Fuel the Fire

My Story - A Story of Hope

2011-10-29T11:37:00.007-05:00

Most people put their hope in earthly things: "money, possessions, people, greed, stuff"...but I don't think I really had hope in anything. Don't get me wrong, I wanted someone to "fix" me, but I didn't really want to work for it or seek out a solution. I wanted a quick and simple fix for all the shortfalls that I felt…for all the wrongs that I felt others had dealt me over the years. Basically, I wanted someone to tell me that I was right and good, and everything thing else was evil…that I was great and everyone else was crazy…and I wanted that to be the truth. I secretly wanted people to feel sorry for me…and if they wanted to hand me a million dollars in the process, that would be alright as well. In my mind, that would solve all my problems and worries…life would be wonderful and I’d have a genuine smile on my face for the first time in years.

This spiraled to a place of nightly drinking to escape the reality that I had placed myself in. The reality that I felt I was going nowhere, and even if I knew how to change that, I didn't have the desire to put the bottle down and make a move. I had no desire to change my own circumstance. I just wanted the sympathy. This place I had put myself into made me believe that this would be my life forever. A life of addiction…and of loneliness… and of anger…and of feeling I was owed something.

One cold night, while sitting alone on my 3rd floor balcony drinking, I remember reaching my breaking point, my bottom...I couldn't keep going like this. I cried out to God and told Him I was finished...I was broken...I couldn't live like that anymore. It was either real life change or death for me...there was no other way out. I stood up, walked inside, and grabbed a Bible off my bookshelf. I returned back to the cold floor of my balcony and opened the book. I had no idea what I was looking for (since I never really read it), so I just opened it to a ‘random’ place; Philippians 4. I sat there, squinting to make out the words under the dim light from the far off moon and humming flood lights around me. What I read broke me to my very core:

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” – Philippians 4:4-13

After reading those words, I knelt on the cold ground, put my face down to the floor, and wept. I cried out to God, and this was His answer to me. I asked Him to take control of my life...to make me new. That only He could save me...make me into the person that He had created me to be. And there I stayed, for an hour, bent over on the ground, crying to God, speaking to Him, praising Him.

That was 6 years ago, and I'm blessed to say that my life has never been the same since. I still have my struggles, I've had my share of difficult times...but the difference is that I know God is here...He loves me even in my worst of moments...He was the Savior I needed all along. He is love, and He is all I ever need. He chose to have His son Jesus die for me, and for all of us, so that no matter the trouble we get into, no matter the pain we feel or inflict on others, no matter how far we run from Him, we are loved all the same, we are forgiven, and we are given the same promise for those who choose Him over all else.

My story doesn't end there. Because ultimately; this story isn't mine, but His. Jesus called us to love all, and in order to know love, we must know Him. He alone is love. He showed us the way…and called us to share His love with the world.

Are you hurting? Alone? Angry? Seeking something greater? Feeling like nothing ever really satisfies? You are not alone…I’ve been there...there is hope!

“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” –Ephesians 2:1-10

God Winks At Me

2011-02-24T08:18:00.005-06:00

have you ever been driving along on the highway, when suddenly all of the street lights turn on or off? i’m sure you’ve all seen it dozens of times…or perhaps it happens without you even noticing. we all assume that when the sun rises or sets to just a certain point…or when a predetermined timer is activated…that the lights are simply switched…flicked on or off, right?

well, i see something different. when these lights switch, God winks at me. yep, that’s right…i just said that. i know, that may sound a bit ridiculous and juvenile… but this is something i decided years ago, and it’s stuck with me ever since.

so, this morning, on the way to work, God winked at me again.

every time He does, it brings a smile to my face….no matter what sort of mood i may be in. it really helps put things into perspective. that all these things that i know…that i try to control…work, family, money, friends, traffic; they’re not really about me at all, but about Him. it’s the perfect reminder that i have no control over so many things…i can’t even turn the street lights on.

how does God wink at you?

Our Daily Bread

2011-02-09T11:22:00.003-06:00

i first posted this photo on my facebook page, with the caption reading "this photo is saved as my desktop image at work. i just spent 5 minutes staring at it. my heart breaks for the realities that this little boy lives everyday."

that was 45 minutes ago...

as i sit here at work at my comfy desk... with a space heater warming my legs beneath it... pandora radio playing through the headphones plugged into my iphone... wireless high-speed internet blasting through my computer and uploading these images and words faster than i can type them... a warm lunch awaiting me in a matter of minutes... and another paycheck being handed to me in a couple days that far exceeds the amount of money i truly need to live... i ponder the words "give us today our daily bread"... and guilt rolls over me.

i sit here and think about this little boy (and the millions of others just like him)...who doesn't even have indoor plumbing, let alone the luxuries that i take for granted everyday... and i wonder... what am i really doing to help? awareness is worthless unless it leads to action, right? so what is my action? what am i doing to make a difference? how am i doing more with what God has blessed me with?

would giving money to red bowl help? sure.
would going and feeding this little boy in south africa make a difference? absolutely.

should i be satisfied with those simple things that we're all called to do? i fear that all to often i am.

What Exists For You

2011-02-07T07:38:00.005-06:00

do you feel lost? alone? defeated? do you feel like life has cheated you? did you think that by this point in your life, things would be different?

do you struggle? are you in bondage? addiction? pain? hurting? lost?

are you in need of answers? do you feeling like something is missing?

are you full of pride? are you tired of life being "business as usual"?

are you a skeptic? been burned by others before? feel that hope has passed you by?

are you afraid of what you might discover if you go looking for answers? fearful of what others might say if you make a change? afraid of what will be required of you? afraid of the unknown?

if you're reading this, then I'm talking to you.

all these thoughts, feelings, answers and excuses fall well short of the hope that exists for you.

if this is you...text me...email me...meet me for coffee...whatever you need to do. just don't let these feelings pass you by. i was once the one asking all these questions...making all the excuses i could. doing my best to hide the uneasy stirring within me. then one day, i grew tired of who i'd become, and what i thought life was suppose to be. i went in search of answers...a solution that truly changes. below is my contact info. please, let me know what i can do for you. don't allow your pride to keep you from the freedom that awaits you.

email: reininger.jeff@gmail.com
twitter: http://twitter.com/jeffreininger
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=1206334985+

Running: Greater Cause, Higher Purpose

2010-07-14T15:10:00.013-05:00

my fascination for running began in high school. as a freshman, i was persuaded by friends to join the cross-country team. everyday after school, we would lace up our shoes and hit the streets, running anywhere between 2 and 6 miles, depending on what our coach had planned for us on that day. i remember completing a 6 mile run back then, and feeling like i had conquered the world.

as i got older and moved on from organized school sports, i always seemed to go back to running as my main source of exercise. the distances may have varied, as did the rewards afterward, (if you're really curious about the rewards, ask me about it sometime) but the motion itself stayed the same...one step at a time.

like i said, running is a fascination, but certainly not a love. quite often, i find it a chore to run...to train. the one thing that seems to keep my legs moving is the desire to accomplish a goal that i've set for myself. last year, as i was training for my first marathon, it was very difficult to wake up before 5:00am and run. nothing about me wanted to leave the comfort of my cozy bed for the humid mornings and stray dogs that the dark streets had to offer. i got up and ran in the morning for one reason, to accomplish that goal...to cross the finish line after 26.2 miles.

so, last year on november 15th, i crossed the finish line...i got a medal placed around my neck...i ran a marathon. when asked immediately afterward if i'd ever do it again, my quick response was "absolutely not". well, apparently time makes for cloudy memories. sure, i will remember the pain my body felt, and my mental strength running on fumes as i ran the last miles, but i've witnessed something else since then...i went to africa and saw starving, diseased, dying children without electricity, heat, or running water...and i now realize that a few hours of suffering on my part is nothing compared to the constant despair that they call everyday life. if by me running a few painful miles helps make a difference, it gives each of those aches and pains a purpose far greater than any medal could show.

true, there is much to do, but i believe there is something i can do, one step at a time.

want to help, click here and donate, or sign up and run with me.

click here for a video.

Thoughs on What Matters More

2010-07-01T09:06:00.005-05:00

I recently watched this video (click here) which was linked from the Amplify Facebook Fan Page (click here). Yes, while the Facebook post did ask for our thoughts on the song, what followed was not much more than some Christians debating with each other over the musical content, the use of the word “shit” in the lyrics, and some thoughts on homosexuality. Perhaps that did satisfy the question at hand, and their thoughts that stirred from the song….but it didn’t satisfy mine. I woke up in the middle of the night with thoughts swirling around in my head about this song, and what I feel the true meaning is. Here are the thoughts that I wrote down on my phone at 3am. And remember, wherever there is a “we”, the “me” is most definitely implied.

Loving thoughts and great intentions are worthless unless they lead to action. Debating is over-rated, because while details are being fought over, the point of the Gospel is being neglected. Go out and do (Matthew 28:19), there is no room for debate over that. While points are being pushed and thoughts are being revealed over the artists’ use of the word “shit”, and the music resembling that of ‘The Postal Service’, 50,000 are dying. Isn’t that the real point!? This song wasn’t written so Christians could sit around in their little circles and talk about the meaning of it all, meanwhile, the rest of the world continues on just as it is. Isn’t this song a call for us to collectively put our money where our mouths are, and go out and tell others about Jesus (when is the last time we dined with the ‘tax collector’?), not sit around with others just like us and discuss earthly things that will fail? How often do we go hours or days without asking God what we can do to glorify Him (Matthew 25: 31-46)? Do our friends, family, classmates and coworkers really know who we are, or do they have a better understanding of the person we outwardly portray on a daily basis than we do (Matthew 7: 1-5)? Are we simply fooling ourselves by thinking that our intentions are glorifying to Him (Ephesians 2: 1-10)?

So, there was my 3am slap in the face. Hope it stirs you into action as much as it does me. I welcome your thoughts, but don’t debate with me…there’s no time for that.

South Africa - Running Diary - Part IX

2010-06-22T14:07:00.005-05:00

Saturday, January 23^rd – 9:30 pm: “I’ve learned more about myself in the past 10 days than I have in the past 10 years.” A bit of an exaggeration, sure; but perhaps an accurate description of an intriguing journey that I’ve been on for several years now. The fact that I even committed to and traveled to Joburg speaks volumes. There’s definitely been a character shift in my life over the past several years. A new focus, a new desire, a shift of the compass. My hope is that others who know me can attest to this shift in my life as well, and that they can still see a fire burning for the things I’ve seen, some 5 months after returning. A fear of mine from this trip (and written about a couple times while in S. Africa) is that I would return home and quickly go back to the way I was prior to being impacted by all the things I had been a part of. My fear is that I would go back to ‘business as usual’. The reality is, I see few things as dangerous as that.

Saturday, January 23^rd – 10:30 pm: “I’m sad to have to have to leave this city tomorrow.” Looking back, those 10 days flew by…and looking back, I’m still sad I had to leave that place. I’m left with the resolve that some day, I will go back. For now, I receive updates from one of my favorite people in the world who currently calls Joburg his home (click here for his blog), and from a couple people I met while over there who I can communicate with thanks to Facebook and Twitter. I will go back. Someday, I hope my son is able to go as well, to meet for himself the people that I pray for daily. Who else wants to go along!?

It Is Well With My Soul

2010-02-17T07:41:00.005-06:00

"It Is Well With My Soul" is one of my favorite songs...if you don't know the full story behind it, google it! The quick "Cliffs Notes" synopsis of this songs meaning is simply that no matter what wicked things occur in your life, the eternal and unconditional love of God does not waver. This song is not about thanking God when things are going well, but rather praising His name when all seems lost.

On our last day in the prisons in Africa, we went to the woman's area to speak and share with them. It was an unforgettable experience, hearing Kellie and Nicole share their lives and hearts with a couple hundred of these women, and seeing God's hand, mightily at work. Someone on our team captured some video of them singing this song, and I wanted to post it here for all to see. Cameras were not allowed in the woman's area, so a team member; who's name will forever go unmentioned; committed a crime in an African prison to bring you this video...enjoy. And remember, it is well...

Easily Pleased

2010-02-16T15:40:00.001-06:00

video courtesy of: desiringgod.org

The script comes straight from C. S. Lewis:

If there lurks in most modern minds the notion that to desire our own good and earnestly to hope for the enjoyment of it is a bad thing, I submit that this notion has crept in from Kant and the Stoics and is no part of the Christian faith. Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased. (The Weight of Glory, 26)

Church Downhill Slalom

2010-02-13T17:33:00.002-06:00

A new sport Katy and I invented in South Africa. I hope it catches on.

South Africa - Running Diary - Part VIII

2010-02-10T10:00:00.003-06:00

Saturday, January 23^rd – 8:50 am: “African Safari.” Saturday morning, we all piled in the van and drove about an hour out of town to the Lion Park. This place was like something you’d see only on a National Geographic show….zebras, gazelles, ostriches, giraffes, cheetahs, hyenas, meerkats, and of course, lions…all out in the wild. Not crammed into a small artificial habitat, like you’d see at the zoo. We drove around, saw the zebras and gazelles grazing on the open prairies, a few cheetahs pacing nervously as we passed them, and the hyenas and meerkats napping lazily in the morning sun. But the star of the show is the lions, no doubt, right!? We drove around looking for them for a few minutes, unable to spot even one. Just was we were starting to make sarcastic jokes about how there’s no lions at the Lion Park, we realized that we were about to run right into about 15 of them as they lay napping under a large tree.(Click here for photo) We all quickly shifted to the side of the van to get a closer look. This is what we had come to see…and these creatures were huge…how did we not see them earlier. There was 1 male lion, a few females, and several smaller lion cubs, all spread out, enjoying the cool breeze and shade that the tree had to offer. Some were motionless in their sleep…others were sitting, looking around, and a couple of the lion cubs played with and chewed on some of the low lying tree branches. The van stopped no more than 5 feet from these beautiful animals, and I couldn’t help but realize just how magnificent these creatures really are. I’m not seeing them through a tv screen, or through some steel bars at a zoo, but rather on a huge open field, surrounded by nothing by trees, grass, and blue skies. Part of me really wanted to get out of the van and lay with them, pet them, play with them…but that probably would have led to my dismemberment and death, so I decided to just sit in awe of them from a few feet away. At one point, the male and one of the females went off to share an ‘intimate’ moment together. (Click here for photo, just not "the" photo...yes, "the" photo does exist.) Sure, there were some cheers, jokes and high fives shared in our van upon witnessing this act, but the fact that we got to witness ‘nature being nature’ was pretty cool as well. Later on, we made it to an encaged area that housed about 10 or so baby lion cubs that we could interact with, pet, play with, etc. These little fuzz balls had claws and sharp teeth, but not enough strength in their little bodies yet to do much damage with them. I captured one of my favorite photos from the entire trip, with Katy and one of the cubs caught in a cute stare down. (Click here for photo) Needless to say, this little excursion was not the reason we traveled halfway around the world, but it was an amazing experience that you just can’t find back home…

Saturday, January 23^rd – 7:15 pm: “Ian showers, for the first time.” A feeling of betrayal and disappointment feel upon me and the other 4 men of the trip who had yet to shower during this entire trip when we heard the news that Ian had in fact taken a shower, rather than ‘cupping’. He tried to use the excuse that since he had to spend the next 24 hours on an airplane next to his pregnant wife, he wanted to smell good for her, but we weren’t buying it. Such a selfish and shameful act could only be corrected in one way…we had to throw him in the pool outside. Let me explain a little about our little swimming hole in the back yard. I’m sure that about 15 years ago, this oasis was quite the place to be during the hot summers, but I’m also going to assume that this pool hadn’t been cleaned or maintained since that summer 15 years ago. There was a thick green goo that floated on the top, and no one was certain of the depth, on account that you couldn’t see more than 2 inches below the surface of the water level. There were mosquitoes the size of baby birds that lived and grew larger than any insect should ever be allowed to due to its unknown fumes and toxins. So, given this, Ian was bound for the pool for committing such an act of betrayal to his fellow brothers on this trip. So, we all grabbed hold of him, picked him up, and carried him outside and up to the pool. He yelled out and cried for mercy, but we ignored his requests. His wife Crystal pleaded with us to let him go, but we laughed at her as well. We were filled with rage as we swung him from our arms and into the green abyss below. He yelled, flailed, and splashed down in the middle of the pool, only to rise up a second later with the previously mentioned thick green goo hanging from his head and shoulders. We all walked away…he screamed. Our work here was done…justice! Okay…okay…we didn’t really throw him in the pool…but part of us kind of wanted to. We had gone 10 days without showering, 2 other guys had wives to sit next to on the plane ride home as well…and at least I was actually proud of the fact that I had ‘cupped’ for 10 days straight, and actually didn’t feel dirty whatsoever. We gave Ian a hard time for about 3 minutes, them moved on to something else to talk about. These are the things that happen when grown men sleep together in the same room for an extended period of time…

South Africa - Running Diary - Part VII

2010-02-08T10:49:00.009-06:00

Friday, January 22^nd – 7:35 pm: “Red light (robot), Green light (robot).” Friday night, we lead the youth service at church. By this point, most of us were exhausted for the non-stop pace of the week...but this was our last commitment for the evening, before we could go back to the Mission House and crawl into our beds for the night. We started the evening off with a few games that we were familiar with, but they had never heard of. We played Red Light, Green Light (they call their traffic lights ‘robots’. Weird, I know), and Limbo with the youth. The kids had a blast playing along with us and competing with each other. Next, everyone filed into the church where we lead worship for them. That’s right, I said “we”…I sang in the choir…and I even shared a microphone with Nicole. Apparently my voice wasn’t too horrible, because no one left…although I’m not 100% certain that our mic was even on. Regardless, we led worship for the youth; they sang along, motioned with us and praised Him. Next, a couple people shared their stories for the kids. At which time, Katy felt called to share hers as well. She wasn’t planning on speaking that night, but the Spirit led her to speak up and tell all the kids about what God had done in her life, and what He can do in each of their lives as well. So, she stood up, spoke, and shared the Gospel with them. That night, 3 kids were led to Christ!!! As if that wasn’t cool enough, after our night of worship and speaking was finished, we all went back into the Hall to play some indoor soccer. These kids may have been only 16 years old or so, but I now see why soccer can unite the world…and why the US lags a bit behind the world as far as talent goes…these kids were amazing! The boys played against each other, the girls cheered, the guys waiting to play jumped around and sang soccer chants. Oh, and we (Bongo, Ian, Ryan and myself) ended up beating all of them in a few games that night…icing on the cake.

Friday, January 22^nd – 10:30 pm: “Late night and ridiculous stories.” After arriving home quite late that night, many of us were too charged up (or sweaty) to just head straight off to bed. So, we stayed up and shared stories about our lives. A couple headed off to their rooms, others showered or ‘cupped’, and the rest of us sat around and chatted. There were stories told about former jobs, old habits, and ‘restroom humor’. After a long, intense, but rewarding week, this night had been a great chance for all of us to bond in a different way, get to know more about each others lives back home, as well as gain a clearer idea at the things that made us laugh. Two ‘restroom’ stories stood out in my mind…my beach encounter and Ryan’s startling discovery at Starbuck’s. These tales left us all horrified and laughing until our sides hurt. Want to know the details? Ask me sometime...

South Africa - Running Diary - Part VI

2010-02-04T09:28:00.008-06:00

South Africa - Running Diary - Part V

2010-02-02T11:03:00.003-06:00

I lazily attempted to keep a running diary of my daily events during our trip to South Africa. What follows below is that lazy attempt. The words in quotes are the actual things I wrote in my journal, followed by a brief description (if necessary) to describe the words I wrote and the significance behind them. Whenever possible, I tried to document the time (local time depending on what time zone I was in) at which these events occurred. Hope that makes at least some sense…enjoy.

Wednesday, January 20th – 5:35 pm: “If hope can grow from dirt like me, it can be done” This is a line from the Pearl Jam song ‘Down’, and it really has been a catch phrase for my life so many times. I know that I’ve been in some dark places in my life, unable to see a way out of the mess that I had gotten myself into, but for some reason, God found me worthy of rescue…and if He can rescue me, He can rescue anyone…I truly believe that. Through Him, all things really are possible. After a day of mind numbing and truly humbling experiences, I jotted down this phrase in my journal, because I needed to remind myself of that hope.

Wednesday, January 20th – 7:45 pm: “African BBQ.” We had quite a gathering at the house that night for an authentic African braai (pronounced bry, Afrikaans for barbeque). Pastor Willie grilled lamb chops, steaks, and sausage. Beauty showed the women on the trip how to make pap (pronounced pop), which is essentially a thick porridge that you eat with your hands, and us men did what men in South Africa do, we played soccer. When the food was ready, we all gathered around, prayed and dug in. This meal was delicious, to say the least. As I sat outside surrounded by the entire group, everyone eating their food, I saw this weird sense of reality slowly start to sink in with most everyone. I could see people’s minds racing, processing what all they had seen that day…mostly they people in the squatter camp that would go hungry that night. I could see a new sense of gratitude, and perhaps even a feeling of guilt with each bite of steak and pap. A full plate and satisfied stomach began to take on a different meaning for many people that night…

Thursday, January 21st – 7:40 am: “Three more children at school today.” On our way to a local elementary school, three young boys yelled out ‘pastor, pastor, pastor’, as our van flew past them. Willie stopped the van, put it in reverse, backed up, stopped and instructed us to open the door. As we did, these three young boys hopped into the van as we quickly pulled away. We drove with them a couple blocks to our destination, all the while, Willie talked with them, asking each how they were doing. Each boy replied to his questions in a polite manner, grateful for the ride. We arrived at the school, and they flew out of the van and into the classroom building. We quickly unloaded the van and make our way into the school audition to meet with these children. We sang some songs with them, Katy shared a few words with them on what God had done in her life, and what He could do in theirs, and in a flash, we were off again. What amazed me the most about this instance, it that it apparently happened all the time. When Willie drove that van around, people noticed. He would honk and wave at people as he flew past them. He would talk with people at stop signs or red lights. He was known in his community…to all people. To the women, to the children in the squatter camps and schools, to the drunken men on the sidewalk, he was known. And if they knew Willie, they had heard about Jesus. Willie didn’t miss an opportunity to speak the Gospel…in fact he drove around looking for new people to share it with…

Thursday, January 21st – 8:55 am: “75+ young men awaiting their sentence.” Again at the Joburg Prison, this time in a bit of a different environment. There were 75 or so young men (most between 18-21 years old) all waiting to stand trial for their crimes. Some of their cases had been pending for several years. To say the look on these men’s faces was ‘scared’ would be an understatement. They were nervous and lost. As we sang and spoke to them, it felt like we were still in one of the elementary schools. Their eyes were young and glued to our every word. With so much still uncertain in their life, they wanted to believe in something. I was given another opportunity to speak, and I didn’t lose sight of the moment. God’s words flowed through me as I spoke the truth to these men. In the end, nearly all these young men surrendered their lives to Christ that morning…it was an amazing scene. Regardless of their fate within those walls, the truth had set them free!

Thursday, January 21st – 11:25 am: “Nachos and wings.” Not much to say about this, besides the fact that Katy and I traveled 10,000 miles to eat nachos and wings! We all went out to eat at a nice restaurant called Catz Pjyamas…I had been craving tortillas and Mexican food all week, so when the opportunity arose, I took it. Wings were exceptional, nachos were satisfactory. Funny how you don’t notice the little pleasures in life until they’re gone. Moral of the story, Mexican food is good!

Thursday, January 21st – 2:20 – 2:40 pm: “20 well deserved minutes.” I had a very refreshing 20 minute nap. By this point, I was running on fumes (as was everyone else)…and after a full meal of wings and nachos, my belly was craving some rest as well. Once I woke up, productivity returned to my life…

Thursday, January 21st – 5:50 pm: “Not about our ‘tourist’ desires.” We ate at McDonald’s again for dinner…which was quite alright with me…but I got a sense of a couple others grumbling over this. After all, we could always have a Big Mac, but it’s not everyday you get to eat like the Africans do, right!? Well, the reality is many, many, many men, women and children within a 5 minute walk from us we’re going hungry that night…so if they truly wanted to eat like the people of the land, they would have thrown their nuggets and fries in the trash. Thankful for His provision…

South Africa - Running Diary - Part IV

2010-02-01T09:53:00.002-06:00

I lazily attempted to keep a running diary of my daily events during our trip to South Africa. What follows below is that lazy attempt. The words in quotes are the actual things I wrote in my journal, followed by a brief description (if necessary) to describe the words I wrote and the significance behind them. Whenever possible, I tried to document the time (local time depending on what time zone I was in) at which these events occurred. Hope that makes at least some sense…enjoy.

Wednesday, January 20th – 7:50 am: “Elementary school – Smart Kids – Sin” A small child answered ‘Sin is when we disappoint God’, to the question, ‘What is sin?’ Another child said ‘Sin is what separates us from God’. These children were no more than 9 years old, but already they understood the consequences for their actions…this just blew me away…Katy was near tears after hearing there little voices speak such big words. In a school that wasn’t even able to afford to pay their phone bill, a drive-way that was solid mud and potholes, in an old building we all stood with the lights off, most likely because it was a cost savings they could desperately use somewhere else, we listened to these children explain their understanding of God’s love for them…and we saw that they understood what that meant, even through their less than stellar living situations. Again, these small children have so much to teach us…

Wednesday, January 20th – 10:15 am: “Traveled 10,000 miles to meet myself”. In the Joburg Prison – Section F, stood a man who was no different than me. I was given the opportunity again to share my story to all the men who showed up to see us that day. It was an odd morning there, to say the least. We set up our equipment in an outdoor courtyard…a courtyard that was still very wet from a rain shower that had soaked the area just hours before. Due to this, there was standing water everywhere…there was a disconnect between us and the inmates…and it created this ‘less than intimate’ setting for us to worship with and speak with these men. There was this uncomfortable and forced feeling throughout the worship music, then it was my turn to speak. I grabbed the microphone and began to share a bit of what God had done in my life and could do in theirs. Through the awkwardness of the setting, I completely left out the main point I wanted to share…that I tried over and over to quit drinking, but every time I tried, I failed. Ultimately, it was God who changed me…put people and things in my life that would help rid me of my addiction. Forgetting this and wrapping up, I handed the microphone off to the next person, went and stood with the rest of our group against a brick wall, and immediately felt disappointment; anger and sadness fill me as I realized that through all the confusion, I had left out the primary point I wanted to discuss. I leaned against that wall and sulked, felt I had ruined a great opportunity to share something that perhaps a few of these men needed to hear…I missed a great opportunity to show how great, powerful and redeeming God really is. I had an obligation, and I ruined it, I felt. It wasn’t until later that I reminded yet again just how redeeming God could be. After singing another song with these men, we went out and met with them, talking with them about life, prison, and ultimately, Jesus. Katy and I came up to one man who greeted us with a huge smile…he was so thankful that we traveled so far to meet with them…to meet with him. His name was Alex. He told Katy and I that he was in prison because he has a drinking problem, he’s an alcoholic. This struck my curiosity a bit. He said that over and over again, he tried to quit drinking, but couldn’t do it on his own. He felt that there was now no way he could do it on his own…he knew who he was…he knew he was weak. Needless to say, by now he had my full attention. He went on to tell us that he surrendered his life to Christ, and asked God to take away this horrible addiction of his. It was then that he was thrown in prison for his drinking which led to an assault. The clarity in these events was seen by both Alex and myself…God had put something in his life to keep him from drinking…God had put Alex in prison…to detox. The joy and gratitude Alex had for this was astounding. He was able to see the purpose for the bad things in his life now…he was able to see that God had a plan for him all along…he saw the great things God does in situations most people would classify as bad. God put Alex in prison, and he fell at God’s feet rejoicing Him. We talked for a good 20 minutes, discussed how similar our stories were. Then…it was over. We left. As I exited the prison gates I stopped…I grabbed Katy…and I wept. God had redeemed me yet again. Just 30 minutes earlier I stood against a brick wall and sulked because I felt I had ruined a great opportunity…then God showed me yet again why He’s God. He took me half way around the world to show me a mirror…to have me meet a man who was no different than me…a man who shared a greatly similar story to that of mine. God showed us both why there is hope in this world, why certain things happen in our lives, why nothing in coincidence, why everything is spiritual…

Wednesday, January 20th – 4:10 pm: “The saddest thing I’ve ever seen.” If it wasn’t for complete embarrassment on my part, that photo I would have taken would have been the most fitting image of anything I saw on our trip…the one image that captured the poverty, pain, hurt and anguish in our world, and the urgency to be His hands and feet. A 5-year-old squatted with his pants down, barefoot on a cool, damp afternoon over a tin pan on a dirt path…this was his restroom, and the daily news was his toilet paper. We walked by as he looked at us, and yet we were the ones feeling embarrassment. It was a heartbreaking image, to say the least. I wanted to take a picture of this wrenching moment, but couldn’t bring myself to putting a camera through that sadness. So, that’s why I’m writing about it instead. As Kyle always says to anyone who goes on a mission trip and witnesses these things, “now, we are all responsible”. Yes…yes we are…

'Cupping' - Explained

2010-01-31T09:46:00.003-06:00

As promised in my previous post, here is the video explaining the 'cupping' method for all to revel over and attempt. Just FYI, there was one technique revealed called the 'Inversion', but that is not for amateurs...it takes months of practice to execute. Happy Cupping!

South Africa - Running Diary - Part III

2010-01-30T15:41:00.014-06:00

I lazily attempted to keep a running diary of my daily events during our trip to South Africa. What follows below is that lazy attempt. The words in quotes are the actual things I wrote in my journal, followed by a brief description (if necessary) to describe the words I wrote and the significance behind them. Whenever possible, I tried to document the time (local time depending on what time zone I was in) at which these events occurred. Hope that makes at least some sense…enjoy.

Tuesday, January 19th - 9:05 am: "Elementary School: 1,147 students...amazing discipline...their eyes are full of hope and joy." We arrived at this school thinking we'd be singing a song or two, hand out a few cd's, share a story, then be on our way...what we walked away with was far more than that. Quite a few of these kids were from the squatter camp just blocks away, yet there was no social distinctions or judgement for the other kids...all got along...all viewed each other as equal. What a beautiful thing to witness...especially by children of such a young age. Kids from 1st to 7th grade all interacting and enjoying each other...their love and acceptance for each other was great....indoor plumbing or not. These children; all 1,147 of them could teach the world a few things about tolerance, joy and love.

Tuesday, January 19th - 10:20 am: "35 men in social captivity living in spiritual freedom." Our second visit to the Joburg Prison was even more fantastic that the first. We were leading a worship service for an entire group of inmates, along with a baptism ceremony. We sang songs, prayed, spoke the Gospel, and over 20 men accepted Christ into their lives. In addition to this, 35 inmates were baptized...each one washed away their sins and displayed publicly in front of all their fellow inmates their outward sign of their new life. Men exited that blue inflatable pool in tears...forever grateful for the change that God had done in their life since commiting the crimes that placed them within those walls to begin with. It was an amazing picture of the redeeming power of Christ. These men walked over to their fellow inmates and hugged each other in this joyous moment. I couldn't help but follow suit and wrap my arms around these men; my brothers; as well.

Tuesday, January 19th - 4:35 pm: "Bruma Open Air Market - These men will haggle you to death." We spent the afternoon at a market doing a little shopping for souveniers for ourselves and our loved ones back home. Very much the same as a Flea Market here...random shops, odd collectibles, no set prices, and shop owners who will tell you anything to make a sale. I tried on a soccer jersey that might have fit tight on a 12 year old...what did the shop owner tell me? "It fits perfectly...it will stretch out a little...you're suppose to wear jersey's tight." Really? Pretty sure the seams would have ripped completely out had I done as little as sneezed. After an hour and a half I think we had all had our fill of the pushy salesman routine, so were are out of there...but not before I found a soccer jersey that fit just right.

Tuesday, January 19th - 8:35 pm: "The freedom of our story." For the past few days I could tell that something was bugging Kellie a bit. Everytime we talked about sharing our testimony to others, she got nervous...there is an anxiety that comes with being vulnerable, open and honest for the world to see. She was wrestling with what she was going to say. Finally, after our nightly devotional, Kellie asked if she could share her story with us. What followed was a joyous freedom that only comes when we allow ourselves to be fully revealed. The words and stories flowed from her heart and were met with our loving ears...and a weight was lifted off her shoulders. There truly is a freedom in Christ...and I think we all saw just that lived out that night.

Tuesday, January 19th - 9:3o pm: "Displayed 'cupping' method." After 2 days of intense curiousity, the 6 guys on the trip finally revealed the meaning behind the term "cupping". The women of the house were at a complete loss everytime one of us metioned this word. They didn't know if it was some sort of sleeping position, bathroom apparatus or simply an inside joke amongst immature men...all I knew is that they were tired of us asking each other "who's cupping next?" The quick story is this: there was not a shower in the downstairs bathroom for the 6 guys..only a bathtub that was a bit too dirty to even contemplate sitting and bathing in. So, to compromise, all us guys decided to simply 'cup' our hands under the bath tub faucet(s), fill them with water, and rinse ourselves clean that way. Thus, the "I haven't showered in 10 days" facebook status update upon my return home. It wasn't a lie...I didn't shower, I 'cupped'. Don't worry, we captured a mock demonstration from the women on video, so hopefully this clip will be on YouTube within the next few days...I'll keep everyone posted. Happy Cupping!

South Africa 10

2010-01-29T07:34:00.000-06:00

video courtesy of r. ryan callahan. thanks brother.

South Africa - Running Diary - Part II

2010-01-28T12:41:00.003-06:00

Monday, January 18^th – 9:15 am: “Men of God in orange jump suits.” Our first full day of ministry took us first to the Johannesburg Correctional Centre. We were to worship with and talk to men serving life sentences in the Maximum Security area of the Joburg Prison. These 50 or so men in this room blew me away…their ability to cry out to God and worship Him in spite of their circumstances was definitely the first of many humbling moments on this trip. Their voices sang out for 35 minutes straight, all singing in unison, harmony and praise to God. Our attempt to follow them with a guitar and 12 voices was near humorous. On top of this, I got to share my story with these men. I wasn’t sure how my journey would be able to reach them and impact them in their current living situation, but God gave me the words to speak to them, and these words had them intrigued. It was a very freeing moment to open up and share all that God has done in my life, in spite of how I fought him for so long. Was able to speak to several of them individually afterward…their faith in God is amazingly strong.

Monday, January 18^th – 10:40 am: “Pastor Willie might just be the greatest man I’ve ever met.” Simply stated, this man never stops speaking Jesus and seeking all. I don’t think he knows what ‘uncomfortable’ means. He truly understands his call too seek ALL people, not just those that are convenient. Seeing this lived out on a daily basis challenges me to distance me from my comfort zone as well.

Monday, January 18^th – 3:10 pm: “Joe Slovo Squatter Camp – Amazing.” I can’t believe people have to pay to live here. If I ever complain again about silly things, someone needs to punch me in the face. On top of these living conditions that simply have to be seen to fully understand (photos come no where near comprehending), these children blow me away…they find joy even in the worst of conditions. Smiles abound even without things we take for granted (indoor plumbing, air conditioning, heating, bedrooms, beds…)

Monday, January 18^th – 6:50 pm: “Dinner at News Cafe – “Jalapeño Cheese Burger w/ a side of tears.” We all sat a nice restaurant eating delicious and satisfying food, all the while everyone’s faces were heavy…thoughts were stirring in our heads. Through the occasional jokes and laughter, we all were in process of the things we had witnessed so far that day…the men who loved God more than life, even though they would never see freedom again, the children who were able to smile at us in spite of their living conditions and empty bellies, and Beauty. As Stefani told us the amazing story that is their (now our) friend Beauty’s life, tears ran down our faces. Joke as we may that it was dusty in the room or that our food was very spicy, we all knew the real reason for the tears…we were all witnesses of a woman’s love in spite of the obstacles she has to face on a daily basis.

Monday, January 18^th – 7:15 pm: “First offer to use internet – Immediately declined the offer.” I was loving the disconnect. I didn’t know who won the NFL playoff games, who had sent me emails or Facebook messages, and I was greatly enjoying the disconnect. I really enjoyed not knowing the happenings in the world for 10 days. Funny how insignificant pop culture can be…and how until recently I never would have thought that would be true.

Monday, January 18^th – 9:20 pm: “Broken, inspired, responsible people are ready to charge on for God.” Kyle has always said that once you’ve witnessed something, you’re responsible. We were all starting to understand that concept by night one. Perhaps the quote of the day goes to Jonathan for saying “Kids dancing barefoot on broken glass next to a pile of burning garbage.” Let those words sink in for a moment. We all witnessed that on Monday, and we are all now responsible.

South Africa - Running Diary - Part I

2010-01-27T10:28:00.007-06:00

Friday, January 15^th – 10:01 am: “Man just tried to bring a gun thru security at the airport…amazing!” We had just passed through security and were grabbing our bags and shoes off the conveyor belt when someone noticed that there was an object that looked just like a handgun in a man’s bag as it passed through the x-ray screen. He tried to tell the officers that the gun was a collectors item and didn’t want it getting lost in the checked luggage, but needless to say, he was arrested. But I think the worst part of the entire experience was the look on his wife’s face. Something tells me he’s safer in jail than back in the house with her…yikes!

Friday, January 15^th – 11:46 am: “Leaving on a jet plane.” Boarding our plane to Washington DC…needless to say, we were all very excited to be finally leaving after all these months of planning. In a few hours, we would be boarding another plane heading to Johannesburg, South Africa.

Saturday, January 16^th – Sometime over the Atlantic Ocean: “Juno and Ace Ventura: Pet Detective.” Watched some quality movies on our 18 hour flight. What did people do before personal entertainment systems built into each seat?

Saturday, January 16^th – 9:34 pm: “It is well with my soul.” All 12 of us were gathered around having a nightly devotional when this song ran through my head…not sure why exactly, but it’s an amazing song…and an incredible story surrounding it’s meaning. Click here for video of song.

Saturday, January 16^th – Bed Time: “Ryan + Kevin = Snoring.” These two guys could snore. Ryan was quite proud of his abilities, and even brought earplugs for all of us, as all 6 of us guys were sharing one room. Kevin on the other hand was in some sort of snoring denial all week. We attempted 3 separate times to document his snoring on film, but all three times were unsuccessful. It’s legend ranks right up there with the Loch Ness Monster and Big Foot.

“Lights Off = Wide Awake.” My mind raced pretty much all night about what our trip would reveal to me, what we would see, how messed up my internal clock was, etc. I think I slept a total of 2 hours that night. The fact that my mattress transformed into a mathematical parabola (thanks Jonathan) as soon as I laid on it didn’t help either. PM medication was party of my nightly sleeping routine every night after that.

“Sinus headache still exists.” I had a sinus headache that started an entire week prior to this night, and every day it got gradually worse. Medicine was no match for this one…even my jaw was in pain. Luckily, I think the change of climate fixed all that the next day, and It’s been gone every since.

Sunday, January 17^th – 9:54 am: “It’s later than it’s ever been before.” This was a great line spoken by the one and only Pastor Willie Dengler Sunday morning at church. Willie was saying that if Jesus returned tomorrow, would you be ready? People often try to makes deals with God, or say that they’ll follow him ‘someday’, after their finished having their fun. He was speaking directly to those people, asking about their urgency…if Jesus returned tomorrow, or if they never work up the following day, where would that leave then. Great message.

Sunday, January 17^th – Evening worship service: “I could sing of your love forever.” One of the songs that was sung that night…and it was just a beautiful moment…don’t even know how to describe.

“How will I use this time here back home?” This was the first time that I thought about being home, and what the next several days would do to me, how they would change how I live back on my side of the world. I’m still wrestling through a lot of those things, as I’m sure everyone else on the trip is to. Excited to see how my time spent in Africa will impact me and many others here at home.

Part II to follow soon...

South Africa - Photos

2010-01-27T07:23:00.003-06:00

Here is a link (click here) to my photos that I have posted so far of our trip to Johannesburg, South Africa. Spend some time scrolling through the pics...enjoy.

My Return

2010-01-26T08:59:00.003-06:00

What do these 12 people have in common? Stay tuned...as South Africa updates will be coming soon...along with links to videos, photos, and others thoughts. Needless to say, the trip was amazing!

Working Hard?

2009-08-20T13:54:00.004-05:00

"the size of your pay packet may be important, but so is its purchasing power. helpfully, a UBS report published this week offers a handy guide to how long it takes a worker on the average net wage to earn the price of a big mac in 73 cities. fast-food junkies are best off in chicago, toronto and tokyo, where it takes a mere 12 minutes at work to afford a big mac. by contrast, employees must toil for over two hours to earn enough for a burger fix in mexico city, jakarta and nairobi."

so, how hard are you working for your food? if you had to spend over two hours hard at work in order to afford the "special sauced" sandwich, might you think twice before pulling up in the drive-thru line? how different might your waist line look? your wardrobe? your social life? what is you definition of 'fortunate'?

source: economist.com

How He Loves

2009-08-18T16:06:00.001-05:00

i know, two youtube clips in a row…pretty lame. but i just wanted to share this song…How He Loves. i’ve heard several versions lately (thanks to david crowder band for introducing me to this beautiful hymn), but this one just might be my favorite. there’s something about a song being cut back to the bare essentials that seems to hit a deeper meaning for me. “and my heart turns violently inside of my chest”

O Praise Him

2009-08-15T23:19:00.001-05:00

stumbled upon this video tonight and had to share it. please watch. how many of us would be right with this guy at around the 4:00 mark!? a beautiful sign of praise....enjoy.

What Excites You?

2009-08-14T08:48:00.005-05:00

i received an email today from a friend. the message was short and the intent was purposeful and clear. one of the questions he posed to me was, “what excites you?”

here was my response.

"what excites me?

- those little moments when i can sit alone and be still. i know that sounds silly, but those are few and far between.

- silence is exciting.

- breathing is exciting.

- community is exciting.

- running further than i planned, feeling healthy,

- being disappointed by the taste of fast food,

- looking back and seeing real change in my life,

- knowing that im going to look back in a few years and laugh at the person i was when i was 30,
- going to africa,

- seeing people living up to their talents and potential, that excites me.

- being 30 excites me,

- playing golf and walking 18 holes, sweating profusely, and feeling my body completely exhausted afterwards excites me.

- seeing my dogs face at the front window ever day when i get home,

- hearing katy laugh,

- the beauty and destructive powers of nature,

- the lack of cable tv,

- salvation and pursuit,

- the mystery as to how and why all of this came to be, that excites me."

so, my question to you is, “what excites you?”

Re-Edit

2009-08-13T08:21:00.009-05:00

"ferris bueller's day off" is the best movie ever made, and that is a scientific fact. i will not argue about this.

i stumbled upon some 're-edited' movie trailers today and wanted to share them. funny how the movie could take a completely different perspective depending on how a selected few clips are presented. enjoy....and remember, best. movie. ever.

the touching, sensitive trailer

requiem for a day off trailer

the psycho thriller trailer

the other psycho thriller trailer

the "i'm not gay" trailer

the "stand tall" trailer

source: chris higgins, mental floss

The Moment of (un)Change

2009-08-12T08:00:00.006-05:00

do you ever look back over a period of time in your life and realize just how much you have changed? if not, go ahead, take a moment…i’ll wait...
…

……

okay, so you’ve changed some. no real revelation there, right?

isn’t it funny how things just seem to change though, often without us even noticing? take for example (lame example) something as generic as a tip after a haircut. what use to be an automatic $2 suddenly turned into $4. (typical men’s haircut tip. women’s tips must to be calculated by nasa.) when did this happen? you have no idea right…it just did. odds are, you don’t remember the moment that you decided that $2 was no longer enough for the 7 minute hair trimming process that you just received. it just happened without you realizing it. it was a process.

aren’t our lives just like this? or at least, shouldn’t they be?

suddenly…

…laziness ends…

…daydreams turn into reality…

…we no longer ‘need’ the lifestyle built on money and possessions, because we have come to realize that those things are just that…’things’…and they will fail…

...we finally layed our pride aside and asked someone how to fill the emptiness within us...

…something is in process…

we are all in process.

An HIV-Positive Muppet

2009-08-11T08:27:00.004-05:00

"in 2002, sesame workshop released a statement saying that they would be introducing an hiv-positive muppet to sesame street. what most people in the u.s. missed was that kami, the muppet in question, would not be appearing on the domestic version of sesame street, but the south african version, which is called takalani sesame. the producers of takalani sesame agreed that an hiv-positive muppet would be beneficial because south africa has the highest percentage of aids-infected people in the world, many of which are children. people became outraged that pbs would allow a children’s show to feature an hiv-positive character, and news sources and pundits went to town on the story. kami never appeared on the american sesame street, though she has proven to be a very successful character on takalani sesame."

is that too real for people?

-source: mental floss

Your Attention, Please

2009-08-10T11:34:00.004-05:00

when something bad happens in your life, how often does your initial reaction turn to praising God for the circumstances that have just unfolded? is that ever your first thought?

i’m guessing i’m not alone in saying that i don’t always see the glory and beauty in The Creator when troubles hit…but why not? isn’t everything that happens part of His magnificent plan? isn’t it our duty to praise Him in the wilderness? after all, God works all things to His glory, right?

are you seeking Him in all things? are you waiting patiently for the darkness to lift? is God trying to get your attention?

”Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer” – Romans 12:12

18:25

2009-07-26T21:19:00.014-05:00

in a hot, glaring parking lot, our paths cross...but only for a moment. undoubtedly, she never notices me...

she's too enthralled in a conversation with her father. they walk by, hand in hand in the crosswalk, a smile on her face. immediately, my senses awaken, just as they have done thousands of times before. my ears begin to search for clues, signs, just a brief glimpse of current conditions. my eyes focus on dingy clothing, outdated hair styles, physical appearance, and the other typical artifacts of judgement. stereotypes begin to jockey for position in my mind. "remember the neighborhood, the surroundings," my thoughts drift to, "what must they drive, i wonder how small and sad their living conditions must be". the battle ensues...

what will rule my mind, judgement or grace? the eternal question runs ramped again. who's the poor? who's the unfortunate? who should be pitied? those with less, or those who are unsure of what they even have? are we the blessed, or the cursed?

why must i look past the smile on her face? when's the last time i saw a camel pass through the eye of a needle?

in a hot, glaring parking lot, our paths cross...but only for a moment. undoubtedly, she never notices me...

And On That Note...

2009-04-30T21:32:00.000-05:00

and on that note, i believe it's time for me to step away for a while. thanks for reading (if you still are after my last few video adds) and i hope you enjoyed, or at least thought about some of the things mentioned, vented upon, and single-handidly discussed on this small little megaphone of a voice. i don't really have a time frame in place for the length of my digital departure...could be back next week, could be gone for good...not really sure. but i assume i'll find something eventually that i haven't already posted about...in the mean time, please enjoy this video...and when you think of me, think of me well. thanks!

The Longest Way

2009-04-24T08:31:00.011-05:00

remember in the movie forrest gump, when the lead character played by tom hanks decides to just start running...and ends up running clear across the united states? well, as crazy and difficult as that may sound, it's not really that unbelievable. many people have decided to do this all over the world at one time or another, for one reason or another. some to raise political awareness, some to raise money for a charity or noteworthy cause, and still others (like forrest) simply because they could.

well, i stumbled upon a story (see video below) about a young man who did something very similar, simply because he could. his name is christoph rehage, a 28 year old from hanover, germany. his goal was to walk from beijing to germany. now, while he may not have been treking across america, and he may have been keeping track of his distance traveled with the often confusing kilometer, he did grow a pretty sweet beard. click here for his website.

Overpass

2009-04-16T21:28:00.014-05:00

a crazy thing happened on my way to work today.

see, it started off as any other day. get up, shower, get dressed, feed dog, kiss wife goodbye, get in car, drive to work, etc. only, on that drive to work, something happened. i was driving along as i do every other day, listening to the radio, navigating moderate workday traffic, thinking about what meetings, projects and goals i had to accomplish, etc. when suddenly, something was different. i spotted someone walking toward my car. sounds fairly common, i know, except for the fact that i wasn't driving down a normal city street...i was on the highway...and an overpass at that.

i had reached the summit of a very large interchange and was driving along when suddenly i saw a person, a young man, walking up the overpass from the direction i was traveling towards...and i immediately felt uncomfortable about that. why would someone be walking up a large, traffic-filled overpass? out of gas was the only sane explanation that popped into my head, but that was quickly washed away because there are no gas stations on the top of an overpass ramp.

the alternative option kept flashing in my head, but i didn't want to think about that outcome...i did everything i could not to look back and not to ponder. i turned the radio up, in an attempt to drown out my own thoughts. i distracted myself as best i could with radio programs and music all the way to the office. once at work, i sought other distractions to divert my conscience from what i had most likely been a part of. a coworker arriving a few minutes later confirmed my sorrowful thoughts...the young man who had just minutes before walked past my moving car was no more. my coworker said "did you hear that someone jumped from..." that's all he had to say... i knew... it was a long way down.

Stumble

2009-04-08T16:29:00.019-05:00

isn’t it funny how we can just ‘stumble’ upon things now in this information age? for example, thanks to clustrmaps and sitemeter, i know that my blog has been visited 7,931 times in the past year and has 14,490 page views…i can only assume that a few of those are thanks to people ‘stumbling’ upon it (thanks google). how else would it explain hits from such countries as: serbia, ecuador, and the united republic of tanzania? i mean, the united states, canada, the united kingdom, even australia i could see, but the falkland islands, really? i don't even know where that is!
regardless, that's a lot of people reading (or at least glancing as they quickly click out) the words that i have written. i better make sure my words don't cause me to stumble in the process...that's a lot of people who could get a bad first (and perhaps only) impression of who i am.

that being said, how often do we 'stumble' upon people in our lives who give us a wrong impression? how often are we the ones caught in the middle of a stumble, causing others to perhaps judge us prematurely? how many times can you stumble before that trait becomes who you are?

i think back to a story i heard a couple years ago by a man named mike, a great man after God's heart. he was telling a group of us one day about a time he fell short...and the simple recollection of that instance all this time later brought this man to tears. his story was taken in as an everyday occurence by some, but i'd like to think that his words had a great impact on me (it must of if i'm still recalling it). see, he had a short lapse in judgement, a momentary glitch in his love and grace meter while being frustrated in traffic...and he allowed those frustrations to get the best of him. he yelled from the safety of his air conditioned car and motioned at the driver who had just cut him off, and he told us that at that moment he knew that he could no longer share the Gospel with this individual...he had blown any chance he may have had.

now, of course that is only some what true. i mean sure, he could have followed the man home (hoping not to appear like a stalker and have the cops called on him, of course), and explain that he had messed up, that he was sorry for his anger, etc. and through that action shared the love of Jesus, but i think you understand what i'm trying to say. the point is, sometimes we don't get a second chance, we don't get a redo...when we stumble, people see. of course, we all do it. (i do it all the time...which my wife can most certainly attest to.)

here's where i'm going with this: are you aware of your stumbles, even before they happen? are you stumbling without remorse? are you seeking accountability for the things that you fall over time and time again? are you truly aware of what's at stake?

"selfishness is not living as one wishes to live, it is asking others to live as one wishes to live."
-oscar wilde

Work vs. Internet - Part II

2009-04-07T08:26:00.004-05:00

in keeping with yesterday's theme of giving yourself a little down time at work, here is a 4 minute video that i am sure will truly inspire you to be more productive in the workplace. (sorry to those who can't watch youtube videos at work...have you shown your boss yesterdays research yet!)

note: check out the lady's reaction at the 1:20 mark. from her expression you'd think she was being forced to watch an assult and battery or sir mix a lot's baby got back video. old people are awesome!

Work vs. Internet

2009-04-06T07:49:00.007-05:00

according to a recent study by the universtity of melborne (click here), it actually pays to surf the internet at work. this study concludes that employees who use office time to goof off online for a total of less than 20% of their average work day actually increase productivity by 9%. now, i'm no mathematician, but if you spend an entire 8-hour day knocking off online, that should increase your work productivity by a whopping 45%! wait...that's probably not right.

regardless, enjoy some web browsing on office time. and if your boss questions your work productivity, tell him that updating your fantasy baseball team and checking your latest bids for stun guns, italian soccer jerseys and mortuary supplies on ebay is actually good for the company. and if that works, let me know if your office is hiring!

Leadership

2009-03-31T08:49:00.005-05:00

i read something in my texas society of architects annual report about leadership that i found interesting. this was from the forward by the tsa president, and he quoted a san antonio pastor as saying that leadership "equals influence" and the pastor followed that proposition by stating that a good working definition of leadership is "disturbing people. but at a rate they can absorb it."

i found the part saying that it equals influence pretty much right on. that really seemed like a no-brainer to me. but the idea that it is about disturbing people made me smile. i had never thought of it in that way...but perhaps it was right on as well. if you're not pressing people to do something better; regardless of what field it may be in; then what (or who) are you really leading?

who are you disturbing? who's disturbing you?

Participant or Observer?

2009-03-30T16:38:00.005-05:00

below are some random, jumbled thoughts flying around in my allergy infested, politically incorrect, case of the monday’s head. thoughts that have been stumbling through my mind for a while…some for a couple days, some for a couple years. not sure what it all means, but i felt like they should be written down…if nothing else, at least they’re out of my head. these are questions i find myself pondering occasionally (but not nearly often enough).

: how many times have you felt led to do something…only to think; “i know, i know, i know” over and over again?

: is your life bearing fruit?

: how many times do you make excuses as to why you don’t do something? that you keep telling yourself, “once this is fixed, then…” do you ever think that you’ll never really be ready, that you’ll keep finding something to use as an excuse, so perhaps it’s time to stop making excuses and just do it?

: are you a participant, or are you simply an observer?

: what is your holy discontent and what are you going to do about it?

: "all our good deed are but filthy rags.” why do i do the things i do…for my glory, or for His?

Entitlement

2009-03-20T04:59:00.001-05:00

i had a great talk with my grandfather yesterday. he sat down next to me and began to reminisce. he started talking about what life was like back when he was growing up. how during the depression, very few people had a job…how he would be sent by his mother to buy a pound of ground beef and a loaf of bread for $0.20. how he and his brothers only had 1 pair of good shoes, so they’d have to go to church at different times, so they could all wear the shoes. how people would sleep on their porches during the summer, because there was no air conditioning and the heat inside the house was commonly too unbearable.

then, he began to discuss how life was during world war II. how you couldn’t buy butter anymore. how gas was rationed and you had to have stamps in order to even purchase it. when your stamps ran out, so did your gas. tires were nearly impossible to come by also. if you got a flat, that was it…there was no store around the corner where you could purchase another one.

that got me to thinking…how would we deal with that today? what would the crime and suicide rates look like if suddenly we were thrown back to those harder times? how would we deal? would we?

why do we have this sense now in our culture that we are entitled to certain things? that we no longer have to ‘suffer’ for anything…that they should just be a given. a new computer, a car on our 16th birthday, unlimited text messaging…

how will this look in the future? what will we have ‘suffered’ for that future generations feel are just owed to them? life before internet, playing outside, cars with manual door locks and windows…

what will you tell your grandchildren someday?

Path, Robert Frost, Proverbs

2009-03-18T22:21:00.003-05:00

i have a thought or two on the idea of path, robert frost and "the road not taken", our journey and Proverbs. this is from my weekly post on phlebotomic. click here to read my thoughts and let me know yours.

Sex, Lies and Photoshop

2009-03-13T12:03:00.003-05:00

curious? want to read more? then click here.

the man who put this post together is really, really intelligent and i hear all the ladies saying that he is quite attractive. i even overheard a young boy tell his father that he wanted to grow up to be just like this guy...i would love to meet him one day, just so i could shake his hand and tell the everyone i know about that moment...

sorry about that, too much coffee and taco grease this morning. enjoy the post and happy friday!

Beauty: One Step Closer

2009-03-11T09:39:00.001-05:00

the following is from my post on phlebotomic

beauty is a feeling, an emotion
when all is as it seems, as it should be
when competing forces are at peace
when breaths are caught, when shoulders are relaxed

beauty is a tingling sensation, the goose bumps
a moment to be captured, stored in your memory
a thought not soon to be forgotten
an image of heart, a counterpart of love

beauty is all around, constantly overlooked
it lives on city highways, it’s found in suburban shopping malls
it’s one step closer to reality
what we all possess, what keeps us going

Facebook Is Brain Porn

2009-03-10T04:58:00.000-05:00

did the title grab your attention? have an idea where this one is going?now, while i didn't actually write the following blog, i must say i agree with much of what the writer (roy bragg, san antonio express news) has to say. i myself have been on a facebook semi-hiatus for the past week and a half (i've signed on to facebook only a couple times, and only long enough to check inbox messages and ministry updates from certain individuals), and i have to admit, i haven't missed the constant parousing of friends status updates one bit. my facebook craving was getting to the point of full-fledged addiction...i was craving the facebook brain porn. and as i wrote recently, those expectations were going greatly unmet.

anyway, click here to see the blog written by roy bragg, and feel free to let me know your thoughts.

Tributary

2009-03-09T08:56:00.007-05:00

stream of consciousness, envelop me
wrap me up and comfort me
plug into me and straighten out the jumbled mess,
the birds nest of rambled thoughts intertwined within my head
make sense for me, unpack for me
the thoughts that are too tangled to see

past memories, penned and pushed
what was real and what was simply wished
who was i then, who am i now
what does the future hold and can i trust that it is true

sometimes wishing for a jolt, a sudden shock
to awake me from the this straight line
how will this knowledge be used…will it be used
or will it be thrown by the wayside
making way for something new, something unseen

past and present
work and play
all flow together, get mixed together
outcome anticipated
currently a tributary

Childhood Memories

2009-03-06T04:38:00.000-06:00

lately i've been catching myself thinking back to my childhood (perhaps a sign of old age setting in) and recalling random, but pleasant memories. i'm not sure the reasoning behind these recollections, but it seems that in almost all of these 'flashbacks', my senses of smell and sound come through in full force.

for example, last week i visited my old elementary school for a work project, and besides the fact that everything looked much smaller than i remembered it (i haven't been there in about 16 years), the distinct scents of the main office, hallways and classrooms came rolling back in full force. at that moment, it felt welcoming...it felt as if i had never left...and those scents had not changed in my mind at all over all these years.

as far as sounds go...there are so many that came to mind over this past week or so. the scent of my great-grandmothers house; which had a very unique aroma to it; but i assume smells just like that of everyone's great-grandmothers house. a pleasant and cooling thunderstorm that hit while on a campout in the middle of a blistering summer evening in middle school. the carnival type repetitive music playing in the background, a gentle grinding of the metal amusement rides as they move along their tracks, the landscape pebbles playfully crunching beneath the feet of dozens of little kids running from ride to ride at the kiddie park while attending multiple, multiple birthday parties. those are just a few of the sounds that seem to have made a permanent home within my head.

isn't it funny how we are able to remember such random and all to often useless little tid-bits of our lives, but we seem to fail to recall with any detail whatsoever things that we might actually classify as 'save until i delete' in our mental tivo. we are indeed strange and unique creatures. so, what are some of your pleasant childhood memories that are engrained in detail in your memory?

If You Are In Oregon...

2009-03-05T12:55:00.004-06:00

if you are in oregon and drive a 1990's green ford escort...be careful.

Midweek Therapy Session

2009-03-04T07:29:00.012-06:00

i came upon the following and i just felt the need to share. (note: there might be a dash of sarcasm to the list below.) i know i've experienced pretty much all of these at some point at my office. (many seem to be fairly constant). you know you're in the same boat. please, feel free to share some stories in the comments section below. "this is a safe place. a place where we can feel free to share our feelings. think of this (space) as a nest in a tree of trust and understanding. we can say anything here." remember, there's safety in numbers!

1. never give me work in the morning. always wait until 4:00 and then bring it to me. the challenge of a deadline is refreshing.

2. if it's really a rush job, run in and interrupt me every 10 minutes to inquire how it's going. that helps. or even better, hover behind me, advising me at every keystroke.

3. always leave without telling anyone where you're going. it gives me a chance to be creative when someone asks where you are.

4. if my arms are full of papers, boxes, books, or supplies, don't open the door for me. i need to learn how to function as a paraplegic and opening doors with no arms is good training in case i should ever be injured and lose all use of my limbs.

5. if you give me more than one job to do, don't tell me which is priority. i am psychic.

6. do your best to keep me late. i adore this office and really have nowhere to go or anything to do. i have no life beyond work.

7. if a job i do pleases you, keep it a secret. if word gets out, it could mean a promotion.

8. if you don't like my work, tell everyone. i like my name to be popular in conversation. i was born to be whipped.

9. if you have special instructions for a job, no need to relay that to me at first. in fact, save them until the job is almost done. no use confusing me with useful information.

10. never introduce me to the people you're with. i have no right to know anything. in the corporate food chain, i am plankton. when you refer to them later, my shrewd deductions will identify them.

11. be nice to me only when the job i'm doing for you could really change your life and send you straight to manager's hell.

12. tell me all your little problems. no one else has any and it's nice to know someone is less fortunate. i especially like the story about having to pay so much taxes on the bonus check you received for being such a good manager.

13. wait until my yearly review and then tell me what my goals should have been. give me a mediocre performance rating with a cost of living increase only. i'm not here for the money anyway.

can you relate to any of these?

Do Not Pass Go. Do Not Collect $200

2009-03-03T09:46:00.007-06:00

go to jail. go directly to jail. do not pass go. do not collect $200. do you remember those words from the family game, monopoly? click here to read more from my post on phlebotomic.

Missing: Communication

2009-03-01T21:22:00.012-06:00

when does something good turn into something bad?

i will be the first to tell you that technology is a wonderful thing. it has made all of our lives amazingly easier than they were even 5 or 10 years ago. i love the fact that i don't have to go inside a gas station anymore to prepay for gas, i can just swipe a card. and when i get home, i don't have to worry how much money i have, i can just look at my bank account balance in real-time on my wireless laptop. pretty cool stuff, so don't get me wrong, but the question remains, when does something good turn into something bad?

with that being asked, here's my two cents. i feel that, as a society, we have lost the ability to communicate. we have turned into a culture of instant messages and meaningless facebook updates... of nonstop text messages and constant tweets (a tweet is a instant mass message from twitter.com, just wait, it might just drive you crazy very, very soon!) now, while all of these forms of 'communication' may be great in a certain context, i feel that we have; or will soon (see tweets above) constantly crossed the line from 'necessity' into laziness and convenience.

i will use myself as a perfect example. lately, i have found myself constantly clicking over to facebook to see who has changed their status...as if any of it is going to make any difference to me. i go back constantly, only to be disappointed everytime, because no ones status is fulfilling to me. please don't be offended, i mean, that's great that you're going to the movies later, or are very tired, or are studying. good for you, but i don't think that me knowing these things has any bearing on my life whatsoever...so, why do i keep going back? perhaps because i am human, and i enjoy personal communication. personal communication, through a message on a computer, i must be on drugs!

i know of other people who are in dating relationships, and they 'communicate' more through text messages than actual phone or personal conversations on a daily basis. what is that? is there substance to those phone buttons? can you read tone through those digital letters on the screen? something has been lost. we spend less and less time personally communicating with one another and more and more time wondering why we don't get along..asking why they are mad at you...wondering why they are ignoring the last text you just sent.

when was the last time you had a real, personal, face-to-face, looking square in the eye, meaningful conversation with someone?

as for me, i have decided to put facebook on the shelf for a while, and see how it's loss in my life really effects me. i know that this blog really isn't a personal conversation, per se, but i also feel that it opens the line of personal reflection and potential real, purpose driven conversation. what do you thing about that? do you think that technology has led to a loss of intimate, purposeful dialogue in your life? hit me up with a text message or tweet! ttyl...

Orange vs. Orange

2009-02-27T04:35:00.001-06:00

vs.

is there really a need for both?

Man In The Mirror

2009-02-26T04:29:00.001-06:00

the following video was found while doing a spontaneous youtube search after seeing this song performed (rather poorly in my very untalented opinion) on american idol. i think it takes a lot to carry such a powerful song.

"if you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and then make a change"...

some of us are still looking for our niche, our way to make the permanent change in this world. so often we see something (such as a youtube video) and get inspired...but is that real, lasting inspiration, is it holy discontent, or is it just a temporary awe of images? "no message could have been any clearer"... i pray that clarity will show it's face soon.

click here for the link to phlebotomic

Drought (A Conversation) Part II

2009-02-25T04:53:00.008-06:00

Click here for part I of this conversation.

jeff – 1:15 pm: so, is it safe to say that for some reason, Americans think we are 'owed' something? that if we are without, it's someone else's job to provide for us? this could be the case today in respect to the american economy. people think that since money is scarce (relatively speaking) that they deserve someone else to help them out.

the following thought always makes me feel like an old man wearing suspenders and velco shoes, but here it goes anyway. i often think that americans as a whole have forgotten what working hard for something is like (myself definately included). i can think back to when i was younger and playing a team sport or even younger and constructing some sort of mess in the dirt and leaves in the back yard...it was hard work...but i always assumed that i was going to do it. i very rarely complained about it, and never asked for help back then. i saw a goal and focused on it... i dont think i am the only person who feels this way...so what happened? what changed when i (we) stopped digging in the dirt and starting click buttons for a living?

as to your question as to why do we revert...i think in some silly, psychological, infantile manner, those things are comfort. the change is only temporary, and temporary 'change' doesn't really breed change at all, it breeds a temporary diversion.

on the subject of drought as it relates to water...i drive home everyday, and i see an untouched landscape near my home. it is covered with cedar and mesquite trees, brush and rock. then i pull into the neighborhood, and what do i see? none of that. i see half dead grass and the occassional oak tree in the front yards of people. i see water run off from sprinkler systems that just recently sprouted to life and the colorful blooms of flowers better designed for the climates of new england than south texas. needless to say, i think we missed it. we move out to the middle of the sticks, only to plow down the sticks and plant the same trees as those planted years ago in inner-city neighborhoods 75 years ago. its comfort. i look out in the distance in our back yard (which we rent, not own) and i see brush-lined hilltops in the distance. i focus closer, right over our 6-foot high wood fence and what do i see, a fenced-in retention pond filled with concrete barriers and a dirt lined floor. its comfort.

kyle – 1:26 pm: the detention pond outside of your backyard is a good example of our current mindset.

somewhere along the way, folks realized that adding impervious cover to the fabric of a city worsened flooding. less water soaks into the ground, more runs through parking lots and into swollen creeks.

rather than slowing the rate at which we pave paradise to put up more parking lots, it just meant that now we would sprawl a little further out because every development needed extra acreage for their detention pond. the added sprawl then exacerbates flooding by taking the impervious world further into the territory that once served as natural flood control. in placing a band-aid on one issue, we opened the wound larger on another.

for the sake of our suburban independence and western-determinism (i will live wherever i want to – everyone else be damned…), we ended up creating more problems that now look for solutions. but at least we don’t live in the city with the poor people.

jeff – 3:33 pm: as katy said humorously (but rather perfectly) after seeing a deer get demolished by a large truck while trying to cross a highway of an until recently rural area, "we're taking over their land!" it is very much a western mindset that we take the old adage "if we put our minds to it, we can accomplish anything" and add our own twist to it, never really caring what the cost will be, only the narrow minded end result.

a few years ago i got to take a trip to las vegas. during that time, we took a day tour of the hoover dam. i must admit, that was a very impressive and daunting structure, and we enjoyed the dam tour very much. one thing that humored me though was seeing the declining water level against the rock from lake mead above the dam. a major reason for the construction of this massive slab of concrete was to create electricity for a huge chunk of california, and in the process, a lake was formed. this lake has continued to provide water to the entire las vegas valley for years. the city was virtually born thanks to a construction project. now (or at least until last year) the city is growing at record numbers, and the lake level is quickly and steadily declining. they are increasing the population of a city so much, that a million plus people may someday be without a drinking source. an oasis in the desert...or a mirage? and the list of these instances goes on, i'm sure. if memory serves me correctly, i seem to remember hearing that el paso is running out of water as well.

and hey, katy and i are poor...we hope to be living in the city by august! do you know of any gated communities in the area?

kyle – 3:46 pm: well, we are known consumers. if we live up to that moniker, then i suppose we should be depleting all of our resources. self-fulfilling prophecy.

the metaphor translates spiritually, by the way. if we are simply consumers of spirituality, we end up thirsty and wandering lost in our self-made desert.

what we need, both culturally and spiritually, is an identity shift. instead of being consumers, we need to be stewards. we need to be responsible keepers of the place we inhabit and of the legacy we claim.

jeff – 4:25 pm: yes, we are known consumers. funny, i was thinking earlier that i really want to build and maintain a garden...be a producer. i would like to bear fruit, but alas, i'm a renter! perhaps that tangible illustration is a look deeper into the spiritual fruit that is being produced.

i've always loved the parable of the sower, and i've often wondered which seed i would be. i know which one i'd like to be, but liking and actually being can be two different stories.

luke 8: 14-15 reads: "the seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop."

am i choked by life's worries and riches, or do i retain the word and bear fruit? but in order to bear fruit, one requires water, for a drought would most certainly kill off most any form of life.

perhaps a drought is never desired, but sometimes it's necessary in order to show what is necessity. the trick is cutting off that which is not required, in order to focus more attention on that which produces, that which is intrinsically good.

final thougths?

kyle – 4:35 pm: drought reveals. conflict clarifies.

jeff – 4:53 pm: conversation leads to clarity, openness and trust. performance will surely follow.

"the thing about performance is that it is a celebration of the fact that we do contain within ourselves infinite possibilities" -sydney smith, 18th century english essayist

--------------------------

so, there you have it, one topic, one days work. if you're still reading this, first off, thanks! but also, what are your thoughts on drought, or any of the subjects randomly addressed in these two posts?

Drought (A Conversation) Part I

2009-02-24T13:25:00.009-06:00

today, while listening to some people at work talk about their gardens, dead tress, and rain clouds (amongst many other nonsensical things), the topic of drought came up. that word got me to thinking...what are my thoughts about drought, both in the physical lack of rain sense, and other forms, such as being in a spiritual drought. i decided to pose the idea and my thoughts to kyle. below is part I of our emailed banter. enjoy!

jeff - 10:36 am: drought changes climates...it changes people’s way of thinking. just as when gas prices rose incredibly last year, it changed peoples mindset on suv's, mass transit, etc. i think that a couple year drought would be good for a mindshift, from low flow toilets, the re-thinking of chopping down acres of trees for urban sprawl, to xerioscaping. it will get people out of their comfort zone, which is typically a good thing.

kyle – 10:52 am: hardships are great drivers of efficiencies.

jeff – 11:11 am: first off, can i just say that i love the vagueness of your statements!

so, we are inefficient because we have no stimulant to realize the inefficiency? or we are aware of the inefficiency, but as long as there's a surpus of something, why bother to make a change?

i would say that drought brings about better awareness. we are without, we are lacking that which we need, desire, etc. to steal a song title line from the 80's hair metal band cinderalla, you don't know what you've got till it's gone.

when does the risk outweigh the reward? or does it? just as some (we know who you are, matt) take joy in seeing the collapse of the global economy, stock market, housing and banking industry, etc., when does the joy end and fear begin? When does it becomes personal? when it finally takes a hold of you? when it comes to drought (of any kind: rain, spiritual, etc.), when does the risk outweigh anything else? what about the poor planners?

kyle – 11:42 am: we are inefficient because we can get away with it. we are aware, but unaffected by it.

let me use an example from my time living in south africa. most homes (including ALL new homes by government mandate) featured solar powered water heaters.

why? because in a country with frequent power shortages (and outages) people wanted to at least be able to take a warm shower or bathe their kids. so, in addition to complaining about the power problems (which is generally where americans stop), south africans began to take matters into their own hands to circumvent the power grid. they installed solar panels on their rooftops so that their bathwater would be warm. light a candle, add some bubbles, and enjoy the latest round of blackouts. the government then noticed and saw what a huge power savings and grid-relief that the solar panels provided and made the installation of such panels mandatory.

it is precisely because of the lack of dependable electricity that the south african people decided to become more efficient. they were affected. so they made change. they could care less about being green. they just wanted a hot shower.

to put it another way, paraphrasing a well-known saying: “necessity is the mother of all invention.”

the curious thing to me is why we (americans) tend to revert to old habits as soon as the bottleneck subsides. in san antonio, why don’t we have water rationing all the time. we live in a drought-sensitive area with blistering summers and a limited and somewhat mysterious water source. so, about every other year we have mandatory water rationing when the rains fail. why not just conserve all the time so we don’t have to freak out every july? this is one of the few places where government can help to regulate our stupidity and greed.

with gas prices back under $2, the same argument could play out over hybrid car sales (down), aversion to public transportation (up), sprawl (growing), and urban infrastructure (decaying).

so why do we revert? what in us abhors efficiency? is it our western-determinism? is it our abundance blinding us?

part II coming soon

Obedience

2009-02-23T14:25:00.009-06:00

lately, the word 'obedience' has been running through my head constantly. naturally, this really got me to wondering, am i being obedient to God? sure, i may give money to the church, charities or organizations, but is it given out of obligation or out of obidence. perhaps i go out of my way for someone, but again, is it due to outside pressure and forces, or due solely to my obidence to Him. why do i read the word everyday, because i'm suppose to, or because in doing so i am being obedient?

i was doing some google searching earlier on several different topics and i stumbled upon what is written below. do you agree with what it says...and if so, are you doing your best to adhere to it?

"how important is obedience to God in my daily walk?

obedience to God is very important in your Christian growth. no one in this life will ever become sufficiently sanctified to the point where they are always obeying the law, but we can honor and maintain obedience to God by pondering on, or meditating on, the words of Jesus. the term "to ponder" means to weigh in the mind, to think or reflect, especially quietly and deeply. to ponder on something is like meditation which implies a definite focusing of one's thoughts on something in order to understand it deeply. the author of Proverbs 14:15 makes a good point: "a simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his steps."

the greatest commandment is to love God by keeping His commandments. matthew 22:36-38 says, "'teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?' Jesus replied: 'love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' this is the first and greatest commandment.'"

you ask, "how important is obedience to God?" in the gospel of john, obedience to God is underscored time and time again. john 14:15 says, "if you love me, you will obey what i command."

the great commandments are reiterated in matthew 22:36-40 which says, "'teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?' Jesus replied: '"love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." this is the first and greatest commandment. and the second is like it: "love your neighbor as yourself." all the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments.'"

jesus is very concerned about us and He wants us to do more than participate in good works, He wants us to believe in Him. He wants us to come up higher and be "like" Him. when we are being obedient to God, we are doing just that: knowing Him, loving Him, and having a personal, intimate relationship with Him. to do this, we must be attentive to God's laws. this is not an option, because you can't have an intimate relationship with Jesus and trample on the words He taught. being obedient to God is not the same as sticking to the speed limit because you get a fine if you disobey. obedience to God is living God's word because you want to and enjoy being filled with the love of Jesus.

we must believe in Jesus, we must have faith in Him, and we must trust Him! calling ourselves a Christian on its own won't do. following the commandments step wise won't do. reading the Bible diligently won't do. we have to take the word into our hearts. when we make the transition from calling ourselves a good Christian to being someone who is having a deep personal and intimate relationship with the Lord, then we can have the highest of joys, the deepest of peace, and receive the fullest measure of God's love and power each and every day of our lives.

we need to enter into God's rest and be less concerned with worrying about what else we could do to make Jesus love us more. hebrews 4:10 says, "for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his." it would be invaluable if you were to spend time reading God's Word and ponder on one aspect as you walk. step into the scene, imagine what it might have been like to be there, create Jesus in your mind, feel the love, and experience a deep intimate relationship with the Lord.

that is the essence of obedience to God.

Energy: In Photos

2009-02-20T14:09:00.006-06:00

here is my post for the week on our group blog: phlebotomic. this weeks topic was energy... click here for the link... hope you enjoy. please, leave your comments, thoughts, reasons you liked it, explainations for hating it, gratitude from the illiterates, etc.

hey, bernard madoff reads it...shouldn't you!?

Semi-Permanent Thoughts (Of Semi-Consciousness and Potentially Broken Links)

2009-02-18T07:39:00.017-06:00

* why is it that i can remember vivid stories and events that happened in my life regarding these songs: pearl jam - alive, gin blossoms - hey jealousy, r.e.m. - everybody hurts, and live - lightening crashes; all of which occured well over 10 years ago, but i can't recall if i remembered to turn off the coffee pot this morning?

* most frustrating thing: people who don't use their blinkers while driving

* and speaking of driving, am i the only person that gets nervous whenever i look in my rearview mirror and there is a cop driving directly behind me? do you think the nervousness could have anything to do with the unpaid speeding ticket i got in a nearby city over 8 years ago?

* why is it when the local news airs segments showing people having special charities and programs deliver toys to their homes for their children around Christmas time because they are too poor to afford gifts, or when a news reporter is interviewing a family looking for government bailout money to avoid foreclosure on their home, it never seems to fail that the families don't think to hide the 52" plasma screen tv and wii that the kids are playing before allowing the camera crews in? i don't have a 52" tv or wii, can i get some money too?

* if i was the owner of a tape measure manufacturing company, i'd allow my employees to change the increments on the tape dimensions once a year on april 1st. i think it would be funny if they were just a bit off, not enough to easily catch, but on a long measurement, it would be a significant difference. that wouldn't cause any serious construction problems, would it!?

* i have a new favorite song. it is by josh turner. the song is called 'the way he was raised'. click here for the lyrics. sorry, couldn't find a video.

* no random thoughts blog would be complete without a random link: click here for a link to catholic purgatory.

* and how about a random photo....enjoy!

Jesus and The Mason Jar

2009-02-16T07:49:00.011-06:00

i came across this blog the other day that i wanted to share it...yet another reason that God is a spurs fan! for those of you who have followed the san antonio spurs with any regularity over the past 10 years or so, you know that they have had a strong Christian presence, namely from avery johnson and david robinson. but i'm guessing you haven't heard much in the Jesus department since their retirements...well, wait no more. click here to read from a related blog 48 minutes of hell...and be sure to cheer on the mason jar, roger mason jr.

also, i tried adding a picture of the mason jar, but apparently blogger doesn't like me this morning...so if you're wondering what he looks like, click here.

Valentine's - Revisited

2009-02-14T05:30:00.001-06:00

i decided to repost a blog i wrote last year at this time. one that really reminds me of what true, selfless love is all about. so, as you're out running around, buying your $50 roses, boxes of overpriced chocolate and fighting for the last parking spot at every restaurant in town, i hope that you'll remember this story...which actually dates back to november 1st of 2007. click here to read the love...

In The Ghetto

2009-02-13T05:30:00.001-06:00

i know this may just be a song...and it was written/recorded/performed many, many years ago, but isn't the message still true today? "are we too blind to see, do we simply turn our heads and look the other way" is this true of us? is this true of me? it's funny what flipping through radio stations in the car during a lunch break can do to a person. one minute i'm daydreaming while listening to the eagles sing take it easy, the next i'm pondering all the frustrations i see and encounter in life, and i start to question what i'm actually doing to be the remedy. how am i being the helping hand? hey, i guess 50,000,000 elvis fans can't be wrong...

as the snow flies
on a cold and gray chicago mornin'
a poor little baby child is born
in the ghetto
and his mama cries
'cause if there's one thing that she don't need
it's another hungry mouth to feed
in the ghetto

people, don't you understand
the child needs a helping hand
or he'll grow to be an angry young man some day
take a look at you and me,
are we too blind to see,
do we simply turn our heads
and look the other way

well the world turns
and a hungry little boy with a runny nose
plays in the street as the cold wind blows
in the ghetto

and his hunger burns
so he starts to roam the streets at night
and he learns how to steal and he learns how to fight
in the ghetto

then one night in desperation
a young man breaks away
ee buys a gun, steals a car,
tries to run, but he don't get far
and his mama cries

as a crowd gathers 'round an angry young man
face down on the street with a gun in his hand
in the ghetto

as her young man dies,
on a cold and gray chicago mornin',
another little baby child is born
in the ghetto

Cutest Dog Contest

2009-02-12T09:44:00.009-06:00

i'm sure some of you are caught up in westminster kennel club dog show excitement that is happening this week... and how could you not be? odd looking dogs, slightly uncomfortable comments from the announcers, selfishly hoping that one of the dogs has to 'relieve itself' on the green carpet, etc.

well, check out the photo above...is that not the cutest dog you've ever seen!? yep, that's right, that's duncan...our dog! well, since i know you all agree with me, and you all think that duncan is in fact the cutest dog, then you'd love to click here and vote for him in the cutest dog contest on mysa.com! i believe his photo is on page 5...and you can vote once a day, so feel free to occupy 2 minutes of your time everyday as you're sitting at work waiting for lunch!

also, don't forget to check out the six-word memoirs: on love and heartbreak. click here.

Six-Word Memoirs: On Love and Heartbreak

2009-02-12T05:30:00.001-06:00

seeing as it's almost valentine's day, i thought i'd at least throw out a spark of love, even if it is just spawned from commercialism at it's finest. i recently came across a magazine that was entirely dedicated to the idea of summing up your love life in six-word phrases. the concept sounded a bit difficult and far-fetched, until i read through some examples. below are a few that entertained my perhaps smaller than average adult male brain, along with one that i wrote (can you guess which one?). i was pleased to see that these phrases, or 'memoirs'; as their called, did not focus solely on love, but also the pain that it can cause. i think for so many of us, for all the great memories we may have, an equal amount of people may be able to recall a painful love at a moments notice. here are a few examples, and mine...enjoy!

"he sees the me i don't"
"for the children, i remain his"
"i finally threw away his toothbrush"
"our prison visitations were surprisingly romantic"
"red-eye. him window. me aisle. love"
"if i get chlamydia, blame myspace"
"will government ever let us marry"
"i dated wrong. i married right"
"not him again! said my mother"
"silently suffered his facial hair experiments"
"three marriages. two divorces. ba .333"
"what do you want for dinner"
"if only he wasn't a Republican"
"tried men. tried women. like cats"
"leap of faith. Sh*t, no parachute"
"inevitably, his obituary didn't mention me"
"we "I do" -ed. Then he didn't"
"two marriages. the wrong one died"
"best family ever. thank you, match.com"
"marriage, children, empty nest: Now what"

what's your six-word love/heartbreak memoir? come on, you know you can think of at least one! click on the comments section right below this and leave yours there. check back later to see what others had to write!

Salt Marsh Diary

2009-02-11T07:58:00.011-06:00

"at the bend in the river a flock of mallards is dozing in tall grass that is winter-bleached and battered by snow, by wind, by high water. worn thin, there is little cover in it but it is all the mallards have and must make do. in these river narrows, in the tie-downs of the straights and shallows, their only true refuge is day sleep. the pulse drops, the body stops except for the low breath and the least heat it needs to keep on living. even the sun is cold. and the mallards hold.

they are an average flock, these mallards. still as the ice grounded to the bank. closest are four drakes, laid up with their bills tucked to the crook at the back of their necks. positioned this way their heads are a virtual black so dark it is not a color but a gap. sensing my presence the drakes, in consort, look up. and a curious thing. that gap fills with an iridescence, so brilliant, reminiscent more of a scarab's shell than the soft hue of feathers.

it is the angle between the shafts. heads bent, the feathers spread. light falls straight in and vanishes. only when the drakes unfurl themselves do the feathers relax and close and the full green flash of plumage, bright as a lighthouse, beacons forth. the object of all this stands between them, a single hen, invisible as an afterthought. movement reveals her and (now that she is standing) so do her very orange feet. the color is a sign that breeding is imminent, though the choosing is not yet complete. it is for her the drakes risk themselves this way and hide as best they can when they sleep. for the need runs deep and the mallards stay.

i want to lie down beside them there on the spongy bank, nestle my face into the warm hollows of their wings and feel the pulse and listen to them breathe. but i must leave. not out of fear nor because i am riven by the frigid air and not because i want to. i am comforted here. as if i belong here. as i am sure we used to before we knew what we know and wish we did not."

this was written by mark seth lender, and i stumbled upon it yesterday evening while flipping radio stations. the first thing that struck me was the beauty with which it was written; and subsequently spoken; along with the detailed imagery and realistic language used. it really was a work of beauty…until the reader spoke the final line: “as i am sure we used to before we knew what we know and wish we did not.” that’s when the wheels started to spin in my head, and it became more than just a literary work. what do we know now? what do we wish we did not know? i’m sure we all have very different answers to that one…i know i can think of a few. what do you know now that you wish you did not?

transcript courtesy of living on earth on pri, public radio international.

www.loe.org

Graffiti: Illegal, or Art?

2009-02-09T09:04:00.006-06:00

living in san antonio, i think most of us are used to seeing graffiti sprayed upon walls of old buildings, overpasses, street signs and fences. and i'm going to speak out of generalities right now and say that i assume most people would rather not have to look at it... most people see it as an eye-sore and a form of vandalism. but what about those cases when graffiti is allowed, when it's encouraged, when people get paid good money to display their artistic talents with the aid of an aersol can? what then? what changes?

take for instance, this example (click here). now, normally you wouldn't find 800 year old castles covered in spray painted images, but that's exactly what happened at kelburn castle in scotland. what are your thoughts now? art, or an abomination?

Walkability

2009-02-07T19:57:00.030-06:00

today, kyle and i walked from his house to the alamo, and back. it was 8.5 miles. it was fun. i'd do it again. below are a few photos from our adventure.

you know, it's funny how many things you see when you walk that you completely overlook when you're flying by in your car. everyone should walk more often and take a look around. in fact, there's even a web site dedicated to showing potential homebuyers the walkability of their future neighborhoods...how easily accessible the home is to certain things like grocery stores, restaurants, schools and parks. click here for the website. my house rates as a 31 out of 100...car-dependent. how nice would it be to live somewhere that was convinent, not car-dependent? i will know that joy soon enough, i hope. check out how walkable your home is, and enjoy the photos.

our first stop: shag the salon

for those of you wondering, you're in luck; yes, it is for rent! i bet the walkability of this place is off the charts!

oh yeah, our future's in good hands

gotta love the crane. where there's a crane, there's something going UP!

long legs, or short shins?

our meal fit for a king. gotta love gm steakhouse across from alamo plaza. how many places can you get a steak, baked potato, toast, salad and iced tea for $5.99? that's what i thought.

inside the men's restroom at gm steakhouse. what is it? a cigarette machine? a paper towel dispenser? a monument to efficiency?

why do you have to cross a barbed wire gate in order to take piano lessons?

kyle thought it would be funny to drop 1000 ping pong balls from this overpass during rush hour traffic. ladies and gentelmen, a church elder!

i'm not sure what's worse: this ladies matching blue suit / hat combo, or the fact that she took this 'professional' picture with her dog. i don't care what she's selling, i'll take 2!

nothing really clever to say here, i just like train tracks.

oh sweet, the newly designed 1974 peugeot 205 gti's are in!

isn't it great to see creatures in their natural habitat?!

cool crest...world's finest minature golf

donkey...with wagon

donkey...without wagon

I Need Words / Surely We Can Change

2009-02-06T16:10:00.004-06:00

I AM

2009-02-04T07:36:00.004-06:00

i am a son, a husband, a friend and a dog owner.

society would say i am an architect.
the church would tell you i am a Christ follower

i am a former womanizing, selfish, insecure alcoholic.
i am changed.

some might say i am a leader, funny, immature, a follower, entertaining, obnoxious, calm, irrational, patient, steady, a success, content, cheap, a great friend, a failure, giving, someone who left them behind.

i say i have been all of these things.

i am excited too see what the future holds.

i am sometimes afraid of failure. afraid that i will fail as a husband, as a provider and someday as a father. i am sometimes afraid that the urge to taste another drink again becomes more than i can bear. i am hopeful that these fears never subside.

i am sometimes forgetful that God will provide the strength for me. i am sometimes too self-reliant.

i am eager for what today may bring.

Plumbing

2009-02-03T11:34:00.005-06:00

so, i fixed the toilet in our bathroom yesterday… for the past month or so, there’s been a minor defect with it. it started leaking water out of the reservoir into the bowl at a very slow but steady pace. over time, that trickle increased until finally we had to physically turn off the water at its wall connection after every use, to avoid a hefty water bill. well, as you can imagine, this created quite an annoyance. i had fixed the problem of the water leaking, but it wasn’t a permanent or ideal solution.

finally last night, i had enough of the hassle, so i went down to the local home improvement superstore and purchased the $3.67 replace part. an hour later, the problem was fixed, the toilet was working up to desired standards and i once again had a very happy wife (between you and me, i think she found my extraordinary plumbing skills very attractive).

isn’t it funny how simple things we take for granted in our everyday routines suddenly become an obstacle when they don’t meet our desires and expectations? isn’t it also funny that it took me over a month to purchase a $3 part to remedy the situation. but hey, like i said, i fixed the toilet in our bathroom yesterday…

ONE - Bonus Post

2009-01-27T16:39:00.005-06:00

in case you haven't already seen my ONE...that the world may know post, click here. also, click here for multiple other grace point ONE videos. keep checking back to that link, because i'm sure the number of people posting their stories on this site will grow.

ONE...that the world may know

2009-01-26T21:22:00.002-06:00

Coffee (A Long Obedience In The Same Direction)

2009-01-21T13:39:00.011-06:00

the lead pastor of the village church in highland village; matt chandler; recently wrote a blog (click here) in which he described the feeling of privilege he had several years ago while repeatedly being able to observe several older men join together each and every friday morning for coffee. he mentioned the feeling of accomplishment they must felt to have lived so long faithfully serving the same God.

i read this and immediately felt a connection. about 4 years ago, i began meeting every thursday morning with a group of men. we came together, shared thoughts and stories from The Bible, questioned current events, offered a place of council, tossed around useless trivia and basically shared our lives with each other over an hour or 2 of bitter coffee and pancakes. over time, the numbers have varied, some have moved to other states or countries (either permanently or temporarily) the location has changed (several times), but the intent has never changed...to come together for a common good...to continue along the path of a long obedience in the same direction.

ART: pARTicipate

2009-01-19T16:42:00.003-06:00

i have posted this week on phlebotomic. click here for the link, and let me know your thoughts...bleed it out...

Hallelujah

2009-01-18T10:00:00.007-06:00

last night there were 2 concerts on tv...both the same band, but 2 completely different shows. the foo fighters (one of my all-time fav's) were playing on both pbs' austin city limits and vh1, live from wembley stadium. one concert, (acl) had a couple thousand spectators max, with ages ranging from teens to at least mid-sixties. a majority of the people standing politely, quite a few in polo shirts and khaki's, with a couple fans yelling out on rare occassion...a real sense of respect and attentiveness. The other (wembley stadium) packed an historical stadium with over 83,000 screaming, yelling, dancing, singing at the top of their lungs to every lyric while standing for hours in the cold rain fans. like i said, 1 band, 2 completely different shows.

i've always loved music and i've been at both of these types of shows, and each one presents a certain emotion with it. music is emotion put to sound and word. music and emotion is something i think we all crave...we are emotional beings. that presents a fear of mine...i've always felt that if i understand and repleclate something that i admire, my admiration will deplete...perhaps because i've accomplished that which seemed so intriguing to me at one point, i don't know, i'm weird like that.

see, i've always wished that i could be a musician, but anyone who knows me will tell you that i have absolutely no rhythm, can't play a music instrument to save my life and am most like 100% tone deaf...so thus, musicians and the music they create becomes very intriguing and fascinating to me. i used to try writing songs, but what good is writing words if there is no music to go with it? i still have books and journals filled with my words, my thoughs, my emotions, my musicless songs.

there was a time a few years ago when that's pretty much all i did was fill up journals with words...i didn't know who i was, and i was frightened to seek that, to find out who i was. a good friend of mine (rick) introducted me to a song that would help in shaping my life, or at least give me comfort. like i said, i felt lost, confused as to who i was, but the moment i heard this song, i felt like someone else finally understood me. i know it silly, to think that some guy who has never met me would write a song that spoke to me, but i don't think i'm the only person who's ever felt that way.

his name was jeff buckley, and the song is called fittingly, hallelujah. perhaps a few of you already know the song, but here it is to enjoy, to get lost with, to connect with...

Random Facts (of Queen, Bugs Bunny and Flatulence)

2009-01-15T14:28:00.010-06:00

because you know you love random trivia... note: these facts have only been been mildly investigated for accuracy...repeat at your own risk!

freddie mercury, the lead singer of british music group queen, was born in zanzibar and named farrokh bulsara

the purpose of gasoline rationing during the second world war was not to conserve gas, but to conserve tires. the primary source for natural rubber at the time was southeast asia, much of which was under japanese control.

robert lincoln, son of president lincoln, was saved from a nasty railroad accident by edwin booth. edwin was the brother of abraham lincoln’s assassin, john wilkes booth.

america’s first “air force” was equipped with five hot-air balloons and fifty servicemen.

the orange river in southern africa isn’t named for the fruit or the color; it’s named for the dutch royal family who sent explorers to “discover” the area.

habitual singing causes the lungs to release leptin, a protein manufactured by the body’s fat cells that is involved in the regulation of appetite. this may partially explain why opera stars tend to lean toward the heavy end of the scale.

the baltimore ravens football team of the national football league is the only team in history to be named after the title of a poem: “the raven” by edgar allan poe. poe was not from baltimore, but he lived there for short periods. in 1849, he died there while visiting the city on business.

even though he hated their taste, mel blanc insisted on chewing real carrots to provide the chomping sounds for cartoon character bugs bunny.

using an orange-handled coffee pot to denote decaffeinated brew dates back to 1923, when general foods first introduced sanka. As a promotional gimmick, they provided restaurants and diners with orange pots that matched the orange packaging of their decaf coffee.

five to ten times as many people were killed in the peshtigo, wi, fire on october 8, 1871 than in the famous chicago fire on the same day.

according to doctors, humans suffer an average of 14 episodes of flatulence per day.

Payday = $24/month

2009-01-15T13:33:00.012-06:00

ever wonder who made the clothes you're wearing? i know, we all assume (or at least sarcasticly hope) that each article of clothing was hand crafted by a well-educated, fairy-treated, highly-paid skilled professional with a speciality in wide leg, boot cut, designer jeans and athletic fit, button down dress shirts....but i think we all know that isn't exactly reality.

well, i wondered just that question, and i stumbled upon something that discusses just the topic. kelsey timmerman has written a book titled Where am I Wearing: A Global Tour to the Countries, Factories, and People that Make Our Clothes. click here for a blog written by him giving you a brief view into his findings. perhaps it'll suprise you, but more than likely (and unfortunately) it probably won't!

Happy Friday

2009-01-09T07:28:00.003-06:00

Re-Resolution (or, I Am A Glass House)

2009-01-06T18:07:00.006-06:00

recently, on a group blog experiement that i'm posting for (phlebotomic, click here) i wrote that i typically don't participate in new years resolutions because 1) i'm never any good at making them and 2) i'm absolutely horrible at keeping them. i went on to blab about static on the television, rabbit ears, etc.

i thought i had moved on from that topic, but thanks to some events today and rush hour traffic that allowed the thoughts to stew in my head, i realized that perhaps i do have a new years resolution afterall. i don't think that it's just a re-solution for just me, but should probably be practiced by everyone...and here it is:

we should all live in glass houses.

why do we allow ourselves to live our lives differently depending on the situation? why do we feel that we have to act (or not act) certain ways, say (or not say) certain things depending on the audience? why do we bcc people on emails? i figure if we can't be a certain way or say a certain thing to particular people, regardless of the person's involved, then perhaps there's more to the issue than once thought. perhaps there's more we need to identify and address in our lives. why do we keep skeletons in our closets?

so, there it is... there's the challenge for everyone. and remember, people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones!

Phlebotomic

2009-01-01T17:07:00.007-06:00

i have been asked to join in on a new 'group-effort' blog. it is titled phlebotomic. click here for link, or look for it on the sidebar to the right under 'other blogs and links.' below is the forward and explanation given by its creator.

"Welcome to "phlebotomic", a blog experiment that seeks to gather multiple perspectives around a common topic - one week at a time.

Having blogged almost 500 entries on a personal blog, I found that my posts became predictable. I bored myself.

I began to wonder what a blog would look like if it had multiple users all concentrated on one topic at a time. So that is what this is...Each week, the authors of phlebotomic will write on a common prompt (which could be a word or a question or something completely different) that will be provided to them and reflected in the title of their post. (For instance, the first prompt is "resolution".)

I hope that the result will be an intriguing exercise, one that stretchers both the readers and the authors. I hope that we will continue to add more authors from diverse disciplines and faith backgrounds and that we will truly engage here in a new and distinct way.

Of the title of the blog, "phlebotomic" is a medical term referring to the "bleeding out" of a patient. Here, the hope is that the faith and hope and experience of the authors will slowly be bled out so we are all richer for bearing witness to their journey."

so, there it is...a new place to engage...or at least kill some time at work. i will be posting on that blog once a week, and continue to do my best with this one... we'll see how it goes. i hope that the feeling of predictability hasn't set in yet on this blog, although i know i have felt it on more than one occassion. others posting on this group blog are: kyle burkholder, matt jennings, david e. white, mike sharrow, daniel duce, and others to come.

i hope that if nothing else, phlebotomic will allow everyone (both poster and reader alike) to expand their horizions, views and opinions in particular matters, as we read and reflect the same topic through the minds of others. enjoy!

IV

2008-12-30T23:00:00.005-06:00

4. "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy."

the sabbath..what a day! what does this even mean anymore? who knows what it means to not work and to honor the sabbath anymore? more and more people work 7 days and honor the Lord none. but again, does this apply to everyone else, or does it apply to me? is everyone else the problem, or am i? how do i become the solution? how do you...how do we?

5 Beloved Traditions...

2008-12-24T09:04:00.009-06:00

what do rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, green-bean casserole, diamond engagement rings, valentine's day candy and wedding registeries have in common? click here to find out.

(sorry for the abundance of links lately...trying to keep the reading light, seeing as tomorrow is Christmas. happy spending!)

Hope

2008-12-23T17:17:00.008-06:00

"You are just as valuable as any other person on planet Earth."

in a season of joy, grace, peace and love...how often do we remember to practice just that. check out this article (click here) to see how a small texas football team brought just that to 'the least of these'. enjoy!