My other Apple-carrying siblings convinced me to update the look of my blog. So here it is!I'm getting to spend several days with them all this year, which is awesome. Christopher's quite the avid blogger -- you should check out his stuff.
December 22, 2007
NEW LOOK!
My other Apple-carrying siblings convinced me to update the look of my blog. So here it is!I'm getting to spend several days with them all this year, which is awesome. Christopher's quite the avid blogger -- you should check out his stuff.
December 11, 2007
DECEMBER 2007 PRAYER LETTER
Here (finally) is my latest prayer/update letter for supporters of the ministry. Just click the picture to view it larger and read it.
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY! (Don't worry, I'll post again before Christmas. Just wanted to wish a merry Christmas to people who only check my blog because of the prayer letter. ...Not that anyone was really worrying about me not posting.)
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY! (Don't worry, I'll post again before Christmas. Just wanted to wish a merry Christmas to people who only check my blog because of the prayer letter. ...Not that anyone was really worrying about me not posting.)
November 3, 2007
elkins, part 2
I've been meaning to keep posting about all my ventures to Elkins in October, but heck, what can I say? So hard to keep this thing current...
ANYWHO, I got to go down to my hometown a second time the weekend of October 5th for the beloved fall event I always try to plan ahead to attend: Forest Festival! It was awesome; everybody in my family but Colleen [sad face] got to be there, including Christopher and Alice. Everyone not from Elkins always asks me what the Forest Festival is like, and it's hard to describe. Obviously it's celebrating the forest; there's a maid who becomes a queen (Sylvia) and she has a coronation on Friday of the festival in which there are many ladies of her court whose dresses are the colors of the forest and nature. And of course it has all sorts of arts and crafts associated with such West Virginian culture. And music is heard all throughout, from folk to bluegrass to country and everything in between. There is also a 'primitive encampment' set up where people live in authetic frontiersmen-like tents with real cookfires and wool blankets and everything! This was a huge hit when we were boys.
But my favorite events of the festival happen on Saturday morning and are centered around lumberjacking. Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of it this year, but there are several competitions in a field at the bottom of Davis & Elkins College surrounding some set up logs that are basically trees with their branches cut off. Lumberjacks have to try and saw them down fast and accurately (they're trying to make them hit a peg when they fall). They also do this awesome competition with shorter logs where they chop into them at a height, stick a plank in the side, hop on the plank and start chopping higher and repeat the process till they're at the top, and then they chop the top part of the log off. So cool.
This year I also got to visit my dad's grave (he died of cancer in 1989), which I did get some good pictures of. He's got the only rounded top gravestone in the entire new section of the cemetary! I actually used to draw it some when I was little. Beside Dad (J.D. King III) lies his good friend Jim Woodrum, who also has a unique grave marker: a bench. His wife, Bonnie, who's a good friend of my mom (Annette), also obtained permission to plant a tree by his grave.
On Saturday of the festival, we all went up to Bear Haven by Spruce Knob, one of our favorite places to be. It has a bunch of great rocks to climb around on and some amazing mountain views, and it was an absoultely perfect day. I'll let the pictures speak their own words...
It was a great overall visit to Elkins. The only group shot I have of some of the siblings/spouses is here on the corner of 3rd and Davis, and Alice is only half in it and Christopher isn't at all. Oh well. I guess I like scenery more than people. ...just kidding.
ANYWHO, I got to go down to my hometown a second time the weekend of October 5th for the beloved fall event I always try to plan ahead to attend: Forest Festival! It was awesome; everybody in my family but Colleen [sad face] got to be there, including Christopher and Alice. Everyone not from Elkins always asks me what the Forest Festival is like, and it's hard to describe. Obviously it's celebrating the forest; there's a maid who becomes a queen (Sylvia) and she has a coronation on Friday of the festival in which there are many ladies of her court whose dresses are the colors of the forest and nature. And of course it has all sorts of arts and crafts associated with such West Virginian culture. And music is heard all throughout, from folk to bluegrass to country and everything in between. There is also a 'primitive encampment' set up where people live in authetic frontiersmen-like tents with real cookfires and wool blankets and everything! This was a huge hit when we were boys.
But my favorite events of the festival happen on Saturday morning and are centered around lumberjacking. Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of it this year, but there are several competitions in a field at the bottom of Davis & Elkins College surrounding some set up logs that are basically trees with their branches cut off. Lumberjacks have to try and saw them down fast and accurately (they're trying to make them hit a peg when they fall). They also do this awesome competition with shorter logs where they chop into them at a height, stick a plank in the side, hop on the plank and start chopping higher and repeat the process till they're at the top, and then they chop the top part of the log off. So cool.
This year I also got to visit my dad's grave (he died of cancer in 1989), which I did get some good pictures of. He's got the only rounded top gravestone in the entire new section of the cemetary! I actually used to draw it some when I was little. Beside Dad (J.D. King III) lies his good friend Jim Woodrum, who also has a unique grave marker: a bench. His wife, Bonnie, who's a good friend of my mom (Annette), also obtained permission to plant a tree by his grave.
On Saturday of the festival, we all went up to Bear Haven by Spruce Knob, one of our favorite places to be. It has a bunch of great rocks to climb around on and some amazing mountain views, and it was an absoultely perfect day. I'll let the pictures speak their own words...
It was a great overall visit to Elkins. The only group shot I have of some of the siblings/spouses is here on the corner of 3rd and Davis, and Alice is only half in it and Christopher isn't at all. Oh well. I guess I like scenery more than people. ...just kidding.
October 24, 2007
rescue
I'm sure you've heard by now (seeing as it's been a whole week), but Jacob Allen has been found alive in Dolly Sods! He was tired and hungry of course, but otherwise completely fine. There was an amazing response as far as the rescue effort; hundreds of volunteers (dozens and dozens from Chestnut Ridge Church) went to join the professional rescue teams. It was an extremely emotional and surreal week for everyone involved, including we who were praying (Sarah and I were almost literally walking out the door to drive down when we got the news that he'd been found Thursday, almost exactly 4 days to the minute from when he went missing), and looking back now, it's almost like it didn't happen. I saw Jacob in church Sunday (I led worship, and we changed the whole theme of the service to celebrate his homecoming in a day, which is more serious than you can realize because of the amount of people involved in pulling off a CRC service) and he looked fine. I just heard today that he's been smiling more than normal this week (people with autism usually don't show a lot of emotion), and Pastor Bill is convinced that it's because he's been shown how highly valued he is.
This idea was one that Bill has touched on briefly during his reflections on the whole event: that the value of a human life is immeasurable. That when a life is in danger of being lost, many other lives become involved in the effort to preserve the one life. He cited the parable Jesus told in Luke 15 of the lost sheep, whose owner left his other 99 sheep to search for the one; he talked about how much rejoicing there is in Heaven when one 'lost' person's life changes -- more rejoicing, in fact, then there is for 99 'righteous' people whose lives have already been changed! A life being saved is one of the most wonderful and glorious occurrences in the universe.
Bill also mentioned the way in which Jacob Allen's name is know far and wide now. Jacob used to be 'the other Allen brother;' Bill said that his kids couldn't usually remember his name. But now, when there was a threat to this valuable life, suddenly his name became common knowledge, uttered in prayer by thousands, fixed upon by the region and some of the nation for days. Bill likened this recognition of Jacob's name to how we are all given new names in Jesus: Christians, or 'little Christs' literally. God calls our names out of the darkness, and He speaks to us in our 'inner being' with a name that probably can't be pronounced by the human tongue. God had a habit of actually changing people's names throughout the history of the nation of Israel, and it's obvious that He places much significance on the power of a name (His name for Himself, YHWH or 'I AM WHO I AM' suggests great mystery and power and alludes that His real Name is too beautiful for us to hear).
Many lives have been impacted by the search for and rescue of Jacob Allen, and especially those in his church will not soon forget him or his value. May we all place more value on each human life we encounter, even when they don't seem to be in immediate danger!
This idea was one that Bill has touched on briefly during his reflections on the whole event: that the value of a human life is immeasurable. That when a life is in danger of being lost, many other lives become involved in the effort to preserve the one life. He cited the parable Jesus told in Luke 15 of the lost sheep, whose owner left his other 99 sheep to search for the one; he talked about how much rejoicing there is in Heaven when one 'lost' person's life changes -- more rejoicing, in fact, then there is for 99 'righteous' people whose lives have already been changed! A life being saved is one of the most wonderful and glorious occurrences in the universe.
Bill also mentioned the way in which Jacob Allen's name is know far and wide now. Jacob used to be 'the other Allen brother;' Bill said that his kids couldn't usually remember his name. But now, when there was a threat to this valuable life, suddenly his name became common knowledge, uttered in prayer by thousands, fixed upon by the region and some of the nation for days. Bill likened this recognition of Jacob's name to how we are all given new names in Jesus: Christians, or 'little Christs' literally. God calls our names out of the darkness, and He speaks to us in our 'inner being' with a name that probably can't be pronounced by the human tongue. God had a habit of actually changing people's names throughout the history of the nation of Israel, and it's obvious that He places much significance on the power of a name (His name for Himself, YHWH or 'I AM WHO I AM' suggests great mystery and power and alludes that His real Name is too beautiful for us to hear).
Many lives have been impacted by the search for and rescue of Jacob Allen, and especially those in his church will not soon forget him or his value. May we all place more value on each human life we encounter, even when they don't seem to be in immediate danger!
October 17, 2007
elkins, part 1
I've been back to my hometown, Elkins, WV, three times in the last month. A real treat! I hadn't been for a while. On my first jaunt, Billy (my colleague) and Sarah and I got to relax at Billy's camper/cabin and get some good planning done for our ministry. Here's a few photos from this visit.
Only about 45 minutes down the road from this very place is Dolly Sods, a beloved escape for enthusiastic hikers, nature-lovers, and anyone who appreciates God's green earth. Hopefully by now you've heard about the missing Jacob Allen, an autistic 18-year-old whose family goes to my church, and hopefully, if you're a believer, you've been praying. He got seperated from his family around 2:30 on Sunday afternoon and hasn't been seen since, though they did find his hat on Tuesday. Here's the latest I've found on it: http://www.wdtv.com/home/ticker/10585127.html
It's odd when something so terrible and unsettling happens somewhere so beautiful and serene. We all desperately hope that Jacob is found any moment, unharmed, but I'm sure that no matter what happens Dolly Sods will always have an ominous feel for the Allen family.
If you are moved to help in any way, please follow the information given in the link to do what you can.
Only about 45 minutes down the road from this very place is Dolly Sods, a beloved escape for enthusiastic hikers, nature-lovers, and anyone who appreciates God's green earth. Hopefully by now you've heard about the missing Jacob Allen, an autistic 18-year-old whose family goes to my church, and hopefully, if you're a believer, you've been praying. He got seperated from his family around 2:30 on Sunday afternoon and hasn't been seen since, though they did find his hat on Tuesday. Here's the latest I've found on it: http://www.wdtv.com/home/ticker/10585127.html
It's odd when something so terrible and unsettling happens somewhere so beautiful and serene. We all desperately hope that Jacob is found any moment, unharmed, but I'm sure that no matter what happens Dolly Sods will always have an ominous feel for the Allen family.
If you are moved to help in any way, please follow the information given in the link to do what you can.
October 9, 2007
faith venture
My canvas group (small group) had a FAITH VENTURE last week.
Faith ventures are one of a canvas group's four practices, and it's meant to stretch the faith of the participant in a way that blesses others. My canvas group, EXSATIO, decided to put some 'care packages' together to hand out to a few homeless people or really anyone who could benefit from some little things like trail mix, gum, bottles of water, face wipes, chapstick, a Bible, and a bunch of other things most of us probably take for granted.
So we went to the store together, assembled the packages, and started walking around downtown and by the river, looking for people to bless. For a while, we didn't find anyone. We found a few places where we could see some type of dwelling, and we left packages there, hoping that someone would get them and use them. But as evening faded into night, we became a little disappointed that we hadn't gotten to interact with anyone.
And then a group similar to ours who were out doing something very similar told us a few gentleman up an alley would sing for us if we wanted. I ran up the alley to check it out (though honestly, something made me doubt that they were still there, and I told the rest of my group to wait and I'd be back and we'd keep searching elsewhere). Sure enough there were 3 guys sitting there, drinking a little, and they were very friendly. I started talking to them, and then the rest of my group, one by one, realized that I must have found them and started showing up around me.
We gave them the rest of our little packages and then just sort of sat and talked. None of us necessarily had a plan or anything, but we just wanted to be open and give a little of our time to people who many just walk by without taking much notice. And some really great things started happening. More people showed up, and EXSATIO started branching off in little clusters, talking to different individuals, listening to stories and sharing the hope that we have in us and the Source from which we draw strength to care for others like we were doing that night.
I got to talk mostly to one guy who I won't name just for privacy's sake. He was a very sincere man, and he actually had a great singing voice! He was raised in the church with tons of siblings and so knew lots of old hymns, which I and a few others sang with him. He said he wants to do a music project of songs he's written, and that any proceeds that come from it he wants to give 90% to the church. He seemed to be a believer in Christ but said that he's gotten into some bad things and wants to 'turn a corner.' He said he was an alcoholic, and his wife of only 5 months has taken a restraining order out against him and kicked him out of their apartment. He's now living in a trailer. We prayed for him and also for another individual whom one of our number had been talking with very deeply.
The whole canvas group seemed very affected by the whole experience. I asked them to take some time to digest and reflect upon the experience, maybe writing down some things that really made an impact in their hearts and minds. So here's a few my own thoughts:
Faith ventures are one of a canvas group's four practices, and it's meant to stretch the faith of the participant in a way that blesses others. My canvas group, EXSATIO, decided to put some 'care packages' together to hand out to a few homeless people or really anyone who could benefit from some little things like trail mix, gum, bottles of water, face wipes, chapstick, a Bible, and a bunch of other things most of us probably take for granted.
So we went to the store together, assembled the packages, and started walking around downtown and by the river, looking for people to bless. For a while, we didn't find anyone. We found a few places where we could see some type of dwelling, and we left packages there, hoping that someone would get them and use them. But as evening faded into night, we became a little disappointed that we hadn't gotten to interact with anyone.
And then a group similar to ours who were out doing something very similar told us a few gentleman up an alley would sing for us if we wanted. I ran up the alley to check it out (though honestly, something made me doubt that they were still there, and I told the rest of my group to wait and I'd be back and we'd keep searching elsewhere). Sure enough there were 3 guys sitting there, drinking a little, and they were very friendly. I started talking to them, and then the rest of my group, one by one, realized that I must have found them and started showing up around me.
We gave them the rest of our little packages and then just sort of sat and talked. None of us necessarily had a plan or anything, but we just wanted to be open and give a little of our time to people who many just walk by without taking much notice. And some really great things started happening. More people showed up, and EXSATIO started branching off in little clusters, talking to different individuals, listening to stories and sharing the hope that we have in us and the Source from which we draw strength to care for others like we were doing that night.
I got to talk mostly to one guy who I won't name just for privacy's sake. He was a very sincere man, and he actually had a great singing voice! He was raised in the church with tons of siblings and so knew lots of old hymns, which I and a few others sang with him. He said he wants to do a music project of songs he's written, and that any proceeds that come from it he wants to give 90% to the church. He seemed to be a believer in Christ but said that he's gotten into some bad things and wants to 'turn a corner.' He said he was an alcoholic, and his wife of only 5 months has taken a restraining order out against him and kicked him out of their apartment. He's now living in a trailer. We prayed for him and also for another individual whom one of our number had been talking with very deeply.
The whole canvas group seemed very affected by the whole experience. I asked them to take some time to digest and reflect upon the experience, maybe writing down some things that really made an impact in their hearts and minds. So here's a few my own thoughts:
At some points I felt that Christ was really using me, that He gave me a power to connect with this man and that the man could feel it as easily as I could; I felt like I was Christ's hands and heart to him in these moments.I stepped out on a limb and offered to help him with his music project; I'm going to have a meeting with him! Maybe no one's ever taken him seriously before, maybe people have made him promises that they broke.If I'm truly honest, there's a part of me that doesn't want to follow through; it's like I enjoyed the time I had with him but I don't want to give him any more time. But I do know that I WILL do it; I won't break my promise. I say that I feel like it's part of my job to encourage creativity (particularly relating to music) in others; why wouldn't I do that for this man?I felt so surrounded and supported by my canvas group, my friends; they made sure I wasn't alone, which would have made it much harder. It's good to step out into uncomfortably deep waters in order to serve and be a blessing to others.During our prayer for another guy, I felt very emotional and really could see a glimpse of what his life could be like if he let God change him; I really wanted God to water the seed that was being planted.
Anyway, this blog is getting long, but there you go! We're planning to follow up however we can with those we talked to and we're going to do another faith venture later in the semester.
September 27, 2007
SEPTEMBER 2007 PRAYER LETTER
HERE IT IS! Took me long enough, I know. For supporters of the ministry and anyone else interested, I present to you: Cameron's first 'monthly' prayer letter after three months! (Click the first picture, and when you're done with it, hit 'back' on your browser and click the second picture to finish.)
September 5, 2007
sneak peek
Here's me at the 'laptop bar' connected to the regular bar of so.zo, Morgantown's hottest little cereal and coffee place! I've had some requests for photos of the place, which I will post very soon (once I get them off my camera).
Luckily my MacBook Pro has a fancy little built-in camera with which I can take quick snapshots. Behind me is Sam, our beloved manager, and one of the volunteers (this one's Kim Sheets, who's also one of the founders of The Sign Factory, which has been hookin' us up with lots of nice signage).
More to come!
Luckily my MacBook Pro has a fancy little built-in camera with which I can take quick snapshots. Behind me is Sam, our beloved manager, and one of the volunteers (this one's Kim Sheets, who's also one of the founders of The Sign Factory, which has been hookin' us up with lots of nice signage).
More to come!
August 28, 2007
hey everyone...
Hi! Just wanted to confirm that I AM still alive. And I didn't want September to hit before I blogged. I've never missed an entire month on here AND I DON'T INTEND TO START! ...That was false enthusiasm, of course, though I truly would feel dumb if I went an entire calendar month without blogging. But my track record speaks for its pitiful self. Ha.
Who knows but that I was brought to this position for such a time as this? I don't know, just wanted to get a little epic here. But it IS new season as far as campus life goes, and I hope to regain a semblance of the 'rhythm' I've blogged about before. Hopefully part of that rhythm will be taking more time to express my thoughts with as much clarity as I can muster.
Anyway... I'm sitting here on the first official day of so.zo's opening! It's awesome. We still have a number of 'small' projects to complete, but we're occupying the space and have made several sales today! I bought a 'snack' size cereal for a cool 1 dollar; pretty good deal! Check out so.zo's website for more info.
Who knows but that I was brought to this position for such a time as this? I don't know, just wanted to get a little epic here. But it IS new season as far as campus life goes, and I hope to regain a semblance of the 'rhythm' I've blogged about before. Hopefully part of that rhythm will be taking more time to express my thoughts with as much clarity as I can muster.
Anyway... I'm sitting here on the first official day of so.zo's opening! It's awesome. We still have a number of 'small' projects to complete, but we're occupying the space and have made several sales today! I bought a 'snack' size cereal for a cool 1 dollar; pretty good deal! Check out so.zo's website for more info.
July 24, 2007
weddings
'And the two will become one flesh.'
Can't even tell you how many weddings Sarah and I were invited to this summer. And even the number for which we ended up in the wedding party, playing instruments or just attending is pretty astounding for one 2-month period.
Here's some of the highlights:
Ben and Liz (Hazlett) Allen, Wheeling, WV, May 19
(Sarah was a bridesmaid)
Matt and Trina (Walters) Showalter, Lancaster, PA, June 9
(We don't have a picture unfortunately, it was a beautiful outside wedding; I ran sound and played their first dance song)
Cory and Amanda (Fisher) Neville, Wheeling, WV, June 23
(Sarah was a bridesmaid)
Ryan and Erica (Bolyard) Huffman, Morgantown, WV, June 30
(I was a groomsmen and Sarah and I played an original song for the unity candle)
Adam and Anne (Sheldrake) Niess, Greenwood, IN, July 21
(We just attended! Adam's an old friend of Sarah's from Wheeling)
And I played in another wedding in Morgantown on July 7th, we attended the rehearsal dinner of an old friend in North Carolina on July 19th, we were going to play in a wedding in Clarksburg in August but the couple eloped, and we have one more wedding in which we're playing music on September 1st in Morgantown. WHEW!
Weddings are obviously very special cultural, personal and spiritual events. Even with the volume of this summer's ceremonies, I still had a sense of awe at each. I remembered what it was like when I watched my own bride walk down the aisle toward me. I remembered how awesome it was to drive away at the end, the hustle and bustle fading away behind us as it was finally just me and her. And I remembered how utterly beautiful the joining of two lives is, and how mysterious. It's compared to the mystery of Christ being the true head of the church, and the church being his body, though that mystery is far greater (Ephesians 5:25-32). This was the subject of my song 'Love' that I wrote for Ryan and Erica.
Anyway, all this travel (and the work we've been doing on our coffeehouse so.zo -- more on that soon) are the primary reasons I've been absent from my blog for so long (Sarah and I also went to Columbus at the beginning of July to celebrate our own wedding day [2 years!], we went to the Outer Banks last week with my family, and this weekend we're going to Knoxville, TN to celebrate my older and younger brother's birthday [both on July 30th, 17 years apart]).
More blogging (I promise) soon!
Can't even tell you how many weddings Sarah and I were invited to this summer. And even the number for which we ended up in the wedding party, playing instruments or just attending is pretty astounding for one 2-month period.
Here's some of the highlights:
Ben and Liz (Hazlett) Allen, Wheeling, WV, May 19
(Sarah was a bridesmaid)
Matt and Trina (Walters) Showalter, Lancaster, PA, June 9
(We don't have a picture unfortunately, it was a beautiful outside wedding; I ran sound and played their first dance song)
Cory and Amanda (Fisher) Neville, Wheeling, WV, June 23
(Sarah was a bridesmaid)
Ryan and Erica (Bolyard) Huffman, Morgantown, WV, June 30
(I was a groomsmen and Sarah and I played an original song for the unity candle)
Adam and Anne (Sheldrake) Niess, Greenwood, IN, July 21
(We just attended! Adam's an old friend of Sarah's from Wheeling)
And I played in another wedding in Morgantown on July 7th, we attended the rehearsal dinner of an old friend in North Carolina on July 19th, we were going to play in a wedding in Clarksburg in August but the couple eloped, and we have one more wedding in which we're playing music on September 1st in Morgantown. WHEW!
Weddings are obviously very special cultural, personal and spiritual events. Even with the volume of this summer's ceremonies, I still had a sense of awe at each. I remembered what it was like when I watched my own bride walk down the aisle toward me. I remembered how awesome it was to drive away at the end, the hustle and bustle fading away behind us as it was finally just me and her. And I remembered how utterly beautiful the joining of two lives is, and how mysterious. It's compared to the mystery of Christ being the true head of the church, and the church being his body, though that mystery is far greater (Ephesians 5:25-32). This was the subject of my song 'Love' that I wrote for Ryan and Erica.
Anyway, all this travel (and the work we've been doing on our coffeehouse so.zo -- more on that soon) are the primary reasons I've been absent from my blog for so long (Sarah and I also went to Columbus at the beginning of July to celebrate our own wedding day [2 years!], we went to the Outer Banks last week with my family, and this weekend we're going to Knoxville, TN to celebrate my older and younger brother's birthday [both on July 30th, 17 years apart]).
More blogging (I promise) soon!
June 21, 2007
JUNE 2007 PRAYER LETTER
Here (finally!) is my latest prayer letter, the at-least-intended-to-be-monthly update I send out to supporters of the ministry I work with in Morgantown. Just click the picture to view it large in a new page!
Unfortunately you can't click the links I referenced within the image of the prayer letter, but I've included them here if you want to check them out:
H2O Morgantown Live Podcast Site
Billy's Blog
Unfortunately you can't click the links I referenced within the image of the prayer letter, but I've included them here if you want to check them out:
H2O Morgantown Live Podcast Site
Billy's Blog
June 12, 2007
symbiosis
This is a photo from the recent New York City trip Sarah and I took with some friends. It's of Bryant Park in Manhattan.
The reason I'm blogging on it is because to me, it represents an image of the potentially beautiful and symbiotic relationship mankind could have with nature. Sure, there's still a hustle and bustle here, an industry, with people going to and from work, passing through the trees. But there's also an extreme sense of peace, as some people are just enjoying the green space, relaxing under the branches, letting the breezes pass over them. There's even a Reading Room, a café-like setting with tables and chairs and bookshelves, where you can check out a book for the amount of time you're going to sit there and read.
The scene of Bryant Park is startling as you round the corner from walking down street after street of tall building after tall building. All of a sudden you see tall trees instead, gently swaying, people and animals running on grass, a large fountain with its soothing tones of mildly splashing water. We who had been walking for a while were drawn to it instantly, like a moth to the flame, and a grand sense of delight overcame me as we ascended the stone steps and entered in.
There are several well-done parks like this in New York, Central Park of course being the mother of them all. And I'm extremely glad the city planners allowed for such a wonderful break from all the 'brick and mortar.' On the other hand, though, seeing it also caused a small sadness in me, like that of someone seeing some little object at home that instantly fills them with the memory of a lost loved one.
The sadness was simply from realizing how truly little green like this there is in the city compared to how very much stone there is. There's a greatness to the city, to the achievement of man, but there's a far greater beauty in the creation God has made. I often think about the way things were 'supposed to be' had we not wandered so far away from our Creator. How wonderful the garden of Eden must have been! What would have Adam and Eve and their huge family have done, have built, had they not been cast out? Would cities have been raised anyway, with God smiling on and blessing our endeavors? Would they have been different than the cities we see around the world now? I don't know. It is certainly evident that God had put in us the desire to build, to make, to 'sub-create' as Tolkien puts it. But what would our creations have been like had we not broken our relationship with Him?
I'll blog more on cities soon, as I'm becoming increasingly interested in them...
The reason I'm blogging on it is because to me, it represents an image of the potentially beautiful and symbiotic relationship mankind could have with nature. Sure, there's still a hustle and bustle here, an industry, with people going to and from work, passing through the trees. But there's also an extreme sense of peace, as some people are just enjoying the green space, relaxing under the branches, letting the breezes pass over them. There's even a Reading Room, a café-like setting with tables and chairs and bookshelves, where you can check out a book for the amount of time you're going to sit there and read.
The scene of Bryant Park is startling as you round the corner from walking down street after street of tall building after tall building. All of a sudden you see tall trees instead, gently swaying, people and animals running on grass, a large fountain with its soothing tones of mildly splashing water. We who had been walking for a while were drawn to it instantly, like a moth to the flame, and a grand sense of delight overcame me as we ascended the stone steps and entered in.
There are several well-done parks like this in New York, Central Park of course being the mother of them all. And I'm extremely glad the city planners allowed for such a wonderful break from all the 'brick and mortar.' On the other hand, though, seeing it also caused a small sadness in me, like that of someone seeing some little object at home that instantly fills them with the memory of a lost loved one.
The sadness was simply from realizing how truly little green like this there is in the city compared to how very much stone there is. There's a greatness to the city, to the achievement of man, but there's a far greater beauty in the creation God has made. I often think about the way things were 'supposed to be' had we not wandered so far away from our Creator. How wonderful the garden of Eden must have been! What would have Adam and Eve and their huge family have done, have built, had they not been cast out? Would cities have been raised anyway, with God smiling on and blessing our endeavors? Would they have been different than the cities we see around the world now? I don't know. It is certainly evident that God had put in us the desire to build, to make, to 'sub-create' as Tolkien puts it. But what would our creations have been like had we not broken our relationship with Him?
I'll blog more on cities soon, as I'm becoming increasingly interested in them...
June 2, 2007
majesty
My friend Adam Zakowski (featured proudly here in front of beautiful West Virginia mountains) is working this summer in the Monongahela National Forest in southern WV for the U.S. Forest Service. He's on 'trail crew,' meaning he gets to up and down and every other which way on the trails of this national treasure, making sure they're clear and in top shape for people coming from all over to experience supreme silence and solitude.We did a message series at h2o this spring called 'Rhythm' and one of the messages was on the importance of silence and solitude being a regular rhythm in one's life. In America especially, we get into rhythms of constant activity; our minds and bodies rarely have the chance to rest and let saturate the things they encounter throughout the week. God knew we would need this pattern, and so when he created everything he gave us the example of resting on the seventh day, and told us later that we should do the same (just in case you're wondering, God doesn't rest anymore according to Psalm 121:3-4, but we are commanded to in Exodus 20:8-11). So each week, it would truly do us all good to take an entire day off and enjoy Him! And even the rhythm of each day calls for a little silence and solitude.
Anyway, looking at these pictures Adam sent me makes me envious of his opportunity this summer. He's definitely working hard, doing a lot of physical labor, but he gets to enjoy sheer beauty that has been barely touched by man, and he gets to live simply for a few months. I think when he comes back to Morgantown he'll be better equipped to let the rhythms God intended for us be a regular part of who he is, and maybe he can help the rest of us here see the majesty of God being who He wants to be in our lives so that we can be who we were really meant to be in Him.
May 21, 2007
Bernd
Bernd Nullmeyer is my good friend from Germany. We met last summer when he came to visit his friend Heiko who was studying here at WVU in Morgantown (who has graduated as far as I know!). Bernd stayed for almost 3 months and really enjoyed our community at h2o; he even considered staying here if possible! He went back to his hometown of Bremen, Germany, however, and though I and others missed him a lot, he feels confident that God has him there for a reason, and so do I.
He loves Morgantown, WV, USA enough though to have come back twice for a few weeks each time! He came in November and is here again now for his third visit. He is really one of the most joyful people I've met, and it is truly inspiring being around him. Plus he's a GREAT guitar player and, being a lover of music myself, we've had many impromptu jams (and a few planned ones as well, which resulted in the collaboration Of Things to Come).
Bernd has been teaching me a lot about the power of God in the life of the believer each time he visits, and he's got some amazing stories of a 'revival' of sorts in Germany that has seen the true Kingdom of God advanced in the hearts of many. He talks about how they not only 'share their faith' with others, but that they 'impart life' TO others. It's made me think a lot about what the Christian faith is all about. It's not just about gathering knowledge from the Bible. It's about USING that knowledge to truly LIVE, the kind of lives God meant for us. The Kingdom of God should be so present in our lives that people sense, in their spirit, the deepest part of them, that we have something they can't help but desire, something they somehow know they've been waiting for all their lives.
I hope to continue learning from Bernd, but also to continue using what God has already given me, the God who has 'blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ' (Ephesians 1:3).
He loves Morgantown, WV, USA enough though to have come back twice for a few weeks each time! He came in November and is here again now for his third visit. He is really one of the most joyful people I've met, and it is truly inspiring being around him. Plus he's a GREAT guitar player and, being a lover of music myself, we've had many impromptu jams (and a few planned ones as well, which resulted in the collaboration Of Things to Come).
Bernd has been teaching me a lot about the power of God in the life of the believer each time he visits, and he's got some amazing stories of a 'revival' of sorts in Germany that has seen the true Kingdom of God advanced in the hearts of many. He talks about how they not only 'share their faith' with others, but that they 'impart life' TO others. It's made me think a lot about what the Christian faith is all about. It's not just about gathering knowledge from the Bible. It's about USING that knowledge to truly LIVE, the kind of lives God meant for us. The Kingdom of God should be so present in our lives that people sense, in their spirit, the deepest part of them, that we have something they can't help but desire, something they somehow know they've been waiting for all their lives.
I hope to continue learning from Bernd, but also to continue using what God has already given me, the God who has 'blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ' (Ephesians 1:3).
May 14, 2007
bob the dog
This is Bob the Dog, the awesome companion of my brother Christopher and his wife Alice in Knoxville, TN.
This picture was taken at my brother Duncan and my wife Sarah's joint birthday party, which we were so glad that Christopher and Alice and their dogs (the other one's Ellie, I think that's the right spelling) could attend.
Bob is an amazingly human dog, as I think this photo captures. I had one of his toys in my hand to get him to look at the camera, but his masters were off to my right giving him instructions as well. As you can see, he was torn as far as which way to direct his attention. He's hilarious.
Anyway, I hope my brother and his wife eventually live closer to us, and this dog is as much a part of that longing as they are (just kidding - sort of).
This picture was taken at my brother Duncan and my wife Sarah's joint birthday party, which we were so glad that Christopher and Alice and their dogs (the other one's Ellie, I think that's the right spelling) could attend.
Bob is an amazingly human dog, as I think this photo captures. I had one of his toys in my hand to get him to look at the camera, but his masters were off to my right giving him instructions as well. As you can see, he was torn as far as which way to direct his attention. He's hilarious.
Anyway, I hope my brother and his wife eventually live closer to us, and this dog is as much a part of that longing as they are (just kidding - sort of).
May 12, 2007
old (not necessarily in age) friends
My mom (in the middle) recently turned the big 5-0, and her loving and scheming husband Drew planned her a great surprise party (as he did on her 40th) which included many old friends coming, unbeknownst to her, to celebrate.
The two you see here with her are quite amazing people, both in my mom's life and in mine. The lady is Linda Roberts, and she was my first crush. I was just a little blond-haired (not curly, interestingly) boy, and Linda was on staff at First Baptist church in Elkins, WV. I was so enthralled with her that I used to just walk into her office and stare at her from in front of her desk. She remembers that my eyes just barely could be seen over the edge. She has been a close friend of the family all these years and every time we get to see her I love that her twinkly-eyed smile has remained the same.
The gentleman is Cyril Johnston, the pastor who baptized me. In fact, both he and Linda were on staff with mom (she was the youth director) at First Baptist when we Kings were kids. Cyril was born in Ireland and moved to the U.S. when he was 12. He became a preacher but I always wonder why he didn't become a professional singer (actually, he does have a few recordings that are great!) because he sings in probably the most soulful and heartfelt manner that I know. He bellows out old hymns, and every time I hear him sing it takes me instantly back to those days that are on the edge of my earliest memories.
Anyway, I guess this picture represents somewhat of a First Baptist staff reunion. It also represents some of the most influential people in my young, formative years.
The two you see here with her are quite amazing people, both in my mom's life and in mine. The lady is Linda Roberts, and she was my first crush. I was just a little blond-haired (not curly, interestingly) boy, and Linda was on staff at First Baptist church in Elkins, WV. I was so enthralled with her that I used to just walk into her office and stare at her from in front of her desk. She remembers that my eyes just barely could be seen over the edge. She has been a close friend of the family all these years and every time we get to see her I love that her twinkly-eyed smile has remained the same.
The gentleman is Cyril Johnston, the pastor who baptized me. In fact, both he and Linda were on staff with mom (she was the youth director) at First Baptist when we Kings were kids. Cyril was born in Ireland and moved to the U.S. when he was 12. He became a preacher but I always wonder why he didn't become a professional singer (actually, he does have a few recordings that are great!) because he sings in probably the most soulful and heartfelt manner that I know. He bellows out old hymns, and every time I hear him sing it takes me instantly back to those days that are on the edge of my earliest memories.
Anyway, I guess this picture represents somewhat of a First Baptist staff reunion. It also represents some of the most influential people in my young, formative years.
April 30, 2007
APRIL 2007 PRAYER LETTER
Hello! Here's my current prayer letter for supporters of the ministry here in Morgantown. Just click on each picture to read it (it's 2 pages)!
April 17, 2007
Tech Tragedy
The worst shooting in modern U.S. history is what they're calling it.I know there are probably millions of bloggers covering this story with more insight and information than I have, and I don't want to necessarily clog up the Internet bandwith with more of the same. But I felt I needed to say something.
I got to know several Tech students last summer at a Leadership Training program in Wilmington, NC. Since then I've kept in touch with several through Facebook and e-mail. They are the coolest, funnest group of people you could ever wish to meet. The first thing I thought when I heard about the shootings is, 'I hope it's not one of them.' So far none of their names have appeared on any lists that I've seen, but I'm sure that among them, they knew someone who was killed, and what has happened there will have repercussions on their lives for years to come.
The question that always rises to the top when something like this happens, when people are left speechless and can barely utter the single word, is "Why?" There will be much research done into that South Korean English major's life; authorities will try to paint a picture for the public that offers some kind of reasoning, something that we can wrap our heads around if not fully understand. They will cite social factors, upbringing, cultural differences, and personality disorders. They will try to put together a composite that will explain in some way why he deviated from the 'norm.'
This makes me ask: What is the norm? What's normal? I guess, at the least, you could say it's normal NOT to kill 32 people for little apparent reason. It's normal to let others go on living, even if you have personal problems. But aren't personal problems normal as well? Don't people say encouraging things to people going through troubles, things like: 'Don't worry; EVERYBODY feels this way at some point in their lives'? But those people USUALLY struggle through and DON'T bring a gun to a dorm and class building and start shooting students and teachers. Those people, hopefully, go on to make better choices and surround themselves with others making better choices. They stay accountable to trusted friends.
But there are several things becoming 'normal' in this country that I believe are just as alarming as what happened at Virginia Tech. Things like abortion. There are thousands of babies killed every year. And yet there are groups out there fighting, really fighting, to make sure women will always have that choice. There are car wrecks that claim astounding numbers of lives every month, either as a result of some sleep-deprived worker or from somebody who somehow missed the whole Designated Driver campaign of the 1980s. And yet any corner you turn in a college town on a 'weekend' night (which includes the evening of any day except Sunday, Monday and Tuesday) you find people advocating, if not by words but by actions, the complete and total freedom and RIGHT even of ANY adult (not necessarily of the age of 21) to drink as much alcohol as they like and to just clean up the mess later, not considering the consequences that mess may have. It seems to me that it's becoming normal to encourage a person to live however they want, to live for the benefit of themselves, to make whatever choices give them the most pleasure.
There are patterns of 'normalcy' arising that have to do with abuses of freedom in this country. Yes, I believe in the freedom that many people have fought and died for, the freedom that we enjoy today. I don't want anyone to be forced to do anything. But I desperately want to encourage people to do things that promote life instead of death. And I want people to understand that there are concrete connections between the choices each of us make everyday and how much life is promoted in this world.
Maybe that South Korean student tried to make a friend his freshman year and that person decided not to befriend. Maybe he tried to join a community of some kind and was rejected for whatever reason. I'm not blaming that person or community for what happened. But I'm trying to help us see that, if we're all willing to give a little time, as we look around at the people we pass everyday, we can have a positive influence on somebody's life. Maybe you or I can be the reason somebody in the future decides to not buy that gun, to not let that anger build up with no outlet, to not go on living as a loner even though it might be easier to.
In this country it is NOT 'normal' to be friendly to strangers. It is NOT normal to live your life for the benefit of others. Let's deviate from the norm together.
March 30, 2007
new post?
Wow. I'm sorry! Haven't posted in so long.
I tell ya, I'm looking forward to the month of April. Summer will be just around the corner, so there will be an air of anticipation. The Passion Play, which is wonderfully rewarding but very time-consuming and draining, emotionally and physically, will have been performed for the last time. (By the way, go see this play at Chestnut Ridge Church Auditorium this week! We did our firist performance tonight, and there are three more, all at 7:00 PM, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Check our the Passion website for more info: seethepassion.org)
Anyway, in April I hope to post more and get in the habit again of taking a moment to collect my thoughts and write them down.
I tell ya, I'm looking forward to the month of April. Summer will be just around the corner, so there will be an air of anticipation. The Passion Play, which is wonderfully rewarding but very time-consuming and draining, emotionally and physically, will have been performed for the last time. (By the way, go see this play at Chestnut Ridge Church Auditorium this week! We did our firist performance tonight, and there are three more, all at 7:00 PM, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Check our the Passion website for more info: seethepassion.org)
Anyway, in April I hope to post more and get in the habit again of taking a moment to collect my thoughts and write them down.
March 14, 2007
hearts & minds books
I wanted to let people know about a great and passionate person, Byron Borger, and the object and outlet for his greatness and passion: his bookstore, Hearts & Minds.
I got to see this guy at a conference recently (Jubilee) and loves helping Christians be 'academically faithful' as they walk with God. He wants to get books into the hands of people (especially college students) that 'enlarge the heart and stimulate the mind.' He was very animated as he eloquently spoke about each book he had the chance to spotlight, and he really encouraged me personally to be better disciplined about reading good books.
I added a link under MUSIC, LIT. & THE ARTS called 'hearts & minds booknotes.' Check out his blog, it's got reviews of all kinds of books. Careful though; he'll make you want to spend all your money!
I got to see this guy at a conference recently (Jubilee) and loves helping Christians be 'academically faithful' as they walk with God. He wants to get books into the hands of people (especially college students) that 'enlarge the heart and stimulate the mind.' He was very animated as he eloquently spoke about each book he had the chance to spotlight, and he really encouraged me personally to be better disciplined about reading good books.
I added a link under MUSIC, LIT. & THE ARTS called 'hearts & minds booknotes.' Check out his blog, it's got reviews of all kinds of books. Careful though; he'll make you want to spend all your money!
March 8, 2007
on a superman kick...
I post this picture in tribute to my friend Ryan Brown, whose blog I have linked to the right. 'Look, up in the sky!...'
February 27, 2007
to blog or not to blog...
...that is always the question. I've been out of the habit, that's for sure.
But I'm still here, still kicking. Looking forward to about a month from now, when things will calm down a bit. And then a little more so a month after that.
Seasons are so needed in life. We need a little sunshine, we need a little rain, a little warmth, a little cold. When we taste something bitter, the sweetness we taste later is all the more sweet. And though no one wants pain, how could we know how good life is if we didn't have that faint memory of hurt for comparison?
I think this is why grace is the greatest, most glorious thing in the world. Because we, all of us, know what it means to be undeserving of any good thing. We know true worth or value when we see it, and we realize how far off we often are from its mark. But when grace is imparted, a little of the goodness of the one who gave it is imparted onto us as well, and all of a sudden redemption springs up inside. The worth we had somewhere buried is made worthy again. It turns the pain into soothing comfort, radiant beams of warmth and light.
How much grace have you imparted today?
But I'm still here, still kicking. Looking forward to about a month from now, when things will calm down a bit. And then a little more so a month after that.
Seasons are so needed in life. We need a little sunshine, we need a little rain, a little warmth, a little cold. When we taste something bitter, the sweetness we taste later is all the more sweet. And though no one wants pain, how could we know how good life is if we didn't have that faint memory of hurt for comparison?
I think this is why grace is the greatest, most glorious thing in the world. Because we, all of us, know what it means to be undeserving of any good thing. We know true worth or value when we see it, and we realize how far off we often are from its mark. But when grace is imparted, a little of the goodness of the one who gave it is imparted onto us as well, and all of a sudden redemption springs up inside. The worth we had somewhere buried is made worthy again. It turns the pain into soothing comfort, radiant beams of warmth and light.
How much grace have you imparted today?
February 19, 2007
February 13, 2007
late JANUARY 2007 PRAYER LETTER
Here's the current prayer letter I send out to supporters of the ministry...
R E N O V A T I O N S
We definitely have some more changes going on, once again. That seems to be the theme of the ministry of h2o! Maybe God just wants us to learn patience and trust. Maybe He wants to equip us with the ability to remain calm for any future hardship that comes. If so, I’m very grateful to Him! I think He’s constantly working something out in our hearts. Wisdom I’ve come to live by goes something like, ‘It’s not what happens to you in life, it’s how you respond to it.’ Our God is a gracious and loving Father, and He does nothing to harm us. But He does test us, to help us realize how faithful or unfaithful we are, to remind us once again how weak we are when our pride swells and we believe we are self-sufficient. And these are not cruel tests, far from it; they are some of the kindest things done for us, and we should be thankful.
These pictures are the current state of so.zo (the first one is looking toward the back as you walk in, and the second one is looking toward the front from the back), and it has been this way for a number of weeks now. Remember back in August when we demolitioned the interior and prepared and painted the walls in about a week’s time? Well, this stuff is taking a lot longer! What we’re waiting on to keep moving is the building permit from the city code enforcement office. Once we have that, we are going to refinish these awesome wood floors, build a coffee bar (it will be on the right side as you walk in) and install handicap accessible bathrooms in the back. Christopher, my older brother, is an architect down in Knoxville, TN and is designing the build-out; he’s got some awesome ideas for down the road when we get some more money together! We are also working on forming a business team along with investors to make so.zo truly a great coffeehouse in Morgantown. I will tell you more in future letters about the vision for the space and how we hope it will impact lives here for the Kingdom, but for now, please pray for some specific things concerning the renovation:
1. Pray that the building permit is given to us within the next two weeks so we may get the floor ready to build on.
2. Pray that the floor is ready by the last weekend in February, and that it works out for Christopher to travel here then and has the help of many of us h2o-ers to put in an intense work weekend to build the bar and bathrooms.
3. Pray that there will be a good response and subsequent meeting to our request for investors and business partners.
(If any of you, my faithful supporters, feel led to invest in so.zo or want more info, you can of course call/e-mail anytime!)
Meanwhile, as we wait for these things to take place, h2o has been meeting Sunday nights at Trinity Episcopal Church downtown. It’s been fun setting up and tearing down with everyone, and the worship and general atmosphere has been very sincere and heartfelt, and we are seeing new people come as our people have been taken up the call to invitation; we want to be more inviting people in 2007, not just to h2o, but into our lives and to Jesus. The temporary dislocation has helped us, actually, to be refreshed on our identity, which isn’t necessarily tied to a physical place. We are a community of young people who come together and celebrate the goodness of God and to encourage each other as witnesses of that goodness and that God. Pray for h2o, not just the service but the people, that as we look forward to what God will do in 2007 we are expectant, enthusiastic and willing to join Him in His work.
R E N O V A T I O N S
We definitely have some more changes going on, once again. That seems to be the theme of the ministry of h2o! Maybe God just wants us to learn patience and trust. Maybe He wants to equip us with the ability to remain calm for any future hardship that comes. If so, I’m very grateful to Him! I think He’s constantly working something out in our hearts. Wisdom I’ve come to live by goes something like, ‘It’s not what happens to you in life, it’s how you respond to it.’ Our God is a gracious and loving Father, and He does nothing to harm us. But He does test us, to help us realize how faithful or unfaithful we are, to remind us once again how weak we are when our pride swells and we believe we are self-sufficient. And these are not cruel tests, far from it; they are some of the kindest things done for us, and we should be thankful.
These pictures are the current state of so.zo (the first one is looking toward the back as you walk in, and the second one is looking toward the front from the back), and it has been this way for a number of weeks now. Remember back in August when we demolitioned the interior and prepared and painted the walls in about a week’s time? Well, this stuff is taking a lot longer! What we’re waiting on to keep moving is the building permit from the city code enforcement office. Once we have that, we are going to refinish these awesome wood floors, build a coffee bar (it will be on the right side as you walk in) and install handicap accessible bathrooms in the back. Christopher, my older brother, is an architect down in Knoxville, TN and is designing the build-out; he’s got some awesome ideas for down the road when we get some more money together! We are also working on forming a business team along with investors to make so.zo truly a great coffeehouse in Morgantown. I will tell you more in future letters about the vision for the space and how we hope it will impact lives here for the Kingdom, but for now, please pray for some specific things concerning the renovation:
1. Pray that the building permit is given to us within the next two weeks so we may get the floor ready to build on.
2. Pray that the floor is ready by the last weekend in February, and that it works out for Christopher to travel here then and has the help of many of us h2o-ers to put in an intense work weekend to build the bar and bathrooms.
3. Pray that there will be a good response and subsequent meeting to our request for investors and business partners.
(If any of you, my faithful supporters, feel led to invest in so.zo or want more info, you can of course call/e-mail anytime!)
Meanwhile, as we wait for these things to take place, h2o has been meeting Sunday nights at Trinity Episcopal Church downtown. It’s been fun setting up and tearing down with everyone, and the worship and general atmosphere has been very sincere and heartfelt, and we are seeing new people come as our people have been taken up the call to invitation; we want to be more inviting people in 2007, not just to h2o, but into our lives and to Jesus. The temporary dislocation has helped us, actually, to be refreshed on our identity, which isn’t necessarily tied to a physical place. We are a community of young people who come together and celebrate the goodness of God and to encourage each other as witnesses of that goodness and that God. Pray for h2o, not just the service but the people, that as we look forward to what God will do in 2007 we are expectant, enthusiastic and willing to join Him in His work.
January 31, 2007
January 29, 2007
January 24, 2007
January 16, 2007
revolutions
Everything that has a beginning has an end.
That's the tag line for the third Matrix movie, The Matrix Revolutions. Though the film was criticized on many points, especially regarding the ending, I thought it was a clever general idea to wrap up a trilogy. All things that start must finish. What goes up must come down, and any other idiom you like along those lines. It suggests that there's a natural rhythm to life, an ebb and flow of which we are all a part, a certain reliability of the tide amongst life's troubled waters.
I agree with this wholeheartedly. It's very evident in each of my days, weeks, months and years. I see it with, for instance, this blog. About once a week I really get the urge to write on here. I feel like that should be the bare minimum. I go to the web page, sometimes even log in, but then I get distracted with something else oftentimes and sure enough, it's about a week before that urge comes around strong again. If you look at the dates on my last month of posting, you'll see that I must have gotten distracted in the middle weeks and ended up only posting every 2 weeks, as I am again now.
Some rhythms are in direct competition with each other, and one must inevitably bow out to the other. It's up to us to decide which rhythms continue and which get cut short.
If you'd like to hear more about the idea of rhythm and how it intersects with spirituality, you should come to h2o for the next few weeks, 6:30 PM on Sundays. Right now we're meeting at Trinity Episcopal Church for a few weeks till so.zo (a new coffeehouse and our future meeting place) gets renovated. This is a great series and is something, Billy, our speaker, is very familiar with.
Well, I thought I'd leave you with a picture. A friend of Billy's had a blog where he decided to put a picture of himself up everyday. I'm not sure I'll be THAT persistent, but now with my built in iSight camera on my MacBook Pro (more about the joys of this machine soon) it will be a lot easier to keep you caught up on my day-to-day (or every other day) appearance. Au revoir!
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