Not long after the pregnancy news, Kevin was provided a new job opportunity. This was a big change, because it would mean leaving a well established life in Fort Worth, where we had spent 7+ years. New baby, new job, new city, and new housing. Thankful our marriage is strong, because those amounts of “newnesses” can always be stressful. But this was not the first time Shantell and I had big new changes. Uprooting from Florida to Texas in our new marriage was something we also did.

So where did we come up with Katie’s name? In 2000, a few months before I met Shantell, her mother passed away. This past February, my mother also passed away only. Luckily my mom knew before she died that I was going to be a dad. Before Katie was born we decided that if our child was a girl, we would honor our mothers by deriving her name after our moms. Shantell’s mom’s name was Kathie and my mom’s middle name was Lynn, so Katelyn is her official name. But long ago, in our first years of marriage I knew we would call our little girl Katie for short, because it honored Shantell’s mom but kept the name modern and cute. Marissa also has special meaning. We wanted a “M” middle name to honor all of the “M”s in our lives. Our stepmoms’ names both begin with “M”. Both my sister (before she was married) and sister-in-law’s middle names began with “M”. Both my maternal and paternal grandmothers also had names starting with “M”. Shantell’s maternal grandmother middle name began with “M” and her paternal grandmother’s maden name also started with “M”. So the letter “M” is very important to the women in our life.

Anyway, if you would like to see pictures you can Facebook either Shantell or me. If we know you, we will accept your friend request.

That leads me in to my current dilemma, or as you may want to call it my “shoe drama”. I recently decided to replace a number of my shoes with … more shoes. One of the purchases was a pair of Rockport walking shoes. I love those shoes. Apparently, so did my youngest dog Lexi. I came home one day, after deciding to leave her in the bedroom for a few hours, with the back of my shoe gone. She had eaten them straight through. I have lost cords, credit cards, and even bedspreads … but never shoes. Like the rest of my dogs, she is used to eating cow leather in the form of rawhides but I would think shoes would be less than tasty. After paying $75.00 for the shoes, I was a bit miffed and thought “well there is $75.00 down the drain.” But the story does not end there. I bought my shoes at Zappos.com (where I have purchased all of my shoes since 2009). Their customer service is … wait for it … “Legend … dary” (shameless How I Met Your Mother reference). So, on a whim I decided to contact their Customer Service department to tell them of my plight. If anything else, I figured they’d get a laugh. So I emailed them this:

On my order XXXXXXXX, the Rockports didn’t last a month because my dog ate the back of one of them (the left one). Sounds a bit like “the dog ate my homework” but in this case, she really did. Maybe she thought it was an oversized rawhide or she really loves the taste of new walking shoes.

Obviously you can’t replace these shoes without me paying full price because this wasn’t your fault and my dog isn’t willing to pay me in anything other than milkbones, but I was wondering if you guys have any “left shoes”or mismatches on the Rockport sku# 7262451 size 13 (D)? I don’t know if you even get these types of requests … or if I just need to chop this up a total loss and replace them (as a pair). Please let me know if there is anything you can do to replace the one shoe and if so, what it would cost.

Thanks,

“Shoeless” Kevin Benore

Now when I worked in the shoe department at Dillard’s, we would never accept a return that we had no fault in. But Zappos.com went the extra mile and then went even further. I won’t share the email I got, because I didn’t seek permission – but let’s just say the response was funny and very gracious. They are sending me a new pair of shoes. And as always, shipping is free in both directions. Now, the story doesn’t quite in there. Although I specified the shoe that was damaged, they accidentally sent the other pair I had on the same order. Of course, in true great service fashion they have fixed that mistake. Additionally, they recently made me a VIP customer – which means I get free overnight shipping. That’s a privilege I have to pay for additionally at their parent company, Amazon.com. Without a doubt, I am a forever customer of Zappos.com. Their convenience, selection, but ultimately their superior customer service has made Zappos.com the BEST SHOE STORE … PERIOD!

If you don’t know anything about Zappos.com, or their culture, you should really read Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose by Zappos.com founder and CEO, Tony Hsieh.

So what happened? Well, it’s been almost a year since we’ve done any blogging. Sorry about that, times have been a bit crazy in the Benore universe. But Kevin and Shantell have moved from the wide open spaces of Fort Worth, Texas to the fast paced political arena of Washington, DC. Although our postal address is Alexandria, VA we really live in an unincorporated part of Fairfax County. After 7 years on Central Time, it is good to be on the East Coast. For the first time in my life I live in a state with consistent snow. Sure it snowed in Texas, but that was maybe a day or two out of the year. Here in DC, snowfall can happen multiple times a season.

So why did we move? It was time for a new adventure in our lives. We loved Texas. We made several good friends and it was hard to leave those behind. Since we are still pretty young and we don’t have to worry about uprooting kids from school, we thought … why not? In fact from the point I had an idea about moving to DC to an actual move only took less than 2 months. Crazy? Yeah, a little. So week 1, we started talking about the opportunity. By the end of the we I put in my resume to a few places in DC. The day after my resume went out, I got a call – which started Week 2. Week 2 was “phone interview” week. I did a bunch of phone interviews and took a test. The beginning of Week 3 I flew out to interview in person. Sometime in Week 5 I was offered a position. By Week 8, we were living in DC. I now work for Politico as a Senior Web Developer.

With the new job comes new responsibilities. I can talk about politics as in a neutral manner, but there can be no “taking sides.” Even though I do not write for the press, I am a member of the media and take my responsibility to be a neutral observer seriously. And in this town, there are enough people expressing opinions about policy – there is little need for me to add my voice to that choir. Instead, this blog will remain what it was primarily intended to be – a status update for our friends and family on what is happening in our lives. Although, I must admit – this forum has been under utilized for that purpose. But now with our friends and family spread out from as far west as Hawaii, to the Lone Star State of Texas, to the “snow in all states, except Florida”, I will try to do more writing about what we are up to.

Oh, in case you haven’t heard … Shantell is also pregnant. In another week, we will be in our second trimester. Things a progressing very well. We will have the baby sometime in July. And we will not find out its gender until he or she is born. I am sure you all will try to guess – but that’s just part of the fun. No one will know until he or she comes out crying. That’s it for now. And thanks for reading The Benores in DC.

Sunday, January 30, 2000
Benore.com was registered. Kevin & Shantell were not yet dating, nor had they met.

Thursday, July 19, 2001
The Benore.com website launches as a photo and announcement website to celebrate the impending nuptials of Kevin Benore & Shantell Berrett.

Saturday, November 17, 2001
Although Benore.com was silent on this day, it was a big day for Kevin & Shantell. They united in holy matrimony.

Sunday, December 9, 2001
Soon after their wedding and honeymoon this site was transformed into “The Benore Family on the Web”. It had posted on it pictures of Kevin & Shantell’s life together.

Thursday, September 26, 2002
Once again the site is transformed to a simplified “Benore.com” name that gives information about Kevin’s call to the ministry, their planned move to Fort Worth, and of course more pictures.

Friday, May 30, 2003
The site’s name remains the same, but the look and mission had changed. Now Kevin was in his first year at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, the site was designed to communicate to friends and family back home how his progress in school. It also was meant to continue conveying Kevin & Shantell’s life now in Texas.

Saturday, January 29, 2004
Our first BLOG entry! Because of this entry I have been blogging for 6 years! Through the power of Blogger (now owned by Google) we were able to start our first blog entry and feed it to Benore.com. The first blog entry was about our seminary friends (and their blog), Matt & Susan Millsap.

Thursday, February 5, 2004
The site’s name was changed (short lived) to “The Chronicles of Benoria”.

Sunday, April 4, 2004
The site’s name was changed again, to “Benore Speaks …”.

Sunday, November 28, 2004
The site was redesigned with a “Flash”-y header.

Monday, February 20, 2006
The “Benore’s in Texas” blog was official launched! Although the design and even the blogging engine has changed a few times since, the blog has remained this name ever since!

Saturday, January 30, 2010
10 Years of Benore.com! And we aren’t going anywhere! We have this domain registered for the next 6 years. So what’s next? Well, Benore.com will always be a place to discuss what’s going on with the Benore’s in Texas. Sometimes it’s been a place for commentary and discussion, but mostly we discuss our life.

Coming Soon!
Soon Kevin will launch another site with a new mission. That site will be an opinion site centered around everything Kevin loves. This includes technology, entertainment, politics, business, and religion. Not only will Kevin opine on these topics, he will answer questions about these topics (or any other) submitted by his readers.

1. They are often cheaper if not the same price as Target or Babies R Us.
2. They offer free shipping – easy for all of our family that lives in other towns.
3. They have a lot of choices!

So, if you are interested in helping us with the items we need for this new chapter in our lives feel free to purchase some baby stuff by clicking here.

Today I learned about the passing of Mr. Harold Bradley of West Palm Beach, Florida. Most of my readers have no idea who HB was, but some of you will morn his loss just as much as I do. For the former group, let me briefly tell you about HB. HB was choir director at Forest Hill High School (now Forest Hill Community High School). But he was much, much more than your run of the mill choir director. Think Mr. Holland’s Opus but replace the band with a choir and replace Mr. Holland with Mr. Bradley. He also preferred to be called HB especially if you were a member of one of his choirs. I used HB and Mr. Bradely interchangeably but both evoke emotions of happy memories. Don’t get me wrong, HB could be a tough hombre – but he was dealing with a bunch of immature teenagers. He let us play hard, but demanded we work even harder.

Because of HB I developed a love for the arts that I never knew existed. I joined the choir mid-year my sophomore year. I had always been a drama geek, but after singing Christmas carols in drama class in December of 1991 a member of Dimension 20 suggested I “go out for choir”. I had raw, unsophisticated, and completely untrained talent – but I could carry a tune. I tried out for a choir called “New Dimensions” and got in. There were several choirs at FHHS. New Dimensions was kind of like a minor league feeder choir. If you showed you had chops, you could maybe make it into the big leagues. For guys, there was only one big league team – Dimension 20. Women could audition for Les Femmes (did I spell that right?) or Dimension 20. Les Femmes was an all girl show choir with lots of talent. But Dimension 20 (D20) was the elite mixed choir. My junior year (1992-1993) I joined D20.

HB always showed love and tried to develop the talents of everyone in his class. He knew I was a goofy kid who would probably never have the confidence to sing a solo but he also knew I had a love for drama and music. He nurtured that. When we (and I mean the entire guys section) would get out of line he would quip at us with one liners. If we were slouching he might says, “Sit up, you look like an emaciated doughnut.” If we were being disrespectful he often would say, “There is a bus coming at 3:30, I want you to be under it.” If the entire group (usually the guys) were goofing off … he might throw a chair in our direction. The chair never landed on any of us but was close enough to get our attention. If we were late we were lectured with “15 minutes early is on-time”. That is a lesson I have still yet to learn. I remember one day Chris Cassidy and I were coming from his house to a night time rehearsal. Chris was speeding because HB hated tardiness and got a ticket. We were late and no amount of explanations would change HB’s expectation that we should always be on-time.

I had come from a middle class family, but because of the construction bubble in the early 1990s we were almost living at poverty level. Yet, HB and my friends in D20 did not care about how much money I had. I went to New York City with D20 my senior year. HB and the parents arranged for me to see 4 Broadway shows. Most of the parents were going to see 4 shows, but the rest of the kids only were going to see 2 plus the NY Philharmonic. But because of my passion for all things Broadway, HB made sure I got to go with the parents. Of course, I would be remiss in bringing the entire trip and not bring up the generosity of the Cassidy family. Without them I would never been able to afford to go to NYC in the first place.

HB was tough, but loved music and loved students. There was a sign in the choir room that said “God is love. Love is Dimension 20.” That sign embodied HB’s philosophy. He truly loved everyone in his charge. That sign would not make it most schools today, but HB didn’t care much the political correctness that was sweeping public schools (I am sure he used different terms to characterize his feelings on the matter).

He taught me to take personal responsibility for my actions. He taught me to love music and the arts. He taught me there was a time to play and a time to work hard. He taught me that there is a great diversity of people and opinions, and while its important to hold on to your convictions, it is equally important to respect those you do not agree with. These are things I have brought with me well past high school. It’s hard to measure or understand the impact of HB unless you’ve met the man and been in his class. The 100s of performances. The lessons learned. The little things that happen in everyday life that bring you back to those days (that only a few other people on this planet share). All because of one good man, with a big heart. Goodbye Mr. Bradley aka HB. Goodbye teacher, mentor, friend. Cheers!

I end this post with a poem by Walt Whitman. Never has this poem meant more.

O Captain my Captain! our fearful trip is done,
The ship has weathered every rack, the prize we sought is won,
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring;
But O heart! heart! heart!
O the bleeding drops of red,
Where on the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.

O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;
Rise up–for you the flag is flung for you the bugle trills,
For you bouquets and ribboned wreaths for you the shores a-crowding,
For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;
Here Captain! dear father!
This arm beneath your head!
It is some dream that on the deck,
You’ve fallen cold and dead.

My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still;
My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will;
The ship is anchored safe and sound, its voyage closed and done;
From fearful trip the victor ship comes in with object won;
Exult O shores, and ring O bells!
But I, with mournful tread,
Walk the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.

Well, I will keep my readers in suspense no longer. OK, maybe a bit longer. On October 31, 2009 I tweeted “Taking a couple of classes today. And don’t ask why it’s a secret for now.” After that, people asked “Why?” and tried to guess everything from ministry related, to puppy classes, to parent classes. Every Saturday since October 31 we have been taking classes. Sometimes the classes were extremely fun and interesting. Others were a bit laborious. A couple of times it took me a day to physically recover (hard chairs + 100 mile round trip drive + arthritic tailbone = ouch). So what was the class for?

As of December 12, we have finished our classes to become foster parents. In the next few months we will continue finishing up our paperwork, getting our home inspected, and getting stuff purchased/gifted to us for the new addition to our family. Our goal as parents is to eventually adopt a little one. However, if you don’t know anything about foster care, the first goal is to reunite the child with their birth parents. This seems like a tension that stands in contradiction. But it is not. If we have a child that we are caring for and their parents get their life back together, we want nothing more than to reunite that child with their parents. However, if there is a child whose parents have their rights terminated for any reason – we would be honored to provide them a safe environment and become their forever family.

We will be registering for stuff, just like those who expect children through pregnancy do. Since we are new at foster care (and parenting for that matter), we’ve decided to start small … we will be seeking a child from birth to 2 years old. The reason for doing this is to limit what we have to purchase upfront for a child coming into our home. If we were open to any age, we would be required to have beds for all ages among other things.

So that’s our big news about the newest phase in our life. We will keep you posted on our progress. Keep in mind that some information we will not be able to share because of privacy laws – but we will share what we can! Thanks for reading and pray for us in our new endeavor.

What’s Happening Today
Today I woke up from bed at 5:15am. Because the time changed last night, my body assumed it was 6:15am. A few minutes after I rose, I was back in bed because of the pain. When I tell people about my “tailbone” pain they often wrongly assume my pain is localized to that area. They believe I have problems sitting but I am able to do anything else. My pain does not stay in one area. Like many people with some kind of back or spinal injury, I have some areas of my back that are referred pain areas. That simply means I have pain in areas that are different than the source area. Today, my pain level was a 10 out 10 for about 2-3 hours. My pain seemed to come from the latissimus dorsi muscle area. No idea why my pain was as severe as it was, but it was defiantly more severe than normal. The pain has been reduced but I am still having mobility issues. Hopefully it will get better as the day goes on.

Some History
In March 2004 sitting in a class at my school I started getting pain in my tailbone. The pain was mild and annoying, but seemed to come from nowhere. I thought this was a temporary issue that would eventually go away on its own. After a few months of continual discomfort, I decided to go to our family doctor. The doctor sent my to get films done with a MRI. That initial MRI shows a possible old fracture of the coccyx. The coccyx is a bone at the tip of the spine, often referred to as a tailbone. The MRI indicated that this bone may have broke a long time ago and re-healed and fused backwards. This type of injury is common in women who give birth but rare in men. I have broke quite a few bones in my youth – apparently I broke this one and did not realize it.

A year later my family doctor moved to Maine. He then referred me to another physician in his practice. From 2005 until now, Dr. Damon Schranz has been my advocate for treating this condition. During the past 5 years we have pursed many different treatment options. So many I have honestly lost count. I think I have seen 4 orthopedic doctors or surgeons, 3 pain management physicians, 3 chiropractors, and even 1 manipulative medicine doctor. During this time period I have had 2 MRIs and CT scan and have undergone surgery about 8 times. Most of these were some sort of nerve block or injection.

And Now
After 5 years of seeking treatment to cure or remove the pain, the best course of treatment at this point for the long term is pharmacological. On most days the pain is reduced greatly. However this treatment is not perfect, so some days are better than others. I hope one day research will find better methods for dealing with chronic pain, but for now it is manageable. Without proper medication, I would likely be unable to move around, go to work, or have a life. Unfortunately, my life is far from normal. I can no longer do many of the things I use to take for granted. Believe it or not, very little motions like bending, lifting small items, or even sitting in an uncomfortable chair can cause setbacks. However, many people living with this type of pain can still be productive members of society.

Final Thoughts
I used to have an image of what people with what is broadly called “back pain” could or couldn’t do. And there is certainly a difference between people who have occasional back pain and those of us that have a chronic disability. There is a lack of understanding and empathy of those who have any disability. People often who don’t understand have never had long term pain. These people take a harsher stance than is appropriate. We should all take a step back and thank God our health is better than others. As bad as my condition is, I have seen worse. I thank God for giving me doctors and treatments available to allow me to function. I hope this helps you understand my issue and maybe understand others with chronic pain.

If a picture says a thousand words, then this one says it all. Garth Brooks is coming out of retirement. If you don’t know (then you’ve been under a rock), Garth is the #1 selling solo artist of all time in all genres. In fact, when you include all bands … he is second only to The Beatles. On October 26, 2000 he announced he would go into retirement until his children were out of school. He wanted to be available for car duty, all events, and everything else they have going on as a family. When Steve Wynn courted Garth to come out of retirement Garth responded, “You can’t afford me.” To that Garth has since declared “I was wrong.” Wynn bought Garth a jet, negotiated a weekend only schedule (Friday-Sunday), and gives Garth the flexibility to get out the 5 year deal whenever he wants. Garth will be able to announce his shows is stages so that it never conflicts with his kids’ schedules. So Garth gets to do what he loves without sacrificing the lives of who he loves.

So, why am I writing about this? Garth is why I listen to country music. His rock influences, storytelling/thought provoking songs, and pure entertainer abilities has turned Country music into a completely different art form. He announced the first 5 weekends which went on sale yesterday. As you can see in the picture, he sold out of the 20 shows quickly. His last weekend of shows in this batch is the last weekend in February. So Sunday, February 28, 2010 Shantell and I will see Garth Brooks in concert. This is the very last show announced. Tickets went on sale 10:00am central time, but we did not have the opportunity to purchase them until 12:35pm. They wait time was horrendous but we got our pick of weekends. And since that is the weekend before my birthday, we thought is would we a great venue to celebrate! We are hoping to fly in late on a Thursday or early on a Friday and then return Monday evening. That will give us 3 1/2 days in Las Vegas. Although Shantell has been as far west as California, I currently live as far west as I have ever been. So going to Las Vegas has always been a dream. With all of the shows, hotels, restaurants, etc. it’s going to be a lot of fun.

There are still a ton of cities on our first time “to visit” list. Domestic cities: Boston, Los Angeles, and Seattle. International cities/countries: Paris (and/or southern France), London, Dublin, Jerusalem, Madrid, Tokyo, and don’t forget Australia! We also want to re-visit Miami/West Palm Beach, go to a game in Tallahassee (okay maybe more me than Shantell), New York City, Nashville, and Washington D.C. This list is not all inclusive, but it’s a start. But for now, we will soon get to cross Las Vegas off the “to visit” list … and see one of the best entertainers in any genre of music!

This is what we know about Daisy. She is one or two years old. She is a full sized Dachshund and is already house trained. This picture is of Daisy snuggling up to Hoss.

our neighborhood and the highway. The dog did not want to be caught and the kid disappeared when it got dark. We did not know who he was or where he lived. I went back out with Shantell to look for the dog, but it was nowhere to be found.

The following Thursday morning, August 27 on my way to work, I saw the dog. It was walking by the side of the road … near the highway … in the rain. I picked her up and took her home. More than a week later we’ve not heard from the

owners. We even had the neighbor sales office email every homeowner. We hope to return her to her family but if we don’t hear anything … we will take care of her. For now, we are calling her Daisy.

Recently (April 22, 2009) my church launched the Weigh Down Challenge through our wellness center. This 12 week challenge prompted me to shift away from maintenance back to weight loss. My goal for this challenge is a modest 25 lbs (or about 2 lbs a week). So with a lot of work I should be down to 277 by mid July.

In the past I did not share my actual weight but I did share by goals. After a year off loss, I feel comfortable that that 50 lbs is gone forever. My secret? Low carb, high protein. I have found that generally speaking men can do well with low carb diets while women do better with low calorie diets.

I have two weights I am tracking. My “real” weight, which I get first thing in the morning before I dress. And my “gym/doctor” weight which is taken after a full day with all my clothes on. Typically there is up to a 10 lbs difference. For the purposes of the blog, I will be sharing the “real” weight -frankly because it is what I weigh not what my clothes and I weigh. Plus it will always be less!

So wish me luck! I started officially at 302 lbs on April 22 and now I am 298 lbs … 4 lbs in a week  … only 21 more to go to hit the goal! Don’t worry, I am not stopping there … but small goals turn into big successes.

Ultimate goals? Not certain, but I am thinking 225 would feel great! That would be 125 lbs. Heck I am already 40% of the way there.

People learn in many different ways. Visual learners come in two varities, those who read books and those who need visual aides – such as video. Auditory learners learn best through sound, like lectures and discussions. Kinesthetic learners are “hands on” people that discover the world around them through touch. Many schools cater to one or two styles but not all three.

I learn the best through auditory means. So my favorite mediums for learning are talk radio, podcasts, and listening to lectures. When in high school, college, and seminary I would rarely need to study if the content was discussed in class.  While I learn better with auditory stuff, I express myself better through writing. I favored writing papers over tests.

I do not like to read a lot. I do some reading, but only little chunks at a time. The Bible is good for my type of reading style. I have read popular novels and non-fiction, but I have started more books then I have finished. But recently, that has all changed. Since February 2009, I have read 8 books. 4 non-fiction books and 4 fiction books. I will provide a list of books I have read below – but I must explain how I am reading all these great books.

For the past few years, I have been subscribing to free podcasts. Podcasts are downloadable audio or video content that you can listen to or view on computers, iPods/iPhones, and many other devices. Video Podcasts (or Vidcasts) I watch through my TV. Most DVRs and PS3s will allow you to stream video content through a PlayOn. PlayOn is an application that is loaded on any Windows machine. If your PS3 or DVR is connected to your home network, then you can “see” the Windows machine through PlayOn and view online content. I watch some shows (technology, entertainment) and also online Netflix rentals through this method. Audio podcasts I listen to in my car through my iPhone and an audio cable. Many of the podcasts share an advertiser called Audible.com. Enter in my new book addiction.

So what it Audible.com? Remember Books on Tape? Well Audible.com is that same concept but for the new digital age. Now you can download whole books to our MP3 player (like the iPod or iPhone). Years ago, books recorded to tape or CD were abridged – which means you get a shorter version of the book. Most books now are the whole unabridged book. The average length is about 11 hours. Which if you commute 45 mins – 1 hour a day, you could read the book in 11 to 15 days. If you workout, you could listen during the workout. I listen to books and podcasts while I drive and while I code. Sometimes, I can knock out a book while I am in the zone at work.

Audible.com has two plans – Gold and Platinum. Gold is 1 credit a month for $14.95. Platinum is 2 credits a month for $22.95. I would say 95% of books are 1 credit. If you read all your books in a given month or you don’t want to spend your credit … you also can purchase books at 30% off. For instance, I am on the Platinum plan. If a book I want is less than $11.50 per month, I will likely not use my credit. Credits I reserve for the majority of books which usually are $20-$30.  So I love “reading” books now. I get all of the same content (probably more since I now finish the books), I get to keep the books forever, and I get to read many more books for personal growth and entertainment than before. If you love to read but don’t have time or you hate to read but love to listen to stuff … check out Audible.com.

My Recent Reads (most recent first):

Boundaries — Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend
Glorious Appearing (Left Behind Series Book 15) — Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins
Armageddon (Left Behind Series Book 14) — Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins
If You Want to Walk on Water, You’ve Got to Get Out of the Boat — John Ortberg
The Sacred Romance — Brent Curtis and John Eldredge
The Remnant (Left Behind Series Book 13) — Tim LaHaye and Jerry B.
Desecration (Left Behind Series Book 12) — Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins
Integrity — Henry Cloud

The Left Behind Series I started many years ago but never finished. Thanks to Audible.com, I have now completed them!

Kevin has already graced the big screen as a blurry extra in the hit comedy “The Waterboy”. But now both Kevin and Shantell make their debut together on the small screen (and we are not even blurry). If for some reason your TV is broke or can’t figure out how to program the DVR, I have found a link to a web version of the TV show and put in on my site. The web version will give new meaning to “small screen”.

To find out when it is being broadcast in your area click here: http://www.lifetoday.org/site/PageServer?pagename=tel_stationGuide. If you do not get one of the national networks listed, click on “United States” on the top of that page and scroll down to find your local market. In both Dallas/Fort Worth and Orlando it is locally broadcast 6 times a day !

To watch the program on the web click here: http://www.benore.com/life-today-webcast/. You will see us right at the 1:00 to 1:01 mark. Enjoy!

As many of you know I have finally finished my MBA. My degree was conferred on December 23rd. In case you were wondering I am taking a break from school for awhile. So … no doctorate for the foreseeable future.

We returned from an awesome vacation time in Florida. We saw family, the FSU game, and Disney! We even stopped over in New Orleans for a New Year Eve celebration!

Over the next few weeks we will solidify our plans for 2009. But we do know that we will be going to Iowa sometime this summer. We hope to take some mini-vacations within driving distance of Fort Worth.

Shantell and I married in 2001. We have now been married 7 years and a few months. In that time Shantell received her education master's degree. I got my bachelor's and two master's within the same period. We also moved to Texas in 2003. So we have been Texans for almost 6 years. We've bought a house, got a dog, and have been working ever since.

I hope to be launching a new blog site / design within the next few months. So … stay tuned!

Someday, I will put all of this education to good use. For now, I will be continuing my work in the private sector. With the economy in a slump, now is not the time for churches to hire new associates.

We have also moved back to our house. After a year away, it was the right time to move back. This will free up some time but not much. School will be intense through December. Plus I teach at church every other week.

We will be coming to Orlando this year for Christmas. Unless flight prices come down dramatically – the whole family will be driving. Me, Shantell, and our dog Hoss. We decided to bring the dog to save money, plus Mom has graciously agreed to allow the big pup to stay at her house. Yes, we will officially become one of those people who travel with their dog.

So the countdown begins … first for school to end, then for our trip to Orlando for Christmas. 2008 will end soon, but it will have been an awesome ride!

P.S.

I have also joined Facebook. (Facebook Explained)

I've spent 13 years in primary and secondary schools. I started my college career at FSU but finished at UCF while visiting 3 other colleges along the way. After 8 short years (yikes!), I got my B.A. in Political Science/Pre-Law. I then set my course to Fort Worth for a stint at seminary. I've spent 4 years at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and earned my Master of Arts in Christian Education. Now I've spent the past 1.5 year getting my MBA at Liberty University.

This semester I will be taking Non-Profit Management and Leading Organizational Change in session B, then I will take the capstone course in session D called Policy and Strategy in Global Competition. Then I am done.

But wait, there's more!

If school was not enough, Shantell and I are still very active in our Apartment Life gig. We typically host 4-5 community events per month for a total of 70+ hours combined.

I will also be starting a new Sunday morning Bible Study class where I will co-teach every other week. Also I will teach a class on prayer on Wednesday nights.

And we will be “maintaining” two residences. Since the house did not sell, we are moving some stuff back in the house. Our house insurance company was going to drop us if we continued to have it vacant.

We may come home to Orlando for Christmas. As it stands now, we will probably have to drive to save money – but that is still uncertain.

So … if you thought we were busy before … good grief … you ain't seen nothin' yet. (Yes I sound like I have college degrees).

First, I am starting my last summer class tomorrow. I have registered for my last semester at Liberty University. So … the countdown begins. So far I have been able to maintain a solid 3.5 GPA. And let me tell you: finance, accounting, economics, are not among my favorite classes. Truth be told I really enjoy classes like Organizational Behavior, Executive Leadership and Management, and Servant Leadership. I even had a technology class – but for some in technology – it was nothing new.

The Apartment gig is going terrifically. Can't blog about details, but still love it.

Our house is still for sale. The market is kind of slow, but it is among the strongest in the nation. So we have high hopes for a summer sale.

This fall we are starting a new class at church. Our old Sunday school class is “planting” a new class geared toward the younger couples without kiddos. I taught once a month in the old class, but will teach every other week in the new class.

Shantell has accepted a job at a small private Christian school called ACI. More details as they come later.

Our budget right now is extremely tight, with the economy in a slump, us paying for a house we do not live in, and Shantell's lack of income for the past few months. We are getting the bills paid, but I am not sure we will be doing any traveling home this year. I have 3 days of vacation to use, but I can't imagine gas prices or airline tickets will be cheap enough to fly out. If we do make it home it will be for a very short period – but don't hold your breath.

That's the latest for now. Must get up for work tomorrow. Goodnight!

Edit:
I forgot to include a link to the Picasa page … http://picasaweb.google.com/kevinbenore.

For those who do not know, Picasa is a software program that allows you to manage digital photos, organize them, touch them up, and even upload them to the web. Picasa is free and is owned by Google. I use it because it is very easy to use and put pictures up fast. We have lots of pictures up there, so enjoy them all. If you do not have an easy way to manage your photos or if you want to put your photos out on the web to share with others … try Picasa.

We have had some requests for pictures of the new digs … so as soon as we clean up the place, will post a few. That's it for now. Happy New Year!

BUSI 620 – Global Economic Environment
Jan 14, 2008 – Mar 09, 2008
This course covers the tools of microeconomics useful in the analysis of producer and consumer behavior. The economics of demand, production and cost, and pricing and output decisions in a market system form the core of an approach adapted to the challenges faced by managers in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors of the economy. The coverage is from the domestic, as well as global perspectives.

BUSI 502 – Servant Leadership
Mar 17, 2008 – May 09, 2008
The MBA leadership track follows a holistic approach that deals with the heart, the head, and the hands. Servant leadership aims at the heart. This course blends the academic leadership theory of servant leadership with applied biblical integration. The Liberty University School of Business embraces the biblically-based Servant Leadership as the normative approach to leadership. As a theory, servant leadership is supported by a growing body of academic literature. Students learn practical lessons, applying the principles they are learning in the course while shepherding their teams through required tasks.

BUSI 561 – Legal Issues in Business
Mar 17, 2008 – May 09, 2008
This course provides the student with a foundational knowledge of the legal issues that both start-up and established business enterprises face. Armed with this wisdom, the student will more correctly assess an organization's need for competent legal advice from an experienced professional in matters of contracts, corporations, employment, insurance, intellectual property, international trade, leases, limited liability organizations, partnerships, and homeland security concerns.

We are about 5 blocks from the historic court house, on the northern most part of downtown (northeast), but everything is soooo close.

And why are we moving? It is an opportunity to become a CARES team for Apartment Life. CARES is a resident retention program that assists management in building community and serves residents.

So … here is some more information for you to browse!

Lincoln Trinity Bluff (our new apartment)
Downtown (a map with our apartment)

Now this is just cool information:
Uptown Fort Worth (our future neighborhood)
Trinity Bluff (our specfic neighborhood)

Google Map!

View Larger Map

This entry went live on my site at precisely 7:46:30 AM Central Time (or 8:46:30 AM Eastern), the exact time the first tower was hit.

Summer 2007

BUSI 550 – Effective Executive Communication
Jun 18, 2007 – Aug 13, 2007
Executives in professional organizations are expected to solve problems and make decisions, but ultimately, they must not only make excellent decisions but also communicate them effectively to a variety of stakeholders. This course is designed to integrate knowledge of the pervasive impact of computer and other information technologies with time-honored communications principles to enable students to maximize their effectiveness in diverse and technologically dynamic business environments.

Fall 2007

BUSI 512 – Managerial Information Technology
Aug 20, 2007 – Oct 14, 2007
This course is designed to provide the essential tools needed for the effective management of information technology. The objective is to build a basic understanding of the value and uses of information systems for business operation, management decision-making, and strategic advantage. Includes topics that develop skills as managers and users of information systems technology, rather than as producers of information systems technology.

BUSI 601 – Accounting for Decision Making
Oct 22, 2007 – Dec 14, 2007
This is a graduate level course in cost management with a strategic cost emphasis. The course presents an in-depth study of contemporary management techniques used by managers in a contemporary business environment. The balanced scorecard, critical success factors, and strategic analysis are emphasized and integrated with other decision making techniques in this accounting course.

BUSI 604 – International Business
Oct 22, 2007 – Dec 14, 2007
The major purpose of the course is to prepare managers to compete successfully in the global economy. The rapidly changing economic, political, technological and cultural environments will be studied as a foundation for understanding how to compete in differing environments, utilizing the resources available to the enterprise in managing the various functional areas of business.

Nifty huh? This is my first non-American car, but the appeal of higher fuel standards lessens our dependence on foreign oil. So, I have no problem buying Japanese to lessen our tie to the Middle East/Venezuela. For more info on this car click here.

• 30 years old
• Married for 5 years
• I drive a 2004 4-door Ford F-150 Lariat
• We bought a new brick two-story house late 2005. 5 bedrooms, 2 people? Room to grow!
• Avid PC user. Tried the Mac in the pre-Intel days but figured Microsoft would steal all the good stuff eventually.
• Have only seen 4 of the current Oscar nominees.
• I love pretty much all TV.
• Hobbies? Who has time?
• Music – everything from Frank Sinatra to Toby Keith.
• Have been developing for about 8 years.
• I have both a bachelor and master degree.

Click on the picture below to see the entire gallery.

Thanksgiving in New York – 2006

That leads us to today. Two musicals (a double header). We saw both Tarzan and Wicked tonight. And in between all that, we ate surf and turf (lobster and steak) at Bobby Van's. Fantastic! Some theater snobs (aka 'the critics') don't like the Disney/corporate sponsorship of Broadway, but I am in favor of whatever brings Broadway to the masses. Then again, I am just a big fan of all things Broadway. Tomorrow marks our departure from this great city. Hopefully we will not have to wait another five years before we see her again.

This morning we watched (with a few thousand others) the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Finding not else much to do on an afternoon, we grabbed lunch and headed back to the hotel. Watched some football, took a nap. Next we headed to the site of the World Trade Center. We went by subway and when we got off the site was ground level with us. We ventured above ground but it was not as impressive as being on the subway level. It stirred those same emotions we all felt on 9/11. After that we went to dinner at Salmon River. Yes, they had turkey at that seafood restaurant. It was fabulous. Finally we made it to the Radio City Music Hall's Christmas Spectacular … and spectacular it was. The Rockettes were both beautiful and talented. The live nativity scene at the end, reminded all of the true meaning of Christmas. Now, I write to you from the hotel room of today's adventures. When we get back, perhaps some pictures will added. But for now, it time for bed. Tomorrow should be another adventure.

For more on this discussion visit Mark Drew's Site.

Many forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.