I'm running Cooper River Bridge Run this weekend with Troy. Should be fun. Haven't run a race since November i think. Really haven't trained for it at all, a part from running with the track kids.

I find it very difficult to get excited about blogging. To attempt to do this twice a month seems to have been too ambitious. Yes, Troy, you still get to slap me.

I just ate a whole bag of Cadbury's Miniature Chocolate Easter Eggs in one sitting - my stomach is a little unsettled.

I want to go on a trip to a place i've never been before. The think about an international marriage is that all free time and money goes towards traveling to the country you're not living in. And even through going home is absolutely fantastic and i wouldn't change anything, it'd be so much fun to go somewhere completely different.

Below is another gem from Norwegian pop music Hall of Shame: "Bombadilla Life" by Franklin .
I listened to this song over and over and over on my yellow Sony Sports Walkman. I made ample use of (what i think was called) the "auto-reverse" button; no need to flip the tape!

FYI

Leah is posting to her blog again.

Music at K-Mart

So i was in there tonight helping to pick up a recliner for my grandmother-in-law, when Crash Test Dummies' "MMM MMM MMM MMM" came on over the PA. Since it has been stuck in my head ever since, and because the Olympics are in Canada, i figured i'd spread the love:

Crash Test Dummies - Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm (Official Music Video) - Click here for more blooper videos

Thoughts on my fourth decade

As I am now a few months into my 30s I realize that age doesn't matter. I feel more or less the same as when I was 20 or 25. There are many people much younger or older than I, that I'd much rather spend time with than many people my own age.

My only goal this decade is to finish a marathon at least every other year. I don't want to be one of those guys who stayed in decent shape and then all of a sudden give up and added forty pounds when they hit their 30s. Staying in marathon completing shade will hopefully keep me healthy for a long time to come.

We can barely fathom just how gracious God is. We know we struggle to comprehend all the "omni" attributes about God, but i am convinced that his mercy and grace are far more difficult to truly realize fully. (I guess if we did, even the thought of sinning would be beyond distasteful to us.)

Few things come even close mattering like God and family.

i didn't make any resolutions...

...but I'm going to post here at least twice a month. Keep me accountable. You may slap me without warning if I forget.

I like writing here, but feel compelled to have something to write about, so therefore i more often than not simply don't. I probably just need to be more observant.

I'm not sure they're resolutions, but here are some hopes/plans/dreams/desires for the coming year:

1. I want to try to branch out socially this year. To really get to know at least two people that I now don't. Preferably, someone not in the little Christian Church bubble I exist in now. (this sounds negative, but it's not meant this way; i love my bubble, but i think that's part of the problem)
2. I only read one novel last year - this MUST change.
3. I have been quite upset at my own selfishness and self-centeredness. I seem to have become more-so in the past year or two, it should be the other way around, my sanctification progress seems to have slowed down and even gone backward in some areas. I see so much self and so little Christ in me at times. This really bugs me, yet I don't do much about it. THIS MUST CHANGE. Those of you who pray; remember me in this if you don't mind.
4. Sleep more and watch Hulu/Netflix less - there is a strong correlation between the two.

i'm hungry, so i'm going to go get something to eat

Class

back in it now, last semester. it'll be busy, but oh my i can't wait!

Cross COuntry is going well, at least i hope so, we're having fun. First meet today. Will report back as to whether we did well or not. not really "in it to win it" this season. more of a building year, i guess. there's some awesomely fast kids on the team though, certainly don't want to sound negative.

going to Durham, NC Friday and Sat of next week. Counter Culture Coffee has a free two day seminar/training thing. should be good. because we have no money, i'll camp at a nearby state park. excited about that too. Been a long time since i camped on my own. there's something about the solitude in this that i find refreshing. pretty excited about the whole thing.

We're busy painting. not my favorite DIY project. Matias is moving into our old room and we're moving into what used to be the study. our old room has a horrible incredibly dark navy on the wall that we never got around to painting when we first moved in. so we're trying to knock this out before the baby comes.

i am sick of politics, the whole health care, Obama, republicans vs. dems. i know a lot of you find this very important. i'm not saying it's not important, i'm sure it is. it's just that i feel saturated. there's so much viciousness on both sides.

things unrelated

I am finding Twitter to be a pleasant surprise. The personal "i just went to the mall" updates (not that i'm opposed to them, or that i haven't posted any myself), not so much, but i am following some interesting coffee people, athletes and companies.

Summer - where did it go? it went WAY to fast. i'm not comfortable with it being over already.

i wish i knew HTML, XTHML, CSS, etc, etc...

i'm excited about the 21st de Septiembre coffee Leah picked up for me yesterday, just needs to degas another day or two...

i'm coaching cross country at GCS, beyond surreal that they actually allow me to do that. been great fun so far, but i definitely feel like i'm out of my depth. i just hope the kids do okay in the end. never did run it myself. probably should buy a book or something...

i'd like to get rid of the Volvo and get a Vespa, sadly they're way out of our budget - most things seem to be :/

Read the Epistle of Jude a few times today, one i don't often read, certainly worthy of a more frequent read. it always surprises me that the church has been struggling with the same things for her whole existence. the letter could just as easily have been written today and been just as relevant.

it's been forever and rightly so

because anything i would have posted would have just been posted in order to post something. I have a feeling the following will be pretty meager in terms of actual content too.

Here is a list:

• Trying to finish school, hope to graduate Aug 7th.
• Leah is pregnant again, due early Oct. A boy.
• i'm meeting my brother in NYC this weekend , we will then fly down here together and he will stay about a week
• recently, i've become a bit more serious about coffee, occasionally i'll talk about it here
• i can't remember the last time i sat down with just the single purpose of listening to music
• everyone should read Crazy Love by Francis Chan
• it's true what they say: there's always room for ice cream
• i haven't been to the Y in weeks

as you see all is well, i'm just not blogging as much as i used to, for no particular reason, neither are most of the people in my friends list i have noticed, "A Confessional Cannon", "Think Sublimely, Feel Passionately" and "Vespa Touring" being three notable exceptions.

The Welcome Wagon

Incredible! Midwest/NYC Pastor and wife in a fantastic gospel-folk duo, produced by Sufjan Stevens. More here

John 17

"JERUSALEM (CNN) -- An unusual sight greeted Jerusalem police as they entered one of Christianity's holiest sites Sunday morning: dozens of monks punching and kicking each other in a massive brawl.

Israeli police scuffle with an Armenian monk Sunday at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem.

Monks from the Greek Orthodox and Armenian denominations were preparing for a ceremony at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in the Old City when a disagreement led to a full-fledged fistfight.

The fight began when Armenian clergy were holding a procession to commemorate the finding of the cross believed to have been used in the crucifixion of Jesus, according to The Associated Press.

The Greek members of the clergy wanted one of their monks present, the AP reported, for fear that the procession would undermine their claim to an ancient structure built on what is believed to be the tomb of Jesus.

The two sides could not agree, and when the Armenians tried to begin the procession, the Greek monks stepped in and the fighting began, the AP reported.

"We were keeping resistance so that the procession could not pass through ... and establish a right that they don't have," a young Greek Orthodox monk with a cut next to his left eye told the AP.

Many among the dozens of monks came away with cuts and bruises, said police spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld.

Officers were called to the scene to break up the brawl. They detained two monks, one from each denomination, Rosenfeld said.

The Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem is thought to be built on the site of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection. Rivalries between the different sects that share control of the church often lead to tensions" (More here, both video and pics)

These guys obviously need to check out John 17:20-23 (emphasis mine):
"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."

Although this is really a funny story, and ought not to be taken too seriously or be over-analyzed, it is a reminder of how petty we can be, especially when dealing with denominational differences. They matter not. Getting our pants in a twist over submersion, predestination, Christ's presence (or lack thereof) in the Eucharist, is complete nonsense. Granted, they are all important questions; but not so important that they ought to break our fellowship with people who are of a differing opinion. St. Augustine said:

"In essentials unity,
In doubtful things liberty,
But in all things love."

And not to mention how off putting out pettiness and disunity is to those outside our family of faith! Bickering and backstabbing you can get anywhere, but true fellowship, love and unity is something rare and attractive that ought to be visible in our life and interaction with each other.