Crackerbarrel.
You never leave that place feeling empty. In fact, you never leave that place without looking at the rocking chairs on the front porch and thinking, "I need a nap in one of those right now."
I loved my breakfast this morning, but it did not love me back. I ate 2 buttermilk pancakes the size of my plate smothered in butter and covered in sweet syrup along with a heaping side of bacon and lard-laden hash browns. I needed a nap, "pronto, Tonto", or a "siesta fiesta".
I read my Bible this morning, and when i did, it sat heavy. Yep, i got my "daily bread" and i can still feel it in my spiritual belly. Honestly, this feeling is a really good one. Somewhat unlike it's nappy physical counterpart. I call it a spiritual "FOOD BABY".
It's been a long day, and yet i can honestly say that i have a 'food baby' from this morning's time in the word.
It's not like the content i read was earnestly thought-provoking, it was nothing uber-profound, nothing paradigm-shifting, yet it remains in me. This is essential, because simply, the Word gives life.
What proof does Jesus give us that we are abiding and remaining in him? If we still have our food babies. He is the vine, we are the branches, if and only if, "my words abide in you". (John 15:7) To abide, to remain, to be satiated with His words.
His words give life, yet how many times do you go without? How many times do you abstain from eating?
ps. please don't plug your face with Crackerbarrel every day. you will die a swift death.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Friday, July 1, 2011
Jacksonville!
Hello Friends, and I'm back! (AND I PROMISE TO UPDATE MY BLOG EVERY FRIDAY FOR THE REST OF THE SUMMER)
Things have settled down around here as I've gotten settled in. New town, new job and new friends and I'm thankful for the Same Jesus.
How's it going? It's great! I'm doing what i love and loving what I'm doing! I live and work with 4 other interns/staff at 2nd Mile Ministries in 'the green house'. This place is the center of our community. We live, eat and pray here, students hang out here and Summer Day Camp is schemed and dreamed up here.
We are back from a team retreat in St. Augustine and have hit the ground running. I'm the Summer Day Camp director, so I'm trying to find a balance between big ideas and small details. I put all the things i want to do in the collective blender of our minds, add prayer, and see what comes out. Hopefully it tastes like a pleasing aroma to God. I'm tweaking it to taste like Strawberry Surf-Rider. (If Jesus had a favorite smoothie, I'm reasonably sure that would be it)
Summer Day Camp starts next Monday, the 11th. I have lots to learn about servant leadership before then. We have lots of work to do before then. Hopefully my new iPhone gets here before then. Things are coming together nicely.
Things have settled down around here as I've gotten settled in. New town, new job and new friends and I'm thankful for the Same Jesus.
How's it going? It's great! I'm doing what i love and loving what I'm doing! I live and work with 4 other interns/staff at 2nd Mile Ministries in 'the green house'. This place is the center of our community. We live, eat and pray here, students hang out here and Summer Day Camp is schemed and dreamed up here.
We are back from a team retreat in St. Augustine and have hit the ground running. I'm the Summer Day Camp director, so I'm trying to find a balance between big ideas and small details. I put all the things i want to do in the collective blender of our minds, add prayer, and see what comes out. Hopefully it tastes like a pleasing aroma to God. I'm tweaking it to taste like Strawberry Surf-Rider. (If Jesus had a favorite smoothie, I'm reasonably sure that would be it)
Summer Day Camp starts next Monday, the 11th. I have lots to learn about servant leadership before then. We have lots of work to do before then. Hopefully my new iPhone gets here before then. Things are coming together nicely.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Coast to Coast, Day 1
We left LA from Chris Bowling's house at 9 Am. the sky was clear and i was excited to get on the open road.
My eyes were heavy. But my heart was eager to get on the road. We prayed for safety and put our wheels up. As we headed north though palmdale, the roads were clear and construction traffic was light. We were in route to the Grand Canyon, but the road had another destination.
Chris and i had each bought a couple tubes of pringles chips, and Chris loves to snack on em throughout the day. Every time he opens the container and snacks, i get hungry. so, i have to eat a few chips. so, this continues a few times, and i realize the habit. a few hours later, i get a craving for the chips. i look at Chris, and he's not snacking. Did you eat some pringles? i ask. "no" he replies with a chuckle, and shows me the open container. "i had just opened them to see how strong your cravings were." Funny guy!
Around 11AM, the car began to overheat as we entered the Mojave desert. The engine pinged red and a we lost a lot of coolant. I had prepared for this with extra coolant and water. We had to wait on the side of the freeway for the engine to cool off, and shortly (an hour) get on our way again. apparently that wasn't the problem, because Ferdinand (my taurus) decided to overheat again. and again. and again. It was pull over, cool, refill, repeat. We limped into a little oasis town, Needles, CA, just as the shop was closing. They didn't want to start work on it, but we begged them to run a test to see what the problem was. They checked for a blown head gasket while Chris went to get us some cold drinks. Not a blown head gasket. good. we checked into a cheap -yet clean- hotel for the night. As we asked for a good place to get a cold drink, because we had been sitting in the heat waiting for the car to cool down I said "it sure is hot in this town". To which the Indian manager said, "it is ONLY 112* today. This is cooler than 130!" The heat is downright shocking. We walked to a nearby local mom and pop pizza place, The Rock City Pizza Cafe, and when we were eventually done with beer, hotwings, burgers and pizza, we listlessly checked the thermostat back at the hotel to find the rising temperature at 115 after being down to 108 around dusk. As soon as we made it back to the room, we cranked the AC all the way to max power and immediately fell into an exhausted slumber--only to wake up to our hotel room a frozen meat locker in the morning. I didn't mind. I walked outside at 7 AM to take the car to the Mechanic for a radiator back flush and a new thermostat and found the dry heat clawing at my skin again. It was already 108* degrees. I wonder if it cooled down at all. All in all, spirits are high, and God has been good to us to keep us safe. Praise Him!
Pictures to come later!
My eyes were heavy. But my heart was eager to get on the road. We prayed for safety and put our wheels up. As we headed north though palmdale, the roads were clear and construction traffic was light. We were in route to the Grand Canyon, but the road had another destination.
Chris and i had each bought a couple tubes of pringles chips, and Chris loves to snack on em throughout the day. Every time he opens the container and snacks, i get hungry. so, i have to eat a few chips. so, this continues a few times, and i realize the habit. a few hours later, i get a craving for the chips. i look at Chris, and he's not snacking. Did you eat some pringles? i ask. "no" he replies with a chuckle, and shows me the open container. "i had just opened them to see how strong your cravings were." Funny guy!
Around 11AM, the car began to overheat as we entered the Mojave desert. The engine pinged red and a we lost a lot of coolant. I had prepared for this with extra coolant and water. We had to wait on the side of the freeway for the engine to cool off, and shortly (an hour) get on our way again. apparently that wasn't the problem, because Ferdinand (my taurus) decided to overheat again. and again. and again. It was pull over, cool, refill, repeat. We limped into a little oasis town, Needles, CA, just as the shop was closing. They didn't want to start work on it, but we begged them to run a test to see what the problem was. They checked for a blown head gasket while Chris went to get us some cold drinks. Not a blown head gasket. good. we checked into a cheap -yet clean- hotel for the night. As we asked for a good place to get a cold drink, because we had been sitting in the heat waiting for the car to cool down I said "it sure is hot in this town". To which the Indian manager said, "it is ONLY 112* today. This is cooler than 130!" The heat is downright shocking. We walked to a nearby local mom and pop pizza place, The Rock City Pizza Cafe, and when we were eventually done with beer, hotwings, burgers and pizza, we listlessly checked the thermostat back at the hotel to find the rising temperature at 115 after being down to 108 around dusk. As soon as we made it back to the room, we cranked the AC all the way to max power and immediately fell into an exhausted slumber--only to wake up to our hotel room a frozen meat locker in the morning. I didn't mind. I walked outside at 7 AM to take the car to the Mechanic for a radiator back flush and a new thermostat and found the dry heat clawing at my skin again. It was already 108* degrees. I wonder if it cooled down at all. All in all, spirits are high, and God has been good to us to keep us safe. Praise Him!
Pictures to come later!
Monday, April 25, 2011
Brutus, The Pet... Grizzly???
Ok, so i have been on this pet kick lately, and I'll be the first to admit it, I like exotic pets. I really really want a pot bellied pig, and i have entertained adopting a stinkless skunk, cute sugar gliders, a pack of webbed-foot monster rodent capybaras and a Macaw (which have been known to outlive their masters).
REST ASSURED, this pet choice has never, and will never cross my mind. It brings back memories of Penn and Teller's pet tiger. Yeah, the same maximum-killing-efficiency expert that mauled Penn on stage in a Las Vegas casino.
This dude has the audacity to adopt a monster that needs no one to look out for him- a grizzly bear. Having God's skull crushing 1000 lb death machine as a back yard friend is inviting brutal pain and death. Fully equipped with skull crushing paws and ribcage ripping teeth, i introduce you to Brutus.
Easter Dub-Step Driscoll
This DJ works fast. A sermon jam from Driscoll's Easter sermon yesterday. Filthy.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Dog-gone Vids
Because i've been watching dog videos on youtube, here are the best. The collection has both popular and obscure videos. Howl at me and let me know which one is your favorite!
Guilty Dog
Slobber Dog
Smart Dog
Dumb Dog
The Strongest
The Tallest
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Swine Fever
As an urban apartment dweller, fewer things are more out of reach than owning a dog. Much to my dismay, I've got a bad case of canine craving: Watching youtube videos of adorable dogs ad nauseum, walking to the park to play with other people's dogs.
Due to my unmet desire, I make a particularly pet-friendly house guest. I find myself paying more attention to the mutt than the mother.
I have entertained flying home to visit family and Sheba, my dad's Great Dane. Sheba loves to cuddle, bony legs and all. She is the world's largest lap dog. I keep a picture of her as my computer desktop. Her big doe eyes and short black fur coat draw me in.
Yet, the more I have looked and longed and looked at dog videos on you tube, another interest has slowly taken root in the firmament of my mind. While i was on youtube, it started with a link, no pun intended, to a video of "pig smarter than your dog". And it began to grow. Like a farm pig on fatty feed before state fair, it grew. The small oinkling of an idea took hold and slowly developed into a craving, no, not for bacon, but for a pet. As humans we can be awfully arbitrary in selecting the animals we keep for pets. Kill the rat, cuddle the hampster. Feed the goldfish, eat the sardine. Yet, this seeming contradiction from my breakfast plate to apartment mate does not strike me as odd.
Dear reader, I would have you put your misconceptions about the wiggly pigglies aside for a moment. Pigs are good pets because they are mild-tempered, social, intelligent, trainable, and conspicuously hygienic. Pigs are clean! And mom, if you read this, they don't make your allergies go crazy like cat dander does.
Someday, when I have a home of my own, I would like to have a pot-bellied companion. And yes, I will still love the taste of bacon, but not from my little oinker.
"Cats look down on you. Dogs look up to you. And pigs treat you like equals." - Winston Churchill
Due to my unmet desire, I make a particularly pet-friendly house guest. I find myself paying more attention to the mutt than the mother.
I have entertained flying home to visit family and Sheba, my dad's Great Dane. Sheba loves to cuddle, bony legs and all. She is the world's largest lap dog. I keep a picture of her as my computer desktop. Her big doe eyes and short black fur coat draw me in.
Yet, the more I have looked and longed and looked at dog videos on you tube, another interest has slowly taken root in the firmament of my mind. While i was on youtube, it started with a link, no pun intended, to a video of "pig smarter than your dog". And it began to grow. Like a farm pig on fatty feed before state fair, it grew. The small oinkling of an idea took hold and slowly developed into a craving, no, not for bacon, but for a pet. As humans we can be awfully arbitrary in selecting the animals we keep for pets. Kill the rat, cuddle the hampster. Feed the goldfish, eat the sardine. Yet, this seeming contradiction from my breakfast plate to apartment mate does not strike me as odd.
Dear reader, I would have you put your misconceptions about the wiggly pigglies aside for a moment. Pigs are good pets because they are mild-tempered, social, intelligent, trainable, and conspicuously hygienic. Pigs are clean! And mom, if you read this, they don't make your allergies go crazy like cat dander does.
Someday, when I have a home of my own, I would like to have a pot-bellied companion. And yes, I will still love the taste of bacon, but not from my little oinker.
"Cats look down on you. Dogs look up to you. And pigs treat you like equals." - Winston Churchill
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