protest and invest

you should read this article by rudy carrasco on the importance of not only protesting injustice, but teaching those who suffer from the injustice to invest in order to overcome.

found and a softer world

since i've had plenty of time to do mindless activities on the internet lately, i've been revisiting sites i used to spend a lot of time on over the past few years. so here are some more things to check out:

found

i saw these guys last summer (2006) in chicago at intuit art gallery when they were touring with post secret. it was really funny.

a softer world

serge bloch

my soul is a bird, but my body is a stone


trav linked to this guy's illustrations earlier today, and i really like them.

misguided by the 405

okay, so it hasn't happened yet, but i'm sure it will because i have the incredible ability to get lost anywhere. (also, it's a song reference, for those who are not familiar with all things death cab.) what it should say is "misguided by the 60 while driving on the 57". yeah. that actually did happen.

so anyway, i am currently residing in irvine, california in my brother's living room. (kevin is in thailand until next week, but i have been hanging out with rechelle, my sister-in-law.) for those who don't know (probably most of you) irvine is one of the nation's largest planned urban communities-- 55 square miles. what does this mean? this means that you can go in any direction for quite a while, and everything looks exactly the same. endless stucco buildings all painted shades of reddish-brown-yellow, shopping centers with everything you think you could ever need, and parks with palm trees placed exactly 10 feet apart. in fact, with in 5 minutes of the apartment, there is a costco, a target, 5 or 6 grocery stores, three huge shopping centers, and about 20 parks. im sure those numbers would double if i made it 10 minutes (depending on traffic).

On the city of irvine website, there are some demographics listed:
Population: 202,079 as of 2007
Trees: 55,500 (i've already decided to plant my own to screw up their plans. what now, planned community?)
95% high school graduates
80% white/asian/pacific islander
median family income: $85,624
FBI crime ranking: #1 safest city in the US when it comes to serious violent crimes

also, i thought it was funny that in-n-out burger is in the top employers, asparagus is the city vegetable, and the highest elevation is 45 feet.

so, there you go. that's where i live. if you actually care, here is the mission statement of the city.

so, right after i read some statistics about irvine, i googled santa ana, irvine's next door neighbors. the opening statement on the city's website is "the City of Santa Ana formed a Graffiti Task Force for graffiti eradication and prevention." i bet they forgot to plan that in the community.

there's all kinds of info on the city of santa ana's website about community development projects. i think i'd like to go to one of their meetings (september 4 is the next one) and see what goes down. it may be boring, but hey... it's cool. either way, i'd really like to try to get involved somewhere. we will see what happens.

anyway, i'm sure everyone is dying to hear about how i am doing out here. (okay, okay. humor me at least.)
honestly, i don't have a lot to say about how i am doing. it's only been 2 1/2 days, and i am trying to keep that in mind. i've been hanging out with rechelle, my sister-in-law, constantly because i have no friends. i did get to hang out with chris in pasadena on friday night and it was very refreshing to see a familiar face. i got to see the work that is going on at harambee and that was awesome. i am meeting my brother's boss on monday to talk about a potential job at mindfire inc. we will see what happens with that, if anything.

so... there you go. talk to me in a week or two or three when i may or may not have a job or a place of my own or friends and my brother is home and i have my car back with my cactus riding shotgun and i settle in. then maybe i can tell you how i'm doing.

this was a choice, this was never a mistake

so here it is... i am moving tomorrow. i have compiled all my things and have scattered them in organized piles in bonnie and trevor's living room. i managed to fit my entire life in a few boxes that will fit in the trunk of my car. i think my life over the last 3 weeks has been a literal interpretation of hebrews 12:1-2 that says (paraphrase) let us throw off everything that hinders and fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith. i am not quite starting over, but have definitely leveled some of the mountains that i built for myself and am building fresh. praise God that with his help we can move mountains, yes?

the choice to stay in wheaton this summer was a good one, i think. or, maybe God was able to redeem a bad decision. either way, it had its ups and downs, but i am leaving on good terms. i went into chicago for the last time yesterday, and it was really good to be there. i hung out in uptown, where i lived during the fall semester of my senior year. while i waited for eric to meet me at the siam noodle, i stood on the street and watched the people go by. i saw one of my old clients walk by, and i got to talk to him for a few minutes. his baby is starting to talk and his wife is doing well. he works for a contracting firm now and is still waiting for an apartment to open up in the inspiration building on sheridan. he's been on the street for over a year now with a wife and baby. i can't even imagine that. he also informed me that israel, my old supervisor at inspiration cafe, took a new job about 2 months ago, and dietrich hasn't worked there since right after i left in december. weird. anyway.

i said goodbye to dan a little while ago, which was weird. i'm pretty sure that dan and bonnie were my first friends at wheaton that i actually hung out with regularly after freshman year. it was sad to say goodbye, but i know it's not going to be forever. at least, that's what i keep telling myself. if anything, i will visit. and, you know what they say.... "friends are friends forever, if the Lord's the Lord of them!" (shout out to smitty!)

on a side note... i went to boston this past weekend. it was amazing. best trip i've taken in a long time. and i love ben rey.

umm, i think that's all for now. updates as they become available.


p.s. my uncle ray that drives tour buses for famous people just called me today and said he will be in chicago tomorrow with the GOO GOO DOLLS. i can't go because i'll be in california. i'm missing out on free tickets and backstage passes!!! ahhh!!!

today the world has beautiful colors

a story

Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to dine with him, and He entered the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume.

Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner." And Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he replied, "Say it, Teacher."

"A moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. So which of them will love him more?" Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave more." And He said to him, "You have judged correctly."

Turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet. You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.

Then He said to her, "Your sins have been forgiven."

Those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say to themselves, "Who is this man who even forgives sins?" And He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

Luke 7:36-50 NASB


What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?

Romans 6:1-2