This year at our church, we went through a series called The Advent Conspiracy. The whole idea is to replace consumption at Christmas for compassion. They divide the Advent Conspiracy's purpose into the 4 points of Worship Fully, Spend Less, Give More, & Love All. It was really good stuff.
This last week at Life Journey we had some time to talk about the Advent Conspiracy. It was so cool to hear about the ways each family had been impacted during our time doing the Advent Conspiracy. There really are some cool stories within our church body of how Christmas has been done or at least looked at differently. For me, I have loved looking at Christmas with purposeful eyes ... and it amazed me to see how much emptiness is tied into the commercial side of Christmas. It gets to me how they try to make us believe in Santa like he's God. You just need to believe................ Bleh. The actual story of St. Nick is pretty cool and an encouragement to us all to be givers.
But this Christmas, it was the Advent Conspiracy that really impacted the way we thought about giving- both what motivated us to give and what made for meaningful giving. We were able to think of our families in particular and what might actually add to that persons life or bring them joy. And I have to say, this was really fun. It truly is better to give than to receive... and it's not just for Christmas. I love this quote that Monte shared when he spoke a few weeks back:
"It is Christmas every time you let God love others through you . . . yes, it is Christmas every time you smile at your brother/sister and offer him your hand." -- Mother Theresa
This is so true! The story that happens at Christmas is just the begining and not a separate story from the Easter story. I have decided to embrace Christmas all year round (and my decorations for just a few weeks more!). And all of this has softened the urgency to squeeze all this giving in before December 25th. (Did you know most believe that Jesus wasn't even born near December 25th? Scholars believe he was probably born in the summer.) So much of how we celebrate is cultural-- and it's so interesting to take a step back to look.
Relational Gifts I've been given in the last few months:
Someone taught me how to prune rose bushes
Someone offered to take Zoe for a random afternoon and really blessed Matt & I
Someone looking me in the eye and asked how I am
Someone encouraged me in my worship leading
Someone helped me learn what true forgiveness is
Many sent cards to let us know we were thought of
Someone invited us to celebrate Christmas with them
Someone checked on our kitty while we were away
Several came over on our invite to hang out
(I'm sure there's more, but those are the ones on the top of my head.)
Keep on giving relationally!! It really is the best giving. Thank you to all for the gifts you've given and continue giving...
Meowing in her sleep, holding onto her favorite pasta & sleeping in a box
We've had some funny experiences with Zoe lately & I couldn't resist sharing. :)
Meowing in her sleep
Since we got our cat, Chart, in October, Zoe thinks it's really fun to pretend she's a kitty too- rain or shine. She carries on with her kitty-pretending even when we try to get her to stop, so it drives us a little bit nuts. :) The other night, we were checking in on her when we were going to bed. We covered her up good with her blanket. That's when she rolled over and MEOWED in her sleep!!!!! Our daughter is pretending she's a kitty even in her sleep!
Holding onto her favorite pasta
Yesterday I was at the grocery store and Zoe was my helper in the cart. We had gone through the pasta and baking aisles-- as well as several others. As I was making my last jaunt to grab something, I look down at Zoe who was crouched down and couldn't figure out what she was doing. "What are you doing?" She said, "I'm holding onto my favorite pasta." I saw the two bags of pasta we had picked out in the cart beside her so this didn't make sense to me: "Okay, let me see it." Sure enough, it wasn't pasta at all. It was a bag of dark chocolate chips. :) Silly girl.
Sleeping in a box
We had put Zoe to bed in her own bed last night like we usually do. But she had a great idea! When we went to check on her, we discovered that she wasn't in her bed at all. She had made a complete bed for herself in the big box on her floor that she had been playing with all day. The bed was complete: pillow and several blankets. She even slept in until 8:30a this morning-- I'm guessing the box was a little more sound proof... either that or comfy! :)
And a bonus:
Rainboots in ice cream
When my mom was here for a visit in October, we took a trip over to Baskin Robins. Zoe had one of those great ideas pop into her head: she decided she wanted her rainboots. She thoughts if she had her rainboots, she could put them on & jump in all the ice cream. Good thinking, Z!
Meowing in her sleep
Since we got our cat, Chart, in October, Zoe thinks it's really fun to pretend she's a kitty too- rain or shine. She carries on with her kitty-pretending even when we try to get her to stop, so it drives us a little bit nuts. :) The other night, we were checking in on her when we were going to bed. We covered her up good with her blanket. That's when she rolled over and MEOWED in her sleep!!!!! Our daughter is pretending she's a kitty even in her sleep!
Holding onto her favorite pasta
Yesterday I was at the grocery store and Zoe was my helper in the cart. We had gone through the pasta and baking aisles-- as well as several others. As I was making my last jaunt to grab something, I look down at Zoe who was crouched down and couldn't figure out what she was doing. "What are you doing?" She said, "I'm holding onto my favorite pasta." I saw the two bags of pasta we had picked out in the cart beside her so this didn't make sense to me: "Okay, let me see it." Sure enough, it wasn't pasta at all. It was a bag of dark chocolate chips. :) Silly girl.
Sleeping in a box
We had put Zoe to bed in her own bed last night like we usually do. But she had a great idea! When we went to check on her, we discovered that she wasn't in her bed at all. She had made a complete bed for herself in the big box on her floor that she had been playing with all day. The bed was complete: pillow and several blankets. She even slept in until 8:30a this morning-- I'm guessing the box was a little more sound proof... either that or comfy! :)
And a bonus:
Rainboots in ice cream
When my mom was here for a visit in October, we took a trip over to Baskin Robins. Zoe had one of those great ideas pop into her head: she decided she wanted her rainboots. She thoughts if she had her rainboots, she could put them on & jump in all the ice cream. Good thinking, Z!
General Update
We are due for a real update. It has been too long!! It has been a beautiful fall in bakersfield. Of course, it doesn't seem like much of a fall at all! Temperatures range from the low 80's to mid 60's. This winter is when it will really be cold. It might even get as low as 40. haha. No below zero temps here in Bakersfield! No snow either. I never thought I would say this, but I miss snow, winter, reasons to stay indoors, the adventure of having to dig yourself out of your house after a big snowstorm, the necessity of hot chocolate just to stay alive. :) I am sure that if our life ever returns us to the midwest, we will not be grateful for winter long. It's all about embracing the current day.
Matt is still enjoying his work at KAXL. Since August, he has had the pleasure of doing Level 6 Radio on Saturday nights. Level 6 is a rock & hip hop show for 2 hours. The name comes from Psalm 150:6 where everything that has breath praises the Lord!! Love that verse and think it's important that everything makes a joyful noise pointing to God!! In addition to the afternoon drive, Matt has been the production director at the station. He is also doing part-time production & music director work with an amazing voice-over professional. He is loving all the wonderful ways he can use his God-given creative mind.
I have been working with our church, Life Journey, since August. Even though I've been pregnant since I've been working for the church, I've been enjoying that. One of my favorite things I get to do is put on coffee house nights called Mile 124. It's all about expression and reflection pointing to God. We have coffee, free childcare, art tables to do things like painting, writing, etc., music going on in the background, and lots of community building. I feel like these events really encompass a lot of who i am so I feel like it's really a privelage to be able to put them on. I get to help the church organize, get their teams together and pool resources to help empower people for growth. I think it's great that I get to be a mom & use who God made me to be!!
Zoe is getting to be a big girl. In just a few short months, she will be 4. Wow how the time has flown. We are hoping to put her in preschool in January. This will offer structure and stimulation to her and concrete work time for mom! She is a really good girl. She loves our new kitty who she so beautifully named CHART. In fact whenever Chart is around, Zoe has trouble sitting still. Zoe loves to work on creative projects because she always sees mommy & daddy working on them. She also is about half-way through her Kindermusik course. Not only is this amazing material during class but we have fun little tasks to work on during the week. LOVE IT. Zoe is getting real excited to be a big sister, but I often wonder if she thinks the baby will actually ever be in the real world!!
Speaking of which, I will be 22 weeks along on Tuesday. Can't believe it's going so fast... but at the same time not fast enough. I can understand why it takes 9 months the first time but after that I wish we could just move on with life. hehe. I can't wait to meet our second baby girl. (At least she looks like a girl!!)
We are learning many things as a family in which I am VERY excited about. God has put many really giving and generous people into our lives and I cannot think this was on accident!! We have been able to find opportunities for giving just in our daily lives. Recently put together BOX OF LOVE which is all the ingredients for a full Thanksgiving meal for a needy family. We had so much fun going together to get these special ingredients ready! Also I've personally been learning about dealing with hurt and pain properly and not burying it. I don't want harbors of bitterness and anger! Lots of good lessons happening.
Let's not forget that we are now living in a house!! We've been renting a house since the begining of October. We are still getting used to have so much room, but are really enjoying it. Slowly but surely we making it ours... all the while killing cockroaches and learning how to prune rose bushes. Guess we'll see how forgiving those rose bushes actually are!! :) Once 2 became 1, then baby made 3, now cat makes 4, house makes 4 bedrooms, a yard & 2 fireplaces.... and baby makes 5. Ha. That totally didn't make sense!!
We are looking forward to this week. Matt gets to do the morning show over the next few weeks as Dan, the usual a.m. guy, will be with relatives in Texas. Next Wednesday we leave for Phoenix to spend time with Matt, Kristy, Andrew, Laura & others. It will be nice to spend time with family over this holiday-- especially since we likely won't be traveling back for Christmas. Makes me sad to think about-- that we won't have the snow or cold. But we will be making it special. I sense that this time right now is a really special time to establish our little family things-- closeness and little traditions.
We are thankful for so many things this holiday: good jobs, a good home, a good church, a wonderful family, a good God!
Matt is still enjoying his work at KAXL. Since August, he has had the pleasure of doing Level 6 Radio on Saturday nights. Level 6 is a rock & hip hop show for 2 hours. The name comes from Psalm 150:6 where everything that has breath praises the Lord!! Love that verse and think it's important that everything makes a joyful noise pointing to God!! In addition to the afternoon drive, Matt has been the production director at the station. He is also doing part-time production & music director work with an amazing voice-over professional. He is loving all the wonderful ways he can use his God-given creative mind.
I have been working with our church, Life Journey, since August. Even though I've been pregnant since I've been working for the church, I've been enjoying that. One of my favorite things I get to do is put on coffee house nights called Mile 124. It's all about expression and reflection pointing to God. We have coffee, free childcare, art tables to do things like painting, writing, etc., music going on in the background, and lots of community building. I feel like these events really encompass a lot of who i am so I feel like it's really a privelage to be able to put them on. I get to help the church organize, get their teams together and pool resources to help empower people for growth. I think it's great that I get to be a mom & use who God made me to be!!
Zoe is getting to be a big girl. In just a few short months, she will be 4. Wow how the time has flown. We are hoping to put her in preschool in January. This will offer structure and stimulation to her and concrete work time for mom! She is a really good girl. She loves our new kitty who she so beautifully named CHART. In fact whenever Chart is around, Zoe has trouble sitting still. Zoe loves to work on creative projects because she always sees mommy & daddy working on them. She also is about half-way through her Kindermusik course. Not only is this amazing material during class but we have fun little tasks to work on during the week. LOVE IT. Zoe is getting real excited to be a big sister, but I often wonder if she thinks the baby will actually ever be in the real world!!
Speaking of which, I will be 22 weeks along on Tuesday. Can't believe it's going so fast... but at the same time not fast enough. I can understand why it takes 9 months the first time but after that I wish we could just move on with life. hehe. I can't wait to meet our second baby girl. (At least she looks like a girl!!)
We are learning many things as a family in which I am VERY excited about. God has put many really giving and generous people into our lives and I cannot think this was on accident!! We have been able to find opportunities for giving just in our daily lives. Recently put together BOX OF LOVE which is all the ingredients for a full Thanksgiving meal for a needy family. We had so much fun going together to get these special ingredients ready! Also I've personally been learning about dealing with hurt and pain properly and not burying it. I don't want harbors of bitterness and anger! Lots of good lessons happening.
Let's not forget that we are now living in a house!! We've been renting a house since the begining of October. We are still getting used to have so much room, but are really enjoying it. Slowly but surely we making it ours... all the while killing cockroaches and learning how to prune rose bushes. Guess we'll see how forgiving those rose bushes actually are!! :) Once 2 became 1, then baby made 3, now cat makes 4, house makes 4 bedrooms, a yard & 2 fireplaces.... and baby makes 5. Ha. That totally didn't make sense!!
We are looking forward to this week. Matt gets to do the morning show over the next few weeks as Dan, the usual a.m. guy, will be with relatives in Texas. Next Wednesday we leave for Phoenix to spend time with Matt, Kristy, Andrew, Laura & others. It will be nice to spend time with family over this holiday-- especially since we likely won't be traveling back for Christmas. Makes me sad to think about-- that we won't have the snow or cold. But we will be making it special. I sense that this time right now is a really special time to establish our little family things-- closeness and little traditions.
We are thankful for so many things this holiday: good jobs, a good home, a good church, a wonderful family, a good God!
Looks like...
Momentum, baby
It has certainly been awhile & there are lots of updates to make note of. First, tomorrow is our 6th anniversary. We are happy this weekend to have much of nothing going on. We are going to collectively get some things done & mostly just be together & relax. Here is someting I am REALLY excited for-- Labor Day's forecast. A "cold" front is coming through & Labor Day will be in the 80's. That's what I'm talking about!!! YES! We will do some grilling when the weather is cooler-- hopefully we'll get a little creative & have some fun eating good food.
On to other news--
We are expecting child #2! I am 9 1/2 weeks along & due March 30th. I couldn't be more excited and know that God knows the perfect timing. Zoe will be a wonderful big sister as she already is a great helper & just dotes on babies. I have been feeling pretty good which I am thankful for. Had a scary reaction to one of the meds they perscribed me, but because of that got a med that worked even better... and haven't even needed it much!!
Come Oct. 1, we will be renting a house. We got a great deal on renting it. It's 4 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths, lots of room. The look of the house is a tad dated, but with the great deal, all the room, the ability to have pets, etc, we are totally excited. To boot, we might get a free golden retreiever puppy!! I'm thinking ICHIBAN... hmmm...
I started a new job with our church, Life Journey. It is starting with a 90-day trial so they & I can feel out everything. I am the Director of Creativity, Community & Communication. Month 1 is just ending now and I feel like the ball is just getting rolling.
And let's not forget about Matt starting a rock show at KAXL. It's called LEVEL 6 RADIO-- based on Psalm 150 & specifically verse 6 "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord." The show has gone immensely well & I am proud of Matt's work & excited he can have something he can truly take ownership over. It's on Saturdays from 8-10 PST. You can listen locally at 88.3 or worldwide at kaxl.com/listen
There are several things that I am looking forward to:
Celebrating our anniversary this weekend & next
My birthday later in Sept :) I am looking forward to the lasagna matt will make me :)
Joining my parents in San Fran in October and hopefully my mom visiting after
My sister-friend Sheena getting married to her love, Brian on Nov. 1!
Thanksgiving adventures
Christmas trip to the midwest
Hopefully some art classes this fall
Also love to have Zoe do Fun Sports again or some classes at American Kids
I think that's about all
On to other news--
We are expecting child #2! I am 9 1/2 weeks along & due March 30th. I couldn't be more excited and know that God knows the perfect timing. Zoe will be a wonderful big sister as she already is a great helper & just dotes on babies. I have been feeling pretty good which I am thankful for. Had a scary reaction to one of the meds they perscribed me, but because of that got a med that worked even better... and haven't even needed it much!!
Come Oct. 1, we will be renting a house. We got a great deal on renting it. It's 4 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths, lots of room. The look of the house is a tad dated, but with the great deal, all the room, the ability to have pets, etc, we are totally excited. To boot, we might get a free golden retreiever puppy!! I'm thinking ICHIBAN... hmmm...
I started a new job with our church, Life Journey. It is starting with a 90-day trial so they & I can feel out everything. I am the Director of Creativity, Community & Communication. Month 1 is just ending now and I feel like the ball is just getting rolling.
And let's not forget about Matt starting a rock show at KAXL. It's called LEVEL 6 RADIO-- based on Psalm 150 & specifically verse 6 "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord." The show has gone immensely well & I am proud of Matt's work & excited he can have something he can truly take ownership over. It's on Saturdays from 8-10 PST. You can listen locally at 88.3 or worldwide at kaxl.com/listen
There are several things that I am looking forward to:
Celebrating our anniversary this weekend & next
My birthday later in Sept :) I am looking forward to the lasagna matt will make me :)
Joining my parents in San Fran in October and hopefully my mom visiting after
My sister-friend Sheena getting married to her love, Brian on Nov. 1!
Thanksgiving adventures
Christmas trip to the midwest
Hopefully some art classes this fall
Also love to have Zoe do Fun Sports again or some classes at American Kids
I think that's about all
FIRE! Too close to home!
I had just come home from picking up some groceries when I heard a 'pop.' I turned to look and this is what I saw. This view is from in front of our apt, so you can see how close it is. I ran over to see what was going on, and 2 units (top and bottom) were COMPLETELY engulfed in flames. I was the first one there and called 911. Soon after, I saw the lady who lives in the lower one(thankfully wasn't inside) running towards it. Apparently she had only been away 10 minutes or so. After calling it in, I took these videos. They are not good quality since they are from my phone. Since I was the first to see it, I later had to give a statement to the fire investigater and was interviewed by one of the news crews on scene. Nobody was hurt, although some pets were in the fire.
It was really scary considering how close it was. Heck, it was scary just seeing it up close. I had no idea if it would just shoot across the complex, and I was trying to decide if I should grab anything out of our home, and what to grab. It was a scary reminder of how quickly that can happen. I stood really close to the lady who lived in one of the, and she was obviously devestated. Everything she owns, including some pets, gone. Thankfully, the fire department showed up very quickly and put it out before it spread. The other posted videos below this one show a veiw from the front as the firefighters were putting it out, and then also a quick video of all the fire trucks that not only filled our parkinglot, but also all over the street outside of our complex. No word yet on what caused it. Praise God it wasn't any closer. Even my clothes smell like smoke just from being out there.
I've been tagged...
Why is it so hard to resist these when you're tagged. hehe. The rules are as follows:
1. Post the rules!
2. Answer the questions about yourself
3. At the end of the post, list 5-6 people you would like to tag and leave a comment on their blog letting them know.
4. Let the person who tagged you know that you posted your answers.
So here goes....
1. What were you doing 10 years ago?
I was 16, going on 17. the summer of 1998 I was working at camp onomia. Had a huge crush on a camp counselor I didn't have the guts to talk to, grew up & into myself a lot that summer, loved every minute of being on my own. That is when I learned how to be a leader... that's when it started.
2. What are 5 things on your To-Do list today?
It's 8:22p.m. So honestly, I am thinking there's some stuff I should organize, but don't care much about. I'm going to make some tea & enjoy hanging out with my treasure of an hubby.
3. What are some snacks you enjoy?
Take 5, Ice Cream Sandwiches
4. What would you do if you were a billionaire?
I would honestly budget a level above our needs, give a ton away, fly home a lot, visit substance church, everyday buy a coffee treat and sit at the coffee shop & dream about solutions, then pouring service & love into my family... hopefully into the world
5. What are 3 of your bad habits?
I waste time on the computer- mostly I get lost in things that don't matter & wish I cared more about cleaning my house
6. What are 5 places you have lived?
Onomia, MN; Moorhead, MN; Bismarck, ND; All over the TWIN CITIES, MN; Bakersfield, California
7. What are 5 jobs you have had?
Mom/ Self-funded daydreamer, Research Assistant, Vendor Admin, Biller, Minister
8. What is currently playing on your IPOD?
Currently? Well it's not on right now, but we have 877 songs. Let's be fair. The last thing I played was APM: The Story Podcast entitled "Interracial Marriage." It comes highly recommended from the Pelisheks.
9. What are the last 5-6 books you have read?
Reading now- The Ragamuffin Gospel
Also reading now- Agape Love
29 Things Before 30
Sheet Music
Creative Correction
10. Who do you want to tag?
Matt P
Erika P
Kristy H
Brent C
1. Post the rules!
2. Answer the questions about yourself
3. At the end of the post, list 5-6 people you would like to tag and leave a comment on their blog letting them know.
4. Let the person who tagged you know that you posted your answers.
So here goes....
1. What were you doing 10 years ago?
I was 16, going on 17. the summer of 1998 I was working at camp onomia. Had a huge crush on a camp counselor I didn't have the guts to talk to, grew up & into myself a lot that summer, loved every minute of being on my own. That is when I learned how to be a leader... that's when it started.
2. What are 5 things on your To-Do list today?
It's 8:22p.m. So honestly, I am thinking there's some stuff I should organize, but don't care much about. I'm going to make some tea & enjoy hanging out with my treasure of an hubby.
3. What are some snacks you enjoy?
Take 5, Ice Cream Sandwiches
4. What would you do if you were a billionaire?
I would honestly budget a level above our needs, give a ton away, fly home a lot, visit substance church, everyday buy a coffee treat and sit at the coffee shop & dream about solutions, then pouring service & love into my family... hopefully into the world
5. What are 3 of your bad habits?
I waste time on the computer- mostly I get lost in things that don't matter & wish I cared more about cleaning my house
6. What are 5 places you have lived?
Onomia, MN; Moorhead, MN; Bismarck, ND; All over the TWIN CITIES, MN; Bakersfield, California
7. What are 5 jobs you have had?
Mom/ Self-funded daydreamer, Research Assistant, Vendor Admin, Biller, Minister
8. What is currently playing on your IPOD?
Currently? Well it's not on right now, but we have 877 songs. Let's be fair. The last thing I played was APM: The Story Podcast entitled "Interracial Marriage." It comes highly recommended from the Pelisheks.
9. What are the last 5-6 books you have read?
Reading now- The Ragamuffin Gospel
Also reading now- Agape Love
29 Things Before 30
Sheet Music
Creative Correction
10. Who do you want to tag?
Matt P
Erika P
Kristy H
Brent C
Learning to swim
With the hot temps, we have been in the pool at our apt complex much more. Our little Z really loves the pool, but is VERY clingy. She will hold either the edge of the pool, sit on the steps, or cling to one of us if it is off of the first step in. Even if she is wearing a life jacket.
We have been working with her to show her how to swim, holding her and letting her kick and paddle. Yesterday, we finally started pulling away and letting her float on her own with the life jacket. I would stand JUST out of reach (the jacket keeps her floating just fine, head well above the water) and she would whine a lot until she could grab on again. But, after a long while out there, the whining went down, as her confidence went up. By the end, she was 'swimming' back and forth between me and Becky, and as soon as she would get to one of us, immediately want to swim back to the other.
It was so much fun watching her get more confident, but as silly as it sounds, a small part of me glimpsed the future. All the times ahead that she will become more independant, do more things by herself, eventually letting herself float much farther from her mommy and daddy.
I don't have to worry about that for a while, but I know time goes fast. At least I can always focus on the fact that I was there in the beginning, teaching her to swim in the first place.
We have been working with her to show her how to swim, holding her and letting her kick and paddle. Yesterday, we finally started pulling away and letting her float on her own with the life jacket. I would stand JUST out of reach (the jacket keeps her floating just fine, head well above the water) and she would whine a lot until she could grab on again. But, after a long while out there, the whining went down, as her confidence went up. By the end, she was 'swimming' back and forth between me and Becky, and as soon as she would get to one of us, immediately want to swim back to the other.
It was so much fun watching her get more confident, but as silly as it sounds, a small part of me glimpsed the future. All the times ahead that she will become more independant, do more things by herself, eventually letting herself float much farther from her mommy and daddy.
I don't have to worry about that for a while, but I know time goes fast. At least I can always focus on the fact that I was there in the beginning, teaching her to swim in the first place.
God uses children to grow parents
I was having a very peaceful little time this afternoon while Zoe was "resting." And I should know better. Usually there's an eerie silence ... where it's TOO quiet & usually that's when is something is up. Well today I was just hoping she was asleep & I thought how great since I was getting a lot done. Almost the full hour had passed & I stopped to go get something in my room. There she was, playing in the dirty mop water with an easter egg & squirt gun. So I have to stop & think how I will react in this situation. I know really her wanting to play is sweet, but it's not what she was supposed to be doing. She knew that wasn't the right thing to do & that was enough- she started crying. After some time in her room, she came out to say sorry. It's times like these where I think God gave us Zoe to help US grow. Sure we are gifted with her to help her grow, but sometimes I feel I have grown more than her these 3 1/2 years! Being mom has simplified & deepened me. You know what I'm saying?
life moves
I thought maybe it would work for both Matt & I to write blogs on here. However, Matt is writing in like 3 blogs for various reasons, so it's not very practical for him to write in here very often. I thought I'd take a few minutes to update you on a few things we're amped about.
Over Memorial Weekend, we made a holiday hanging in and around Bakersfield. Saturday we spent perusing shops in downtown Bakersfield, (I found a fabulous store I love called Tangerine and if someone can give me $150, I'll buy this incredible shirt there. hehe), swimming, eating pizza and watching movies. Sunday we went up the Kern Canyon-- which is incredibly beautiful-- and did some hiking and took in the beauty of creation. :) I just adore the wild and how diverse the world is! The canyon has the beautiful Kern River carving it and beautiful mountains in view. LOVE IT!
Coming up this Friday Matt will have Dizmas in the studio live. It's 3 p.m. pacific time, if you would like to give a listen. They may be doing a live acoustic song or two-- which would be sweet. kaxl.com If you haven't heard Matt live, you may be surprised radio could be so fun. Give it a try.
KAXL has given Matt the OK to do a weekly rock show. Matt is thrilled to be working with some rock labels and to produce his own rock show. It will be an hour-long fully produced rockshow with some of the best rock and hip hop music that points to God. I get to help & we're both looking forward to the interviews, music and where God will take us from there. :)
For a week in July, Matt is going to Brazil with Compassion Intl (a great organization that gets children from developing countries fed, clothed & educated). It will be a great opp. for him not only to travel but also to spread the word about a great organization through radio. I'm doing some traveling this summer too! Where you wonder? I can't tell you. That's a secret. Thems are the making for some memories! Hopefully we'll do some camping & some more seeting Californian. Hard to believe in a few months we will have been here a year!
Though the book "Do Hard Things" was intended for teenagers, we both read it after Matt interviewed the authors on the radio. We thought it was a great book & now are leading a book study with our teens this summer!
I am taking a few scrapbooking classes this summer- which I am TOTALLY thrilled about. I've been wanting to take a class for a real long time just to learn some basics and to get around some people that also enjoy this craft. I'm also going to be part of women's group every Friday with church.
Last Friday, I wrapped up a contract job at the Bakersfield, Californian, the local newspaper. I basically updated and prepared the majority of the information for Kern Life magazine, an annual resource guide featuring everything from post offices to hiking spots to the history of Kern County. It was really a great opportunity: working and learning! I got connected with a ton of people through the newspaper and look forward to what will come of it in the future.
I am considering an offer from my church to be the director of creativity, community & communication. With this job, I'm most excited about not having to fit into a certain job description, the job pretty much is getting to use who I am & what I'm good at. The other great thing is that I can fit the hours into my life- that includes being Zoe's mom. This is huge!! We still have to work out some details and we'll see how it plays out.
A quick update on my health-- since we've been in Bakersfield, all of my symptoms have been virtually non-existent. I hope that's a permanent thing! No joke- I think the California sun & attitude helps!!
Zoe is doing great. She has made some friends here and really had a blast at her sports class (REALLY didn't want it to be over). She is a vessel for fun and joy in our lives. :) She has a lot of great ideas all the time-- she is constantly surprising us with what she comes up with. She does test her limits every day and we can't wait until the terrifying 3's are over. :)
that's all for now!! Much love.
Over Memorial Weekend, we made a holiday hanging in and around Bakersfield. Saturday we spent perusing shops in downtown Bakersfield, (I found a fabulous store I love called Tangerine and if someone can give me $150, I'll buy this incredible shirt there. hehe), swimming, eating pizza and watching movies. Sunday we went up the Kern Canyon-- which is incredibly beautiful-- and did some hiking and took in the beauty of creation. :) I just adore the wild and how diverse the world is! The canyon has the beautiful Kern River carving it and beautiful mountains in view. LOVE IT!
Coming up this Friday Matt will have Dizmas in the studio live. It's 3 p.m. pacific time, if you would like to give a listen. They may be doing a live acoustic song or two-- which would be sweet. kaxl.com If you haven't heard Matt live, you may be surprised radio could be so fun. Give it a try.
KAXL has given Matt the OK to do a weekly rock show. Matt is thrilled to be working with some rock labels and to produce his own rock show. It will be an hour-long fully produced rockshow with some of the best rock and hip hop music that points to God. I get to help & we're both looking forward to the interviews, music and where God will take us from there. :)
For a week in July, Matt is going to Brazil with Compassion Intl (a great organization that gets children from developing countries fed, clothed & educated). It will be a great opp. for him not only to travel but also to spread the word about a great organization through radio. I'm doing some traveling this summer too! Where you wonder? I can't tell you. That's a secret. Thems are the making for some memories! Hopefully we'll do some camping & some more seeting Californian. Hard to believe in a few months we will have been here a year!
Though the book "Do Hard Things" was intended for teenagers, we both read it after Matt interviewed the authors on the radio. We thought it was a great book & now are leading a book study with our teens this summer!
I am taking a few scrapbooking classes this summer- which I am TOTALLY thrilled about. I've been wanting to take a class for a real long time just to learn some basics and to get around some people that also enjoy this craft. I'm also going to be part of women's group every Friday with church.
Last Friday, I wrapped up a contract job at the Bakersfield, Californian, the local newspaper. I basically updated and prepared the majority of the information for Kern Life magazine, an annual resource guide featuring everything from post offices to hiking spots to the history of Kern County. It was really a great opportunity: working and learning! I got connected with a ton of people through the newspaper and look forward to what will come of it in the future.
I am considering an offer from my church to be the director of creativity, community & communication. With this job, I'm most excited about not having to fit into a certain job description, the job pretty much is getting to use who I am & what I'm good at. The other great thing is that I can fit the hours into my life- that includes being Zoe's mom. This is huge!! We still have to work out some details and we'll see how it plays out.
A quick update on my health-- since we've been in Bakersfield, all of my symptoms have been virtually non-existent. I hope that's a permanent thing! No joke- I think the California sun & attitude helps!!
Zoe is doing great. She has made some friends here and really had a blast at her sports class (REALLY didn't want it to be over). She is a vessel for fun and joy in our lives. :) She has a lot of great ideas all the time-- she is constantly surprising us with what she comes up with. She does test her limits every day and we can't wait until the terrifying 3's are over. :)
that's all for now!! Much love.
:)
Me: "We've gotta get ready for church!"
Zoe: "I want SARAH to come to church!"
Me: "She goes to a different church."
Zoe: "The Jesus-Loves-Me Church?"
Zoe: "I want SARAH to come to church!"
Me: "She goes to a different church."
Zoe: "The Jesus-Loves-Me Church?"
Grandma hamar
The Replacements
We've officially been in Bakersfield, California 8 months. Man has it gone fast! While the transition has not always been easy and we do still miss friends back in the Midwest, we've noticed that as far as places and things, there has been a direct switch in our mind. We often have moments where we get confused about what was and what is. It's totally different here in so many ways and YET we still find ways to enjoy life with a sense of adventure and be who we are. Most of the things back in MN that were very valuable to us, like our friends or things we poured our heart into, simple can't be replaced. Those things and people we keep as treasures in our mind, knowing that sacred & beautiful won't happen in the same way again. We don't know what the future holds, but we are happy in this chapter, adventure and are striving to write a story we can be proud of.
Replacements
Area Code 651, 612 has been replaced by area code 661
National American University has been replaced by San Joaquin Valley College (with another ear-wracking tune)
Cold and snow has been replaced by heat and fog
Trips to Target has been replaced by, well, trips to Target
Reservedness has been replaced by friendliness
Lakes have been replaced by desserts
The Rosedale split has been replaced by Rosedale Highway
Caribou Coffee has... Not been replaced. However, Seattle's Best & Dagny's will have to do
Hip, busy city living has been replaced with simple city living
Working opposite shifts has been replaced by togetherness
Grilling in our yard during summer months has been replaced with grilling on our porch every week
Weekend trips to visit family have been replaced by daytrips to the coast
Traffic jams have been replaced by earth quakes
North Minneapolis has been replaced by East Bakersfield
Child swap between friends has been replaced with church generosity
The Minneapolis Riverfront has been replaced by the Kern River Park of Bakersfield
Walking through snow has been replaced with walking past palm trees
Concerts has been replaced by story time at Borders
Bad renting experience has been replaced with good renting experience
Trees has been replaced by oil derricks :)
Brooklyn Center has been replaced by Oildale
Medium white mint condition has been replaced by a medium maple white mocha
Mosquitos have been replaced by hummingbirds
Familiar and comfortable has been replaced with new and exciting
Replacements
Area Code 651, 612 has been replaced by area code 661
National American University has been replaced by San Joaquin Valley College (with another ear-wracking tune)
Cold and snow has been replaced by heat and fog
Trips to Target has been replaced by, well, trips to Target
Reservedness has been replaced by friendliness
Lakes have been replaced by desserts
The Rosedale split has been replaced by Rosedale Highway
Caribou Coffee has... Not been replaced. However, Seattle's Best & Dagny's will have to do
Hip, busy city living has been replaced with simple city living
Working opposite shifts has been replaced by togetherness
Grilling in our yard during summer months has been replaced with grilling on our porch every week
Weekend trips to visit family have been replaced by daytrips to the coast
Traffic jams have been replaced by earth quakes
North Minneapolis has been replaced by East Bakersfield
Child swap between friends has been replaced with church generosity
The Minneapolis Riverfront has been replaced by the Kern River Park of Bakersfield
Walking through snow has been replaced with walking past palm trees
Concerts has been replaced by story time at Borders
Bad renting experience has been replaced with good renting experience
Trees has been replaced by oil derricks :)
Brooklyn Center has been replaced by Oildale
Medium white mint condition has been replaced by a medium maple white mocha
Mosquitos have been replaced by hummingbirds
Familiar and comfortable has been replaced with new and exciting
The reality & future of music by Christians
We learned a lot of unexpected lessons while in Nashville. I definitely wanted to take some time to be able to pass on what we learned. The whole industry of Christian music that we've come to know, hate, love is in trouble.
Music labels are collapsing, radio stations are suffering, book stores see the repercussions. CCM magazine just printed their last print issue- EVER- and is now completely online. In this new age with the internet, file sharing, cd-burning capabilities, less restriction, etc., musicians and artists are having trouble competing. With many, the primary audience is teens and 20-somethings: the group using the Internet as their source of information & community. That is the case with CCM & Gotee records (which now is rumored to only staff 4 people). Many of the decidedly Christian radio stations are suffering monetarily- both because of the economy and also because everything is changing. Making & selling albums as we know it will be totally different. Some believe that the future of music will be giving all the music away for free & making money off the concerts.
One of our favorite groups is doing something totally innovative. They've made their own site where they produce 5 songs a month for a flat $5. You download the music and in turn being part of this site allows you to be engaged with the artist more- giving feedback, ideas and overall changing the definition of what it means to be a fan. This is innovative & an example of moving with this new wave of culture.
Those who decide to continue to feed into the Christian bubble will pop with this change. Those who decide to be innovative and think of music, community and marketing in a whole new way, will survive as long as they're moving with the times. Nothing says it better than this article by Charlie Peacock. Beware, it's extremely honest & maybe even grim. Basically he's saying everything is changing. If we've found artists we truly love, we need to support them. We need to be innovative in our support along with them. Otherwise, one day, we'll be looking back at this era of Christian artists. And maybe that isn't a bad thing. Maybe Jesus didn't like this era anyways. I'm just saying... this is reality. Things are changing.
I know some of the artists whose art I want to support. Some include Mars Ill, Philip Larue, Spoken, The Passion Band, Chris Rice, Dizmas and others. I love their art & it should stay around.
Music labels are collapsing, radio stations are suffering, book stores see the repercussions. CCM magazine just printed their last print issue- EVER- and is now completely online. In this new age with the internet, file sharing, cd-burning capabilities, less restriction, etc., musicians and artists are having trouble competing. With many, the primary audience is teens and 20-somethings: the group using the Internet as their source of information & community. That is the case with CCM & Gotee records (which now is rumored to only staff 4 people). Many of the decidedly Christian radio stations are suffering monetarily- both because of the economy and also because everything is changing. Making & selling albums as we know it will be totally different. Some believe that the future of music will be giving all the music away for free & making money off the concerts.
One of our favorite groups is doing something totally innovative. They've made their own site where they produce 5 songs a month for a flat $5. You download the music and in turn being part of this site allows you to be engaged with the artist more- giving feedback, ideas and overall changing the definition of what it means to be a fan. This is innovative & an example of moving with this new wave of culture.
Those who decide to continue to feed into the Christian bubble will pop with this change. Those who decide to be innovative and think of music, community and marketing in a whole new way, will survive as long as they're moving with the times. Nothing says it better than this article by Charlie Peacock. Beware, it's extremely honest & maybe even grim. Basically he's saying everything is changing. If we've found artists we truly love, we need to support them. We need to be innovative in our support along with them. Otherwise, one day, we'll be looking back at this era of Christian artists. And maybe that isn't a bad thing. Maybe Jesus didn't like this era anyways. I'm just saying... this is reality. Things are changing.
I know some of the artists whose art I want to support. Some include Mars Ill, Philip Larue, Spoken, The Passion Band, Chris Rice, Dizmas and others. I love their art & it should stay around.
Wrapping up our time in Nashville
Tuesday was another great day in Nashville and unfortunately our last. The time went by WAY too quickly. Our morning began with an interview with Chris Rice. I loved what he had to say about music & the industry. He said that he regrets ever recording his song "Cartoons" saying that he was actually making fun of how Christians have their own version of everything... and apparently accidently contributed to the problem. I think people for the most part like the song because it's fun. 
There were other great interviews: 33 Miles, Sara Groves & Fee. We loved these interviews because they were on the top of this great downtown church in Nashville. They turned the roof into a concert venue and it's just a really fun and hip place. It also was great for the audio quality because it was nice and quiet.
33 Miles
Sara Groves
Fee
That night, we went to a Tooth & Nail showcase. It was beautiful. I mean, we were REALLY there for Spoken & had to wait 3 hours to hear them, but Kutless, Philip Larue, and Chris Taylor all rocked. Here's a clip from the Spoken show. :)
Some photo highlights
Phil Joel, Robbie Seay & Dizmas
All really cool with awesome things to say. It's cool to see the artist's heart & to see God working in their lives. WHOO.
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