Whew, Net Access

Thoughts on my first few days in Austin:

Three flights of stairs is really hard, I about died taking what little stuff we had, it's 40 stairs in all, man I'm way out of shape. For my NC friends think "Chris getting lost in the mountains, and he is close to passing out." Only problem is I did not have Faas to help me :)

We went to Cici's pizza, let me just say this, the best thing they have is COKE! (blah)


Do not go shopping for school clothes with a 6 year old. It's freaking impossible. She knew what she wanted, and she was not about to budge. Bailey's whole wardrobe has some kind of pink in it.

I love the business climate in Austin. It's young, creative and energetic. Looking forward to diving in.

It's hard not having web access, it seems like my life is on the web, and without instant access, I get a little lost.

So far, our apartments are real cool. Saturday night we had folks BBQ (ing), playing poker, and playing football in our square. It's a mixed bag, families, singles, young and old married couples etc. Tonight, we our heading to a "back-to-school" pizza party at the pool. Good chance to get to know our community.

Time to go.

Peace & Love

More Random Thoughts

We are here and ready to start the lovely job of unpacking. We are on the 3rd floor. (FUN) I do not have net access for the 1st week, so it looks like I will be getting to know all the cool cafes in town. (who would have thought)

Bailey starts school on Monday, Necole starts work on Monday and I take my Real Estate test on Friday. 10 hour study days ahead. Fun!

I may head to Houston and take on J and his crew in poker. Of course I will need to win to cover the gas money :)

Yesterday was hotter then the hottest part of hell, (at least I hope) it was wicked, 104 PLUS HIGH HUMIDITY. (As all my Seattle friends laugh)

Well, time to leave. See you on the flip side.

Peace & Love

Random Thoughts

We head to Austin tomorrow, sweet!

Can't wait for Fall, I hate the month of August. My least favorite month of the year. And Fall, Winter & Spring in Austin is great, Summer, not so.

We really need some rain, bad.

Red Sox are driving me nuts right now. How we get swept by the FREAKING Royals?

Football season is soon, how cool is that? Go Raiders. Maybe, just maybe we will be 8-8 this year. I just hope the Broncos suck. I mean, did they not draft Clarett?

I hope Notre Dame wins it all, but I think their schedule is to tough.

Off to bed...Peace & Love

Just A Thought

So today Necole received a phone call, it was Bailey's new 1st grade teacher. She wanted to introduce herself and answer any questions that we may have. She spoke with Bailey for a few minutes and Bailey was like the happiest 6 year old in the world.

Now I personally never heard of something like this, it was creative, professional and very encouraging.

You Are Not Alone!

So the last few days I've had a kinda of mini personal revival. I guess I would call it a time of refreshing. I'm so pumped to be a Christ-follower, to partner with God and use my gifts to help reconcile my generation back to God, so they can understand their role in His story. That is what makes me tick. Man I'm so pumped.

I was praying tonight, I have so many needs (or so it seems) yet I hate when my own prayer life becomes about me. So, I prayed for some others, so I thought I would blog my prayers:

1. I prayed for Hungry and the new church plant in Raleigh. Man, I love Jeff and Gore. These are some great men of God, and God is going to do some real cool stuff with them. Guys, I may be like 1500 miles away, but I with you in spirit.

2. Prayed for Vintage 21. Great church and Tyler is a real cool authentic dude. I think this church will make a huge impact in Raleigh.

3. Prayed for Ken and Brenda. That they would have a smooth transition, and God would bless them and lead them to a new future and with a new community in Seattle. I love and really miss those guys, even Sally!

4. Prayed for Pathways Church in Mill Creek, WA. I think these boys are on to something. How to build a missional church in a suburban context. A real need for sure. Plus, I had a long conversation over IM with John today, needless to say I was getting a little excited, of course I ranted a bit to!!!!!!! (I prayed for theohacks, is that what it's called? It's been so long, I dunno) :)

5. Prayed for the Ashdowns. That God would surround them with an amazing creative community in Houston. And that they would have kids soon. (j/k)

6. Prayed for Ryan Van Sickle and his trip to Africa. Ryan, don't let the burden die!

7. Prayed for my missionary friends who are living out life abroad. Steven in S. Africa and Mark in Budapest. That God would provide for them, protect them and use them to share the beautiful story of Christ Africa and Europe.

8. Prayed for many of the Sacred folk that I love and care for, who are still in Raleigh trying to live missional. Sacred is over, but the impact never dies. (I can tell you story after story that I've heard about in the past few weeks, very refreshing)

I get so excited to hear what God is doing. Man life is short, live hard for God!

Speak Up Now

What is your opinion?

The last few months we have lived on the east coast, west coast and mid-America. Each location has it's good points and bad points for sure. One things that is frustrating is trying to locate your favorite fast food joints, because the cool ones are regional.

So I was asking Ashdown if he preferred Bojangles or In-N-Out Burger. I will let J speak for himself.

So the questions is this, what is your favorite fast food joint? Leave a comment.

The Light Is Getting Bright!

So yesterday was a good day. We landed jobs, good jobs. So that is a blessing. Now we still need to come up with the funds to move in this Friday. We have money coming in next week, but hey, that is not this week :)

So the struggle continues...But the light is at the end of the tunnel and it's getting brighter.

BTW-Mad props to the person who sent me this. I came home late last night and I saw a cool Amazon box. (it's been awhile since I saw one of these bad boys)

Anyhow, I will give you a hint of who he is: Plays guitar, loves Bojangles' * Famous Chicken 'n Biscuits, married up, lives in H-town, loves LA, (soon to be Austin)drinks way to much Hennessey, smokes rolled tobacco, plays halo (I beat him all the time), one of the best worship leaders in America.

Peace & Love

YouTube - OK Go - Here It Goes Again

WOW, very creative and fresh approach. This video has been seen over 2 million times in just two weeks. Can you say viral. Check it out- YouTube - OK Go - Here It Goes Again

Got It or Should I Say Got Them!!!

Whoops-Necole now has three job offers :)

Necole scored two jobs today! WOW, now we have to choose. So pumped, thanks for your prayers.

Peace & Love

Andy Stanley

Good quote by Andy Stanley:

"Leaders chase opportunities."

That is really really really good!

Apple News

Tiger, now Leopard.
Does it seem strange that pc users still have Window X`P. I thought Vista was suppose to come out like two years ago. :)

Prayer Request

Update: Necole scored a few more job interviews. And she got a second interview (the one that she really wants or should I say the one that we really need)tomorrow in Austin. So, we are off again in the morning. My faith is high and the journey is good.

____________________________

So we are now 5 days till we move to Austin. I have 6 major needs that I've been praying and fasting for. Of those six, only two has come to pass. *sigh*

So, here are some prayer request that I have.

1. We need the remaining funds to move into our place. ($600)
2. Necole's job. She has one that she really wants. Pray that they choose her (if God willing) and that she starts sooner rather then later. ( I have a part-time gig for now)
3. Daycare for Kenzie.

That is enough for now. It feel good to be able to blog this, knowing that friends from all over the world will be praying for me tomorrow. I think sometimes we have to lay our pride down and ask for help. I'll let you know when the prayers are answered and thanks ahead of time for your prayers.

Peace & Love and my hope is sooooooo high, God is so good.

The Village Church

UPDATE: So for some odd and unknown reason, we went back to the Village tonight. Now I've only been to a few churches in the past 4 months, so I was surprised that I had some motivation to try to make it to the 5PM service.

The service was great, Matt is a great communicator, brought the word and mixed in some good humor. Plus, I NEEDED to hear what he said. It was a blessing.


So we attempted to go to the The Village Church this morning. We arrived right when the service started. We put Bailey and Kenzie in their class and headed towards the sanctuary...Only to find out that the church was full. Yep, we had to leave. No luck. I could be pessimistic and complain, but I think it's great.

I know for a fact that they have planted another church last year and they have 4 services each Sunday. Now they are adding a fifth on Saturday night. Anyhow, that was the first time in my life that I could not attend of a church for a lack of seating.

Peace & Love

Life-Or The Lack Thereof

Necole and I have had multiple conversations about our crazy journey that we have endured and embraced over the past four months. One thing is for sure when you go through times like we have, you tend to ask a lot more question. To be truthful, it seems like it's easier to focus on God and to process life when you are in desperate situations. I keep asking a few key questions; like hearing God's voice, or knowing God's will.

I guess you could say that Necole and I know a lot more about ourselves now than we did 4 months ago. Here are some observations:

We love simplicity. Life is so complicated and stress levels run high. But I think the church must be a voice of simple living.

Status Quo oh no-We are truly not interested in status quo living. It's so boring and mundane. (Although sometimes necessary) Our goal is not to get good jobs, have a few kids, buy a home and attend 27 soccer games per week. By no means is this wrong, but it's just not us. God just did not design us to be this way. Ed Young Jr. has some good things in his book Kid CEO. So many parents design their lives COMPLETELY around their kids. Is that healthy? I think not.

Community-For the most part, we have very complicated family situations. I think this is the biggest reason why we desire community. Community means more to us than money, success, title, or even being right. I love community, especially diverse community, community where people disagree and live messy lives, but a community where love is true and acceptance is not optional.

Missional Living-Nothing really matters to us outside of being missional followers of Jesus.

Adventure-Necole and I often wonder why parents assume when they have kids they have to stop "living." Now, there is a season where Neocle and I would rather have stayed at home. Like when Kenzie was a baby and Bailey was a toddler. Remember, my first point was simplicity. :) Life is not simple with a baby and toddler.

Anyhow, we dream of doing so much; like traveling, exploring, educating, understanding other cultures, dealing with poverty, helping our global brothers and sisters in Christ. I dream about hanging with Mark in Budapest, or Steven in South Africa. I want to help, bring hope and feel like I'm living a life based on eternity and I'm not going to regret my life when I'm 60.

Why I'm I saying all this? When you go through tough times, times when It seems like the voice of God is silent, your decision making is flawed and life is not going the way you want. It is in these times that you find your values, what makes you tick, and what keeps you up at night. I know myself now more then I did 4 months ago. I know what I want to do with my life, I know I want to live a life of no regrets, a life of adventure and I life that is based on mission. I want to live life, follow Jesus, love my family and be a "friend that is closer than a brother." I do not want to live in safety or the mundane.

Life is meant to be lived to the full. And that is why I love living.

eBible Pimp

I've been called the eBible.com pimp. So, let me do some more pimpin. I got three invites. If you want one leave me your email address in the comments.

Peace & Love

Austin Is Home

I'm in Austin. When I'm here I feel alive, I feel home. I'm now starting to network and meet some pastors in the area. Some cool churches doing some cool things in the city. I'm looking forward to "jumping in" and seeing what God is going to do.

Peace & Love from Austin.

BTW-Gore you never called me back you sucka!!!! :)

Music Is Soooooo Good

For whatever reason I've been blessed with some cool friends who are worship leaders. Over the past few days I've been spinning their tunes in my times of prayer or study. It's been a true blessing to hear their music and their hearts. I know I've posted about them before, but of you are looking for some cool indie worship music, I would check these guys out:

Ryan Van Sickle's blog & music website.

Wahba's blog and music website.

Jasen Ashdown's blog & myspace.

Enjoy

Peace & Love

Test Time (Yikes)

I finally got the paperwork that I needed in order to take my real estate test. Which is cool. But now the stress begins. (fun fun fun)

Anyhow, I take the exam next Friday. So please pray for me.

Also, tomorrow Necole has three interviews in Austin. So pray for her.

Peace & Love from one stressed out dude!

BAD NEWS ALL THE TIME

Is it me, or does the world seem so negative these days? Maybe we have to much access to information. Wars, robberies, poverty, political upheavals etc.

I know the "gospel" is good news, right? Yet, to be frank...It seems like all I personally ever hear about the "good news" is how many people showed up to a Sunday morning gathering. Now maybe that (numbers) is good, and I think they are or could be. But, is that it, Is that the climax? Is the ultimate goal to get a lot of folks to church on Sunday mornings?

Of course, you always have the flip side: people that tend to do nothing but criticize the church, or politics or whatever they are upset about. I mean, I've stopped reading some blogs that do nothing but complain about Bush, or the church. That is so boring! Say something if you want, but also tell stories about God and His goodness and what he is doing to help restore the world and His kingdom. PLEASE!

What does good news look like these days...? When I read the Bible, I can feel the good news...Healing, miracles, a new way of living, forgiveness being poured out, self-esteem being returned, hope renewed etc.

Hey, maybe it's me. I do not want to ignore the issues that our world faces, I personally think we as Christ-followers are called to stand in the crossroads of our generations and point people in the right direction. BUT, I just get so tired of hearing negative news all the time.

10 Days & Counting

Well well well, we have 10 days till we move to Austin. We are so pumped. For a moment, we thought we might stay in Dallas. But, to be quite frank, we just did not feel peaceful about the DFW area. While we will miss family and friends, we know we are doing the right thing, which is to follow our hearts to a city that we love and want to do life in.

We just spent the weekend in Austin, and we love the city, the vibe and the potential. It's fresh, funky & smaller. Austin was just ranked the 2nd best big city to live in by Money Mag. The economy is doing really well and the housing market is exploding. It's also one of the cheapest big cities to live in with the median home price close to $170, 000. To some extent, Seattle ruined us. We love the creativity of Seattle and we desperately missed it while in the DFW area.

Also, I'm truly amazed that our destination will be Austin. It may be the best city for us; it's outdoorsy, cheap(er), sunny (300 days a year...Rock on), the energy is high and the culture is laid back. The business climate is young and hip. Also, the spiritual climate is very open-minded. From what I understand, Austin leans more left than right if you know what I mean. :) So, it will be fun to engage culture with the gospel and see the amazing grace of God unfold.

Now if we could just get some of our friends to move (Corey & Renee) and, of course, our family.

While in Austin, we went to the Lake and through the rolling hills/canyons. Our kids were like, "hey mom and dad, is this Seattle?" I guess when they think of water they think of Seattle; who can blame them.

We got the apartment that I blogged about a while back. We enrolled Bailey in school, and now we are looking for jobs and daycare for Kenzie.

So please pray for us, like I said; Necole is looking for a job, I'm taking my real estate test in the next few weeks, we have to find a good and affordable daycare for Kenzie, and we will be looking for a home to church to connect and serve.

New numbers are below, we will be emailing our new address soon:

Chris (512) 733-4109
Necole (512) 733-4116

Peace & Love and let the thrill ride begin!

Rick Warren is Blogging.

Rick Warren is now blogging. I have nothing but respect for this guy. Of course two years ago I would not have said that. I was not a big fan of the purpose driven life phenomenon. But I was wrong, God has used that book and Rick Warren in so many ways and on a global scale. I love the fact that Rick has taken his wealth and fame to help those in poverty.

HT:Andrew Jones


Also, I found it very interesting to hear that Andy Stanley was hanging out at the Atlanta Emergent Cohort. How cool is that? It's not about being right or wrong, macro or micro...But missional. So many ways to express the beauty of God.

HT: Pomomusings.

iPod is FULL

I just wanted to let all my good music friends know that after owning my 15 gig iPod for three years I finally filled it up this morning. I downloaded 9 sermons and that did me in.

So, it looks like I should have gotten that 20 gig iPod, crap! :) :) :)

Peace & Love

Some Middle East Thoughts

My friend Kezia sent me this link today. I can't tell you how frustrating it is to discuss the Middle East crisis with many Christians. I tend to get two pat answers. 1. Israel is God's chosen people so whatever they are doing must be right. 2. Kill those terrorist who are evil and ungodly and don't deserve to live.
I got in a heated debate with a fellow Christian at a cafe. The dude basically told this teenager, from Europe, that American is God's chosen country, we are called to take them out and help Iraq become like America. I was an innocent bystander and I overheard the conversation. I spoke up (who would have thought) and asked this youth pastor what he (yp) thought about love; and did he forget that mercy is better then judgment? I also asked him if he thought that the Iraqis were our enemies? He said yes. I then asked him how we should deal with the issue at hand (war, Iraq, etc.)? He replied with, "well we need to take them out." My response was simple, "what about loving our enemy?" Is God not a God of love, mercy and grace? Did he not come to heal our world and bring peace? Are we not called to be "seekers of peace?"

The dude quickly backpedal, and said yes...BUT! Of course their is always a BUT, right? I looked at the teenager and I told him that God is love, and that God loves Israel, Iraq, Lebanon and America the same. God does not show favoritism. The teenager replied back with a quick response. He said that made sense to him, that God could love everyone.

At this point, the fundamental youth pastor dude quickly jumped out of his seat, shook my hand and left the cafe. The teenager said "thanks" and he left. And I sat there amazed at the fact that so many folks in my tribe really think that America & Israel has all the answers and somehow we are better than the rest of the world; Which is totally not true. But it is what it is, and to be quite frank, I do not know what to do about that. And I do not like the fact that we cover the story of Christ with a bunch of junk that does not reflect who (I think) Christ is, and who (I think) Christ wants us to be. Anyhow, check out the article, maybe you won't agree with is all, but at least it's an alternative viewpoint that could cause more of a balanced conversation to take place.

Peace & Love

'Who Is My Neighbor' in the Lebanon-Israel Conflict:

"Through the responses that I received, it became clear to me that there are many misunderstandings about certain realities in the Middle East. The first has to do with the use of the term 'terrorist.' The term has been so grossly misused for political rhetoric in the past few years that only those who are willing to question deeply-rooted conventions will be able to hear me. 'Terrorist' cannot;should not;be used as a noun or in the substantive. It can only be an adjective to describe an act. The fact is that the 'terrorists' of one group are the 'heroes' of another. "

BTW-By no means am I saying that these terrorist groups are doing the right thing. Nor am I rooting or totally agreeing with either side. I just think violence sucks and the church needs to make a stand for peace!

You Are Invited

The writings of Dallas Willard have had a huge impact on my thinking and spirituality. So needless to say I was stoked when I learned (somehow I had no clue this book was coming out) that Willard had just released a new book called: The Great Omission: Reclaiming Jesus' Essential Teachings on Discipleship.

With all that being said, John Chandler has decided to start a book study via a blog.

So, here is were you come in...You can follow the conversation and add your .02 in the comments. Or you can be a contributor to help get the conversation rolling.

Now, I can tell you that some real cool cats are participating, so I'm sure this is going to be a great study that will enhance the "book" experience and cause some major discussion to take place.

To learn more please go here. The study starts soon, so don't delay. If you are "in," please leave a comment and let us know...If you want to be a contributor let me know and I can forward your info to John. (or just let John know) Peace & Love, and don't miss this!

Spidy 3

BTW-I also saw the previews of Spiderman 3. It looks so cool. Why do we have to wait till next summer? Also, Spiderman looks so much cooler then Superman.

Peace & Love

Thirty-Something

Yes, Necole turned 30 today...Last night we had a family get together and played a little poker.

Today, we awoke early (thanks to Bailey) and I made some french toast. Then we headed out to see Superman. But, we were told that this Superman showing has close captions. Of course, they told us we could barley see the words and it should not bother us-Wrong!

So we jumped ship and caught Pirates of the Caribbean 2. I thought the movie was ok. It seemed a little slow to start, and way drawn out at the end (or no end).

Now we are back at home for a bit and they we are headed to dinner with the family.

I think Necole is adjusting. 30th b-day is hard, your still young, but you are also old. Major transition for sure.

Crazy Life

Life been a little crazy...Necole and I took a step of faith today and rented some apts...They are nice. Good value and all...But, please say a prayer as we still need to come up with the fund to move in.

Also, pray for Necole, she is doing the job hunting thing. Which can be discouraging. We are at the end of our emotional rope. Bailey starts school soon, and we have to find daycare for Kenzie. So, lot's of decisions coming are way.

Also, Necole turns 30 this Monday. So be sure to give her a call, shoot her an email and all that good stuff.

We hope to celebrate soon. I'll let you know.

Peace & Love from Dallas, were it's like 106 *sigh*

Family Musings

Bailey: "Dad, can I get a rabbit?"
Dad: Um, well..."Who is going to clean up the poop?"
Bailey: Eyes roll, "Well, that is gross...Can we get an animal that does not poop."
Dad: Well, "all animals poop."
Bailey: "I got an idea, you (dad) can pick up the poop."
Dad: "What about a cat, they have litter boxes?"

10 minutes later

Kenzie: "Dad I want a little sister, can we get one?"
Dad: "Why do you want a little sister, what about a brother?"
Kenzie: "Well, I want more girls, so we can beat dad up."
Dad: Um, well then..No on the little sister request, that would mean three wedding and of course my early funeral."

Ok, now I'm off the to coffee shop...Being a dad rocks, even if they want me to clean up the poop and beat me up!

Peace & Love

This is the guy I follow

Most folks I know get a little frustrated with many in the evangelical world. (which includes me)

I have my reasons, for instance: I was in a conversation about tattoos. Necole wants to get one and another person overheard me say that Necole wanted one. (tattoo)

So, like most opinionated right wingers this person spoke up . This person pretty much said that God hates tattoos and that she was pretty sure somewhere in the bible it says tattoos are wrong. My first reactions was....%$%$@@@!!@##%%#. Ok, so I should not repeat it!

Anyhow, why do people try to use the bible to justify things they don't like?

And how do people read the story of Jesus and not see him as a rebel. Someone who broke rules and pissed of the religious institution of his day?

I'm so attracted to Jesus, but I'm so turned off by the right-wing ethos that tends to dominate and control the story of Jesus and the gospel.

I personally think this weakens the church, and causes us Christ-followers to focus on issues that are not prominent to God.

Anyhow, I read the scripture below...And I was reminded of the beauty of Jesus and why I'm willing to learn from His teachings and willing to lay (or at least try) my life down for His cause.

I personally think if Jesus was walking the earth today, we would find him at the local pub or cafe, hanging out with people and loving them. He would be teaching them a new way to live and telling them "truths" that would sting and hurt, and cause them to re-think how they live life and how life works. That is how, I feel, Jesus would love our world.

I think Jesus would be happy to sip a fat tire, laugh, smile, hug, love, teach, and be-friend. But, he would also challenge us. He would never be satisfied or allow us to stay the same; to stop learning, growing and being. I'm sure when he was done with his beverage, he would look us in the eye and say go. Go love, go hug, go pray, go read scripture, go to work and work your hardest, go and serve your enemy and love your neighbor, go and help change the world. And, I bet he would also leave a good tip.?

Peace & Love...Sorry...I have not ranted in a while.

Matthew 11:19
19The Son of Man came, eating and drinking, and people say; Look at him! He eats too much and drinks too much wine, and he is a friend of tax collectors and sinner's.; But wisdom is proved to be right by what it does."

eBible.com

I got another round of invites (3) for eBible.com. If you want one please leave a comment with your email address.

Peace & Love

Conflict, War and Jesus

I hate war, I'm tired of war, and I'm tired of Christians thinking war is ok and the way to go, and all that OT stuff that they use to justify war, is lame. I do not have the answers, and I'm not even saying war is ALWAYS wrong. But, firing missiles into neighborhoods where normal families live, is plain nuts. In the last few days, I've been really saddened by the conflict in the Middle East. I'm by no means an expert in this area, but it seems to me that Israel has gone a little (or a lot) overboard on how they have reacted.

Don't get me wrong...It's not cool to kidnap soldiers. And if you do, you will have to pay a price. But at the same time, Israel is close to starting the mother of all wars and that is not good for the global world. Trust me, if Iran and Syria do anything then it's going to cause America to do something. And that will cause the Europeans to do something, and yes that will not be a good thing.

I hate war, and I hate violence. I know the Bible says "blessed are the peacemakers," and "seek peace and pursue it." I know Jesus was subversive, and he preached a message of love and peace. When the Jews wanted to go to war and overthrow the Romans, Jesus responded by telling them to love their enemy, give their taxes and work hard unto the Lord.

Sure that is simple, and I KNOW I'm reducing a complicated subject into only a few biblical verses. But at the end of the day, I just think Jesus would be so saddened and heart-broken. I'm sure he would condemn those in leadership who abuse their power and I'm sure he would rebuke those who create mischief and desire evil.

And I'm also sure he would be with those who are wounded and hurting; those innocent folks who have lost loved one's, limbs and homes. Or families who are hoping their loved one's, who have been kidnapped, will return home safely and unharmed.

I have a strange feeling that Jesus would not stand by Israel or Hezbollah, instead he would be on the front lines loving and serving those who are impacted by the evil of those in power.

A few other bloggers are taking on this subject. Ryan has a nice string of comments going on his blog and Adam has some interesting thoughts on his blog.

Kenzie Turns 4 Today

WOW the big 4, amazing. 4 years ago today we were not sure if she would be born healthy...The docs thought she had spina bifida (sp?)

Needless to say she was fine, which was such a relief. God is good, and she is SOOOOOO cute. (Got her mamma's look, which was an answer to prayer)

Peace & Love

RUINED

Necole and I were talking yesterday and she made an interesting statement. She said "once your in ministry, your ruined for life, because no matter what happens, you will always want to do ministry,"

And...She is right. And that really sucks, I guess?

It's hard to go back to normal things in life such as 9-5 jobs, or real estate etc. I think those who are called to ministry have to face the music. It is what it is. Man, its tough. But its true...I'm ruined for life. But I'm OK with that!

Oh MY Gosh

You have new Picture Mail!
Originally uploaded by Ancientwalk.

That's right, can you see those beautiful 4 words: Z O K A

(ZOKA reigns from the Seattle and they serve some amazing coffee)

Yes, a local coffee shop serves zoka coffee. What a treat...No more starbucks for awhile.

Life is good.

You have new Picture Mail!

You have new Picture Mail!
Originally uploaded by Ancientwalk.

B-day aftermath!

You have new Picture Mail!

You have new Picture Mail!
Originally uploaded by Ancientwalk.

B-day party time....

You have new Picture Mail!

You have new Picture Mail!
Originally uploaded by Ancientwalk.

More fun times...

An era is coming to an end

So tomorrow Ken & Brenda leave Texas for Seattle...I'm happy for them, and their family. I'm sad they are going. We will miss them for sure. Although their is good news, I now have an excuse to buy an iSight :)

Anyhow, last night we hung out with a bunch of folks. Good food and good times.
Today we are going to lunch. And somehow we must grab a fat tire and some nice hand rolled tobacco. We shall see.

But, this is it...An end of an era. Bittersweet for sure. But God's will is always good.

Cheers to the Nussbaums. Two of the greatest folks on earth, and Sally a very nice dog. Peace & Love from the Marlow's.

PS-I'm a little tempted to slash the tires on the u-haul...Or better yet, poor some sugar in the gas tank. Or, maybe pay some folks to steal the truck. (I have connections)But I guess I should be a good Christian :)

Ashdown and Nussbaum

Ashdown latest CD is now available on CD Baby: CD Baby: JASEN ASHDOWN: Be Still My Soul

I just posted a review of the album. It's really good, and I'm not saying that because he is my friend. This CD will add value to your collection. Buy it, don't steal it and support the Ashdown's.

Ken & Brenda are in town. We ate some grub at Cafe Brazil. Man, what could I do to keep these cats in town?

-Ken-We can plant another church?
-Fat tire & cigars?
-Wings & b-ball with the boys?
-Great food...Shopping...Business. (C'mon on Brenda you know ya love it)
-Sally loves Dallas. I know this because she told me.
-We won't have to buy iSights.
-Ashdown is close buy.
-Texas needs some moderate Christ followers to keep it balanced.
-Blue Goose, Brazil, La Madeline, Mi Cocina, BBQ etc...
-Bailey & Mackenzie :) :) :) :) :)
-YOU WONT HAVE TO DRIVE ANOTHER 2000 MILES...
-Lot's of old people for insurance.
-Corey, Chris Larson, Me, Myself & I, Antonio, etc.

PS-Quick message to Ken and Brenda's family. Please don't kill me for this post :)

Peace & Love

eBible.com

I have three invites to eBible. Let me know if you want one.

Also, Ken & Brenda leave Raleigh tomorrow for Seattle (via Dallas, Denver etc.)Please pray for them.

I'm really digging the new Snow Patrol. Good stuff.

Maybe someday soon I will have something of value to say.

Until then...Peace & Love!

Good News

Good news, we are in The Jefferson Center. I'm so pumped. We (by faith) move in next week. So, I'm really looking forward to having my own place. I've added some pics.

It's a Grind

I've become a blog-slacker as of late. Just not enough time. Right now I'm hanging at a cafe called "It's a grind." Pretty cool place. I think I hung out with Ashy in the OC at one of these cafe's?

Anyhow, I opened my email this morning to find 12 companies that want to interview me for sales and managers positions. I mean that is cool and all...Now, I just have to figure out if I want to stay focused on real estate, or look for a full time gig. The big deal however is the kids, we would have no one to pick them up from school and all. Ah, the life of a parent, always fun.

I just dropped of an application to an apt. It's the coolest apartment I've ever seen. $850 for a 2 bedroom 2 bath 1300 sq ft place. Totally modern, this place is better and cheaper then the place Necole was going to work at in Bellevue.

Say a prayer that we get it, it's always tough getting into place when you are self-employed and commission based.

We shall see...Now, its back to the grind.

BTW-I missed Holly & Ryan's house show last night in N. Dallas. So BITTER!

Peace & Love

Post Austin

Austin was fun...Necole got a job...It could be the perfect job. Really good pay potential, and a flexible schedule.

She starts Tuesday. So that means we must find housing and quick.

We hung out on the famed 6th St yesterday. Very cool place. I would describe it as eclectic, independent and funky...Lot's of restaurants, wine bars, art galleries and plenty of shopping and lots of music venues.

Austin is like the place to be for music, it's the Seattle of the 90's sorta speak. Not sure how that happened, but I guess it did.

It's hard to describe the draw of Austin. In many ways it's the perfect city, smaller than Seattle, bigger than Raleigh. Plus the cost of living is so cheap. We can buy a great home for like $150,000, and still be 15 minutes to downtown.

We are so happy...Now, if we can get some paychecks rolling in. That would be NICE.

Also, Kevin & Jodie have been gracious hosts. It's funny how you don't see someone for like 4 years and when you re-connect it's like you've never been apart. The joys of community.

Peace & Love

Austin

Necole and I are hanging in Austin for the next few days. We are hoping to get to know the city, where to live, work and of course play.

Tonight we will chill with K-Dub & Jodie, we are going to cook out and all. Should be fun.

Hoping to make some connections and all.

Necole has two job interviews so far. So, that is good.

Peace & Love from Austin, the self-proclaimed "live music capital of the world," & "the coolest city in America." Texans are bold people :)

Ready to move

Passed my class test today...So freaking lame.
Now I have to wait till all the paperwork comes back so I can take the state exam.

If the Mavs lose tonight that would really suck.

I'm ready to move to Austin, it's been to long since we've had our own place. I'm ready. Plus, I can't wait to explore Austin, build new friendships and see what God has in store. Although I got plenty of vision ready to be released.

Necole is looking for a job, please pray for her.

I also finished the Da Vinci Code. Good book...I will post some more thoughts later. But let me say this...I had no clue Jesus was married...They never taught me that in Bible College :)

Ok, kidding...Anyhow, Christians should learn how to relax. We've been around awhile and I doubt this 450 page book is going to alter the theological views of the world.

Maybe I should become a member of Opus Dei? Do they have an emerging Opus Dei?

Sweet

Congrats to the Canes for winning the Stanley Cup...It seems like forever ago that Necole and I went to the season opener.

Mike Faas was at the game, how cool is that...Mike, show us some pics bro!

as the day goes on

So this morning I got up at 4:45AM. Not sure why life exists at that hour...But, I had to head across the metroplex to catch a review class for my real estate test. It was a little early (ok, like an hour...But who cares-Ken & J Ashdown stop laughing) so I made my way to Starbucks. Man, I would do freaking anything for Zoka, Ladro, Vita or Vivacci.(sp?) Anyhow, I got my coffee, watched the sun rise, jammed to Wahba & Ryan and read Simply Christian, which I hope to blog about soon.

Between the music (man those boys love God) and the book, I was feeling really good. I guess my Spirit felt feed, if you know what I mean.

Then of course I had to leave my bliss and head to class for 8 hours of review. A little over an hour into the review I was so freaking bored I was going to cry. My ADHD was in full gear. The instructor was lame, the 50 something chick to my left had a mixture of alcohol and perfume flowing throughout the room. I was getting ticked.

So in the middle of his lecture (or should I say note reading)I packed my bag and left. Folks were looking at me like I was nuts, but who cares, I did not want to waste my day listening to this cat talk crap and smell this chick next to me.

Now, I'm at White Rock Cafe. Enjoying some coffee, trying to study for this test. This will be the third test I've taken in less than one year. *sigh*

I'm not bitter, I promise.

I thought Dirk Nowitzki was suppose to be a top 5 player? Man, I've lost a ton or respect for this guy.

And how does D Wade go to the line 23 times in ONE game? Please!

Mavs down 1 point with 1:40 to go.

Update: Dirk missed a free throw-amazing.

Update: Why did Dallas not double D-Wade? I mean, one-on-one, c'mon.

Update: Two missed free (Howard) throws-Yikes

Update: Props to Dirk, what a shot.

Update: WOW!

NT Wright

NT Wright discussing one of the objective's to his latest book.

"This leads naturally into Part Three, where I describe what it looks like in practice to follow this Jesus, to be energized by this Spirit, and above all to advance the plan of this creator God. Worship (including sacramental worship) prayer, and scripture launch us into thinking about "the church," seen not as a building and not even so much as a institution, but as the company of all those who believe in the God we see in Jesus and who are struggling to follow him.

In particular, I explore the question of what the church is there for. The point of following Jesus isn't simply so that we can be sure of going to a better place than this after we die. Our future beyond death is enormously important, but the nature of the Christian hope is such that it plays back into the present life. We're called, here and now, to be instruments of God's new creation, the world-put-to-rights which has already been launched in Jesus and of which Jesus followers are supposed to be not simply beneficiaries but also agents."

========

I think the above quote is so refreshing. It gives me hope to follow and serve God.

new contact numbers

hey everyone,

necole and i switched our cell phone numbers AGAIN :)

so, here they are:

necole Cell: 512-619-7909

chris' Cell: 512-587-9948

hope all is well, we love and miss each of you.

peace & love and embrace the journey.

Fun Times With The Guys

Unfortunately the mavs lost...But, I still had fun hanging out with my buddies Corey & Antonio last night. It's been awhile, but we watched the game, drank some brew and yelled at the TV screen. Of course, Necole and Renee hung out and did whatever girls do (which is talk).

Anita joined the fray at the end...So, fun times for sure...We even hinted on the possibility of bringing back "guys night" on Tuesday, which usually consist of wings, beer, B-Ball and guy talk. Sounds fun.

I love these guys, I have not seen them in close to 4 years...But they are life-long friends.

Thanks for hanging guys.

Go Mavs, at least for this year...Hopefully, the Lakers will be back soon to compete? But, I guess that is doubtful :(

BTW-I'm in the middle of my first Texas thunder storm...Rock on!

Reunite Moses' Family!

My friend Steven is up to some more missional activity in Africa. Go to his
blog and read the entire story. Stuff like this breaks my heart. I for one will give.

Also, I can't imagine what it would be like to not be around my family because I was a pastor.

They need $640 to make this miracle happen. Please pray and more importantly please help.

Reunite Moses' Family!

10 Years Today

I got married 10 years ago today. Nuts.

Being married for 10 years causes one to stop and pause and think. You look back and you see so many ups and downs.

Here is what I know. I'm more excited to be married today then I was 10 years ago.

Necole is an amazing wife, mother, friend and person.


Happy Anniversary honey. Can't wait for another 10 years.

Bono In Africa

My buddy Ryan, who is agreat worship leader and a better person has some quality thoughts on Bono & Africa. I have to say, I totally agree with him.

We loved Austin

Needless to say, we LOVED Austin...RATS!

We were hoping that we would not like the city, but man, Austin is just great. The vibe is so cool. I guess I would describe Austin as a mix of Raleigh & Seattle. Two cities that we love.

Pros:

It's affordable. It's got a lot of sunny weather. It's young. It's eclectic. It's not conservative. It's not evangelical. It's spiritual. 3rd places are really important. They need more churches. It's an outdoor city, lots of biking, hiking, rowing, rafting etc. It's 2 hours from the Ashdown's.

Cons:

It's 3 hours away from family. It's hot. The Nussbaums will not be there. Hmm, I think that is it for now.

Well, Necole and I know that we would love the city. We could see ourselves there for 15 years. Thanks to K-Dub & Jodie for showing us around...K-Dub, We shall let you know soon if you sealed the deal :)

Austin

Necole and I are off to Austin this morning. The kids are staying with the family, so we are looking forward to being productive. I found out my buddy Kevin (aka K-dub) and his wife Jodie and their two kids now live in Austin. So that is cool. Also, one of my best child-hood friends is moving to Austin from Cali in a month or two.

We are hoping not to like Austin. It would be easier to live in the same city as our family. We found some really cool spots in Dallas. A lot more urban then I remember, so that is good.

Went to a church (not to be named) yesterday...It sucked. The worship sucked, the speaker sucked, I mean it just sucked. Yes, 3500 folks (mostly young & hip) attend this sucky church. Ok, now to be fair, the Lead Pastor was out of town. I think every time I go to a church, the Lead Pastor is gone, lame.

Ok, actually, the church does not suck, I just did not connect with it.

It's time, the mini van is fired up and ready for another road trip...That van rocks! Please Lord, I hope I do not like Austin :)

Peace & Love

A New Kind of Urban Christian

Great article, so important: A New Kind of Urban Christian-Tim Keller.

"It will not be enough for Christians to form a culture that runs counter to the values of the broader culture. Christians should be a community radically committed to the good of the city as a whole. We must move out to sacrificially serve the good of the whole human community, especially the poor. Revelation 21-22 makes it clear that the ultimate purpose of redemption is not to escape the material world, but to renew it. God's purpose is not only saving individuals, but also inaugurating a new world based on justice, peace, and love, not power, strife, and selfishness.

So Christians work for the peace, security, justice, and prosperity of their city and their neighbors, loving them in word and in deed, whether they believe what we do or not. In Jeremiah 29:7, Israel's exiles were called not just to live in the city, but also to love it and work for its shalom—its economic, social, and spiritual flourishing. The citizens of God's city are the best possible citizens of their earthly cities."

hello

Another long day of re-connecting.

First, we headed to Pei Wie to hang with family...After a few hours with the family we headed out to Corey & Renee's to get some grub and watch the Mavs game. It was great to catch up on life, to hear stories of the previous 4 years, and discuss the hopes of the future.

Good times for sure, and this 100 degree Texas heat has not been getting me down...I wonder if that is the supernatural intervention of God? Just kidding!

We are hoping to make it to Austin tomorrow to hang out with some friends. At this point we are leaning more towards Dallas, but man I know I'm going to love Austin.

Rats, decisions, decision, decisions.

Peace & Love and remember to enjoy the journey...

Very Random Thoughts On Church Planting

Peace, that is finally what Necole and I feel. After 6 months of wondering and hoping and changing...We now feel hope. And that feels good.

Now, we are debating between Dallas & Austin. Oh where shall we live? Simplicity draws us to Dallas. However, Austin is suppose to be such a great city, it may be to hard to pass up.

Of course, we also have to consider the church planting effect. I would really love to start another church. But, I was wondering what path to take?

I think my dream church would be to start as a small group bible study and see it grow into a huge movement of God. I would also like to have no start up cash. Another words, I would love for it to be organic, not in a house church way, but just in a "beginning of a movement" sort of way.

Also, I would love for us to be a church that puts a lot of cash back into the community...Maybe doing some sort of "acts of kindness" way. Helping the poor, the widows, and all sorts of cool things that I think mean so much to God, but maybe so little to many in the church planting world.

I think I know that I'm not really that motivated to be "all about Sunday's" type of church planter. Honestly, I hate when pastors say their church is all about Sundays. I cringe at that thought. I know they really don't mean that, right?

Anyhow, this post was not suppose to be about church planting...But, for some reason I'm cursed with this passion. God help my poor family.

Peace & Love

You have new Picture Mail!

You have new Picture Mail!
Originally uploaded by Ancientwalk.

Who would have thought?

random thoughts

thank God for a double shot red eye...

bailey just told me that she is so happy to be in Texas, she is going to cry.

two hours till we land in dallas, I need some aspirin, the girls are screaming with joy..

they keep calling everyone, making sure that they are coming to see them...

the road

made it just past denver, one more long day...

The Road

We made it to beautiful Montana...Where are the people?
Tomorrow we will shoot for Denver.
Then Dallas the next day.
BTW-I've had a enough cross-county trips :)
Also, it 97 in Dallas-YIKES

Peace & Love

Breaking News & Yes It's True

I was talking to a friend today, he gently reminded me that our (The Marlow family) lives are somewhat like the Israelites: We keep wondering around looking for a place to call home. Hoping and praying for stability and all.

So we are off again, yes you heard that right. Long story short, Necole's parents did not get the job in Oregon. Instead, they got one in Dallas, TX. At first, we were really mad, but then we started to see how God was working. See, most of our family is in Dallas; both sets of Necole's parents and siblings are there. So, we have grandpa's and grandma's, uncle's, aunt's, cousin's and friends. Really good friends too.

So it became obvious that we should head back to Texas. We moved to Seattle to be close to family, and we have great friends who have family here so it was a win-win. Now, if we stayed here in Seattle, we would have a ton of family 2200 miles away who would hardly ever get to see us and the kids.

But, we do have another issue: And that is Ken, Brenda and Tre live here in Seattle. It's so sad to think that we will not see these guys on a weekly basis, like we've been used to. Sometimes I wish life did not have to be so tough. Not sure I can express in words how we feel about not being close to them.

Also, we have met so many cool folks in Seattle. The rest of the Nussbaum family is so amazing. I hope that somehow I can take a little of what they've got and sprinkle it on my family. And maybe someday we can see better fruit and more health.

Jason & Katie, Jon & Sherry, Dean & George, man these folks are so cool, and they have really shown Necole and I what it means to be a Christ followers; they have loved us, listened to us and shared our journey. Thanks guys. Even though our time was short, it was sweet.

Looks like we will pull out on Sunday morning. We hope to hang in Dallas for a time and check out Austin. Not sure what city we will reside in, but at this point we are leaning towards Austin. But Dallas has many perks too. If we live in Austin we will be about 2.5 to 3 hours away. Which is cool and all. Kind of what we want. Great city, but close to family and friends. We shall see...Say a prayer for us.

And hopefully we shall find a home? :)

Peace & Love

eBible.com

I have three invites to eBible.com. If you want one please let me know.

Beauty & Art

Some really good art by a really good artist & friend.

Click here NOW

Peace & Love

Hmm

Well, yesterday we got a call from Necole's mother. She informed us that they are moving to Dallas, TX. My first reaction &^&&*^&^%%&%. Ya, not good for sure.

Backstory time:

When we closed Sacred down, Necole and I decided to stay put in Raleigh. We had some other possibilities for ministry and we did not want to just run away, we liked the city and felt we could stay there long term.

Then, Necole's parents told us that they were moving to Oregon. After some thinking and praying, we decided to relocate our family to Seattle. We desired our kids to be around their family. Seattle was a 7 hour drive. And Seattle is such a great city.

So, now that we live in Seattle, and we really love the city, we have to deal with the reality that our entire family is now in Dallas. Necole's mom & step dad & dad and step mom and like 6 brother's and sisters and a bunch of cousins and all.

When we visited Dallas a few months ago, Necole and I almost stayed. We don't really like Dallas, but family is such a huge thing and all, right? I mean, our daughters love being around their family. And we really want them to have a greater sense of family and the natural community that is created with the family atmosphere.

Needless to say, we are highly frustrated, we love Seattle. We have already built great friendships here and the Nussbaums will be here soon (but not soon enough). So, now the question is this, do we want to spend the next 15 years or so away from our family?

Church Was Good

So, yesterday was unique for sure. We headed over to Seattle to attend Quest Church. I'm so glad we did. I heard one of the best messages in a long time. I just resonate with how they attempt to do life and church.

During the message, Necole and I felt the burden of church planting. Their is truly a need to plant churches in Seattle. Somehow, we have to dedicate the rest of our lives trying to accomplish this task. A few thoughts from he message:

• More dogs than kids in Seattle.


• Seattle is the least churched city in America. Something like 7% of Seattlites (sp?) attend a Jesus believing church.


• Their are not enough churches being planted to keep us with the population growth.


• Tons of churches are closing down and not enough are being planted.

Sometimes I pray and I ask God to just let me be happy, to work and make a living and attend church and help in some sort a of way. You know, maybe give some cash, help set-up and all that. I mean, that is missional, it's Godly. But that is not going to happen. When you are called, you just have to accept the burden and responsibility that comes with that calling. I need patience. BTW, did I tell you I hate being patient :)

As always, we did have one major set back. We found out that we cannot move into our apartment till July 8th. We have to move out of our current place on June 12. Therefore, we need a place to crash for 3 weeks.

If you are local, and know anyone who needs some house sitting anywhere from June 1st to July 7th let us know. That could be a win-win if you know what I mean :)

We need to get on the "other-side-of-the-peninsula" or else, we may got NUTS.

Peace & Love

Tags: quest church, musings

You have new Picture Mail!

You have new Picture Mail!
Originally uploaded by Ancientwalk.

Happy b-day to ken nussbaum. One more year till you join the thirty-something club. Sweet...hope you had a great day.

Off to Seattle

Well, we were suppose to head to Pathway's Church this morning. But, the ferry system made that kind of complicated. So, it looks like we will do church at Quest. They have an 11 am service. Which is nice. So, Pathways next week? Hopefully we will be living in Seattle before week's end. But, we did lose the apartment that we thought we had. So, we are back to looking for a new place to live.

Necole starts work on Thursday and then she leaves next week for 5 days of training in Cali. So, I will be doing the full time daddy day care thingy.

Well, time to load the van, and make our way to the rain city.

Peace & Love Tags: Quest Church Seattle

Good Times

Wow, the last few days have been a blur. Lot's of community for sure.

Thursday, I had coffee (who would have thought) with George Song, who is the Worship Cultivator for Quest Church.
George is a good guy with lots of vision and passion for God and the church. Plus, he's a rad worship leader. I'm looking forward to future conversations for sure.



Yesterday, we headed back to Seattle to hang out with the Hudson's. Of course, Jason and I were talking ministry and all so we had to have some coffee. So he took me to CAFFE VITA, man that is some goooood coffee. The Hudson's have been a HUGE blessing in our lives. Thank God for the internet, I googled emerging churches in Seattle and Church on the Hill was like the 1st or 2nd on the all powerful google page. I emailed Jason and we connected. Wow what blessing that was.

After some real estate meetings (blah) we headed up to Mill Creek to hang with the Chandler's. We, or should I say they did some grilling...Yummy burgers and garlic fries, can't beat that. Of course, it had been awhile since we had some coffee (like 6 hours), so we headed to the Spotted Cow Ice Cream and Coffee Company. The cow had some live music playing, and our kids hung out in the little playroom. It feels good to have friends who have kids. That is so nice. Thanks for hanging guys.

Just heard about the earthquake in Indonesia...So FREAKING sad. So far the news is claiming 3,000 people have died. God have mercy. I hope those numbers are incorrect. Please say a prayer for them today.

Peace & Love.

TheoHacks

TheoHacks Podcast is back. After a looooooonnnnnnnngggggggg hiatus.

But, us wannabe theologians are happy to get our fix.

Check it out and enjoy.

Another Day In Seattle

Another long day in Seattle. We had an hour and half drive to Seattle, and a two hour drive back home. Bummer.

We also found out that we may not be able to move into some of the apartments that we wanted. Unfortunately, we learned the hard way that apartment communities don't always have the same price once you show up and see the property as they advertise on their website: close to $500 or $600 difference, yikes!

So, we are once again looking for a place to stay, and trying to RE-FIGURE out our plan. At this point, it looks like we will be living in Bothell. But, the apt we want is not open till July 8th. We have to move out June 12. So, we have a few weeks to figure out what to do.

However, we did get a chance to stop University Zoka to enjoy some great beverages.





Necole and I really feel like we keep taking one step forward, and two steps back. So frustrating. I'm VERY grateful that we have friends who have been willing to help along the way.

Peace

What are you doing?

So I just got a call from my buddy Jason who is attending the Origins Conference in LA. Jason and I have had this on-going dialog recently. We've been a bit frustrated with much of our "emerging leanings" and we are trying to process how to see fruit in the Kingdom of God.

Now, much of this frustration stems from failed church plant experience and such. Sometimes I personally felt I was trapped in the never ending conversation about culture, theology, church, and etc., but I was not seeing the fruit that I desired: Like people coming to Jesus, being disciples and allowing God to totally use them for the sake of the Kingdom. I'm currently searching out leaders who are doing things. Things that are causing the church to move forward, and transformation to take place.

This is why I respect folks like Erwin McManus, Rob Bell, Marc Driscoll, Tim Keller, Acts 29 Network, Tim Keel, and lots of others. Because they are seeing fruit, and that is my desire. I want to see fruit, I want to see growth, I want to push the envelope and live a life of faith and risk. I want to believe in a the gospel and the fact that the gospel can bring change and I can see a city like Seattle or Raleigh become more "kingdom-like."

I do not want to JUST sit around in some Theology Pub, talking about what's wrong with the church, or atonement theories, or is hell real, etc. (I'm not minimizing the role of productive conversation or discussing/processing theology) I want to do life with a community of people who are driven to see an in-breaking of God's kingdom. Folks who desire to see those who are not Christ followers re-discover the gospel, its goodness and the forgiveness that they can receive.

Life is too short to just talk all day. Jesus lived a life that was action-oriented. I pray that I can follow his example and set an example for current & future generations.

I heard someone say recently that to be an effective minister you have to find out what questions are being asked in the local area in which you live, do life and minister in.

So for me, what are the folks asking in regards to spirituality, God and church in Seattle? And, how will I effectively answer those questions in a way that will compel non-Jesus followers to look once again into the life of the revolutionary figure and see fruit? Which is the end goal, right?

RED

(RED) is the new product line that Bono & DATA are rolling out along with a bunch of corporate companies. A quick description of Red:

Product RED was created by Bono and Bobby Shriver, Chairman of DATA to raise awareness and money for The Global Fund by teaming up with the world's most iconic brands to produce RED-branded products. A percentage of each RED product sold is given to The Global Fund. The money helps women and children with HIV/AIDS in Africa.

Now, I'm not sure how I feel about Bono lying is the same bed as these businesses. But, I must say, I was impressed with the following product description by Gap:

The Gap (RED) products you've been waiting for are available now! Starting today, Gap is launching products from the (RED) brand with 50% of the profits donated to the Global Fund to help fund programmes in Africa for women and children affected by HIV/AIDS.

Gap (RED)'s first product is the iconic Gap T-shirt. The vintage-look shirt is made for both women and men and is priced at £14.50. It is manufactured in Africa from 100% African cotton and comes in red, of course, plus a range of other classic colors. The Gap (RED) T-shirt is available in the UK starting today. An expanded Gap (RED) collection will be launched in the UK and US in fall 2006.

Who knows, maybe this is another stream of cash flow and global awareness for Africa. Or, is it just a cool PR spin for all of these big business? The answer may lie in the middle.

Another shot of Tre & His Pimp Ride

Update: Tre is the party animal!!!

You have new Picture Mail!
Originally uploaded by Ancientwalk.

Another fun day in Seattle...Tre got a new ride...I've nicknamed it "The Hurst." (Hudson, this pic is for you).



PEACE!

coComment

CoComment is a cool web tool. It basically keeps track of all your comments on various blogs.

I tend to comment, and never go back and see if the conversation has continued because I read all my blogs via Bloglines.

Anyhow, check it out and enjoy!

New Blogger Alert

Jason Hudson who is the Lead Pastor at Church on the Hill has joined the revolution and is now blogging. Looking forward to hearing his thoughts as he tries to embody the Kingdom of God in the Capitol Hill neighborhood.

Update: Check out this sign that Jason created. Love it, absolutely love it!




I love blogs, I love the fact that I can keep up with friends across the world because they take a few moments to blog.

Also, I had a great time with Dean yesterday. Dean is the Lead Pastor of Pathways Church in Mill Creek.

After chatting about life, culture, God, Church planting and such, we were getting ready to leave and I could not believe that we had a two hour conversation. Wow, Thanks Dean for hanging out.

I love connecting with like minded folks. It cause me to grow and helps me unpack much of the things I'm trying to process. Good times for sure.

Peace

Kyle's Film

I personally did not know Kyle Lake. But, I was shocked when I heard of the horrible news of his death. Now, in honor of Kyle's life, you can check out Kyle's Film.

I also, placed a banner on my blog. You can also get the code from the website if you would like to spread the news.

You have new Picture Mail!

You have new Picture Mail!
Originally uploaded by Ancientwalk.

It's even better in person. A broke man should never enter the Apple store...It causes great sadness.

Being Sick Sucks

Yes, the Marlow family (minis one-me) is sick. Lame, so lame. Our kids were suppose to have a play date today with some friends, they are so bummed. Kenzie is trying to convince Mom that she will not get the baby sick. Of course she then coughs, and runs away, and then she tries to convince us that she was not coughing. Kids are so funny.

Anyhow, off to Seattle to hang with some fine folks, fill out paperwork and waste more money in gas...I can't wait to we move to Seattle or Lynnwood. Peace, and remember to enjoy the journey.

You have new Picture Mail!
Originally uploaded by Ancientwalk.

You have new Picture Mail!

You have new Picture Mail!
Originally uploaded by Ancientwalk.

Played a little halo tonight...Good for the soul. Tim is is ready to hit the slopes...To bad it's almost summer.

What do you think?

HT: WorkHappy.net: killer resources for entrepreneurs:

"It's really scary to quit your job at an average company doing average work just because you know that if you stay, you'll end up just like them.

Which is why it's such a great opportunity.

— Seth Godin

From the Treo

I passed my real estate test...So happy.

Also, Necole scored a job in downtown Bellevue. Lot's of potential for sure. Now, we just have to work out the kinks, like baby-sitting, transportation etc.

Because she gets a nice size discount, it looks like we will be moving to the Lynnwood or Bothell area. (we can't afford the Belltown or Bellevue apts that Necole's company runs) We wanted to be closer to Seattle. But, both of these area's are cool. Unfortunately, Necole's job does not start till June 1st, SO LAME!

So, now we are trying to settle into a home church and figure out my little real estate career. I really do not have the cash-flow that I need to get the business started, but we need the flexibility of real estate so I can run a little daddy day care gig a few days a week.

Sometimes I wish life was easier, but we are moving closer to finding a rhythm.


Peace.

Envy.Lust.Greed

Oh my gosh I have to have one of these bad boys really really really soon. My iBook has been going strong for close to 3 years...I can most likely get another year or so out of it, but I may be tempted to speed up the process.


HT:John.

Hey John, I think we should hook up at the Spotted Cow soon, that place is so cool.

Great Mother's Day

6:45am came early this morning. Bailey & Mackenzie wanted to make mom some breakfast in bed. So, we got up early and mad some pancakes & eggs. Then we headed off to church.

After church, we got together with the whole Nussbaum clan, well not all of them, since Ken & Brenda are some 3000 miles away, which is so not cool. But soon, they will be here in the great Northwest and we can't wait.

But, today we had some BBQ and hung out at Tim & Rachel place. Gerald & Sue came down from Canada and we finally got to meet Carrie. Of course we begged Carrie to put us on her free Starbucks coffee list.

Fun times for sure, the Nussbaum's are a great family. We could not have asked for better weather and girls swam for like 5 hours.

Although, I paid a heavy price, because I missed the last episode of the West Wing. Thank God for Netflix. BTW, why did they cancel that show? Big mistake!

Desmond Tutu

Desmond Tutu was in Seattle this week and I missed it. DARN IT, how could I miss this? Bishop Tutu has done some amazing stuff in his life, he has stood for justice & peace. Anyhow, I had a chace, and somehow it passed me by.

Conflicted

I'm hanging at the spotted cow cafe in Mill Creek. (Thanks John for heads up) Necole has an interview in Everett at 4:30. So, we are hanging out and trying to get stuff done.

I did not pass the real estate exam...Because, I did not take it. The company did not send me the proper info, therefore, I had to reschedule. I was so MAD, or as poker players say, I was "on tilt."

I need a little shalom right now...I need space to connect with God, and hear His voice. I need to fill the presence of Christ, and allow His peace and love to "chill me out."

I love stress, and I hate stress. I love peace, and I hate peace. I like living in a world of chaos, on the edge and all. But, I sure could use some stability also.

Conflicted, is how I feel...But, it's only a season...And, soon...This season will be over. I can't wait!

Peace & Love...And remember, to enjoy the journey.

More Friends

I hung out with Steve Lewis yesterday at Zoka Coffee in the U District.

I love the U-district, Zoka was great and Steve is a real cool cat. Plus, I think Steve is on to something. He leads a ministry called Purple Door and has a dream called inter::mission. Intermission looks amazing!

Anyhow, it's always great to connect and hang with like-minded folks.

Now, we are off the Seattle, Necole has some job interviews.

Peace...

eBible.com

I just got an invitation to eBible. Looks very promising...I have ONE invitation, so if you want it, let me know and I will pass it along. Yes, I feel powerful :)

Peace!

Moving Forward...Inch By Inch

Time seems to going way to fast. I mean, its May. We left NC at the beginning of April, crazy!

Anyhow, Necole has had trouble getting interviews for a job and all. Well, we finally found out why. She is over-qualified for the jobs she was trying to get, which is so lame. But, she now has an interview this Friday.

Tomorrow, I take my real estate exam. I'm a little nervous, since I have yet to study. My mind has way to much going on to think about Federal Fair Housing, Dual Agency and Washington Real Estate Laws. So, today I'm heading over to Barnes & Noble, to sip some joe and study. Like, really really really really study. Somehow I have to focus?

Lot's of decisions to be made over the next few days. So, I'm praying for direction. What church to attend, what Real Estate office to work for, place & location to live (so many amazing choices in Seattle), job for Necole, etc.

Anyhow, this is what makes life so fun. Living with a sense of faith and having lots of fun along the way.

SWEET!!!!!

Halo 3 Revealed!

Sunday Reflections

So, we made the pilgrimage to Seattle this morning. And we had a great time. After the ferry ride, we headed to the Queen Anne neighborhood and had coffee at El Diablo Coffee Company. After the shot of energy we headed to Quest Church. I will post more about our experience, but I must say it was awesome. Loved the church and can't wait to go back.

After church, we headed to The Original House of Pancakes for a great brunch. After brunch we headed to The Fremont District and hung out at Caffe Ladro, great coffee and cool place.

After another shot of energy (does anyone see a theme here?) we headed to Ballard to catch some rays at the beach. Of course, the clouds quickly rolled in, so we packed our bags and went to Ballard Locks. Long story short, the locks help the ships convert from salt water to fresh water, or vise-versa. Also, in the summer, all the Salmon come through the locks and head up stream to lay eggs and die; or they become lunch for the little bears. The locks were cool, but our day was not over yet.

After the locks, we headed to Pike's Place and grabbed some fresh grub. Stuff like crab, sole, fruit and veggies; of course we had an hour and a half drive so we had to hit one more Cafe.

BTW-Dinner was really good. I can't wait till Ken & Brenda arrive; It will only get better. :)



Peace & Love!

Evangelicool!

My buddy Jason Hudson who is the pastor of Church on the Hill did an interview with The Stranger, which is Seattle's main alternative newspaper. They also have a lot to say about Driscoll's church.

I hung out with Jason today and I was able to get a more in-depth version of his thoughts.(which he also posted on his churches web site) I really think this is a great opportunity for Jason and his church to have more open dialog with the community.

And I find it interesting that urbanites are interested in faith, spirituality & Christ, but they are so disconnected from the church. The question then seems to be this, how do we reconnect them? And, what do we want to reconnect them to?

Anyhow, enjoy the read.

Props to the Phoenix Suns...They did not cave in and forced a game 7. If the Lakers lose tomorrow night, I may have to go on suicide watch :)

Taxes, Did You Say Taxes?

I was having a pretty good day yesterday except for hanging out at Wal Mart, but that is a rant for another day. After the horrible Wal Mart experience, I came back home to get some work done. Now it's another sunny Seattle day, I had a nice cup of coffee. Hmm, coffee, sun & productivity; life is good, right? Nope...John ruined my day. He informed me that I now have to pay taxes when I order books from my dealer.
Darn. Now I have to think through my book budget. Oh my gosh, I'm definitely in crisis mode.

BTW-If the Lakers lose tonight I'm going to be on tilt. Thank God I don't have cable, so I can't watch the game. :)

Day in Seattle

I feel like a country bumpkin who heads to the city on occasion to get a taste of the "city life," and stock up on the groceries. Needless to say, we headed to Seattle yesterday and we had a blast.

Ok I hate to sound like a poser, but what the heck, I will; because Necole and I really love the city of Seattle. We've been looking for this kind of living for a long time.

Yesterday, we were blessed to hang out with Jason Hudson who is the Lead Pastor of Capitol Hill Church. Now first of all, Jason is a cool cat. We got to talk a lot about church planting, urban living, and all sorts of cool stuff. Plus, Jason took us to the famous Espresso Vivace Roasteria. These dudes make a wicked cup of coffee. I may never go to Starbucks again. Anyhow, it was great to connect with another pastor. I'm looking forward to hanging out some more in the future.

I had another interview with Keller Williams office which is in north Seattle, and after that we headed to the Greenlake area and ate some burgers at a local joint. There are so many cool places to live; Necole and I can't make a choice. And that my friends is a good problem to have.

Since we dug Espresso Vivace Roasteria so much, and Tre wanted to check it out, we headed back for seconds. Now, earlier in the day Jason took us to this amazing city park; Lots of kids running around having a blast. Capital Hill is just outside of downtown Seattle. I love that. We can be in a distinct neighborhood and still feel like it's city living, in other words, it's the best of both worlds.

Now, while in the park I noticed the kind of folks who were there: Distinctly urban, or city. About 25 folks were playing kickball, how funny. Anyhow, Capital Hill is now on our long list of potential neighborhoods that we would love to live in and do life with the folks in the community. And, of course, it would be a great place to plant a church!

Journey Into Sunset

Don Cheadle has a new film called Journey Into Sunset. Not sure when it will be released, but I think its great that this long-running issue (more info below) is getting more publicity...Which hopefully will cause change to take place. A little info below.

In May of last year, Academy Award nominated actor Don Cheadle and his family were invited to Kampala, Uganda to attend a charity screening of the film Hotel Rwanda to raise money for the children-the "night commuters" of Northern Uganda. They are called "night commuters" because every night they must flee their homes seeking refuge in large camps in the cities to keep from being kidnapped, dragged into the bush and ultimately forced to fight against the Ugandan government for the rebel Lords Resistance Army.

Do I Really Need More Books? YES!

I just fueled my addiction and order some books from my dealer.

I've been hearing good stuff about Simply Christian by NT Wright. I'm really looking forward to this read. Wright is one of my favorite authors and I seem to connect with his theological stream.



I also picked up Confessions of a Reformission Rev. by Mark Driscoll. I know Mark will be witty and authentic. I have a feeling I can learn a lot about church planting and ministry from this book. Also, I think every denomination should take a peek at Acts 29 and learn from these cats.



For some reason I've shelved Mclaren's book "The Secret Message of Jesus." Ken sent me Donald Millers new book "To Own a Dragon," which is about growing up without a father. Which I did, and so far the book is good, but hard to read...I will share some of my reflections later. In the meantime I need to make a choice, do I want a Fat Tire, some Bailey Irish Cream or a hot Cup of Joe?

Sunday Reflections

Another nice sunny Seattle day...Feels good. Yesterday, we worshiped at Pathways Church in Mill Creek. We really enjoyed our experience, the folks were friendly and the message was challenging. I LOVE the core values of Pathways; struggle, meaning, redemption, sacrifice & community. I really respect what Pathways Church is doing. They are in the "burbs," and they are really challenging their people to think and act like missional Christ-Followers NOT just Sunday church attenders, which is not an easy task. I'm sure if they changed their approach they could have more folks attending,(although they have a great crowd for such a new church) but their goal seems to be growth through mission & struggle.

After church, we headed over to John & Sherri Chandler's place. Now, these cats do not even know us. John and I shared a few emails in regards to Theohacks; which is a great podcast that you should be listening too. It was great to see our kids play with the Chandler's kids.

Necole and I enjoyed our time with the Chandlers. One of the reasons I love about moving to Seattle was the quality of friendships that I think I can build here, Lot's of sharp folks who are pushing the edge of theology and church. I know being in this kind of environment will cause me to grow and become a better Jesus-follower and pastor.

Although, I do have one frustration, John (being from Colorado and all) is a Denver Broncos fan. That my friend is a hard pill to swallow being a disgruntled Raiders fan. Who knows, maybe I will have the courage to become a Seahawks fan? In the meantime, GO Raiders! Maybe we can win 5 games this year????????????? Although I would not bet on it.

Anyhow, big props to the Chandlers. Thanks for allowing us to hang and taking time on a Sunday to welcome us to the Rain City!