Just the roadie...

Okay - it's a YouTube link (click here ) but it is one of the most amazing "renditions" of this song I have ever seen. Serious caroling skillz at work here - no doubt! Enjoy! (P.S. Who says church has to be boring?!)

Even more angels made her way to heaven this week. One of my best childhood friends lost his mom - a  sweet lady from my childhood went home to a better life - and one of the most tender hearts I know all left their mortal coil this week. One quick read of Julia's obit and guestbook (click either the post title or on the "guestbook" link to view) shows the amazing spirit and courage she had within. Even though I am living 500 miles away today, I still miss her smile and laugh from the brief time I was lucky enough to spend with her. She will be missed...

Sorry I'm so slow in writing but I'm still nursing a turkey-day C 11 H 12 N 2 O 2 (otherwise known as tryptophan) hangover. At least I'm not physically beat up like I've been after past Thanksgiving Turkey Bowl "touch" football games.  I learned a few years ago that the body doesn't heal like it used to. Those days are long gone! Uggh, here's a quick tip for you. Don't fall asleep (like I just did) while watching Discovery Channel's Mythbusters. Especially when they are dealing with rate of rotting food and flying machines. It can lead to some weird, weird dreams...

I really hate that show, "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition". I hate it because of what it does to me. It always tugs at my heart because of the crud the featured kid, parent, or adult has to deal with. To see all that goes on during the week (yeah - I know it's built up for TV, but c'mon...) and the families reaction to all that has happened during the rebuild is amazing. This week the family had to deal with the loss of their Dad less than six months after being diagnosed with cancer. The dad had a saying about worrying about things that was pretty cool. Plenty of things to think about - nothing to worry about. To see the town show up the way they always do is a great tribute to the human spirit and man's willingness to do what is ultimately just the right thing to do. It doesn't make the loss of a loved one any easier to handle. I know some of those feelings as I lost a roommate less than four months after he "didn't feel right" one...

After reading over that last post a few times, I think I am the whiny one, not the Dems or Republicans. They both have enough poo on their plates to worry about being whiny. I've heard from a few friends and my "depression" is worth monitoring but it may have been more a combination of missing my midwest friends, working double time to get up to speed at work, not being able to properly tell my friends and family what they mean, and most importantly the bad calzone I ate earlier in the day. Who knows, but I'll be watching what I eat for a while...

So the Dems are "in power", the Republicans are all nicey, nice now (at least they aren't all whiny - yet) and Nancy Pelosi  is two heartbeats away from being the POTUS. If THAT doesn't give you pause, well... I think I've been dealing with depression lately. I want to call people, but don't. I want to work out (sorta), but don't. Maybe I'm overwhelmed at work or am just having a lot of trouble getting used to the whole new setting, new (old) city, new (old) surroundings thing. Maybe it's because I can't find a "Reunion" (or decent Acts29 church) to plug into out here. Maybe it's just because my Vikings are so bad they can't even score an offensive touchdown. I just haven't felt right for a while. Too many of my Midwest friends are dealing with too much crap in their lives (Ann & Kevin and Jewel & Matt, I'm so psyched for you guys!!) and families, and ministry, and careers, and you get the idea. And I can...

I know I've been horrible in keeping up this blog and I WILL be back soon. I just wanted to drop in and share what's gone on in my old neighborhood in Indiana this week. They got hammered pretty bad with horrendous storms. The links below show a lot of the damage. The high school (that is now an island) is a block from my old apartment!! If I was still living in my old neighborhood in Indiana, my apartment basement could (still) be under water!! Guess it's a good thing I moved when I did... http://nwitimes.com/extras/flood/ and http://nwitimes.com/extras/flood2/ It's not pretty out there and I have some friends who have lost a lot. Pray for them if you get a chance - and thanks! I shall return...

Found Kevin Frank's website through a link in the Wittenburg Door site today. I really miss my Cornerstone Magazine ! Every new issue of that oversized (and jam packed, information overloaded) 'zine was a treasure I held on to until my recent move back to NY. I would always turn to the back of the 'zine to see what was going on in Oboe's life. Kevin Frank touched me with his story and art then and I am so glad I found his site today! There was a time (WAY back in the 80's) that I would be desperate between my issues of Cornerstone magazine and True Tunes magazine (yes - that link is correct. I want my buddy JJT to get the credit he truly deserves). There were a few others I lived for, too. Mostly fanzines but others like Syndicate (out of St. Louis, published by the greatly admired Brian Quincy Newcomb) and HM (what can I say about the amazing Dougie Van Pelt?) really were lifeblood for a guy that loved his music with edge, excellence, truth, and actual ...

>sigh<  Once again I find myself about 800 miles away from where I would normally be. I'll be away from Cornerstone for only the second time in 19 years again this week. Normally, I'm packing and planning and checking in with Hippy and Wally (and in the past, dozens more) to see what time the adventure begins.  The only thing I can do this year is plan for next. I hope to make a triumphant return to the fest next year. I already miss the "team" (Scott, Brian, Chris, Stormie, etc.) and can't wait to get a camera so I can get back to helping make the fest accessible to everyone worldwide.   Of course, no offense to family, but I'm changing my top friends at MySpace to the artists I really am going to miss at the fest this year. It's in whatever order they show up so don't be offended! Some are "classic can't miss" shows and some are favorites or new "buzz" bands I would be checking out if I could.  There's no way...

141 years ago today, an innocent man was assasinated here because he felt all men should be free... Nearly 2000 years ago an innocent man died here so we could all be free.... Interesting enough, when the four writers of the Gospels get to this point, they all simply wrote the words that have haunted me today, " and they crucified Him ". I think they each were so overcome by what had taken place, these were the only words they had left. I have no words beyond these same words. Jesus said (and paid) it all. "... it is finished."

You scored as Emergent/Postmodern . You are Emergent/Postmodern in your theology. You feel alienated from older forms of church, you don't think they connect to modern culture very well. You feel no one knows the whole truth about God, and we have much to learn from each other, and so learning takes place in dialogue.  Evangelism should take place in relationships rather than through crusades and altar-calls. People are interested in spirituality and want to ask questions, so the church should help them to do this. ----------------------------------- Emergent/Postmodern           82% ----------------------------------- Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan 75% ----------------------------------- Neo orthodox                     64% ----------------------------------- Classical Liberal                     50% -------------------...

It's so strange to actually have my feet on terra firma for more than 24 hours. It is also very strange to wake up in a place that I know but also a place that is not my own. Leaving NW Indiana / Chicagoland has been tough but a necessary part in the journey for now. Getting unpacked, unboxed, and settled in to the new digs with my buddy, JC, is going to seemingly take the next millennium.  I keep thinking that I need to call this person, email that person, go see these people, etc. "when I get back to Indiana" but then there is the realization that there is no place of my own to "go back to". Moving everything you own into a 16' Budget truck rental (NEVER go with U-Haul, my friends) without coming close to filling it and then having to squeeze all of that into a 5x7x8 "pod" really puts a different slant on what I actually "own" in life.  I went to my parent's church on Sunday. It was cool to see some good things happening ...

One (dis)advantage to being unemployed is I get to watch the idiot box more than most. Usually I ignore the temptation to lower my IQ.  Today I caught a good chunk of Coretta Scott King's Memorial Service. And it was worth viewing. Make the time to catch the speaker's excerpts at NPR (click here ) while they are up there. I was really frustrated with Fox News and their irritating running commentary of the event. CNN was a lot better at just letting the event run it's course. I have to admit, as much as I didn't appreciate the Clinton's management of the White House while there (not that George is doing much better lately), "Billary" put a lot in the proper perspective with his comments. Me? I'm sick of being surrounded by boxes. That, and finding out it will cost close to a grand to rent the U-Haul truck and trailer for the van really cut to the heart today. This move is getting more interesting every day...

>Sigh<   I doubt these thoughts go beyond the three people I know that check into this blog. I just see this storm on the horizon and felt I wanted to throw down a couple lines regarding this story. By the way, you can click on the "I don't even know" title to go to some related information about this... I hate controversy sometimes.  This will be a big one. I was interested in seeing the new "End of the Spear" movie. Not chomping at the bit mind you, just interested. I had been much more interested in seeing Lord of the Rings and the latest Harry Potter flick because I knew production values would be at a much higher standard. Narnia? Fair adaptation, fair production values, but  Liam Neeson just didn't do it for me as Aslan. Aslan's immensity, as portrayed in C.S. Lewis's wonderful books portrays, just didn't come across at all. Anyway, I digress. More to my actual point that "Christian" movies have a history of j...

Just so's ya know... Dad's (second) surgery went VERY well and Dr. Ching (an amazing surgeon in my book) said it was one of the best replacement corneas and surgeries he had seen (and done). Thank you God (and anyone reading this) for all the prayers and support. Now we just have to keep dad "obedient" to the rigors of rehabilitation and healing. Now THAT is going to be a project!!

Earlier today, Mom and Dad were going through electronic "things" that weren't working or being used, deciding what to throw out. They got to an old TV remote where the number one doesn't work anymore (unless you press pretty hard and Mom can't really do that). They were pulling out the batteries from a hand held solitaire game Dad got for Christmas. The graphics are pretty small so Dad can't see them. Mom seemed to enjoy pushing the buttons that made noise. She was taking the batteries out of the solitaire game when Dad told her not to throw it out because he might be able to see it after his surgery. He told her not to throw out the game because it was functional, not broken. Then he said it. " I'm the one that's broken. " I was crushed. I almost cried when he said it. I had to leave the room. As inevitable as it is to get old, it just sucks as it happens. Dad's done what he can to get by but he is broken right now. I...