A Pilgrim's Progress and Other Musings

i have started reading john bunyan's "A Pilgrim's Progress" and it's fantastic. i have read about 100 pgs in less than a week, granted it's a pretty easy to read but so full of goodness. if you haven't heard of it i will give you the basics: the book is the whole journey of Christian, a normal person, who is trying to get to the Celestial City (Heaven); basically it his entire Christian journey. i am so impressed with bunyan because most of his writing is word for word scripture references. it is such a great allegory that keeps you wanting to read more. i am really enjoying this fresh new outlook on faith and the journey of every Christ follower. if you haven't read it, i highly recommend reading it.


to aid in this pilgrimage of mine i have gone back and have been listening to some older christian music as well as some new. i have been very encouraged with Dogwood's second album, "Through Thick & Thin". with songs comparing our journey to a sailing voyage or a visually great lyrical about the return of Christ or an encouraging song about brotherhood through thick and thin, this entire album has nothing but inspiration, humbleness, and love written all over it and in it. this was one of my most favorite bands growing up and never had this album of my own and have finally gotten it. my most favorite song is "stairway to sin" which is such a beautiful song of redemption and recognizing one's sinfulness habits and it goes through the thought/journey of letting go and allowing God to work. can you see all the similarities to journeying? check out the song above if you dare...


another older band but mainly just one song instead of a whole album is "Louder than the Mob" by The O.C. Supertones another favorite when i was younger. it's just one of those songs that speaks about our sin but just in a unique way and how great our God is and how forgiving He is even when we shouldn't deserve it. Here are the lyrics:
"I know I'm just another Judas, kiss Your face
While I drive the nail through Your hand
I know I'm just another Thomas, won't believe
Until I feel the hole in your hands
Then I will say, my God, I see not what You see
My God, what do You see in me?
My God, crowned in glory
The Lamb of God is worthy
My sin yells, 'Crucify!'; Louder than the mob that day
My sin yells, 'Crucify!', louder than any mouth."


the last song/album i wanted to mention is Psalter's, "Ch.7 EP". the Psalters are amazing people and gifted musician/songwriters; they sing some very impactful songs and i know how sincere they are. love them so much and if i lived in philly i would get to see them and hangout with them more. they are a breath of fresh air when thinking, talking, and living God's word. i digress, "Psalm 27" is a raw and encouraging song taken from David's Psalm 27, stating "the Lord is my light and my salvation, the Lord is my strength and my life! So I will not be afraid, no I will not be afraid!" such wonderfulness. please listen to it and check out all of their music, it will only do you good.

art for art sake

back from the dead. indeed i am alive and well, thankfully. i was previously battling the terrible stomach parasite known as giardia which i obtained from the crystal clear waters of northern chile at a national park ranger station. needless to say that sucked and glad it is over. had a great time traveling around northern chile and southern peru for a couple weeks but glad to be back in cusco.

i finally am posting pics of some pictures i have shot and framed and have hanging in the cafe. thought i'd share them. they are all for sale and all the profits are going to the cafe. phil has put a few of his art pieces up that he has been working on and he sold one perhaps a month ago. very cool! enjoy.

great words from Watashi Wa/the big silence/observations of the Word

great words from Watashi Wa:
- "In all my days and lessons on the way and no matter what tomorrow brings your all I ever need and some things stay but most just pass away and I am learning to cling not so closely because you're all I need. so take these things off my back with so much wisdom I lack and so today with all I do and say I give all my days to you with all my dreams and the ones I love I pray that you'll keep them with me whatever today brings." - Fepeste



- "Held down, completely, blindfolds of pride are in the way." - Simple Road Less Traveled


- "God's faithful, in everything, don't fear to dream." - Here's to Tomorrow


- "think before you act before you speak." - Here's to Tomorrow


- "lock up pride and throw away key." - At It's Finest


- these are a few of the lyrics that really stick out at this moment and time for me. i love Watashi Wa and am super thankful for their musical abilities. i hope seth roberts doesn't forget his roots. i would have to say that the lyrics to "fepeste" carry the most weight right now. "in whatever state, be content." - phillipians 4:11


the big silence:
i recently watched bbc's "the big silence", a 3 show series about a priest was wanting to implement silence into the lives of 5 people. only 1 out of the 5 actually believed in God at the start and it was shaky at best while a couple of the others grew up in the church as kids then fell away due to deaths in the family and other unfortunate circumstances. basically the priest, christopher jamison, wanted to show these people how important silence is; both in reflecting but as well as meditation. it was really interesting to see these people first start off with a weekend at an abbey going through the regular days of the monks there but then they went home and were challenged to implement silence into their normal schedule and they all failed. after 2 weeks or so, they had an 8 day silent retreat at another monastery. 8 days without communication, other than a daily meeting with their spiritual counselor, is a tough endeavor. only one really stays true the the silence while the others wander off and talk to each other or just flat out, out of defiance speak to others but then they all get sucked into the silence and find some wonderful healing, revelations, and comfort amongst the silence. people who never believed in God started hearing from Him. everyone was expecting to hear from God in one way or the other but He spoke to them or came to them in ways they did not expect. the whole time i was watching this show all i could think about was elijah and how God spoke to him in a still, small voice and not in the crazy wind, earthquake, or fire. the wind, earthquake, and fire are all the great distractions in this world: work, family, music, tv, movies, internet, facebook, sports (hockey), etc. finding time in our busy schedules for silence is necessary and i am trying to implement some time throughout my day to wait and listen for that still, small voice. 


observations of the word:
i just finished reading through the pentateuch at have already shared some of my thoughts and observations already but here are the rest.


Leviticus:
- "The Lord makes people with defects holy." 21:23b


Numbers:
- "Moses was the most humble person on the face of the earth." 12:3; who was more humble before Moses?


- God spoke to moses "clearly and not in riddles"


Deuteronomy:
- "Do not cook a young goat in its mother's milk" 14:21 (repeated several times, what is the significance?)


- God lists the foods the Israelites can and cannot eat (Ch.14); God is very specific in the strangest aspects of scripture.


- "There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land." 15:11


- God knew that once the Israelites crossed over the Jordan (without Moses) they were going to fail Him and turn their back on Him even when both God and Moses repeated several times the blessings and curses as well as sending Joshua with them.


- God repeats, repeats, repeats His laws/blessings/curses to the Israelites because He knows they are stubborn headed.


- God reveals the future demise of the Israelites to Moses since Moses is about to die and be buried with his fathers.


Last days of Jesus (Luke 22-24)
- Jesus made the Scriptures known to the disciples as well as the two walking on the road to Emmaus that which pertained about Him. Crazy that Jesus/God just allows us to know things.

one and the same/mark twain & alex hackett

my favorite author is mark twain. he was considered to be the funniest person alive. he has traveled the world several times over. he has written some of the best american fiction and funniest nonfiction. i am currently reading mark twain's "following the equator" which is his traveling circuit of lectures; i have read his "roughing it" and absolutely loved it. he has a way of using his words to intricately describe a situation or story that makes it easier on your brain. he inspires me to continue to dream, journey and seek to see new things, as well as find your passion and pursue it with everything you've got. granted we have similarities but alas we have vast differences as well but i thoroughly enjoy his life and written works. just some rambling thoughts of what was going through my head while i was watching a pbs biography of him.

today is the first day of 2 months

tonight starts 2 months of intense play from the greatest sport on earth: the STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS! today people around the world are shaving their faces clean to begin growing their playoff beards in conjunction with their team's success in the post-season. the detroit red wings kick off the first round of the playoffs today versus the phoenix coyotes whom they played and beat last year in the first round. i am hoping for the same success as last year in this round.

let's go WINGS!

green living/off the grid/sustainability zzzzbuzzwordszzzz

i have taken the bait. i am hooked, crazed. somewhat fanatical about sustainable living. recently i've watched garbage warrior and off the grid, ever since that's all i've been able to think about when i walk through the torrential downpour or feel the beaming sun. why aren't we taking advantage of this energy, these resources? call me a fanatic, hippie, tree hugger; that's fine. why would someone want to keep paying money to large energy and water companies? prices are only going to rise more. i'm sold on this idea and am trying to conjure up the means to build my own sustainable house when i get back to the states. more research, planning, and of course saving money but this is something i am working up to. granted even remodeling your current house is possible by mounting solar panels and a wind turbine or creating a rain catcher and even building a little greenhouse to grow food as well as a place to put your compost. lots of easy ways to help save money and help the environment.

i want to build an earthship.

My Autobiography Title

i started a new blog today with potential titles to my autobiography. feel free to follow it, i hope to update it everyday with a new potential title.