Sorry to keep you all in suspense about our big move, but I think we underestimated how much of a “time suck” moving is. We are slowly getting settled in, and have lots we want to share with you, but here is just a brief list of what has been happening lately:
1. We moved to Atlanta!
2. Our new apartment is a loft located just east of downtown, in the neighborhood of Cabbagetown (more about the new ‘hood in an upcoming post). Surrounding neighborhoods are Old Fourth Ward, Inman Park, Reynoldstown & Grant Park.
3. On DAY THREE in our new digs, one of our cars was stolen. True story.
4. We got the car back! It’s not looking too hot, though. We are not sure yet if we are going to keep the car or sell it, but in the meantime, it is drive-able (as long as you have a screwdriver to get ‘er going).
Maria and I have held off on posting for a while, mostly because our season of waiting over the last year had grown deeper, harder, and less hopeful in the last few months. Put simply, the beginnings of despair over whether or not we would ever be able to do what we’d set out to do so many months ago had started to set in. However, glimmers of hope have started to appear on the horizon these last few weeks.
So I know this is a totally random post as the first one in almost a month, but I just thought these were too rad not to share. These are some pics of my older brother Don at work, flying across the country for the Navy.
Here’s a video from a recent event at Auburn University in Alabama at which I worked as part of the production crew. The concert featured the bands Blackberry Smoke and Cross Canadian Ragweed, neither of whom I had heard of, but both of whom I enjoyed. The whole event was basically just a day long celebration of debauchery and bad judgment. I’d never seen such a concentration of inebriated folks in my life! It was quite sad…Nonetheless, the concert was a lot of fun to work, and it just whets my appetite for more concert work!
This morning, I was awoken to the sound of my husband’s voice as he barged in the bedroom after taking Coco, our four pound shih tzu, for a walk in the neighborhood. He said to me, with headphones still in, “Guess what? WABE [the Atlanta NPR station] is doing this thing where you can donate money and Trees Atlanta will plant a tree in your honor at the future Beltline Arboretum!” As my eyes began to crack open, I managed to squeeze out a “That’s cool. Would they put our name on it?” in my raspy morning voice. Once I became fully conscious, though, I realized yes, that actually is pretty cool, and no, it probably wouldn’t have our name on it. Ha! So here’s the deal:
For everyone who makes a pledge to WABE [today], the station – in partnership with Trees Atlanta – will plant a tree in their honor in metro Atlanta. This offer is for EARTH DAY only. And it’s for everyone who makes a pledge at any amount. The trees will be planted along the Atlanta Beltline Arboretum, which, when finished, will be the longest arboretum in the country. Donations can be made through our home page: www.WABE.org.
Sketch from the Atlanta Beltline Arboretum Conceptual Plan
So for those of you that are just itchin’ to do something earth friendly today, here’s your chance. Or maybe you just like public radio, which we can totally relate to, and you’d be helping them out at the same time.
A friend recently shared this video with us, and I wanted to share it with you guys. The bald Asian dude on the left is Francis Chan. He’s a speaker and author whom Maria and I have seen a bunch of times at various conferences and events, and we’re always struck by his willingness to speak boldly right to the heart of issues and problems in the church, and his transparency and honesty. We also both read his latest book, Crazy Love, and were really challenged and encouraged by it.
This video is significant to us for a few reasons. For one, it was almost a year ago to the day that, while at the Exponential Conference in Orlando (which is going on right now!) Maria and I first stepped up and committed to moving forward with what we felt like was next for us. Francis Chan was speaking at the closing session of the conference, pointing out that if all you had was a Bible and the Holy Spirit, the kind of life and religion you would end up with would look very different from the one we see around us. He shared stories about some radical steps he and the elders at Cornerstone Church were taking to return to the primitive simplicity of obedience to the scriptures. It was super challenging. Then at the close of his session, Francis invited forward all those who had been feeling the stirring of God to take big next steps of faith, to be prayed for and blessed by the leaders of the conference. Maria and I had certainly been stirring and wrestling with what was next for us, but we had far from decided that it was time to move. But, in response to Francis’ call for a radical return to the scriptures, it only seemed appropriate. Thus, this was the first moment that we said to the rest of the staff at Momentum that we would be leaving. It was gut-wrenching and exhilarating.
The second reason this video is significant is that it seems that Francis himself is taking that step into “what’s next,” as we did a year ago. We hear echoes of our own thoughts and convictions in the things Chan says and hints at in this video, about being tired of doing Sunday services, about moving into the city, and about just wanting to be an anonymous disciple of Jesus, away from the Christian limelight and celebrity status of megachurch pastor. Not that that’s what Maria and I were, but it’s something we were building towards.
I pray and hope that Chan’s courageous step into the unknown will send ripples throughout Christendom, emboldening other pastors and leaders to leave behind the things that hinder the church, and return to the radical obedience of the simple, organic Kingdom of God.
Remember how I said we were going to Savannah with my parents? And how I was going to tell you all about it? Well, the WAIT…IS…OVER. The time…for answers…is HERE. Oh wait, that’s LOST. Anyways, we have been super busy and Joe has been traveling for work quite a bit, and then I remembered today that we have a blog! That’s not entirely true. I actually think about blogging a lot, but life happens and I don’t always have time to write about it. I swear, someday I will live in sweatpants and just blog about cute shoes for a living. Someday. {note: sarcasm}
So, we have lived in Georgia for almost four years now, and I have developed a pesky little southern twang in a shorter amount of time than it took for us to take a trip to Savannah. Sad but true. I am glad we finally did something about that. Savannah is a really cool little place, with lots of character and lots of green space. Twenty one parks to be exact. I think we saw nearly every one, too.
Joe already told you about our Irish Pub rendezvous, but in typical Maria fashion, as though I blog regularly enough to have a “fashion,” I am going to give you a list of some of the other highlights, since I know you don’t care what we did every hour of every day. So here it goes:
Today, I am just a wee bit excited, because one of my bestest friends, Colleen, will be in town for a few days. She normally lives and works in New York City, but she is currently touring the country, performing in Junie B. Jones the musical, as Junie B. Jones herself. Yep, that’s right. She plays a 6 year old, and although I haven’t had a chance to see her perform in this show, I have no doubt she does it with gusto. I love that girl.
Colleen and Me in Central Park
Aside from just being able to see her and talk until we’re blue in the face, I am excited about a few things this weekend.
I am excited that Colleen is bringing one of her friends from the show to stay with us. I have heard so many great things about her little seven member cast and crew, so it will be fun to meet one of them in person.
I am excited to give them both a little taste of home since they live on the road and in hotels.
One Friday night a few weeks ago, as I was taking Coco for an evening stroll, I came across a delightful little show on NPR (via the Public Radio app on my phone, which is just awesome) called Thistle and Shamrock. It is a show that features traditional Celtic and Gaelic folk music, hosted by a thickly-brogued Irishman, and, having just re-watched the Lord of the Rings trilogy, having just lit up my mahogany pipe, and having just recently become comfortable with being a total nerd/old man (depending who you talk to), I gladly listened in on the course of that walk. And then created a Celtic Folk radio station on Pandora. And then purchased The Gaelic Gold collection on iTunes. And then listened obsessively to said Pandora station, with the windows down and the fiddles blaring…like I said, I’m now comfortable being a total nerd.
I gladly listened in on the course of that walk. And then created a Celtic Folk radio station on Pandora. And then purchased The Gaelic Gold collection on iTunes. And then listened obsessively to said Pandora station, with the windows down and the fiddles blaring…like I said, I’m now comfortable being a total nerd.
