I can't believe that it has been a week already. And what a busy week it was. As I stated in my last blog, Janine's mom was here and was able to spend a lot of time with the kids. It just worked out that she was here for Shirley's big birthday bash at Rich and Corina's house (you guys are awesome for letting us use your place!). It was quite a bit of fun, for sure, as many friends showed up and we were able to barbecue and relax while the kids played and enjoyed the food and the pinata (the big hit of the day). Shirley seemed to really enjoy herself, and it was nice that all the people could show up.
The day before that we went to Silver Lake and hiked around a little bit. It was a beautiful day and a bit cooler in the mountains. I had taken the day off so we could do something like that and it was nice that it was such a great day for it. We ate breakfast on the way there and had a little snack lunch at the picnic tables at the lake. It was very relaxing and fun to just hang out with family in a serene setting. It was much better than working.
Janine and I also celebrated our 7th anniversary this Sunday. It is hard to believe that it has been seven years already, and who knew we would have a nine year old girl before our seventh wedding anniversary! Crazy. Anyhow, we were able to try out a steak house that I had seen/heard of a little bit since we have been here. We both got filet mignon and enjoyed it thoroughly. It was very delicious and very much a nice evening (or at least an hour and a half) where we could just talk and enjoy sitting down without three kids clamoring for our attention. Thanks to the Clemens and Meyer families for watching the kids while we ate, too! The same day was my first Father's Day. The kids got me a docking station for my iPod, which they were more excited to open than I was. It was a wonderful gift that I used almost immediately. The best part is that it has a clock with a sleep/alarm function so I can go to sleep and wake up to music...something I really haven't done in.. . .seven years! It's a great present, so thanks, kids (and Janine;)).
So tomorrow night is the first in a series of concerts that I will be attending this summer. My buddy Josh and I will be hitting up Bela Fleck and Chick Corea at Red Butte Garden tomorrow evening, for a time of good music, cribbage, and hopefully some food. I will also be hitting up Built to Spill, Son Volt, and Ryan Adams later in the summer. I am really hoping that Wilco and/or Damien Jurado come back through this year, as I have seen Wilco once when they came through and Damien Jurado three times. Most fall dates haven't been announced yet, though, so we'll have to wait and see.
Janine and I have recently been watching the documentary "Wal*Mart: The High Cost of Low Prices" lately. It is very interesting and informative. It doesn't necessarily tell things that are secretive, but things that we may not consider when we decide where it is that we spend our money. I remember as a kid while driving through my hometown that my parents spotted a fleet of UHaul vehicles parked at a local gas station. They commented on it as if it were the worst thing to ever happen, that this very non-local business had come to town. I don't even remember a local van/truck rental place, or any moving business of the sort, but I remember their sour taste as soon as they saw a business that would not help to develop the town in any economic sense whatsoever. It was interesting to me then, as an ignorant young boy, and more interesting to me now as one who is more well-versed in such issues. I can understand their disdain for such things, such promises of economic growth elsewhere, of taking money out of the pockets of the local and putting it into the pockets of the distant. It is the same with these grand stores that are invited into neighborhoods, given tax credits, and allowed to drive out businesses that have been around for a long time, family owned businesses. It is difficult to watch such things especially while I am very interested in starting a business of my own. How does it work? How will it survive? I know that coffee shop/bakery/t-shirts are different than Wal*Mart, but how can a personal business not be effected by the corporate giants who receive the subsidies that mom and pop cannot? How are they supposed to survive when their prices are being undercut by wholesale and cheap and unfair labor? Even with good service and offering product and atmosphere that others are not, how would we compare to Starbucks or other coffee big names? I remember how this affected us at the gas station that I used to work at, how when I began we would always run out, fill tanks for people, wash windows, check oil, etc. without giving it a second thought. Then the automated pumps. Then the game became getting people in and out quickly, because the more customers we can have in an hour, the more money we will make. It is simple math. But at what cost? We (the pump jockeys) took the wrath of angry customers, of how we didn't take the time to service a filling customer anymore. We were the recipients of discontent. But who really were the victims in this? The customer. They became the victims of the pushing of the product vs. the keeping of the clientele. It is vastly more important now to keep the customers/per/hour at the highest rate possible over against the life long customer. You don't care about the customer in the c/p/h model, only the end product or net gains. But we have lost something in all of this, as we shop for the cheapest price, driven to such things by a system that promotes companies undercutting and underselling their competition just to drive them out of business, all the while not caring about the customer, and certainly not caring about the employee. The employee is not a cost-effective part of business. The low-end employee simply sucks up resources and takes away from net gain end product. So let's replace them with automated pumps. And boost the c/p/h up. And see where that leads us. We lost a lot of money my last couple of years working there. The owner sold it not to long after that. Coincidence? I don't know. Just a good time to sell? I don't know. But the clientele was no longer a recognizable one. I still saw them on the road, just not in our parking lot. So what do we do? Can we regain what was once lost? When I worked for Starbucks (yes, I did sell my soul) I made it a point to memorize the drinks of people who frequented our store. I knew their names. And though I may have never met them, I knew the names of their spouses, their children, their pets (I am not a deranged stalker, here, folks). And they knew what they were getting from me when they walked in: a great drink and a friendly, recognizable face. When I left Starbucks I received many, many hugs and handshakes. They were not treated as c/p/h when I was there, and they knew that, and they enjoyed us and always came back because of it. If this business does happen, if we get the gumption and the right people, and the right money and the right place, I hope that it is a place where people feel appreciated, that they are not doing me a favor by buying an americano or a loaf of bread or a Frog Brotha t-shirt original, but that there are still some who consider it good to have a recognizable face and a familiar place to sit. So take that, Wal*Mart and Starbucks...I boycott you.
I need to go to bed.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
forecasts of 100 degrees
Sometimes things work out kind of cool. A while back I received an email from an airline agency containing the itinerary for Janine's mother's trip to visit here. I noticed that Janine's email wasn't on it after I was tempted to just ask her about the trip. But I waited. I asked Brad, whose email was also in the address bar, and he told me it was to be a surprise. It worked. MaryAnne flew in last night and surprised Janine and the kids this morning. I was very happy it worked out and am happy that she is here to hang out with us for a week (even though I will be working for much of it). I took Friday off and hopefully the weather reports are wrong and it will be cooler than they are calling for (forecasts of 100 degrees, ugh). We'll see what happens.
Today Shirley went to her first day of summer school, where she was placed in the class with third graders again, even though it would make sense to place her with second grade. The idiocy of the system drives me nuts, as she is now expected to continue to do work that is at least a grade level above what she has done in her schooling in Colombia. Of course it would be speculation to say that this is how it will stay for the summer, as Janine plans on discussing the issue with whomever she can find who can actually do something about it. I hope it works out for Shirley to be in at the second grade level, as that would be far more beneficial to her in helping her to catch up on some of the things that she missed when they placed her two grade levels above her last completed grade upon her enrollment in the school system. LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE SCHOOLS!!! Geniuses that they are.
I got a book in the mail today that I ordered last week and started leafing through it. I always look in the indexes at names and look at the bibliography for other books, sources, etc. I was very surprised to see the name of a good friend of mine in the pages as a contributor/writer of one of the essays in the book. It was very exciting and I very much look forward to reading it when I get a chance. He was in our wedding seven years ago (anniversary this weekend!) and sang one of our favorite Son Volt songs very poignantly. Congrats, buddy. I look forward to your first book.
I have been hearing good things about "What is the What" from other people. Just so you all know that it isn't just me that likes it.
I just watched "Why We Fight" last night (at least finished it, after watching parts of it the previous two nights) and was very intrigued by the information presented within the documentary. It certainly echoes my sentiments regarding the power of corporations and the non-human influence in being the functioning activist in our political and social actions (or ills or mishaps, as I might call them). Why is it that we fail to desire to know about atrocities, not simply in a worldwide format, but as a result of our own doing? How are we to even begin to understand, to question, to strive for a better humanity without first hearing and discussing? Too often we are encouraged to simply keep quiet, whether overtly or in patronizing ways (as if calling someone idealistic is not patronizing). The reality is that most of us do not think about the consequences of where we shop, the items that we buy, the food that we eat, the pollutants that we administer freely and tremendously, let alone our addiction to oil and the vast social and political implications it has worldwide and in our own backyard. Recently there was discussion in our church about solar panels to offset our use of electricity. Good. But the discussion was not about using less energy or about environmental concerns; it was only about saving money. Money. And I thought God made the world go 'round. So what do we think? What do we do? Do we continue on in our consumption that encourages and fuels our imperialistic nature, our desire to protect a way of life that has become to big for itself, allowed itself to tumble out of control? Or do we start discussing, beginning the quest for understanding, and the preamble to solutions that are not yet graspable to our limited realms of thought? Can we do this? Can we do this in the face of adversaries who continue to swallow the over-saturation of nationalism, indeed, over against a commitment to God, and in many cases common sense. I would guess that some can answer "yes", but that most will answer with complete and unrepentant indifference. And that answer is a resounding "no." What about you?
I really need to change jobs. I really need to find that place where our family becomes more of the solution than the problem. Any ideas?
Keep on rockin'.
Today Shirley went to her first day of summer school, where she was placed in the class with third graders again, even though it would make sense to place her with second grade. The idiocy of the system drives me nuts, as she is now expected to continue to do work that is at least a grade level above what she has done in her schooling in Colombia. Of course it would be speculation to say that this is how it will stay for the summer, as Janine plans on discussing the issue with whomever she can find who can actually do something about it. I hope it works out for Shirley to be in at the second grade level, as that would be far more beneficial to her in helping her to catch up on some of the things that she missed when they placed her two grade levels above her last completed grade upon her enrollment in the school system. LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE SCHOOLS!!! Geniuses that they are.
I got a book in the mail today that I ordered last week and started leafing through it. I always look in the indexes at names and look at the bibliography for other books, sources, etc. I was very surprised to see the name of a good friend of mine in the pages as a contributor/writer of one of the essays in the book. It was very exciting and I very much look forward to reading it when I get a chance. He was in our wedding seven years ago (anniversary this weekend!) and sang one of our favorite Son Volt songs very poignantly. Congrats, buddy. I look forward to your first book.
I have been hearing good things about "What is the What" from other people. Just so you all know that it isn't just me that likes it.
I just watched "Why We Fight" last night (at least finished it, after watching parts of it the previous two nights) and was very intrigued by the information presented within the documentary. It certainly echoes my sentiments regarding the power of corporations and the non-human influence in being the functioning activist in our political and social actions (or ills or mishaps, as I might call them). Why is it that we fail to desire to know about atrocities, not simply in a worldwide format, but as a result of our own doing? How are we to even begin to understand, to question, to strive for a better humanity without first hearing and discussing? Too often we are encouraged to simply keep quiet, whether overtly or in patronizing ways (as if calling someone idealistic is not patronizing). The reality is that most of us do not think about the consequences of where we shop, the items that we buy, the food that we eat, the pollutants that we administer freely and tremendously, let alone our addiction to oil and the vast social and political implications it has worldwide and in our own backyard. Recently there was discussion in our church about solar panels to offset our use of electricity. Good. But the discussion was not about using less energy or about environmental concerns; it was only about saving money. Money. And I thought God made the world go 'round. So what do we think? What do we do? Do we continue on in our consumption that encourages and fuels our imperialistic nature, our desire to protect a way of life that has become to big for itself, allowed itself to tumble out of control? Or do we start discussing, beginning the quest for understanding, and the preamble to solutions that are not yet graspable to our limited realms of thought? Can we do this? Can we do this in the face of adversaries who continue to swallow the over-saturation of nationalism, indeed, over against a commitment to God, and in many cases common sense. I would guess that some can answer "yes", but that most will answer with complete and unrepentant indifference. And that answer is a resounding "no." What about you?
I really need to change jobs. I really need to find that place where our family becomes more of the solution than the problem. Any ideas?
Keep on rockin'.
Monday, June 11, 2007
many, many blessings
Once again the elapsed time between my last entry and this has sneaked up on me like the days that run away like horses over the hill. So much has happened that I will try to remember, but I know that I will forget. It's what I do.
The biggest event was Shirley's birthday. She turned 9 yesterday, amidst fanfare and a smaller group of friends (as most will be attending her party next week). It was a very good day, one in which she had a lot of fun and was able to celebrate all day long. Literally. All day long. We started with breakfast out at the Miner, which is always a treat, and continued with presents and then church. After church she spent time with some friends who are leaving, and then came home to a small party with our buddies Josiah and Jill (who will miss next week's party while they are in Mexico) and later with Brad, Traci and Joel. It was a very fun time, as we ate dinner, ate cake (too much chocolate for little kids) and simply got to continue our weekend of hanging out. The kids went absolutely crazy after their chocolate fix. We witnessed much wrestling, Andres de-pantsing Juancho, the twins ganging up on Joel the moment he walked in the door, and Shirley glowing in the midst of it all, enjoying her first birthday with us. It was such a great time.
On Saturday we were able to attend the wedding of our friends Zach and Emmy. Corina volunteered to watch Joel, Andres and Juancho (bravery not seen ever before, if you ask me), so the rest of us went up Mill Creek Canyon on a beautiful day to enjoy the ceremony and the beginning of life together for our friends. It was such a wonderful time, very relaxing, very fun, and very much a good time to celebrate. Afterward we went to Rich and Corina's house to hang out, relax, and enjoy their hospitality as they once again opened up their house to us. The kids absolutely love it over there; running around, playing in the backyard, walking through flowers, and sharing a meal that we all eat together out on the back patio. Josiah came over and shared a meal with us while Jill was at a shower, and we all chatted about many things, just enjoying the luke-warm weather (before the dreadful heat of summer) and the time to relax. It was a good day.
The night before that we took a walk at Wheeler farm, deciding that we should do that before it gets too hot to do much of anything outside. It was a very mild night, and it was fun to take the kids and Pakak out for a different walk than our usual traverse of the cold, hard concrete blocks of west Midvale. We got to see many different animals (cows, horses, a variety of birds, sheep, pigs, turkeys, chickens, geese, ducks, and a snake) and walk in the cool shade of the trails of the farm. It was a fun time and a very good way to spend a Friday evening after a week of work.
It was very much a weekend of relaxing and spending time together, which was nice. We are certainly blessed to have good friends in the area to spend time with and that they have all taken our kids on as their friends. It has helped us tremendously in our journey as a family. We certainly look forward the party this weekend, as it will be another good time to hang out with family and friends and celebrate Shirley's birthday.
One note about the chocolate: Shirley informed us (as she was going to bed) that Andres usually poops a lot when he eats chocolate. We found it interesting that she told us after he had eaten two pieces of cake, but we were curious and had to check. Lo and behold, he defecated. We thought he was done. He wasn't. About an hour later I went to check on the boys (who were both still awake, even after Shirley was asleep!) and almost had a case of reverse peristalsis as I walked into the room and was smothered by a distinct and very disgusting smell...Andres and the Chocolate's Revenge Strikes Back! Now In 3-D (disgusting, distinct, diarrhea). Oh man. Bad. Really, really bad. Thanks for the warning, Shirley. Again, that was information that would have been helpful BEFORE WE ALLOWED HIM TO STUFF TWO PIECES OF CAKE DOWN HIS THROAT!!!!
I like cereal.
Since I last wrote, the guy that I have been playing guitar with (living 30 minutes away) bought a house another thirty minutes south from where he already lives. This is basically the end. There is no way in the world I can drive an hour two ways to play guitar. I think I will still try to play somehow and somewhere, but as far as us actually getting together and playing now...I think that it will not work out. Such is life.
I often wonder, as I write much of this stuff, if anyone else feels any of the same frustrations with the conventions of life that I do. Recently there have been a few people who have commented on such things and voiced their own frustrations. I am glad to hear that there are others who struggle with societal ills and their/our place within such functional realities. I encourage those to whom these words speak and resonate within to consider deeply what it is that God prompts in you, in your heart, in your life, in your community. Listen carefully and don't let the conventions of society scare you into toe-ing the line, living status quo, and settling for what is "okay." Remember, it is not a question of what we can do, it is what we are willing to do.
I should also note that one of the reasons we came here was to minister within the neighborhood. Our strengths are in the realm of ministering to children. Janine has been doing this for many years and has been a tremendous part of the kids' lives here since our arrival in July of 2004. This past year we have been hit hard by the departure of kids whom we have grown close to in our time here. First Johnny (literally one of the first two kids we met when we got here) and his brother and sisters left in September 2006. That was difficult, and there isn't a day that goes by that we pass his old apartment without looking to see if he and his siblings are out front playing. We miss them tremendously. Last night we said goodbye to a three more kids who have grown close to us in the last year. Nohemi, Daniel and Jaylee left for Mexico last night, but not before they touched our lives in a very deep way. Sometimes it almost seems accidental how we become involved in the lives of the children and vice versa, but these three have been integral in the lives of our family and also in Brad, Traci and Joel's as well. It is very sad to see them go, as we basically saw them almost every day for the last year. We shared our homes with them, our lives with them, let them be part of our families and became part of theirs as well. We saw Nohemi get baptized in our church at Easter, just as we saw Johnny do the year before. We trust that God continues to watch over them, wherever they go, wherever they are. We will miss the Chavez kids very much, and it is sad to see them go. We thank God for our time with the kids, even though it hurts when things like this come about. But we know that our time here is not wasted, not when we see the lives of our little friends change as God works in them and us together. We are better people for being in community with these families. May God bless them.
Ahh. Late again. I need to get settled down. I hope all is well with you all.
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
with a donkey and some pygmy goats
I used to live in a cabin, with no running water, with no appliances, with only a solitary light bulb to light the middle of the 30X20 foot space. I had no bathroom. I had no bed. Just two couches, a turntable, a cd player, and a refrigerator filled with grapefruit juice and milk. My nights were spent sitting on the hood of my car, smoking cigars (cheap ones), listening to Miles Davis, and discussing the finer nuances of the 1998 NBA draft. Those were some decent times.
I am not exactly sure why my mind is focusing here, why it drifted to the cabin, how it was renovated to three room when I spend the summer in it again in 2003 following the passing of my father. How the rooms now offered a bed and a tv (with no reception) and a computer, but how it was still very much the same; no running water, no bathroom, grapefruit juice. I worked for the National Park Service Trail Crew, spending 8 days at a time in some of the most remote parts of Alaska pruning and cutting growth that overflowed into the hidden trail systems of Wrangell St. Elias National Park. So when I didn't live in a cabin with no running water and no bathroom, I lived in a tent, with cold, wet clothes and a distinct lack of home-cooked meals. And I miss it all in certain degrees very much.
My wife once commented in her blog of how she said she had been somewhat thinking about going back to PA and renovating her parents' house so that our family could fit in and live with them. I told her that I had been thinking of becoming more proactive in living out a life that I could believe in. I thought about living more extreme, setting ourselves outside of conventions that I don't believe in. . .I know she is afraid that we will live in a tent someday. I would settle for a cabin.
Society's conventions are not necessarily for me. I hear people talk often about what they want to do, what they do, and how they equate their own lifestyles with who they are. It is part of their character, their personality, and they are defined (somewhat) by much of these things. Different strokes, I guess, but I have no interest in massive toys or weekends out on wave runners or $2 beer night at Iggy's. I have no interest in working on weekends or settling for the highest buck or decimating the earth for progress. I have little interest (I say little because it sometimes sounds tempting) in the 2800 sq.ft. house with the two car garage in a neat little neighborhood. I have no interest in just going to church every Sunday and saying that I am a Christian. But I am a part of all of these things. I might not simply do all of them, but I am a part of them all, and I encourage it by working where I work, shopping where I shop, dining where I dine, and driving where I drive. All in spite of society's conventions not necessarily being for me.
I really do want something different, something that takes care of the earth God gave us, something that steps outside of conventional living and all it's trust in money and oil and that our nation will always remain the same. I want to be self-sustaining, to grow food, to live locally, to get my hands dirty, to worship God with my lifestyle that revolves more around Him and less on the product and process of the current common lifestyle. I do believe that we are called to something else, although I am not sure of the timing, the place, the people, but I believe that God has spoken a clear message to my family and me, about how to live on His earth. This has effected my politics, my choices of commerce, our home living, and our outlook on many things. I want to live more simply, in a more sustainable way, without raping the earth, without cheating people out of a fair wage, without relying on oil as our substitute god, without the pressures of society to do more, be more, make more money, improve moral by shopping because you need that new thing even though your old thing is still completely operational and functional. Maybe it is a pipe dream. Maybe I am too idealistic. Maybe I am crazy. Maybe I don't know what I am doing or what I am talking about. Maybe. Or maybe God is truly taking us in this direction, maybe to the green of Oregon or the woods of Montana or the community of Midvale. Maybe. I don't know. I do know that people thought we were weird or crazy or that we didn't know what we were doing when we decided to adopt three kids from Colombia. Crazy. Idealistic. Ignorant. God knows what He is doing, though, and that is where my faith lies, not in the conventions of society or man. So we wait for that call, to know how and when and with whom, to progress in the living of the life to which He has called us.
I would settle for a cabin with a donkey and some pygmy goats.
I saw the singing of the anthems last night before game 4 of the NHL finals. My favorite part. I am not exactly sure what it is about hearing crowds of people singing in unison, but it gives me goose bumps. I felt the same when singing "El Shaddai" at the Mormon Tabernacle when Ravi Zaccharias spoke there. What I do know is that those Canadians sing! And in two languages! I hope Ottawa wins game five so we can go back to Ottawa for another rendition. Simply wonderful.
I think my non-band is playing this weekend. I call it a non-band because we have only played together a few times and have not really worked out much of who we are or what we do. We have very different musical tastes and I figure to use this weekend as a test to see whether or not it will be worth hanging on and playing with these guys more. The drive is 30 minutes to practice, and time is not something that I have plenty of, so it is difficult. We will see. We can't even agree on a name, either, which is a sure sign of trouble. I think we should be called "I Want To Punch You In The Face." That would be sure to bring the people in...
Anyhow, I should probably go to bed. I am tired and allergic to whatever is in the air tonight, so my eyes are trippin'. Straight trippin'.
I am not exactly sure why my mind is focusing here, why it drifted to the cabin, how it was renovated to three room when I spend the summer in it again in 2003 following the passing of my father. How the rooms now offered a bed and a tv (with no reception) and a computer, but how it was still very much the same; no running water, no bathroom, grapefruit juice. I worked for the National Park Service Trail Crew, spending 8 days at a time in some of the most remote parts of Alaska pruning and cutting growth that overflowed into the hidden trail systems of Wrangell St. Elias National Park. So when I didn't live in a cabin with no running water and no bathroom, I lived in a tent, with cold, wet clothes and a distinct lack of home-cooked meals. And I miss it all in certain degrees very much.
My wife once commented in her blog of how she said she had been somewhat thinking about going back to PA and renovating her parents' house so that our family could fit in and live with them. I told her that I had been thinking of becoming more proactive in living out a life that I could believe in. I thought about living more extreme, setting ourselves outside of conventions that I don't believe in. . .I know she is afraid that we will live in a tent someday. I would settle for a cabin.
Society's conventions are not necessarily for me. I hear people talk often about what they want to do, what they do, and how they equate their own lifestyles with who they are. It is part of their character, their personality, and they are defined (somewhat) by much of these things. Different strokes, I guess, but I have no interest in massive toys or weekends out on wave runners or $2 beer night at Iggy's. I have no interest in working on weekends or settling for the highest buck or decimating the earth for progress. I have little interest (I say little because it sometimes sounds tempting) in the 2800 sq.ft. house with the two car garage in a neat little neighborhood. I have no interest in just going to church every Sunday and saying that I am a Christian. But I am a part of all of these things. I might not simply do all of them, but I am a part of them all, and I encourage it by working where I work, shopping where I shop, dining where I dine, and driving where I drive. All in spite of society's conventions not necessarily being for me.
I really do want something different, something that takes care of the earth God gave us, something that steps outside of conventional living and all it's trust in money and oil and that our nation will always remain the same. I want to be self-sustaining, to grow food, to live locally, to get my hands dirty, to worship God with my lifestyle that revolves more around Him and less on the product and process of the current common lifestyle. I do believe that we are called to something else, although I am not sure of the timing, the place, the people, but I believe that God has spoken a clear message to my family and me, about how to live on His earth. This has effected my politics, my choices of commerce, our home living, and our outlook on many things. I want to live more simply, in a more sustainable way, without raping the earth, without cheating people out of a fair wage, without relying on oil as our substitute god, without the pressures of society to do more, be more, make more money, improve moral by shopping because you need that new thing even though your old thing is still completely operational and functional. Maybe it is a pipe dream. Maybe I am too idealistic. Maybe I am crazy. Maybe I don't know what I am doing or what I am talking about. Maybe. Or maybe God is truly taking us in this direction, maybe to the green of Oregon or the woods of Montana or the community of Midvale. Maybe. I don't know. I do know that people thought we were weird or crazy or that we didn't know what we were doing when we decided to adopt three kids from Colombia. Crazy. Idealistic. Ignorant. God knows what He is doing, though, and that is where my faith lies, not in the conventions of society or man. So we wait for that call, to know how and when and with whom, to progress in the living of the life to which He has called us.
I would settle for a cabin with a donkey and some pygmy goats.
I saw the singing of the anthems last night before game 4 of the NHL finals. My favorite part. I am not exactly sure what it is about hearing crowds of people singing in unison, but it gives me goose bumps. I felt the same when singing "El Shaddai" at the Mormon Tabernacle when Ravi Zaccharias spoke there. What I do know is that those Canadians sing! And in two languages! I hope Ottawa wins game five so we can go back to Ottawa for another rendition. Simply wonderful.
I think my non-band is playing this weekend. I call it a non-band because we have only played together a few times and have not really worked out much of who we are or what we do. We have very different musical tastes and I figure to use this weekend as a test to see whether or not it will be worth hanging on and playing with these guys more. The drive is 30 minutes to practice, and time is not something that I have plenty of, so it is difficult. We will see. We can't even agree on a name, either, which is a sure sign of trouble. I think we should be called "I Want To Punch You In The Face." That would be sure to bring the people in...
Anyhow, I should probably go to bed. I am tired and allergic to whatever is in the air tonight, so my eyes are trippin'. Straight trippin'.
Sunday, June 3, 2007
Oh, Canada
Well, the end to another weekend. I really need to not work on Saturdays so I can actually get some rest. This one wasn't so bad, though, as I only put in about five hours and was home at a decent time. Even so, it is a complete interruption of my weekend. I should have the next three off, though, which will be nice.
A while back we had an idea to find some land and develop it into a multi-plex housing unit. Our plans included a common kitchen area (industrial size, with wonderful appliances) while maintaining separate living quarters of about 1600 s/f for individual family units. We met with friends to discuss the reality of the situation, including buying land, developing actual building plans, how we would get the money (interest free loans from various sources, maybe), and why in the world we would even consider doing such a thing. The plan did not work out, however, and we eventually disbanded in favor of people finding houses on the market in our neighborhood. This has been more of a reality, as we have seen friends move closer, and others continue to look to move closer to the neighborhood. It has been encouraging, as we continue to work toward being a church that impacts the community in which we find ourselves. We found other reasons to live in such a way: environmentally friendly living, communal garden, and built in community (although we realistically knew that it wouldn't be without personal problems and issues). All this to say we are still interested, still looking for a way to live in a way that we feel God leading us. Any thoughts on this?
One of the more recent ideas is to start a business. A couple of buddies of mine and I were kicking around the idea of learning the trade of screen printing, as one of us is an artist and we all like t-shirts that are not exactly normal. A while later we attending the birthday of a friend we shall call "the bearded one," when it became apparent to us that this kindly gentlemen had a confectionery skill that we had not before realized. His interest in cakes and desserts piqued an interest in starting a bakery. But what is a bakery without bread? So another friend, who, I have heard, makes killer cinnamon rolls and has tried his hand in making bread is interested, too. So we have interest. And I love coffee. So I have been ordering my coffee from a fair trade, organically certified, shade grown place in Washington called www.groundsforchange.com . So with that, I looked and saw that they sell wholesale to independent coffee houses at a discounted rate. Then I had dreams about it all. Then I asked the others if they had been thinking about it. The answer is yes. But I am not sure where to go from here. I would love to do it, but is this the place? Do we have enough moxie to get up and run this thing? Four Guys Bakery and Coffee House? Are we savvy enough to get this done? How do we invest? What do we invest in? How much do we finance? Who is our clientele? Am I crazy for even thinking this way? How would this allow us to enhance our ministry? Too many questions, not enough easy answers.
Can we live in grace? Recently there has been an outpouring of dissent within the evangelical realm. Some of this I can just turn away from and go about my day, knowing that in a practical way we can mostly just get along. But recently there have been some folks who are seemingly intent on degrading my MA alma mater, calling out the school president as well as my advisor/teacher/friend, Dr. John Franke. If he is not a familiar name, he is at the forefront of the postmodern theological movement and has written a few books regarding such things. He was good friends with Stanley Grenz and since his passing away a couple of years back, Franke has taken the torch as the fore bearer of the postmodern turn. Many evangelicals find his thoughts on non-foundational ism and the role and interaction of Scripture/tradition/culture to be a threatening position. Some don't even call him evangelical because of some of his stances, which I am not too sure actually hurts his feelings. I sat under Franke for two years, learning a lot, being stretched, and finally hearing something that resonated within my own heart. I spent a year researching and working out thoughts on developing a Native American theology that was encouraged greatly by Franke and some other staff at Biblical. But now there are those who feel that he and others don't fit within the cultural milieu that has been the platform of past years at Biblical Seminary. And with this thought comes the call to report all the wrongs of Biblical and the teaching that goes on there. I find it less than gracious. I am disappointed. I find the particular stance of Biblical and more specifically of Dr. Franke to be a breath of fresh air in the church, one that is able to have conversation with people such as myself, who have been floating along in the realm of Christianity without really taking hold of things that were offered until I was able to stretch and find my voice as a Christian, to work out what it means for me to be a Christian in this world. More of Christianity began to make sense. In that sense, I cannot help but to take the criticism personally, even though I am removed from most of it now. It makes me sad, though, to hear of our lack of grace as brothers and sisters in Christ. Sad, but not surprising.
It's not all bad news, though, as Ottawa finally remembered that they were playing hockey and took it to the Ducks. I was cheering loudly in my basement, as my boys watched hockey with me. Juancho remarked to me, "me gusta hockey." That made me smile. As soon as he saw the nets he said "Goal!" recognizing and equating it with soccer. Funny kids. I still don't believe that they can pull off the series, as the Ducks look good, but I am still cheering for Canada, if for nothing else than to hear 18,000 Canadians sing their national anthem, as opposed to a poor, overly dramatic rendition by an over-rated American star. Oh, Canada, indeed.
Okay, I need to go. I am sleepy. Keep on rockin'.
A while back we had an idea to find some land and develop it into a multi-plex housing unit. Our plans included a common kitchen area (industrial size, with wonderful appliances) while maintaining separate living quarters of about 1600 s/f for individual family units. We met with friends to discuss the reality of the situation, including buying land, developing actual building plans, how we would get the money (interest free loans from various sources, maybe), and why in the world we would even consider doing such a thing. The plan did not work out, however, and we eventually disbanded in favor of people finding houses on the market in our neighborhood. This has been more of a reality, as we have seen friends move closer, and others continue to look to move closer to the neighborhood. It has been encouraging, as we continue to work toward being a church that impacts the community in which we find ourselves. We found other reasons to live in such a way: environmentally friendly living, communal garden, and built in community (although we realistically knew that it wouldn't be without personal problems and issues). All this to say we are still interested, still looking for a way to live in a way that we feel God leading us. Any thoughts on this?
One of the more recent ideas is to start a business. A couple of buddies of mine and I were kicking around the idea of learning the trade of screen printing, as one of us is an artist and we all like t-shirts that are not exactly normal. A while later we attending the birthday of a friend we shall call "the bearded one," when it became apparent to us that this kindly gentlemen had a confectionery skill that we had not before realized. His interest in cakes and desserts piqued an interest in starting a bakery. But what is a bakery without bread? So another friend, who, I have heard, makes killer cinnamon rolls and has tried his hand in making bread is interested, too. So we have interest. And I love coffee. So I have been ordering my coffee from a fair trade, organically certified, shade grown place in Washington called www.groundsforchange.com . So with that, I looked and saw that they sell wholesale to independent coffee houses at a discounted rate. Then I had dreams about it all. Then I asked the others if they had been thinking about it. The answer is yes. But I am not sure where to go from here. I would love to do it, but is this the place? Do we have enough moxie to get up and run this thing? Four Guys Bakery and Coffee House? Are we savvy enough to get this done? How do we invest? What do we invest in? How much do we finance? Who is our clientele? Am I crazy for even thinking this way? How would this allow us to enhance our ministry? Too many questions, not enough easy answers.
Can we live in grace? Recently there has been an outpouring of dissent within the evangelical realm. Some of this I can just turn away from and go about my day, knowing that in a practical way we can mostly just get along. But recently there have been some folks who are seemingly intent on degrading my MA alma mater, calling out the school president as well as my advisor/teacher/friend, Dr. John Franke. If he is not a familiar name, he is at the forefront of the postmodern theological movement and has written a few books regarding such things. He was good friends with Stanley Grenz and since his passing away a couple of years back, Franke has taken the torch as the fore bearer of the postmodern turn. Many evangelicals find his thoughts on non-foundational ism and the role and interaction of Scripture/tradition/culture to be a threatening position. Some don't even call him evangelical because of some of his stances, which I am not too sure actually hurts his feelings. I sat under Franke for two years, learning a lot, being stretched, and finally hearing something that resonated within my own heart. I spent a year researching and working out thoughts on developing a Native American theology that was encouraged greatly by Franke and some other staff at Biblical. But now there are those who feel that he and others don't fit within the cultural milieu that has been the platform of past years at Biblical Seminary. And with this thought comes the call to report all the wrongs of Biblical and the teaching that goes on there. I find it less than gracious. I am disappointed. I find the particular stance of Biblical and more specifically of Dr. Franke to be a breath of fresh air in the church, one that is able to have conversation with people such as myself, who have been floating along in the realm of Christianity without really taking hold of things that were offered until I was able to stretch and find my voice as a Christian, to work out what it means for me to be a Christian in this world. More of Christianity began to make sense. In that sense, I cannot help but to take the criticism personally, even though I am removed from most of it now. It makes me sad, though, to hear of our lack of grace as brothers and sisters in Christ. Sad, but not surprising.
It's not all bad news, though, as Ottawa finally remembered that they were playing hockey and took it to the Ducks. I was cheering loudly in my basement, as my boys watched hockey with me. Juancho remarked to me, "me gusta hockey." That made me smile. As soon as he saw the nets he said "Goal!" recognizing and equating it with soccer. Funny kids. I still don't believe that they can pull off the series, as the Ducks look good, but I am still cheering for Canada, if for nothing else than to hear 18,000 Canadians sing their national anthem, as opposed to a poor, overly dramatic rendition by an over-rated American star. Oh, Canada, indeed.
Okay, I need to go. I am sleepy. Keep on rockin'.
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