The teaser from the last post mentioned my trip to Mars. Some of you might have thought I had lost my head (a phenomenon that has happened once or twice). Actually, Mars is short for Mars Hill Bible Church in Grandville, MI. Last week was the "Isn't She Beautiful" seminar for church leaders celebrating the local church. If you have read previous posts of mine, you know that I have mentioned Rob Bell before. Rob is the founding and teaching pastor at Mars Hill. SO, for two days, Jan 22-23, I attended the ISB seminar, and it was incredible. Let me give you some highlights:

* The building Mars Hill is in is actually a loser 70's mall that was given to them. They bought the lots around it, which is their parking. What's interesting about Mars Hill is there is not signage to actually identify the church. The only indication of signage is on their doors, which are circles with arrows on the circles (from a teaching series Rob did on the "directions" of the church). Then in small writing underneath those circles on one window is the Mars Hill times of service, office hours, etc. When my friend and I actually showed up on Sunday for church there, we had driven down the road it's on, but had no idea how to locate it. Then, I pulled into this vast lot, drove around the Y and there it was. We got out and asked each other it that was the place, and I was pretty sure it was.

* The leadership of Mars Hill would simply say that their church is just a building. It's a mall. The main gathering space of their church is what looks like an old, gutted out Sears. I would say that space can hold a good 3500 people at least. The walls are this weird dull, sage green, the chairs are gray and plastic, and there are tall metal boxes lining the outer edge of the room they call "joy boxes." Joy boxes are the the containers into which people can put their offering into...as they do not take an offering during their worship times. The have worship in the round, where the preacher/teacher stands in the center of the space on a stage platform structure, with a square of screens above him/her...looks kind of like a scoreboard in any given basketball arena. But the screens are there to point people to bible passages, see pictures, watch movie clips, etc. The picture above is of their worship area called "the shed."

* Music at Mars Hill is amazing. But, what's really interesting is how the musicians are positioned. Every worship band or group I have been a part of, it's the weird layout of the musicians standing up front before the congregation or even better, to the side of it. At Mars Hill, the musicians all stand on the corners of the stage but face in towards each other. The drummer of course, is in a sound proof box thing with clear Plexiglas above him, forming to point, but there is enough room for the sound to come out of it. So, the drummer can play as loud or raucous as he wants, and not have to worry about drowning out the singers and players. All the musicians have their own personal amp they can check volume, or balance, or it looked like they can even "e.q." themselves if they need to. They all use in ear monitors which is very cool. What I really appreciated about the songs we sang was that the lyrics all point to God, not us. So many worship songs are cliches and tags speaking to how we are, what we need, how we feel, which is OK, but I see the true reason for singing in worship is to bless God, praise God with song. So, I want to sing about the worth and value, and majesty of God to God. Is that weird of me? But, I guess not because this church seems to get that idea. Imagine taking a bunch of old hymns though and arranging them so they incorporate old funk music from the 70's. Yeah, it was awesome! Nothing like hearing the theme from "Shaft" in worship.

* One of my quirks that others put up with, is that I love to capture profound moments of teaching or sermons on tape. Well, I have moved up in the world and bought myself a digital recorder. It records about eight hours worth of notes. It looks basically like a hyped-up jump drive. You disconnect the top from bottom, stick the top into the USB port on the computer, Media player comes up, you play the audio file through the player, and then if you want to, you can add it to the burn list, and burn whatever you recorded. You can see where I am going with this can't you? I recorded everything Rob spoke about, with the exception of "buckets, chunks, and marinade," which I had heard about in Dallas three years ago. What's excellent with all this is that I have something to inspire me, help me, humor me, and definitely give me hope. I love listening to these two days of incredible teaching as I do my daily driving. The very last recording I took was that of the worship on the final night we were there. It captures those moments for me of raw, intimate, closeness between my God and me. Lots of crying, lots of prayer, lots of searching, and lots of reasons to be thankful.

* I have already checked out some other blogs and sites, which have some awesome notes from Rob's teachings. My notes suck, so I recommend googling Isn't She Beautiful, and then going from there. There are two sites that are loaded with notes. Look for the notes on salvation...they will blow you away.

* Lurch and I had an awesome time in Grandville, but we had to stay about ten minutes from Mars Hill as the hotels close by were all booked. So, we ended up staying at the Country Inn and Suites in Wyoming (another suburb of Grand Rapids). Wonderful hotel, great staff, and impeccably clean. When Lurch and I travel together (we have been all over this great country), we try and find some kind of food place or desert place that is just local. It would be easy to eat chain stuff, but we like adventure. When we checked in at the hotel, we asked the front desk person what her favorite pizza place was in the greater Grand Rapids area. She gave us two menus. We looked them over and it was decided that we would order from a local place close to the hotel called Valone's. What caught our attention was the 18 inch pizza with four toppings for $14! Oh yeah!!! The driver got it to us to the hotel in ten minutes flat! The core temperature as well as the surrounding temp of the pizza was that of the sun...yes that big orange ball that blinds you and gives you bad skin. I have eaten lots of pizza in my life, but this pizza was amazing! Tons of cheese, meat, and the crust wasn't over done, but it was soft and chewy. The pieces were HUGE! It was so good, we decided to order another pizza from them the last night we were there, and we tried their cheese sticks. Man, am I hungry right now. I HIGHLY recommend Valone's if you are ever in the greater suburb of Wyoming in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

* Lurch and I are official members of the Beardcore! With shirts and everything... Not sure what it is, but I liked the shirts I kept seeing at Mars Hill being worn by guys who had beards, but then finding out the guy who started Beardcore is kind of an enigma around there, made me want to get a shirt even more. The shirt has this pair of sunglasses, nose, and mouth with beard as a shadow on these non-descript T-Shirts. Very cool, but very hush hush!

I needed to go to this conference. It had been a dream of mine to see Mars Hill, worship there, and just soak it all in. While I was there, I met Rob, had him sign my Velvet Elvis, and had a picture taken with him, which now is hanging in my office at church. That was a cool moment meeting him. But, I needed to be there to be with others who love the church, are tired of hurting or burn out, are excited about what God is doing in them and in us, and who see the church is beautiful because Jesus invites us into this beautiful life we experience together. If Mars Hill has another seminar for leaders, GO! Do yourself a favor and go. All the money they made from this by the way, they gave it all away to relief organizations in Rwanda, and in Grand Rapids. As a side note, I highly recommend downloading Rob's teachings...you will never think the same again after hearing him teach. Check out the Mars Hill website and order some teachings. Definitely worth it. I thank the good people of St. John's Lutheran for such a thing called continuing education money that allowed me to go. So, thank you, thank you, thank you. You are beautiful. More later...

www.marshill.org

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!
NOW, BREAK OPEN THE MACALLAN!

Yes, I turn the big 33 today! Actually, it's not so bad. I have many things to be thankful for, including some incredible friends, my families, my beautiful wife, and my ultimate joy - my son. I guess turning one year older isn't so bad, as I can look around my life, and see what's really important for me. And that is this group of people who love me, and value who I am. This past year, I faced the most difficult time in my life so far, and what was very obvious to me from the moment that happened, is who my friends really are. Those people who called me their friend, were like Simon Peter, and scattered when asked about me. They were and still are no where, where I want to be. But, people come in and out of your life, I think, to test just how strong or weak your disposition is, or maybe how healthy and unhealthy you are. Trust me, I had plenty of those people are me this past year, but the best part of right now, is that I have people around me who are the best, who love without judgment, who speak truth, who share silence, and in some way, who are simply thankful for the God who made us all, and that in itself inspires literally, the hell right out of me.

So, for fun and to cover all my bases, I truly want to thank God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, Dream Theater and Mike Portnoy, Rush and Neil Peart, Threshold, Marillion, The Macallan, Captain Morgan, Ipod, Mars Hill and Rob Bell, Y.S., Legos, Thomas The Tank Engine, Bob The Builder, Noggin Channel, Chevy, Lake Darling, Zingers, Ikea, St. John's, Burger King, Culver's, Exclusive Company, Budget Music, Voigt Music, Goepffert's Guns, Lipton Tea Bags, Gander Mountain, Cabellas, Korner Grocery, Cherry's Steak House, Dairy Queen, the Milwaukee Street StopNGo, Sabian HHX Cymbals, Mike Portnoy signature drum sticks, Ludwig cymbal stands, Pearl Eliminator Hi-Hats, Starbucks, and Sears!

NOW, last but not at all least, a heartfelt thank you to the best people I know, THE Deb, Lurch, Reneeeeee, Luedtkes, Cole, Nan, the Peters, Thorthunderbunny, BigPhil, b elliot, Markquart, Toothfairy, Kvapils, the Freeman, Meister Roth, the artist formerly known as Hummel, trent reznor's goddess - Kari, dent in the head Fred, Nikon Geffre, Hopfveisbeir, Wookie or the amazing KJ, D McG, too tall Rich, Stan the man, The Fams, her royal heiness - The Queen, and of course, my flesh and blood and my son - Gene "I wish I had a bass even though I am two" Simmons.

These are the people who have walked with me through those dark and shadowed places. These are the people with whom I share a connection, and I who I love with my whole being. I love you guys, and I want to thank you sincerely for connection, for trust, for honesty, for transparency, for authenticity, and for the calls. You made this year bearable, and fun, and memorable. I cannot be any more thankful for anything else but good friends who mean what they say and who are how they are because they refuse to be fake. Yes, I had some incredible experiences this past year, went to some great places, and took some awesome pictures, but you know, none of those "things" would be as enjoyable as they are without knowing that all those experiences were with people I love.

So, as much as this post is "Oprah-ed," I mean it all. This is just a day, when I can thank God for making me, and the people around me who I love. That's it! Oh yeah, it's doesn't hurt to have the lemon cake with lemon frosting either though. Too bad you don't get any! More later...

P.S. BE LOOKING FOR A RECAP OF MY TRIP TO MARS...COMING SOON!

I haven't done one of these in a while, so for those of you who are looking for some new music to make the ears and the soul be filled, maybe check these out:

1) Chicane - "Behind The Sun"

This is such a great CD. It came out a couple years ago, but is still one of my favs. Chicane is a dance/trance group of DJs from England. Amazing stuff! This particular CD is just layered with beautiful tracks, keys, beats, and some great vocals. I usually don't like all that many vocals for a trance album, but this works. I love this CD for driving, or if you are into the work out thing, definitely a must have. This CD is calming for me, because this music is beautiful not in a soothing put you to sleep way, but in a life is good and affirming sort of way. Another CD that I highly recommend but is very hard to come by from Chicane is "Far From The Maddening Crowds." This CD is what I like to listen to right before I go to bed. So beautiful, and relaxing. This CD is not full of dance, rather layered keys and some ambient beats but not in your face and punchy. This is a a great piece of work, and if you can find it, get it.

2) GPS - "Window To The Soul"
Another great CD that just came out last fall. Three of the four guys in this group, just left the band Asia after some time together. The fourth guy, their keyboard player used to be in the band Spock's Beard. If you are anywhere interested in progressive rock or metal, this CD is a great addition. It is not hard or heavy, rather I would say this melodic rock, with some heavy moments, all supported with these amazing keyboards. John Payne's vocals are alright. There are moments that I think he sounds hoarse, as if he didn't warm up his voice before he laid down the track. But, I tend to listen past that, and enjoy the guys behind him. For those of you who are well versed in 80's metal, the drummer is Jay Schellen, who used to play for the band Hurricane. Great "in the pocket" player, very groove oriented. So, if you are looking for something not too hard, not too soft, this sounds really good. You can read about them here: www.insideoutmusic.com/bands/band-gps.php

3) Joe Satriani - "Satriani Live!"
I love Joe Satriani! When his new work comes out, I pick it up right away, as I love to see how this amazing guitar player evolves from one CD to the next. Satch is amazing. His playing is so fluid, passionate, controlled, and definitely loud and heavy when it needs to be. This 2 CD live set recorded last year, is an amazing collection of his work, including his most recent studio release, "Super Colossal." Satch lets his playing speak for itself, and so there is no singer. He just plays with a bass player, rhythm guitar player, and this incredible drummer. This is definitely in the genre of good driving music, work out stuff, or avoiding work at the office stuff. This is music that is ballsy and fun, and yet soft and melodic at times. I am in awe of how he has a mastery of the electric guitar, and maybe for all of us guitar nerds that want to play better and tighter, Satch gives us inspiration and hope that deep down inside of us all, we have this inner-master of bombastic playing fury that is clawing its way out of us...some more slowly than others. I highly recommend this...one of my top ten CDs of 2006!

Some other CDs I have literally been obsessed with in 2006:
Iron Maiden - "A Matter Of Life And Death"
Slayer - "Christ Illusion"
Dream Theater - "Score: 20th Anniversary Live" (3CD Live)
Pet Shop Boys - "Fundamental"
Pillar - "The Reckoning"
Vanden Plas - "Christ. O"
David Gilmour - "On An Island"

I am also looking forward to some great CDs coming out this spring:
Threshold - "Dead Reckoning" coming out March 23, 2007 on Nuclear Blast Records

Neal Morse - "Sola Scriptura" (with the man himself, Mike Portnoy on drums) coming out March 7, 2007 on Radiant Records

Sevendust - "Alpha" coming out March 6, 2007 on 7Bros. Records

Marillion - "Somewhere Else" coming out April 9, 2007 on Intact Records

Dream Theater - Unknown Date or Name, but will be released this year!

Some great music coming out soon, great movies coming out on DVD finally (Saw 3, Miami Vice Seasons 3 & 4), and great books too (Rob Bell - "Sex God"). For pop culture junkies like me, this looks a good spring, even though it is only just stuff. But good stuff. More later...

I heard this on the "Bob and Tom Show" this morning. Someone was reading letters of complaint about something, and they signed their letter off this way:

Signed,
John
From the great state of Minnesota
"Where the introverts stare at their own shoes, and the extroverts stare at yours."

Actually one could probably be safe and include pretty much the entire upper Midwest of the U.S. for this one. People in Wisconsin are the same way, and I know they are that way in Iowa. South Dakota's just weird, including the people (Hopfveisbier man!). AND, what's funny about this, is that this is common in churches everywhere. Watch for it this Sunday and you'll see what I mean. There is so much truth to all this...have you ever seen this? More later...

Here is something interesting to think about:

Would you rather be wealthy and unable to walk, OR would you rather be famous and unable to hear?

This is how my mind works...go with me on this. More later...

The Highs Of My Week:

1) Going out to lunch with my wife on Friday. Actually, she took me out, and we had Olive Garden. I love it when she pays, and I always thank her for that! But, you know I struggle everytime I am there...my struggle is in deciding if I should order something new. I order the same thing everytime - seafood pasta with an extra Italian sausage (my friend and I started this tradition), along with the Belini tea! SO GOOD! My wife commented how much easier and more carefree it is not having the little man with as he tends to be incredibly impatient at any and ALL restaurants! So, it was nice to have a rare moment with just my wife having some good food.

2) Meeting with a subversive group of pastors who are forward thinking, who are tired of weird obscure traditions that are stumbling blocks for God to actually work in the church, and who are just ready for authentic, transparent ways of leading and serving the church. This is definitely something that I wanted in my previous freakish call, but everyone was more interested in taking care of themselves, than in actually trying to be communal, and dare I say, working on their inner-core of spiritual awareness of why they do what they do. I love this group of men who are so ready for something new, and are doing some awesome things in their respective churches. Next month, we have a big name speaker coming to St. John's in Oregon and councils, and pastors are invited to come and learn about how to be Spirit-Led Leaders, because as we are finding out with ourselves and with others, not tuning into how to receive and live within the Holy Spirit can kill not only churches, but it can kill the pastor too. I am excited about the potential and friendships that I am connecting with in this group.

3) Delivering my wife's lunch to the High School that she teaches at, and TWICE, someone assuming I was a student!!! I loved it! Overhearing one of my wife's English students ask, "Is that a new student?" as I walked into her classroom made my day! It made me miss high school for about a second or two. But then again, I was happy to only have visited!

4) Challenging myself to preach on the New Testament text that I have preached the most on. Every wedding I have done, I always preach on the "Wedding at Cana" gospel from John. Well, this week in the lectionary, this text came up. It really challenged me to say something different that I hadn't before, because frankly I was way too comfortable with this text before this week. But, last night and this morning's worship services heard me preach and the sermon was well received...I had one woman come up to me and say to me that she had heard this text a thousand times, and I was the first pastor that made her totally think about this in a new way! You know, that makes it all worth it...not that it points to me, but that the Holy Spirit is the real author here...I simply write how I am inspired and I definitely know it's God who gives me thought and flow as to what I am going to say. I definitely love that part of what I do.

Some Lows Of My Week:

1) Just dealing with the inability of some people to actually know that they continue to hurt and frustrate my wife and I. I find it appalling and rude that when feelings or emotions are not considered and are not even on honored, then I have a major problem with it (see previous posts). The funny thing in all this is that, there are some people from that place that actuallyt believe that I trust them, and that I might want to be in relationship with them. I don't think so (again, see previous post). But, out of this crap, I have some great friends who are in a more viable position than I am to actually voice their disgust about how this church goes about doing things. And for them and their voice, I am honored.

2) Seeing my wife deal with some shock and sadness over the tragic death of one of her students. A mother, her 15 year old son, and 17 year old daughter were murdered this week south of town in their home. Big news around here. I have been around tragedy, and know what that awful grief feels like and looks like. But, for my wife, who sees it rarely and knowing that this death was horrible, compounds the feelings of loss and anger. Her side of it all is remembering that 15 year old smile and laugh, and working his butt off to pass her class. No to mention, that she remembers his innocence and energy. Unfortunately, the local police have no idea who did it, or why. Meaningless deaths for such young people and a mother who was working two jobs to just make it, pisses me off and breaks my heart, and I know it does alot more than that for my wife who knew this family. God be with the families...

More later...

I am not a very good linear thinker, nor am I generally a black and white category type who can sort out differences thinly and without much thought. But, there are certain pieces of me who is acutely aware that I need to plainly see the value of who I trust and who I do not. I guess this is where I am simple in my rationale. Let me explain. I generally think of the relationships I have with people in two categories: Life-Giving OR Life-Taking. Life-giving relationships are just as they sound. These are the people with whom trust is shared, love is unsaid, confidentiality is respected, mutual interests are celebrated, faith is in and among, laughter is a must, silence is sacred, forgiveness is honest, accountability is normal, guilt dies, conversation is cherished, and life is given by the other simply by their presence. Relationships like this are rare but very needed. This type of relationship I hold close to me, and I do not forget about it. Yes, there are moments when the hands of time creep up and separate that relationship due to distance, movement in life, or simply the day to day bog of scheduled difference.

But, I hold certain relationships closer to me than others, simply because I know that those are the friends that a walk through hell and back with each other is about love, trust, and respect. Many of my closest friends are those with whom I have had that hell and back journey and I am forever grateful for them and that time. They showed to me that they care. I would in an instant, do the same for them if their lives were on that path too. And then from there, are the friends that I talk to once in a while, who know me, know what I am about, know our history together, know what I love and passionate about, etc., but might be someone I have not talked to in years...for me, these are the friends that I had in high school or college, maybe even during a certain job or schooling. These are the friends who I know but, the commonality isn't maybe as strong as it once was and from time to time, I am saddened by that. I wish that I was closer to those friends.

Now, life-taking relationships are not really friends, nor are they relationships at all. I would say they are more like encounters. These are the people who are emotional leeches and want to, have tried to, continue to try to, and will always try to...suck the life out of me. These are the people who if they are going to relate to you or not, their decision to do so rests on if they like you, what can you show them so that they will invest their time into you. These for me, are mostly people I have gotten to know not in corporate world, hotel world, retail world, or seminary world. NO! It's the world of church. There are people who I worked with, who I played softball with, who I buried their relative, who I married their cousin, who I prayed with, who I cried with, who I no longer associate with, because I see them for what they are now that I have some time and distance from them. Life-taking people are not who I want to be around. Yes, ministry can do that at times, but when those people might be an inner-circle, or a circle of people who are meant to make things better and visionary, and they take the life out of the relationship I had with them, then I no longer want to be attached to anything having to do wit them or that venue they work in and so foolishly defend and protect.

What I am discovering about me, is that I need to take my power back from those who took it from me. And I do that by not letting them know that they have won...that they have the best parts of me. Because for me, the best parts of me are mine and only mine, and like a wife to be on her wedding night, I want to give myself away to the community that I love, and that relationship will be better for it. I am taking my power back from life-taking people because they no longer matter to me. The pain of hearing too many words, too many moments, too many hushed rumors, is not worth it anymore as it plays again, right into them, into their time and attention. So, I refuse to do that. I will reflect on it as I will always be public about my story and how I was screwed over, and how I tried to do what I could within an environment that wouldn't allow me to be fully me. But, my ties are severed from life taking people, and frankly, that's how I have always operated. I am not all that good at mercy, but I do believe in the power of redemption.

To be life-giving and not life-taking, all one needs to do is seek out some sense of forgiveness. Trust is not an option, but redemption is. Trust is already ruined, but redemption is possible by humbly realizing where the wrongs are, where the hurt is, how tender that all could still be, and how to apologize for all that. What I have come to know is that life-taking people are not generally wired for redemption, nor are they good at humility. Humility requires honesty. And being honest involves a willingness to learn how to name the shards of what I or they broke. That every little piece is a moment of disagreement, failure, lack of something, bloated ego, guilt, awkwardness, frailty, or emotional disconnect. This takes time, and maybe the relationships that are the most broken with the most shards in it, are the ones that are the most difficult to piece together. The smaller the shards, the harder and more time consuming it is to connect them to each other AND the more time it will take to connect to each other.

I love the relationships that I have that are life-giving. I want to keep them going. And yet, I want to kill the encounters that are life-taking. I want to exhume their theft of dis empowering me, and take back what is rightly mine. I am doing that through writing this. They can never know how beautiful a person I really am, can they? But then again, maybe they cannot see how beautiful they once were before they hardened their hearts into something ugly and unnameable. So, it's hard for me to see how beautiful a person they really are because their beauty is hidden by their ugly hardened hearts. I wonder if anyone can really see them for who they are. I suppose only God can, which raises the question, "Is God pleased with what He sees?" More later...

Today I did something that I might regret, but I am taking the higher road and actually trying to do the thing Jesus would do. This morning, I finished a posting about a former church's website, and how I feel that their lack of professionalism, integrity, care, and consideration for me and my family's feelings and how that is blatant in how they have four pictures of me on their new wbesite. Now, I removed it because I know for me, I want to be the kind of person who is honest, yes, but is also spiritually led to do the right thing. The right thing for me, is to express my disappointment, frustration, and hurt to the web designer, and those who approved its content, but not be so punchy...although I really want to!

My hurt is about a lack of understanding on their part, and how posting pics of me might not be the best thing for them to do to promote themselves. Pics of me, and yes, a picture of my son IS NOT what I would consider honoring or valuing to the ministry that's there...it presents a false impression of what's not there. Namely, that I am no longer there. I am hurt that certain people are thinking of themselves and not about who might be affected by their actions. If I am so celebrated as a musician as it looks like I am on the website, why then was I given the not-so celebratory treatment of avoidance, mouths shut, and silent treatment? Why is the church so willing to avoid the truth to make themselves look like the "good guy" when in fact, it was one person and one person only, whose agenda it was to get rid of me, and he knows who he is and he has to live with that guilt and decision for the rest of his life. If he were truly a man of God, he would step up and admit that it was he who wanted me gone, instead of hiding behind his need to avoid any and all confrontation. But see when all you know your whole life, is how to avoid pain, you're able to free yourself from the difficult work of empathizing with the pain of others. Not once has he tried to reach out to me, and actually voice regret or apology. I guess I expected that. I have no idea how a man can be so entrenched in the environment as to not allow himself to notice that those around him want to see the real, honest, and authentic person God made him to be. But, for him, he shows what he wants, and those walls he shows are high, wide, and thick from years of his need for power, control, and manipulation. God help him. I truly do pity that man for what he thinks he's worth.

So, out of this clear sense of who I am, and who he is, and who certain others show themselves to be with their lack of integrity and care, I really am trying to pray for those few people who are genuinely clueless as to how this is another slow twist of that knife reminding me of how painful the circumstances of my leaving really was. I pray that God send the equalizing 2 by 4 of grace across their heads, as to wake them up and think about removing my image from a website of a place I am no longer at. Oh yeah, if you want to see what I originally wrote this morning, email me and I will send you a copy. More later...

I saw the Bumper Sticker of the Day, Month, and possibly the entire Year today...

"I am only speeding because I really have to poop!"

This put my whole day into such a clear perspective! I am filing this away for possible future use when the wonderful law enforcement officer asks me if I was aware I was speeding!

More later...

Robertson Is A Prophetic Dufus Dingus Boy!

Can someone please explain to me why the hell the so called Reverend, Pat Robertson speaks as though he believes he is a modern day prophet, offering nutsoid rhetoric about how the US will be be attacked again by some major terrorist plot? Does anyone else think this guy is nuts? I mean not in some rubber room, throw away the key sort of way. But, in the "Hey, that so called pastor is a piece of chicken short of a full bucket" sort of way? His conservative right views on all things, makes me vomit red, white, and blue! I can assure the good ole Pat (and who the hell names their boy Pat anyway?) that the God who I understand and love, and worship, and who reveals himself in the most unexpected kinds of ways, absolutely wants no part in allowing his stupid predictions to become a focal point for the already divided and angry American public! See, here is the funny part. Robertson believes that God spoke to him, warning him on some prayer retreat, that there will be another major terrorist attack within the year 2007.

Now let's think about this rationally, a function that obviously Robertson fails to use. Would God be so desperate enough to get his snippets of prophetic spin, as to use some dufus who basically works himself as a political patsy for the Bush White House? Is God really that desperate? Can't God find someone else to predict horrible tragedy for this country? Does He really have to use scary end of times, right wing, dorkus boys who trade in their intelligence for bloated, overinflated self-important moments in the spotlight? I wonder if God really did speak to Patty. God often speaks to me, but it's mostly through other people, in those moments of connection and trust, and consolation. It's in those least expected moments when I am not in prayer that God's voice is the loudest in the noise of my life. It's in those moments of walking through a hospital that God speaks to me and lets me know that He is there. It's in those moments of playing football with my son, that God speaks to me about life and how to live it. I honestly have to question the validity, the sensibility, and the profundity of realizing that God speaks to me in the most gratifying of ways, when God also speaks to Patty about fear, terror, death, destruction, and Revelation.

It seems to me, that anything that does not give life, promote life, advocates life, or is responsible for gifting life, God wants nothing to do with. Robertson's prophecy is all about fear, paranoia, paralysis, and wide-eyed fear of each other. It offers this country nothing new. It offers us just another reason why not to trust, old washed out, bad televangelists like Pat. Someone like him speaks for himself...not me. I do not claim that just because I have the title Pastor or Reverend in front of my name, that does not give me the clearest and easiest channel with which God communicates to me all of his world controlling secrets. God speaks to whomever and whenever He wants, but He speaks unexpectedly, lovingly, supportively, sometimes gently. God speaks what He wants to say, but I highly doubt that God is all that interested in speaking fear into people, so that it makes Robertson correct in his predictions. Of all people God could use to speak his will, his hopes, his love, and his grace through, I really do not think God would ONLY, EXCLUSIVELY use a right wing, ultra conservative, Bushy backer to speak for Him. I think Robertson is full of shit, and I think God knows it. If you listen carefully, you can actually hear God doubling over in laughter, shaking His head at Patty, and the rest of us. It's WE who misinterpret God's word into our own, thinking we speak for God. God is God, and God prefers it that way. Well, this is one pastor who is not going to be a prophetic ass, and speak nonsensical, self-important spotlight predictions about 2007. Well, I might go as far as predicting who will win the World Series, but that's as far as I will go! Uh, can we say Brewers versus Cardinals...Brewers take it all in four games! GOD TOLD ME...WHY WON"T YOU BELIEVE ME? More later...

The funny thing about coming back from any sort of extended period of travel/vacation, is just how tired and exhausted I feel for the next couple days, sometimes weeks after getting back. This past experience home to North Dakota, was no exception. After doing said, marathon at church (see previous blog entry), we loaded my trusty steed, and headed west. Stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in St.Cloud that night (Monday 25th). Personally, I love this hotel. Extremely clean, VERY warm kiddy pool, big pool, and the hot-tub lived up to its namesake. But, I made the mistake of actually sitting in the hot-tub for a long time after the drive there and after doing the combat preaching thing...my legs almost failed to work.

Went to Minot, saw the family, saw the G-Parents, and fun was had by all. Most odd Christmas gift of the year goes to my wife. It never fails, one of us in the family gets some gift that no one really knows why or for what, or sometimes who gave it. Now, it might seem like a joke, but sadly it's not. This year, the odd gift out was a roll of bubblewrap. Yes, you read that right! I got assorted things like Batman legos, and the Kiss Anthology DVD set, and a great book, "Roadshow" by Neil Peart (drummer for Rush).

Before we left for Tater Town on the 28th, we had lunch with one of my good friends from high school, and her hubby and their little boy. It was awesome to see her, as I hadn't seen her in something like twelve years or so. She looked great and happy. We chatted for a while about all things and then as quick as it all started, our boys were hitting the witching hour, and we had to go so they could take the daily dose of naps. So, we said our goodbyes, and hit the trail going east. After this whole lunch thing with my friend, my wife and I got talking about high school and all the dramas that happen, and all the expended energy in dating, and how those we dated at the time, unknowingly broke our hearts, and how proms were weird, etc. That passed the time well, and we got to Tater Town just as the sun was going down.

The In-Laws were great, and we all had a good time. Had some adult bevs with my drinkin' buddy and fellow ruffian, my brother-in-law! Went to the local watering hole with said ruffian, future brother-in-law, and my Father-in-law. The name of the hole is "The Spud." I love this place! Definitely a small town bar, where so and so buys you a drink because you have worked with them before or you know so and so, and so they buy you a drink, you buy them one, and so forth. Weird social environment if you are not from around there, but very cool if you hang out with one of the crowd, and you are a spectator!

We left the morning of the 31st. Too much snow to clean off the steed, like 10 inches worth. Drove from Tater Town to Fargo, watching peripheral road lines to stay on I-29 south. Why? The plows had not been out yet, so I watched the speed, and I had the truck in 4 Hi. Passed Fargo, drove all the way too St. Cloud no problem. Got a call from my sister-in-law who was about an hour ahead of us driving home south of Minneapolis. She called to let us know of the fun times ahead. Sure enough as I got near Clearwater, it began to snow. Cars and trucks were slowed down to crawl. I went 10mph for about an hour, visited the Cabelas in Rogers, got back on the Interstate, and kept the truck in 4 Hi going between 10 and 30mph for the next hour and a half. It was the most awful drive around the Twin Cities, I have EVER had! Got into Wisconsin thinking it would clear out...but it took well past Eau Claire before it even stopped snowing, and then it rained, and it cleared by the time I drove past the Dells. The whole trip took us twelve excruciating hours, plus we have the additional enjoyment of having a two year old who does not believe in the concept of patience all that well. He had two melt downs, three mild freak outs, watched three Thomas movies, and read the same book over at least thirty-eight times. Between this, and seeing numerous cars in the ditch, I was on high alert...my nerves were just wrecked by the time I drove into Janesville. The first thing I did was pour myself a Johnny Walker, watched the ball drop, and go to sleep!. I earned it!

All in all, a great Christmas time, but not so much fun traveling back. Definitely a whiteknuckler at times! But, I am back and ready to go. Back at the church thing, already planning some things out, and just excited to be doing what I am doing. Hope you all had a great Christmas, and hope it was without road danger! More later...