what men live by

"I knew before that God gives life to men, and desires them to live; but now I know far more. I know that God does not desire men to live apart from each other, and therefore has not revealed to them what is needful for each of them to live by himself. He wishes them to live together united, and therefore has revealed to them that they are needful to each other's happiness.

"I know now that people only seem to live when they care only for themselves, and that it is by love for others that they really live. He who has Love has God in him, and is in God- because God is Love."

And the Angel sang the glory of God, that the house trembled at his voice, and the roof parted asunder, and a pillar of fire shot up from earth to Heaven. Simon and his wife fell down with their faces to the ground; and wings burst forth from the Angel's shoulders, and he rose into Heaven.

And when Simon raised his eyes again, the house stood there as before, and in the house there was no one but his own dear family.

-Leo Tolstoy, What Men Live By

make music

Man these things look like fun.





Not really expecting anyone to care, but currently expanding effects pedal collection.

Currently:

Morley Tremonti Wah
Morley Volume
Boss TU-2 Tuner
Boss SD-1 Super Overdrive
Marshall Guv'nor Distortion (Classic)
MXR Carbon Copy Analog Delay
DigiTech RV-7 Stereo Reverb

Any suggestions?

dust and discipleship

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
-John 8:31-32

Christian discipleship is a relationship of imitation and reproduction. To be a Christian is to be a “Little Christ.” We are ultimately disciples of Jesus, but, since the Twelve, we follow by proxy. Discipleship is to follow someone as they follow Christ. And there are as many ways to follow God as there are ways to interpret Scripture. A thousand people will express love a thousand different ways, none better or worse than another. We were created so uniquely for good reason.

To imitate any man so closely is to imitate their weaknesses as well as their strengths. To emulate their world view, their approach to devotion, their perspectives on doctrine, their lifestyle and their heart. By necessity, grace blankets men’s shortcomings to draw together imperfect people with incongruous hearts. But, if fortunate enough to be presented with a choice in the matter, be a disciple of someone with a similar heart. Even better, find someone who has the character and qualities that you want for yourself, and follow them so closely that the dust kicked up by their feet becomes a second skin.

I am having to live with a difficult decision in a similar vein, to leave a community which I love because of incongruous directions. Leaving these people whom I love very much leaves jagged edges and splinters in the rift. Aside from them, there is little left that retains me. This community is a hermit crab shell which I have outgrown. It was home to me and I will forever remember fondly of it, but it will never quite fit the way that it used to. My heart is resting on distant shores and new beginnings. Still looking for a shell that fits.

christians...

...are like manure: spread them out and they help everything grow better, but keep them in one big pile and they stink horribly.

-Francis Chan, Crazy Love; Overwhelmed by a Relentless God

why are you striving

An American businessman was standing at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish.

"How long did it took you to catch them?" The businessman asked.

"Only a little while." The fisherman replied.

"Why don't you stay out longer and catch more fish?" The businessman asked.

"I have enough to support my family's needs." The fisherman said.

"But," The businessman asked, "What do you do with the rest of your time?"

The fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take a siesta with my wife, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos, I have a full and busy life, sir."

The businessman scoffed, "I have a Harvard MBA and could help you. You could spend more time fishing and with the proceeds you buy a bigger boat, and with the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats, eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats."

"Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the consumers, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually New York where you would run your expanding enterprise."

The fisherman asked, "But sir, how long will this all take?"

To which the businessman replied, "15-20 years."

"But what then, sir?"

The businessman laughed and said, "That's the best part. When the time is right you would announce an IPO (Initial Public Offering) and sell your company stock to the public and become rich, you would make millions."

"Millions, sir? Then what?"

The businessman said slowly, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take a siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos..."

what is peace corps

The Peace Corps traces its roots and mission to 1960, when then Senator John F. Kennedy challenged students at the University of Michigan to serve their country in the cause of peace by living and working in developing countries. From that inspiration grew an agency of the federal government devoted to world peace and friendship.

Since that time, more than 195,000 Peace Corps Volunteers have served in 139 host countries to work on issues ranging from AIDS education to information technology and environmental preservation.

[peacecorps.gov]

I've more or less been accepted into the program. The recruiter nominated me for a math teaching position in Africa which is scheduled to leave next September. I don't have any details and plans can change at anytime. It's a two year commitment, 3 months in-country training and 24 months in the field, living among the people I will be serving. As I understand it, programs start with a group of volunteers training together, then dispersing into their service fields, maintaining contact with each other as needed until each feels more at home with the locals.

The full force of this commitment hasn't hit me yet, but I am pretty excited about it. Hard to imagine setting foot in Africa a year from now. But Peace Corps gives me a chance to address several burning desires that have yet been met by closed doors. If I walk through this door that is opening before me, I wonder if I will have to close it behind me. And I wonder how many more rooms I will have to walk through before reaching the end of the maze.

peace corps

I got accepted. Just got the call. Decent chance I'll be leaving for Africa to teach math this time next year.

degrees

The difference between
The Lukewarm and the
Cold is that the Cold
Know they are missing
What the Lukewarm assume
They have.

wind over sand

Biked to Venice Beach the other day in the late afternoon. It was so windy the sand was stinging my skin. Didn't think to bring my real camera, these are off my iPhone.

taylor swift cover

You (Don't) Belong With Me - Taylor Swift Cover

You're on the phone with your girlfriend, you're upset
She's going off about something that I said
'Cause you don't get my humor like I do
I'm in the room it's a typical Tuesday night
I'm listening to the kind of music you don't like
And you'll never know my story like I do

Cuz you wear short skirts, I wear T-shirts
You're cheer captain and I'm on the bleachers
Dreaming about the day when you wake up and find
That what you're looking for has been gone a long time

If you could see that I just don't understand you
Been here all along, so why can't you see?
You don't belong with me, you don't belong with me

Walkin' the streets with you and your stone washed jeans
What was I thinking this is how it ought to be
Laughing on a park bench, thinking to myself
This isn't easy

And you've got a smile that could light up this whole town
I haven't seen it in a while since I brought you down
You say were fine, I know us better than that
What am I doing with a girl like that?

You wear high heels, I wear sneakers
You're cheer captain and I'm on the bleachers
Dreaming about the day when you wake up and find
That what you're looking for has been gone a long time

If you could see that I just don't understand you
Been here all along, so why can't you see?
You don't belong with me
Standing by and waiting at your back door
All this time how could you not know, baby
You don't belong with me

Oh I remember you drivin' to my house
In the middle of the night
When you know you're about to laugh
I'm the one who makes you cry
And I know your favorite songs
And you tell me about your dreams
Think I know where you belong
Think I know it's not with me

Can't you see that I'm the one who doesn't love you
Been here all along, so why can't you see?
You don't belong with me

Standing by and waiting at your back door
All this time how could you not know, baby
You don't belong with me, you don't belong with me
You don't belong with me
Have you ever thought just maybe
You don't belong with me, you don't belong with me