Gobias some coffee

My Latest Love

2006-04-30T14:22:00.000-07:00

I just started rock climbing. I love it! It gives me good excersise and a new strange longing toward the jagged mountains during my daily commute on loop 101. It has quenched (if even temporarily) my distain for the dry arid waste land we call the Sonoran Desert. (Talk about naming an ugly mutt "Princess" or something sappy like that.)
It's true, this may be one of Jason's little hobbies he gets seriously into for about 6 months - only time will tell.
There's this strange love-fear-adrenaline thing with climbing. I can't wait to get out to the rock in order to conquer it and claim it as my own, but after (what shouldn't be, but I'm out of shape) a strenious climb of life and death to the top, I have this sense that I never want to do that again. It's scary and I could die!! But then I rappel down and completely forget the common sense notion that I could have died and my euphoric state in respect to climbing is suddenly restored. I can't get enough. Plus, carabiners are cool.

*@#$%&

2006-03-15T16:43:00.000-08:00

How do you tell your five year old son, "We don't say the word 'Biatch'" and keep a straight face?

The Word

2006-02-16T13:57:00.000-08:00

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. - John 1:1
That means that when I read God's Word, I'm getting to know God. When I read God's Word, I'm reading God. When I memorize his Word, I'm memorizing him. His word becomes inscribed on my heart, which means he is inscribed on my heart and I become more and more like him.
Thy word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against thee. - Psalm 119:11

What if...

2006-02-13T18:29:00.000-08:00

...what tastes like apple pie to me tastes like roast beef to you.

What's so funny?

2006-02-12T19:53:00.000-08:00

Who decides what funny is? It's easy to argue an absolute, universal moral standard. There is no doubt in my mind that absolute truth exists. But what about funny? Clearly it's relative because where some consider Carrot Top hilarious, I'm left wanting to ram a railroad spike into my temple. Again, I say, who decides what's funny? At first thought I'm tempted to declare in horror that it's the masses who decide what funny is, but I'm not so sure. The answer I've arrived at is even more terrifying.
Funny is declared by an elite group of "cool" people.
Take the show "The Office" for instance. Do I think it's funny? Mostly. Do you think it's funny? Probably. Does everyone who think it's funny really believe it deep down in the pit of their eternal being? I highly doubt it. But an elite group of "cool" people got together over some "skinny" half caf/decaf triple shot espresso mocha lattes and declared "The Office" funny. Word got out and since everyone wants to be accepted by the elite group of "cool" people, the masses simply go along with it. Thus "The Office" is funny and don't you dare say otherwise.
If you think I'm wrong, why else would a show like "Arrested Development" fall to the wayside? It's simple. The elite group of "cool" people's "skinny" half caf/decaf triple shot espresso mocha lattes weren't sweetened to taste the day "Arrested Development" was on the agenda.
Do I think the show "The Office" is over-rated? Well, compared to what?
My point is that while shows like "The Office" and "Arrested Development" are clever and witty, the masses just want to be liked.
But seriously, what's the standard for funny?

It's been a while

2006-02-08T16:34:00.000-08:00

I can't decide if I like blogging. Who's it for? Me, you, both? I guess that's up to me, huh. Well, I think this one's for me, because you probably aren't even reading this...

What does a doggy say?

2005-11-03T18:17:00.000-08:00

This was an actual conversation I had with my 2 year old daughter today:

Shelby: Daddy, what does a doggy say?
Me: Rrruuff, rrufff!
Shelby: What does a chicken say?
Me: Bk..bk..bkaaaa!
Shelby: What does a collared peccary say?
Me: ................ a what?

Weekly Recommendation

2005-10-24T14:22:00.000-07:00

"the Worst Album Covers Ever!" by Nick DiFonzo
If you like vinyl, cheap leasure suits and the proud disregard for what could be considered remotely visually tantalizing, then this is the book for you.
My good, and Donny Osmond-look-alike friend Dave Long gave it to me as a gift and I've cherished it ever since.
Where else will you find such musical gold mines as "All my friends are dead" or "Devastatin' Dave, The Turntable Slave"?
It's remeniscient of the days when Christian music had a certain tasteless, inbred, cultish flavor; when wide lapels and white ties roamed free; when under-qualified victims of unconditional affirmation still had a voice in this world. But who am I kidding? Those people still have a voice. It's called a blog.

Not sure where I belong

2005-10-18T12:53:00.000-07:00

I feel like I'm stuck in the middle of this somewhat awkward debate about church and God and Jesus and the Bible. I'm not even sure what "emergent" is. I almost want to keep it that way because labels bother me. Just let me be me as God continues to transform my heart. I don't mean that negatively, I just really don't know what emergent means. Nor do I know what "missional" means. Or what about "full service" church? I'm so tired of the corporate church with the customer service mentality. But I'm also not ready to begin questioning the inerrancy of God's Word. I still believe in the fellowship of the church, not as a club, but as a family. One that lives John 13:34-35, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."
At the risk of generalizing, I guess I see two extremes in the Church, corporate and emergent: One that doesn't want to offend the would-be-tither and one that doesn't want to offend the world. Again, extremes. I don't feel I belong to either. I don't know where I belong.
Jesus came to earth as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. That was central to his mission. Obviously, he did more than die on a cross and come back to life, but those facts motivate me to know him more. His sacrifice is the springboard that hurls me into a love relationship with him. It is only by his sacrifice and my faith therein that I can grasp the full beauty of his life and teaching. I wonder though, if it is possible to make the world see the beauty of Christ? Is that what we have been called to do? What I mean by that is I wonder if we tend to water down the truth for the sake of making Christ appealing? Jesus offended a few people. I wonder if I would have been offended? That's a hard question to ask myself. Would I have been labeled a hypocrite? Would I have headed for the door as he turned the tables in holy wrath? I don't know.
So that's where I am.
I yearn for reform in the church.
Is Jesus leading the revolution?
I don't know, but I need to find out.

Weekly Recommendation

2005-10-16T21:26:00.000-07:00

Ravi Zacharias' Podcast.
Currently, iTunes has two Podcasts you can subscribe to for free. One is "Just Thinking" and the other is "Let My People Think". Ravi (we're on a first name basis) is one of my favorite apologist/philosphers. His radio shows/podcasts are appropriately named because they spur me on to think deeper about my walk with Christ. Not to mention his melodic Indian accent is like sweet honey to my ears.

I'm giddy

2005-10-11T17:54:00.000-07:00

To all who care: Arrested Development Season 2 is out on DVD!!!

Wind

2005-10-10T15:51:00.000-07:00

I was sitting under an open window last night reading a book and the cool breeze was swirling around me like a familiar blanket. The cool air was revitalizing. I've missed it.
Please don't go thou crisp autumn breeze.
Stay with me a while.
Tussle my hair and caress me like the invisible lover of yore.

Weekly Recommendation

2005-10-09T21:11:00.000-07:00

Tom's of Maine Deodorant is a delightful blend of natural ingredients and precocious scents lacking too much flare and pretense. Practically speaking, it keeps me fresh all day long and doesn't give me a flaming rash. (I've said too much)
My preference is the "Woodspice" variety. Although it smells nothing like wood, it dons a certain spiciness. It's a bit pricey, but apparently worth blogging about.

My Weekly Recommendation

2005-10-02T09:19:00.000-07:00

The Fruit Bats, "Mouthfuls". Somewhat reminiscent of the Shins, yet unique.
Any unassuming use of a banjo is alright with me.
Best listened to on a lazy afternoon.
Best eaten with a side of mama's strawberry rhubarb pie.
Best worn with a pair of old jeans.

2005-09-11T14:27:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time there was a kid who wanted to say something cool. He pondered endlessly for the perfect quip, a morsel of matchless wisdom. He searched so long that he never said anything at all. He finally died, lonely and uncool.

2005-09-08T09:31:00.000-07:00

Well, here I am. I'm a blogger. Can it be? I feel like the kid who's been picked last for kickball at the playground. Or maybe the guy who walks up to a group of friends and says, "Hey, what are you guys talking about?". Not that I know how any of that feels. I still feel the cold stares.
With my new-found voice to this brave world I would like to make a bold promise to all those who are sick of Golden Girls re-runs and have resorted to reading this blog: I vow to never make a face (be it smily, sad, surprised or any other variety of run-of-the-mill facial expressions) using my punctuation keys. ie. :), :(, ;|, :o, etc. Please be assured those were merely examples of what I will henceforth violently refrain from. There are several reasons for this. The first is that I would hate to be responsible for the physical and emotional damages caused by strained muscles you might incur as you contort your neck to get the full effect of the afore-mentioned pseudo-face. (I love the hyphen! Who's with me?) The second reason for my humble vow is that I just don't see the point. The day a semicolon can communicate my emotions is the day I stop showering and begin a pastry based diet. The third reason is that noseless faces give me the creeps.