The Beginning of the end...

We left for the states today... I'm unsure of my feelings right now. I can't make heads or tails of what I've seen or even how it's affected me. I love the people I've been here with, and I've seen stuff to change me... just not sure exactly how it will all play out yet.

BTW... Crossing the border back to America is hard

But when you're back... there are advantages.

MMM... In and Out... if you haven't experienced it... you just don't know.

Adventure Day 5

Let's just say... I agreed with this little boy during the service...

"And that's all I have to say about that"

Then we met this lady...Viki!

What an awesome lady...

She has no support from anyone other than herself, and she loves on probably 30-40 kids EVERYDAY. She feeds them... teaches them, and will ultimately CHANGE their lives, because of it!

This was a rollercoaster day.

Well, thank God for fire again. We walked down the blustery beach... bought some wood... made a huge fire, and celebrated our last night in Mexico. I can't really sum up this trip yet... give me time.e

Adventure Day 4

There are some beautiful sights here... and some gross things directly to the left of this picture.

This is Jose Luis' place.


it looks good right?

So, what didn't connect with my soul? It felt strange... I heard nothing about the Holy Spirit... in fact, it felt like "church" as usual. We need to make the "church", translate building... longer, or wider for the people. Really? i guess we'll find out even the necessity of that tomorrow as we will be coming here to worship with the REAL church... the people.

So, let's move to tonight... we made a fire... sat down, talked... LAUGHED... holy cow we laughed. I thought Bridges was going to pee herself. Told more stories about our lives... prayed, and these people are my family now. I love them all in unique ways. They are my brothers... they are my sisters... and I'm changed because of them.

Our time here is waning and it's kinda sad... I love my wife... I miss her... I'd like to even talk to her, but this is really special.

Adventure Day 3

We started our day very similar, but with it's own taste today. We sat in the sun, shared a few stories of our lives... prayed together, and I am feeling SOO close to my adventure-mates.

Then we started out, and we encountered a pretty cool place... at first glance Rancho Genesis feels different from most things we've seen here. It was just put together really well. I could see care?!

And Marcos... Not Ricos (Sorry Bill)

He's an amazing guy. Such a cool calm... God presence about him. He was intriguing to all of us, because he kept saying "Iglesia nuevo". For you who speak only American... that's New Church. He felt a desire for "church" to be different. My heart hooked with his when he said that. Unfortunately with a language barrier, and with him having no context to explain what he means... we didn't get past the surface of that thought. We all want to though...

I think we did other stuff, but that was the highlight! I hope we can talk again, and learn more somehow.

And this is the place that his heart beats fast for... I'll call this Lynchburg, Mexico. The real name is El Zorillo! What a dark dark place. There were multiple church buildings, but no God. We were even threatened by a boy with only one foot while here. Not sure, but I could see God doing some cool things here!

Oh... did I mention that I really like these people God has put me on this trip with... I'm having a blast, and feel really close to God right now... it's AMAZING!

Adventure Day 2

Waking up to this is strange...

We walked on the beach this morning... so dirty, and so full of HUGE shells... the boys will love these.

We ate breakfast... shared some stories, which were AMAZING, prayed together and were off. What a GREAT start to the day.

We met a neat couple named Riggo and Marta that taught a Bible Scohol in a dingy little town...

Then they took us to meet some interesting people that have taught me a little more about life.

These Oaxacan indians (pronounced Wah-Haw-Can) have relatively nothing. The children spend all day everyday alone... they take care of each other. You don't see this as much in American culture... siblings despise little brothers and/or sisters. It's left only to the parents. Now, I'm not saying that parents should abdicate their responsibilities to parent to the kids... but there's something to say about what we saw today. Also... WE HAVE A LOT. It was about 40 degrees today with a strong wind blowing, and most of these kids didn't even have coats... and they were fine. There were no Nintendo DS's... no TV's... just a halfway inflated soccer ball, a few toy trucks (most with at least one missing wheel) and then the children themselves. They would sit in groups to keep warm, and LOVED when we would take pictures of them... when they could see themselves right after.

We need to simplify life.

Then I had one last experience that is AWESOME!

Tacos Los Poblanos...

The picture says it all... AMAZING food, and really cheap.

Oh, and I really like the people I'm here with. We're sharing the stories of our lives... one at a time, and these are AMAZING people. I can't wait to hear more. I LOVE hearing stories.

Beginning an adventure

That's me... leaving Columbus airport on my way to Las Vegas...



On my way to San Diego... on my way ultimately to Mexico...



That's it... my home away from home for a week. Not sure at this point what's going to go on... I'm excited, a little anxious, and thinking that something really cool is going to happen. I'm here with people that I know, but don't KNOW... so, at least I'll get to know them a little better.

There's no heat in this place, and it's a little cold... it's weird leaving my family the day after Christmas, and a little hard leaving Angel as she cried at the airport. Still, I'm on an adventure, and pretty excited about it. Time to sleep... I've been traveling all day, and already done some STUPID things... bringing the keys to the van with me, and having to overnight them back to Ohio for Angel... GOOD JOB MORON!

We'll see what tomorrow holds

Christmastime

Christmas is a little weird when you think about it. We all have the images in our heads... We waste paper by wrapping up boxes of forgettable things that people don't REALLY need... just so we can watch them rip it apart, and we throw the paper away, but save those bows...



Well, it could be different, but while it's not... I had a good one! it is kinda fun when I set my cynicism aside... my boys get excited, and the thing that was amazing for my heart... they were EXTREMELY thankful. Hugging and kissing and showing love to EVERYONE that they were around... whether there was a gift involved or not.

Christmas = LOVE, and I think they are starting to get that.

That was my favorite part this Christmas.

Insulted by my Wii

Yes... I have a Wii...

It's great! I love the family interaction that it can be. I love it because I grew up with Nintendo, and now I get to grow up again with my kids with Nintendo. I love that it has stuff for little kids, and medium kids, and even big kids like me.

One of my new favorite features is calle the "Check Mii Out Channel". It cool because they have contests to create a Mii (avatar) based on a subject, and then people from all over the world vote on it. This strokes my artistic side in a cartoon sort of way, and finds me daily checking to see how my Mii's have done, or if I did well, while voting.


However, today... the Wii and Me... had a falling out. At least the Check Mii Out Channel on the Wii and Me. I had voted for the first time on a group of Tooth Fairy Avatars. And, I don't like the norm... I like things that stretch the boundaries of norm and make a new norm. So, I voted that way! Well, the Wii didn't like that. In fact here's what it said to me:

"The Miis you selected don't really match up with the winners of the contest, but with a little practice, you'll start to see what other people are looking for."

With a little practice I can see what other people are looking for? WHY I OUGHTA! I don't want to practice seeing the world the way that other people do... in fact... sometimes I feel like other people should just see the world the way that I do, and everything would be just grand!

From a gaming system that has broken all the traditional rules of how gaming should look, act and feel... you would think that they would celebrate individuality a little more.

My wife said that I should see this as a compliment, but... it's not working for me just yet.

SO I SAY... PRACTICE SEEING THE WORLD DIFFERENTLY AND MAYBE ONE DAY YOU TOO WILL BE INSULTED BY YOUR Wii!

Coffee and Heroin

Today I met a young man... 21 years young... who's life is in a downward spiral. He started using drugs at 12 years old and progressed from experimenting with marijuana to today being a full blown heroin addict. Honestly though, his addiction to heroin is no different than mine to coffee...

Which got me to thinking... why? Why is one addiction OK, and another one not? Me being addicted to coffee is socially acceptable, heck... it's commercially propelled! Now, I'm comparing coffee and crank I realize, but let's be honest. I get the shakes and cranky and headaches when I don't have coffee. I realize at different times my addiction and desire to break the bond of coffee to me, and will go through weeks of detox where I endure the horrible side-effects of not drinking coffee. Different than detoxing from Heroin? Yes. Similar? Yes.

But addictions are more than coffee and heroin. There are people addicted to porn, alcohol, sex, work, sleep, shopping, eating... you name it! What's the difference? Is there a difference? Maybe culturally there is, but overall... I don't think so.

I wish you enough

As Chrismahanukwanzakah sets in (See video below, and have a freakin sense of humor)...



...the talk has been a lot about what to get the boys, what to get your parents, what to get our friends, and ultimately... what is this all really about?

Well, I'm sorry, but I can't ride the Jesus is the Reason for the Season float. A little research shows otherwise. Plus, if you call yourself a Christ-Follower... Jesus should be the reason for every season. Don't get all spiritual on me because it's Christmas, and you think that a brown haired, blue eyed little caucasian boy was born in Bethlehem, and that the world is going to Hell because the stores don't want to put Merry Christmas up in the windows. I'm sorry, but the God I serve is bigger than that, and probably laughs at all of us... at least I would if I was God... he "probably" has a little more grace than I do.

I digress... My point is, we are rich. As Americans, we are so filthy rich, and have so much, but whine for more. I do it too... don't get me wrong, but it's been getting at my nerves. I'm sure the latest series at Blue Ridge here has added to it as well. I whine because I don't have a house, and don't know how I'll ever buy a house, because the stinkin market is SO REDICULOUS here... but I have a home, with three bedrooms, 2 1/2 bathrooms, it's heated and cooled, the roof doesn't leak, I have a kitchen that is always full of food, 2 televisions, computers, machines to wash my clothes, cook my food, and then clean up after I eat my food, I own 2 cars, and most of all... I have a loving wife and 2 very healthy boys who love me as well.



Below is my wish for you for this Chrismahanukwanzakah... YEAR... LIFETIME...


I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how gray the day may appear.

I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more.
 
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting.
 
I wish you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.
 
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
 
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
 
I wish you enough hello's to get you through the final good-bye.

"When I say , 'I wish you enough', I'm wanting you to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain you".

I want to live a life of enough... not of want for more.