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Mad Crazy Drumming Skills
I have a tendency to play the air-drums while running. My friend, Ben, from Triplet taught me a few beats when I was in Portugal. Jesse Borden made me two beautiful African djembes that I’m still learning to play. So my church put an old practice drum kit in my office! (It’s missing some things, […]
November 2, 2006
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My Psalm 130
The Psalm songs make me feel less psychotic, most of the time. They give me permission to feel, and to (politely) yell at God. This Sunday night, we challenged the high schoolers to rewrite Psalm 130 in their own words. We’ve been studying the Great Commandment, and Sunday we considered what it means to love […]
October 31, 2006
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Gentle Voices
With all of these tears I am feeling soothed a bit by the sound of soft, gentle voices. There are many, but I’ll mention just one for now. Thanks to the excellence of Pandora I rediscovered this tender little band from Pennsylvania, The Innocence Mission. There’s nothing fancy to them, but their simple piano and […]
October 29, 2006
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Career Day at the Middle School
My sweet brother, Anthony, is in the 7th grade. He asked me to come in and talk to his class for Career Day. “You want me to talk about my career at your public school? I think I’m gonna have to talk to your teacher first.” What is my career? I’m not sure. I’ve been […]
October 28, 2006
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Names Written on Water – Part 2
[I promise to turn the topic to something less heavy soon.] I wept from my belly a lot today as I spent many hours at a viewing of an old friend. I dug up a simple poem that I wrote in 2000, because it paints a similar scene to my today: At the Viewing of […]
October 26, 2006
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Names Written on Water
In 1999 I spent a semester studying in Rome. Just outside the old Roman walls, there is a Protestant cemetary where a great many famous Englishmen are buried. I wandered into that cemetary one perfectly overcast afternoon and spent time talking with God about life. I needed a break from the hustle of emotions that […]
October 24, 2006
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How to Rest in America – part 2
(Continued notes-to-self from this post: How to Rest in America – part 1) 18. Read the international news.19. Learn some new songs.20. Sketch things in a little book. (You used to do that as a kid. You forgot how much you like to do that.)21. Sleep long enough to remember your dreams.22. When you wake […]
October 21, 2006
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Blackbird
Yesterday I walked into Earnest’s office rather shyly. Earnest is the Pastor of Worship and Arts at my church. He’d heard that I play the guitar, so he pointed to a guitar and asked me to play. I froze. I clam up in situations when it seems I’m supposed to impress someone musically. I think […]
October 18, 2006
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Would Jesus Drink @ Starbucks?
I’m not sure what Gus the cat thinks about Starbucks. The only brew he could smell was the stuff we poured out in that old apartment in Sao Joao. We only drank from those cheap, hand-painted mugs from Evora that were forever chipping. The saints of the earth would often mail us some of that […]
October 15, 2006
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Sunsets Say Goodbye
Trevor Borden wrote this song as he was saying “goodbye” to Portugal. The last days of my time in Portugal happened to be the last days of the Borden’s, too. I’d come home awfully late to the Borden’s house and find Trev tinkering away on his guitar, outside in the garden. Eventhough it was past […]
October 11, 2006
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Help-Wanted
I need a job. I’ve been scouring classified ads and have made some phone calls. All of the following are in the running, in some shape or way. Put in your vote.
September 30, 2006
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Cellophane-Wrapped Tongues
I want to be more honest. Not just on this blog, but in real-time, too. I like to think I’m awfully honest. But, lately I feel like I’ve put bars in front of my words. Maybe it’s because I’m living in such transition. Or maybe because I’m an approval-suck. It’s both/and, I’m sure. A few […]
September 30, 2006
