257--Farmers

11:21am

I googled "auto insurance, 97378" and a Farmer's agent popped up on main street in Sheridan. I prefer to do business with local companies and with people I know, so I called the number, met Jennifer on the phone and I'm heading over there now to get an auto policy started. That reminds me, I'll need to get my Oregon Driver's License soon. Heading into Mac after this to pick up a tripod so I can film today's recording project.

258--Company Party

We work in teams for the inventory process. My partner is a guy named Ryan Williams. I'm getting to have quite the Ryan collection. There's even a girl one, but she spells her name different and I only just met her briefly before leaving Hollywood.

My new Ryan is the bomb. He's THE best forklift driver I've seen in operation. Truth be told, I've never attended the forklifting olympics, but I'm saying the guy's good. For counting items that are as high as 30 feet in the air, I was in the basket and he was our driver. He would put me right next to the batch that needed counting, first try on every pass, no weebles, no wobbles. Smooth, safe, efficient.

I've enjoyed getting to know him as we worked together these past three days. Met his wife and their 3-month old son tonight at the company party. I confess now that I didn't want to go to the party. I got home from work and thought, it's so nice and warm here and I am tired from all the lifting and counting. I could just curl up with a book...

So I got out quick. Sometimes that's what it takes. When the house monster wants to keep you locked in, you gotta make a break for it while there's strength left in you. While you still remember your way to the front door.

Made it to the party after all, and as I'm walking up the steps at NW Wine Bar, there's Kathy and Mike! Mike Aplin is the bottling technician I worked with years ago before I moved to LA. If you need wine put in a bottle, this is your guy. If you need wine out of a bottle, that's a different call, and I've got excellent referrals for that too.

I've been thinking about faith a few times today. Someone asked me to help them believe. I could not put to words what a great honor that is. Set me to thinking, what is faith?

Faith is the substance of things hoped for. It's a substance. We've come to perceive it as a crutch, a last resort, a mental construct. I think we've mistaken what's really substantial. Faith is the ability to see what God sees. My brother Taron told me that.

Anyway, I'm excited about tomorrow. I'm gonna make a bit of music with Isaac, talk with Jim about music and worship, and record a song that Cecilia requested. I'm excited that my entire day tomorrow is steeped in music. How grand!

Goodnight, Beautiful...

Goodnight, Strender

259--Inventory

We're doing inventory at work this week. Inventory = Boring, right? Not to me. I like it. We're counting things. How very simple! Small decisions, like are there 5 of the same, or 3 of one and 2 of the other?

Last 10 days I've been remembering something Elizabeth said: "I don't want to live where life is just around the corner...I want to live where it's already here!"

This morning I took Vegas for a run in the 2-acre field behind Dar's house. It's a frosty morning. Grass crunches underfoot and trees appear out of the mist like hidden sentinels. As I watch him run free of leash or fence, as I drink in the picturesque cold, as I realize that this is my life, I'm suddenly praying out loud. It's a habit. It scares people, so I apologize if that happens near you sometime. I try to be mindful to keep it to myself so I don't freak you out. But seriously, is this my life? Am I really this simple?

I don't want to be anything but me. Home-grown, garden variety, man. I'm simple and I like it. When I call you smart, it's not always a compliment. Don't try to reassure me that I'm smart too. It's hard work being smart all the time. I say pick your battles.

As I understand more and more what the Lord is making of me, I'll fill various roles, some with longer terms than others. I may be a painter on occasion, a producer once or twice, a preacher from time to time, a musician as long as I breathe.

A while ago I became acutely aware of the massive amount of talent I'm connected to by way of acquaintance. The people I know are amazing at their various specialties. Like Leslie Foster. I'm flabbergasted at his visual creativity. Or take Nathan French, musician, speaker, motivator, community organizer, political mover and shaker. Take Jim Cook, or Seth Finley, or General Cuffy. Yes, that's his real name...General.

I thought to myself, among such excellent people, what would my title be? I'm not a Film-Maker, I'm not a Pastor, I'm not a Poet, I'm not even that good a Musician. What I am is a simple man. I like the title Civilian, because I am intrigued by what God can do with, do to, do through ordinary person-on-the-street civilians.

Goodnight, Beautiful...

Goodnight, Strender

261--Monday Eve

Ok, so things are finally organized enough in my space that I can turn focus to music. All told, a quick and smooth transition. Within two weeks, I'm relocated, employed and properly domiciled.

Tomorrow evening, working with Isaac to begin crafting musical sequences for the February concert in Laguna Niguel. Wednesday evening with Dawn to catch up and talk about our film project. Thursday with Jim, my worship leader, to talk about how my exploration of worship and my dwelling in this community come together at this time. What can I bring here? What is here already that will shape me differently?

I promised Cecilia I'd record "What A Friend" this week, guitar and vocal. I'll schedule that for daytime on Thursday. I also have to get back to Scott with some notes for vocal arrangements on Days Of Rain. I've been trading messages with Cowan, but no real-time conversation in a couple weeks.

While Richard was preaching this morning, my mind kept going to Joshua 1. I spent a lot of time there in early 2008, and I camped often at verse 9: Haven't I told you? Be strong! Be courageous. The Lord will be with you wherever you go.

This morning, though, I couldn't make it to 9, cause I kept stopping at 6: Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them.

Am I supposed to lead someone somewhere?

Lead who where? What people? What land? What were they promised? Is this for me? Do I take myself too seriously? That verse is in there for whoever reads it. Or is it in there for whomever it reads?

Goodnight, Beautiful...

Goodnight, Strender

264--Twas the night before Christmas

I felt like such a man, going out into the cold morning with a wheelbarrow, filling it with split logs and 2x4 scraps, bringing them in and lighting the woodstove that heats the school lounge.

What could be more manly? Well, actually, I could have had to climb a trail and cut the tree myself and log it and then split the wood, as opposed to the 200 feet I walked to a covered shed filled with already chopped firewood.

I still get some manly points for this, right?

Got the fire started, chatted with Ryan on the phone, just catching up. He's going to preach out of Luke 2 this Sabbath. I would love to be there to hear it, but I'll have to listen online two weeks from now when it gets posted. I hope we get the video-streaming up to par quickly so I can hear him preach in real-time.

Tonight Scott's leading "Lessons and Carols" like we did last year in the Fellowship Hall and between thinking about that and the passage that Ryan's preaching from this week, I decided to read Luke 1 for today's podcast. So I read it and that took about 8 minutes. Then I started playing music for it and that took me a couple hours. A medley of "Angels We Have Heard On High" and "O Come All Ye Faithful."

I looked up as I was finishing the guitar-work and it was almost time to head over to Jim and Bonnie's. Spent the afternoon with the Finley's and that was a ridiculous ton of fun. I'd forgotten how much I enjoy bantering with Seth. The guy's hilarious. I just hope that in 2010 we actually make some of the videos we talk about.

I stole the eggnog and humongous mug in the white elephant gift exchange. Food and fun, laughter and games, friends, family, and eggnog thievery--I think this is at least part of what Christmas is supposed to be.

I'm back at my place now, just me and the canine. Candles and the water fountain, constant drone of space heaters against the tinkle of Vegas' tags. I'm going to check on that fire one more time, put a couple logs in so they can warm the space a while longer.

photo by Darlene Taylor (of the tree at the Finley's house this afternoon)

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Pick A Chapter, Luke 1, selected by Lennox

Goodnight, Beautiful...

Goodnight, Strender

267--the case of the missing cable

The rooster crowed at 3:40 this morning. It's not a real rooster, just my cellphone pretending. But it wakes me up. Had to leave at 4 to get General to Portland Airport. Not that his flight was that early, but I needed to make it back to Mcminnville by 7, because that's when I started work this morning. First day back at Oregon Wine Services.

Had an excellent visit with Topher this evening--we're getting together again after the holidays to talk about design ideas for my website. This evening we assembled a bookshelf while catching up on the 4 months since we last connected.

I don't know exact air temperature outside, but there was actually ice on the ramp when I went out with Vegas earlier.

It took me a couple hours to rig the sound recording setup, because a cable that I usually connect through, somehow didn't make the trip with us. Necessity being the mother of invention, we (and by that I mean me and Vegas) came up with another solution and better sound quality. Sometimes a setback gives you the advantage of a fresh approach.

Back to work at 7 tomorrow, so I'll just post this evening's 'Pick-A-Chapter' reading from Lamentations 3. The guitar is whatever I played as I listened to the words of the passage this evening at about 10 O'clock. Just some live noodling to match that chapter.

What chapter may I read for you?

Hope you had a marvelous day.

Pick-A-Chapter, Lamentations 3, selected by Wanee Jeerapeet

Goodnight, Beautiful...

Goodnight, Strender

269--Where the heart is

Toward the end of May, I returned from a month at home in the islands with my folks. As I looked at LA from my airline window seat, I knew that my time in the city was drawing to a close. I thought maybe I'd just been spoiled by a month of nature--trees and beaches do something to me. Maybe a month or two in the city would erase the memories of a slower, simpler life. On the other hand, maybe not.

When the voice in my spirit told me it was time to go home, I automatically thought that meant going back to Grenada. So I immediately notified Ryan that I'd be heading back to the rock in a few months, and began making plans to cross the Atlantic another time.

Early September I had another realization. Home for me isn't just in Grenada anymore. That's where I grew up. That's where my parents live. Home for me is someplace else. Someone(s) else.

One of my favorite songs, by one of my favorite artists, Bryan Duncan:

There's a saying "your home is where your heart is"

My heart believes its true

And my home's so far away

Though the seasons and the scenery keep changing

I will make my home with you

'Til I'm finally home to stay

When I think of home

When I'm tired and feeling homeless

I come to you

You're where my heart is...

There are places on this journey I'll remember

Many faces all so dear

They can always bring a smile

But no matter where I am or where I'm going

In my heart you're always near

You have made my life worthwhile

When I think of home

When I'm tired and feeling homeless

I come to you

You're where my heart is...

It's 10:49pm. I'm unpacking boxes because I want this place to be organized by the time I leave for work on Monday morning. I'd like to come back to a functional workspace and get right down to it. Still about 20 boxes to go and some of them I can't really unpack until I find a bookshelf. Hoping for good luck at a garage sale or at the goodwill store.

While unpacking, I put on a cd of Bobby McFerrin dueting with YoYoMa, and that reminded me of Brian--he gave me that cd. Then I traded some emails with my mom, and a couple with Cecilia, a phone call with Darlene, Facebook wall posts with Taron. I put away the jacket and coffee mug Andrey and Febe gave me, then when the cd was done, I put on another one, something Scott gave me: Cistercian Monks Of Stift Heiligenkreuz (good luck with that)

Tamara's painting is on the dining room table until I find hammer and nails to hang it in the kitchen. The painting Jenny gave me is leaning on the wall next to the table. Outside air temperature is around 50 degrees. In here it's a comfortable 71, according to the clock/thermometer from Wanee.

Today was an amazing day of rest and re-connection. Lovely couple Chris and Bryanna came by and had tea and dinner with us. It turns out General and Chris are old friends from working together at kids camp in New York years ago. You gotta love how small this family is, and how large.

What am I getting at? You each have some of my heart, and my home is with you. Don't be fooled by geography.

Goodnight, Beautiful...

Goodnight, Strender