The Fam

Shalom Poem

SHALOM

Shalom to you
Shalom for us
For you and me and we and everyone

Together we yearn
Together we groan
Together we cry

Together we search
Together we sweat
Together we pray

For SHALOM
For an end to bloodshed
For things to be made right again
A revolution of love
For salvation –reconciliation – redemption - transformation

So in anticipation we walk
On the journey
To love, peace, friendship, safety, salvation, goodness and wholeness

To be healed in our hearts, minds, souls and bodies
To be made new in our families, schools and neighborhoods

We believe in a Kingdom best explained by beautiful stories
And we believe in this Rabbi/Storyteller/Messiah/Savior/God
Who is the Prince of Peace
The Prince of Shalom

So would you follow Him?
Take a walk with Him?
Jump into the rabbit hole of something more

Leaving behind the worry and fear
Taking steps towards justice, mercy and love

Would you open your eyes to the bad and the good
Following the gentle nudge of the Spirit that you cannot ignore for one more second

And dream with me
And hope with me
And love with me

Love with your heart and your hands and your feet and your life

So do that thing you’ve only dreamed about…

Tell her you’re sorry before it’s too late
Tell him you love him and you’ll try
Sell it and give the money away
Ask for help with your addiction
Spend more time with your family
See that counselor
Invite your neighbors over for dinner
Move into that neighborhood
Open your doors to the outsider
Welcome the lonely
Forgive the insult
Turn the other cheek
Walk the extra mile
Visit the hospital and the prison
Find your enemy and give him a hug

Trust

Trust that the words of your Savior are worth following
Trust that He knew what He was talking about
Trust that your Father is still at work in the world
Trust that the Kingdom of God is at hand
Trust that the walls really can be rebuilt
Trust that we can be His hands and feet
Trust that in losing your life you will find it
Trust that you’ll receive a hundred times more
Trust that being last is being first

We can be the conduits of peace
The messengers of love
The proclaimers of grace
The advocates for Shalom
Because HE – IS – WITH - US

Jesus for President - this Friday

A sad weekend

It was a sad weekend for East Oakland.  Read more...

Pray for Shalom.

10 Things I love about Oakland

Sun and warmth

Striking diversity

Friendly neighbors

Live Gospel choir practicing next door

A backyard full of dirt and eventually vegetables and flowers

Quality basketball pick up games whenever I want them

The police helicopters overhead entertain the kids

Our friends Damon and Alice have a house in our backyard

Watching fireworks after an A's game

Craig and Lora's pool (I haven't visited it since we moved, but just the thought of using it makes me happy)

The feeling that this is where we are supposed to be...it's home

A new day

I've decided to actually start posting on this blog again.  Life feels fresh and new.  Our long awaited move to East Oakland took place on Saturday, aided by wonderful friends from near and far who cleaned, packed, bought more boxes, bought food, drove the UHaul and even took down the Direct TV boxes from our new house.  I was reminded how blessed we are to have a multitude of friends and family who care about us.  My parents watched the kiddos for a long weekend while we worked on the move.  Since the move my father in-law (since called a rock star by some friends) has been rebuilding and repairing all sorts of things around both houses.  We are sharing a duplex with our dear friends Damon and Alice Snyder.  Our house is in the front and their house is in the back, with a yard in between.  I'll post pictures later.  

I'm realizing I'll have no problem coming up with things to write about.  My mind is swirling with thoughts about Oakland and the people we have met in the last few days.  This morning I woke up to the sounds of Dr. Dre blaring from the apartment complex next door.  I would have thought that was so cool when I was 15, but it was  not so cool this morning.  I suppose it has something to do with the fact that I'm now twice the age of 15 and I have two kids and I'm tired. 

Stay tuned for pictures of our new place.  Peace

Stuff White People Like

This blog is hilarious. If you haven't already, check it out. Here's a good post about San Francisco.

Yesterday was a good day

Yesterday was a good day.  We've been looking for a house in East Oakland for some months now, but it's beginning to seem like years.  I've been frustrated and impatient with the process.  We've been waiting to hear back on a house that is a short-sale for a month.  It has seemed like the perfect neighborhood and a great place.  Then, on Saturday, we found a house just a couple blocks away with more space and for fewer dollars ($65,000 actually).  We made an offer and it was accepted yesterday morning.  East Oakland here we come.  Our prayers have been answered.  We'll be moving in 30 days.

Then, to top the day off I downloaded the new Roots album, Rising Down, with an iTunes gift certificate my friend gave me on my birthday.  It's amazing.  Thanks Craig.

Be careful what you wish for

Since I moved to "The City" (our term of endearment for San Francisco which I may stop using out of respect for our beloved city of Oakland), I've been whining about a lack of people to play basketball with and lift weights with.  Since I turned 30 a few weeks back (February 23 for those of you who forgot to send me a card), I've been looking at myself and who I am and who I want to become.  I decided to recommit myself to being a competitive basketball player for a number of reasons.  I truly enjoy playing.  It keeps me in great shape.  I will meet people in Oakland while playing who may never talk to me otherwise, etc. etc.

So I emailed one of my favorite people in the world, Paul Davis, and asked him for a workout plan.  When he asked me what my fitness goals were, I just told him to imagine I was trying to make the NBA.  He didn't just email me a workout program, but he mailed a DVD that outlines a strength/plyometric/jumping program for basketball players.  So on Monday I got up early in the morning, went to the weightroom in our garage and got after it.  

Later in the early evening I went to shoot a few baskets over at the Potrero Hill Rec Center.  A couple guys over at the other end of the court invited me to do a basketball workout with them. Turns out one guy played for Pepperdine a while back and the other guy was the leading scorer for USF and the entire West Coast Conference, including Gonzaga, St. Mary's, etc.  I know only like two people reading this care about those couple details, but I hope you two people enjoy them.  So we did this strenuous workout of shooting, dribbling, and sprinting, and after my morning workout I felt like my legs were going to fall off, but wow, it was so fun.  The guys invited me to workout with them three days a week.  Suddenly I've got a plan and seriously talented guys to practice with.  By the time I get to Oakland (mid-May?) I'll be ready to play some basketball.

Good Ol' Dietrich

'...the restoration of the church will surely come only from a new type of monasticism which has nothing in common with the old but a complete lack of compromise in a life lived in accordance with the Sermon on the Mount in the discipleship of Christ.  I think it is time to gather people together to do this...' 

  -Dietrich Bonhoeffer in 1935