Old Skoolhouse Rock

Payback

2009-08-04T19:48:00.000-07:00

I went through a phase early in my marriage to Annette where I would always make silly faces in our pictures. She used to say to me, "Can't you just take a NORMAL picture?". I thought it was so funny...now my boys do the same thing to me. It is so hard to get them to give us a "normal" pose for a picture. ...Annette, I now see the error of ways...

My little shadow...

2009-08-01T19:54:00.000-07:00

I love this picture of Jonah standing by me while I officiate my sister Sara's wedding. The problem is that he was SUPPOSED to be sitting down...but I think it is pretty cool that he wanted to stand by my side. I would be so proud if my little Jo-Jo followed in my footsteps...

Travis Oberg's Bloodlines: A CD you MUST listen to...

2009-07-19T23:13:00.000-07:00

Travis Oberg is a friend of mine and a gifted musician with a heart for the Lord. I met him at Vintage Faith Church as he serves on the worship team. I have listened to his "Bloodlines" CD over and over this past year and a half. It has brought me through some tough transitions this past year. I thought you all should check it out. Here is a link to listen to it:

http://www.myspace.com/saltwatermerchants

("saltwater merchants: another name to find his music under)

You will thank me later for this...

The Tent Trailer, AKA: "the Camp Castle"

2009-07-18T22:22:00.000-07:00

About 4 years ago, we bought a used tent trailer from our friends in Riverside. We LOVE this thing. Our kids are so excited to go camping and sleep in the "camp castle". A few summers ago, we took it up to Patrick's Point in Eureka then down to Fort Bragg. We would ride bikes all day, make forts, make s'mores, the kids would practically fall into bed and be asleep within minutes, and Annette and I would make some tea and read before heading to bed.

A few weeks ago, we cranked up the tent trailer in our backyard and had a campout one night. The kids were SO excited. We also played two FULL games of monopoly in the trailer. My kids love this game (although Annette can't stand it).

I need to remember the "simple adventures" like this that make life fun. It didn't cost a dime to camp out in the back yard and our kids thought it was the best thing ever...

Personal Rule of Life

2009-07-18T22:14:00.000-07:00

I'm currently taking classes at A.W. Tozer Theological Seminary to complete my Master of Divinity and I had to write a "personal rule of life" for my Christian Spiritual Formation Class. I thought I would share it:

1. An early morning walk with God (Mark 1:35)
2. Daily Scripture reading and reflection (Psalm 1:2)
3. A personal prayer & fasting retreat every six months (Mark 6:31)
4. Pray continuously throughout the day, recognizing God’s constant presence (1 Thess. 5:17)
5. A humble attentiveness to the needs of others; no tolerance for personal arrogance (Philippians 2:3,4)
6. In daily interactions, open my mouth to encourage others with the good news of Jesus (1 Peter 3:15)
7. Rejoice in the wife of my youth and be ever captivated by her love (Proverbs 5:18,19)
8. Teach my children, with my life and my lips, the ways of the Lord (Deuteronomy 6:7)
9. In my work/ministry, I will be prayerful dependent upon the Lord to direct my paths (Psalm 127:1; Proverbs 3:6)
10. I will not love money. I will share the resources God gives. I will live in the freedom of simplicity. (Luke 12:15)
11. I will invest in a community of Christ followers where I can spur others on and be spurred on by others toward love and good deeds. (Hebrews 10:24, 25)
12. I will be a contributing member in my neighborhood (outside of my church community), walking with and serving those who do not know the love of Jesus yet (Matthew 5:13-16)
13. I will strive to be a man of character and integrity in every area of my life, inviting God to renovate my heart each day (Proverbs 10:9)

We bought a house!

2009-03-04T18:46:00.000-08:00

We just closed escrow today on this house. It is awesome...the perfect home for us. We will move in about a week and a half. It is only a couple miles from the house we're renting (and about a mile or so from Simpson).

Sledding with the Family

2009-02-28T17:50:00.000-08:00

Today, we took the family up to Eskimo Hill near Mt. Lassen for some killer sledding. The kids had a great time. We would go down with 3 of us on a sled. Jonah was fine sledding by himself until he took a spill and did a face-plant in the snow. He wasn't so keen on sledding after that. I think I might teach our kids how to snowboard this season.

This one is for Emma P.

2009-02-28T17:39:00.000-08:00

Apparently, my friend Emma doesn't think I blog enough. Well this one's for you, Pidge.
We miss you guys. People in Redding are cool and all...but they're not up to your status (yet).

A Quote from Tozer

2008-10-13T00:07:00.000-07:00

I've been reading A.W. Tozer's "The Knowlege of the Holy" after I found two copies in Josh Fox's office and convinced him to give me one. This past week, I read this:
"The GREATNESS of God rouses FEAR within us, but His GOODNESS encourages us not to be AFRAID of Him. To fear and not be afraid--that is the paradox of faith."
I've been chewing on that this week...

Speaking at Mt. Hermon Dec. 5-7

2008-10-12T23:36:00.000-07:00

I looked at Mount Hermon's website and found this picture of me... If you were a youth pastor or a teenager, would you go to a Winter Weekend with a speaker who looked like this? I've always looked at the pictures of camp speakers and tried to figure out what kind of person they are just by their picture. What opinions will they form about me???
Well, if you want to hang out with me at Mount Hermon, I'll be speaking for the High School Winter Weekend on December 5-7. Last week, I sat down and prayed through some of the direction I'll take during the sessions. I'm pretty excited about it, and I'm really looking forward to returning to Santa Cruz to see my friends at Vintage Faith.

New Discovery: Two Day Weekends

2008-09-26T17:00:00.001-07:00

What is this thing called, "Two Day Weekends?". For the last 13 years, I've tried to take Saturday off and work half-day on Mondays, but now I am experiencing two days off in a row...and I LOVE IT! I get Saturdays off and then another whole day! We use our Sunday mornings to do an activity with the family and then we head to church (The Stirring) on Sunday evening. I find myself singing the old Loverboy song, "Everybody's working for the weekend" throughout the week.

Two guys I resemble...

2008-09-20T20:28:00.000-07:00

Most people I meet tell me I look like Dana Carvey. I guess I can see some similar features:

But I've had 3 people tell me I look like David Crowder:

...should I be concerned?

Simpon Update

2008-09-04T22:03:00.000-07:00

Well, I've officially been in Redding for two weeks. I am loving it here. I am going through that overwhelming feeling whenever you begin new position. It will take me awhile until I fully grasp my responsibilities, but everyday seems to get better.
I was hired as the Director of Campus Ministries, but there have been some changes and my role is now Director of Spiritual Formation. I will oversee the Student Missions and Student Ministries areas, along with helping organize many of the chapels.
I love the students. They have been very welcoming to me and my family. This is what charges me up the most. I enjoy being a part of young lives and to pace with and lead as God directs their hearts. I am so encouraged and challenged by their faith. My role is NOT to organize things for the students, but to develop THEM as leaders. God has put a call upon THEIR lives, not just mine. I am so excited about this part of my role here. I met with two students today who have been praying and talking with friends about creating a night of student led ministry and worship together. It is contagious...their passion rubs off on me.
I'm tired, though. I haven't had much time to be with my family yet. That will change soon. I leave tomorrow after chapel for Southern California to officiate at Cory Ritzau's wedding. I am looking forward to this and am honored to be a part of this ceremony.
I miss my friends from Riverside and The Grove.
I also miss our friends in Santa Cruz from Vintage Faith Church. Today, I listened to some of Josh Fox's songs on my iPod. I am so blessed to have worked alongside him and Dan Kimball, Lee, Kristin, Sarah & Sara, Amy, and the rest of the team. So much of what I learned there at Vintage Faith is helping me here in Redding.
I have a few former Overflow students here with me at Simpson (Heather Calfee and Melissa Hart) along with some Vintage Faith friends, too.
I was able to teach at the New Student Chapel last Sunday. It was good for me to share with them, and I received some encouraging feedback. I also have to stop saying, "When I was your age" and change it to "When I was in college...".
Thanks for loving us so much. Our friends think so highly of us and are so supportive. Everyone needs a posse like ours to have in their corner. I have to admit that it sure gives us strength to know how much we are loved. We are blessed to have so many people that love us and want the best for us.

I'll be at The Grove this Sunday to see some of my peeps (I roll deep).

I'm in trouble...

2008-09-04T21:52:00.000-07:00

Today, Annette called me to say that Jonah told another boy at school that, "my dad is going to punch your dad in the face!".

...bring it...

We're Here!

2008-08-23T09:53:00.001-07:00

I have no pictures to post, just some updates:
* We made it here on Thursday. Dan Lance, Nate Edwardson, a guy named Tyler, and Heather and Simone Calfee stopped by to help us move in. Dan and Nate brought their families, too. Thanks guys.
* I had some meetings at Simpson U. on Friday morning. I'm so excited to get started. I get to meet the student leaders tomorrow morning and walk through a passage of Scripture with them.
* The U-Haul was a champ driving over Hwy 17. The only mishap I had was when I first rented it and brought it to our house in Felton to load it up. I got stuck turning in to our uphill driveway, blocking our street with the truck and trailer. I was freaking out while trying to move it but it wouldn't budge. The tires would just spin because the trailer was grounded on the street. Thankfully, I had a few people (including my friend Ron) stop and help me get it unstuck. A Tow Truck driver named J.J. stopped to help and he looked at me and said, "Where do I know you from?". I told him I was a barista at Starbucks and would serve him is 5-shot Iced Venti Americano each day. After that, he smiled and started helping me out.

* We LOVE our house. We have a large backyard with grass and plenty of concrete for the kids to ride their scooters and bikes on. The people behind us have some horses and cows that graze in their backyard. I feel like I'm back in Norco! Beyond that, we have a perfect view of Mt. Shasta.
*Yesterday, I took the boys on a bike ride to Simpson. It is only half a mile away and there is a dirt trail we ride our bikes on. There is a little jump on the trail that some kids have made and we charged it like pro's. Davey bit the dust, but didn't cry. While at Simpson, we saw the President of the University and Davey was excited to tell him how he could "pop a wheelie".

Well, I'm heading home and the Lances are coming over to help me with some IKEA furniture. I normally set that stuff up with no problem, but yesterday was different. It would help if all the holes lined up!!!!!! I know Dan has super-human patience with IKEA furniture, so I invited him over. I'm kidding about his patience...

Our House

2008-08-19T08:00:00.001-07:00

These are pictures of the house we're moving in to on Thursday (we're renting, not buying). Payton is so excited to have her own room...actually, Annette and I are excited to have our own room, too! It's been 18 months of living on a futon in the living room! This house is about 1/2 mile away from Simpson.
I am preaching this Sunday to about 100 of the Simpson student leaders. I'm trying to find time to work on the message while also packing our stuff and moving into our new house. I spent all day yesterday finishing up stuff at Vintage Faith Church. It is crazy around here for us. I move in on Thursday evening and then start work at 7:30am on Friday and have a few meetings to attend. Overall, we're so excited to start this new venture in our lives. Pray for our kids as they transition to a new school and new group of friends.

Main Beach Tournament

2008-08-19T07:53:00.001-07:00

Josh and I won our volleyball tournament at main beach (Josh is the shirtless guy). These other two guys were in the finals against us and they are great players. The name of the tournament was "No Attitudes Allowed" and we won T-shirts that have that phrase on it. So I come home and tell Annette that her husband still has skills and how we won the tournament and she is so lucky to have me (I didn't really say that, but that's what I was implying). She proceeded to mock my T-shirt!!!!! How could anyone mock a T-shirt that says, "No Attitdudes Allowed"? I said, "This T-shirt is a major award!" I felt like the dad in "Christmas Story" when he brought home the leg-lamp and his wife could not appreciate the depth of the accomplishment.
So yesterday, in defiance, I wore the shirt under my long sleeve button-up.
...no attitudes allowed...

Beach Volleyball Tournament

2008-08-09T21:29:00.000-07:00

Josh and I are planning to play in a beach volleyball tournament this Saturday at Main Beach in Santa Cruz. It is our "farewell" gift to each other. We've been playing at the beach on Fridays with some friends. It has been so good to play again. It will be fun to play a tournament again. The last tournament I played was back in 2000 with Miko Sivonen, who was on the Finland Junior National Team and starting setter at CBU. Josh has big shoes to fill...(I mean that literally because Miko had big feet. You know what they say about guys with big feet? BIG SOCKS.)

Simpson University, here we come!

2008-08-09T21:00:00.000-07:00

If you haven't heard, we have some BIG news. I have accepted a position at Simpson University as the Director of Campus Ministries! Annette and I have been praying about this position for over four months now. We are so excited. We sense God's peace and passion in this move. I will have the opportunity to pace with and lead college students in their walk with Jesus Christ. I'll work to develop discipleship groups and spiritual growth retreats. I'll have a hand in chapels with a few speaking opportunities. I will also be able to get my Masters of Divinity at Tozer Theological Seminary these next few years.
We found a wonderful 3 bedroom house with laminate flooring and plenty of yard space in front and back. It is 1/2 mile from the University. When we called to inquire, we found out that the owner and I went to Simpson together in 1994 (Troy Jacobson). He is a pastor at a church just below San Francisco, so we met together today to iron out the details.
It is very difficult to leave Vintage Faith Church and Annette's family. We do love it here. The people here have embraced us as their own, and they would love to see us continue in ministry here. I have learned so much during my time at Vintage Faith. I am better for it. I will miss being a part of such a wonderful church community that is passionate about loving the people of Santa Cruz.
I leave tomorrow for a week long service trip with our church to Gleanings for the Hungry (http://www.gleanings.org/) When I get back, I have a few days to finish things out here at Vintage and then pack up our stuff and move. If any people from Redding read this blog, we could use a few hands to unload our stuff on Thursday evening, August 21! (here's a shout out to Trevor C. and Dustin M. for driving with me for my move from Riverside to Santa Cruz...thanks, guys).

A wonderful week in God's playground

2008-07-09T21:02:00.000-07:00

I still have a bruise from this...

Me and my backpack. I have a confession to make: I brought three pairs of undies for the four day hike and I only used two. Ooops.

Rock climbing up the "piece of pie"

This is where we slept each night. You could see so many stars.

Repelling down a 90+ foot rock face.

A close-up of my "adventure shoes" as Annette and her sister, Vicki, call them.

A look up the Rubicon River.

Back from the Backpacker Paluza...

2008-06-28T20:15:00.000-07:00

I'm back from our week long backpacking trip with our youth from Vintage Faith. We had an AMAZING time. We capped off the week with a little white water rafting on the South Fork of the American River.
I'll post more pictures and details later this week. I just wanted to let you all know that my Farmer's Tan is still in full effect.

Heading out for the Backpacker Paluza

2008-06-21T21:25:00.001-07:00

We leave tomorrow for our Backpacker Paluza. We have a team of 11. It is a GREAT team. I'm sure we'll have an amazing adventure. I'm praying that God draws us near to Him and to each other through this challenging week. At the end of the week, we're going white water rafting on the South Fork of the American River. I've never been white water rafting before...I'll probably pee my pantalones.
Personally, I'm anticipating this week. I need some time alone with the Lord. I have some important decisons to make, and I really need His guidance (that is a complete understatement).
If you read this, would you please pray on our behalf? I would love prayer for our teenagers, our leaders, and I'll even ask that you pray for me and these decisions Annette and I need to make. I only ask because I believe God does His work through our prayers and the prayers we offer on behalf of others.
Thanks.

Dillon O'Rafferty

2008-06-21T21:08:00.000-07:00

While I was in Riverside, I had the privilege of dedicating Baby Dillon O'Rafferty. Eight years ago, David and I went to Peru together on a mission trip. Six years ago, Danielle and I went to Houston on a mission trip. A few years after that, David and Danielle O' started dating soon after Annette and I placed them as leaders on the same Mexico Mission Trip Team (was it team "Guapo"?) A few years later, I officiated their marriage ceremony. A few years later, I dedicated their child. ...what a blessing and a privilege...

Ah, the happiest place on earth...

2008-06-21T20:57:00.001-07:00

We took a trip to Disneyland a few weeks ago. I don't think I've ever seen Walt so happy:

We had dinner at Goofy's Kitchen:

We swam at the Neverland pool at the Disneyland Hotel:

And we grew closer as a family:

Gleanings for the Hungry

2008-06-02T18:25:00.000-07:00

I'm excited about this trip we're doing with our youth and the rest of the community at Vintage Faith. This ministry (30 miles outside of Fresno, CA) collects fruit from local growers that is not "pristine" enough to sell in our markets. Instead of being thrown away or fed to animals, we will be working hard to turn it into dried fruit that will be sent out to missionaries and disaster stricken areas as they feed the hungry of the world.
This will be a NEW ADVENTURE for me. I've enjoyed our trips to Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Guatemala, and Chile...and now Fresno!

It was a success...

2008-05-17T20:33:00.000-07:00

The Backpacker Paluza team held our Rummage Sale/Car Wash today. We stayed overnight at the church to sort the rummage. We made about $1,500! The team worked so hard. I got about 5 hours of sleep the night before. Typical me, I was walking around at midnight taping up a few more signs and moving cones around...stuff that doesn't really need to be done but I spend hours tweaking things. My leaders are really getting to know me because they kept telling me, "Trav...sit down."

Jo-Jo

2008-05-15T21:35:00.000-07:00

Last night, Jonah and I laid on the couch together and talked for about 1/2 and hour. We would go back and forth asking each other questions. I would whisper secrets in his ear and he would do the same to me. Then we both fell asleep together. Then my wife woke me up by taking this picture...

Church is a people, not a place...

2008-05-15T21:27:00.000-07:00

I want to show you a "real" picture of my church...here THEY are!

In my previous post, I gave you a picture of our church BUILDING...but we know that the building is just where the church meets to get out of the rain.

This was our group last Sunday...we were missing a few of our friends, but we had a great time together studying God's Word, loving each other, listening to each other, and praying together.

Vintage Faith Church

2008-05-15T21:19:00.000-07:00

Here's a picture of the church I'm serving at. Vintage Faith is about only about 5 years old, but we joined with a Presbyterian church that has been in Santa Cruz for a LONG time. This building goes back to the 1930's.
At Vintage Faith Church, we are asking God to transform us into a:
WORSHIPING
COMMUNITY of
MISSIONAL
THEOLOGIANS

Give your bike some love...

2008-05-08T19:41:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of when Annette's Dad went bike riding with us along the beach. Next week (May 12-16) is BIKE WEEK. How about riding your bike to work (or school or the arcade) one day? In Santa Cruz, thursday May 15th is bike to work day and a bunch of restaraunts offer a free breakfast if you ride your bike to work that day.

I rode my bike to work yesterday because I had to leave my car in the repair shop for a tune up. We live in the mountains so there are HUGE hills to and from work.

I took Davey's training wheels off on Monday. Today he made his first "turn" and kept riding. He calls his bike the "Mud Shark" because that's what the stickers say on it.

Great song...

2008-05-03T08:51:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday, Josh Fox led us through the musical worship time of our service at Vintage Faith. He led us in a song from Tim Hughes called "Everything" from his album, "Holding Nothing Back". I LOVE THS SONG. You should download it...it is worth it. It speaks to much of where Annette and I are at in our lives right now. I hope you're encouraged as much by it as I am.

By the way, this is my friend Josh Fox:

He is a tremendously gifted worship leader and also becoming a good friend of mine. I'll hear him lead a song in service, then I go buy the song for my iPod...but I always prefer it when Josh plays it rather than the original artist! Josh has some songs on iTunes also (look them up under Josh Fox).

Backpacking...

2008-05-01T21:50:00.001-07:00

We had our first meeting with our Backpacker Paluza team from the VFC youth ministry. We have 15 of us signed up to go. It sounds AWESOME. Our friend Mikahla (a Rock-N-Water guide & part of our church community) stopped by to tell us all about the adventure ahead of us. Some things I'm looking forward to:

* time alone with God

* new adventures in nature

* no showers for four days (we will have a fresh water swimming hole next to our base, though)

* using an upside down bucket over a hole in the ground for a toilet (I've always talked about an adventure like that, but I've yet to experience it...can't wait. I'm practicing at home.)

* seeing our young people be challenged spiritually, relationally, physically, and emotionally.

We still have 5 spots left...wanna go?

Yesterday was a good day...

2008-05-01T21:37:00.000-07:00

It's been a nice week of rest. I taught at all three services last Sunday, so this week I'm taking some time to rest. Josh at Vintage Faith has encouraged us all to get away ALONE one day a month for prayer and reflection.

Yesterday, I went for a hike along the creek in Henry Cowell Park (see picture). I took my Bible, my journal, and A.W. Tozer's "The Pursuit of God". I hiked about 1/2 and hour to an isolated sandy spot alongside the creek. I hopped some rocks to cross the creek and even swam a bit (really cold water).

Then I went to Cowell's Beach and surfed for about 45 minutes. Annette bought me some of those water "booties" for my feet and they worked GREAT!

Then I closed out the day at the beach with some friends as we played doubles volleyball. My legs were a bit tired from the whole day, but it was a good time with some good friends.

I'm a bit sore this morning...

Playing Volleyball Again...

2008-05-01T21:27:00.000-07:00

One of the greatest things I've been excited about has been Friday afternoon volleyball at the beach with some of my friends from Vintage Faith Church. Playing volleyball was such a major focus in my life during high school and college. It has been SO REFRESHING to play ball again. My mom bought me a volleyball for my 35th birthday and I carry it in the passenger seat of my car (not in the seatbelt, though). I feel 21 again...except for my ariolas are a few inches lower.

Snowboarding in Tahoe

2008-04-06T17:50:00.001-07:00

Annette and I are having fun at Northstar in Tahoe. We both went riding today and had some fun. Notice we are both wearing our brain buckets. As we were snowboarding today, we were remembering our snowboard trips with the Overflow. Here are a few memories:
* "buttering the muffin"
* PB&J sandwiches in the parking lot at Mt. High
* Checking the Ski Patrol for wounded kids
* seeing one of our students given a free ride down the hill by Ski Patrol because his friend left him at the top
* Always riding with a posse of Overflow kids and leaders down the Faultine park

What I'm looking forward to

2008-03-31T20:41:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, the staff at Vintage Faith is heading down to Pasadena to attend the Awaken Conference put on by Mosaic Church. Dan Kimball is speaking at a few of the sessions. I'm looking forward to hanging out with our staff.

When I get back, Annette and I are heading to Northstar at Tahoe for some snowboarding. (thanks Mom for flying up to take care of the kids!). We are in need of some time together. I waxed our snowboards today...haven't done that in awhile.

It has been a good week...

2008-03-31T20:27:00.000-07:00

This past week was pretty awesome. Check it out:
* I went surfing twice with my sister in law, Vicki
* Went to a skate park with a couple kids from our youth group (it was my first time EVER in a skate park...and, "no", I did not stick out at all)
* Played volleyball with a few friends at the beach
* Joel Hasemeyer & his band (The Fragrance) led musical worship for our youth group...Joel's hair is almost long enough to donate to "Locks of Love"
* We played 4-square in our youth room...pretty intense
* Annette shaved the "Duck Tail" off my neck (thanks Dan for the suggestion)
* Had Jury Duty all week but never had to show up
* The McIntyres (Adam, Jess, Agatha, & Gwyneth) visited us for a few days and they treated us to dinner and ice cream

...not too shabby...

A Visit from the 'Rents

2008-03-07T22:05:00.000-08:00

My Mom and Dad visited us last weekend. We had a great time and we celebrated my Mom's birthday (she only got to one candle because Davey blew out two of them). The kids LOVE their Nana Sharon and Papa Greg. When Davey woke up on Monday, he asked if Nana and Papa were still here. I told him no and he got real sad and just rolled over and went back to sleep. I get to take Davey and Payton down to see them again in a few weeks and they're already excited about it.

Point Break II

2008-03-07T21:49:00.001-08:00

Today, I took a break from the office at church and went surfing for an hour. This picture is of Cowell's beach which is 2.5 miles from our church. It is also recognized as one of the best places for beginners. I bought a used wetsuit from Play It Again Sports a month ago and it keeps me warm in the frigid NorCal waters. I've also gained 90 pounds since moving up here and that keeps me warm, too (actually, I've gained about 5 pounds, mostly around my ariolas).
I've surfed a few times before, but today I rode my first wave. It was a great feeling...kind of like when you first get the hang of snowboarding. I can't wait to watch Point Break again...

Visits with good friends

2008-02-29T12:21:00.000-08:00

In February, we were able to visit with some of our good friends. Above: we took a trip to Redding to visit the Lances.

Below, the Solorios finally admitted that the Osborne's actually did move out of Riverside and came to visit us. Josh was a girl and didn't want to ride a mountain bike anywhere, so instead, we just took a walk through the woods (girly).

We took the Solorios to a local restaurant called "Tucson Taqueria: Real Food. Real Mexicans." Of course Josh loved it because he thinks he is Hispanic...

Why doesn't Annette like my hair?

2008-02-29T12:12:00.000-08:00

For the life of me, I can't figure out why Annette doesn't like it when I grow my hair out!

Snow Retreat

2008-02-29T12:07:00.001-08:00

Our Youth are heading up to the snow for a weekend in March. We're even missing a day of school! Sorry to the Overflow kidz for never taking you out of school for a retreat. I'm just trying to get these kids up here to like me...ditching school always helps buy admiration.

The Backpacker Paluza

2008-02-29T11:54:00.000-08:00

We're leading our youth on a Backpacker Paluza in June. Trevor Christmas, eat your heart out:
* Hiking over 5 miles to our campsite
* Sleeping out under the stars
* hauling our water up from the river each day
* rock climbing, canyoneering, and river rafting on Class III rapids
* morning and evening devotions in God's playground with plenty of time to be with God
* headlamps

I'm so excited to share this experience with our young people and some adult leaders.
DOES ANYONE HAVE A HIKING BACKPACK WE COULD BORROW FOR THE WEEK TO SAVE OUR KIDS SOME MONEY? I'll be down in SoCal the first week of June to pick it up. Let me know. I promise it won't smell like pee when you get it back.

The Bonfire

2008-01-31T20:55:00.000-08:00

I forgot to tell you all (by saying "all", I mean my mom) how our "Freeze Yer Buns Beach Bonfire" went. It was AWESOME. We had GREAT weather, and I cooked us up some Chili with cheese and Fritos.

This is a picture of the crew that went...minus two girls who were chillin in the bathroom when we took the picture (I'm sure their bathroom visit had nothing to do with the Chili dinner I made).

My first sermon at VFC

2008-01-24T16:04:00.000-08:00

My first teaching experience at Vintage Faith was a good one. The people at all three services were extremely kind and welcoming. My message was about "How to align ourselves to hear and know God's will". I spoke about how God reveals Himself through SCRIPTURE and PRAYER. One of the main points I tried to make was that in trying to understand God's will, we really are trying to understand GOD HIMSELF. As we get a better understanding of WHO God is, we get a better picture of WHO He wants us to BE. In discerning God's will, I believe the question is not, "WHAT do you want me to do, Lord?" but rather, "WHO do you want me to BE, Lord?". WHAT WE DO flows from WHO WE ARE. I took us through Psalm 1:1-3, Ecc. 5:1-2, and Matthew 6:5-8 and Mark 1:35. Jesus often withdrew from the crowds and ministry to be alone with the Father...we need to do the same.

On a personal note, it felt real good to preach again. The topic is one that Annette and I are currently working through, so I was able to speak from the "overflow" of my heart. I've spoken to a few people afterwards, and they have given me positive feedback. Dan K. and I talked and I may be able to teach again here and there.

Here's a cool thing that happened before I preached on Sunday night. I went up to my office a few minutes before the service to pray and just "be still". I got a phone call from my friend Sam:

Sam was able to pray for me over the phone before I went into service. It was so cool because I was really wanting to find someone to pray for me, but I didn't know who to ask. Thanks, Sam for praying for me.

Some other items to note:

--I only said the word "poop" in one of the services

--the first thing I did in the first service was grab hold of the podium (which is a music stand) and accidentally pulled the top off of it. I just handed it to Pastor Lee and started my message. I need to lay off my kids' steroids...

--I continued my tradition of preaching on a holiday weekend (Labor Day, Martin Luther King Day, etc.). I preach best when the other pastors are on vacation along with half the church...I can do less damage that way!

Mountain Lions and Hippies

2008-01-17T15:23:00.000-08:00

My friend Adam from Riverside posted a warning from his executive pastor about possible mountain lion sightings around their church. What a coincidence because I received a similar letter from our pastor up here in Santa Cruz about a danger we face up here: HIPPIES.
Here's my pastor's letter:
Everyone,
Late yesterday afternoon there were some HIPPIES sighted on our property behind the ball fields. We are not yet sure of the type of HIPPIE, but they were the large enough to potentially be FROM THE '70's.
We are presently trying to get the right agency to respond and investigate this sighting. In the meantime we need to be aware and be careful. Here is what you need to know:
1. If you happen to see a large HIPPIE of this type, you should call 911 immediately, and then notify the church office, the Operations Manager, or anyone on site who can get the word out.
2. Please avoid the area behind the ball fields until we can determine more of the facts.
3. Please help us to keep any children from that area, and encourage parents to keep their children within arm’s reach when coming and going from our property.
4. Finally, if you are confronted with a large HIPPIE of this type, continue to face it, do not run. Most HIPPIES will not want confrontation and will look for a way out.
This email is simply precautionary and not meant to frighten. We just need to be aware until we know more information.

(I hope you think this is funny...I sure do)

I'm Preaching this Sunday

2008-01-17T15:03:00.001-08:00

It's been over 11 months since I preached a sermon at church. I was asked to teach this weekend at Vintage Faith. We are in a series titled: "The Beautiful Mess" and we are looking at how to align ourselves and know God's will in the midst of the chaos in our lives. I will be speaking on how God has given us His Word and Prayer as ways He reveals Himself to us. I'm looking forward to teaching. It has been difficult to work 30+ hours at Starbucks each week AND find good study time, but it's coming together alright.
By the way, I took this picture myself...thought you would want to see me the way my kids see me (or people shorter than 4 feet).

12th Year Anniversary

2008-01-17T14:57:00.000-08:00

Annette and I celebrated our 12th anniversary by going to Monterey for two days. We took our bikes down and rode to Cannery Row for lunch at El Torito (translation: the little bull, for my non-spanish speaking amigos). They have the BEST salsa because it's not hot at all...in fact, I think they just add water to ketchup, and I LOVE IT.
I have this girl in my youth group that turned 12 years old on January 11...it is weird to know that I was married two days after she was born! These kids are getting younger and younger...but I'm not getting older (am I?).

My First Youth Event at Vintage Faith

2008-01-08T09:55:00.000-08:00

We had an All Night event in December with the youth at our church. It was a GREAT time. We had 13 students and 6 adults hang out for the night. We hung out downtown for a photo scavenger hunt. We had a team of girls and two teams of guys...the girls won! Then we went bowling. The second picture is of the leaders (and a couple students squeezing in). Eddie, the guy in the backwards hat, wins the award for "Most Sleep by a Leader at an All Night Event". No joke, he was out by 1:30am...and yelling at kids to get out of the room if they made any noise!

The kids did great all night. We had two new kids, and one of them was overheard on her phone talking to a friend saying, "I'm at this church event and it's REALLY fun!".

By the way, I bowled a 162.

Freeze Yer Buns Beach Bonfire

2008-01-07T09:18:00.000-08:00

So check out this flyer for our "Freeze Yer Buns Beach Bonfire". This guy Alex from our church is really good at designing stuff on the computer, so I asked him to do a flyer for my "genious" idea of having a bonfire at the beach in January (who doesn't like a little frostbite with their s'more?). Now I've done some pretty amazing flyers in my past (not at all), but this one is pretty amazing. And to think I actually thought of doing this flyer on my own and not bothering Alex. Great job, Alex.
I hope our event is as good as the flyer...

Check out this ministry...

2007-11-27T21:08:00.000-08:00

Our church is a part of the "Advent Conspiracy" where we are committing this Christmas season to:
1) Worship More
2) Spend Less
3) Give More
4) Love All

Part of us "loving all" is us giving to a global ministry. We have chosen Living Water International. I spent some time looking at their website...they are doing some amazing work.
Here's some info I took from their website: The world's number one killer is unsafe drinking water. This killer takes the lives of nearly 14,000 people each day and is responsible for 80% of the world's illnesses. According to the World Health Organization, more than 1.1 billion people lack access to clean drinking water.
Drilling water wells is one of the most common solutions to this problem. So this guy from Living Water International developed a portable well drilling rig that can be driven to remote areas. Short term teams help drill these wells. LWI teams meet physical needs through the provision of clean water and spiritual needs through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Pretty awesome, eh?

My 5 year old is writing Scripture...what's yours doing?

2007-11-27T20:56:00.000-08:00

This morning, we found that Jonah apparently believes there is some Scripture left out of our Bible...so he wrote his OWN verse! We have been memorizing verses from the Bible together lately. Here's the one he wrote:
"God is grat (great). God or Jesus and he want to help and do not be afraid." Then Jonah gave us the "address" of the Scripture: it is apparently found in "Robert 4:50". (Robert is his middle name).

I'm proud of Jonah. I'm not sure his verse will hold up to the tests of canonization...but maybe we can include it in the Apocrypha?

A hospital visit with my friend David...

2007-11-20T20:35:00.000-08:00

Today I had the privilege to drive to Palo Alto to visit with my friend David Huddleston. He is in the Veterans Hospital right now with a TBI (traumatic brain injury) that he suffered while in Turkey with the Air Force. Man, it was sure good to see him. David isn't able to speak (yet) and he slept through most of my visit with him today...he has been uncomfortable at night so he doesn't get much sleep. It's OK because I'm used to young people sleeping when I start talking!
David was in my youth group back in Riverside. He is one of the greatest guys you will ever meet. We would go snowboarding together with a couple of the other guys and gals from The Grove.
I am so impressed by David's parents, Patty and Steve. They have been at his side this whole time (about 6 weeks now). The recovery that David experiences will be largely due to his parents and the tireless care they are giving him. They have him pointing at things, shaving his head and face, pointing to words on a chalkboard, and even communicating when he needs to go to the bathroom!
As I think of my visit with David today, I realize that after I heard about his accident, all I wanted to do was to SEE David and to be WITH him. I didn't have the greatest words to say...but it wasn't about my words...it was all about being NEAR my friend who is hurting right now. It sure was good to see my friend today...

Jonah and the scissors...

2007-11-16T20:33:00.000-08:00

Tonight, I noticed that Jonah was in his room alone and quiet for about 15 minutes. This ALWAYS means something is going on in there that shouldn't be! So when I opened the door, he is sitting on the ground and shirtless. He has his scissors in hand and he has SHREDDED his green soccer jersey with his scissors. All he said was, "My soccer jersey is too long!".

His jersey looks like he got into a fight with a bear. It is reminiscent of the crop-tops I used to wear in the early 80's.

Payton's "Stay Up Late" night...

2007-11-16T20:26:00.000-08:00

Tonight was Payton's "Stay Up Late" night. She dressed up as a firefighter and left her costume on while we played games together. We played pick up sticks and a game of "speed" with playing cards. Good times...

Marshmallow Baseball was a "hit"...

2007-11-13T20:40:00.000-08:00

Well, let's just say we had a legendary game of marshmallow baseball with the youth last Sunday. The kids and leaders brought their "A" game. The leaders won the game with 71 runs. 6 of my leaders scored the maximum 10 runs for their at bat...I scored the "1" run.
On a deeper note, it was cool to see that these young people are looking to have fun and get crazy...and so were my leaders! A jr. high boy named Joseph Stickel (nicknamed "Stick") took the Defensive MVP award...he snagged the marshmallow three times in a row and shoved it in his mouth AFTER it had been on the dirty floor and passed through some hands.
I find that the kids in our group have nicknames that they like to go by:
- "Stick"
- "Yeah-Yeah"...this kid looks just like the boy in Sandlot
- "P.K." ...he's the pastor's kid
I feel weird calling them by these names, but they seem to prefer it. I'm trying to get them to call me "T-bone"...it's not working.

Mountain Bike Ride through the woods

2007-11-12T19:18:00.000-08:00

This is a picture of Henry Cowell Park which is less than a mile from my house. Today, I worked at 4:00am again and I was off at 11am. I thought I was going home to take a nap, but it was such a BEAUTIFUL day that I decided instead to take a ride through the park. I strapped on my camel back, grabbed my Bible & Journal, and put some new David Crowder on the iPod and took off. It was such a good time. I stopped at the ocean view bench where you can see the beach just beyond the mountain valley.

If you ever come up to visit us, I will take you on the mandatory bike ride through Henry Cowell Park. There are rivers, railroad tracks, bridges, trees, and dirt paths...all outside my front door. The list of the "lucky" ones who have taken a ride so far are: Mike Rodriguez, Trevor Christmas (2x's), Dan Lance, and David O'Rafferty. Who's next??

4:00am...seriously

2007-11-10T18:21:00.000-08:00

I've been working the early shift at Starbucks...4:00am! Which means I get up at 3:20am. When I get out of bed, my nipples are so cold they could cut glass. Getting up that early is great when you're going snowboarding, but not for work. The amazing thing is that people are at the door at 5:00am when we open. I'm glad I don't have THEIR jobs...

Marshmallow Baseball

2007-11-10T18:03:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow at our youth gathering, I'm introducing one of my favorite games: MARSHMALLOW BASEBALL. It is a game that was thought up from the bowels of youthwork at The Grove. It involves hitting marshmallows with a baseball bat, while others retrieve the mallows and throw them at the person who hit it. There's also the element of eating the marshmallow after it's been hit and scooted across the dirty floor and through some dirtier teenage hands.

I'm a little nervous introducing this game to my new youth group. It's kind of like saying "I love you" for the first time to your girlfriend. Will they accept it? Reject it? This game is such a deep part of who I am as a man...as a follower of Christ...as a human being...and as a barista. I guess I just have to put myself out there and hopefully they'll return the love.

The youth ministry has been good so far...challenging in some ways, and exciting in others. We currently have about 500 people in our church, and about 10-15 youth (6th-12th grade) that show up for the youth gathering. I've decided to take us all through the book of John these first few months. We're looking at WHO Jesus is, what He SAID, what He DID, WHY He did it, and asking HOW should we respond to all of it.

We had our first leaders meeting at our house last Sunday. There are about 10 great adults who are committed to these young people (10 adults and about 20 youth...pretty cool ratio, eh?). Trevor, the youth director before me, did a good job of recruiting some great people to work with these youth...I'm thankful for these people. Today, one of my leaders, Eddie, took some of the youth to a place called "Sky High". It is a huge room of trampolines. I couldn't make it with them, but it's so cool that he initiated this event.

Think of us tomorrow around 11am as we smack white puffs of sugar around a dirty gymnasium floor...

Why I enjoy working with youth...

2007-10-21T21:31:00.000-07:00

Today was our first day teaching Sunday School for the youth at our church. We played the game "2 Truths and a Lie" where they write down two things that are true about themselves and one that is not true (we try to guess which one is the lie).

So one of the teenagers says this: "I OWN AND OPERATE A SPEEDO!". Now that's funny...I'm going to like this kid.

Props for the Volunteers...

2007-10-18T20:39:00.000-07:00

My heart is filled with gratitude as I post these pictures. They are just a FEW of the countless men and women who have VOLUNTEERED their time to minister to young people in our youth ministry. (by the way, BORIS never received one penny for his/her appearances at camp). You see, for most of my life, I've been compensated financially for the time I put in leading a youth ministry. I would go to camp or Mexico for a week with the youth ministry (get paid for doing it), THEN I would take a week's vacation with my family. But most of our volunteers use their own vacation time to go on those same trips. They also work all day and/or go to school and STILL make time to teach and help out at youth group or have a group of students over their house for a small group Bible study.

I just want to say thank you...you are an indescribable blessing to me and the teenagers. You are each a hero to me.

Today, I got a glimpse of this. I worked at Starbucks from 6am-2pm, then drove over to church and put in a few hours preparing for youth group this Sunday. I'll do the same thing tomorrow. Tonight, Annette and I talked about our summer vacation and how we will possibly need to schedule it AROUND a camp or outreach trip with the youth.

I wish I had a picture of ALL our previous volunteers...just know that I'm thankful for you and young lives have been changed through your faithfulness.

Changing deodorant brings World Peace...

2007-10-13T09:10:00.000-07:00

OK my friends...if I read one more blog about how you're switching deodorant, I'm going to shove pencils in my eyes. According to all of you, changing the stick that you put under your stinky pits:
1. lowers the global temperature by 15 degrees...
2. provides affordable health insurance for everyone in the western United States...
3. makes cats and dogs become friends in perfect harmony...
4. brings Brittany and K-Fed back together again...

Thank you. Next year, I'm voting that you get the Nobel Peace Prize.

Speaking of deodorant, my record for days without showering is 9...what's YOUR record? Mine happened while I was in Chile last year...quite impressive...but mark my words, the record will NOT stand!

Here's something to pray for...

2007-10-09T20:44:00.000-07:00

(this picture is from our first night at the New Grove Property...we stuffed as many freshmen as we could in front of the camera. You'll notice a couple of our seniors snuck in the center of the picture)
I want to give a brief update on what God is doing in our lives. It has been almost 8 months since we left The Overflow at The Grove. We have had plenty of time to rest and be refreshed. A few months ago, we started looking into some possible ministry opportunities around the country. Some of these are AMAZING churches and everything looked good on paper...but we simply had NO PEACE about joining any of them. As I talked with the leaders from these churches, I felt like I was breaking up with an old girlfriend because all I could say was, "It's not you...it's me." The only thing we were sure of was that it wasn't time to leave Felton yet.
We love the church we are at right now (Vintage Faith). Two weeks ago, I decided that it was time for me to get back into the lives of young people, so I decided to contact the youth director at our church and be a volunteer leader. I showed up that night for youth group and to my surprise...it was his last night as the youth director. (OK, God...what are YOU doing??).
Since then, we've been in communication with the leadership at the church about leading the youth group during this time. They are in need of someone to be a volunteer youth director for the next few months as they figure out what to do next. Annette and I told them we would like to be considered for the volunteer spot. This is how we see it: The local church we love and are a part of has a need...and that need just happens to be an area that I am passionate about, have previous experience in, and just at the time that I was ready to jump back in to that area.
The most important thing is that we feel God's peace with this opportunity. (Isn't it funny how we did NOT have peace with the jobs that would pay us full time but we DO have peace about a position that isn't paid and keeps me working at Starbucks?).
We are EXCITED to be in a place where we are needed. We are EXPECTANT of God to do His mighty work in the lives of these teenagers. And we are ANXIOUS about starting all over again (will they love us? will we love them? are they as awesome as Riverside kids?).
Will you please pray for us and the young people we will be ministering to? I am meeting some of the youth ministry leaders tomorrow night and staying for the youth group. I just hope they like 34 year olds...

Look out WCS baseball team!

2007-10-08T21:41:00.000-07:00

Jonah LOVES to play baseball. We have this routine where I pitch the ball the same way to him every time, but each time I say I'm throwing him something else:
"Okay, here's my fastball...Okay, this time it's my screwball". If he swings and misses, he always asks me to throw the same pitch again, "Dad, throw the spitball again!".
With the way my pitching is being hit, I feel like I could play for Poly High School!

Backstage Pass for Jimmy Eat World

2007-10-08T21:33:00.000-07:00

Just in case you haven't heard about how cool we are, we got back stage passes to the Jimmy Eat World concert in Santa Cruz last Tuesday. So Zach, the drummer brought us and our friends to the tour bus to hang out with him before the show. Then Annette and I watched the show from the side of the stage. We're sort of a big deal around here... (actually, a couple of friends we met in our Bible study group are related to the drummer and they got us back stage...thanks Jared and Colleen!).
The show was AMAZING! I highly encourage you to see the band when they come into town. I was first introduced to Jimmy Eat World on our 2 and 1/2 day drive to Houston with the youth group. I remember sitting next to Curtis Warren as he sang all the songs...good times.

I love January...

2007-10-08T21:28:00.000-07:00

Well, we've just celebrated all three of our kids birthday parties in the last two weeks. Yes, our kids' birthdays are Sept. 26, Sept. 27, and October 8th. I love January...

Mom and Dad

2007-10-08T21:21:00.000-07:00

My Mom and Dad came up to visit us and the kids this weekend. It was so great to see them. They also got to go to church with us, too. Today, they stopped by Starbucks to say goodbye to me before they left. They told me how proud they are of me (even though I was wearing an apron at the time). They have always been proud of me no matter what I was into:
- When I wanted to be a heavy metal rock star in 6th grade, they were proud...
- When I was 90 pounds and I wanted to be a major league baseball player, they believed in me...
- When I was a youth pastor, they bragged to their friends about me...
- And today, when I was wearing an apron, making coffee, and working at a cash register, they still took the time to tell me how proud they are of me...

Thanks Mom and Dad...everybody needs to have someone believe in them they way you believe in me.

A visit from some ladies...

2007-10-08T21:17:00.001-07:00

On Saturday, we were visited by Nicolle, Kelsey, and Corisa. The came all the way up to our area for a "Regatone" (sp?) concert by somebody named guy named "Daddy Yankee". Who in their right mind would listen to music from a guy named "Daddy Yankee"??? Anyway, it was great seeing them and chatting with them. Thanks for stopping by, ladies...

Nice Hat...

2007-10-08T21:13:00.001-07:00

Today was Jonah's 5th birthday and he wore this SWEET hat! I took him bowling (he bowled a 67...I bowled a 164...he had to buy the root beers). We then went over to the arcade and played POLE POSITION. Do you all remember that game? It is only a quarter to play because it's so old, but Jonah can't tell the difference (I'm such a cheap skate). I also played a game of Tetris for a quarter.

Two men with guns for arms...

2007-09-27T20:25:00.000-07:00

My friend Micah and his mom, Patti, came to visit us yesterday. He and his family just moved to Salinas which is only 45 minutes away. I took Micah with me to St. Francis Soup Kitchen where we served lunch to about 150 people. Micah has a heart to serve others, and I could tell that the people there were encouraged to see him there.

Whose side of the Family does Davey get this from?

2007-09-24T21:59:00.000-07:00

The other day, I asked Davey to put on a sweatshirt before he goes outside to play. This is his response (I see so much of his mommy in him!).

Too Bubblicious...

2007-09-24T21:25:00.000-07:00

The other day, I was making an Espresso Macchiato and I was told by the customer that my bubbles were too big...I had to make it again for her. I tell you, if I had a nickel for every time I've been told my bubbles are too big...

Friends

2007-09-24T20:49:00.000-07:00

I've been blessed to visit and talk with some good friends this past week. I went up to Simpson University and took out 5 former Overflow kidz to In-N-Out burger (it made me feel like a youth pastor again!). I got to spend time with Holly Gilbreth (pictured here in Guatemala...she's the one in blue).

Tyler Ellis and Daniel Santo have been roomates at Simpson all four years! It was great to hang out in their room and talk about what God is doing in their lives.

I also got to hang out with Brittany Thomsen and Melissa Hart (not pictured). By the way, these pictures I posted are from four years ago...they're all older now and have bigger hair.

On the way home, I was able to talk to my buddy Ryan O. This picture best captures Ryan...caring for others whom the world has overlooked. This picture is from 2003 when he led a team of teenagers to work in an orphanage in Guatemala. When we came to join his team, the founder of the orphanage waited a few hours just to tell me what an AMAZING job Ryan and his team did...and he said they were welcome to come back anytime. It was so good to talk to my buddy, Ryan a few days ago. WE ARE BOTH WORKING AT JOBS THAT REQUIRE US TO WEAR AN APRON!!! I hear that aprons are like Hansel..."they're so HOT right now!".

I was also visited by Trevor White and his family on their way up to Seattle Pacific University. It was so encouraging to talk to him and his mom, Becky.

Trevor and Arden Christmas stopped by for a few nights, too. Trevor and I "boned out" one day and took our mountain bikes:

---through the woods

---across the river

---alongside the railroad tracks into Santa Cruz

---had lunch at Pizza My Heart

---took the city bus back to Felton.

...Normally, Trevor doesn't enjoy "outdoor" events, but I took him anyway. Arden and Trevor even watched the kids for us one night so I could take Annette out on a date! Thanks, guys. And Areden brought up some of her famous cookies...

Dan Lance is stopping by tomorrow night.

On Wednesday, I get to hang out with Micah Risinger. Micah and I are going to serve some lunch at the St. Francis Kitchen to about 150 friends who could really use a meal and some encouragement.

It has been a great week...

Off to Simpson University for the night...

2007-09-21T08:28:00.000-07:00

After work today, I'm driving up to Redding to visit some friends at Simpson University. The picture on the left are of some ladies I graduated Simpson with a long time ago. Mildred is in the lower left corner...she was a PARTY ANIMAL!!!!
I'm going to hang out with Phil Vaughn (Youth Ministries Professor) and chat for a little while. I also hope to see Tyler Ellis, Holly Gilbreth, Daniel Santo, Brittany Thomsen (and her "Bo"), and Melissa Hart...all former Overflow kidz.

Jonah's message for Nana Sharon

2007-09-19T20:22:00.000-07:00

Hey Mom, I thought you would like to see a short update from Jonah and his first week at Playschool.

Sleeping Boys

2007-09-17T23:55:00.000-07:00

Here is a short video of our kids after a day at the zoo. Turn up the volume to hear Davey snoring.

Notice the kid who cuts me off!

2007-09-17T13:27:00.000-07:00

This is a short demo of my snowboarding talents that I'm planning on sending to the local skate shops so I can get sponsored by them. I'm the one in the colorful red vest. By the way, I blame this event on the kid that cut me off!

7 months later...

2007-09-17T12:54:00.000-07:00

This picture of my wife and I was taken 7 months ago right before we left Riverside to go to Felton for the health of our boys.
(I am the one on the right...wearing the watch and glasses...with the darker blue jeans on...with the thermal undershirt on to make me look 5 pounds heavier than I really am). The other person (on the left), well that's my wife. She's the one wearing the headband and clasping her hands together...she's the one wearing the black shirt...directly under the RED balloons (I am the one directly under the black balloons, while the white balloons are sort of diagonally to the left of my head). Just wanted to be CLEAR, because CLARITY is what we are seeking most in our lives right now...

Old Skool is in the house

2007-09-17T12:40:00.000-07:00

Hello, I'm Old Skool. I'm sort of a big deal around here. Tons of people from the Parks and Rec calling me to be on their city league basketball team...but I'm holding out for bigger things.