Living in the USA

The Walk

barfety@gmail.com (Franck Barfety) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:45:00 +0000

I got out of bed this morning and my left heel hurt. I decided to put my on my new Nikes and go for a walk. I bought the shoes with the hope the pain would go away or maybe it was the intent to fend off my 40 year old birthday coming up. Probably a bit of both.

I live in a fairly new neighborhood. It's about 10 years old. There is still new construction going up towards the elementary school and pool area. The white full moon is going down in the West, while the red rising sun is piercing through the clouds in the East. It truly makes me feel blessed to live in America and have a morning this beautiful. I head towards Prairie Star Parkway.

Instead of jogging around the block like I used to do I'll just go for a walk I decide on the other side of the subdivision. There is a new trail I've never taken. It's a short trail on the opposite side of a new lake that was put in last summer.

I am amazed at how everything grows up towards the light. Light is good. God placed it there and it provides what the plants need. If the plants are happy, the animals are happy, the people are happy. It's just perfect. The summer flowers are out. I need to go around the new lake I think and take pictures again of the wild flowers. They're just too gorgeous. There is a deer in the tall grass a few feet from the path. Standing so still, staring at me. I would see a rabbit later on. God is taking care of these animals too.

As Christians it's interesting how we are attracted to the light too. As the plants grow towards the light, we too only grow towards Christ who says he is the light (John 14:6) when we turn towards that light. Any other direction and there one will only find darkness. Those who think otherwise are experiencing temporary happiness in the contemporary sense, that only lasts until the next experience. The life of following Christ is rich and everlasting.

The trail dumps onto a new street in the back of the neighborhood. A shortcut I didn't know about. There a "No Dumping" sign and a few feet away a large green dumpster. Here is where I saw my rabbit. There is a small truck parked near the dumpster and, as I walk closer, a man bent over in the bed of the truck. I thought dumping was illegal. What is he doing? Using someone else's dumper to get rid of his trash? As I get closer we exchange eye contact. I can't quite tell what he is throwing away but he's almost done. He passes me with his truck and appears to live a street over. Maybe he did some yard work and the dumpster was convenient. Still not his. I know the cost of throwing away things has risen but you can arrange for a special pick up Mister like everyone else. Or maybe I'm the only fool who does that and others are smarter and use the dumpster. No big deal I think to myself, but it makes me think of the condition of man.

This shortcut gets me home a bit quicker than I thought. I'll have to go a bit further tomorrow, maybe the lake to take pictures of the flowers. That sounds good... right now.

American evening sky

barfety@gmail.com (Franck Barfety) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 02:05:00 +0000

We were blessed with a beautiful evening sky tonight.
I love America!

and my American girl...

Royals Game

barfety@gmail.com (Franck Barfety) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:20:00 +0000

Gabe and I went to see the Royals game against the Cardinals Saturday. The 8th inning was very exciting. It was a great time together.

From Royals

Camille goes nuclear

barfety@gmail.com (Franck Barfety) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 02:28:00 +0000

Just braces.

Tempête de grêle

barfety@gmail.com (Franck Barfety) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 12:20:00 +0000

Je ne sais pas si vous avez déjà vu de la grêle si grosse, à peut près la taille d'une grosse pièce de monnaie. C'est tombé chez nous avant hier. Quel bruit quand ça tombe! Elle apparait plus petite sur la vidéo.

Camille State Taekwondo Champ!

barfety@gmail.com (Franck Barfety) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 02:12:00 +0000

"I don't want to get a big head, even though it is slightly watermelon shaped..." Camille says after viewing the final State standings for 2008-2009.

Zoo Fieldtrip

barfety@gmail.com (Franck Barfety) — Thu, 14 May 2009 13:59:00 +0000

From zoo trip

I learned so much going to the Kansas City Zoo with Gabe's class. Not so much about the animals, but about my son. It is very enlightening to witness your own son's behavior when he is among his peers. I chaperoned this group of four and Gabe's character traits exploded to the forefront and are forever in my heart.

Crazy mismatch day

barfety@gmail.com (Franck Barfety) — Fri, 01 May 2009 21:37:00 +0000

More than chocolate

barfety@gmail.com (Franck Barfety) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 18:18:00 +0000

Easter is the story of God entering his creation as Jesus Christ and saving us from ourselves. Jesus' life, death and resurrection told in the New Testament, unfolds as it is foretold in the Old Testament written hundreds of years prior. The whole thing is so perfectly engineered that it is very sobering, and celebrating Easter reminds us of the finer details of the story.

"'But there are some of you who do not believe.' (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) And he said, 'This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.' After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the Twelve, 'Do you want to go away as well?'" (John 6:64-67)

God knows our condition, he knows our thoughts, he knows how we will act. But he made a world of free creatures who must make a free choice. "Did I not choose you, the Twelve? And yet one of you is a devil." (Jhn 6:70) Unlike Judas, we must choose to follow Christ. "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." (Mark 16:16) God cannot create a world of free creatures who have no choice, anymore than he can create a still tornado, a square circle or a married bachelor. Jesus asking "Do you want to go away as well?" implies a choice has to be made.

"That whoever believes in [Jesus] may have eternal life" Jhn 3:15 "Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God." Jhn 3:18.

Believe and be saved!

Rotisserie Chicken and Goat Cheese Sandwich

barfety@gmail.com (Franck Barfety) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 00:59:00 +0000

This was a really yummy sandwich! It was a recipe Andi found in a KC newspaper article on April 5th called Glamorous Leftovers.

It was made with leftover rotisserie chicken on broiled buttered Italian bread. The bread was lathered with coarse Maille French mustard and fig jam. Layered with leaves of watercress, goat cheese and mayo. Absolutely delicious!

Black Hoof Park

barfety@gmail.com (Franck Barfety) — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 00:03:00 +0000

Is Spring here or what? It had to be 80° today. It felt so good to be off and go to the park. This is real Kansas family entertainment! I can't wait for the wild flowers to bloom there. That park is beautiful in the summer.

From Black Hoof Park

Starry nights

barfety@gmail.com (Franck Barfety) — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 15:04:00 +0000

"The immortality of the soul is a matter which is of so great consequence to us, and which touches us so profoundly, that we must have lost all feeling to be indifferent as to knowing what it is." Blaise Pascal.

I came to the United States at 17 in 1987 and grew up in France in the 70s and 80s. Not legally allowed to drive until the age of 18, I walked everywhere. I hiked my way to school (I rarely made it to the bus stop on time - this won't surprise those who know me), to the city center, to the train station, and all over Paris.

Some nights I walked from Montereau to my home, where my Mom moved the last three years I was in France. Because of the lack of lighting on a particular stretch of road, the stars in the night sky were incredibly visible. Stars were so numerous and beautiful I would often wonder what was beyond them. I loved those clear nights.

I have another fond memory at a younger age, during a summer camp in the South of the French countryside. Our young leaders had us lay there in a field, with other kids from the big city, all of us asked to silently gaze at the starry skies and watch for shooting stars. As I laid there on my back so still, listening to the thick sound of crickets, my hands flat in the grass, I wondered... What is beyond the stars? How did they come to be? What am I in this immense universe? These are questions I wrestled with then, and still do to this day. I never again saw that many shooting stars.

"...Thus our first interest and our first duty is to enlighten ourselves on the subject, whereon depends all our conduct. Therefore among those who do not believe, I make a vast difference between those who strive with all their power to inform themselves, and those who live without troubling or thinking about it." Blaise Pascal

At the age of 25, I discovered that truth is not relative, contrary to what I had been taught and lived, hurting those close to me. I learned that truth actually has a name and that it can be known through Jesus Christ. Jesus is a problematic historical figure outside and inside religious circles, because he says "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" in John 14:6. That statement demands a response from anyone hearing it. Most religions historically acknowledge and respect Jesus as a smart, honest and gentle personage. Raised as a catholic boy who rarely opened the Bible, I respected Jesus too without knowing much about him. It just seemed like everyone did. At least I never heard anyone say he was a bad, crazy, misleading man.

"and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." Jesus in John 8:32

Why would Jesus call himself the truth? Wouldn't that make everything else that stands in opposition to him and what he says, untrue? Then, I heard that he was God. That really messed me up. I had to read everything he said for myself. He says "I am He" (Mar 13:6, Luk 21:8, Jhn 13:19, Jhn 18:5, Jhn 18:6, Jhn 18:8, Rev 2:23) which is what God says in the old testament (Isa 41:4, Isa 43:10, Isa 43:13, Isa 46:4, Isa 48:12) Could that be true? Could he be the one who created the stars and everything in the universe? The power of his words. The way, the truth, and the life. Absolute, exclusive, and graciously available to all. Whether we believe in truth or not does not matter. Truth does not force us to believe in it. Truth simply is. Anyone is free to come to it, accept it and learn from it. It's the simple beauty of truth.

The above Blaise Pascal quote en Français:

"L’immortalité de l’âme est une chose qui nous importe si fort, qui nous touche si profondément, qu’il faut avoir perdu tout sentiment pour être dans l’indifférence de savoir ce qui en est…Ainsi notre premier intérêt et notre premier devoir est de nous éclaircir sur ce sujet, d’où dépend toute notre conduite. Et c’est pourquoi, entre ceux qui n’en sont pas persuadés, je fais une extrême différence de ceux qui travaillent de toutes leurs forces à s’en instruire, à ceux qui vivent sans s’en mettre en peine et sans y penser." From Pensées.

Clean up your room!

barfety@gmail.com (Franck Barfety) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 15:02:00 +0000

Actually, just helping Camille stretch before school this morning. She has been training for her 2nd degree Black Belt in Taekwondo. A scary thought nonetheless.

Camille is part of the leadership program at her ATA school and was helping with Gabe's class tonight. There is no weird teaching from a Christian worldview perspective going on in an ATA school. The concepts taught there are built around Integrity, Honesty, Courage, Loyalty and so on. One night, I was reading a Life Application Bible Andi gave me for Christmas while waiting for Gabe and Camille when the owner asked what I was reading and commented that her Bible was similar to mine.

Copper Mountain, CO

barfety@gmail.com (Franck Barfety) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 09:00:00 +0000

Quick escape in God territory. Nothing like breathing pure air and being close to his creation. Click on link for photos.

From Copper Mountain

Family picture

barfety@gmail.com (Franck Barfety) — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 18:16:00 +0000

Picture taken at the Paradise Cove Luau.

From Hawai'i 2008

Snow Day

barfety@gmail.com (Franck Barfety) — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 03:52:00 +0000

We love the seasons. Hawaii was nice - 81 degrees every day - but we do love the snow and the change of seasons around Kansas City. We got our first good snow this morning and the kids couldn't wait to go sledding in the evening. Camille and Annie wipe out Mina in this short clip, and can't wait to go for more.

Gabe sledding solo.

Hawai'i 2008 Photos

barfety@gmail.com (Franck Barfety) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 21:00:00 +0000

From Hawai'i 2008

We had a more than wonderful trip to O'ahu, Hawai'i. The temperature was perfect. JD noticed that it was neither hot nor cold, more like body temperature and sunny. The highlight of our trip was snorkeling in Hanauma Bay, watching dozens of large sea turtles eating algae of coral reefs inches from us on the North Shore and the Paradise Cove Luau. Of course, spending time with Jessica and JD, Andi's siblings. A very special thanks to David and Alex for making this wonderful gift to our family!

Hawaii, here we come!

barfety@gmail.com (Franck Barfety) — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 22:54:00 +0000

Expect a full report and pictures when we return.

The Quest of the Warrior Tournament

barfety@gmail.com (Franck Barfety) — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 03:35:00 +0000

Camille wins first place in forms at The Quest of the Warrior class B Tournament. She wins second place in weapons and third place in sparring, fourth in XMA Weapons.

Gabe wins second place in sparring and third place in forms.

The Barfetys voted!

barfety@gmail.com (Franck Barfety) — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 23:03:00 +0000

From 2008 Presidential Election

Kansas Flowers and Bugs

barfety@gmail.com (Franck Barfety) — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 21:42:00 +0000

Andi and I took Camille, Gabe and their friend Annie to the new watershed park for a walk on Sunday. The colors and diversity of the wild flowers was fantastic. I had brought my camera along to take a couple of pictures of the kids, instead I kept trailing behind, amazed at God's goodness in giving us these wonderful things to look at and study. The closer I got to each flower the more details I could see of God's handiwork.

From Kansas flowers and bugs

$5 paddle boats

barfety@gmail.com (Franck Barfety) — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:37:00 +0000

We took the kids to Shawnee Mission Park to play when Camille decided she would use her $5 to go paddle boating.

Camille's Black Belt Ceremony

barfety@gmail.com (Franck Barfety) — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 04:14:00 +0000

Mr Cummings, 5th Degree Black Belt (there are nine) and Camille, now officially a 1st Degree Black Belt.

Dom and Camille both started around the same time and received their Black Belts today. Dom's hard work in Taekwondo is a true inspiration.

Mrs. Cummings, 5th Degree Black Belt is one of Camille's teachers and trained Camille during her Black Recommended period, the few months preparing before Black Belt Testing.

Moments in life where Mommy and Daddy are ultra proud of their daughter.

Primary Election

barfety@gmail.com (Franck Barfety) — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 16:09:00 +0000

Free Car for Life

barfety@gmail.com (Franck Barfety) — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 21:28:00 +0000

I came in to work this morning and with last night's heavy rain, half of our parking lot was flooded. We lost 14 cars the last tally said. The rental vehicles just down the hill from us literally floated down Indian Creek as police officers called the owners at 5am. The imagery of cars floating down the river reminded me how cars are just stuff and the money we spend on them also seems to be floating away, never to return. Fortunately, God has provided a way out of that.

I have been in the Volkswagen selling business for two years now and I see people happily signing up for huge amounts of car debt everyday for as long as 84 months. Next to a house this is the second biggest purchase we all make. Heck, Andi and I bought a brand new Chrysler minivan for 60 months 7 years ago right about the time Gabe was born. While it was the most basic of minivans we justified, we just now financially recovered from that mistake. The truth is, we never really understood how one could ever not have that expense. We will always need cars or some mode of transportation, so car payments are inevitable and easily justifiable we told ourselves. Not anymore.

I am just finding out that there is another way. A harder but much smarter way. This is not some scheme I divised on my own in the last two years, but rather a perfect gift God has handed me this morning amidst the chaos of moving cars back after the storm.

Could God have guided my feet here two years ago just to teach me this lesson as a good Father teaches his son? Moving to car sales was a little frightening for us, but there was a young Christian man name Donald who detailed cars here when I first started. I believe my Father put that young man here for at least three purposes - one was to comfort me as I made the transition to car sales. Donald has since moved on to be a police officer with the KCPD, but the second purpose is this - in the first few weeks after I started, Donald handed me a book from Dave Ramsey called The Total Money Makeover. This book, inspired by biblical principles, helped us get out of $22,000 worth of debt in the last two years. We now have a small emergency fund, no credit card debt and hope to have no debt at all except for the house by May next year. The verses from Proverbs 22: 6-7 have never been clearer: "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender." I never even realized these two verses were side by side.

As a salesperon I've sold everything between $16,000 Rabbits and $70,000 Diesel Touaregs. Millions of dollars in inventory. If I'm not selling the car myself, another salesperson is, and the phrase "I will always have a car payment" is commonly heard around these parts. Car purchases are so emotional it becomes comical how people will justify their purchase. The fact is most people do need cars. Do they need new cars? Probably not. However, in order to have used cars we must sell new cars. But really, new cars should be reserved for the people who can really afford them, with cash. Don't be a servant to the lender.

Anyhow, the third purpose Donald was put in my way is something I learned this morning by watching this short video, and it is to live a rich debt-free life. This is another one of Dave Ramsey's nugget of truth which will surely set you free from car debt bondage. If you're already free as I know some of you are, know that you're doing it right.

Enjoy: Free Car for Life.