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!

Somebody Is Doing Something

The Global Night Commute is tonight. Folks all across the world are gathering to bring awareness to some HUGE issues in Africa. I just found out about this and I'm bummed that I can't be involved tonight in Seattle. Anyhow, check out the website.

Surfing The Web From Home

Yep, that's right folks...The cable dude just left the building. Now if I could just locate an xbox?

We spent the last few days hanging with Scott & Emma; these cats are so cool. It was great to see them and chat. We took them to the Fremont District for some yummy Thai food. Then we headed to Alki Beach. What a day, sand, snow-capped mountains and deep blue water; plus we ate at Alki Bakery, good stuff! After that, we headed down to Kirkland and took a walk along the waterfront, which was nice. (Except for the wanna be Paris Hilton chic walking around with her dog in hand, freaking lame, get a freaking life) Ok, time to calm down, but I HAD to RANT about that. :)

The next day we did our ferry-pilgrimage, picked up Scott & Emma and headed to The Original Pancake House. Yes, this place is soooo good. Of course, we also hung at Pike's Place; needless to say we had a blast. Scott, you need to start blogging bro.

Today we are just relaxing. Tomorrow...We head back to Seattle for church & lunch with a local pastor/blogger. Should be fun.

BTW-The Lakers are rolling baby...Since I do not have cable tv, I had to follow the game via the treo...Ya, that was like stressful. I hit refresh so many times, Necole almost took my treo from me. How mean!

Ryan Van Sickle

Ryan Van Sickle is now blogging. Sweet, and how did I miss this???

Prayer Needs

One aspect I love about blogging is the sense of community that I feel. I know there are folks who are keeping up with my story...So, I see blogging as medium to communicate and share with other folks. It's also a two way street, I feel connected to my friends because of their blogs...For instance, I know what Ashdown is reading, Jeff had a new little girl, Ken is spiderman, Mark seems to be having all sorts of fun with the family, Jason is trying to figure out why we blog and Wahba is helping Jodi catch a cat.

So, that is why I think blogging is cool. Therefore, I thought I would use this blogging medium as a prayer tool for my family. Below, I'm going to list some specifics needs that we have, and I'm going to ask my global community to join me in praying for these needs. I think it's a tragedy how sometimes we can be so individualistic in our culture (church included). I do not want to be that way, I want to rely on my brothers & sisters to stand before God and my behalf, and I want to stand before God on their behalf. So here it goes:

-Pray that Necole would find a good paying job with full benefits quickly.
-Pray that I can sell at least 5 homes this summer.
-Pray that we find a good church home, were we can connect and give back.
-Pray that I can get a car to do Real Estate.
-Pray that we can find a baby-sitter/school for the girls.
-Pray that we can find a long-term place to live.
-Pray that the Lakers beat the Suns tonight.


Ok, just kidding on the last one, but hey, there you go & thanks for prayer.

Hello World

Sorry for the silence, call me a blog-slacker if you want. Anyhow, things are going pretty well in Seattle. We are truly loving the city and the weather has been great.

Looks like I'm going to be working for Keller Williams in downtown Bellevue. They have a nice office. Necole and I love the business activity. We can walk to multiple cafes, movie theatre's, shops, breweries, restaurants, and of course my gym is across the street. So that is cool.

Wanted to say happy b-day to Amanda, Kezia & Diana. Hope you special days went well. Now your older...Like me...Rock on!

Last but not least, congrats to Jeff and the birth of Abigail. I think we bloggers should unite and send Jeff some coffee, since he will not be getting much sleep for awhile :)

Back to work. Must sell home quickly...Or else, I will lose weight...Not by choice.

Hello

We arrived safely in Bremerton...No border problems. We caught the ferry and headed to our appointment.

Mad props to Abundant Life Foursquare Church in Bremerton, WA. They are allowing my family to stay in the Genesis House for the next 6 weeks till we settle in.

The house is great, it's clean & stocked with everything one needs...This ministry definitely has spirit of excellence. We are so grateful. They even let us snag some wireless from the church. Yippee!

It's going to feel nice to find a rhythm again. This road trip has brought so much healing to my soul. It feels good to be around folks who care, to see old friends and meet new ones. God is so good, we face many challenges, but the light is at the end of the tunnel sorta speak.

Our time is Canada was quick, but great. Ken & Brenda have AMAZING families. So much love and grace. We stayed at the house Brenda grew up in. Jerry & Diana Moore (Brenda parents) were telling Bailey that she was staying at the same house that Brenda lived in as a child. Of course, Bailey responded with the typical "Bailey" comeback; She threw her hands in the air, and told Jerry & Diana that she lived in many homes and many states, she could not believe that Brenda grew up in ONE house :)

It was also good to see Kezia. She turns 30 on Saturday, WOW. Looking forward to spending more time with her in the future.

Then we hung out with Gerald & Sue Nussbaum. (Ken's parents) They cooked us a delicious meal, and of course we drank about 6 cups of coffee. (I thought Ken was bad, I think his pops can take him any day) We had great conversations about life and ministry etc. I'm not sure if Ken & Brenda really know how excited their parents are that they are moving back to the Northwest.

Anyhow, I got to go. The road trip is now officially over. I will post some stats tomorrow.

Peace & Love from Seattle...Which is now home!

Do Your Part

Some nice practical tips on 50 Ways to Save the Planet.

HT: Jordan Cooper

Mean Mean Mean

Well, we made it to Canada...Barely. We arrived at the border and the border dude was not so nice. We only had 3 birth certificates therefore the border guard guy made us go to immigration. Of course the immigration chic was also mean, she grilled us with the 20 question type of quiz...Question like, "why did you move to Seattle?" And, "how do we know if that 3 year old is truly yours and this social security card is not fake?" But, after 1/2 hour, they let us through. So, now we are relaxing at Brenda's parents place in Surrey.

Looking forward to hanging with Ken's parent tomorrow and also double agent kPaul in Vancouver. I also may have to find a little cigar shop with some real Cubans :)

We are off...

to Vancouver B.C. for a few days. We will be staying with Brenda's family. It will be nice to get to know them.

Also, Sunday...We where heading to Pathways Church. John Chandler who does TheoHacks podcast is on staff at Pathways, and since we do not have a church, and we do not know anyone, we thought we would check out Pathways. So, Necole was backing the van down the hill, she mis-judged a little and our back tire slid off into the cliff-yikes. I thought the van was going to flip over into the small ravine below. So, I had to get the family out before we all died on the day that Jesus lived. Then of course, I did the manly thing and tried to get the van out myself, which I only made the problem worse. Go figure.

We called our insurance company while we prayed the van would not slide down the cliff. The tow truck guy came and he looked at the van in disbelief. He tried to get the van un-stuck but he had no luck. So, he called a second tow truck to come help. Finally, they got the van out and we were worried that the gas tank or oil thingy was damaged...But, we were lucky and we had no damage.

Needless to say, we missed the service...Then the Nussbams called...Not Ken, but Ken's brother Tim. We headed out to Bremerton Island (via the ferry, which rocks) to hang with Tim & Rachel. We had a blast and we are looking forward to getting to know them more.

Anyhow, It's time to load the van and hit the road. Peace & Love!

Update

I wanted to give a shout out to Wahba for showing the world my hidden hobby-cheerleading :)

So far Seattle has been fun, Necole and I are learning to take each day as they come, when we left NC we had no clue where we would end up...Although, we had a hunch it would be the great Northwest.

Anyhow, we were in Cali for a few days and we absolutely hated it...Just not our cup of tea. So, we left and headed north to the Rain City. We knew we had a place to stay for a few days...After that, we were not sure; we even thought we may buy a tent and crash in a state park or something. While we have enjoyed the journey, and God is teaching me a lot about life and trust, we also miss our rhythm that we so love and hate. Little things like beds, a kitchen and of course the greatness of the internet.

Our kids are getting a little ADD, and they are asking if we are going to find a "real" home sometime soon. Long story short the Nussbaums were working behind the scenes to try and find us a place to stay.

Well, today we got a call from a Foursquare Church that Ken's brother is a Youth Pastor at. They have a house called the Genesis House. This house is a transitional house...The church is close to a Navy base and I guess they use the home to bless the local military community and also missionaries.

They informed us that we can stay for free till mid-June. This is HUGE for us. So, sometime at the end of next week, we will be able to move in and relax for a bit. We hope to get our business going and find a church in the next few weeks.

Monday we leave for Canada to hang with Ken & Brenda's family for a few days. We also hope to hang with Kezia while we are there.

Seattle is a great place. I hope to post some pics soon.

Until then, the journey continues...

You have new Picture Mail!

You have new Picture Mail!
Originally uploaded by Ancientwalk.

Bailey is in a really good mood!

You have new Picture Mail!

You have new Picture Mail!
Originally uploaded by Ancientwalk.

Kenzie enjoying The Original Pancake House.....

You have new Picture Mail!

You have new Picture Mail!
Originally uploaded by Ancientwalk.

Ya, Seattle rocks...

Seattle....Here we come

That's right, we are leaving early tomorrow morning...Necole has a job interview on Friday at 2PM, so please say a prayer. Also, we have a place to crash for the weekend. But, we may have a temporary place to stay for like a month. Which would be great.

We are sooooo stoked to land in the rain city and begin a new chapter of our life. I can see the mountains, the ferries, and the deep dark blue puget sound. So sweet...Peace and love from the road, the journey is almost over. :) :(

Life is Good

Hanging at Cafe Flood in Sac-town. Cool place, great coffee, music, & vibe. This is nice cafe, they offer curb side coffee in the morning, so you can drive up in a car and they will bring your coffee to you, which of course, the Starbucks across the street is not doing that. So props to the "flood team" for being creative and what not. This cafe is also connected to the church, which is Flood Sacramento. However, once again they have done a great job in creating and independent vibe. Anyhow, cool stuff.

Necole and I are really pumped to move forward in our lives, to dig into a city, connect to a community and find folks to do life with. Please join us on our journey and pray for the following:

1. Jobs.
2. Real Estate will do well.
3. Place to live.
4. Church home.
5 Cash Flow.
6. Mission, how can we make the city a better place and allow the Kingdom of God to shine through our lives, etc.
7. Friends for Bailey & Kenzie.
8. Sunshine :)

Peace & Love from the road...

Seattle is Home

Well, after months of thinking, praying, debating...Necole and I have decided to call Seattle home. At the end of the day, we just love the city, we do not like Sacramento AT ALL. So, we head off to the great Northwest next Monday. We are pumped to live in such a great city and be close to the Nussbaum's. Peace & Love, and the road trip will end soon.

I need a cafe

Hanging at Starbucks, which is not good...I looked for an indy cafe and I finally found one in Folsom...So, I headed 20 minutes north up into the foothills and passed like 6 Starbucks on the way. When I arrived at the cafe (serves only organic coffee) I was pumped. Free wi-fi, good coffee and it's not Starbucks...So, I powered up the iBook and waited in great anticipation...Looking closely to see my airport bars come to life...But, their was nothing-nothing at all. So, I asked the lady behind the counter how to get on to the wi-fi network...She starred at me like I was nuts...So, I finally asked her if they had internet access for their customers...She said no! I was like shocked and amazed...I pick up my belonging to leave, as I was walking out the door she said, "great, I bet you he will go to Starbucks." I turned around and informed her that Starbucks has the internet, but I would prefer to support an indy cafe. She smiled, and I asked her if she could recommend one that has the internet. She frowned, I left, now I'm at Starbucks and I'm sad.

BTW- While I was on Scottsdale, I found and indy cafe with the internet that serves Blue Mountain Coffee by the cup. SWEET!

You have new Picture Mail!

You have new Picture Mail!
Originally uploaded by Ancientwalk.

The driver...he had a huge bible. Crazy.

You have new Picture Mail!

You have new Picture Mail!
Originally uploaded by Ancientwalk.

Wow, you gotta love this!

california

well, we made it to stockton, ca...btw-i hate this city...but i'm glad to be able to see my grandma. but, my lame cousin was just released from prison...i don't trust him, so i'm a little stressed. anyhow, tomorrow we head to sac...next monday we will go to seattle...and hopefully we will have a place to call home?

california

well, we made it to stockton, ca...btw-i hate this city...but i'm glad to be able to see my grandma. but, my lame cousin was just released from prison...i don't trust him, so i'm a little stressed. anyhow, tomorrow we head to sac...next monday we will go to seattle...and hopefully we will have a place to call home?

I HATE Stockon

We made it to Stockton, CA. My hometown sorta speak. It seems weird visiting a place that you grew up in. I've only been here like 3 times in 8 years...I wish I could say I like it, but I don't. Plus, my cousin just got out of prison, and he is staying at my grandma's house...So, it's time for us to jet to Sacto. Peace & Love from the road.

You have new Picture Mail!

You have new Picture Mail!
Originally uploaded by Ancientwalk.

Hi mrs. Beiler...

I made it

We decided to forgo our tip to the Canyon & Vegas and head straight to Cali. Next week we will take a trip to San Francisco, then Yosemite and then head up to Seattle.

Also, I DID make it to the top of Camelback. Pics below, peace and goodnight!

Bailey resting.
The top, YES!!!!
Where it all started.

You have new Picture Mail!

You have new Picture Mail!
Originally uploaded by Ancientwalk.

Yes, this is not good...We almost lost two more tires in the middle of Sodona. We did make it tio Flagstaff...God has been good to us...Adventure continues...

You have new Picture Mail!

You have new Picture Mail!
Originally uploaded by Ancientwalk.

In Sodona National Park.

Camelback Mountain

We are leaving the Wahba's this morning. We had a great time here in Phoenix. We now off the the Grand Canyon. Should be a blast.

Well, I had this crazy idea to hike Camelback Mountain while in Phoenix. So yesterday we took our stab at the mountain. The trail is 1.75 miles to the summit. As we were marching up the mountain, going from switchbacks to switchback,Ii thought I was going to make it to the top...But, as always, things got a little difficult. I was quickly loosing my breath and my heart-rate was off the charts. (seems like I've done this kind of stuff before in NC) But we kept treking & treking & treking to the never ending trail...So, do you think I made it?

Apple - Boot Camp - Public Beta

The rumors are true, finally I can run wondows on my Mac (if I have the new Macs with Intel). This is so cool, in real estate I had to use PC for much of my work, now, when I get the new Mac I can have the best of both worlds. SWEET!

Apple - Boot Camp

More Thoughts

Another amazing morning in the desert. I can honestly say I really like Phoenix, at least this time of the year. The articture is stunning, the city is filled with life. Right now I'm hanging at Coffee Plantation on Mill ST. (Think Franklin St or Berkeley) Wahba is a PA, and he worked until 3 AM this morning. Now, our little girls believe sleeping late is from Satan, so, we headed out early so Mr. Wahba could sleep more than 3 hours.

Being with Jodi & Wahba feels like home; they are very hospitable, which is nice. They have basically given up their house to the Marlow's for a few days, and for that we are truly grateful.

One thing we have noticed on our trip is how our kids connect with everyone on the way. It's good to see all of our friends who don't have little ones embrace ours. For instance the Wahba's had a gift bag full of toys and cookies waiting for our kids upon arrival. Mrs. Ashdown read stories to our kids for like an hour. Therefore, every time we leave a city Bailey & Kenzie try to convince us to stay. They want to live in Dallas, Houston, and now of course it's Phoenix. Then I tell them they won't see Ken, Brenda, or Sally (The Nussbaum's dog) and they break down. Bailey says its such a hard decision and why can't we all live together. Of course, Kenzie is focused...She is Seattle bound come hell or high-water...Because Sally is going to be in Seattle, therefore, Kenzie is also.

I've learned a lot about God on this trip. It seems awkward, so surreal, that we truly have no place to land or call home, and so far we are fine with that. But, now we are locked into seeking God's will and hearing His voice and finding out where he is leading us. It's important for us to "get there" quick so I can get real estate going and all.

Below are some pics of Arizona from the top of one of the local mountains. Also, today we are going to hike Camelback Mountain with the Wahbas. I hope I make it to the top, we may not be able to with the kids and all. I will let you know tonight.

Peace & Love from the road...Where life is free, community is deep and the road is open.

Thoughts from the road

What a morning, sunny & 70 degrees...I mean, is that wicked sick or what? The desert is unique, its a "dead-beauty" for sure. In the back of my mind, I'm waiting for a huge scorpion to roll up on me and "tail-snap me."

We had a some great conversation with the Wahba's last night. Good to see them, good to re-connect. Looking forward to hanging today.

Last night I was so exhausted, I good barely stay awake as I sucked down my milkshake from in & out. I thought, I was getting sick, so I went to bed early, like 10PM. I woke up this morning and I felt good, thank God.

Kenzie wants to go home, we told her our home is that white dirty bug splattered van and the open road. We have nowhere to call home...But, we have felt a great sense of community and we do life with friends and family across America.

Necole and I are trying to live day-to-day. We want to enjoy the journey and allow the presence of God to lead us to our final destination. Of course, it would be nice to have a place to land, to call home, to call our own...I'm sure that will be soon. In the meantime, we are relaxed, encouraged and peaceful...Even if our home is our car!

You have new Picture Mail!

You have new Picture Mail!
Originally uploaded by Ancientwalk.

There is a God, and he is so good :-D



We made it to Phoenix. Can't wait to hang with the Wahba's.