Check this,

cool.

New place to play

If you are looking for a place to connect with kids and see what we do at YFC. Check this site out. You will find it on the link menu to the right as well.

Return of the Mug

Centralia was great. If you go to the Olympic Club, don't stay in any of the back rooms though. There are tracks of an active rail line that goes by regularly through the night. And the beds are smaller. Stay on the Tower Ave side of the building. That is the side with the king beds and closer proximity to the baths. Coffee is good.

Suggestible Behaviour

1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open it to page 161.
3. Find the fifth full sentence.
4. Post the text of the sentence along with these instructions.
5. Don't search around and look for the coolest book you can find. Do what's actually next to you.

"I mean, I was just me."

19 minutes. Jodi Picoult

Centralia, the New Babymoon Destination

Back south to the Oly club for some uninterrupted time with my wife before #3 hits the street. I am looking forward to a cup at Santa Lucia Coffee Co. served with a hot date. It used to be that I would go to a hotel to get a nights sleep on a bed that was newer than 1975, but thanks to the recent purchase of a 2006 bed, I can strike that from the list.

A morning with foam

I got to spend time in Seattle last week. Here is a picture of my company for the morning.

This is not a life

Magritte had something.

A pretty flower out-side of the new place

I can't do much with my phone/camera but software can.

To Quote

Poets have been mysteriously silent on the subject of cheese.

G. K. Chesterton
English author & mystery novelist (1874 - 1936)

Day 17

I never got to try Martin Henry coffee. They flipped to Forza. And I bet that you didn't know that lent is the time to pick up a new vice, like pipe smoking. See Dead Man's Pipes or Alt Smokers Pipes.

Day 1, 2007

Spending my afternoon in a new place, closer to the homestead. The steamer is 15 cents more than at Forza! I don't know about the coffee because I have 40+ days until I am going back on the bean. No caffeine or soda pop for now.

Thoughts in red from three inches

Taken at the Kickstand cafe in Tacoma WA

This just makes sense

"Mother Night" by Jim Harrison from Saving Daylight.

When you wake at three AM you don't think
of your age or sex and rarely your name
or the plot of your life which has never
broken itself down into logical pieces.
At three AM you have the gift of incomprehension
wherein the galaxies make more sense
than your job or the government. Jesus at the well
with Mary Magdalene is much more vivid
than your car. You can clearly see the bear
climb to heaven on a golden rope in the children's
story no one ever wrote. Your childhood horse
named June still stomps the ground for an apple.
What is morning and what if it doesn't arrive?
One morning Mother dropped an egg and asked
me if God was the same species as we are?
Smear of light at five AM. Sound of Webber's
sheep flock and sandhill cranes across the road,
burble of irrigation ditch beneath my window.
She said, "Only lunatics save newspapers
and magazines," fried me two eggs, then said,
"If you want to understand mortality look at birds."
Blue moon, two full moons this month,
which I conclude are two full moons. In what
direction do the dead fly off the earth?
Rising sun. A thousand blackbirds pronounce day.

Ribbon for Type

I have been keeping a low profile as we are moving to the outskirts of LKWD. I don't think PKLD (Parkland) will be the new address for the photo site, but more thoughts from east county will happen.

Open Up and Say...Ahh!

Don't need nothin' but a good time
How can I resist
Ain't lookin' for nothin' but a good time
And it don't get better than this

I am sick. I have just finished a conversation with a former student. He was sharing his life with me since we last saw each other. During the conversation I learned that while I was trying to recruit him to be a camp counselor, he was sleeping with his girlfriend. Driving away I started to chew on this piece of information flipping through the radio dial and my ear stopped on the above song. I sang along at the top of my lungs. Then it hit me. I really don't have much room to judge.

Dark and shadowed corners

Lighting the first candle is scary and exciting. So little light leads to so many questions and so many bad conclusions.

My Den

I am not afraid of declaring goals, desires, or aims for the New Year. Here are a few that I might like to get done.

I would like to add to my collection some more PKD books. Last night I got a taste of square dancing, and I liked it. This next year I would like to try it some more. Learning to play chess, read music and get some basics of cooking down are also on the "list".

In all I have a few things that I would like to occupy some of my less structured moments.

I have missed the it, just like the Romans.

Safeway is open Christmas day. Standing in line the, it occurred to me that 20 yrs ago, December 25th was a dead day for shopping. Today had more of a "light Tuesday morning" feel. When "new atheist" don't worry about Christmas as a threat to their movement because it is just a secular holiday, and I am standing in line to get Coke for the party, I think maybe I have moved beyond the holy days and into a Roman empire like attitude. I have missed the Event of Time for a grab at the gimmes.

Generosity

Reach out your hand if your cup be empty
If your cup is full may it be again
Let it be known there is a fountain
That was not made by the hands of man

Down the throat

It is a special kind of trust that causes a person to take the word of someone else who is encouraging you to sign papers that will cause a dept that takes decades to pay off. With that, there is a special terror as well. It is a short trip from mortgage owner to homeless. And the following gives me cause to pause, death vow, really!


Word History: The great jurist Sir Edward Coke, who lived from 1552 to 1634, has explained why the term mortgage comes from the Old French words mort, "dead," and gage, "pledge." It seemed to him that it had to do with the doubtfulness of whether or not the mortgagor will pay the debt. If the mortgagor does not, then the land pledged to the mortgagee as security for the debt "is taken from him for ever, and so dead to him upon condition, &c. And if he doth pay the money, then the pledge is dead as to the [mortgagee]." This etymology, as understood by 17th-century attorneys, of the Old French term morgage, which we adopted, may well be correct. The term has been in English much longer than the 17th century, being first recorded in Middle English with the form morgage and the figurative sense "pledge" in a work written before 1393. (from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/mortgage)

To the five of you who read this...

I present a reading list. Some I have read, others, I have not. That doesn't stop me from asking for it as a gift (those will be starred) and talking about them in sudden conversations in the toy section of Target.

1. *How (Not) to Speak to God- Marks of the Emerging Church, Peter Rollins*
2. *First Fruits of Prayer: A Forty Day Journey through the Ancient Great Canon, Fredrica Mathews-Green*
3. The Once and Future King, T.H. White
4. Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, Susanna Clarke
5. Naming the Elephant: World View as a Concept, James Sire
6. The Spirit of the Disciplines, Dallas Willard
7. Exiles: Living Missionally in a Post-Christian Culture, Michael Frost

Service

Service to others in the spirit of Jesus allows us the freedom of a humility that carries no burdens of "appearance." It lets us be what we are-simply a particularly lively piece of clay who,as servant of God, happens to be here now with the ability to do this good and needful thing for that other bit of clay there. The experience of active love freed up and flowing by faith through us on such occasions will safe guard us from innumerable pitfalls of the spiritual life.

Dallas Willard

Vanity, vanity, all is vanity, says the Teacher.

4 a.m.

All my problems seem much worse.

Long silence

Joyeux Noel is a worthy Christmas movie.

The Idea , an extended quote:

One of my first journalistic adventures, or misadventures, concerned a comment on Grant Allen, who had written a book about the Evolution of the Idea of God. I happened to remark that it would be much more interesting if God wrote a book about the evolution of the idea of Grant Allen. And I remember that the editor objected to my remark on the ground that it was blasphemous; which naturally amused me not a little. For the joke of it was, of course, that it never occurred to him to notice the title of the book itself, which really was blasphemous; for it was, when translated into English, 'I will show you how this nonsensical notion that there is a God grew up among men.' My remark was strictly pious and proper; confessing the divine purpose even in its most seemingly dark or meaningless manifestations. In that hour I learned many things, including the fact that there is something purely acoustic in much of that agnostic sort of reverence. The editor had not seen the point, because in the title of the book the long word came at the beginning and the short word at the end; whereas in my comment the short word came at the beginning and gave him a sort of shock. I have noticed that if you put a word like God into the same sentence with a word like dog, these abrupt and angular words affect people like pistol-shots. Whether you say that God made the dog or the dog made God does not seem to matter; that is only one of the sterile disputations of the too subtle theologians. But so long as you begin with a long word like evolution the rest will roll harmlessly past; very probably the editor had not read the whole of the title, for it is rather a long title and he was rather a busy man.

Leathal Faith

No coward soul is mine,
No trembler in the world's storm-troubled sphere:
I see Heaven's glories shine,
And faith shines equal, arming me from fear.
E.Bronte

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.

More thoughts in red

There is a little community several minutes south of LKWD tucked between Ft Lewis and Steilacoom named after the industrialist of the 19th century, DuPont. There is a little coffee place that is fighting the good fight against Mdme S. Taking it's cue from mythology as well, it has a flying horse as it's seal. I found myself here to get away from the deep wagon rutts I have so carefully made for myself. So here I sit.

One more time

Late May?

Firehouse

It is a beautiful October morning and I got to enjoy my Tuesday morning cappuccino. Mmmmm, habit.

To Quote

"Why is it that we look upon our salvation as a moment that began our religious life instead of the daily life we receive from God? We're encouraged somehow today to remove the essence of faith from the particulars of daily human life and relocate it in special times, places, and states of mind."




The Spirit of Disciplines, Dallas Willard

book and cup

Another cup o' mocha. I was reading in "the devil's cup" that the original name for coffee came from a town in what in now the nation of Yemen. I will take his word for it. I am hoping that for my birthday, I will be able to arrange a coffee tasting up in Seattle. I hear that there are one or two places to try the stuff.

And if you have not read the book "The Spirit of the Disciplines" by Dallas Willard, you should. If Dallas isn't your thing then Foster's book, "Celebration of Discipline" is the other "quick" read. And if you have a taste for a dead author, William Law's "A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life" is a rich challenge to live a life of repentance and joy.

Movies in Liquid

I am not a big fan of the wet. When I was a small child and easy to chill with a mist, I decided that water was not my friend for recreation. So when I tell people that surfing looks like a great idea, they look at me like I have forgotten that it involves a great deal of the wet (and salty). It is a kind of "are you forgetting something or are you just stupid" look. But I think what I really mean is I like the movies about surfing. So far my favorites have been The Endless Summer and Big Wednesday, which might be the obvious choices but, if you are going to be introduced to a topic, the basics are the best place to start.

Last night I saw "Step into Liquid" directed by Dana Brown, son of Bruce Brown of Endless Summer. Wow, what is possible today with photography! Some of the most enchanting shots were inside the wave. It reminded me of lead crystal, cut into scalloped shapes. The blue of the water and sky as the fore and back ground and makes the surfer appear to be flying. It is a dazzling thing to watch.

The long silence

Over the last week, I have tried several times to log on and post. But the server/wi-fi/ether fairies have been against me. Hope I am back.

A better way to experience the game

Several posts back I was complaining that modern stadiums don't respect the game. Well, here is a place where you can watch in peace. Yes, I do enjoy watching the game.

Another one gone

I found this at the local park last weekend, and it caused me to pause. Scoot was a sometimes visitor in a youth group that I volunteered with. About a month ago he was shot in a sports bar just before closing time. He was the local pharmacist for the middle school set and I am sure he made enemies (he was shot accidentally by a friend) but he was always polite and quick with a smile. I am sorry that I never got to see him as a regular at the church (any of the four churches)that he walked passed everyday.

Late Night Mocha with Wi-Fi

What a great place. It is open 24hrs with smoking kids, angry G.I.s, angry women with loser boy-friends, on a warm August night. Thank you cafe culture.

A salute for you

In LKWD we have two major military installations, with lots of retired military as well. Outside City Hall we have a group of statues, including this one, to remember WWII.

NPR geek

YEA! If I am going to lose KEXP, then this is a great replacement. I like radio.

My Very Energetic Mother Just Sent Us Nine Pizzas

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune...Pluto?

PRAGUE, Czech Republic (AP) -- Leading astronomers declared Thursday that Pluto is no longer a planet under historic new guidelines that downsize the solar system from nine planets to eight.

Jerks.

These also shall be unclean unto you among the creeping things that creep upon the earth

Here is the last of the chalk art. I found this picture outside the Tacoma Art Museum. It's subject matter is dear to my heart.

As a jr. high student, I spent much of my time as a teacher's aide (suck-up). One of my favorite teachers was Mr. S. He would let me avoid all school assemblies and if I needed to school lunches. The one weak spot in this was my duty to clean the ferret cage, daily. This is when I discovered that ferrets are nasty little creatures that stink to un-godly hights. I am not a fan of the rodent family in general, but the idea of these little beasts as pets turns my stomach to this day. So I am not really sure why someone would pose long enough to hold a glorified rat. Enjoy the picture...

Bear sidewalk

 

Another picture from the sidewalk. I couldn't fit the whole think into the frame. Too bad there was a lot to it. 

My chalk Butterfly

I found this on a walking date with my wife at the University of Washington, Tacoma. The walk didn't have the effect I was looking for however: energy and conversation. We were drifty and distant. But I got some cool photos.

Freedom!

Thank you Utilikilts. My biggest frustration is waiting till I can afford another of these beauties.

Black Water Fawcett

I found a new coffee place in Tacoma. Tasty mocha with attractive foam art (I wish I got a picture of that), Cute art on the walls(lots of pink with cartoon characters), but bad wi-fi connection. This is a problem as they advertise as a wi-fi shop. I guess that is Tethered Swimming for me. However there are two other shops within one block of Black Water Cafe, so them's next.

Section 341 row 20 seat 6

The baseball stadium is not about the game. It is really just an amusment park with baseball as one attraction. I don't know why but this supprised me. I took my daughter and she sat there for the entire game. I had to make her go to the bathroom. She liked the game.

White for harvest

In the day, I would get all high and mighty self-righteous about this "cliche". Now it seems to be the clearest call I have heard in a while.

Not much coffee in Ol' Miss, but...

Sweet sweet mocha.

Going to pascagoula

hi-wireless

I will be taking some pix with my camera but I don't know if I want to post while I am there. Notes will be taken on this, my favorite wireless device. I am returning home on the 22nd of July.

Let's call it Perspective

I came into the shop today listening to Bowie. Life on Mars was on riding along with me in the back seat. He jumped into front shot-gun when I caught the chorus. It caught me in the thinking seat along with some of the books I have been reading. It is hip to talk about the poor and those in unjust lives. I hope that we take it beyond "hip" and make it a life.



Sailors fighting in the dance hall
Oh man! Look at those cavemen go
It's the freakiest show
Take a look at the Lawman
Beating up the wrong guy
Oh man! Wonder if he'll ever know
He's in the best selling show
Is there life on Mars?

Back into the routine

And it feels really nice. I didn't know that some day I would find so much value and comfort in doing things regularly.

Steilacoom provides a quaint fireworks display year after year. Last night was enjoyable if not weak in the finale. It is a chance to meet with some friends and watch my youngest fall and stay asleep 5 minutes before the show.

To Camp

It was night and fire side had just started. Kids were still coming down from the "Tab" in groups of 3's and 4's, slowly and with a glaze in the eye. Then a voice came from the top of the hill screaming above the rest, "I did it! I did it!" Bonding down in the energy only a middle schooler has, she threw herself into the arms of her councilor. They stayed like that for nearly the rest of the night, attached at the hip smiling and laughing. This is the joy I live for as a Campus Life director. Years of relationship build and set in a joy that Christ brings. I am looking forward to this next week.

It is dangerous to step out from your door

"Journey over all the universe in a map, without the expense and fatigue of traveling, without suffering the inconveniences of heat, cold, hunger, and thirst."

Miguel de Cervantes

The 5 Essentials of Fruitful and Sustainable Ministry Sites

We have a new list at YFC. This is a list that reflects missional ministry. I can dig this. Here it is:

Widespread Prayer-
We deliberately engage lots of Christians to intercede on behalf of the ministry site. (What is life or ministry w/o any prayer? My own work.)

Loving Relationships-
We consistently pursue lost kids and engage them in lifelong relationships with Jesus. (This is the drug, the hook, the reason)

Faithful Bible Teaching-
We accurately handle biblical truth, regularly coaching kids to apply it in their lives. (Or apply their lives to the teachings of God in the bible)

Collaborative Community Strategy-
We intentionally work together with local churches, agencies and other partners to provide sustainable youth family ministry. (God calls out those people. Can we encourage them?)

Adults Who Empower-
We strategically develop leaders to reach young people from every people group. (Indeed, no more lone rangers in youth ministry)

What is free

The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it.
-Thoreau

Wednesday morning must mean

Forza

It is LKWD MMA staff meeting. We laugh, cry and get hopped up on wifi and bottomless coffee.

I am thinking that this summer, we will go on a tour of the coffee shops in the Greater Tacoma area for fun and a hard won addiction. Starting in July, Mondays will be Shoppe day.

On the Rood to Mississippi

I am prepairing to follow the cloud left by the twin sisters, Katrina and Rita. I mentioned several posts ago that I am working with Deaf Teen Quest. It is a group of people who specialize in working with Deaf/Hard of Hearing students. AS part of my training that I have set for myself, I am going on the mission trip that was scheduled for Pascagoula, MS. I am going to look and listen to the people I am asked to serve. As much as I can tell this will be a pilgrimage for myself as much as it will be missions. And that is where I am wrestling, pilgrimage/short term missions. Is there a difference between the two or are they the same thing in concept? I tend to believe they are the same thing.

Here are two stones in my shoes that are making my walk uncomfortable: Matt 11:28 and Matt 16:24. The yoke and the cross.

Worship site

I have mentioned in the past that I like to spent time at coffee shops. Now that I have a spy camera in my phone I am able to show you one of the many places I frequent. (Please excuse the poor quality, it is a camera in a phone) This is a picture of the Cutter's Point sign. There are several CP in Tacoma, this one is on Pacific next to UWT. It is five minutes from the main YFC office. I ususally go ultra wireless on tuesday mornings (book only) spending time in quiet meditation with a cup of black sunshine.

So much energy

I would like to spend some of it on doing something. I have finally learned the names of my neighbors. There has been too much food on my plate and my stomach is full and distended. It is time to digest.

Until then here is a picture of my suburbia.

BART!

D'oh

Working in a new community

I am having the pleasure of working with the deaf teen community. I am the stranger in the strange land. I have a hard time communitcating and I am the slowest one in the room. But the people that surround me in my learning are loving and generous in giving.

Reaching back...

I pulled the R. Mullins out of the cd shelf today. The World as Best as I Remember It, vol. 1 & 2. Man, some good stuff. If you are looking for some good story telling, you really can't beat it. Let us sit around this thought for a bit:

hello old friends
there's really nothing new to say
but the old old story bears repeating
and the plain old truth grows dearer every day
when you find something worth believing
that's a joy that nothin could take way

or

two full grown men in a huddle of kids
and they're trying to help them to believe
what is too good to be real
but is more real than the air they breath
and it's Wally and the Beaver, David and Johnathan
it's the Love of Jesus puttin on the flesh and bone

Centralia WA

Roy Gardner
Centralia Massacre
Santa Lucia

This is a small list of people we learned about and places we went to while exploring the town of Centralia WA. Amazing as it may seem it is not just a collection of outlet stores on the way to Portland. We didn't take any pictures, and if we had, I don't own a digital camera, so I wouldn't have shown them to you anyway. The hotel was boarding house style, and our room had a king size bed, and more importantly, no kids calling in the next room in the morning. All in all, a wonderful escape for a night.

Just a short trip...

Centralia is not always what I have thought of as a destination. There are some outlet stores, but when my parents are not spending the money, I am not all that interested in going. However there is a hotel/restaurant that has come highly recommended and we have baby-sitting. Yea!

Halo v. Jesus

Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.

I am beginning to have a crisis of conscience.

This summer, next fall...

I am currently trying to decide what will happen in just a few months for the summer. Right now I am pretty sure that we will be going on a 1/2 day boating trip, a baseball game and a water ski day (this from a person who hasn't played a game of baseball since he was 10. And from a person who tries to avoid recreational water use at all costs.)

Next fall is coming so soon. Several months back I thought about going through the gospels as the guiding subject matter. I don't really have any other ideas.

Three...I have started to explore the posibilities of overseas work, including MCYM (Military Community Youth Ministry). But this last thought is a further away reality. Maybe a couple of years out. I wouldn't mind going just about anywhere in the world right now.

Ahhhhhhh!

King of the Hill

A true state

All this flashy rhetoric about loving you. I never had a selfless thought since I was born. I am mercenary and self-seeking through and through; I want God, you, all friends merely to serve my turn. Peace, reassurance, pleasure, are the goals I seek, I cannot crawl one inch outside my proper skin; I talk of love- a scholar's parrot may talk Greek- But self-imprisoned, always end where I begin.

cs lewis

Notebook entries

I keep a book of notes with me, where I enter small bits of information. Once in a while I will share some of these notes, here is the first post:

The Nellie, a cruising yawl, swung to her anchor without a flutter of the sails and was at rest.

How many books can someone read...

I am currently reading Bonhoeffer's "Cost of Discipleship" after finishing "The Jesus Creed". I am begining to doubt the usefulness of so many books.

More almost Jesus junk

I am reading "The Jesus Creed" by Scot McKnight. The idea is this: Jesus' guiding thought is the Shema with the small addition of Love your neighbor as well. Not bad and the basic idea is useful. Unfortunately McKnight continually uses the phrase "Jesus Creed" and it has started to remind me of the pray of Jabez. Scot doesn't make the claims that Wilkerson made but the feeling is the same. The book is a quick read and some insightful observations of life in the jewish community. It is worth a read, but I expect some backlash.

pre-(S)kool

Jesus es mi amigo

A bid for world peace, or tourism or just cool pictures

Paris Daily Photo and its ilk have become a daily web visit for me. I get to visit the world one picture at a time with locals, the best type of tour guide, and it rocks. This is the first time I have had a desire to get any sort of digital picture taker. I want to join the family.

My church

I was thinking about where I worship. It isn't in the four walls of my local church. Nor do I spend much time alone with a bible or prayer book in meditation. But, I can be found at least four times a week at a house of the bean, behind a computer or book. I will be soaking in the light of a LCD display or printed page and the spare minutes that I have been given. What does this say? I have some ideas, but for now it is something for me to think about.

Spending some time catching up on things I missed.

There is only so much a person can listen to, read, and watch while a decade is passing, by. Right now I am trying to catch up on some of the movies and music. REM and Silence of the Lambs are the two that I am currently consuming. Next on the list will be Tommy boy. Now I might get some of the jokes that people over 30 keep saying. I don't know if I will every be able to stomach Seinfeld.

Perfidy

I learned a new word while reading with my daughter: Perfidy. This book we are reading has a moving description of forgiveness as well. If you have the time "The Tail of Despereaux Tilling" is a worthy read.

Materialism, Technolust, and Lent

For better or worse I have started to keep a shoping list of big ticket items that have been rolling around in my head. The list includes things like a Mountain Smith bag, Utility Kilt, replacement engagement ring (really this is for my wife to get for me) and other "stuff". Along with this, I would like to have a computer (laptop) at my house again. It isn't just me, the Mrs. would like one too. There is a feeling, in my gut that these might be some of the things that so easily ensnare.

We were bedding down for the night and I was explaining that I would not give up the coffee shop habit for lent, becasue it was made at the last minute and not thought out. My dear one, shot back with a smile, "Yea, we wouldn't want to sacrifice something useful. who wants to give up wifi?" Ouch, it is going to take all "40" days to get over that one.

Silence, blogging and coffee filled Holy Spirit.

Last Saturday I went to half the Core. It is a training for youth workers produced by YS. It was underwhelming. Chap Clark, the speaker, spent the time barking out enthusiastic youth pastor catch phrases. The great revelation this year was "passion." Students have it and we need to nurture it and direct it. Wow! I wonder if we could have a youth pastor/worker meeting where we talked about Jesus, not as a means, but the end (and the beginning for that matter.) We would mention the kids as the after thought, but Christ would be the heart beat. We would learn concepts like Christology and hermeneutics, and what to do with them, not to put us to sleep but to give us understanding and wisdom. But I am dreaming, this must be done, it seems alone or in smaller groups, like sharing a secret. Then doubt and fear catch us as we walk out of the door. But then marketing catches up and the game is over.

Prophets from across the pond and tight blue jeans.

I like jeans.
I like my wife in jeans (cords too, but that is a different post.) She's hot.
I like the beatles. There is an ipod somewhere that contains my sound-track.
I will have to find it.




Martha my dear though I spend my days in conversation
Please
Remember me martha my love
Don’t forget me martha my dear

Hold your head up you silly girl look what you’ve done
When you find yourself in the thick of it
Help yourself to a bit of what is all around you
Silly girl.

Take a good look around you
Take a good look you’re bound to see
That you and me were meant to be for each other
Silly girl.

Hold your hand out you silly girl see what you’ve done
When you find yourself in the thick of it
Help yourself to a bit of what is all around you
Silly girl.

Martha my dear you have always been my inspiration
Please
Be good to me martha my love
Don’t forget me martha my dear.

LaCoste Artisan Coffee, hold me closer tiny dancer.

Coffee is a religion. And one of the worship site here in lkwd likes to play Elton John. I am here at least weekly and when I am here, there is at least one EJ song to be played.

Speed Limit 25

His life freaks me out but, man can he sing a ballad.



She packed my bags last night pre-flight
Zero hour nine a.m.
And I'm gonna be high as a kite by then
I miss the earth so much I miss my wife
It's lonely out in space
On such a timeless flight

And I think it's gonna be a long long time
Till touch down brings me round again to find
I'm not the man they think I am at home
Oh no no no I'm a rocket man
Rocket man burning out his fuse up here alone

Mars ain't the kind of place to raise your kids
In fact it's cold as hell
And there's no one there to raise them if you did
And all this science I don't understand
It's just my job five days a week
A rocket man, a rocket man

And I think it's gonna be a long long time...

February the First

Hey, did you know, Christmas is over. Candlemas is the last festival in the Christian year that is dated by reference to Christmas; subsequent holidays are calculated with reference to Easter, so Candlemas marks the end of the Christmas and Epiphany season. see here

Winter is half over, calendar freaks, spring is coming!

And the words of the prophets are written on the subway walls

Well she was an american girl
Raised on promises
She couldn’t help thinkin that there
Was a little more to life
Somewhere else
After all it was a great big world
With lots of places to run to
Yeah, and if she had to die
Tryin’ she had one little promise
She was gonna keep

Oh yeah, all right
Take it easy baby
Make it last all night
She was an american girl

It was kind of cold that night
She stood alone on her balcony
She could the cars roll by
Out on 441
Like waves crashin’ in the beach
And for one desperate moment there
He crept back in her memory
God it’s so painful
Something that’s so close
And still so far out of reach

Oh yeah, all right
Take it easy baby
Make it last all night
She was an american girl

Meanwhile...

I am still living with your ghost
Lonely and dreaming of the west coast
I don’t want to be your downtime
I don’t want to be your stupid game

With my big black boots and an old suitcase
I do believe I’ll find myself a new place
I don’t want to be the bad guy
I don’t want to do your sleepwalk dance anymore
I just want to see some palm trees
Go and try and shake away this disease

We can live beside the ocean
Leave the fire behind
Swim out past the breakers
Watch the world die

I am still dreaming of your face
Hungry and hollow for all the things you took away

I don’t want to be your good time
I don’t want to be your fall-back crutch anymore

I’ll walk right out into a brand new day
Insane and rising in my own weird way
I don’t want to be the bad guy

I don’t want to do your sleepwalk dance anymore
I just want to feel some sunshine
I just want to find some place to be alone

We can live beside the ocean
Leave the fire behind
Swim out past the breakers
Watch the world die

Paper weight

I don't want to achieve immortality through my work... I want to achieve it through not dying.

Woody Allen

Global warming

Date line: Cutters Point UWT.

Right now I am glad that republicans refuse to believe that the global climate is changing. It is a warm (50's) spring like day. After 30+ days of rain 50/50 clouds and sun is a welcome change. What is really nice is the promise of spring on the breeze. There is a definite 'smell' of freshness. (Of course, July 4th is a long way off. We have a lot more time for rain.)

So, I have finally broken down and accepted the term 'missional living'. Up to this point I thought the phrase was stupid. But now after trying to find a word that says 'I am a person trying to live like I believe what Jesus said' without using a wordy sentence hasn't worked. Missonal living still smacks of christian lingo. And I guess the word discipleship has fallen out of fashion as the word to use. So for now, missional living it is.

And finally: The first requisite for immortality is death.
-Stanislaw Lec

Where have all the poodles gone?

We are drying. The rain has stopped long enough for the puddles to go away. A spring day met me at my car this morning. It was a pleasant hello.

This Friday I am off to the races. The church I go to is headed to Leavenworth WA for a weekend of inner tubing and discipleship. Rain down here means lots of snow up there. I am doing what I can to steel myself for what is to come. RISK takes the pain away. We have some time set aside for that most glorious game of world domination.

Lots of rain

Makes lots of mud. After a point, the rain no longer cleans. The dirt and grime has been creeping up the cars and across the floors of homes all over LKWD. I don't see a time-out in the near horizon. It is so wet that people have stopped going into coffee shops.

20 plus days and counting

The view from my second story window includes grey metal clouds and rain. We have been saturated with the wet stuff from the sky. Morning traffic reports include mud-slide warnings and standing water up-dates. This is Washington, some people love it, the rest leave.

Happy New Year

Yep, it is twenty-oh-six. The tradition is to make all sorts of meaning filled plans to better the self through exercise and education. I am no different. My list includes things like waking up, earlier. So far, I have not had much success. I will have to keep practicing.

If Christ Saved Fairyland

This is the title of an essay I will probably never write. I would talk about how deeply satisfying stories of magic are to the imagination. That we will always have ghost stories to explain the shadows created by objects in the light. I would end it with something like how Jesus comes into our world not as a creature unlike us, lets say like a lion, but as a human, who was tempted in every way and remained without sin. I won't do it for now because I have too many thoughts, too little time and no reason to other than to rant and get the frustrations of a shallow attempt at bible interpretation off my chest.

The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe was enjoyable. Half way through the movie I felt like I was watching a LOTR/Harry Potter combo, which is unfortunate because Narnia is wonderful on its own. Some of the fx could have used a little more time and if I had to listen to the girls cry too much more I would have shut off completely. I didn't pay for the ticket and I am glad, I think it is worth a DVD rent.

I am glad that the church is trying to engage the world in art, but I wish we would stop puting so much stock into the Christian values of Narnia and Middle-Earth. At heart they are faerie places created by Christian men who really like Arthur and Beowulf and wanted to write stories they enjoyed reading. They talk about doom and redemption through sacrifice but they both fall short, just like every other myth. And that is OK. Just step away from Aslan as Jesus.

Cell phone death

I am sitting in a coffee shop doing some work. There is a guy who is on the phone using a stupid ear-snot dangle thing, walking back and forth through the shop talking about his car. THIS IS RUDE. Don't do it. If you must use the phone, go outside. Is it cold, too bad. It will cause you to use less minutes, and that is better for you right?

Shaping

I like reading about the modern American church. It is my family. We can be ugly and insensitive with a strong pension for inflicting damage to those close to us. I like reading about church history too. It comforts me to know that we come from a long line of grace soaked people.

Currently I am in a book by two men from "down under" Australia way. Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch have written a book dealing with things to come in the western church, as they see it. There are many graphs, charts and lists that explain and compare many of the concepts they cover and I would like to share two that have stuck with me. I think they have done so because I have either experienced or would like to within a body of fellow fools (see 1 Corinthians 1).


The first list is as follows:
1. The missional church proclaims the gospel. (Jesus:Where have they all gone, will you go too? Peter: Lord, where else would we go?)

2.The missional church is a community where all members are involved in learning to become disciples of Jesus. (Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart. Ps 119:2)

3. The bible is normative in this church's life.

4. The church understands itself as different from the world because of its participation in the life, death, and resurrection of its Lord.

5. The church seeks to discern God's specific missional vocation for the entire community and for all of its members.

6. A missional community is indicated by how Christians behave toward one another.

7. It is a community that practices reconciliation. (Having worked with student I know what a testimony this could be for those who live in so many broken relationships. Not to mention all the times I have watch brothers and sisters tear new wholes for each other in the name of Christ.)

8. People within the community hold themselves accountable to one another in love.

9. The church practices hospitality. (This is a gift I do not have and dearly wish I did have. I have a hard time sharing with my friends, never mind with strangers)

10. Worship is the central act by which the community celebrates with joy and thanksgiving both God's presences and God's promised future.

11. This community has a vital public witness.

12. There is a recognition that the church itself is a incomplete expression of the reign of God.

This is a list of attributes found in a missional/incarnational church. Quickly here are some definitions use in the book; missional: A church whose primary commitment is missionary calling of the people of God. Also it is a sent church with one of its defining vales being the development of a church life and practice that is contextualized to that culture to which it believes it is sent. Incarnational: in relation to mission it means the followers of Jesus similarly embodying of the culture and life of a host culture in order to reach that group of people with Jesus' love.

The second list has a set of exercises that I would like to practice in my own life. Then I would like to come together with others of like mindedness and do the same. Would I consider being a part of a "start-up" church? I don't know, but I wouldn't throw out any possibilities.

1. Keep that which is not unbiblical
2. Reject that which is unbecoming for Christians
3. Modify practices to give them explicitly christian meanings. (This is dangerous territory, for here is where many stupid church people are labeled. Sometimes for good reasons.)
4. Reject current unbiblical practices and replace them
5. Adopt rites drawn from the christian heritage
6. Create new symbols and rituals

This is a list of hard work. Lots of study, prayer and examination have to take place to make sure wheat is seperated from chaff. The result, hopefully, is a church that will be better suited to communicate to the world in which it finds itself.

If you want to read these ideas in more context you should get "The Shaping of Things to Come: innovation and mission for the 21st-century church" Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch. ISBN 1-56563-659-7

Any mistakes found here-in are mine, deal with it.

Library

We have a humble library in LKWD. It is 1000 sq feet, maybe. It does have internet access and a small studio upstairs for quite meditation, both of which I use on occasion. When I walk in and see all the books on so many topics, I feel subversive. All this information is before me to use as I see fit. The power goes to my head.

Today I walked in and found the Utne Reader. It is a magazine of the left and sometimes has stuff that is interesting. For example, this month Utne has an article about Donald Miller. His is the guy who wrote "Blue Like Jazz." They gave what I thought was a fair review of his work in the one page review. (Side note: they were horrified that he held to some traditional Christian values, like Jesus' claims are true.) The fun part of the adventure was going over to the computer catalog and typing in his name and finding his other books. Which I promptly placed a hold on. Now all I have to do is wait for the magic call and I get to go pick up, for free, a copy of "Waiting for God Knows What." Sure I don't keep it, but that is ok. It's called recycling.

If you haven't been to your library lately, you need to go. They're cool.

kexp/kxot

Best radio ever-and now it will be pulling out of the tacoma area. It is a crushing blow to those of us outside of the seattle listening area, but it was a good ride while we heard it. Check them out at www.kexp.org it is the best radio, really.

Camp

Once a year we pull kids from life and stick them on a lake in olympia washington. During this week we run them nearly to dropping point with water skiing, inner tubes, games, and late nights in the cabin. It is a life changing experience filled with all sorts of joy, heart ache and healing. It is an event I look forward to every year.

Death by meeting. We are now sitting in a meeting talking about all the little details that it takes to make this camp so wonderful. Sometimes it feels like we are arguing over the color of the carpet. And my arse hurts. My eyes feel like they are being slowly squeezed from my head like two grapes. I wonder if they will bounce or just plop on the floor?

Some seeds taking root

Here are some ideas I am working on for later distribution.
1. Time
2. Helena, MT.
3. Travel

A quote for those who care: "Adolescence is, like, you know, the human condition on steroids."

Let's think over this again

Creative thinking in youth ministry can go too far.

Books

I am currently trying to weed out my book reading. I have a library very close to my office that allows me to check out many more books than I could possible read. I love it. Last time I was there, I got a book on the history of the oak tree (heard a review on npr), The Lone Warrior (a book about a famous seventeenth century samurai) and a book about imaginary beasts. All of these are wonderful reads! I never knew all the stuff that the oak has ment to human history. Samurai (one who serves) did more than just yell and make cool movies. And I now have more than the liger to draw in my notebook. Unfortunately I am also trying to read a book on Christ/the church/our mission before the end of the year. Since I don't have to read like a college student the day before the exam, I read slowly. The slower the better is my opioin. My wife chides me constantly because I will finish one book in the same time she can knock out three. So I am going to buckle down and stick to just one or two of them, and let the others slide, for now.

Dancing with my Daughters

We have an area rug in our living room that is next to the stereo. It creates just the right amount of dancing space in for the Olson dance troup. On occasion I will throw in a CD that has a beat and inspires a desire to move your body. The other day I got the urge to do just that. Inspiration came in the form of a couple of albums that have jigs, reels and stomp tunes that lend themselves to frenetic movement. Well, with the first note we got to dancing, stomping and spinning till it I felt like my head was going to fall right off. There was laughter and silliness pouring from all three of us goofs. My oldest daughter grabed hold of my back pockets and we had a two person dance line that twirled and snaked around the carpet, her sister and a million dolls. By the time we were finished making a joyful noise there was a pleasent stink from three very sweaty bodies. It was fun. I know that some day it will fall out of fashion to spend an afternoon dancing with their daddy, but until then...

Snow

I have a deep dislike for snow. To start off, yes it is pretty, magical, fun for kids and grown-ups alike. Many a wonder-filled day has been spent exploring new and old familiar places. Many of us owe our existence to a snow filled evening and a fire. I am not here to say that snow hasn't done many things for human kind. This doesn't change my opinion for the cold, death bringing ice shards that fall from the sky.

We got our snow for the year up here in Lakewood, so the police and fire folks have been busy running back and forth trying to save us from our non-snow driving selves. The schools have been canceled so the kids are on every non horizontal surface with any sliding device they can find, rushing toward their next adrenalin high. I am nice and warm here in my office, drying out listening to the hum and purr of central heating. I would go out for a mocha, but that would mean having to enter back into the world of white tragedy. So for now I will stay here and wait for the thermometer to rise.