Running Out of Excuses

This talks about why YOU should plant a church. I'm not naive, I'm not green, I have friends that are church planters right here in Long Beach, it's hard, it's rewarding, it's being broke.

But this article uncovers all my concerns:
1. Salary
2. Failure
3. Gifting

I may do a multi-site instead of a church plant.
Why YOU Should Plant a Church.

Schiavo's Final Moments Remind Me Of Abuelita

If you've been here, you've been here and you're here again. The scene described here is what it looks like friends. Death is common, and is the destiny of us all, I'm now realizing how even the most private of moments, as when I was with my grandmother together with her 5 children and Rachelle for the last 15 mns of her life, is so similar to Terri Schiavo's Final Moments With Husband:

"Michael Schiavo cradled his wife as she clutched a stuffed tabby cat under one of her horribly contracted arms. Looking on were Felos, another attorney, Michael Schiavo's brother, Brian, and several of the hospice workers who had cared for her during her five-year stay there.

A bouquet of white lilies and roses perfumed the room.

Around 9 a.m., Terri Schiavo was dead. Her parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, were not on the hospice grounds. "

I am an Artist

Do you consider yourself an artist?

"artist":

n : a person whose creative work shows sensitivity and imagination [syn: creative person]

I am an artist. What is your art? I know pastors/speaker/leaders who are artists. I know carpenters that are artists, I know graphic designers who are artists. What is your artistic medium?

This article called, "Imagine That! got me thinking about all this. It's pretty basic but good regarding Art and church leadership.

Post Easter Depression

The Blood of Jesus, the Blood of Jesus....

Tried to work out this morning, no energy, will try it in the afternoon.
Just down and depressed. I went to bed at 8:30pm last night, was supposed to go on a date with my wife, no energy. Felt dizzy.
Just wrote a 2-page journal, non blog, entry. Too real for this blog. This is the 'safe' version, oh well.
The blood, the blood, the blood of Jesus. I stand against you Satan, I put on the full armor of God.
This Sunday is the last Sunday I will play with 'my band', starting April 10th, we will have a new band. I am mourning that.
This Sunday marks three months since abuelita's death. She died Jan 3rd, 2005. No, I am not over it. Yes, I'm still grieving her. 'Is it getting better' people ask. Sigh.
It was an exhausting push to GF and Easter, well worth it. I'll be fine. It'll be okay. Lot of great things were done in the Spirit this week. Many lives touched, the Gospel was preached faithfully, God is good.

I wrote a song a while back for times as these:

/It's the blood that sets me free/It's the blood the covers me/That gives me victory me/My conscience fully cleans/From a heavy heart/It's the blood that God now sees/It's the blood at Calvary/That Jesus shed upon the tree/Empowers me brings victory/Over the enemy/It's the blood/.

I'm off to get ready for the day. Sometimes that's the best thing to do. One step, two steps, three steps, forward. Hope you're doing well. A friend told me for her, moving through the tough times is about putting on her make up. So for our female readers, I'm off to put on my make up.

UPDATE: Getting ready, feels good, did my ab work, very nice. Off to the rest of this day.

Lord, Be My Life on Resurrection Day

I think I actually took a nap during the sermon. And tonight I speak in Resonate, our Sunday PM service. I'm toast. I peaked Good Friday, that was awesome, today, it's all fumes and faithfulness. But God is bigger than my energy level.

I also feel the grief of my friend. He came to church this morning and told me he and his wife are seperated, they have two children. He's my age, grew up together kind of thing. Sad. Tough. He said, "I don't want to bring this up on Easter..." hello! Life, Resurrection, ashes, seperation, he turns ashes into beauty.

Then a friend was telling me that last night her and her husband were at a friends' play where the cast was in drag, 5 o'clock shadows, beer bellys, etc.

We're all in process, I am in process, so are my friends. They struggle with drag and divorce, I have my own list.

In Search of...the Resurrection.

I Need it, You Need it, We all need it.

My Thoughts on Good Friday

__VERTICAL MUSIC___________________At the Foot of the Cross.

At the foot of the cross
Where grace and suffering meet
You have shown me Your love
YES, MY HEART IS YOURS LORD
Through the judgment You received
THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST, MUCH JUDGMENT YOU RECEIVED. YOU DIED FOR YOUR FRIENDS, FOR SINNERS LIKE ME. I'M SORRY FOR THE JUDGMENT YOU HAD TO BEAR ON OUR BEHALF.
And You've won my heart
Yes You've won my heart
THIS IS EASY. WHAT CAN I DO BUT GIVE YOU MY HEART LORD? THERE'S NO NEED FOR YOU TO WIN MY HEART, YOU MADE MY WHOLE BEING. MY HEART CAN'T HELP BUT MELT IN THE PRESENCE OF SUCH GRACE.

Now I can
Trade these ashes in for beauty
OH MY LIFE IS sUCH ASHES. ISN'T YOURS? I'M READY FOR THIS TRADE. THE ASHES IN MY LIFE ARE GREY, THEY ARE THE SADNESS I FEEL OVER LOSS, OVER MY OWN FAULTS, OVER THE PAIN I SEE IN MY WIFE, OVER THE BROKENESS IN MY FRIENDS' MARRIAGES. ASHES, ASHES, THEY ALL FALL...I'M READY FOR THIS TRADE.
And wear forgiveness like a crown
LORD, I NEED THE CROWN OF FORGIVENESS ON MY HEAD. IT'S NOT A PROUD CROWN OF DIAMONDS, BUT A CROWN OF NEED, OF FORGIVENESS FOR MY LACKS, MY LUSTS, MY SELFISHNESS AND DEPRAVITY. FOR THE TEARS I CAUSED ON CANELA, OUR 6 YEAR OLD THIS MORNING. THE TEARS I CAUSED UPON LITTLE DAVID, OUR 1 YEAR OLD, AS HE DIDN'T WANT TO FACE AND TURN HIS FATHER FACE TO FACE. I HURT WHEN I MAKE THEM CRY, EVEN WHEN IT'S TEARS OF GUIDANCE AND DISCIPLINE AND LOVE.
Coming to kiss the feet of mercy
LORD HAVE MERCY UPON ME, FOR MY MANY FAULTS, AND NEEDS. WHY DO I HURT SO BAD OVER GRAMMA? I WISH I WAS STRONGER, I AM NOT. HAVE MERCY UPON ME LORD. HAVE MERCY UPON MY WIFE LORD, IT'S TOUGH BEING A MOTHER OF THREE, SHE IS AN AWESOME WOMAN, LORD HELP HER IN HER LOVE FOR OUR AMAZING CHILDREN.
I lay every burden down
HOW MANY BURDENS DO WE CARRY? CAN'T COUNT THEM ALL, CAN WE? THE BURDEN OF NEED, OF LOSS, OF SIN, OF BROKENESS, OF PASSION TO BE, TO SERVE, TO LOVE. THE BURDENS OF THIS WORLD ARE MANY. LAY THEM DOWN TO SLEEP, LORD LAY ME DOWN TO REST UPON YOU.
At the foot of the cross
THIS IS THE CROSS. THIS IS WHAT THE CROSS REPRESENTS - MERCY, FORGIVENESS, GRACE. IT'S SO AMAZING.
At the foot of the cross
Where I am made complete
COMPLETE, WHAT IS THAT? I AM SO INCOMPLETE. I NEED TO BE COMPLETE LORD, BUT MOST TIMES I FEEL LIKE MR. POTATO HEAD, ALL MY PIECES LAYING ON THE FLOOR. BUT THIS IS POSSIBLE, THIS IS WHAT YOU OFFER, THIS IS GRACE, THIS IS EASTER, YOU MAKE US COMPLETE THROUGH THE LIFE YOU NOW LIVE.
You have given me life
EASTER MEANS LIFE, IT MEANS THE RESURRECTION OF YOUR LIFE AS WELL AS MINE. MY LIFE IS POSSIBLE BECAUSE YOU LIVE. THIS IS MY HOPE, MY NEED, I DON'T NEED MORE DEATH, OR SIN, OR CONDEMNATION, MY SINS CONDEMN ME, MY SOUL CONDEMNS ME, I NEED YOUR LIFE LORD JESUS. WE WELCOME YOUR LIFE. YOU ARE RISEN IN ME IN US.
Through the death You bore for me
YOU BORE AND ENDURED SO MUCH PAIN. FOR ME, FOR US, FOR THIS WORLD, FOR INDONESIA, FOR MICHAEL JACKSON, FOR TERRI SCHIAVO's body, FOR CHILDREN WITH AIDS.
I'm laying every burden down
I'm laying every burden down

IS THIS REAL? IS THIS POSSIBLE? BECAUSE IF IT IS, THIS IS IT. THIS IS WHAT I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR MY WHOLE LIFE, THIS IS THE BEST MESSAGE THE WORLD HAS TO OFFER. THIS IS WORTH GIVING YOUR WHOLE BEING AND STRENGTH TO. IS THIS WHAT JESUS DOES? IS THIS WHO HE IS? YES, THIS IS IT.

Music and lyrics by Kathryn Scott
2003 Vertical Worship Songs
CCLI# 4157353

Grace Flows Down On Good Friday

I wish I had pictures to show you of the stage for Good Friday. We have three 45 foot red ribbons flowing down from the top of the ceiling unto the stage. The ribbons represent the grace of God flowing down to all of us.

"Grace Flows Down" is the theme for the evening, with the accompanying song of the same title along with original material, candles, water, wind and many songs of worship.

Not everyone will be in church this weekend. Some people are going to Yosemite to enjoy God's beauty. Others, have no idea of what Easter and Good Friday represent. This is why it's important we do these events, to let people know what Easter is all about. And it's not about everyone being at 'our events', it's not about having a full room and lots of people come to church. It's more than that, although I want that. It's about you and me being the grace of God to our friends and neighbors, to John and Gina, to Stacey and Marquis, every day.

Attacks on Easter Week, Praying

Last night I got a 'tough' email from someone in the church. I hardly slept last night, grieved by its content. I don't need this Easter week right? Yet, I have to deal with this because it can otherwise cause distraction and division, which Satan wants.

The timing of these things, Easter week, never ceases to amaze me.

I am praying against the enemy, putting on the full armor of God, and today I'm going to call the person and talk this through. Please pray for me. I'm also doing the 'closing' for Good Friday, leading worship Sunday AM and speaking in our evening service. I'm excited, but I need a nap.

Journey 2005: Goodbye Everyone

A fellow blogger says goodbye. And in his last post he gives words to a few of his readers including me. Nice words. Thank you Journey 2005 and goodbye.

Journey 2005: Goodbye Everyone:

"Ailyn, you're a great father, stay that way. Mystic, keep travelling - I will too, but in a different way. David, you and your grandma will meet again. Toledo, thanks. My path will be different from yours but I think they ultimately lead to the same destination. DM, guess what? Now I have a back problem too ..... :)"

I Would do a Great Church Service

Long Beach, CA
Originally uploaded by dtrigueros.

I guess who wouldn't right? But if I do a church in downtown Long Beach, CA, it would be a great church service. I've looked into organic, house network, art galleries, coffee house and more. And looking at who I am, what I've been trained to do, who Bethany is, and the need for an Emergent church in downtown, I would do church the way I know how. It would be multi-site deal through Bethany, call it Bethany Urban, rent a space, get the band, the sound and lights, the web guy, the children's director, the small groups person, the arts people, the team staff, no video venues, we would do the preaching, equipping and pastoring ourselves. Give us $40,000 to start up and we're off and running.

That's how I would do it. And yes, I've been thinking about it again. We would then be able to help church planters and others to do what they're called to do in downtown. We would be in relationship with these guys. In fact, I'm already in relationship with these guys. I want to be the pastor of Bethany Urban, a place of relationship, rest, training, home, and worship for postmoderns in Urban Long Beach.

Who Would I Vote for?

This CID-Gallup poll, (1,281 voters) shows that Nicaraguans think a Sandinista (not Ortega), would be the best president. I hope not. I would vote for Montealegre of the PLC.

Polling Data

Who do you think would be the best candidate for the presidency?

Herty Lewites (FSLN), 30%
Eduardo Montealegre (PLC), 16%
Daniel Ortega (FSLN), 10%
Not sure, 41%"

Feeling Humbled Tonight

God does that sometimes...

1. My acoustic guitar was not working (my bread and butter)
2. My electric was too loud (some were complaining)
3. I broke my friends' amp (stepped on a cord and broke the volume knob)
4. The singers were saying I wasn't singing loud enough

Well, that pretty much is everything I do that went wrong:
1. Play electric
2. Sing
3. Play acoustic

I'm glad I didn't play the piano tonight. Humilty is like broccoli, good for you, but it sure smells bad.

Letters From Russia

I started a new blog:Letters From Russia in preparation for my trip to Russia, July 15-31st. I will be going with a team of 12. I will be playing music, and helping do a youth camp for orphans near Moscow.

No Squats Tonight, Tomorrow Yes

I enjoy heavy squats, they're hard, no one likes to do them, but they make your legs strong and tight. I superset them with leg curls, good mornings, straight leg dead lifts and calf raises. Then I wrap up the session with some ab work. Currently, I'm doing some new abs stuff called "Core Max" which includes planks, levitations and gravitational ab work. Tough. Plus the traditional crunches, reverse, and the rest. The ab routine takes about 20 mns. and the leg workout about 45mns. This morning I had no energy, and tonight, I am burnt. So I only did the abs, no legs....I always feel disappointed when I miss a day, but tomorrow will soon be here and I'll get back into my squats.

I work out 6x/a week. 4x with heavy weights and 2 days of treadmill, abs every day.

I'd Buy an "It's A Grind" Franchise

I've liked their focus more than their coffee.

“Too often, people open coffeehouses just to make money, losing focus on what’s really important,” said Cox. “Simply put, though profit is great, it is not the driver for opening this business, rather, it is the result of creating exceptional experiences for everyone we meet, every time we meet them.”