Jon and Laurie Irons

If you’re anything like me, goal-setting and actually seeing the goal through to its end is two different things all together. There are a lot of good goal-setting ideas we have had and we mean well at first, but they’re also easy to get tired of. One of the things I’ve wanted to do this year is to set better goals and write down all of my one year goals … and then rank the top 5. Then, I ask myself 4 follow-up questions for each goal. I write this down in a journal (and on my computer for easy reference) so I can access it quickly. Here are the 4 follow-up questions as well as a few of my own personal goals for the coming year :-) Why do you want to accomplish this goal? What is the pain you will feel if you don’t accomplish this goal? What is the pleasure you’ll get from accomplishing this goal? How will accomplishing this goal contribute to others? #1. Make exercise and healthy eating part of my lifestyle A year ago this past August, I had a scare that turned out to b

Teaching English as a Second Language can be a difficult task from year to year, If I don't have the desire to teach. Yet, each year for me seems to get more enjoyable and more exciting as the students are not the same from year to year. 'Practice makes perfect' is a phrase I have taught my students this semester to remember for it is pertinent to the current status for all of us.  For the six students who came to join us this semester to learn and for me to teach them. I so appreciate this older couple closest to me, who are from Incheon, South Korea. They are fellow missionaries, with YWAM, like myself, who have a heart to understand each others language to communicate it more effectively. We also have a heart for young people to join us in reaching others for Christ, Jesus.

Twenty-four years ago, this November 7th, this little guy came into our lives. It wasn't the usual pregnancy that most couples who are having their babies delivered naturally, yet all the same I want to give a great "shout out" to the many young girls who place their babies up for adoption each year instead of choosing to abort them or just discard them in some horrific way. Many of our friends know this young man today as he has grown to be quite the respected individual in our community serving them at the local Dairy Queen for the past six years as the training Manager and Assistant Manager. Now he has made the transition to becoming the future manager at the local Wal Mart of shipping and receiving. Since he has been gone, DQ corp. called him to offer him to be manager of his own store in the nearby area. He declined. We still love having him around.

Have a BBQ!  Offer food to University students and you got yourself a party. That's right, either host one or go to one, and just hang out with people from different nations and just start talking. The tough part for me though, is remembering who I had talked to, their name and what he had talked about.  I am part of a group of ESL teachers from YWAM Tyler who fellowship with a group of Graduates students who called "English Corner". We meet on Friday mornings to discuss helpful topics such as how order a subway sandwich, how to tip waiters and waitresses in America, how to make friends, what to do if you 'pulled over' by the police; etc. We also have fun learning new idioms that us Americans take for granted but our Internationals have little or no idea what we mean by them.

From time to time there will be blog posts sharing about Adoption stories from the perspective of both parents and children. If you feel you have a story to share, please email me or send me a comment and I will be glad to invite to you share your story in a series of blog posts. What does a parent, such as a Father go through when a wife has a pregnancy? I can tell you from experience, I don't know. But what parents go through to adopt children is a whole different story. And what the Children who are being adopted are going through at the time is something I have always wondered. I have asked other adoptive parents and adoptive children to share their feelings, frustrations, and experiences on this blog so other adoptive children and parents can 'hear' what the other has to say. I hope this will be a place of insight and healing for those who read this. International Adoption during the year of 2001 was a challenge for me. If it wasn't for numerous emails from

One of the students told me that besides getting little sleep these past two weeks since being in Texas and the United States, for the first time, he has had a difficult time venturing out to other places to eat besides the University Cafeteria, He says he is getting tired of eating at McDonalds. I totally agreed with him. I have the awesome privilege to be able to have conversations in English with University of Texas-Dallas graduate students very close by.  We meet in a home close to the University Campus in Dallas each Friday morning and discuss Culture Shock type issues, learn how to order a Subway Sandwich at the local deli, have a successful job interview, learn about American customs and Holidays, such as Thanksgiving and Christmas, etc.   In preparing the next generation of International Leaders, we offer them to also get to know Jesus as well.

I just finished working with a group of International students from several different nations. All with the purpose of knowing God more and making Him known to others. We laughed with them over the good times and cried with them over the bad times. God planted them here so we could feed them and watch them grow more closer to a better understanding relationship with God. Many of them are headed home to their own countries as this being written and published. Half of them will return to continue their discipleship and build their trust in Him.  Be in prayer for these future International Leaders.

In learning a new language there are some days I just can't understand what my teacher is saying due to my lack of concentration. Yes, there are times in my life where I get distracted with other thoughts and ideas. I am currently working along side students from Benin, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Haiti, South Korea, China, and the USA. French, Spanish, Portuguese, Creole, Korean, Chinese and English. How do we all get along? By preferring one another, and seeking the highest good in the other person, we are able to co-exist with one another. 

Every weekday morning, when I woke up to breakfast, my father would be sitting at the kitchen table reading the morning newspaper, tinkering his spoon into his cereal bowl to get the last spoonful of milk into his mouth, or munching on a piece of toast. He was usually already dressed and ready to go to work by the time I had decided to wake up. My mother would be usually dressed in her robe, pouring hot water into her tea cup and glancing at me as I yawned and rubbed my eyes. I would usually see what cereal my dad had already brought to the table and pour that into my waiting bowl as I tried to read the headlines of a article from the back my dad's newspaper. Being informed of the latest news from the local paper was a ritual in our house. The morning radio talk show would also be on playing quietly in the background so my mother could hear what the weather was going to be for my sister and I, due to the fact, we usually walked to our school bus stop each school morning. Tod

The bright flash lit up my darkened bedroom, enough for me to see the shadows of the window frames across the floor, then followed by brief darkness once again to only be jolted by the large clap of thunder that proceeded to startle me to conciseness. Another bright flash, followed again be the sound of thunder now had me wide awake and sitting up in my bed. The flashes continued along with loud crashes of thunder.  I could no longer sleep. For fear had gripped my mind and I had to find comfort somewhere. As my feet touched the cold wooden floor, I left my room in haste as I hurried towards my parents bedroom. "Mom?", I whispered. "Dad?"  Before waiting for them to answer, "I'm scared! Can I stay in your bed tonight?" "Climb in, I remember my mother saying".  And to my surprise, my younger sister had already arrived a few minutes before me. So I proceeded to squeeze in between my sister and my Dad.  I don't remember him saying anything

Having an early Lunch with friends at a Mediterranean Restaurant in Dallas  Some of my work involves listening as well as sharing about my life with others. I may not have all the answers, so I usually just listen then choose my words slowly and communicate truth and wisdom. If I start too quickly or speak out of emotion, then my wisdom comes from me. ( 1 cor. 2:5 ) We can learn so much about each other if we just take the time to also listen to other share about themselves. 

Beautiful pictures are caught for the sake of the artist within.  What was I thinking of at the time? I can only say that East Texas Sunsets are amazing. As a viewer I could marvel at this or reflect as to what this reminds me of.  My memory may not be as accurate as some would want it to be, but trees over water remind me of safety and fun. I was five or six years old at the time and one winter I was standing by a frozen pond up in East Greenwich, Rhode Island, watching others walk onto the pond and start ice skating.  Others were trying to maintain their balance as others helped them walk.  I was encouraged to step out onto the ice as well, but too cautious and remained alone the bank.  A few days later, one day I after school, I ventured down to the pond to see if it was still frozen.  Yes, is was.  But the ice has receded a bit from the bank.  So I needed a way to get out onto the ice.  There was nearby tree limb that hung out over the pond.  I jumped for the branch and sw

Having a heart for a nation starts with having a desire to know someone more than just reading about a people group on the local or national news and then praying for them on a weekly basis or even a daily basis if your heart is so moved. Engaging your whole mind, body and soul into a Nation may mean getting your finger nails a little dirty. In this case, getting my fingers sticky as I enjoyed having chicken together. Youth, no matter  the language gap or where they are from, are all the same in one way or another. Depending upon how one presents himself outside of what government bodies and idealistic news medias say about other people in the world, I think, we need to be open to learn from each other. I have read in my Christian bible, that Jesus had ask his followers to be a light to all mankind. ( Matt. 5:16 )