New..

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!"

revelation

Oh Christmas don't be late...

I had dinner with Brennan Manning last year and he talk about Christmas he said, "I love Christmas, I love everything about Christmas. I even love the commercialization of Christmas!" I was a bit taken back by this because I thought for sure this man out of all men would be anti commercialization of Christmas. so I asked him what he meant. "I love plastic Santa’s, and long lines at the mall, traffic jams and little twinkling lights, they all are here because Jesus came." there is nothing to fear from the commercialization of Christmas because bottom line its all because of Jesus. If he was not born of a woman, sought after by wise man, and did the unthinkable of a deity wrapping himself in flash and blood then Christmas would not be here.

I think about Paul when he walks into a city and says...you have a lot of idols here I see your very religious, he doesn’t tear them down and say hey stupid heads you have this all wrong your going to burn for this...he says kudos to you. You know how to worship I see you even have a statue to an unknown God I would like to tell you about that unknown god and make him known to you....why would we do anything different? why would we not turn to the world and say Kudos to you, you know how to celebrate Christmas, let me tell you about why Christmas exists. Let me tell you of the beautiful boy that grew to a savior king.

don’t fear. embrace.

to late to turn back now!

ouch!

nipple pierce

this is what happens on sunday nights around here...

merry christmas from target...

merry christmas to yooooooou

thanks

But I, with a song of thanksgiving,
will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good.
Salvation comes from the LORD.


Jonah 2

Whale Wars

I found this new show on the animal planet (one of the 5 channels we watch in our house) it's called Whale Wars. Its about this group of activist that are made up of Australians and British people who ride around the seas of Antarctica terrorizing the whaling boats form Japan. they call themselves activist pirates....and I MAY want to join there crew.

CHECK THEM OUT HERE!

midnight tonight...

coming back from olive garden...thats right a flat tire! thank goodness for john b!

Harvest Bazaar

Hey this Saturday the community of Elevate is having a Harvest Bazaar to raise money for Gleanings for the Hungry (it's a great organization that puts food in the belly’s of missionaries, there families and the communities there impacting overseas)

Come from Noon till 4pm and enjoy musica, free food, crafts for sale, fresh baked goods, a kids corner with holiday crafts and face painting and much more...

find out more about Gleanings by clicking here.... www.gleanings.org

Christmas Time...

Hey if Walmart can put up Christmas decorations across from the 50% off Halloween stuff i can post a blog about Christmas..

Something to think about...




WHADA YA THINK???

today...

i voted for Jesus.

sweet sweet joel!

see what you missed at Elevate tonight...

sweet dreams from murphy mumford!

Happy 22nd Birthday EZra!

What better to celebrate his birth then potty putty!

bachelor party weekend

sitting around the campfire at Justins bachelor party after a day of white water rafting and hitch hiking and getting lost and making a new friend named Bill.

Blood

I meet up with a friend that I haven’t seen in over a year yesterday. As of our last meeting she now has a beautiful baby girl (Anna Grace!) there was a lot of time that passed sense we last sat and shared a cup of coffee and stories of life, struggle, wonder and dreams. But it was like our last meeting was a week ago. what makes that kind of friendship? what makes that kind of connection?

Blood.

not DNA from a family tree, but the veins that were opened up from Christ. I believe that the connection of sisters and brothers through Christ are forged and kept by that. It's a special bond. It's a special family.





side note: What’s great is having a biological family that is all in your spiritual family as well...its like a twofer!

The Kingdom of God

It's here. It's there. It's now. It's to come. It's buried treasure. It's on my mind.

2 things...

1. what does this even mean? 2. i am slightly afraid

Really??

Everythings bigger at Costco...even the sqeeky wheels on there carts! If you have sensitive ears or are trying to keep a low profile while shopping DO NOT get the evil orange cart...

A little AMAZINGNESS for your monday morning...

My buddy Joel showed me this today and..well...I had to share:



good luck getting that out of your head!!

I'm an Uncle...sorta

My bestfriend growing up moved to Mexico a while back and got married... they just had a baby boy monday night. Now world i present to you Gabriel Nicholas Jacobo.
Look at that hair...just like his dad!


Welcome to the world little buddy...can't wait to meet you :)

Results vs. Process

I remember growing up and asking my dad a lot of question about life. I came expecting a short simple answer and instead I would get a story and 20 minute explanation. Every time my mind would shout “I didn’t ask for an explanation I just asked for the answer!”, I spend a lot of time approaching God the same way. Wanting answers, wanting a quick fix, wanting results. As if God were a microwave where you pop in a frozen prayer and 20 seconds later out pops a hot and toasty answer. I think God enjoys and moves most in the process. We live in a world where if you want an answer you can Google it and in a matter of seconds can figure out anything random thing you want. Like who invented the elevator or what year Jon Bon Jovi was born (March 2, 1969…yep I just googled it) Simple things like that can be found out in minutes where as questions like “What am I supposed to do with my life?” or “Why did I have this miscarriage?” are questions we ask and most of the time don’t get an answer back in seconds. Sometimes it’s years sometimes it’s never. This generation has been raised without want, we have been handed freedoms that we know nothing about the cost of because we haven’t had to pay for them. Some come to the Lord because we can get something, a ticket out of hell or a peace of mind for a string of bad choices. I love spending time with senior citizens who have walked with God for over years and years and know what it means to wait on the Lord or to be still and know that He is God. We are in a long distance run not a sprint in this life. The problem is we have bought into and taught the false idea of a quick fix Jesus that can answer all our questions and fix all our problems when we want Him to. The truth is He is not a magic pill. True Intimate relationships develops over time. My friend that has been married for over thirty years told me he is more in love with his wife today then he was thirty years ago when he met her. It’s because time is what makes relationships grow deeper. Years of ups and downs. Years of good times and bad times. The beautiful thing about Love is that it’s a choice to keep going when things aren’t easy. Our earthly relationships are a reflection and a tool to understand the relationship God wants so badly to have with us. He’s not looking for a one night stand, but a beautiful marriage. He is a patient pursuer and one that can be seen most beautifully in the process where He is not only encouraging us to keep moving but giving us the strength in our bones to go on. He is the only source of true life and in times of confusion or hurt or bitterness or weakness is when we need not to run from Him but to stay, wait and lean into Him for answers.

Young @ Heart

I haven't seen this movie yet, but it is on the top of my list. There has always been a special place in my heart for the elderly, but you mix rock and roll with the elderly and my heart literally may beat out of my chest!

watch the trailer...and then watch the movie....then buy me a kit kat....

Rhode Island Adventure Day Six: Mystic Pizza + Taxi Ride + Ben & Jerry’s = HOME!

We got ready for our last day of adventure and of course started with Dunkin Doughnuts then headed to southern Connecticut to a small coastal town called Mystic. There was a village there that looked really cool but had lame lame shops there. We headed to the Mystic Sea Port where we walked around and saw lots of old whaling ships and pirate ships and of course a gift shop that sold a million types of fudge. (we only tried 3) we drove down town to Mystic Pizza, where the 1989 movie Mystic Pizza staring Julia Roberts was in, never saw the movie but it doesn’t matter because this pizza was fantastic! After lunch we drove back to Rhode Island where we cleaned out the back seat of the car from half eaten doughnuts to road maps and broachers of the odd attractions on the east coast. We got to the air port and they told us our flight was canceled and had to come back tomorrow. Thankfully the guy worked some magic and got us a taxi ride to Boston to connect with our other flights home. Stephanie was our pleasant taxi driver, she was great and was married to a man from the Dominican Republic and had 4 kids, one who works at starbucks and one who wants to be an actor. We flew in to Colorado where one of our friends, Dee Dee, was at, but we just missed her so we ate Ben & Jerry’s and then flew home to the real adventure, everyday life.

We would like to give a special thanks to the following:
*The states of Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine & Massachusetts
*Dunkin Doughnuts and your 300 tasty locations in Rhode Island
*Toyota Yaris’ around the world for your wonderful gas saving goodness
*Our Guide Thomas
*RoadsideAmerica.com
*The Warwick Sheraton for all the free soap & shampoo
*New Port Ghost Tours And Paige from Papa John’s who gave us our favorite quote of the trip “Oh my gawd Jeamy are you retawded o’ something!?”

Rhode Island Adventure Day Five: Maine Lobsta…Wicked Awful

We started our morning driving to Saugus, Massachusetts to Kane’s doughnuts that our dad told us to try. There family owned and operated for over 70 years and are on MSN’s Top 10 doughnut shops in America…it lived up to the hype. We drove to Salem and went to the Salem Pirate Museum. Walked to see some of the Salem Witch trial spots. Drove to New Hampshire and stopped by Hampton Beach and walked the main street for a bit. Got an Italian sausage and peppers from Giuseppe’s. Headed to Maine and saw the Nubble light house. Went to The Fox’s Den to try Maine Lobster, we got through 3 bites and stopped. It took a trip to Maine and 20 bucks to find out we’re not fans of Lobsta! Went to Maine street bought fudge then headed back to Rhode Island. Ran into a guy from California pulled off on the side of the road who was taking a picture of the Welcome to Maine sign. Drove to Providence and ate BBQ at Smokey Bones. Spent an hour or more driving around gas stations and mini marts trying to find Rohde Island postcards. Got back to the hotel loaded up pictures and fell asleep dreaming of Maine lobsta…wicked awesome.

Rhode Island Adventure Day Four: Boston….Sike! Maine….Sike! Boston

We were going to go to Boston today but then the weather report said rain all day so we decided to go to Maine on our way to Maine the sun came out and we decided to switch back to Boston for the day. We got to Boston Common and tried to find “the Freedom Trail” that the lady on the plane told Ryan about that runs through the whole city and shows you all the historic parts of Boston. We finally got a map and started on the walk. We saw the state house, Paul Rever and John Hancock’s graves, the Boston Massacre sight, old north church, Paul rever’s house, uss constitution, and a lot of other sights where America was schemed up. We stopped to eat at the Brown Derby to have a roast beef sandwich for lunch. We walked to the 297 steps to the top of the Battle of Bunker Hill monument I got sick and almost threw up. We took a boat across the harbour and ate ice cream at an amazing place. Shopped in random Boston stores along the way and went to Cheers. Got in the car and drove back to Rhode Island. Made phone calls to catch up with people and went to bed with sore calves and shins.

Rhode Island Adventure Day Three: Connecticut Anyone?

We got a late start and slept till 11:00am. Stopped at Honey Dew to get doughnuts in Warwick, they were kind of dry (could have been because we got them at noon!) drove to Connecticut and visited Mark Twains house. It started raining when we finished the tour and we had to run back to the gift shop, got soaked and then headed downtown to find the Museum of Curiosities, we didn’t find it, but we found the capitol building and then we drove south to New Haven to try Louis’ Lunch, it was closed. Drove by Yale and found a place to eat. The Market Place, it was a restraint that looked like a dinner from the outside but looked like a coffee shop on the inside. The menu was a combination of Burgers, Chicken Parmesan, Indian food, Steak Sandwiches and pre-bought cakes. Waited till dark to go see a tree in Wooster Square Park that had apparitions of Jesus. Walked the park and found what COULD have been the tree, I think Ryan was still not convinced. Drove back to Rhode Island loaded pictures from the day and fell asleep.

Rhode Island Adventure Day Two: Rhode Island In’s and Out’s

Woke up early to get rental car, a sweet red Yaris…ya that’s right a Yaris! Headed to Providence got off at the Roger Williams Park and Zoo, didn’t see the zoo but we did see a lot of sweet statues and houses. Got simi-lost outside of the park ended up in Providence at Dunkin Doughnuts. Id like to take this time to inform you that there are over 300 Dunkin doughnuts in the state of Rhode Island. Went to the Capitol Building, it’s the only building like that except for the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. Parked downtown and walked and walked and walked and walked. Went to the Mall and then went and saw the city. Walked along the river and saw where they have Fire & Water, it’s a celebration where they set bowls on fire in the water and have music from different cultures and food and dancing and a jolly time all around (they did not have the celebration that day or any day we were going to be in Rhode Island) walked by memorials and parks and schools shops and sweet east coast buildings downtown. Had lunch at Cheesecake Factory. Headed north to Pawtucket to visit Hasbro Headquarters. Visited with a sweet mustache man at the visitors center heard about the Pawtucket Rivers history then got directions to Hasbro, they were closed. But we did get a picture with Mr. Potato Head. Drove back to the hotel for a rest that turned into quite a long nap. Went to Newport and stopped in Jamestown to go see the Beaver Tail light house, but our feet in the ocean, saw a beaver (we think), walked around the lighthouse, picked up a crap and drove across the Jamestown bridge and the Pell Bridge. Walked down Thame Street and then meet Renee for our Ghost Tour. Walked around for an hour hearing stories of Newport’s Past and Haunted present. Ryan got scared. Drove back to Warwick ate pizza from Papa Johns. Loaded pictures from the days adventures set our alarm for 9:00 am. Fell asleep.

Rhode Island Adventure Day One: Getting There

We left at 9:30 from Tulare. Kristine drove us, rather slowly, to the Bakersfield airport. I left my wallet in her car and made her drive back to the airport so I could actually get my tickets. We sat by each other from Bakersfield to LA with TONS of leg room. We missed a chance to get a free roundtrip tickets for giving up our seat from LA to DC. Got separated on the plane. Ryan got to sit in the exit row with 2 lesbians. I sat next to 2 men who didn’t want to change seats with Ryan so we could sit next to each other. One of the lesbians Ryan talked with reminded him of Gabriel, with her hair and cloths and arm tats. After we arrived in DC the man sitting next to me apologized for not switching seats with Ryan because he had property that belonged to the government above him that he could not move. When I got off the plane both men I were sitting next to were meet by secret service men and walked down the terminal. We ate Subway and boarded the plane to Providence. We sat across the aisle from each other in the exit row. Ryan sat next to a woman from the Boston area, she was in charge of a vascular center and just excepted a job in Cheyenne Wyoming. She thought Ryan was still in school, his reply was “the one I teach at”. She told him about little Italy in Boston. I sat next to Michael a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army who was going to school in Newport at a Navel base there. His wife just left for Iraq that day. We landed at T F Green airport in Warwick, RI at 11:22 and took the shuttle to our hotel. Our hotel was under construction and had no front desk. After checking in we decided to take a walk around Warwick. There is nothing open in Warwick at 1 am except the shell gas station. We loaded up with East coast versions of Hostess products and headed back to the hotel. (side note: Yodels are WAY better then Ho-Ho’s) we mapped out our adventure for the next day in Rhode Island and ended up going to bed about 3:30am.