Today, my wife and I had a long talk about where to go next. Do we move back to CA or stay in CO for another year. We’re just not sure. We process things from the usual perspectives (jobs, housing, etc) as well as the more intuitive values (joy, peace, passion, love).

We both love and miss CA. We would stay in CO for a time if the doors close in CA, but we’d rather move back.

The issue we were dealing with today is the loss I would feel leaving CO. Here I have many amazing opportunities, and I am willing to give them up for what God wants, to be one with my wife, to get moving, but it still hurts.

Denver, CO is tiny compared to LA, everything can happen here. I can start a Neighborhood Abbey, we have relationships we’ve built for the past three years. I can gig my CD around town and in Denver and do it pretty easily, I have connections and again, Denver is tiny.

I can get an MPA in 18 months and do it no problem, schools are small, close bye and affordable. We have a house we love, both of us can get jobs here as the education is not as bad as in CA (yet).

There are many things that would work here, but the most important thing is to be one with my wife and if my wife feels done here (and she does), so do I. I’m 50/50 based more on practical things than heart. My heart is in CA, I want to move back, but the circumstances may not allow that at this time. And yet, if God leads us to go, we will go and trust God will open doors.

Have a great day.

davidTrig

I was reading how .05% of You Tube watchers actually upload videos, the rest just come and watch.

Consuming.

The problem with that is at two levels – economically and creatively.

First, only a select group is making money off of You Tube. With all the young techies out there, how can this be? And by uploading a video, you’re hardly making any money, but at least you’re creating not just consuming.

Second, is the issue of who’s actually creating? Not many. At least not many are uploading their videos. I want to watch, consume, listen, take in LESS and produce, create, give, speak MORE.

How does that happen? It means you have to lock yourself in a room, open your favorite book, novel, journal, pick up a guitar or piano or brush or video camera and create, create, make, make, make.

To create means to risk, to imagine, to have vision, to feel and live, to have passion, to not be afraid, to leave the bubble and comfort and then regain comfort and bubble and lose it all over again. It means to fail, to be true to yourself, to know thyself. To create means to think, to feel your heart beating, to stop, pause, reflect, let life hit you and respond to it.

We have too many consumers (paying $) and not enough entrepreneurs (getting the $). And beyond money, we are becoming a generation of spectators not creators.

I guess I’m a consumer most of the time, yet my passion and call is to create. I create sometimes, but most times I consume. I have to create more and I don’t mean create problems either! : )

Let’s create, let’s act, let’s lead, not just watch others do it on You Tube.

Into the future,

davidT

So I’m not there, but I’m checking out AT&T Webcasts Coachella Arts and Music Festival. Amazing music.

Reading the article in the LA Times, this festival is speaking the language of the current generation. How? In it’s community, the voice they have (young people complained about ad banners last year), and the indie rock. There’s a certain ‘in the know’ thing that goes with Coachella. I don’t blame them, it’s an amazing experience from what I hear.

Right now, I’m listening to Arctic Monkey (new punk) and Matt Costa (indie rock), nice.

Many of our musicians are huge fans of Coachella, it’s al they talk about, some have been in the past or are there now. I wish Coachella would have a social cause they could get these young people excited about.

Have a great day,

Into the future,

davidT

A 10mn. segment of Gethsemane, the Good Friday production I directed this year, Friday, April 6th, 2007. Amazing cast, musicians, set design, great impact.

Jay Wallace, lead (Jesus).

Have a great day.

Into the future,

davidT

Video: Jay Bakker on grace, fundamental church and more.

So Easter is over, time to reflect and today I had a conversation with Jesus, more of a fight really, a quarrel, whatever you want to call it. Like Jacob wrestling with God (I guess, wrestling is more church-safe than argument), either way, that’s what I had.

I was singing Switchfoot’s song “In This Life”, which is a song to his wife (i think). I usually also sing it to my wife (and have), but today it was a talk with Jesus.

The topic was, “who are you?”, “what is your message to the world?”, “what is your church supposed to be about?” and “where have we gone wrong, because something is not right.”

Something is changing in me. Something big and it deals with the church, the man I want to become for my wife and children, God’s Kingdom, Christians and sinners.

I have been to seminary, I know the answer to those questions from the Bible and studies, but none of those sufficed today. I needed to ask Jesus directly.

“What is your kingdom about God? Is it about the Christians and keeping them worshiping, raising hands and growing? Is it about those not in your Kingdom yet? The poor, the hungry, the needy, the lost? Well, if it is about the “seek and save the lost” part, than why do your Christians complaint so much and argue with this?”

It seems most Christians I know want bubble gum-Chris Tomlin church with fluffy sermons or Biblical sermons (take your pick) that suit their needs.

The other day, an established Christian and I were talking about Easter versus Spring break. He said that those “seculars” call it Spring break, but that we know better, it’s “Easter Break.” Who the heck cares? Only Christians would care about such a thing.

The truth is that I used to be the same way, but I’ve changed. I also thought there was a divide between secular and sacred, Easter v. Spring. Most of that was well intended, I meant no harm, but really it spoke of pride of walls between myself and those without God in their lives.

So back to my argument with Jesus, errr, wrestling with God. I was asking Jesus to tell me what his church is about, how should I proceed from here. What did he tell me?

1. Read McLaren’s book again “A New Kind of Christian”
2. Read the Gospels (Jesus first told me this while listening to Jay Bakker’s conversion experience, see video above).
3. Read Paul’s epistles (Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians, etc).

So that’s what I’m doing. Why? To get the heart of God once again. I know His Kingdom is about Acts 2:42 (community), Isaiah 6 (holiness), Matthew 5 (city on a hill), Great Commission (Matt. 28), Great Commandment (love one another, your neighbor as yourself).

But what does that look like for me? Maybe after this argument with God I will be left aching (as Jacob), hurting, sore, tired. But also as Jacob, I will hopefully be left with more of God.

Themes I am seeking to re-discover in my life:
1. Grace
2. Forgiveness
3. Basic message of Jesus
4. God’s unconditional love
5. Stop judging people

Have a great day.

Into the future,

davidT

So David Crowder (“Here is Our King”, “Wholly Yours”, “No One Like You”), is in the studio recording his next post “A/B Collision” CD. Yes, I like Crowder, do his songs in church, etc. He’s posting clips from their studio work. Nice.

This is of his EG player, not sure his name….shall find out, jamming, doing his EG thing. Nice. (EG name: Taylor johnson (aka: the kid)!!!!

Have a great day.

Into the future,

davidT

This is not me, nor is it John Mayer, it’s John Mayer “for dummies”.

Have a great day.

Into the future,

davidT

VIDEO – Erwin McManus, pastor Mosaic in Los Angeles, CA during Q&A at Columbia University.

grace,

davidT

I want this for my office. Table and chairs, $799.00. ouch! Maybe I can find something like it at the Goodwill.

grace,

davidT

Video – Mark Driscoll, pastor Mars Hill in Seattle, WA.

davidT