I want to be done, but it would be irresponsible...

Done with the whole American political process that is.

A dear friend left a voice mail yesterday that included the info that he needed to include, but as a 'random' thought, he interjected his thoughts on candidates on both sides. Now, it's important that we understand at this point Rush Limbaugh has been what I can only describe as "Gollum-izing" him since the 8th grade (and now we're 30). "For years the ring poisoned his mind..." You can hear it, right?

Anyway, in this spectrum, Guilani is the liberal, so you can only imagine the thoughts about anyone who really is.

So after my pretty decent workout this morning that was pretty relaxing, I went from 0 to frustrated (with the entire process, not my buddy) at warp factor 7. I kind of wish that there was a spot on the ballot that merely says 'abstain.' I register my presence as a part of the process, but I cannot in good conseince vote for either candidate, so I abstain.

Problem is that there is no candidate, no matter what Pat Robertson or his boy says, that reflects the things that Jesus values across the board. I really want to vote and be involved, but I don't know how, and since we all live in the gray between black and white, to vote or not to vote doesn't reflect how I live.

We have been taught to pick and choose issue by issue so much that I'm not even sure Jesus could get elected...

...but he might be able to help with health care what with all those healings and stuff...

It's true...I'm a junky

I made some scrambled eggs for breakfast this morning, and since I've been scrambling the whites only, I needed a little more flavor than just salt and pepper.

So, I made some guacamole...

It was awesome, but, I am a junky.

Not that this is the place you should turn...

...but I have recipes to share. A couple of people have asked how I make my guac and my garden salsa. So, I'll give it a shot.

First, FRESH CILANTRO is the key to everything salsa and guac.

GUAC:

-Two pretty ripe avocadoes scooped out and pitted.
-I'd say about 2 Tbl of jar salsa. We use Chi Chi's, but anything will work.
-Leaves from 8-10 sprigs of cilantro (really explore the studio space with the cilantro. we like it, you may like it more or less-mince the leaves too)
-1 clove of garlic (about a Tbl if you use the jar)- I try to not use the juice in the jar as it can overpower the whole deal
-a couple of pinches of salt
-fresh ground black pepper
-juice from half a lime (a whole lime if the wife's not eating any)

Once that's all in a bowl, then mix it up. It probably makes no difference, but I like the idea of all the stuff mixing together rather than smoothing out the avocadoes and then adding everything else. I use a fork to mix it, that way it stays a little chunky.

(Tostito's scoops are the bomb)

SALSA:

-Three fresh tomatoes- I quarter them and then dig out the guts with a spoon. It makes them easier to handle
-Half a medium sized onion
-One jalepeno, and I usually gut it (or use one and a half- remember the heat's in the seeds and veins in the middle, so if you want spicier salsa, use the seeds and don't carve out the guts of jalepeno so much)
-Garlic, salt, same deal as above
-Juice from one lime
-at least 12 sprigs of cilantro (leaves only)

Dice the tomatoes, onion, and jalepeno
Dice up the cilantro leaves as well
Leave it alone for 45 min.-1 hour and let the flavor mojo happen; you could eat it sooner, but it's best if you let it sit and chill in the icebox.

I made salsa at home for lunch, but it can take some time until you find your salsa chi. It was especially good on top of the black bean burgers I had for lunch.

Have at it, friends...

Now, I'm off to donate plasma...

...random, don't you think...

Sometimes you're a leader...

...and sometimes you're not.



I have jumped on the new layout bandwagon. It's not all the spiffy except for my banner.

I'll also be updating my links on the left as well. There are some worth adding, and some that need to be removed.

Tony's Hero remains unchanged from an appearance standpoint

One starts to wonder...

Sometimes a person starts to wonder how they got to the place they end up. Today, I've sat and listened to Tony Jones and Doug Pagitt and am currently listening to Denise VanEck. Yesterday, I was at Wrigley Field (and saw Bonds #753) and ate at Ed Debevic's.

I have to ask the question.

What's going on?

Where is God leading?

It's peculiar...

Hmmm...

I should listen to Denise now :)

This kind of made me mad...

I'd love to just blend up an iPhone and have the cash to have a second...but no.

A nicer afternoon than I thought

I made wifey and I some amazing guacamole. Fresh cilantro. Yeah, it's gone already. Loved it.

I've been working all afternoon on jOURney stuff.

I was dreading it, but today it's been nice. A cool breeze coming in the windows and a ballgame on in the background.

The Mac helps...no chance I'd be having this much fun with a Dell on my lap. I would've rebooted 3 times now. :)

Another thing I've found out about myself.

I really like green tea.

I might go make some.

Now home from vacation, I wanted to tell y'all about some of the things that have jumped up on the list of my favorite things:

First, these kind of shoes:



While I have the Sketcher version, they held up great while hiking and my feet stayed very unsweatty, which is a problem for me and sandals of any type.

Next, this drink:



Super. Very yummy. Only 125 calories for the whole bottle. Not bad. Yay Green Tea. The 'Focus' flavor is very good too, I just got into this flavor on vacation.

And this one:



If you sweat as much as I do when working out, you may need some extra umph to your water for hydration purposes. Just dump one of these bad boys into your 16.9oz bottle of water and shake. The mix disolves competely and quickly, and I hate drinking leftover mix in the bottom.

This thing rocks:



While we used an older version of this, it was awesome. With a total load limit of 50lbs, we'll be getting one sometime and we'll be using it for time to come.

Finally:



While Wal-Mart's reputation sometimes leaves some things to be desired, their brand of exercise wear is pretty good for the money. Sleeveless T's are just $7 and while they don't wick the moisture away as well as name brand gear, it's not bad.

I'm sure I missed some. Honorable mention?

-Car DVD player
-Gummy Strawberry Puffs
-mountain bikes in general

Great, great vacation...

concerning transformation...

Big night last night, kids came forward to receive Jesus, probably some healing going on, lots of cool things going on.

But it's not enough to just believe in God and to follow God. It's a very different thing to believe God and to be transformedby Him.

The idea of transformation involves a process; a thought that just saying 'Jesus, I'm a sinner, and now I follow you" is good, but not everything--there's something more. There's a way to live, a way to start living that is different and distinctive from how the world operates.

It's a life of figuring out that you were never meant to be independent from each other, but it's a life of figuring out how to live in holy dependence.

I feel like I want to say something about bearing fruit, but that's Christian-ese and that's almost never helpful.

So, I won't...

...but...

shouldn't one be able to see some evidence of the transformation process? Shouldn't people be able to look at me and see a wake of goodness rather than a trail of broken and divided people and situations?

I don't know how transformation happens, but it does. I don't know how a caterpillar makes is cocoon (or chrysalis) and then comes out a butterfly. I just know it does.

I don't know how Saul was transformed into Paul. I just know he was by the things he did and said and the way he lived.

One nature into another...the greek word in Romans 12:2 for transformation is 'metamoro.' It's where we get the word metamorphosis.

Don't conform to the ways of this world. Be transformed. I would even go as far to say that we ought not be conforming ourselves to God (a noble act indeed)as much as we need to allow God to manage our transformation.

One on one.

In community with other believers.

In our dealings with those still asking questions about faith.

In our dealings with those who can't stand the idea of God.

Let's allow God to manage our transformation...

...want to?

Our morning at Bushkill Falls, PA

Hukleberry Porch Moment 2

Tonight's talk is about trust. It's about the fact that God wants us to trust Him.

I used to think that trust is a hard thing to do. I know it's hard to earn, but I thought that a life of trusting is tough. The more that I've thought about it, I think that trusting is easy.

So easy, in fact, that we trust in things and don't even know it.

From the time we wake up in the morning we trust our experiences of previous days. We trust the things that we're taught by others, we trust the things we know to be true, we even trust ourselves. We jump into the trust relationships that we've established with the things and people around us.

Trust breeds comfort.

To establish an entirely new trust relationship is tough. It does take time and effort and relationship of some sort. Whether it's with people or things, it takes time.

Trust is often times the product of crisis as well.

Sometimes we have no other choice but to trust.

As far as trusting God goes, well...that's one that never quite gets as natural as the other kinds that I've been talking about. I do think it get easier with time and as we get comfortable with God and talking about God, it becomes easier to trust.

Take Peter for instance. Spent A LOT of time with Jesus. Jesus spent time teaching lots of people lots of things, but he often took Peter, James and John aside for some smaller group time. Jesus tried to reveal to Peter the reason for his being here and the manner in which he'd be leaving (sort of). Peter told him that he's follow Him anywhere and he trusted him to the ends of the Earth. At the time for everything to unfold, Peter hacks a dude's ear off.

(WAHN WAH)

Hey, we're a family...

...far from perfect...

...but we're a family

on the eve of the first Fireside

Fireside is the evening worship here at Spruce Lake. This week is 12-14 year olds and normally, this age group would be a little crazy for me, but I'm finding an odd sense of calm. Frankly, I don't want to let down the camp director, and I desperately want to do a great job.

That requires me getting out of the and become a shell of myself for God to use. My personality, God's message, I think you get the picture...

This place (Spruce Lake) is a very special place to me. It feels like home; I knew it would. In many ways, it more like home than my house. It's where I met Jesus for the first REAL time. For some reason, this place makes it very easy to see that God is everywhere.

And it's that I hope gets conveyed to the kids tonight.

Sometimes I think it stinks that it's almost a discipline to see God doing God's thing. I wish it came more naturally and it's awesome that this is a place that can happen.

We all pretty much need to remain teachable, and frankly, I haven't been. It's possible that's why things have been so stressful. It's hard to the boss or the expert and remain teachable. It's a quality that I think people value in their leadership, and it's easy to fake. A few well placed nods and a 'sure' here and there can fool most people.

Bottom line though, most people don't really like fakes. And it sucks when people find out you are...

...unless you tell people first...

then that makes you teachable...

This is only the first day