For the past several months, I've been supposedly preparing a revamping of my blog with different content, different layout, different blogging engine. As it turns out, I've been so cranking busy that that project has been placed on the perpetual back burner. Quite honestly, I'm beginning to wonder if the burner even works at this point . . .

HOWEVER, yesterday, whether intentionally or unintentionally, a good friend (you know who you are) pointed out something that I've been chewing on personally for a few months now. It goes something like this: those of us who run in emerging church circles can be a cranky, angry lot. Oh sure, we might have a better sense of humor and feel more relaxed than when we were in the mainstream of the evangelipseudofundmentlismo factory. But in the midst of all of our critiques of church culture, modernity, consumerism, etc., it's very often easier to know what we oppose, or what we're pissed off about, than what we're for. Sometimes it gets to the point that an outside observer would rightly wonder why we even bother with all this, anyway. As a note to said outside observer: most of us have asked that question more times than we can count.

But really, don't we want to be known for something other than our critiques? Don't we believe in a Story that is so good, so rich, so powerful that we decided to organize our whole lives around it? Isn't our faith in the God-man, Jesus, and his Kingdom vision something that stirs our hearts? Isn't our love for Christ's bride a calling to something good, rather than something we wish we could escape?

Let me be clear: I'm guilty of cranky critique and a bad attitude. I too often get lost in seeing a need for change, and lose my vision for a better way forward. I have a bad attitude.

So perhaps I'll try to launch that new version of my blog after all, except with a more positive mindset. Not some pep-talk, toothless, feel-good mantra fest or anything. And not necessarily a place free from critique. But a place where I can point to the good things that are going on, even in the middle of difficulty. A place I can freely display the hope that I have for the things to come.

That's all.

Labels: blogging, Christendom, emerging church, friends

I just updated the list of books that I have read, as well as the list of books I intend to finish by the end of the year. There are a few more books I need to add to the "to be read" list, but I'll pop those on the 'ol blog later. I dare not linger too long on what's left to be read, because it's pretty overwhelming. I'm not an overly fast reader, nor am I an amazing retainer of the things I've read, unless it's super good. Usually, I'm good for a few general summary sentences, but not a thorough review.

Anyway, the reading list alone should indicate why I haven't been blogging as frequently, as well as the likelihood that my frequency will change much in the near future. Maybe I'll just pop a bunch of YouTube videos on here to keep people entertained . . . as if anyone comes here for the entertainment value.

Labels: blogging, books, school

Regardless of the fact that I actually planned, or at least knew, that this would be an insanely busy time in my life, I still feel like I'm overloaded. I'm the kind of guy that actually enjoys being busy a lot of the time - it's fun to push hard, live on adrenaline, juggle a lot of things at once. It's just that it's not a sustainable way. And I'm arriving at the "diminishing returns" place, where I'm having increasing difficulty maintaining concentration on the tasks at hand. I'm pretty sure things will settle back down into a rhythm of more controlled chaos in a few weeks, but until then, I need to keep pushing. The thing that has (somewhat) saved my butt thus far is that I'm still trying to being idealistic about the whole Sabbath thing.

After a long summer, school starts next week at UW. We're getting a new year of campus ministry stuff ready now. On a parallel track, inter::mission, a dream we've been working on for the past two years, is about to officially launch. It'll likely be a quiet launch that builds momentum, but at least we'll be able to say it's happening. I want so much to enjoy the ride with the students, and help them experience a different way of living and seeing the Kingdom of God at work . . . but that will require finishing a ton of work first. By the way, if you know any UW students that need housing this year, we've got a few open rooms at The Purple Door, just waiting . . .

Labels: sabbath, the purple door

Michelle and I just returned from a blurryfastwaytoobusy trip to SoCal. We went down there to clean up our rental house from previous tenants and prepare it for the next go-round. Tons of work. And blazing blazing HOT. The mercury hit 107 (f) one day. Sadly, our time was very limited with family and friends. We got a lot of work done, but not quite enough for our liking. Happily, we were able to get some new tenants lined up and ready to move in. That's a relief - things get financially tight with two mortgages.

We came home to amazing weather. The Pacific Northwest has to have the best summer weather in the nation. We've had a few spots of rain, but for the most part, it's sunny and mid 70s. No smog. Good times. It's almost enough to make me forget about the long, rough winter we had this past year. So if you're looking to visit Seattle, make your plans for July/August or early September. Take a drive across one of Lake Washington's floating bridges (like I do every day) and see some eye popping beauty.

I guess I'm a pretty lucky guy. I've lived in two metropolitan areas in my life - San Diego and Seattle. Not bad.

Labels: family, friends, San Diego, Seattle, travel