Thursday, December 11, 2003

had my usual wednesday guys meeting earlier in the week and while there we talked about the christmas service on the 21st. we have been talking about showing pictures of people's childbirth moments (directly after birth, not the Discovery Channel rated R type stuff) and i brought up that we need to remember that for some folks childbirth is not a positive emotional time but a very painful time. no sooner had i said anything, one of the guys there said "i knew you'd bring that up, i was just waiting for it" - like this was my own personal prison and i was all too eager to lock everyone else up in with me. wow, and these are my so-called "christian" friends.

you know, maybe i'm completely wrong and subconsciously am trying to spoil everyone else's perfect birth moment experience, but the way i look at it, the Father gave us our experience for a reason. one of those reasons was to make us (Dianna and I) sensitive to others who have had issues in this area. i don't think it is too much to ask that church service planners remember this and keep in mind that there may be others out there that don't connect the way their perfect little family experience does.

want examples...ok, how about the viola's who had their son die during delivery when the cord wrapped around his neck, about 2 years ago this month. how about the behrends who had their young child die during a swimming accident last summer and now they have to spend their first christmas with only his memory. do i need to go on? christmas can be a time of great joy or great sadness. surely it is wise to understand that and demonstrate what the coming of the christ-child has to offer in that respect. or is that just a bother, like me?


Wednesday, December 10, 2003

so sick of cheap churchy cliches and sayings, sick that followers of Christ accept them as words from the Master, and even more sick that we think we can win the world by tossing out these cheap stupid sayings that only those on the inside know what the hell they mean anyway.

turn or burn - get right or get left - i've proven the truth to you so now decide your eternal fate - NOW!!!

ENOUGH ALREADY.

Sunday, December 07, 2003

new family pics

i'm a sucker for a trial membership to almost anything. the most current one is smugmug. it seems to be one of the best photo sites without having to know much code. go check it out here and let me know what you think.

Pax!

another 23 bite the dust

i was going to say another one bites the dust on thursday when my boss quit but i thought that would have sounded rude, but now that 23 were let go on friday i guess i could have said anything i wanted - anything would have paled in comparison to 23. i must stop my comments at this point...i don't want to be number 24.

Thursday, December 04, 2003

well another one of our management team quit today - our executive vp and general manager of kerrville telephone. not real sure what that means for five star or for me personally, but surely it can't be any worse than the way things have been since our vp was fired last april.

Wednesday, December 03, 2003

christmas tree o' christmas tree

i walked into clay street at lunch today to see the big cross placed aside to make way for the big tree. now don't get me wrong, i most likely will have a tree at my place of worship (my home), i just thought it interesting that this visual really seems to be a metaphor for many things involving the church today. we have processed down our faith to make everything we want to do fit just so nicely within the package. if something doesn't fit, we just do a little adjusting and call it grace.

oh well, maybe one day we will learn to move the tree to put the cross in it's proper place.

Friday, November 28, 2003

christmas in comfort

in case any of you are making a religious (or other significant) trek to the hill country tomorrow, we will be at the christmas in comfort "thing" on saturday. dianna will be making her cakes, deserts, and various crafts along with goods from my in-laws who are equally as talented. of course now that i think about it, maybe that makes sense being that they are all family...hmm...maybe i better go take a nap and sleep on that one.

anyway if you like bubbly bath kinda stuff here is what you might see.

Monday, November 24, 2003

still here!!

ok, just in case some of you are wondering...yes, i am still here.

you ever get in one of those places where so much is going on in your head that you can't stop to write it all out? that's where i am. i have some things i need prayer for. if you'd like to pray then please do. the Father has my requests so just mention me, dianna, or tyler and the Father will know what to do with your prayer. - don't need any calls on this one - really, just some general type of stuff.

on another note - i really want to learn html. i am open to attending classes in san antonio or on-line or whatever. if anyone has any recommendation on where and how to do this please let me know. ok, this one can be prayed for specifically.

breathe deeply! live deeply!

Thursday, November 06, 2003

with or without you

ok, so have you ever had one of those dreams where you are sitting in church (or school) in your underwear? you haven't - well, me neither. so let's pretend like we have. anyway imagine if a house could have the same dream. alright unless the dream is a sponge bob cartoon, a house doesn't normally have undergarments, so imagine that the tree is somewhat the metaphorically equivalent item in relation to the house as clothes are to us. ok, this is getting boring - just look at the damn pictures.

house with tree

house without tree

of course i could have also said with or without a lawn, with or without tractor ruts, with or without the $ 500 it took to do this, with or without the broken water lines, with or without the fine from the city for tearing up the street with the backhoe outriggers, with or without the doctor visit to treat a scratched eye from a falling branch. seems like not too long ago i had a similar roofing adventure in which i promised never to do something like this again. where were all of you guys to kick me in the butt to bring that pain back to memory? oh well. i'm about to remodel my kitchen, someone please stop me!

Tuesday, November 04, 2003

another interesting day in the world of telecommunications as i battle with our HR department in regard to sick pay. it seems that the department of labor rules say you can't not pay salaried (exempt) employees for sick time if in fact you don't pay them OT. imagine that, an employer can't have it both ways. of course do i make an issue of it and get fired in the process or sit and be quiet and take it like a cellmate? hmm, i don't see why the cry for justice has to only involve african AIDS babies that no one cares about. shouldn't justice also include the salaried staff of a company that give their life every day to help someone else achieve their dreams?

Friday, October 31, 2003

detoxing from church

i love readings from emergent missional leaders but most translate to me to be the same old stuff. in all respect to them, i don't write more 'cause if i did i'd write the same old stuff that they are, just most likely not as eloquently or as educatedly sounding, so i don't figure anyone needs to hear my ramblings. anyway, i ran across one yesterday that captured many of my feelings that i hadn't placed on paper and no doubt would not have done as good a job if i had. when you get a second check out detoxing from church by Jason Zahariades of the off ramp. i don't know much about their ministry but hopefully soon will.

blessings and Godspeed to your detox!
ok so i'm at home sick again - i hate it. but it does give me a chance to do a little blogging, so all is not lost. with my trip last week and being sick this one, i've been out of the office for almost 2 weeks straight - cool. i can be a workaholic freak sometimes so for me this was an object lesson from the Father to show me that 1) i can live without going to the office everyday, and 2) the office can live without me going in everyday.

i was just given some great encouragement from a person that really knows me and my heart and it was done using both scripture and a clip from a monty python movie - it gets no better than that. thank you reggie.

Wednesday, October 29, 2003

the week in recap

- closed on refinance of house on monday
- got sick(er) on monday
- skipped work some monday, tuesday, and all day wednesday (docs orders of course)
- really enjoying time at home with dianna and don't really ever want to go back to work

intermission

i was just interrupted by south park's christian music episode. sometimes we all really need to take a step back and look at ourselves as the world does. probably then we will know why we can't reach them.

Sunday, October 26, 2003

spent the better part of last week in chicago at a telecommunications industry meeting. both chicago and the meeting were rewarding. believe it or not, the city was cleaner than most amusement parks, i couldn't believe it, it was spotless. anyway it was kinda encouraging as i was voted to chair the committee to put these events on for calendar year 04. Basically it means 2 guaranteed trips to Tampa, one to Miami and one to Toronto - assuming that i stay gainfully employed within the wireless business. it is fun being a part of a team of other wireless professionals from companies such as verizon, sprint, bell mobility canada, us cellular, etc.

a part from the meeting i had a chance to finish reading more ready than you realize by brian mclaren. this was one of those trips that i wish dianna could have experienced with me.

oh well.

Sunday, October 19, 2003

itunes 4.0 for windows! go get it. of course this is one fewer reason to buy a mac. just kidding. mine will soon be on order.
im sitting here in a worship service at clay street with nathan, amy, lora, brad, and stacy. the worship led by nathan was incredible - meaning the music allowed me to go somewhere spiritually that i haven't gone in a while. i am in the middle of a very powerful moment and i am refusing to listen to the sermon because i don't want to let go of this experience. i did not expect this tonight. i love nathan and his ministry through music, and knew he, jeremiah, and carl would be awesome, but it was so much more than that. truly i've been changed somehow tonight.

i just called dianna (my wife) and she told me she had the same experience.

praise to the King.

Saturday, October 11, 2003

ok so i am updating a little. before any of you start cracking jokes about me liking joan of arcadia, know that i am not normally a touched by an angel sort of guy. i just happen to think this show has writers that have a brain and so far have not been afraid to show it. i also think it will be short lived with the heavy God content and all. maybe it's just that i have always like the underdog shows and yes i'm still bitter about roswell going off the air after a brief 3 seasons.

karma not what it used to be?

give these digital prayer wheels a shot in case you are more focused on your kama (sutra) than your karma. i should have thought of this sooner. :)

buddhism with a post modern flair??
alrighty, do i have some good news!

little did i know that this lump of coal would soon a diamond produce - nathan will be playing at clay street on the 19th! very likely Jeremiah will be joining him. I am very excited being that the keyboard is my first love and nathan is a master of the art. don't get me wrong i love guitar and i've even filled in some on bass, but the keyboard is a beautiful instrument. i looking forward to this experience.

anyway, survived another week at work, took the family to a restaurant where you throw peanut shells on the floor, and realized that tyler knows the word testicles - although as of yet he can't spell it nor identify what body part this mysterious word actually is.

have fun in the Father - Kerry

Monday, October 06, 2003

i took a vacation day today just to clear my head, and my office, of the junk of the last few weeks. i'm not sure it helped, but it felt good to just laze around the house and finish random projects that were started probably last time i took a day off. actually i finished a video project for my father. part of me really enjoys doing this, the other part of me wanted to proved to myself how badly i need a mac. unfortunately the test was inconclusive, although i still think i need a mac. the video turned out nicely even for an amateur using a PC - of course it will only play on windows media player so then again maybe my test was conclusive after all.

Thursday, October 02, 2003

this just in - it's a girl

Trevor and Danyel Carpenter have a new daughter Hope Elice Carpenter, born at 1:20 this morning via C-Section delivery. Mom and baby are both doing well. Hope is 7lb 11oz and 19 1/2 inches. Danyel will remain at Doctors Regional Hospital in Corpus Christi, room 272 until Saturday.
ok, so i survived the meeting yesterday. at one point thought i was going to be promoted and then at one point thought i was going to be fired. it was good and frustrating at the same time and i left with a major headache. when i did leave (which was early) this is what i did - when i get mad i usually make myself busy -

* polished off a bottle of excedrin migraine
* found 2 (more) dead squirrels in my pool
* buried squirrels in back yard (Tyler's idea)
* played soccer with Tyler and let him make up the rules
* played baseball with Tyler using the same rules
* read the latest halloween spongebob book with Tyler (scary on its own)
* cleaned the catbox
* got bit by the cat
* refinanced my house
* organized some old digital pictures
* and watched 2 episodes of south park

now that yesterday is over all i remember is playing ball with Tyler. what a good day yesterday was.

Wednesday, October 01, 2003

i'm just minutes away from a meeting that could very well determine the future of our company, not to mention mine. we have been begging to have this meeting for abut 4 months now. not that it is expected to be good, just necessary. more later...

on another job note, the phone company laid off 9 more folks yesterday. please be in prayer for the employees here, this is a really big deal.

on an even different note, if anyone has a recipe for a good kitty stew then please forward it to me. i've about had all the abuse i can take from such a small animal.

Sunday, September 28, 2003

prayers for reggie and family

reggie, friend to most that read this, is in houston right now to evaluate how much damage his father might have sufferred during a possible stroke. when i last spoke to him there were only questions, no answers. please be in prayer for his father, reggie, and his family.

may the great physician be at work in houston.

Thursday, September 25, 2003

a mirrored ball and a keyboard - yes these are some of my favorite things. pic courtesy of the cynic project.

Wednesday, September 24, 2003

this shirt is courtesy of the kerrville folk festival. may it fill you with all sorts of warm and fuzzies.



Monday, September 22, 2003

well things didn't go so well last night and we ended up not having words or video for any of the songs and at the last minute one of our key people had a family medical emergency. you know, i'm usually the last one to over spiritualize events when they go sour, but last night will be the exception. many folks had put in long hours in preparation and spent the week in a spirit of prayer for this event and the night was still rocky. yet even with all the headaches it was still powerful and we had tons of new folks. hopefully this will only solidify the calling in each of our lives and help us to be solidly committed to the gospel. may we be history makers in our own towns, thanks delirious for the words.

I'm gonna be a history maker in this land. I'm gonna be a speaker of truth to all mankind.
I'm gonna stand, I'm gonna run into your arms, into your arms again.

Yes it's true today that when people stand, with the fire of God, and the truth in hand
we'll see miracles, we'll see angels sing, we'll see broken hearts, making history
yes it's true and we believe it, we're living for you

Saturday, September 20, 2003

been thinking a bunch about the cross this week and the sacrifice that Jesus made on our behalf. it has brought up some weird feelings, the first being that growing up in an SBC church we talked little about the suffering of the cross and the depiction we almost always saw was a bloodless body in a freshly laundered tunic. the most intense of these might have a gaze toward heaven, but even that was a bit radical. this sunday nite at clay street we will try to create some intensity with music and a little video. part of me is excited, the other part knows that some will be offended by the intensity. i guess i feel somewhat sad that we as christians have forgotten how big an offering the cross was, both in suffering and in separation from the Father.

Friday, September 19, 2003

home of the 16 incher

clay street is now the newest home to a 16" mirror ball! yippee! i will refrain from refrerring to it as a disco ball b/c it will not be the star of the show like most venues that use them. at the moment it will be placed in the back where only the wash of the light will be seen across the warehouse. i'm sure it will be moved around to more creative places as the worship dictates, but for this week it stays in the back.

as always i am happy to have one more instrument to use as a worship offering.

Wednesday, September 17, 2003

gonna spend some money

yippee! i've got the clay street credit card and the afternoon off so i'm going to the music store in SA to buy some stuff. actually nothing major, just replacing some things that were broke. nonetheless Hermes is still my favorite all time indoor amusement park and they have the best souvenirs.

one thing of note, as the father is re-blessing our gathering, the warfare is starting. please be in prayer for the clay street community to react only in love according to the power of the spirit. polish the lens cause the flame in the lighthouse is starting to rekindle.

Tuesday, September 16, 2003


-amy grant

reason, season, or lifetime

a writing that one of my newest close friends sent to me talks about how the father sends people into your life for either a reason, a season, or a lifetime. when you think about it there is truth to that and it helps make things easier as people come and go in your life or at least in importance within your life. just as we search for organic, real, and meaningful relationship with the father so should we with each other. for me sometimes having these categories helps me to lets folks off the hook when they don't call or email or whatever and hopefully they cut me the same break for distancing myself from them. i am thankful that the father knows what we need and when we need it and he allows people to come into our lives to be him for as long as he purposes.

happy tuesday.

Monday, September 15, 2003

this is how my day has been...anyone know what this means?

We do final GTT for SMS from our STP's to InterOp's SMSC....That means that the MO OPC the SMSC sees is the STP, not the serving MSC.

Friday, September 12, 2003

i spent some time last night walking the monuments in DC. i was really trying to re-connect with everything that 9/11 represented, but really couldn't. there were some folks at the reflecting pool with some candles praying, and some folks just standing in silence looking at the washington monument all lit up in the dark and then there was a 30lb raccoon trying to free himself from his garbage can prison that he no doubt visited frequently for his evening meals. the monuments themselves are powerful, the security folks on detail are powerful to see, being in front of the white house just knowing that dubya might look out and say "hey, thems are folks from texas, let them in" was really kind of neat, but i still don't identify with the enormity of the loss of 9/11. i know there is a lesson in here somewhere, but i'll save that for a later time.

all in all, i love dc. i almost wish that life could be like a video game with multiple lives. if that were possible i'd certainly live one in the dc area and just take it all in. i would love to have continued the conversation i had with my muslim taxi driver this morning where we both said prayers for the other and discussed about how much he loved this country. i would love to learn about the people who believed in something so much that they gave their life in pursuit of it. i'd love to see how you heat a 200 year old house when it's 5 degrees outside. (not that i would live there, i'd have to have central a/c of course).

oh well i'm darn tired so i'm to sleep. before i forget - go get len sweet's new book jesus drives me crazy. it's a quick read and it has some good stuff.

also if you are in the dc area stop off at cosi - it'll make you happy.

Tuesday, September 09, 2003

i'm going to DC tomorrow to a meeting to discuss wireless number portability - that's where you can switch cell phone providers and keep your same number. it's great for the customer, but a pain in the butt for carriers to figure out. hopefully i'll be able to experience some of the 9/11 remembrance ceremonies. not that anyone would ever forget what happened, but sometimes being so far away it becomes hard to stay connected to such an event. hopefully those feelings will be different this year.

Monday, September 08, 2003

and then sometimes...

ok when is the last time you pieced together some of your high dollar data processing equipment with duct tape, Popsicle sticks and tie wraps? for me it was this weekend after a lightning strike to our facility. not sure what God is preparing me for, but you can be assured that i'll never leave home without Popsicle sticks again. :) K

Thursday, September 04, 2003

just got one of len sweet's new books today - Jesus drives me crazy. i always get frustrated when i read his writings 'cause he challenges me to follow the calling in ways that i don't really want to. it's kinda fun to re-do and re-do, just to re-do church once again. after all i've never been quite happy with the bass response of our jbl subs. i think we should purchase twin 18's (really) and some 15's and go to a 4 way Xover setup. then the neighbors would know that we were serious about Christ...how, because we could knock all of their pagan pictures off their walls with our loud christian music. ok, so i'm sure i just pissed someone off by saying that, but when will be stand up, count the cost, and really be messengers of Christ? when will we take the good news to those that need it and not just deliver it to those that show up to our flavor of the day service?

guilty as charged you are! (as yoda would say to me). church is my cocoon, my shelter, my safe place and if anyone comes in that needs Christ, fine, they can ask me and i'll tell them (or send them to an elder, kidding). the point kerry? - i think our family is getting closer to going and telling. not talking about some vacation / mission trip thing, although that may be where it starts - talking bout a sell the house, pack the stuff, hop in a truck and follow God kind of thing. i just don't know where or how or to whom, but the time is approaching.

There was a time when one could almost be afraid to call himself a disciple of Christ because it meant so much. Now one can do it with complete ease because it means nothing at all.
-Soren Kierkegaard
we have been told that we (five star management folks) have a meeting on the 15th to decide some things. please be in prayer that the correct decisions are made. this will probably be the determining factor in whether or not we all stay or begin to look for other jobs. fun!?

less than 4 months til Christmas!!! yippee.

Friday, August 29, 2003

received word this morning that my grandfather passed away last night. i'm sad about that, but really happy for the visit we had about a month ago. we took tyler with us and it seemed that he was the catalyst to make my granddad come alive. it was the first time any of us had seen him smile and laugh in years. we are so grateful for that one last experience - we will certainly talk about it for a long time.

it's a nice reminder that God is a good and loving God.

Tuesday, August 26, 2003

ok so i decide to work late tonight to try to help some aging company pc's. i'm embarassed to even mention how bad they are being that i have mentioned the new G5 in an earlier writing. anyway, you know the phrase no good deed goes unpunished? well i'm praying that tomorrow doesn't prove that true for me.

have a great day! -Kerry

need money

ok, i know this sounds like a joke, but i am looking for an investor or a company with $25M to buy out a wireless cellular business partnership. seriously if you know someone that may have any interest in something like this please contact me.

really!

Saturday, August 23, 2003

i'm considering opening an apple account to purchase a new G5.

i'm having pc problems again. -yuk
this is something you don't see everyday - we took a little trip to amarillo last week and stopped by the infamous cadillac ranch on historic route 66. it's worth a look but you're probably more likely to be abducted by aliens than have a good reason to go to amarillo, that is of course unless you are on your way out of texas to go to the mountains. :)

new day at clay street

i'm getting excited about some changes coming down the line at clay street community. for starters we finally have folks ready to listen to a small group of us and allow us to move according to our convictions and not theirs. although i must say that we have no desire to do anything contrary to the stated vision statement, just carry it out in a little different way. ok, so it's not that different, but at the moment any change is good.

before i write any more i must admit that none of these things are our own, but a resemblance of what those that have come before us envisioned (their links are to the right). part of me is sad that this seems like too little too late and that i could still see nathan, shannon, stacy, and lora each week as i enter into worship, but then i see the austin community that has been developed and i know that they have done so much more for so many more people. anyway all that to say these are idea evolved from their connection with the father and community, not ours.

the big thing i am excited about is the evening format change. currently it is typically 20 mins worship, 45 mins or longer of preaching, and a closing song - standard modern linear design. the first change will be to "limit" to preaching to around 15 or 20 mins, close and then move to a time of food and discussion time. it is very evident that the corporate community has been a big draw and lately we are having to chase folks out of the building long after anything has officially stopped. sometimes then they move to the parking lot or playground and talk for hours. this is the time when meaningful community / ministry can happen and we are missing it. we have been placing all the evangelistic eggs in the sermon basket and truthfully it has been a bad investment (speaking for nite service only - i have not attended a morn service in quite a while).

anyway this is only the first step to get away from the central piece of the evening pie being the preaching part. preachers if you happen to stop by and read this, i mean no disrespect, but for the most part the content is irrelevant even though in another setting it would be received with accolades and it is not presented very well to the audience - just b/c you add a video clip of braveheart speaking about something coming out of his arse doesn't fix all the problems. it just makes everyone remember that they heard the word ass in church and that we showed part of a rated R movie during the sermon.

please pray with us as we strive to allow the father to direct our steps on this journey. we are not bitter young adults trying to cause problems, but are leaders who want to be obedient to help an organization carry out the great commission to a community.

now i have to go clean out my garage. Blessings, kerry

Friday, August 22, 2003

ok so i finally watched queer eye for the straight guy last night. it was actually an enjoyable show except for the fact that i guess you have to be gay to have any fashion sense. hmmm, not sure how i feel about that and i thought that queer was a bad word. oh well, so much for my subscription to GQ.

i did hear a guy on fox news this morning say "be retro - go hetero." hmmm (once again).

:) Kerry

Tuesday, August 19, 2003

while following endless random links i found this pic on a site. thanks michelle for reminding me how much i used to be an x file fan. btw her site is excellent!

another tylerism

tyler and i went to get ice cream tonight and on the way back he mentioned that the birds have been leaving him a feather in the yard each morning as he goes off to school. how cool and fantastical this is, i thought...until i saw the yard.

you see we have two large bird feeders hanging from the tree in our yard and our neighbor faithfully fills them each morning at dawn (another cool story) and apparently there is at least one neighborhood cat with a full stomach.

have a great week!

Monday, August 18, 2003

i was going through some old files tonight and came across this picture - sorry carl - it was just way too funny. carl is our drummer at clay street and a firm believer that trucks are capable of anything, except swimming.

Friday, August 01, 2003

what stays consistent by constantly changing? i am looking for a name for something. really, this is not a riddle although it could be. email me if you want the full crazy story.

peace and blessings!

Thursday, July 31, 2003

yesterday i had a quick visit with my boss that was fired in april and he told me that i should take his old job (sans the general counsel part, he was a lawyer). that was kinda encouraging, but since he got fired doing a really good job (long story) maybe i should just keep to my small part of the world. my job is important, but relatively easy as long as you stay diligent with it. i would love the challenge of something bigger, but truthfully am enjoying the rut which i currently find myself in.

Father change me into a servant worthy of your calling. may i see everything i do as a chance to bring glory to your name.

thank you Father for healing my boy.

Monday, July 28, 2003

mucho stuffo

it seems like a lot of things are going on at the moment, most of which i am excited about. i just forget to write about them - i appreciate the friendly reminders i have received.

first thing! small fry Ty is improving! PTL! if he continues on the trend he is on it looks like another surgery won't be needed. that would be such a boost to us in so many ways. we also want to be clear that any improvement is to the glory of God. we really want this to be a look-what-God-did-in-our-lives kind of thing and want everyone to know that.

di and also had a great visit with nathan on sat and was able to hear him lead worship on sun morning. it made for a great weekend.

more later -K

Tuesday, July 15, 2003

answer

just FYI for all those that prayed - nick started a new job yesterday that sounds perfect for him. he is an electrical wiring technician at the fredericksburg airport. he is finally receiving the respect that his skills deserve. i am so excited for him. on his behalf - thank you for praying for him.

PAX

back

my pc is finally back up and running. i smoked a power supply last week and have been DOA since. now i have a groovy new case with lights, a see through panel, more usb ports, and a huge cpu fan. my machine may not be a mac but now it looks almost as cool as one (in a rough sort of way).

Tuesday, July 01, 2003

part of me says that doing good church is too complicated... i think the truth is that WE are too complicated... the truth is simple and always has been. i love nathan's current thread.

Sunday, June 29, 2003

had an interesting nite at clay street. i believe now that the hand of providence had us take our leave when we did (last november maybe?) so we ourselves could heal and now maybe help others with their decision to either leave or stay. i hate it that is has to be that way. why can't a good thing just become a great thing, and then even a greater thing? whatever the case, there are folks there that hurt and i am one that hurts no more, so maybe i can be used to help others heal. i never saw this one coming - how great the Father!

something else ~ some folks moved in next door to the clay street warehouse and it seems they don't share the same affections for all the noise we make. this one could get touchy and will need the wisdom of solomon to handle. of course it is also good that 2 of the elders are lawyers. hmmm.
just got back from a few days in orlando. had a business mtg at a place that was connected to universal studios. it was tiring, but a good trip. everytime i go to a place like that i get all excited again about technical stuff. you see one day i will have a "club church" or maybe just support someone with a club-esque ministry. an example would be a light set up like on the video of coldplay's clocks and song's like madonna's die another day. Really. that's my thing and i have a feeling that it could be others' thing as well.

i'll write more about my trip later. i need to take a nap before clay street tonight.

Thursday, June 19, 2003

seeking guidance from my spiritual family

i am considering an idea of starting a web site of some sort to link non-profit agencies with needs to people who want to give. the motivation for this is that i believe folks may have "good" stuff they just don't need, but don't realize that someone else out there can be blessed with it. i also have tried to fill out the cumbersome grant requests and make sure all of the paperwork is perfect and i'm just not focussed enough to complete that task.

i started working out the details yesterday while trimming my trees and right after that big branch got me. maybe i should seek the help of a doctor and not a webmaster. :)

PAX - Kerry


btw ~ you may know of a site already out there that does this. if so, let me know and i may turn my resources into helping them.

Saturday, June 14, 2003

my buddy nick's new ink - ouch!

Tuesday, June 03, 2003

tyler is going to be a bike guy. ok by me. maybe i should visit the harley shop this next weekend!

Sunday, June 01, 2003

i thought i'd give tyler some credit for helping me dig the pad for his swimming pool. this was much more work than i had expected, but he actually has been more help then i would have guessed. go small fry ty!

Monday, May 26, 2003

well the pool went up this weekend, and shortly will be on its way back down. seems my yard is not as level as i thought it was.

do you ever get into one of those stages when the only thing that can reach your soul is music? well in my spiritual life that is the way it is so i have turned back to the music of the person that has spoken to me more than any other - nathan. you see, being a sound tech allows me opportunities that not everyone has. i've got a small collection of bootleg recordings, my best being the last service that nathan played at the soul cafe. that service remains at the top of my list of all time favorites and listening to it brings me back to a safe place. sometimes being safe is all i need. oh, how i desire to be safe in the Father's arms once and for all.

Friday, May 23, 2003

mas surgery?

we had our annual visit yesterday to the texas children's hospital in houston and the surgeon said to come back in 8 months for another evaluation. if at that time his arm is not better than he will undergo surgery #5.

please pray specifically for his arm to be able to supinate another 10-15 degrees - essentially to be able to turn his hand palm up. the doc said that aqua therapy is probably the best thing to do, so you guessed it...my new weekend project is to put in a pool. nothing fancy, just something deep enough to do some exercises.

just fyi - we're going for a healing on this one. even though the doc said the surgery is an easy one, i don't want to do it. i need some new personal God stories, and this one looks like a good one.

Monday, May 12, 2003

i almost forgot...pray for nick. he is diligently looking for work and a new start. he has done all the right things so it is now up to the Father and his new employer to get on the same page and make this happen. i expect exciting things for nick, but i'd like to see them soon, for nick's sake.
sorry i'm not really into the blogger thing at the moment, but i am feeling much better. when i know that i won't get fired for blogging at work, i might start up again.

blessings to you all - i dream of the time of when we can all be together endlessly in the presence of the Father. PAX!

Sunday, May 11, 2003

nick and i went to the church on clay street tonight to help with the lights and sound for chris' last evening service - his set originally had 32 (really thirty two) songs in it which he cut down to about 28 or so, just fyi...it was a great set. nathan you would have been so proud of those guys.

anyway it seemed that my season of bitterness and pain had passed. i had a wonderful time, really. not sure what all this means, but it felt good.

thank you for all the phone calls, emails, and IMs. i needed those more than you can imagine. thank you for loving on me the way you did. also thank you to my wonderful wife who supported me in ways i know i have never supported her. i can see clearly now, the rain is gone...isn't that a song?

drink deeply of the Spirit this week, i'm gonna try to.

Saturday, April 26, 2003

believe it or not, we have a stonehenge in the hill country

after walking around the place for a while it seemed that this place was just going to lead us directly to the drug store to purchase the iraqi desert value sized jug of chigger-tox. however before we left we did seem to find some treasure in big bubba.

it seems that big bubba had a belly button after all. now that's a nugget i didn't learn from my world history days. way to go small fry ty for finding this jewel.

Tuesday, April 15, 2003

in case you have missed the humor that this guy brought to the iraq conflict, here is some more of the iraqi information minister. i almost hope to see this guy again sometime. he is almost as good at telling lies as bill clinton is, but Mo has the cool hat.

enjoy

Friday, April 11, 2003

this week has been very difficult and humbling at best. you see, in my professional life i've always been somewhat of a big fish in a small pond and even at times i was blessed to be a big fish in a big pond - that's the way i like it. with all the new ownership changes at my job now, i am pretty much a small fish in a large ocean or in my eyes, the worst of all possible combinations. in case you are wondering what started all of this...we migrated to a different network this week and many of us, including myself, have lost complete control and ownership of the local network responsibilities. being self reliant to figure out my own problems or getting the "thank you"s from resolving someone elses, is gone. i now have to call an 800 number and ask for help...just like everyone else.

to some degree i guess that's where i am in my spiritual life. i go through cycles of being completely self reliant and get somewhat frustrated when i have to rely on God for anything, even though i know he can fix everything if i just talk to him. it's kinda like the old testament stories of the israelites when they'd see God part the waters of the red sea and then they'd scream because they didn't have anything to eat or drink. why couldn't they just live a simple life of trust and faith? i've always thought how foolish these people were, and sometimes now i find myself doing the same things.

i'm just grateful that the Father can use things in my life to allow me to see myself from a distance to see what's right and what's not. to allow me to see the stupid things i do and feel. for whatever reason, i know that i will have to keep learning this lesson my whole life until i give in and give up and live by complete trust and faith myself. maybe i should cut those israelites some slack.

anyway, at least the Father is still teaching me. when i stop learning and growing then i guess that's when i'll start getting worried. in the mean time i i'll start calling on Him more and trusting Him to be strong in my weakness and i guess i'll have to learn that 800 number for network support.

Tuesday, April 08, 2003

well we've nuked another building in kerrville this week. a very simple, non-theatning office supply store close to the center of town was leveled.

intermission. (i'll come back to this one...i'm still thinking about what i want to say)

in the meantime, go read my wife's stuff or maybe take a look at my buddies lora and the other kerri - spelled with an "i" in case you are confused. :)

Saturday, April 05, 2003

ode to a lawnmower

spent a little quality time with my lawnmower this morning before attempting to cut my 3' tall grass (not an exaggeration) so i wrote a poem about it. by the way, i eventually borrowed a mower from someone else and then made plans to take mine to the shop next week. here goes (don't laugh)

carburetion
calibration
frustration.

conflagration
devastation
libation.

code me baby

i heard music to me ears this week when my beloved sent me an email at work telling me she wanted to learn some html code - i got goose bumps all over and got that new-in-love feeling all over again. isn't there a saying that says the couple that codes together stays together? maybe not. anyway can you imagine cozy nights by the fire talking about meta tags and java scripts? nah, me either. (for those of you who know code, you know that one look at my blog says that i'm clueless. for those that don't know anything about code, just roll with the story). PAX

Wednesday, April 02, 2003

God's letter in mp3 format - various languages

Tuesday, April 01, 2003

my new favorite band evanescence. in my opinion the second good thing to come out of arkansas - the first good thing is probably reading this blog.

Monday, March 31, 2003

When in England at a fairly large conference, Colin Powell was asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury if our plans for Iraq were just an example of empire building by George Bush.

He answered by saying that, "Over the years, the United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return was enough to bury those that did not return."

It became very quiet in the room.

Friday, March 28, 2003

having tea with bea and andrew, but i still need a hamburger, hopefully this tea thing won't last too long. (kidding, i'm looking forward to getting to know andrew).

you better be here @ wabi.

Thursday, March 27, 2003

wabiSABI has started and i'm already missing it, go read andrew's blog to see what i mean. hopefully i can get my stuff done early today and get out of the office...SOON!

this isn't going to be a come listen to whomever pitch some propaganda about some agenda to do whatever the latest ministry kick is. it is going to be the people of God come together to share encouragement, differences, support, love, community, discipleship, and God only knows what else (really). please come be a part of this with me, with us.

blessings! - see you in Austin!

Tuesday, March 25, 2003

not too late to come to wabiSABI.

wabi is taking on a life of its own which is great - come add your part. never before have i seen the body of christ demonstrated so profoundly as with this (i.e. we all have different giftings and talents, but yet we are all important).

pray for our troops!

Saturday, March 22, 2003

a big storm rolled in last night and a thunderclap hit nearby and i thought the windows were going to blow out of the house. i guess that's as close as i can get to understanding what the people of iraq are going through. i still support our government and their efforts 100%, but hurt for those that are scared for their lives. hopefully this will be over soon and the iraqis can rebuild their lives in a post-saddam world.

also learned this week that the brother of a good friend of mine, Andy Sparkman, is with the 101st ground forces that are constantly in the news. father protect him.

Friday, March 21, 2003

upray - a KCM website, but still worth a look

inspections?

i like what gary bauer said on fox news this morning..."we finally have 250,000 real inspectors in iraq."

btw ~ on the first day of this war iraq fired 7 scud missles that saddam swore he didn't have and that were against the un resolution for him to have in his possession.

Thursday, March 20, 2003

why

here's why i feel so strongly...a few weeks ago i watched several iraqi nationals talk about the struggle the iraqi people had gone through under saddam's reign. they were afraid for their lives and those of their families living there. they were all witnesses to the starvation and torture imposed upon the people by the government. the only hope they had was for someone like the US to come in and overthrow the gov't and help to restore some form of leadership that would promote economic well being and stability. the other part of that equation is that if the regime changes, the trade sanctions might be removed and the necessary food and medical supplies could enter their country. many more iraqis die everyday from the restriction of the sanctions than the war will ever kill. saddam and his army are probably the only ones not hungry in the country. we are not fighting the iraqi people, we are fighting FOR them. i am saddened that people don't understand that.

November 7, 1997: Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz: "The American government says openly, clearly, that it's not going to endorse lifting the sanctions on Iraq unless the leadership of Iraq is changed."

go get 'em W

the events of last night and today make me proud to be an American, while at the same time hurting for those that will inevitably be caught in the crossfire. i am proud that our president and leaders are removing a planetary nuisance and trying to construct a better government all while being as careful as possible. i saw a guy on cnn talk about the smart weapons, the targeting procedures, the contingency plans, and all the other protocols they go through to only destroy what absolutely needs to be. every pre-caution to protect civilian lives is being addressed. saddam is the one who puts babies and children in harms way, not us. thank God for W.

by the way - the surgical strike last night was probably the best thing we could have done under the circumstances. i guess we will know later this week how effective that was.

Sunday, March 16, 2003

i was dropping off some wabi information this morning at TBC in kerrville and I got to hear nathan play and lead worship for a few minutes. if you never have heard him, you need to, really. hopefully later this year we all will be able to drive around town listening to his music as he has been working hard on a worship project. be in prayer for him as he does this, i understand that recording can be exhausting work.

i am once again on my way to new orleans - 2nd time this month - for business, so i'm kinda rushed....

one last thing - we need people with big cars, vans, SUVs or whatever to help transport people around for wabi. some of our vehicle support has fallen through and now we have some big needs. this mostly will involve driving people from the motels to FBC austin or the friday nite event or wherever. you can come drive or trade cars with me or whatever is easiest. we really have a need for this, so please contact me, dianna, shannon, or jessica as soon as you think that this may be your thing.

gotta run.

drink deeply of the Father today!

Wednesday, March 12, 2003

"5 is too small, i want to be 6, that's big"

today is my son's 6th birthday. 6 - not 5 or 4 (which were very hard for me) but 6. when i look at him and all that we've been through it sometimes seems like a hundred years and sometimes it seems like yesterday.

the thing that i cherish the most about my son is that many of you have had an integral part in our life with him. Specifically shannon helped us pay for the motel during one of tyler's surgeries, nathan and amy decorated our house for our return from the last surgery, and bea has made special trips to kerrville when she was in austin last year just to pray for tyler's physical healing - which started happening immediately and has continued ever since.

i thank my God for you who have invested so heavily in my life, in dianna's, and in tylers. we could not have made it without you, really. i think i understand why paul says that he thanks God every time he remembers those that supported him. just like paul, i love and need you guys in my life.

so bring on the cake (star wars of course) and let the journey continue.

Wednesday, March 05, 2003

get outta here

i like what shannon and nathan said better than anything i've said lately so go read their stuff...links are on the right!
blessings.
i just updated some of my links, now that i have found that some of you actually go there.

one that i am the most excited about it triad design. it is the creativity of anita roach, one of our moderators for wabiSABI. i am excited about meeting her and experiencing her work and i think you should be too.
just got back from lunch mass ~ wow ~ it was the coolest ever.

i had never been to our local catholic church, in fact the place was kinda spooky because of the 10' tall brass mary at the front. i went with a co-worker who was a regular attendee and she explained everything to me or at least as much as she could in the given time without being disrupting to anyone.

the scripture reading was intense, the songs a little monotone, but the ritual of the liturgy was incredible. it was quite participatory and interactive which connected with me very well. i think it might get too routine if i did this every week, but for special biblical occasions like this, it was powerful. i can't wait for the easter service.
happy ash wednesday ~ go to your local neighborhood church to experience ash wednesday mass. i'll tell you about mine later today.

Tuesday, March 04, 2003

run, run rudolph, run

it is frustrating to me that us wabis have to be multi-talented, meaning we have to figure out how to be true to our wabi-ness, while at the same time be skilled in playing all the sabi games. until we wabis are making all the rules, we have to abide by those put in place by the sabis - which to me looks more like a big game, than a rational regime.

maybe that's where i come in. i can talk church-ese and be diplomatic and i try to keep up with all the emerging information that is out there. who knows? sometime i wonder if wabiSABI will be the greatest ministry thing i've ever been a part of or if it will be another jim jones misadventure. i hope it isn't the later - i'm currently just saying NO to red kool-aid.

Friday, January 31, 2003

i hopped on the back of a shopping cart last night (one of those short stubby grocery store ones) that i had loaded full of bottled water pointed it down an incline and kicked off. i highly recommend it. btw ~ you might want to perfect your stopping before you perfect your starting. i wore out a good pair of shoes trying to stop. :) K
one of our artist moderators for wabiSABI has put a link to where some of her work can be purchased. you must go there. i am so excited that Anita is going to be a part of the experience. don't miss it.

Thursday, January 30, 2003

go to wabi
as a follower of christ i guess that we are not allowed to get our feelings hurt. i mean if we are doing what he wants then our time, our money, our energy, our relationships, etc are not really our own, but part of his great orchestra. not saying that actions don't hurt, but to react based upon those feelings would be wrong...right?

an example - sometimes it is hard when the people closest to you who say they share in your same values fail to act in a manner that is consistent with that. not that everyone has to like what i stand for, but don't tell me you do and then do something else. we as believers need to be truthful and honest in our dealings with each other. my first reaction was to immediately want to blog about how mad i was and make it so those folks knew exactly why i was upset. it's been a few weeks now and the Father has shown me that i have to let it go and still love them like nothing happened. i'm still working through my theology on this one.

Wednesday, January 29, 2003

in case you don't know my blogging friends...meet nathan and jessica. links to their sites are on the right.

Tuesday, January 28, 2003

we are in austin this afternoon with shannon and jessica doing some preliminary work for wabi. the more prep we do the more excited i get. please be in prayer about being a part of this with us.

new wabi stuff

in case you haven't been there yet today...you ought to.

joshua has done great things with the wabiSABI site. go check it out and start telling others about it too.
i've been wanting to know more about the whole abide in christ thing for awhile now and last week while digging through my library (my one bookcase) i found a book entitled "abide in christ." cool thing about it is that i wasn't familiar with this book, meaning i didn't buy it, it just showed up. the book is a 31 chapter daily read to help one understand the principle.

this morning's chapter dealt with the parable of the vine and the branch. learning that the value in each is interdependent upon the other is what makes the story come alive. Jesus (the vine) needs us (the branch) to produce fruit to reach others while at the same time we need the nourishment that can only come from the vine. neither the vine nor the branch can be effective acting alone. for me it was a valuable lesson to be reminded that i don't have to do anything under my own strength. it was also refreshing to see scripture encourage me as valuable to the work of the Father. Understanding this relationship does wonders for helping me get a better grasp on the abiding part. PAX.

Sunday, January 26, 2003

chruch life and a busted printer

i was talking to my mother a few days ago about how much she paid to repair an office printer. i was quite surprised that anyone would choose to repair something that essentially was a throw away item. to make matters worse, i had just purchased a new, much higher quality printer the day before for about half of the cost of her repair.

now i mean no disrespect to my mother. in fact the idea of repairing what you have instead of tossing it away is something that we all should practice more, except for the case of cheap printers and sometimes churches and/or church services.

i hear people so often say that they are trying and struggling to get their church to change to reach more or different people..in other words to repair it. now maybe you just want to be more purpose driven or contemporary, but what if you also want to be more tattoo friendly or pierced friendly or green spiked hair friendly (don't forget that jesus died for them and has a plan for their life too). will that ever happen even with an unlimited amount of church counsel meetings or focus groups or whatever pop-business-church-psyche name you want to call it? probably not.

then why do we do it? why not be faithful to what the Father has called you to do. why not empower believers to go reach these people where they are and on their terms. quit paying $100 to fix a $25 problem. there are no medals in heaven for "sticking it out" in a problematic church, but there are some for discipling the lost and for giving your life to kingdom work. don't wake up one day and realize what could have been or the lives that could have been changed by allowing the Father's love to flow through you. don't give all of that ministry up in trade for wanting one more praise chorus during the sunday 10a holy hour. dust off your feet and move on...today.

christ has come to set you free, so quit putting your chains back on.

Wednesday, January 22, 2003

not so super sunday

i was asked to fill in on bass guitar this sunday for a worship service - one of my most favorite things in all the world to do - so i responded with an enthusiastic YES. when i got there i was told that the praise band was the half-time "entertainment" for the super bowl. apparently the church is bringing in a large screen tv for the game and you can figure out the rest.

now i don't have anything against churches doing this type of stuff to build community, but to do it and toss in a little worship is just wrong to me. worship shouldn't be filler or stuffing, it's the main deal. what a better example for the church to show unbelievers that our corporate time with the Almighty it too important to substitute in anything else.

i just feel really weird about the whole thing. am i being too dramatic? maybe it's just because i don't care about football.

Tuesday, January 21, 2003

good new stuff from my beloved, angelbiscuits.

Monday, January 20, 2003

keep checking the wabi site for current information. some of the moderators and panelists are starting to dialog there. get used to me writing about this...i really believe it is for you. click wabiSABI for more information. i haven't learned my code good enough to make it link automatically.



Sunday, January 19, 2003

well the weekend is over and we are back home. for us the assessment was powerful and convicting. while part of me wants to pass judgment on the churches of that area, i know that i have treated ministry the same way. i felt justified because we had a "cool" building or good music and because we were in a small city i rationalized that everyone knew about us. it was their choice if they didn't want to come.

i see now what can happen on a much larger scale over a longer period of time. with some exceptions (mostly of a specific and limited demographic), church in the killeen area is reserved for those 55 and above.

now to keep this from dragging out any further...the bottom line that i see is that it is time to take the church back to the streets. we could raise and spend millions trying to build the perfect building or compound or center or whatever, but why? Let's get on their turf - the bars, tattoo shops, community centers and so on. i believe that scripture tells of Jesus talking to prostitutes and tax collectors where they were, not after having coaxed them into some tabernacle or crusade. it could actually be a really fun ministry or at least i think so. i've always liked the controversial but correct thing - in regard to church life that is. it sucks to be vanilla.

one thing of note before i shut up. the killeen model while distinct in some areas is very common in others. we must get the gospel on the street in whatever community or city where you live. gone are the days when new churches fill up like new restaurants do on opening day. "if we build it, they will come" is not a good MO to use for church buildings, but it might be for church sponsored skate parks or gaming clubs or internet cafes or theology cigar lounges or car rallies or ______________ (whatever the Father tells you to do).

***** go to wabi ****

one more note - these thoughts are my take on the collective thoughts of the group this weekend. most of the above thoughts did not originate with me, but i don't think anyone will mind if i act on their ideas. if an assessment weekend sounds like your thing then contact me - there is another one in march.

Saturday, January 18, 2003

please pray for the killeen/copperas cove/harker heights/nolanville/ft hood area. the people here are hurting much more that i would have ever imagined and the churches are so lost without a clue that it makes your heart sick. if local missionary work is your calling, pray about this area.

just a note...the irony of the whole weekend for me is that most of us here, 20 or so, are not currently involved in institutional church however we are trying to capture data to help traditional church reach these folks. truth of the matter probably is that it will actually be the emerging culture of individuals that will do the work. the tattoo artist that i spoke to today will unfortunately never be welcomed by many churches here, so they have to be loved by someone else. that someone else has yet to emerge. pray that we find that person or team or org or whatever or pray that it may be you.

PAX, really.

Friday, January 17, 2003

this weekend di and i will be part of another city assessment orchestrated by the emerging church network folks. this is always a bitter sweet time for me. sweet because it brings me back into focus of outreach and i re-tune in to what really is important as a follower of Christ. bitter because the reality of what's being done (outside of a few exceptions) is so little. with a church on every corner in some cities, why aren't we saturating communities with the gospel? are we not doing the right things or just not doing things right?

please pray for the folks doing emerging type ministries. some of these folks come under fire routinely from traditional (well-meaning) church people. as the Church community we should be heralding these ministers as heroes. they truly are carring the sword of truth to those that need it. they are seeking the lost, not just opening the doors hoping they will come in. gotta go.

Wednesday, January 15, 2003

evening, morning, and at noon, will i pray and cry aloud; and He shall hear my voice.
the writings of david the psalmist in chapter 55

Tuesday, January 14, 2003

shut your mouth and show me some love

ran into some old pew pals this week in the store and the first thing out of their mouth was "gee, we've missed you, we think about you all of the time." i don't buy it. if you truly care about someone then pick up the phone and call. show me some action, show me some jesus. i don't care what your intentions were or are.

when will the church learn that if we aren't even good enough to fool each other with a superficial type of love that we don't have a chance of reaching the hurting and distrustful lost? and the real sadness is, if you are fake to me then so what. I am still a believer. but if you are fake to a person who doesn't know Jesus, then you could make it that much harder for that person to ever believe there is a God big enough and real enough to love them.

when will christians get out of the way of the believers who want to share the saving love and grace of Jesus? will the real slim shady please stand up?

I WANT MY MTV

i am so amazed at how contemporary church is so out of touch with my age group. to get right to the point - i feel that every minister trying to reach our generation should spend an hour a day watching MTV or at the very least the top 20 countdown on VH1. just listen to the lyrics and you'll hop on the expressway to their soul. "but the stuff on MTV is so vulgar" you may say...well, hell yes it is and so is their world! nothing short of the gospel will change that. only when we can see these artists as voices for the lost around us will we understand how to reach them.

Saturday, January 11, 2003

rest, yeah right?

i just went to a very worshipful service tonight where one of the questions presented was "when was a very restful time in your life"? several of the answers seemed to revolve around some type of drug (legal, but controlled) substance. why is that? why when it comes to rest does the word morphine come to mind? do we need to hike into the desert for 40 days like jesus? ahhh...maybe there was something to that. of course i won't have that much vacation time at my job for another 25 years so i guess i'm off the hook right?

if you are in san antonio check out common ground. Blessings -*k*

Friday, January 10, 2003



as i help out with this event and learn about the emerging ministries around the country that may be a part of this, i am completely humbled. some of these ministries are absolutely incredible. i knew that i couldn't attend wabi without being changed, but it is almost 3 months away and already the Father is working on me. wow.

go here for more wabi information.

Thursday, January 09, 2003

from christmas my wife gave me a window sticker for my car that says

"WE ARE THE PEOPLE OUR PARENTS WARNED US ABOUT."

that is strangely convicting, but i like it. PAX -[k]

Wednesday, January 08, 2003

what's on tap, what's freshly brewed, and oh a coke for my friend

there are times that even as an adult that i want to fit it, to be edgy, to be whatever it is that i think i'm not. many of those times, thanks to watching too much thursday nite NBC include a good cup of coffee or a longneck at some perfect little neighborhood pub. unfortunately i like neither. now the pub is fine, but give me a cream soda or a mountain dew instead of the sam adams. the weird thing is that i've really tried to like both, but no luck.

as i start to talk to folks about emerging church ideas it seems that a lot of people are like me and my coffee - they want to like it and understand, but they don't. they can see that this is a passion of mine and a calling worthy of my life, but to them it holds no meaning. that has to be ok for both me and them. as believers we aren't commanded to agree only to love each other...so next time let's go somewhere where i can get a black cherry soda on tap.
the writings of isaiah, chapter 43
"forget all that - it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. for I am about to do a brand new thing, see, I have already begun. do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness for my people to come. I will create rivers for them in the desert!"

even though this was written several thousand years ago, it seems completely fitting for today. all over the world people are finding the spirit move in places outside the realm of institutional church. like minded individuals are coming together across denominations, oceans, and internet connections to establish communities of faith. people are stepping out in faith raising up disciples according to the leading of the spirit. it truly is a new work and it is wonderful to be a part of it.

to experience some of what the Father is doing, join us at wabiSABI in Austin, Texas in late march. collaborate, discover, and express is the theme as we come together as part of the new thing the Father is doing.

Tuesday, January 07, 2003

a new thing

the writings of isaiah in chapter 43
"forget all of that - it is nothing compared to what i am going to do. for I am about to do a brand new thing. see I have already begun! do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness for my people to come home. I will create rivers for them in the desert!"



come be a part of some of the new things of the Father at wabiSABI in Austin, Texas in march.

Monday, January 06, 2003

we had a wonderful time visiting with shannon, nathan, and amy and our newest friend martina. it was a sweet time of fellowship that i think the father reserves only for believers. i'm not sure that i can explain that much further, it just feels like home when you are with those that are connected. (i'm trying to dodge the christian word anointed 'cause i think it is overused, but that really is the word)

the father was in front of us, behind us, above us, below us, and in us and it was good.

Saturday, January 04, 2003

follow the yellow brick road or maybe it's just hwy 290

Di and I are off to Austin this morning to spend a day or 2 with shannon and talk about wabisabi. we currently are in such a heightened state of expectation from God that i'm afraid we will stress everyone out. no worries though. we really enjoy going places and discovering God working differently in other people's lives. it helps us tear down the walls of our understanding and allow God to show himself differently and that usually means in bigger and better ways.

Thursday, January 02, 2003

service for poppy

please be in prayerful support of bea and her family with the passing of her grandfather and with the services today. ask the father to renew strength in her 80 year old grandmother and give her daily encouragement until the grand reunion one day.