Coming Alive

You get 10 minutes of blog. Why 10 – b/c LOST comes on in 15 and it takes me 5 to get comfortable.

8 minutes left – yea that last part took me 2 whole minutes…shut up.

So, community in Reedy Fork is perhaps better than ever! If for no other reason than the feeling that people are more connected (and not just Patio people…everyone).

I love that I have more friends who do not share my worldview than ever before. In every church I was a part of before The Patio the natural progression seemed to take me out of those relationships. By the end of my time at my first church I didn’t have a single friend who wasn’t a Christian…maybe God called me to plant a church to break me out of that reality.

2 minutes — Yea, I could have gotten more, but I am listening to music too and that slows me down. Maybe you will get more later tonight.

I have a post coming up called “10 Facebook Friends Who I Wish I Knew Better” – That will be fun!

This year I invited anyone interested to participate in a mixtape competition. I recieved a half-dozen great submissions that were evaluated on: Flow, Theme, Title (thats important to me), and most importantly, how much I liked it!

Without further ado…here are this years Soup for Life winners:

1. Best Opening Track: “Stands in Shoes” by the Naked Gods — Karey Digh (Lactic Acid)

2. Best Final Track: “Smother Me” by The Used — Cassi Lowder (Some Sort of Crazy)

3. Best Song: “You Don’t Know Me” by Ben Folds — Karey Digh (Lactic Acid)/”Gone in the Morning” by Newton Faulkner — Lindsay Hopkins (After the Holiday)

Best Album: Mladen Kekic (Glass Broken Heart)
Runner Up: Josh Jensen (Maker’s Face)

The last award goes to Joe Donahoe for staying true to the music he loves and refusing to give in to the temptation to placate the judge! That was one interesting cd!

Don’t know why but I am really grumpy this afternoon. Well, that’s not exactly true I have one thing in particular that began my grumpiness, but it has perpetuated beyond what is reasonable. It’s funny how one thing can completely wreck a day if you let it.

For example, yesterday, I had just dropped Nolan off at daycare and I was stopped at a light on Lawndale. When the light turned green I took off, but the guy behind me floored it, changed lanes and pulled up even to me, and started yelling (of course both our windows were up so I can only assume he was yelling about how thrilled he was for me to have a morning off from watching Nolan). Anyway, he sped quickly off by the time I realized he was mad at me about something (which I have no idea what). Lawndale, however, has a light every 15 feet so moments later I pull back up even at him and look his way. The dude is STILL yelling at me! So I figured it was appropriate to respond…

I take my two thumbs and place them at the corners of my mouth. Then I make the motion of “pulling my frown upside down” to communicate “Smile dude!” He then imitates me in a sarcastic fashion and turns away…but a few moments later the goofiness of my response illicits a faint hint of smile appear on the dude’s face.

I totally saved that guy from ruining his day! He expected me to yell back, flip him the bird, or moon him (I wont lie, if I would have thought of that there is a good chance I would have done it). But instead he got a big goofy smile and he was completely disarmed.

Ahh, just telling that story has made me feel a whole lot better!

Nolan had his first daycare today. As cliche as it sounds it was really tough leaving him as he stood at the door crying and reaching up for me. I hear it gets easier!

The good news is that Mon/Wed between 9 and 1 are now free for me. If you want to grab breakfast or lunch one day hit me up!

The Patio is going to Mexico!  A big group of us will be heading down to Mexico City to serve a church through their week long VBS to neighborhood kids.  There is also an orphanage that we may be able to work in.

I love Mexico City!  It’s not the most beautiful place in the world, but if God hadn’t called Kristan and I to start The Patio I am pretty sure I would be munching on some Tacos al Pastor right now.

So, be praying for this trip, and if God so lays it on your heart – this is a wonderful opportunity to support His global work financially.

I have fallen off the blogging map recently for some odd reason.  The urge just kind of left me for a while.  I’m back, however, and ready to ride this thing like the glory days!  

So much to say -

I’ve been listening Perry Noble podcasts recently.  Good stuff.  A few of my pastor buddies have the awesome opportunity to go visit with him regularly.  What I wouldn’t do to get in on that…

We have set some new goals for The Patio.  Most important we are targeting a second service for our one year anniversary!  If you live in Reedy Fork but haven’t landed your butt in a Sunday morning with us yet you need to get on it!  

There is one more thing…hmm…what was that last thing I needed to catch everyone up on?

Oh yea, Kristans pregnant!