like a fire

I am today the happy ebay winner of the Variax 500 Sunburst guitar!

Pictured left, this guitar is really cool and I am really pumped about using it. If you know your guitars, the first thing you might notice is that it doesn’t have pick-ups. Instead this guitar has an on-board computer that models a bunch of guitars. So I can get a pretty cool 50’s Start sound and go straight to an old Martin acoustic and then to a Les Paul. The sounds I heard on the site are pretty amazing.

This is the first time I have ever bought something like this on an online auction. I normally have to play a guitar first before making the leap, so I hope this one plays out for me. I’ll post some work after I have it and do some recording.

All of this, btw, is to the credit of my wife and fellow artist Cathy, who all but said get whatever I want. This is really strange, and I am not a gift getter a la five love languages, but I really love being married to someone who understands me enough to know what is important to me, and someone who loves me enough to encourage me and say, “Go for it!” Thanks Babe!

I don’t often post anything about what I listen to. As a musician, (yes, I am one, though I forget sometimes) I listen to a wide variety of music from experimental stuff like Bjork and Mute Math to more mainstream stuff to jazz, etc. So today I share with you something that I can’t get enough of lately.

Jon Foreman

I have been wearing out his Winter EP. It is just the right blend of raw acoustic sound tide to experimental instrumentation and honest lyrics. White as Snow is often the preface for my morning time with God. It’s just pretty straight ahead scripture and  good reminder to me of my relationship with him.

If you haven’t heard this guy, give him a listen.

We had our first run with the Lectio Divina this last Sunday night. I meant to get pictures before hand but it just didn’t work out. We took out all the lights and added about 50 candles. The only light we had was from candles and the projector. Yes, I know that is not what they used in ancient practices, but I went with it anyway because it kept us from fumbling with books or papers. I set up the media so that it ran itself. Once it was started, no one had to direct it any more than anyone else. That way, the staff was able to be just as involved in it as the teens.

I thought it was a really great night for us. Every student said they really loved it and I got the highest praise from one of our ADD junior high boys. He said that we should do it for longer the next time. So there you have it, God’s presence trumps ADD.

Those of you who know me face to face know that I am not fond of working out. Frankly, the idea of moving weights back and forth with no real outcome is absurd to me. I know some people get a thrill out of it and that’s fine. I just don’t.

Today, I got one of my favorite workouts. That’s right, raking leaves. Now, some people who pay big money to go to a place and have someone push you to get physically fit, will scoff at my idea that raking leaves is a workout. That’s fine too. But at the end of the day, I feel good, and I have a clean yard.

Rally, there is something that developed as a habit for me when I was still living with my parents (and doing chores). I was given the maintenance of our pool area. I took pride in it. But the real habit was one of recognizing the pattern God left on His creation and praying through my reflection of it. I love that. I REALLY love it.

So today was really great. I have been battling the flu or something with similar symptoms, and I think the best thing for it so far has been raking leaves.

I ave been reading and re-reading Contemplative Youth Ministry by Mark Yaconelli. It has some great things to say, and I have been wondering if it is actually possible to have a youth ministry do some of the things he talks about. His site The Youth Ministry and Spirituality Project talks about the practices for a more contemplative style of youth ministry. Frankly, I wouldn’t know where to start. So his site is actually a big help.

If you are like me, you wouldn’t know the Lectio from a Contempletatio, so here is what I have found:

“Lectio Divina refers in Latin to the practice of “divine reading.” This form of spiritual reading originated in the Benedictine tradition and involves a deeply personal and prayerful encounter with the presence of God through sacred scripture. Lectio invites us to listen to the word of God with our whole being and our longing to be touched, healed and transformed by the Holy Spirit.”

So guess what we are trying in the near future in our youth ministry. That’s right. It won’t be this week, since our attendance will be down from the holiday weekend, but it will be soon. I’ll write on how it goes. If this sounds really strange, go check out the site. It is quite compelling.