My Wife and My Taylor...

I saw this via the Taylor Guitar Twitter. You can also find it here.

What to tell your wife after buying a Taylor guitar...

1.		I'll be home more often.
2.		I want to sing to you with only the best guitar.
3.		There are too many mediocre things to deal with in life and guitars shouldn’t be one of them.
4.		I have done full research and Taylors are the most durable guitars made.
5.		Among all guitars, Taylors have the best re-sale value.
6.		Since you have always been such a supportive wife, there is really no need to give you any reasons.
7.		I have good taste, why do you think you are my wife?
8.		Taylor’s lifetime warranty reminds me of my everlasting commitment to you.
9.		This guitar reminds me of how perfect you are.
10.		Anything less than extra-ordinary is a waste of my time, It’s the same reason why I chose you to be my wife.

Believe it or not, I have tried more than one of these, right Erin?

My personal favorite is telling Erin that I will write more songs for her if she buys me a Taylor.

Sunday blues...

My wife has hijacked the TV for Amazing Race. I'm blue.

My Bombers didn't make the Grey Cup. I'm Blue.

Riders didn't win the Grey Cup. I'm blue.

Blue Rodeo was a cool half time show. I'm Blue. ( Or not blue, depending on how you look at it.)

I should probably pull out the telecaster, but the kids are trying to sleep.

Book #42...

(A Book You'll Actually Read) On Who Is God
Mark Driscoll

I was doing a little prep on a middle school teaching about god, so I pulled this little book off the shelf and quickly gave it a read. It's short, to the point, and definitely a good resource to put in the hands of someone who doesn't know a whole lot about God and would like a brief synopsis.

I have a pet...

I checked out my Google analytics today and noticed that my blog viewership is down 26%. I guess the simple math is that when 4 people read your blog and 1 stops reading, the stats start to look an little ugly.

(Erin...my math is right with that one, right?)

Anyways, I hear that having animal photos on your blog increases viewership. We shall soon find out.

We've had these two kittens hanging around the house since July.

Apparently they are "outside" cats who only head home during the night. So, they mostly just wander the neighborhood like teenagers without a car.

This one would regularly park himself outside our screen door on summer nights and beg for attention.

We would regularly give that attention because we are softies.


Well, that same cat has now officially adopted us and he is always at our house.

He'll regularly meet me at the top of our stairs before I make the journey down to our basement entrance.

He'll also sneak his way into the house anytime the door is open and is never in a hurry to get put back outside.

Last night, after a Black Friday adventure we found him waiting for us. So, he came in (via the open door we were transferring presents through) and we decided to let him wander around for a bit before setting him back outside,

We're calling him "Dog" and I refer to him as my pet who I don't have to feed or actually take care of.

Blog viewership may now increase.

Hello Thursday...

Happy Slapsgiving!

Don't recognize the reference? That's good, because it means you don't watch too much TV. Or it's bad because you're missing out on one of the funniest shows ever!

Anyways, I just woke up from a nap, the kids have taken over my PS3 and Erin is Christmas shopping online. It's been a crazy busy week...no, make that 2 weeks...no, just make that month, and I'm wiped. I hope that after next week things can slow down a little.

My wife is trying to convince me that doing a little Black Friday shopping would be good for me.

I'm not convinced. But a day out together might be just what I need.

As for tonight, the fireplace is on and the Blu Ray player is calling.

See you tomorrow.

How'd I miss this...

On our most recent California adventure in September we made our way down to Santa Monica so we could stick our feet in the ocean and check out the sights. Here's a few random pics that I forgot to post, but since they still make me chuckle I thought you could share in my joy.

Gold face painted robot dancing? This guy had quite the crowd huddle around him, especially when he started dancing semi-provocatively with any women who were willing. (But hey, how provocative can it be when you have gold paint on your face and you're making robot moves while the women are giggling uncontrollably?)


Jedi Knights in training?







Weekend group project? Whatever they were doing they clearly noticed my subtle attempt to photograph them. And they don't look too pleased.





Small group on the beach? Maybe. I'm also pretty sure the couple under the blanket nearby them would have been a distraction.

Books #40-41...

Not too much exciting happened with the latest finds at the library, although Death Troopers was all about zombies and Star Wars. How can one possible pass that up?

The other one was Infected and I dare you to read it and not find yourself itchy...or grossed out.

That is about all the energy I wish to exert on reviews today.

Now I will go back to my couch because my Habs just started the third period against Washington.

Book #39...

Relationships Unfiltered
Andrew Root

Can I just say that I am absolutely giddy with excitement at the quality of youth ministry books that have been popping up on the radar lately?

I grabbed another one while at NYWC and I've been working my way through it and finding it's really causing me to think/rethink what relational ministry is all about.

If you work with students, I think you should buy this book and read it. Process it. Re-read it. Make your leaders read it. Just don't ignore it.

I think "relational ministry" has become such a buzz word in student ministry over the years that many youth leaders/pastors have completely lost the true meaning of what it is about. Is it all about influencing students to make a certain decision or to act a certain way, or is it actually about presence and being with students in whatever they are going through regardless of how they may respond?

This book might be a good wake up call, or a pat on the back that you're doing things well, or maybe a little of both.

It's Sunday...

This will be a ramble.

Erin is catching up on Amazing Race after an afternoon spent out with Becca.

Aidan and I hunkered down for some football and Star Wars Lego on the Gamecube.

I'm feeling a little worn out. I'm not sure if I'm coming down with something or if the gas tank is just about empty. And I'll be honest...I'm not sure which would be worse.

Erin and I spoke in church this morning. It was week #3 on a series called Rethink Love and the topic focused in on the subject of porn. We both shared from our own story and tried to offer some sort of hope for people that may find themselves consumed by it.

There were a bunch of firsts:

• The first time I had ever been in a service that talked about porn.
• The first time Erin and I shared our story in a public setting together.
• The first time Erin and I taught together on a Sunday morning.
• The first time I've been over the service "time limit" since we started the new service.

The most enlightening comment of the day was from a 75+ year old former pastor who came forward to commend us on talking about the subject at hand. He said that in 50 years of preaching he had never once talked about the issue. He agreed that it was way overdue.

I'm praying that lives and marriages will be changed and strengthened today and the week to come as a result of what people heard.

Groove...

Totally digging this latest musical find.

Thanks to Matthew Paul Turner for the heads up.

Check out The Civil Wars.

Free live album here.

Weekend review...

I'm becoming more and more sporadic around here. I have a feeling that it's because I've given so many other people a hard time about not blogging. I'll call it Blogarma.

It's been a whirlwind this past weekend, so let's get you caught up:

• Tuesday & Wednesday were two of the best youth nights we had this year. I hope that the momentum carries forward in weeks to come.
• Thursday I jumped a plane for Manitoba and during a 2.5 hour layover had supper with a friend a I hadn't seen since college.
• Finally arrived in Winnipeg and then headed off to Portage where we got in around 1:30am.
  
• Hung out with family. My nephew is an absolute hoot.
  
• Officiated for a 50th wedding anniversary renewal ceremony for my aunt and uncle. It was so cool to see the family & friends that came out to support them and to celebrate with them all.
  
• Went to the Bombers/Tigercats game on Sunday. What a joke! You always hope your team will show up when a game really matters, but this was ridiculous. The biggest cheers came for Troy Westwood when he punted for SINGLE points.
• Although the game was a mess, it was great to hang out with my dad and brother-in-law for the day.
• Jumped a flight back to Abbotsford, but had to share the Winnipeg airport with the Hamilton Tigercats. Salt on an open wound.
  
• Spent a few minutes catching up with Josh and Brad via phone calls during my layover in Calgary.
• Arrived back home around 11:30pm...1:30pm Manitoba time.
• Now I'm home with a sick boy who is recovering from H1N1.
  

Date night & concert review...

It's like concert central for our family these last few weeks.

First it was Crowder, then it was U2 and last night it was Mat Kearney.

I bought these tickets for Erin back in August and surprised her on our anniversary. So this was almost like an anniversary date. We had also been given a sweet gift card to The Keg, so we opted for a very enjoyable steak dinner before heading over to The Venue for the show.

After my usual parking shenanigans (although I thankfully avoided driving down one way streets or over curbs...a la U2) we waited in line and made it in to hear a few songs by Vedera. Decent band. I'm always surprised when opening acts turn out to be good. It's kind of like going to watch a movie and then seeing a brand new movie trailer for an upcoming movie. It feels like you just got a 2-for-1.

Then we took in Kearney. Good music. We've been fans since his first album was released in 2004. And Erin once videotaped an entire acoustic concert of his so that I could watch at home because I missed out due to a knee surgery recovery.

This time, with a full band in tow, he put on a show and a half. I'd probably say that he's better live than on the CD, and I like his stuff on CD a lot. Good driving, working, and all around grooving tunes.

Kickball hero...

Just when you think Guitar Hero can't get any cooler...

Concert review...

We went to see U2 at BC Place with a couple of friends on Wednesday night. Wow!

Great show from start to finish. I'll rank this in the top 3 concerts I've seen. But I'm still going to say that seeing Eric Clapton is hands down first place. I'll let U2 and Dave Matthews duke it out for spots 2 and 3.

Highlight of the night was when the band sang Happy Birthday. Erin and our friends inserted my name instead of Bill Gates, whom Bono was actually singing to. I'm sticking to the story that saying that U2 sang to me and got my name wrong.

The show was definitely worth every penny and we're contemplating trying to see them again when they come to Seattle next June.

Here's the setlist from the evening:

10/28/2009 B.C. Place Stadium - Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Breathe
Get On Your Boots
Magnificent
Mysterious Ways
Beautiful Day / Blackbird (snippet)
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For / Stand By Me (snippet)
Happy Birthday
Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of
No Line On The Horizon
Elevation
In A Little While
Unknown Caller
Until The End Of The World
The Unforgettable Fire
City Of Blinding Lights
Vertigo
I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight / Two Tribes (snippet)
Sunday Bloody Sunday
MLK
Walk On / You'll Never Walk Alone (snippet)

encore #1
One / Amazing Grace (snippet)
Where The Streets Have No Name

encore #2
Ultra Violet (Light My Way)
With Or Without You
Moment of Surrender

Anybody want a peanut...

Backstory: I'm allergic to peanuts (amongst a pile of other things)

So, last night I get home from middle school youth. I'm hungry, so I decide to have a sandwich since Erin has all the supplies out and is making lunches for the kids. I opt for this new flaked ham mixed with pesto dip. Looks good.

A couple of bites in and I notice that the inside of my mouth feels like someone is either A. trying to light my mouth on fire or B. trying to stab every part of the inside of my mouth with a million tiny little pins.

Yep. Allergic reaction. It's my first one since high school.

Turns out that the dip actually contained trace amounts of peanuts. A fact that was conveniently hidden on the label in font size of -5 and covered up by a coupon sticker.

Alas, I am alive and well.

Books #35-38

I am so far behind on my reading, that I'm almost embarrassed.

Last night I conceded defeat to my lovely wife as I have no hope of catching her reading tally for the year (unless she stops reading and I start referring to emails as "books"). I'm already 10 (or probably a trillion) books behind her, and when you factor in the early birthday present I got yesterday (any guesses?), there's no chance of making this a decent competition.

To prove that I'm semi-literate here's what I have read in the last few months:

Cherry Bomb
J.A. Konrath

I read all his previous work and was enjoying most of it. This one does not enter that category. I contemplated not even finishing it, and that's a sign that a book isn't working for me.





Crazy Good Sex
Les Parrott

I'm married and I'm male. Enough said.

A book that looks at some of the common myths that men believe about sex.




Stop the Traffik
Steve Chalke & Cherie Blair

I'm part of a team that's designing a service to raise awareness about human trafficking and sexual exploitation. This book contains some great info & stats about what's happening (or in some cases, not happening) around the world with human trafficking. And if you think sex trafficking just happens in other countries on the other side of the ocean, you might want to show up for the service on November 29th. It will hopefully open your eyes and hearts.

The Youth Worker Book of Hope
Tim Baker

Anyone in youth ministry has experienced the down side of working with students. Maybe it was an event that flopped, a student who made poor decisions, a firing, a neglected spouse...the list goes on. This book is a collection of stories written by youth workers who experienced some of these moments and what they learned from them. A quality resource to remind you that you are not alone in what you do and that there is hope.

Geeked out...

When I originally saw this video I got a little giddy. That makes me a geek right?

Well, I officially got my Google Wave invite and I'm stoked. Ok, so there's not a whole lot that I can do with it right now until other people start joining, but still...it's all about potential.

Interested in an invite? I've got 18 more.

I hear some people are selling them on eBay.

Youth Ministry Rollercoasters...

The Up:

Tonight I walked (ok, maybe "ran" is more appropriate) my high schoolers through Hosea in an attempt to show them what love is and to remind them that they themselves are loved. As we discussed Hosea's love for Gomer and God's love for Israel and ultimately how we are loved one of our newest high school girls lights up with this gem:

"Wow...it all makes sense."

I make no attempt to take credit for this. In fact, I would say that this was one of my worst teaching nights. I rambled, I felt rushed, and I just tried to get too much in. But God still used it.


The Down:

I saw a tweet about Mark Oestreicher leaving Youth Specialties. Then I found the press release on the YS website. I love Marko and all he's done for the student ministry world. There's no doubt he'll be missed and I hope that he still remains involved in impacting the student world.

And the press release is vague (at best) and completely frustrating and I can't help but remember a little video Marko & Tic Long made back when Zondervan first bought YS. It seemed to be a funny little video that now looks to have contained a little bit of prophetic truth.

But I can't find the video. Go figure.

Concert review...

Last night the David Crowder*Band rocked out at Sevenoaks. Their only stop north of the border and we got to play host.

Let's not mention the fact that security was acting like they were guarding U2 and that one guy even tried to kick me out of the building for using my keys.

Anyways. The concert was loud, smelly and a little squishy, but it was fun. 14 of us got early admission and crammed ourselves into the front row just to prove how cool we are. (Unfortunately when the crowd rushed the stage, our front row seats quickly became fifth row seats.)

Highlight #1: "How He Loves" Sweet song. 'Nuf said.

Highlight #2: Erin becoming a Danyew groupie. (In reality she was just talking with the 2 man band and taking photos for a couple of our girls.)

Highlight #3: Seabird. Not only did their guitarist Ryan hook one of our middle school guys up with free tickets after they were talking in the parking lot after church, but they were great. Buy their album. You will not be disappointed.

Highlight #4: I'm in this photo that was taken by the band. Can you find me?

Soccer Saturday...

Our team is coming off a 10-0 win last Saturday and I think we were gearing up for today's game against one of the top team's in the league. We've slowly been settling in to the new season, and I think we might start doing better than last year if all our guys show up and stay healthy.

But today we arrive at the field to find the game has been canceled. Apparently it's too wet. Yeah, so it's raining. But no more than a typical fall/winter day in the Lower Mainland. So, if they cancel this, I think they should probably cancel the rest of the season too.

Oh well. We got in a little practice and a short run, so I should count myself lucky to have some more relax time.

In other footballing news, condolences to all you Liverpool fans. That goal today was a farce. Kind of funny, but still a farce.

Don't know what I'm talking about do a Google search for "Liverpool beach ball goal".