my way or the highway

"when life is difficult, don't jump to the conclusion that God isn't on the job. instead, be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ experienced. trust him, he knows what he's doing and he'll keep doing it."

hmmm, a perspective that doesn't come too naturally for me. my way or the highway....so i guess it's time to hit the highway. ha!

my pile of bones

take this pile, this pile of bones
everything i am is yours alone

take this pile, this pile of stones
all i've made, it's not much i know


i don't even know why and it's hard to say
how much i love you this peculiar way

The Sound of One Man Clapping

just wanted to say, country folk is amazing music, generally. it's actually experiencial music, for it goes beyond the sound, it's very inclusive, and easily generates community. like this family i know, the kroekers; four siblings that all play music in a versitile fashion together. my family can easily do this as well, and it spreads easily, so one tends to feel part of the family. the sound of one man clapping is a record label that spreads this music experience. for all you country folk haters....too bad.









A KROEKER'S DOZEN:
some of the kroeker family's music stylings

prayer and the art of volkswagen maintenance

First off, prayer and the art of volkswagen maintenance is a book; a simple, easy read that could be described as a slice of life. I recommend it. Secondly, in light of this book, I just recently jumped in a van with some folks and road tripped it to Wisconsin to attend a Prayer Summit. So for all intensive purposes, the title of my story has now been altered to "the art of prayer." Yes, the summit was incredible, though I am not coming back to profess a deep knowledge into the secrets of prayer. Instead, I want to testify to the fact that prayer is, indeed, an art. Or maybe not so much an art, rather prayer IS art. As art may encompass song, dance, poetry, story, picture, and other expression, so does prayer. Here is the conundrum: will an artist paint a masterpiece on his first stroke, and will he paint the same piece repeatedly? No. So here's where the dance takes place; on a tightrope between practice and creativity. And so the curtain is veiled...

stupid whales

there's something real interesting about simplicity...it seems to be all over me these days. we've all heard the idea that less is more folks, so what does it mean today? what is simplicity trying to say? my friend lost his job (which didn't pay much in the first place), and he just got married and had a kid. if less is more financially, i guess he's on the right track, he's keeping it simple alright.
well, i have no conclusion right now and my thoughts are everywhere, but i just had to get this idea out before it gets swallowed by those freakin whales all around me, if you know what i mean. they lurk around waited just to consume my free time and interesting thoughts; i'd be a really smart guy if it weren't for those whales. stupid whales. well, don't worry, i'll come back for you, simplicity, please wait for me.

Swimming in the Sea of Talmud

What, you say, is the Talmud? A hard question to answer, that's for sure. Hmm, some sort of collection of Jewish writings, i suppose. Truthful, insightful, yet mysteriously rhetorical. Here's a description I read of its power:
"the Talmud's rhetoric seduces us into joining its analytical inquiry, always raising precisely the question that should trouble us (and that would trouble us if we knew all of the pertinent details as well as the Talmud does)."
- Neusner

Oooo, Talmud you seductress, you!

apparently i like my job 

Pour some salt on my wounded soul

This is it, I'VE OFFICIALLY SOLD MY SOUL TO THE WEB! This is my blogger website. What's next...cell phone? Oh, that thought makes me cringe. You have full permission to punch me if that happens, and please make fun of me lots if it does. Like mama always said, the more salt on the wound the better.