their commitment to marriage "God's way", that will happen.

We ask that, as you read this, you say a prayer for Michael and Angie.  The "stats" on marriage after divorce are NOT encouraging....so please pray for them to have a Christ-centered marriage and for them to FIGHT for their marriage among the challenges that will come!

Good to be HOME Again!

It is always good to be HOME - wherever home is for you!  There is just something good and right about sleeping in your own bed and being in very familiar surroundings at home!

And I (Glen) was very glad to be back home late on Monday night after a trip down to the Rio Grande Valley this past weekend.  God provided a great trip for me while I was gone - great connections with pastors and friends in the Valley in preparation for the Weekend to Remember coming there in late November.

But as much as I enjoyed my time away, it is so sweet to be HOME in Little Rock again.  To see my bride's beautiful, smiling face and give her and our kids a BIG HUG!  I was only away 4 nights and 5 days, but it seemed longer! 

I thank God for the "home" we have - not just our physical address - but, more importantly, the people and relationships we have in Little Rock.  And I thank God for my wife and our three great kids!  He has indeed given me MUCH!  I am a "Rich Man" in the blessings of the Lord our God!!

Story of God's "Unexpected Provision" for us!



Our friend, Vic, by our 'no-dent"Accord!



God is always doing UNEXPECTED things in this world.  Not sure if the "unexpected part" is because we don't look for His Provision many times or for some other reason.  But when the unexpected happens and it it a "good thing", it is so easy to give THANKS to God!

We had this happen on Tuesday.  Some friends of ours, Vic and Carol Moore, were serving with us this past weekend at an Art of Marriage Event.  Vic mentioned that he had seen the big dent in the front bumper of my car and that he would be willing to come by and fix it some time for free!  I thanked him and said I'd give him a call soon.

Well, on Tuesday (just after the weekend we had served together) Vic called me and wanted to know if he could come by and fix the dent.  He came by and fixed it in about an hour and a half.  And it looks GREAT!  If you didn't know that the dent was there before, you probably would never see it!!

Thanks be to GOD and thanks to Vic as well for their generous provision for our need.  We have lived with that "dent" for the past five years and thought it would always "just be there".  Thank You Lord for ALL your gifts - both expected and UN-expected!

ONE MORE THING:  And if you need a bumper repaired, I would highly recommend using BUMPER MAN to do it.  Check out this link to find a location near you!

http://www.bumperman.com/



Josh's First 5k Run







Before the run - it was about 50 degrees!

After the race with their "prizes"!!



Our son, Josh, ran in his first 5K race last Saturday!  And he did great!  By God's grace he finished 4th overall and first in his age group (I think it was 15-19).  He was hoping to finish in about 25 minutes but actually finished in just over 20 minutes!

One of his good friends, Sam, ran the race as well (there were actually a lot of his teammates from the Homeschool Cross Country Team running as well).  I think they all had a good time and were able to much down afterward on some goodies that were provided by the folks putting on the race.

We praise God for Josh running this race....it was not that long ago when he told us that "he wasn't good a distances" and was not interested in anything longer than a 400 meter track run!



 

Women Having Fun! FamilyLife Women's Retreat

FamilyLife Women's Retreat -- Sept. 2012

It happens once a year each Fall.  The staff wives from FamilyLife take a weekend to getaway, be encouraged, and have fun!

Shawn joined a large group of women (see photo right) this past weekend at the Shepherd of the Ozarks Retreat Center in North Central Arkansas.  And Shawn said she and the ladies had a great time together!

Shawn and one of her good friends, Teresa, performed a skit at the beginning of the weekend that was full of humor and really got the ladies laughing and enjoying themselves.  Shawn also worked with a group of ladies to put on a "fun fashion show" that also was one of the hits of the weekend.  I thank God for creating my wife in such a way that, through her, He can make women laugh and yet encourage them at the same time!

The focus of the weekend (besides having fellowship and fun) was prayer.  The speaker for the event was Jennifer Kennedy Dean.  She spoke to and challenged the women to have a praying life - not just a life with prayer.  Shawn was both challenged and encouraged by her messages.  You can find out more about Jackie Kennedy Dean at http://www.prayinglife.org/about-jennifer-kennedy-dean/

ADDITIONAL:  And, in line with Character and Grace of the Lord, he allowed several of the ladies, including Shawn, to stay an "extra night", on Sunday night, at no charge.  It was great that they could take a night to just "dress up in their PJs and play games for most of the night" as Shawn said.  Thank You Lord for providing this little "extra" for my wife and these ladies!!

Great Weekend in Dallas!!



Red River Training near Dallas, Texas

 Shawn and I were excited to be part of the Red River Region Summit Training in Waxahatchie, TX (just south of Dallas) over last weekend - Sept 21-23!  It was a great time of building relationships with our HomeBuilder Teams AND in seeing a clearer vision of how each Team can begin implementing tangible steps to see marriages and families changed by the power of God!

There were 29 HomeBuilder couples in attendance from all over Texas as well as Missouri, Oklahoma, and Arkansas.  There were also 6 couples from FamilyLife Staff in Little Rock to assist with training and/or to connect with the Teams. 

I was so thankful that Shawn was able to come with me on this trip.  There were several volunteers who had met me several times but had never had the pleasure of meeting my beautiful bride!  I told Shawn two or three times during the weekend that I look forward to the day when we will be together on every trip so we can always serve together in this way!

Thanks for those of you that prayed for our trip (had shared it in our latest prayer request on this blog and in our September Ministry Minute update).  Thanks also to the two families, the Boylands and the Wilsons, who so graciously kept Sarah, Caleb, and Josh so that we could go!  And thanks be to God, last but certainly not least, for all He did in us AND in the HomeBuilder Teams during our time together!  To God be the Glory indeed!