.jpg)
Posts
All Comments
Two hour lunch with Journeryman at Pho Vinam at University Village. Noodles, rare steak, chili sauce, kingdom and world domination discussed. Thanks dude...it was awesome. By the way... Pho Vinam is awesome! Go support your local Vietnamese joint.
So this weekend will be my third time leading worship at our new facility at the Grove. I am never sick but the last two times I led I came down with crazy colds. This morning I wake up and my through is closed...what the heck! Last time it was like Bob Dylan on an off night leading...can't wait to see what happens this time. By the way...for those of you that keep up with my blog...notice we got doors on our kitchen cabinets. We didn't have them for six months. I kind of miss the whole...no surprises...you can see where everything is look. Now I gotta tell friends where stuff is when they come over...cabinet doors are overrated. I also just noticed that I am constantly doing the three dot thing ... in posts...why is that?...I'm thinkin' it best describes how I would actually talk and that is what I'm trying to convey...this post is getting extremely random...I apologize...
Live simple and love loud!
It's mine...don't steal it...thought of it today on the Vespa. Ok...well...I guess it's Jesus' motto technically...but who wants to get technical? Does that encompass everything in life that matters or am I forgetting a bunch of stuff? I think it says it all. Let's consider this a first draft because I'm reserving the right to revise if I get smarter sometime in my life.
Anthem is throwing a concert / community art show on Friday June 29th. (I'm takin' Micah's advise and pimpin' the show early). Fransisco the man, Vespers, Ann Lynn (maybe) Joel Hasemeyer and maybe one more...any takers? will be laying down the soundtrack for the evening. Go to the Anthem site to check out their music. If you are an artist of any kind and would like to submit something I would love to talk to you about it. Leave a comment and we will be in touch. Painting, sculpting, photography, graphic art, poetry, video, break dancing, baton twirling...etc. It should be a rad night. Put it on your calendar today. 5 bucks. 4 or 5 bands. Tons of art. You can't beat that with a stick.
That's the opening line from Freedom of Simplicity by Richard Foster. Go to the link and buy it at Amazon for 98 cents. I'm 60 pages in and I can already tell that it is going to get me into a lot of trouble. Here's a couple quick excerpts:
"Today we need to hear again that God alone is worthy of our worship and obedience. The idolatry of affluence is rampant. Our greed for more dictates so many of our decisions. Notice how the fourth commandment of the Sabbath rest strikes at the heart of this everlasting itch to get ahead. We find it so very hard to rest when, by working, we can get the jump on everyone else. There is no greater need today than the freedom to lay down the heavy burden of getting ahead." (20)
"The attractive ability to surrender our rights for the good of others is central to everything about simplicity." (55)
"It is quite possible to obey the law of the tithe without ever dealing with our mammon lust. We can feel that our monthly check to our church meets the new law of Jesus, and never once root out reigning covetousness and greed. It is quite possible to tithe and at the same time oppress the poor and needy." (59)
WOOOOOOOOWWWWWW!!!
Eight years ago today I married the most beautiful girl I had ever laid eyes on and my best friend. Today she is still my best friend and more beautiful than the day I met her. We dated on and off for 5 years before we got around to getting married. I was a huge idiot that needed some serious work and God gave Alyssa an amazing amount of patience to put up with me through that process. We have been through a lot in the last eight years. Our income combined our first year of marriage was $9,000! I was unemployed and trying to make a living as a rock star. Alyssa was working three jobs to keep us alive. She went on tour with us... 5 dudes and Alyssa in a van that we slept in most nights, and she sat at countless merch tables, listening to thousands of awful bands, so that we could have gas money to get to the next state. We have lived in 6 different places as a married couple (apartment in Redding, grandpa's house, wood street house...should have never left, huge home in orangecrest...should have never considered, a house on Palm that we spent 9 months remodeling, and our current house next to the plaza that we also did an extreme home makeover on). We have been to Brazil, Mexico, Nepal, Thailand, Japan, The Caribbean, Russia and all over the U.S. together. We've endured 6 years of infertility along with a miscarriage. We adopted our son the day after he was born and he weighed 2 lbs. 11 oz. We spent two months visiting him in the hospital until we were able to bring him home on an oxygen tank and a heart monitor. We are currently adding to our family with a little girl from Kyrgyzstan. We planted a church together, and watch that church implode. We have made great friends and lost great friends. We have laughed and cried together. We have yelled and cussed together. We have lived a great life together. Alyssa keeps my feet on the ground when I'm trying to take over the world and she listens to me when everyone else is tired of hearing it. I am nothing without Jesus but I'm pretty sure I'd be a huge mess without Alyssa. She is the glue in our family, my best friend, the sexiest woman on the planet and the best wife a man could ever ask for. I've let the blog world into most of the important things in my life so just in case you're still lost...she's at the top of that list. Can't wait for the next 8 years of the adventure!
So part of my job is being promoter of a venue at the Grove called Anthem. We are trying to create community between bands and artists by allowing them space to create and share there art with others. So this last Saturday we had this show with four bands. As far as music goes I think it was the best show we've had to date. I love Elseworth and Avner...I think they are great bands. We had 35 kids pay. About 75 all together with bands, guestlists, helpers, me and Ian (my sound man). What the heck happened the music scene in Riverside. Why is it that no one cares about music anymore unless you wear girls pants and have 4 million friends on myspace? Why do you have to be in a certain scene to have any cred anymore. What happened to supporting bands because they were good? Sorry...just frustrated. Ian and I were there for 12 hours setting up and tearing down and sometimes you just wonder why you keep doing it. I know we'll have Panima come out and all the Panimaniacs will make up for the money I lost on this show but I just don't get it. I mean Panima is good and all but they aren't in the same league as half these bands that no one will listen to because they aren't "cool" enough. Do I sound old? I feel old. Part of this rant is coming from the fact that I am thinking about getting back into the process of writing and playing shows again and I definitely know that I am not cool and don't desire to be cool...but it would be nice to have someone out there that would still take your music seriously. We'll see what happens. Anyone else pissed about what the music scene has turned into?
Bible Fight is hilarious. You can be different characters throughout the Bible and fight other characters. Each person has special moves. Noah can whistle and send this huge stampede of animals to trample you. Noah also has some sweet anchor tattoo's. Who's your favorite character?
Stumbled across this excerpt from this book...dangit...now I gotta go read something else! Jake Colsen says very nicely what I've been thinking for a long time...It's a blow to the pride of us as leadership in the church but we are called to equip fellow priests in their giftedness, not carry the load and take the place of leadership that is reserved for Jesus himself. Most pastors are scared to say this because they might lose their jobs...did I just say that out loud...oops!
On living free of dependency on leaders:
“That’s where religion has done the most damage. By making people dependent on its leaders, it has made God’s people passive in their own spiritual growth. We wait for others to show us how, or even just follow them in hopes that they’re getting it right. Jesus wants this relationship with you and he wants you to be an active part in that process.”
“But can we do it on our own? Don’t we need some help?” Marsha asked.
“Who said you’re alone? Jesus is the way to the Father. As you learn to yield to his Spirit and depend on his power, you’ll discover how to live in the fullness of his life. Yes, he’ll often use other people to encourage or equip you in that process, but the people he uses won’t let you grow dependent on them. They wouldn’t dare crawl between you and the greatest joy of this family—a growing relationship with the Father himself.”
My Life Group (represent...what, what) is reading Sex God by Rob Bell and I ran across a discussion of the book on the emergent women blog. (Don't ask me how I got there...I have a sensitive side) Read it here. They bring up some good commentary on what we've been discussing. Last night we covered the topic of lust in his chapter, "Leather, whips, and fruit." (Gotta love the chapter names!) Look for my book coming out in the Spring with the opening chapter...Beans, toots and magical fruits. You know you can't wait.
This show is gonna rule. How many times do you go to a show where there is actually 4 bands you want to hear. Give them a listen here.
I love Avner and Elseworth. See ya Saturday!
I stumbled through this passage this morning and I have never understood what is going on here. I understand the context and I have a good understanding of Exodus as a whole but I have no clue what is happening in this passage. Because I'm always touching my feet with other people's foreskins but it just doesn't make must sense for Moses :) Any help out there?
Exodus 4:24-26 (NLT) 24 On the way to Egypt, at a place where Moses and his family had stopped for the night, the Lord confronted him and was about to kill him. 25 But Moses’ wife, Zipporah, took a flint knife and circumcised her son. She touched his feet with the foreskin and said, “Now you are a bridegroom of blood to me.” 26 (When she said “a bridegroom of blood,” she was referring to the circumcision.) After that, the Lord left him alone.
Look at everyone's expressions in these pictures...classic. Zeke is always down for family pics. Click to see the full size pictures, the facial expressions are priceless.
I ran across this quote from Bono at the National Prayer Breakfast last year:
"God is in the slums, in the cardboard boxes where the poor play house. God is in the silence of a mother who has infected her child with a virus that will end both their lives. God is in the cries heard under the rubble of war. God is in the debris of wasted opportunity and lives, and God is with us if we are with them."
Vespa's everywhere! This is on a day that was totally raining...didn't bother them at all. People ride their bikes, scooters, walk and take public transport everywhere. These wasn't a Hummer to be found on the entire trip. Maybe we'd care more about the environment too if we had to pay $10 a gallon for gas.
Our two days in London were amazing and jammed with stuff we saw. It was rainy and pretty cold the whole time but it didn't stop us from seeing pretty much all London has to offer.
Pic #1 - We took the Big Red Bus tour and someone commentated on the whole London experience. Totally worth the money. (side note...everything in London is ridiculously expensive.) Alyssa and I wore these totally stylish rain jackets because we wanted to be on the top level and take pics in the rain.
Pic #2 - Alyssa and I outside the National Gallery. Probably both of our favorite place in London. Could of spent 4 weeks inside. Paintings from Michaelangelo, Rafael, Rembrandt, Picasso, Monet. It was crazy, you totally get lost inside...room after room of paintings...some taking up entire walls. If you're ever in London it's a must!
Pic #3 - Big Ben and Parliament. It's impossible to capture how big these buildings are. It's almost surreal standing in front of it. We also hit up Buckingham palace and saw the changing of the guard.
Pic #4 - Westminster Abbey. We took a tour inside that was awesome. It's still a functioning church...they pause every hour for prayer. So many kings and queens buried inside. The ceiling and stained glass are worth the trip. I was blown away by the detail of this building.
Pic #5 - Alyssa on the tube. We took it everywhere. Experts by the end of our time. We only took it in the wrong direction once...I was pretty proud.
Well, this is the first time we've found Internet access that wasn't ridiculously slow or $30 for the day. We are heading home in a couple hours and it's been quite a trip. We have lots of pictures and video of Sofia and London that I will get up when I get home. Sofia is doing great. She is super mellow and super small. She has blue eyes and they shave her head. Everyone in the orphanage said she looks just like me! It was difficult to leave her and we pray that we will be able to go back shortly. In the course of the trip so far we've had two 24 hour travel days...in seven days! It's been really crazy. That's not counting the 10 hours it will take to get home from London. I'll tell the story later but there was an incident with a bird, an engine and 6 hours in an airport in Tbilisi, Georgia...(not the Georgia that Ray Charles sings about either!) Good times. I'm sure we'll be destroyed for a few days when we get home but I can't wait to share stories and pictures. Thanks to everyone that prayed and helped us financially to get over here...you are a huge blessing!
It was a reunion of sorts. Friends from Sacramento, Redding and Ohio that all went to Simpson.
Top pic...Zeke and a goat
Next pic...Trisha, Alyssa, and Shannon (from left to right)
Next pic...Me and my buddy Aaron with Zeke and one of Aaron's girls...Grace
Next pic...Alyssa and Destry (Aaron's wife)
Last pic...Zeke on the drive home.
noon to 7:30pm. Zeke did amazing...I was pumped. Usually we're good for two hours and then there's a melt down of sorts. Stinkin' hot today.
Off to Kyrgyzstan tomorrow...If you're the prayin' kind we could use some...see ya in a week!
Myron and Betty are awesome. They come out every couple years from Indiana. Myron spends all day telling you great old guy jokes. He cracks me up.
Why is Nouwen so money? Read this guys post
Nouwen has kicked my butt for my entire adult life. Tell me what you think. Seriously...someone comment about something that isn't just talking about my neck beard.
Here's an article from a pastor in Minnesota that has a church called Missio Dei. I like what he has to say about alternative economics. Get down to the list at the bottom of his article and tell me what you think.
So here are some new peeps and other goodies that I've added to my sight lately. If I forgot you but recently added you and you haven't felt the love let me know and I'll give you your deserved props.
Adam McIntyre (back in the blog game...go bug him so he'll stay on it)
Nate Millheim (buddy from Simpson that I stumbled across...doing really cool ministry in the bay area)
Longbrake (this dude is money, and he's from Indiana...great thoughts...great photo's...I have no idea who he is...I just stalk his blog)
Books:
The Holy Longing by Ronald Rolheiser (Everyone tells me I'll become a Christian when I read this...I'm not sure if I'm ready for that!)
The Like Jesus but not the Church by Dan Kimball (pastor in Santa Cruz...love his thoughts)
The Jesus Way by Eugene Peterson (I'm reading it right now...really good)
Links:
Narrative theology: 10 hour long teachings from two of the guys at Mars Hill. They are awesome and the teachings are free to download. It sets up how we see the Bible as story. I highly recommend it!
That should give you enough to do today to waste a whole lot of time. Happy blogging!
Picture of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
So if you heard me preach this weekend you know but now we need to take two trips to Kyrgyzstan. They called us four days ago and told us that we need to leave in a week (next Tuesday). This trip is just to go see Sofia and say yes we want to adopt you like we already have. They added the second trip because an adoptive couple went over there and backed out of their adoption a few weeks ago. So now they are making everyone go twice. Good times. I'm stoked to see her so soon but it's gonna suck to leave her and the extra cost sucks! We're gonna spend 2 1/2 days in London on the way back because I refuse to fly half way around the world just to spend 2 days in Kyrgyzstan. I'll put some pics and video up of our trip but I'm betting Bishkek is not havin' the sweetest internet connections...just a guess.
If anyone cares I preached at the Grove this weekend on orphans and the oppressed. You can listen to it here if you'd like. If you own a storage unit you might not want to listen...actually, you should listen. No more apologies. I'd love to hear feedback, good and bad. I'm a big boy, I can take it. I'd love to hear if anyone is open to the possibility of bringing someone into their house.
