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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.