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“You are going to feel like hell if you never write the stuff that is tugging on the sleeves of your heart — your stories, visions, memories, visions and songs. Your truth, your version of things, your own voice. That is really all you have to offer us. And that’s also why you were born.”
Anne Lamott

“You are going to feel like hell if you never write the stuff that is tugging on the sleeves of your heart — your stories, visions, memories, visions and songs. Your truth, your version of things, your own voice. That is really all you have to offer us. And that’s also why you were born.”
Anne Lamott

Great Weekend

Our weekend was exciting and enjoyable. It started with working Friday at Ichthus and a storm that ended our day and cancelled the events for Friday evening including the championship little league game. Saturday started off with a visit by Margaret Jenkins who rode up with Melissa who came to pick up Tyler. It ws really good to see her.

The afternoon was spent at the ball park. We had a picnic and awards before the big game. Jerod received the Most Improved Player award for our team. We played the Athletics for the tournament championship. We got off to good start. Jerod and Blake both hit well. Things seemed well in hand until the fourth inning when the Athletics had a big rally. It was pretty anxious. Jerod made three errors. It is usually a reliable fielder but it happens. He was really devastated and inconsolable. In the top of the fifth, we got into a two out rally which has become a regular thing with the Rangers. With two runners on, Jerod came up to bat. He swung and missed the first pitch. The next pitch he drove the ball into deep left center field for a home run. It was amazing. We went on to win the game 13-8. That was better than Tiger Woods’ final round performance in the Open.

Saturday evening we went to Ichthus and enjoyed worship with 20,000 +/-. In addition to music by Matt Maher, David Crowder Band and Casting Crowns, Jon Weece spoke and we celebrated communion together led by J.D. Walt. It was quite an experience.

Sunday we went canoeing with the Crocketts as a Father’s Day treat. It was a really great time. It was a memorable father’s day for me. I am so proud of all my children. It was good to hear from each of them.

Here are some pictures from the weekend:



 

Ichthus

Today was my first experience with the Ichthus Christian Music Festival. Admittedly, today’s experience was not anordinary Ichthus experience. Ann and I volunteered to work an eight shift. Our work and $20 gets us a pass to all of the event. We will probably only get attend tomorrow evening. My assignment was grounds (garbage detail). There was plenty of garbage to pick-up and in the process I got to see everything but the performances. They say 20,000 + attend and I believe it. There is every conceivable kind of camping gear on site. It is well organized and the crowds seem to be enjoying themselves. The music begins around 11:00am and continues to midnight each day. There are four different stages that cover all the bases for Christian music genres. Had I not been at the festival, someone would have had to tell me that some of the music I heard was “Christian”. I would have never guessed.

I was able to see both the spectators and the back stage areas and some of the performers and crews. I must say that the festival, as well as, Christian music is BIG business. The crowd was definitely “Christian” in it demeanor and appearance, for the most part. Their garbage is without a doubt more holy. There was a really strong emphasis on being environmentally responsible. Recycling was almost mandatory. I realized that when a young woman came up to me with piece of paper the size of a business card and asked if I was recycling paper.

Our shift ended with a bang, literally. A sudden thunderstorm came up with terrific lighting and fierce straight-line winds. The big tent Ann was working in lost a center pole and people panicked, rushing outside only to find themselves in a torrential downpour and lighting. Not a good thing. As far as I could see, no one was injured. Just wet and scared. We made it home fine. Unfortunately there are additional heavy storms continuing tonight,

Our championship little league game this evening was postponed until tomorrow at 4 pm. It is going to be a busy weekend. Grandson Tyler has been here this week and I’ve enjoyed him. He is a good worker and helped me tearing out a basement window that I needed to replace. 

Echoes

George

Occasionally I hear what seems to be echoes of my thoughts and sometimes my words. Today’s post by the Internet Monk is one of those occasions. These quotes specifically resonated with me:

… those who are living through a “church crisis” and feeling spiritually homeless.

That would be me in the middle of that crisis, and best I can tell from my email, thousands and thousands of others are on the same bus.

It’s not that I don’t have a home church where people love me, or that I’m a church consumer who can’t be satisfied with the coffee bar and kickin’ worship band at the local megachurch, or that I am so theologically sophisticated that I can’t stand to listen to any preacher who isn’t more interesting than N.T. Wright.

No, my spiritual “aloneness” crisis is something inside of me. It just isn’t syncing with the churches around me. I feel like I’m sitting in a huge commercial for a product I don’t want to buy anymore. (Not Jesus, but the current version of the Christian life as its sold by evangelicals in general.) I haven’t abandoned the church. I just feel like I’m an alien visitor listening to a lot of that sound the adults make in the Charlie Brown cartoons. …

My prayer isn’t that I will find the church. I’ve had plenty of that. I want the Holy Spirit to make me the beginning of the Jesus-story believing community that tells its stories to the world. I want what Jesus wanted when he poured out his spirit on those disciples to happen in and through me, to whoever is thirsty, lost and alone.

You might want to read the post in its entirety at http://jesusshaped.wordpress.com/2008/06/13/finding-jesus-at-aa/.

Facebook

George

I’m so out of date. I just recently discovered Facebook. It is really interesting and I am attempting to incorporate my blog posts into Facebook. This is a test of a plugin I just loaded.

Hope it works!!

Life Goes On

It has been a busy and good week. I have gotten several of my projects completed. In the carriage house I built a work bench, installed some lighting and organized a lot of my tools and stuff. I have to admit it looks pretty good. Our yard and flower beds are looking nice. The real test comes as we hit these hot and humid days. We turned on the A/C for the first time this year this week.

It was good to have Melissa and her kids visiting Thursday and Friday. The kids are in a growing phase and their change is obvious each time we see them. Tyler will be staying with us next week. I expect that each of them will spend some time with us this summer.

I have been working out regularly. Riding my bike to High Bridge and back has become a enjoyable routine. However, the heat gave me all I wanted and more on Friday. It is nice to have the hot tub to relax in after a work out. We got a new grill and I have been grilling quite a bit. I cooked chicken last evening for dinner. Our friend and financial advisor Tracy was here from Louisville.

Tomorrow is our 46th wedding anniversary. We are going to Louisville to celebrate. After attending church at Okolona and having lunch we are spending the night at a nice hotel. We plan to have dinner at our old favorite restaurant, The Bristol Bar and Grille. After dental appointments Monday morning we will pick up Tyler and return to Wilmore. Monday evening is the start of our baseball tournament.

This evening we attended the first summer concert on village green. It was nice and we look forward to the rest of the season. This week is the Ichthus Christian Music Festival. I hope to attend as many session as possible. Ann and I are working all day Friday. We get festival passes at a discount for volunteering. It should be a really interesting experience.