insuspenders day and the impact you made

On July 4th, we again hosted our annual InSuspenders Day party. Friends came in droves - 50 folks in total this year, all stuffed into our 1100 sq ft house and our little backyard.

There were yuppie-west-siders everywhere, in addition to a beautiful collection of families, tattoo-sleeves, homeless guys, weirdos, dudes, and chicks. Basically, it was really hot and a little crowded and an unreal success. The hot dogs were scrumptious, the fireworks were awesome, and the picture of the Kingdom was tangible.

All of that was great. BUT THE BIG DEAL THIS YEAR WAS THAT...

...This year we asked our guests to consider offering some cash to the "least of these" instead of bringing food and drink (even though some still hooked us up with sweetness). We took care of the food and our dear friends dropped $608 in a glass jar that went directly to feed kids in South Africa. What's cooler is that Tiffani, our housemate/neighbor/tenant/sistah got to hand-deliver the check to Pastor Willie in South Africa and then feed the kiddos herself when she was over there in July.

You will see many of the kids in this video that Tiff made when she got back. I hope you enjoy getting to see your love making an impact in far away places.

I hope you also see how we can do incredible things together when we think of His people and consider His children. I cannot thank all of you enough for your generosity and life-giving sacrifice. Children will be eating off of that $608 for months. I am forever grateful. And I am so excited to do it all again next year. Enjoy.

it is always a good time for tim sanders

Tim Sanders: Mojo Rising Keynote from Tim Sanders on Vimeo.

ever wish you were someplace else?

amazing josh wilson, my new bff

Video embedded. Click here if you are a subscriber and cannot see it: TO VIDEO.

Caught this guy at Leadership Summit. The first video is that live performance, which was pretty stellar. He also performed Amazing Grace (which was downright incredible), but I couldn't find that version so this link to another version will have to do. Enjoy.

of graffiti, white-flight, and the ubiquity of brokenness

I heard a story from a friend recently about a co-worker lamenting the fact that urban crime had caught up to him in his neighborhood on the sprawling edges of the city.

Graffiti and petty vandalism had made it to the exurbs and the wringing of hands had begun. “Pack up the house, Maude, we’re moving to Canada!!”

It occurred to me that perspective is everything. I live in an urban area, where teen pregnancy rates are through the roof, homelessness is rampant, and graffiti is ubiquitous. It is the kind of place that when you move into the neighborhood, your car insurance rates rise. And we love it for its charm and intimacy, for its age and its connectedness.

Do I even notice tagging in our hood? No. Why? Because, when you think about it, a tagged fence is not nearly as threatening as the white-flight crowd makes it out to be. It is a kid with a spray can… Yes, there are underlying issues there concerning gangs, property values and the like, but at the end of the day it is paint on wood.

Society is pocked with brokenness no matter what the zip code. In the city center, it is graffiti and in the gated neighborhoods, it is securities fraud. Forget which one is more obvious. Which one is really more damaging?

At the end of the day, there is no neighborhood, zip code, or lifestyle that trumps any other when it comes to escaping the nature of man. We are all broken…all in need of a savior.

the end of the static

Yesterday was the second of my two preaching Sundays in July. I was able to close out out STATIC series and I figured I would make the audio available.
STATIC - Re-engage, 26 July

While I am at it, here is the rest of the series, with my other appearance being the first of the three (July 5).

STATIC - Rediscover, 5 July
STATIC - Reorient, 12 July
STATIC - Revolution, 19 July

my bella and the journey into the presence of the father

My child continues to amaze me, to bring me to awe and wonder. The way that she looks at me and learns is stunning. An incredible gift from above, no doubt.

She has begun crawling recently, which is a new phenomenon and consists of using only her arms to pull herself forward until she collapses face first and then repeating the process over and over. (My Dad has resorted to calling it “the worm” as he watched her inch forward.)

On Monday night, I came in after work and kissed Stef and picked up my little Bella. We had a moment. You know, “a moment”. We like to have moments. Wouldn’t trade them for the world. Her eyes are hopeful and endless. It is joy.

Not long after our moment, I found myself in the kitchen doing some dishes and I called for Bella from two rooms away. We made eye contact and she began excitedly making her way towards me. Slowly, she flopped and pulled herself around the couch and onto the old wooden floor. She flopped and pulled herself through the legs of the chairs at the kitchen table, where she rested for a moment, laying her head on the floor in exhaustion. Eventually, I coaxed her all the way into the kitchen, where she proudly raised her little arms for me to pick her up. Almost relieved, she did in fact make it into my arms and we hugged and she smiled proudly, aware that she had traversed quite the distance to enter into my presence. All to see her Daddy. All to be close to her Father.

Neat picture for us…on the journey to God the Father…what will we do to reach His embrace?