No liquid on airplanes

This guy really didn't want to waste his vodka...

Oakland anyone?

So, if you read this you may know we're planning on moving to Oakland in April. ReIMAGINE is helping us launch a new organization and team, and we're excited about it. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we prepare and plan to move forward. If you or someone you know is interested in helping us start something beautiful in Oakland (intentional community, projects to serve the neighborhood, experiments in following Jesus in an urban context...) let us know. We're looking for partners and friends to join us in our new neighborhood, maybe even some folks looking for college credit and a season of intentional spiritual formation. So after you read this post hit me up with an email with contact info for dozens of young radicals who just told you they want to be a part of a special community in Oakland, California...

Photographs

My friend Daley Hake takes beautiful pictures. Check this out...Andrea says I look like I'm trying to look tough. Hey, some people just look tough naturally. What can I say?

A good Saturday morning

I took the kids to Farmer's Market by myself. I love our Farmer's Market. We picked up some yummy and healthy fruits and vegetables before heading home. The walk back up the hill with Chase on my back, Kayla in my right arm and the groceries in my left arm even provided some quality exercise. I'm happy to be resting on the couch now.

Would Jesus spam?

Thanks to NextGener.AsianChurch for introducing me to this poem. It may be a bit trite but it's still amusing and makes me think...

Did Jesus use the Internet at the Sermon on the Mount?
Did He ever try spam e-mail to send His message out?

Did the apostle Paul use powerful memory and the latest version?
Were his letters posted on a bulletin board with his email, Paul@rome.com?
When he left Macedonia send a text message asking “Is it OK to go?”

Did Moses use a game controller to part the Sea?
Or use a Satellite Guidance Tracking System to show him where to go?
Did he write the Ten Commandments by hand,
or were they archived on CD?

Did Jesus really die for us one day upon a tree?
Or was it just a hologram,
or computer trickery?
Can you download the video?

If in your life, the voice of God is sometimes hard to hear…
with other voices calling, if His doesn’t touch your ear…
Then put down your laptop, Internet, -and all your fancy gear-
And return to simplicity
-and then God will draw near.

The Mission

We watched The Mission with some friends last night. Wow, what an amazing movie with an incredible cast (Robert DeNiro, Liam Neeson, Jeremy Irons, Aidan Quinn...) and spectacular scenery from South America. It would have been worth the time to watch it even without the amazing story. Jesuit missionaries to the Guarani people (natives) decide to stand against the decision of the Vatican to hand the territory over to the Portuguese. The Portuguese and Spaniards are hoping to destroy the missions and enslave the people. The characters of DeNiro and Irons take different routes to caring for the people. One refuses to believe that violence is the answer, and the other eventually takes arms against their attackers. It's one of the best movies I've seen with an explicitly religious theme. If you haven't seen it check it out.

I got a VHS copy from the library that reminded me of ages past...our VCR still works! Dan suggested I sell it as an antique, but we'll hold off.

Picture Share - Pumpkin Patch

Shameless plug for our Preschool Benefit Auction Nov. 17

If you live in the Bay Area think about joining us for a benefit auction for Kayla's preschool. It's a wonderful non-profit cooperative called Glenridge, and I've heard from reliable sources (like the Scandrette family) that the auctions are really fun. There is a ton of great stuff to bid on, and there's live jazz and good stuff to eat and drink. If you want to buy a ticket ($20 for a couple) let me know. I need to sell several more. If you want to donate something to relieve my stress about getting $600 of stuff donated by October 31, that would also be beautiful.

Our Magical Canyon: Glenridge Cooperative Nursery School Benefit Auction 2007.

Time and Location
Saturday, November 17, 2007, 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm
The Janet Pomeroy Center (formerly known as RCH Lake Merced Club)
207 Skyline Boulevard, San Francisco

What's happenin

This Wednesday we started a new rhythm of sharing a meal with the crew that lives under our nearby overpass. I was truly encouraged by a few things that happened. Some of the people I've been trying to get to know over the past couple months were happy to see me and welcomed the friends I brought with me. One woman even told me she is finally going to check into rehab this week, which thrilled me and injected me with new hope. I was also so happy to see some members of our community overcome fears and apprehension by joining us. I had the privilege of observing people walk in new ways, letting themselves be stretched...good stuff.

This weekend I'm speaking to a load of middle schoolers from Menlo Park Pres at their camp at Mt. Hermon. Wish me luck, or think good thoughts, or pray for me, or all of the above. Andrea and the kiddies are joining me and I'm hoping our whole family can connect with the students all weekend.

Peace

Who needs Amazon or Netflix?

I've been falling in love with my local library. In a time where so many are wrestling with what it means to live simply, share more, buy less, consume less, etc. the public library is staring at us and waiting for us to join the party.

The fact is, most books only deserve to be read once anyway, right? Here in San Francisco, I can go online and request just about any book I can think of. The only books I might want to read that might not be in the City library system are Christian theology books, but really, I've read enough or those already. I go online and have the books sent to the branch down the street from our place, and then I get an email when they have been delivered and are ready for pick up. I even get an email when they are almost due so I don't turn them back late. Amazing...

There is also a decent selection of movies that work the same way. Recently the top of our entertainment center had DVD's of Romero, City of God and The Killing Fields. Last night I requested some romantic comedies for Andrea. I also had some CD's sent over (James Brown, Aretha Franklin and Marvin Gaye) that will be ready for pick up shortly.

AND...drumroll please...

I don't have to pay for a cup of coffee to set up an office anymore. The library in the Mission District has free wireless with long tables and outlets to plug in for power. Brilliant...I can even broaden my musical tastes from the CD section while I answer my emails and work on some projects on my trust iBook. Sometimes you even get to work next to some homeless guys reading novels. Rock on, public libraries.

Article on Homelessness in SF Gate

SFGate.com, the online version of the Chronicle, just published another in a series of articles about homelessness in the City. Click here to read an article about how the City seems to be getting more conservative about homeless people in our midst, meaning, people are getting tired of dealing with homeless people. There are 307 comments and counting this morning.

As our community (Seven) spends some time concentrating on getting to know our homeless neighbors we hope to find some best practices and knowledge to share with others in the City who struggle with what is becoming a hot button issue in San Francisco. I just hope these people are seen as people in the midst of all the commotion.

My new Bible

I read about The Books of the Bible a while back and just almost ordered one. My frugality (or some might say tendency to be cheap, tight, etc.) got the better of me, and I decided I could live without it for a while. Lo and behold, I found one for free the other day. Woo hoo!

I'm pretty excited about reading it. They've taken out the chapters and verse numbers to eliminate distractions and breaks in the reading that take away from the original intent of the authors. It encourages the reading of whole books instead of taking verses out of context. They've also reorganized the order of the books in a way that makes much more sense, by history and genre. It reads a bit more like a beautiful story, and the order of the books actually helps the reader make sense of it all. The couple pages of introduction in the front was well worth the read as well. I think this is the new way we will read the Bible as a family. It just makes sense, taking away some barriers to reading the beautiful story of God and actually reading it how the authors intended it to be read. If I was still a youth pastor I'd pass these things out to kids like crazy.

In Search of a Unified Theory

I just realized I never quite got around to writing about the new Cobalt Season album, In Search of a Unified Theory. I meant to write one when I first got the album, and then I wanted to wait until I had listened to the album several times through and had a better feel for it instead of just writing a blind recommendation because I like Ryan and Holly (and their son Paxton).

So...I love the album. As others have noted, I think it's their best to date. Ryan's voice conveys a depth of yearning and emotion. It is full of a yearning for something more and something true. For those of us who struggle to find the best ways to live in unity with the things we say we believe, this album is for us. There is a brutal honesty, and yet there is hope in the mix, hope for a better way, hope that there really is hope.

Most of the 3 or 4 people who still read this blog with its lack of posts recently probably already know of the album, but if you don't already own it I suggest checking it out. It's even available on iTunes now.

Cheers, Ryan and Holly. Keep making beautiful music...

Revelation of Love

From The Revelation of Love by Julian of Norwich:

I understood this revelation to teach our soul to cling fast to the goodness of God. At the same time, I remembered all the different ways we are accustomed to pray and how busy we become when we lose sight of how God loves us. For I was persuaded at this time that what pleases God, what delights him most, is when we pray simply trusting in his goodness, holding on to him, relying upon his grace, with true understanding, rather than if we made all the means that heart can think. Even when we summon all such skills, we are bound to fall short; all we need to do is trust in God's own goodness, for this will never fail us...

For just as the body is clad in clothes and the flesh in skin and the bones in flesh with the heart in the breast, so are we, soul and body, clothed and wrapped around in the goodness of God. Yet it is even more intimate than this; because they all disappear once they decay. But the goodness of God is always whole and more near to us without any comparison. It is true that our Lover desires the soul to stay close to him with all its strength, clinging ever more tightly to his goodness. Of all things the heart may think, this pleases God the most and affords us much progress. Our soul is loved so preciously by him, our highest good, that it is beyond all human understanding. In truth, no human alive can fathom how much, how sweetly and tenderly, our Maker loves us. And so we are able by the help of his grace to stay beholding in prayer this lofty, surpassing, and immeasurable love that almighty God has toward us of his goodness.

Woven Together?

For months I've had this thought running around my brain, and I've been waiting for some cute and poetic way to say it...but I'll just ramble a bit to help myself find a succinct way to communicate in the future...

Why do we so frequently separate any emphasis on knowing that we are loved by our Creator and finding our value and security in Jesus from any emphasis on integrating our beliefs with daily life, or apprenticeship to Jesus? It's like we always think we can only have one or the other, so we pick one and roll with it and become suspicious of the other. Is it because most of us only read Jesus or Paul, one or the other, and even then focus on one aspect of the teaching? Is it because we are always reacting to our past and the ineptitude of our previous teachers and leaders to adequately focus on a holistic Gospel message? Does it have something to do with our personality types, our family backgrounds, etc.?

Perhaps I'm feeling it today because of all the people I intimately know who desperately need to feel that they are loved and cared for and special in the eyes of God, no matter what their previous mistakes. These same people also desperately need to find way to integrate their spiritual beliefs into a way of life. The more I ponder it I believe this applies to all of us.

Shouldn't the one drive the other? Knowing we are loved driving our daily practices? When does this break down?

It does seem that one major avenue of intersection is silence and solitude. When we pause to hear the voice of God and rest in the embrace of the Father, we are following the example of Jesus, and we at least give ourselves a chance of hearing the loving voice of God.

So, if an angel would just appear at the house today and watch the kids for the next few days, I'd love to take a silent retreat with my wife...

Quotes of the week...

I've had a hard time posting lately, although I've had plenty of things I thought about writing about...perhaps I'll blog about them as the thoughts grow more coherent.

In the meantime, I feel the need to share some of my favorite quotes from Kayla. She is 3 now and I figure blogging about her is easy and fun for me and may get me back in the swing of things...

KAYLAISMS...

"Oh I love Jesus oh so much, Daddy!" When asked why she replied, "Because he's just such a cute little baby."

While looking through my Bible and telling me she wanted to tell me a story, "Jesus got poopoo all over the place. It was all messy with poopoo everywhere, and then his Mommy had to give him a bath it was so messy. Then people didn't like him anymore."

When asked why she couldn't sleep during her naptime, she pointed to the living room, "It's just such a mess with so much stuff on the floor out here, I couldn't sleep. We have to clean it right now, Daddy."

Kayla on policemen: "Policemen hit people. " When asked where she learned that she replied, "That's just what they do. They hit people. That's what policemen do."

My personal favorite comes whenever she sees a picture of the skyline of San Francisco or we drive down the hill with our view of the Mission District. She states, "There's my City!"

Benefit for Page Street Center

In my humble efforts to be the change I want to see in the world, Page Street Center in the Lower Haight has played a major role. It's more than a place where hundreds of people receive groceries for the week. It's a quirky community of people making their way together. It is a place where everyone's contributions are welcomed and honored. It is a place where people are cared for and acknowledged as important human beings, made in the image of the Creator. If you live in the Bay Area you should consider attending this benefit for Page Street. Check it the website and think about contributing. If you are interested you could also join me there on almost any Monday.

Our new Danish friend

Steffen Boeskov is our new Danish friend. I've been emailing back and forth with him for a while. He heard about ReIMAGINE and wanted to stop by for a while and see what's happening. For those of you who may have a difficult time keeping these things straight, since Steffen is Danish he is from Denmark. He has an amazing accent, especially when he says the name of the governor of California. It's priceless. Since I've moved to San Francisco and started working with ReIMAGINE I've had the opportunity to meet so many amazing people from all over the globe, and Steffen is one of them. Here he is with Kayla sitting on the futon in our living room that served as his bed for a couple of nights.

It's amazing that Steffen lives across the globe but we have so much in common. He is a follower of Jesus who is thinking deeply about how the church can interact with and love the people in this world. I just wish I could play the piano like him...

Mt. Shasta Part 2

It seems that the best way to build and sustain relationships is to have some type of project or shared experience. For me and two of my best friends from my college years, we have started a tradition of hiking Mt. Shasta together every year in June. We had to turn back before we made it to the top due to stormy conditions, but it was still quite an experience. Marty's Mom told him he had to take care of me and Paul since we have families back home, and he did good. We all made it back. There was that time I slid into Paul and he went flying down the mountain out of control, his helmet flying off, stopping just in time to jump out of the way of a large rock I kicked towards him...but it was really not that big of a deal.
Next year we may make it a longer trip and camp out half way up the mountain to adjust to the altitude and skip out on the pounding headaches and altitude sickness, but we're a bit stubborn and want to make it in one shot. We'll see.

Picture Share

Location, location, location

I've been thinking a lot lately about where we live and other places we would like to live someday. Where people live gives them unique opportunities to be a part of God's Kingdom breaking in. I'm not saying one place is better than another, but that there are a wide variety of doors that will be opened to practice love in a wide variety of settings.

This morning I couldn't find a place to lock my bike in front of the coffee shop, so I went across the street. As I walked towards the corner to lock my bike, I realized that about three feet away there is a memorial set up for someone who was shot a couple days ago. I read about it on sfgate.com and realized it was in the middle of my normal stomping grounds, but I had forgotten. I hesitated, wondering if there was some sort of etiquette for how close one is to park his bike to a memorial for a 16 year old boy who was shot 2 or 3 days ago. I decided to lock it up, and then stared at the 3 inches in between my back tire and the row of candles. For a moment I could not move. I just stood there and pondered life and death and all that is in between. It was a strange start to my day, but in many ways it put things in perspective.

Memorizing?

Anyone up for memorizing the Sermon on the Mount with me? I've been planning on doing it for a few years now, but my memorization skills seem to have eroded since my school years. If you're not local, maybe we could have some kind of on-line component to the process. It seems these kinds of things are best done with other people. I'd like to have it totally memorized by the end of August if not earlier...

Blessed

When I played basketball in college, there was this 30 year old guy with dreadlocks who was on our team. He was a wonderful character full of rich stories...hanging out with Will Smith on his 21st birthday, making 20 Grand a month selling drugs as a young adult, growing up as an African-American in the deep South, his years in prison, etc. When we would exchange the usual greeting, "Hey, what's up?" or "Hey, how are ya?" he would always reply, "I'm blessed, man. I'm blessed." I always thought it was a strange answer, even if it was true. Sometimes it actually bothered me as I wondered if the response was backed by a sincere feeling of being blessed. I wished he would just say that he was having a bad day and be "authentic" like Christians are supposed to be, but I suppose he was grateful for where he was at in life. I think I'm still learning to live with the attitude that I am blessed by my Father and Creator in the midst of a world and systems that seem to broken and confused.

This weekend I was reminded that I am blessed. On Friday night I saw a wonderful concert at the Fillmore featuring David Bazaan of Pedro the Lion and Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie fame with tickets given to me by a woman who is a volunteer leader at a youth group that we host for a Jesus Dojo during Spring Break every year. My brother, a long time David Bazaan fan, was able to join me.

On Saturday I woke up early and drove to the prison at San Quentin to play some basketball. It was a picturesque day, abnormally sunny and warm. I enjoyed connecting with inmates and the slowly growing relationships I have with them. As we went through security we were joined by some hip looking guys dressed in black carrying a bunch of geaar. It turns out it was Michael Franti and Spearhead, who have a cult following in certain places such as San Francisco. They headline the Power to the Peaceful concert in Golden Gate Park. As we played in the game with the inmates Spearhead played in the background, opening their set with a prayer for unity and reconciliation, themes that have been on my mind lately. A friend remarked that it felt like we should take off our shirts and grab a seat on the lawn with the inmates...just a great day we were able to share with the men we were visiting.

On Sunday I enjoyed a party for a friend of mine who just graduated from college. I chased my daughter around Precita Park down the hill from our house. Friends passed around our little Chase so that Andrea and I could play kickball. A friend of mine at the party was wearing the sweetest Adidas jacket, exactly the kind I would buy if I were to buy a jacket. I commented about my admiration for the jacket. A few minutes later he put it around my shoulders and told me to try it on. He told me to keep it. It was a small thing in some ways, but it was just so odd; I don't really buy new clothes any more, and it was exactly the jacket I had in the back of my head that I would like to have if I could ever find it at a thrift store.

Today I sit on my computer realizing how much work there is to be done with ReIMAGINE and in this City, so many hurdles in so many different ways, but I am grateful for my weekend, reminding me that I am blessed, just like my old friend.

My Prayer

A Prayer I wrote for SEVEN...


We yearn to see your Promises fulfilled
To see You revealed in our midst

We yearn for peace
For reconciliation and simple trust
With the people we eat with
With the people we’ve left behind
With the people we walk by every day

Help us! Please help us!
We want to be your people
We want to see your Kingdom Come
We want to be a part of the solution
We want to be the change

We are strong, but we are frail
We can be wise, and we can be fools

You have promised your Spirit will guide us
In some real and supernatural way

Let us know that we are your beloved
In spite of what may tell us we are not

Let us become the people we were made to be
Let us inhabit the way of love
Use us to somehow bring goodness to this earth you created

Oh God help us leave the past behind
And move forward to You

Here we are
Help us
Lead us
Change us
Mold us
Make us

Something new
Something good
Something pure

Give us the strength to press on
Into Love

Oh God let us love
Oh God let us love
Oh God let us love

The margins

In my limited experience, the "General Hospital" is usually a place you don't want to go. It is certainly true of General Hospital here in San Francisco. It's on Potrero just a few blocks from our house, and it has this ominous feeling. Enormous brick buildings dominate the street for several minutes as you walk by. In the center of the brick buildings is a concrete building where I spent the day last Thursday. No, I didn't get hurt. I participated in a training for future chaplains at the hospital.

No one wants to go to General. You go there for two reasons: you were in a serious car accident or other traumatic incident that has put your body into a physical condition in which you need to be at a Trauma 1 facility, OR you need standard hospital care but can't go to another hospital (you have no insurance, are mentally ill, homeless, etc.) General takes anyone, which makes this particular hospital a gathering place for people truly on the margins. Some friends recently walked by and saw some mentally ill people in front of one of the brick buildings and thought, "That is where Jesus would be hanging out." Well, I'm certainly not Jesus but I am looking forward to spending more time at the hospital.

While sitting in hospital meeting rooms for hours upon hours and enjoying some truly disgusting and unhealthy hospital food, I dreamed about providing spiritual care for people who are truly on the margins of our society. At least in San Francisco, one does not need to be ordained as a minister to be a chaplain. For some of you reading this blog entry becoming a chaplain at a county or general hospital could be a real outlet for hopes of caring for people who are in lonely, poor and sick. I highly recommend at least thinking about it.

Soul Graffiti - Spread the word

Mark Scandrette, who you probably know I work with, has been working on this book for quite some time. It just released a couple days ago, and I'm excited to see how God uses this book to shake things up and inspire people to a life of apprenticeship to Jesus. Here's a review I wrote...

Mark Scandrette's Soul Graffiti reminds me of Rob Bell's Velvet Elvis. What sets Soul Graffiti apart is the practical dimension. Mark uses his unique talents as a storyteller to draw us into real life experiments in following Jesus in the details of life. As he illustrates this way of life he manages to be both raw and elegant at the same time. This book is full of ideas for pressing forward on the journey...walking in new ways, developing new habits, finding new rhythms. You will encounter an inspiring and dangerous faith full of risk taking and love.

6 years

Six years ago today I got married to a wonderful young lady. If I could go back, I would certainly do the ceremony differently, but I would also certainly get married to Andrea. She has amazed me the past couple years with her ability to grow as a person, as a follower of Jesus. Several months ago she moved into "The City" and soon after gave birth to our second child (with no pain medication, mind you). She has navigated an incredible amount of change with grace and courage. She is an amazing mother and wife. I am so proud of her. Mark says we'll have another 80 years together...sounds good to me.
Today Ryan and Holly and Dan and Bethany came over to allow Andrea and I to have an anniversary date. When they left at around 5 PM they said they were coming back to have dinner with us at 7. In reality, Lisa and Hailey Scandrette came over to watch the kids and let us have our second date in one day. We are so grateful to have the kind of friends who would care for us and actually ask to watch our kids for us on our anniversary...the kind of people who would suggest not letting Andrea know about the second part of our day and then enjoy fooling her with a story about dinner.
At moments like this when I reflect on my life I am reminded of God's goodness. I am a part of a beautiful community. When we try to explain to people we meet that we just moved here a few months ago but we have a large group of people we spend our lives with, hoping to care for each other and live a life of love together, we can receive strange looks. We are reminded that many people do not have community. We should be grateful. I have a wonderful wife who I truly love and respect. I should be grateful.
All this to say here's to Andrea and our friends. I am a blessed man.

Che

I just finished Guevara: Otherwise Known as Che while Andrea went to lunch with some friends and the kids took a nap. While much of Che's life is disturbing and I can in no way call him a hero or role model, I took away much from reading his biography. One thing I admire is his ability to think big, to dream big. After the revolution in Cuba was successful, most people would enjoy the aftermath and talk about the good old days of the revolution. Instead, Che went out to the Congo train the revolutionaries there to fight for liberation and was soundly defeated. He went to Prague in disguise and continued to be the mastermind behind a plot to bring revolution to all of Latin America. Cuba wasn't enough. He hoped for equality and liberation, for the end of tyranny and empire, in Argentina, Bolivia and everywhere else. He was killed in the jungles of Bolivia (with help from our CIA) with a handful of men who evaded thousands of soldiers and inspired revolutions for years to come. He was never scared of what would happen to him, and he didn't seem to care what people thought of him. He had a reputation for brutal honesty to all those around him.
Again, I'm disgusted by the violence, and I question if any good really did come out of all this, but I'm amazed at the determination and persistence in hoping to change the whole world for the better along with the steadfast belief that it was indeed possible. May we dream big and work for what we believe every day.

I like college students

We had a great time hosting some Wheaton College students a couple weeks back. Here we are getting ready to pick up some trash and paint over some graffiti in the neighborhood...

Picture Share

My coworker Amy took my picture...I think she takes good pictures

Why did you come here?

This article on SF Gate.com alleges that the thousands of homeless people who move to San Francisco from across the country do so because of the cultural diversity and opportunity more than the chance to receive excellent social services that the City is known for. It's an interesting discussion...the vast majority of people I meet who are homeless in this City are from some other part of the country. I enjoy living in a place where people who felt hopeless or outcast for any number of reasons are looking for hope, acceptance and love.

It's time for pics of the kids

ReIMAGINE Newsletter

If you are interested, you can grab the latest edition of the quarterly ReIMAGINE newsletter here

A tough decision...

So, last night I bit the bullet and did it, I ordered some New Balance basketball shoes with some birthday money I received last week. Now, it isn't a big deal that I spent the money on shoes. It's a necessary cost for a way that I exercise and meet people in our community. The big deal is that I ordered NEW BALANCE shoes. Oh man, it was hard for me. I remember looking at the "old guys" who would show to play basketball without shoes made by Nike or Adidas. I mean, Converse, Reebok, And 1...these are a bit questionable but still somewhat respectable on a basketball court. But New Balance shoes, wow, I'm positive I have never seen an NBA player where them. I'm fairly sure I've never seen a good basketball player wear them, only the old slightly overweight white guys with short shorts who you hoped wouldn't somehow end up on your team. But alas, I have ordered New Balance shoes. The reason? Nike is pretty much universally recognized as the worst when it comes to sweat shops and treating workers unfairly. I recently saw a scene from a movie where Phil Knight (Nike founder and CEO) admits he has never been to the factories where the shoes are made, and he has no desire to do so in the future. He just doesn't care. New Balance may not be perfect, but they are generally considered to be far more socially conscious than the other larger shoe manufacturers. They also have an "endorsed by no one" moto, so they can spend more money making shoes since they don't give NBA players multimillion dollar contracts. Supposedly the shoes are well made and good for your feet as well.

So, I looked at Nikes online for a while. I saw the fancy ads with my favorite players (including Steve Nash and Kobe Bryant and Lebron James...) and I closed the window and searched for New Balance basketball shoes. Then for a couple hours I realized it is virtually impossible to buy New Balance basketball shoes. No one carries them, anywhere. I called local stores. I searched the net. Finally I found a website based out of Indiana that sold them, only they didn't have the all white ones I wanted. I had to get the white and black ones. I know, big deal, you say, but to me, this was huge. I chose to spend my money in what I felt was a better way for the best interests of the people in the world, and it hurt. Man, it hurt.

I'm not writing this to ask for applause or toot my own horn. It's therapy for me, and an admission of my own vanity when it comes to basketball shoes. I have loved by cool Nike shoes for years and years and years. And now, a new chapter in my athletic life, New Balance.

Good

The last few weeks have been a roller coaster of experiences and emotions. While in the middle of an incredibly difficult couple of weeks, I consistently had encouragement and affirmation come from a variety of sources at the most needed times. Phone calls and emails coming from a wide range of seemingly random people have been an amazement. I have felt a strong belief that the hand of God is in our midst, caring for us just when we need it. I've had so many moments when it has hit me in fresh ways...there really is a God, and He really is at work in the world. He really does care about us.

And yet there is still pain and frustration...I think I've given up trying to have any sort of pat answer or set of bullet points to explain the darkness, evil and pain we all experience in life. I read a friend's blog who is dealing with the death of his baby boy. I have friends battling drug addiction. Other friends are divorced and still reeling. A man is shot to death for telling two kids to stop messing with someone. I talk to people who are homeless and addicted to alcohol without any indication that this will ever change.

I wonder why I felt such encouragement in the midst of pain when I haven't during other similar times in my past, and I talk to people all the time who struggle for any sense of God's presence in the midst of their own "desert experience" as we say.

I just don't know. I just don't get it, but perhaps all I can do is keep living and hold onto the times when I do hear the touch or voice of the Spirit of God. I can be grateful for the little blessings that make up my life. I'm amazed at the friends we have who care for us. I'm amazed that I get to live in such a wonderful city as San Francisco. I'm amazed that we get a paycheck each month. I'm amazed at the family God has given me. I'm amazed at my wife full of faith and beauty. I'm amazed at random emails from people telling me that I am spending my life on worthwhile things. I'm amazed that there is a beautiful sunny sky today and I get to ride my bike to work. I choose to believe that God is good and that the Kingdom of God is bursting forth with energy, despite realities that tell me otherwise.

Big Weekend

I'm spending the weekend at a camp with four bus loads of middle schoolers and their counselors, and I happen to be "the speaker." Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers. It has been a difficult and tiring couple of weeks leading up to this weekend, but in the midst of it I keep getting little reminders, many of them through friends, that God is still good.

Prayer Dojo and Silent Retreat

N.T. Wright on the church's mission

"For generations the church has been polarized between those who see the main task being the saving of souls for heaven and the nurturing of those souls through the valley of this dark world, on the one hand, and on the other hand those who see the task of improving the lot of human beings and the world, rescuing the poor from their misery.

The longer that I've gone on as a New Testament scholar and wrestled with what the early Christians were actually talking about, the more it's been borne in on me that that distinction is one that we modern Westerners bring to the text rather than finding in the text. Because the great emphasis in the New Testament is that the gospel is not how to escape the world; the gospel is that the crucified and risen Jesus is the Lord of the world. And that his death and Resurrection transform the world, and that transformation can happen to you. You, in turn, can be part of the transforming work. That draws together what we traditionally called evangelism, bringing people to the point where they come to know God in Christ for themselves, with working for God's kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. That has always been at the heart of the Lord's Prayer, and how we've managed for years to say the Lord's Prayer without realizing that Jesus really meant it is very curious..."

Something happened

I was at a Community Center on Monday, checking in with my friends, sorting through some food to give away, setting up a meeting with the Director to discuss how ReIMAGINE can partner with this Community Center in more helpful ways. We have realized that we were made to be teachers, to teach people about Jesus and how to follow Him. We are hoping to partner with local organizations that are doing good work to allow us to use this passion and gifting. I'm thrilled about this vision and the possibilities that are opening up.

On this particular Monday I took Kayla with me. She loves going on little trips with Daddy, and she quickly becomes the life of the party wherever we go. I've often marveled at her ability to charm any crowd, rich or poor, urban or suburban. I was amazed once again. I was talking to a dear woman who is hoping to move out of state with her husband, a kind man who battles mental illness and lives apart from her by himself in the "ghetto" part of town. We were having a good conversation, and I was hoping God's Spirit would give me the words to speak encouragement and wisdom into her life. Meanwhile, Kayla went down the slide in the parking lot, over and over and over and over, each time with a huge smile on her face. She would smile at her Daddy and the woman he was talking to before cruising down, over and over and over. A peace seemed to settle in. My friend began to smile and laugh. It was as if we had been reminded of hope. Something very good happened, and then it kept happening.

There are some distinct people who stand just outside such community centers, obviously homeless, dirty, smelly, often in some sort of mental haze from drugs or alcohol. They keep on the outside, usually waiting for a friend who is volunteering or getting food. There are a few such faces I know well, but I know only the faces. Communication does not happen, not even a smile or head bob. Suddenly, one of these men smiled an enormous smile and said, "She looks just like you!" We discussed Kayla's incredible good looks :) for a bit, although I was frankly in a state of shock this man had spoken to me. Soon he said, "Wow, it's amazing how much energy she has for that slide! It's great! She has so much enthusiasm!" We smiled together, watching my daughter, in the beginnings of a conversation. This may seem small to some, but God broke down boundaries and began a conversation, hopefully a conversation that will continue as time passes. Who knows where it will lead, but I do know that I sensed something very special happen on Monday, and my smiling daughter was in the middle of it. I believe the Spirit of God made it all happen. I choose to trust that God is at work, and that every good and perfect thing comes from our Creator.

Oh Jesus

So Kayla has recently encountered the Christian subculture, and I've been worried about the effects. She has been reading some Christian books (mainly Christmas books) and recently went to Sunday School at a traditional church (although when Kayla calls it church I remind her that we are the church! Dang it!)

Just moments ago my fears were realized. Kayla dropped a book and said, "Oh Jesus!" Shocked to hear my daughter talk like that I looked up. Andrea notified me that the dropped book in questions was a book about Jesus. Kayla was not using the name of Jesus in vain, but simply worried about Him since he had fallen to the ground in the book. Kayla then exclaimed, "It's okay, Jesus!" Kayla then picked up Jesus into her little hands and carefully carried him to Andrea, informing us that "Jesus needs Mommy."

Poem

So lately I've been wishing I had a more artistic background and felt more confident about my creative abilities. Recently I submitted a couple articles to a certain website and randomly attached a poem I wrote a while back. I thought the articles were good but that the poem would be quickly discarded. They they sent me an email with a link to the poem on their site. Weird. Now even though I do make fun of this website from time to time, I am encouraged that someone thinks I can write poetry. Good times...

On the Hill

This morning as I sat on Bernal Hill overlooking the City to with my friend Adam, my mind kept flashing back to my time on top of Mount Arbel next to the Sea of Galilee. From Arbel one can see the Sea of Galilee and pretty much the entire Galilee region, the land Jesus lived much of his life. It is logical to guess that Arbel could have been a place Jesus went to pray. It's an peaceful location with a wonderful view, really the best view of the area.

As I sat this morning in the dark, watching the city of San Francisco wake up, I asked God to help me flow in the Spirit, to follow the leading of the Spirit in every decision and moment I encounter. I was struck with gratefulness inside of me, grateful to be able to sit in my Father's presence and pray, grateful to live next to such a wonderful hill with green grass and amazing views, and grateful to be able to live in a wonderful city such as San Francisco. I am grateful.

Quote of the Week

I am but a pencil in the hand of God

-Mother Theresa

Blue Eyes

Graffiti Super Huddle - Oh yeah

As a part of our ongoing "Barrio Libre" project I'm connecting with others who care about this wonderful city. If you're local let me know if you'd like to join me at this...
Painting over graffiti is a simple and practical way to join with our Creator in the restoration of Creation. It's a great activity for groups that we host from out of town. I'm actually going to be painting tomorrow with some friends at 10 AM if you want to come join us!

Hooked

I just finished Hooked: Five Addicts Challenge our Misguided Drug Rehab System. My brother actually loaned it to me, thinking the San Francisco context would draw my interest. He was right. I couldn't put it down.

In an attempt to see if San Francisco's supposedly improved and revolutionary drug rehab system really works the author follows the journeys of five individuals who seek help from a system that advertises "treatment on demand." Supposedly any person seeking help can be placed in a rehab facility within 48 hours. The individual stories were riveting, and you truly begin to care for these people, but at the same time the stories didn't really surprise me. I've heard many such stories over the last couple years. What was shocking was the system in place in a city that has an incredible need to have a well oiled machine of a rehabilitation system in place. Instead, the system is a mess. Addicts have a hard enough battle ahead of them without having to also find themselves in the midst of a battle between competing methods and philosophies of rehabilitation. A major problem is that there is no cohesiveness to the multitude of programs and counselors along the way. In fact, the methods are so different that they are often actually working against one another. There is no one case manager to oversee a person's road to recovery. Instead, there are several. There are mental health agencies, judges, intake centers, policemen, psychologists, therapists, counselors, live in facilities, drop in facilities and more, and none of them talk to each other. It's a mess that takes the difficulty of getting clean from incredibly difficult to almost impossible for the more hard core addicts. The author does a wonderful job of pointing out how much of the rehabilitation work focuses on external behaviors without getting to the deeper inner issues that plague these individuals and drive them back to drug abuse.

I am reminded that our personal responsibility to love and care for the people around us through relationships is only one part of the total equation. As followers of Jesus we are called to help the systems in place that need helping. I am also reminded to be full or compassion and grace towards the addicts that I see every day. Their lives are a living hell so devoid of the love and joy that their Creator wishes for them.

Oh, and I learned that if I ever need some heroin or cocaine the best place to get it is just down the road on 16th Street and Mission...

Sugarlump Theology Salon

For my Bay Area friends...


The Sugarlump Theology Salon

WHEN? Feb. 15 at 7-9 P.M.

WHERE?

Sugarlump Coffee Lounge
2862 24th Street @ Bryant
San Francisco CA 94110
(415)826-lump
http://www.sugarlumpcoffeelounge.com/

TOPIC: How Mass Collaboration changes everything. Contextualizing
Ecclesiology in an era of a participatory world view and a culture of mass
collaboration.

DISCUSSION FACILITATOR: Dr. Linda Bergquist, adjunct professor at Golden
Gate Theological Seminary, missional strategist and lover of theology.

You can prepare for this discussion by downloading a sample chapter of the
book Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything
(http://www.wikinomics.com/book/) and also I Corinthians 12.

Wikipedia defines salon as "a gathering of stimulating people of quality
under the roof of an inspiring hostess or host, partly to amuse one another
and partly to refine their taste and increase their knowledge through
conversation and readings".

The Sugarlump Theology Salon is a gathering of Christian theologians and
thinkers in the San Francisco Bay Area who meet in order to share and
discuss their ideas and get peer feedback from one another. In the tradition
of "The Inkling" (the literary group of C.S. Lewis's and J.R.R. Tolkien that
met in a pub for readings and criticism of their own work) we meet in a
coffee house (the San Francisco equivalent of a pub) called the "Sugarlump
Coffee Lounge".

We will determine the topic for the next monthly Salon following our initial
discussion.

Please R.S.V.P. Two days prior to this event by contacting Derek Flood
derek.flood@yahoo.com

Seven Reading Schedule

If you are interested in reading through the Scriptures with our community we call Seven here in San Francisco, the readings will now simply be posted at the Seven website. We are currently in Matthew.

Trust?

Our community has been reading through Deuteronomy for a while now. It's actually a fascinating book, filled with clear rules for the Hebrews as to how to live as God's people. The people are continually told that if they will obey and follow their Creator, if they will trust Him, all will be well with them. If they choose other ways things will not go well. They are also continually reminded of all God has done for them. In a generation they had witnessed miracle after miracle of God's provision. Food falling from Heaven, seas parting, etc. I've always wondered how they could be so stupid...to see those kinds of things and then fail to trust that God's way is the best way. But then today I sit at my computer, fretting and worrying that God will not provide for me. I can look back at incredible stories and see God's faithfulness and provision over and over, but something inside me sometimes waits for the sky to fall, distracted from the tasks at hand. I struggle with trying to be responsible and proactive in seeing that my family has money to pay rent and buy diapers without slipping into hours of worry and fear and endless searching of craigslist for the well-paying very part time gig that I am perfect for. My hope is that as my life goes on I will become better at living in this tension and the trust I seek to have will slowly grow, day after day, year after year.

Creativity Jesus Dojo...

CREATIVITY JESUS DOJO:

Rediscovering Creativity Workshop

Do you aspire to be more creative in 2007? Perhaps you can remember a
time when you had more freedom of expression. Many people have experienced
profound personal transformation through practices that combine
spirituality and creativity. This seven-week workshop will explore how to cultivate
your artistic voice and talents more fully. Through daily personal exercises
and group process we will help one another tap into our creative potential,
using Julia Cameron’s book, The Artist’s Way, as a guide for inspiration
and discipline. Sponsored by ReIMAGINE! A Center for Life Integration. We are
a collective of artists and activists that fuel initiatives to integrate
spiritual formation, creativity, community-building and social action. We
believe personal integration comes through revolutionary thought,
experiential learning and transformational relationships.

Team facilitated by Mark Scandrette and Adam Klein. Mark Scandrette is a
writer, poet and life coach (and author of the forthcoming book on
integrative spirituality called SOUL GRAFFITI ). Adam Klein is a poet,
athlete and mechanical engineer.

Wednesdays 6-8 P.M.
January 17-February 28
Location? Golden Gate Community Inc. 21st @ Shotwell.

Cost:$30 which includes a light dinner each week. (Scholarship
information available upon request) Text for the workshop will need to be purchased by
each participant.

To register email peeps@reimagine.org by January 12th.

For more information call 415-235-9552