Is there hope for the broken?

I just recently read this article and it really bothered me. Whatever your stance is on immigration and the illegal workforce, this is really sad. Why not just back-tax him and send him on his way? A little compassion and care would be nice.

I love lazy days. It has been a long time since I have truly had one. Here was I did yesterday:

-Went to church
-Grabbed some groceries on the way home
-Napped as Dave and Caleb beat Halo 3
-Watched Swing Kids
-Watched (2) Law & Order episodes
-Watched a documentary on some famous architect (courtesy of PBS)

Hell ya!

Up-keep

If you haven't noticed, all of my links and currently listening sections are regularly being edited. Let me know if I am missing anyone in my links!

Thanks,

Josh

ps, best picture ever:

This Sad and Holy Glow

I feel swallowed up by finances. I made some poor decisions, and now I am going to have to get by without money for a bit. I am not making this entry to complain or anything, just observe how much money can strangle people. It is ridiculous that I feel so numb, belittled and hopeless with out have a few green bills in my pocket. I know that God has a better life for us than what I am living right now, but in a way I think this is also teaching me a lesson. When I get back on my feet, I plan on giving myself a cash allowance every week and saving all of my excess. It is time to be completely out of debt and restore the control over my life. I honestly feel beat up right now, but I know that I am going to come out of this with a greater understanding of life and myself.

I saw it in the eyes of the checkout girl -
that sad and holy glow every blue-collar knows,
like the lit windows on my childhood street
where the deep, dark secrets of the family are kept.
Beneath the mire and stench of growing debt,
the deep, dark secrets of the family are kept.
Credit is a whore who won't wake up and leave,
but believe me I'm not sleeping with her anymore.
I don't want to be a slave, I just want to be free
and honestly I'm sick and tired of people chasing me

Rock N' Roll

It’s amazing how God uses places and people I wouldn’t imagine to speak to me. On Wednesday night, I went to ORCC’s Catalyst Youth Group to support Mark and Judi as they led the worship. I must say it was so encouraging to be around all of these kids and partake in their energy and excitement. M&J did a stellar job leading the music, and the sound was great! Hopefully I will be able to help them some day musically. The new Catalyst facility is extremely nice. I was rather impressed that they sunk so much money into the next generation.

The Prayer of Saint Francis

I read this on another blog run by my friend Jeremy. I found it encouraging and challenging:


Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Block by block, drain by drain, light by light. I walk these streets gazing at the fake empires built by the rich as the hungry camp at their footsteps. I am looking for an omen as to what’s next but sometimes that seems bleak. I want to thirst for righteousness, yet my appetite is satisfied by refuse. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” – this sentence becomes more and more true daily. I want a pure heart that finds rest and solace in the simple pleasures of our Adonai. I will not find an eternal pleasure in the concrete and paper of this world. Our creator resides in the same purity that exists in that man with the dirty shirt, wondering when his next meal will be.


(I have been writing a lot of random thoughts like this just off the top of my head, hopefully you subscribers don't mind.)

Off-beat

The next few weeks are my favorite of the year, that transition from summer to fall. There is briskness in the air and a certain unpronounced energy about. I don’t understand it, but it is consistently satisfying. As I pedal through the city’s cracked streets I feel like I am part of something big. Business women and crust punks all look anxious and ready. My muscles and joints ache from movement, but the cadence of this time of year is contagious and addictive, maybe even vindictive? Maybe this season sparks action. Maybe I will speak to the black school teacher I see on the train every day. Maybe I will pray with Cyndi in the cube next to me for her upcoming surgery. Maybe I will get off my spiritual ass and engage!

My bike is done!

So this past month or so, I have been obsessed with researching and looking for bike stuff on Craig's List. I finally got everything together I need and assembled it all this weekend. Enjoy:

Specs (in general terms):

1985(ish) Trek Road frame, 54cm (ish)

Vuelta XRP Team Superlight Wheel Set

Formula Hub

Brooks Saddle

This thing has been a blast to ride. I went approximately 10 miles on saturday and 5 yesterday. Since I ride my bike to work every day, it's nice having a fast bike that is sweet looking and comfy. It was such a sense of accomplishment when I put it all together and troubleshooted. This is just another tool in my weight loss / healthy lifestyle!

New to it all...

I had the privilege of going to Rose Medical Center last night and holding the smallest human being my arms have ever held! Jonas and Tiffany had their beautiful little girl at 2am yesterday morning. Isabella is gorgeous and perfect, and she has her Uncle Mark’s hook toe! I am really excited to see her grow up and become a wonderful woman. Christian and Taylor are going to have their work cut out for them, they need to get her caught up on wedgie wars, wii tennis and sparkler bombs!

Today was the first day in over a week I haven’t ridden the RTD Light-rail into work and biked. It was weird making it to work in 20 minutes in my car, I feel like a slacker. Don’t fear though, I will be hitting the gym over my lunch break, so all is not lost!

Last night, I went to a small group bible study. It was really interesting. I have never really gone to anything like that without knowing anyone in the group. I walked into the person’s house and literally knew no one. I think it was good for me to step out of my comfort zone and meet some different kind of people. The study is going through the book of Matthew and discussing it. We did chapters 1-2 last night, so it was nice joining the group as they were starting a new book.

I have to say, this new healthy lifestyle feels really really good!

...

I am almost done with my first week of healthy living! I have been eating all natural, healthy foods. I have also been biking into work on my new fixed gear bicycle that I got off craigslist for $75! (see picture below). Next week, I am going to start working out in our company gym over lunch breaks. It feels really good being healthy. I am not even looking at it as a “diet”, it’s just the new me. I am excited to start going up into the mountains and hiking more.

I have felt really quiet and reserved lately for some reason. I am not sure why. I have been perfectly happy and content, just not as “out there” as I usually am for some reason. I am completely fine with this.

I think Mark, Hoshi and I are hanging tonight. Ruckus will ensue.

Interesting post from Hxcboards

"Mark 1035Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. "Teacher," they said, "we want you to do for us whatever we ask."36"What do you want me to do for you?" he asked.37They replied, "Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory."38"You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said. "Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?"39"We can," they answered. Jesus said to them, "You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, 40but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared."41When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. 42Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

This narrative occurs in the same chapter where Jesus had encountered the rich young ruler who wanted to know the way to eternal life. At this point, James and John had still misunderstood what Jesus' entire ministry was about. They were still looking for greatness and recognition, but as He responded to them rightfully "you don't know what you are asking." There is a special significance here. At this point of the Markan story (indeed, up until the end itself), the disciples had not managed to grasp exactly what sort of fate awaited Jesus and those who followed Him. They had only recently recognised that He was the Messiah (Chapter 8), but were probably still stuck in the Jewish idea that He would be exalted in the nation and taken in glory. James and John request to be at His "left and right." What they didn't know, however, was that the people who were going to be on Jesus' "left and right" were the thieves/insurrectionists crucified with Him. His followers still hadn't understood at this point what the cost of their discipleship was, nor what was the way of it. As He tells them at the end of this narrative, "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."What this implies, within the context of the passage, is that true greatness is found in servitude. Very similarly to Jesus' encounter with the rich man in the same chapter, this is a lesson that one must be prepared to give up everything for the sake of others in order to find true riches. Even after Jesus had told them of how nigh-impossible it is for the wealthy to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, His disciples were still seeking greatness and power. What they needed to learn (and what many of us still need to learn today) is that true power is not found in seeking the kind of greatness the world knows, the kind of greatness found amongst lords and rulers, but rather it lies in servitude. Jesus links His "ransom," His sacrifice, to exactly that which He expects of His followers; to lay down everything for the service of all humanity. This is at the heart of revolutionary Christianity; that all humanity is our master and also our slave. How is that for egalitarianism?And of course, we get the spiritual aspect of this teaching once again, since Jesus relates it to His crucifixion and His own service to the whole of mankind. Once again, the social ethic remains inseparable from the spiritual ethic.

Eat Your Heart Out, Paris

As I was lying in bed last night, I was tossing and turning. My thoughts were racing through my head like a chase scene in James Bond. The feeling of discontent was sinking and sinking in my skin. I think the time has finally come to “detoxify” myself in the spiritual, relational, and physical sense. I feel like I constantly stuff my self with the un-needed. Like a Thanksgiving turkey, I’m bursting at the seems with no direction. I feel like in many ways, I have lost sight of my goals, so it’s time to strip back and gain focus.

Women and Children First.

I am sitting here at my new desk, listening to Kid A on headphones and writing my first blog in a long time! I am sorry for my lack of contribution to this thing, but oh well, that is all in the past, right?

The job is going really well. This is my first week on the real sales floor. My mind has been flooded with information, and it’s hard to sleep at night when my brain is still running at a million miles per hour. I couldn’t be more grateful for this job. I feel invigorated and at home here. Everyone is very nice and fairly drama-free.

Caleb and I are going to the Red Rocks Amphitheatre to see Ryan Adams tonight. I am very excited! I have only recently gotten into Adams (I know, I’m behind!). His new album, Easy Tiger, has been in constant rotation for me since it came out.

Speaking of Caleb, he is back in town for a month or so. He has been working for his dad and a lawn care company to save up some money. He is staying in Dave and my apartment, and it has been great! I missed that little bugger, so it’s cool having him around.

I have been really anxious to write lately. I want to get together with Mark and get some stuff down. I really think there is too much material in us to just be content in not writing. At this point, I couldn’t care less about recording, gear or surroundings. I just want to sit down with an instrument and make some art.