Containers of life
not just water bags
not just colliding reactions of goo

life

not just life

human life
full of hopes and dreams
full of joys and sorrows

add God to discover the overflow

enter a new ocean of exsistence

discover your portion
let go of everything else
let the overflow, overflow

Be poured out
get refilled
overflow... even leak... we all do
give thanks
for life.

by jaw1

I also Spun some tunes from my friend Thomas P.

Here is my spin list for the Hyperesthesia show this week at Kill Radio.

1. Ex Nihilo 2:00 Ark Angel Ark Angel

2. Track 03 2:26 Blackalicious Arrow

3. Track 10 3:15 Isaiah 58

4. Ring them Bells 3:00 Bob Dylan Oh Mercy

5. Big Brother 4:12 AD - SEG

6. Salvation 2:24 Cranberries Best Of

7. Say a Little Prayer For You 3:36 Aretha Franklin Best of Aretha Franklin

8. They All Fall Down 5:23 Grits

9. Air 4:18 Barry Taylor Love Songs for Underdogs

10. Track 20 5:39 KRS ONE

11. Beautiful Day 4:08 U2 All that You Can't
Leave
Behind

12. Track 12 4:27 Twisted Region

13. Never Give Up 3:17 KRS ONE Spiritual Minded

14. Star Gazer 4:20 LPG

15. Hero 3:25 SuperChic[k] Last One Picked

16. Irene 4:13 TobyMac We Are Hip Hope

17. Track 27 1:08

18. Track 02 0:46 Scratch

Found out yesterday a friend, Brenda...Wil's wife, is in the hospital because of a ruptured apendix. Prayers for her, Wil, and her daughter Wendy are desired at this time. We are greatful that things so far have gone well. Pray against infections... thanks. I hope to visit them latter today.

A friend in the journey has been added to the links... she's a good writer too... check out Them ,dancing dry bones.

There is something revolutionary yet very missunderstood at first in really seeking to love one's neighbor. Merton described the monk's life as making a profession of Devotion to God... thus being able to help others along the way in their devotion to God. We in InnerChange make a profession of loving our neighbors with a similar intensity... at first this puzzles our neighbors... in time new levels of trust open up...

I was on a pannel that sought to honestly cast vision of what it is like to work through being misunderstood to being named by the neighborhood.

I call myself jaw1 the poet...
The neighborhood at first called me... a nigger, then Juan de Zachateches, Juan the pen vender, "The Good Samaritan", AND now some call me friend, and/or Pastor Juan.

I am at the atlas cafe'. I have barrowed Darren's G3 I book with wireless internet and I am wisshing I had such a tool of my own...

Yesterday, I went to visit my great aunt Lee for a few hours at her new community assisted rental living home situation. It was the nicest place of that sort I have ever been too. Yet she was born in 1925. There is a time that she remembers that implies that such fragmentation of the generations would not have even been thinkable in her day. She mourns this deep lack of connectedness and deeply appreciated the 3 hours of heart to heart conversation that we had together. It brings to mind the link I have to the book "Space for God"... check ti out...

The scriptures are full of an intergenerational awareness. I am concerned that the truth of our connectedness is being lost at a cost yet to be calculated. And so it goes... I am more greatful than ever to be part of an intentional community.

I gave my second talk today in SF on art and culture... maybe i should call it learning to listen to and through popular art and media...with a bent to becoming a co-creator of media as well...(High context ref. to JRR Tolkien). It went well and was well received. I just have a pannel discussion to go on Saturday... It is quite the gift to share some of this time with the new apprentices in InnerChange.

Tonight we all get to go out on the town.

I am listening to "The Tale of Two Cities" by Charles Dickens (Books on CD). His writing is very inspirational to me as a poet.

And so it goes...

I have been given a gift of an asignment if it all comes together... I will be going to .Urbana to represent InnerChange and will be doing live art there as a way to engage those interested in mission to possibly join us. What a challenge and a privelege to bring a gift nurtured by my friendships in LA and to share that as part of our search for partners in ministry. Authenticity gets another push.

It turns out that today was not a good day to mail a care package to Avenal State Prison. (The INS has a big dead line for those wanting the right to work in this country.) The package got out... this is just one of the ways I try not to forget those who are in prison that I have gotten to know in this neighborhood.

Sometimes over the years their families and friends stop writting, sending care packages, and visiting. We who get to share the love of God may be called on not to forget. Letters also have a lot of value. (They do to us as well... think about the New Testament... Much of the New Testament is just that -- Letters.)

Just wanted to put a call out to remember those who are in prison; Love precedes redemption whether it is received or not.

Today was a full and fun day. It is always a privilege to be rested and refreshed. Got back to LA about 1:00pm.

DSL got put into our LA InnerChange staff office today by some of the faithful support people of CRM.

I went and did some shopping at our wholesale district. I bought some pens for my micro enterprise and toy trains and other stuff to help with a fund raiser for the train museum that my sister-in law works at.

After getting settled we had lots of visitors. Our new apprentices, Melanie & Rikkell came over for dinner. Then shortly after dinner we got a surprise visit from Chris, Roxanna, Chris’s grandmother (that we visited in Guatemala in the fall of 2000), and one of Chris’s cousins (Jacob). Jacob is in a Christian Spanish rock band called “Marro Al Corazon”. He gave me a sample CD. This is the third CD that I have received to promote on my internet radio show.

The Tiersma Family is celebrating Jude's Birthday and Her parents 52nd wedding anniversarry together in Morro Bay. I am glad to have love that is strong glowing through the generations on both sides of my family. I wish we would think more about our place and impact on the generations. I call it the Adam & Eve effect. I read somewhere that the average American impacts directly over 1,000 other people's lives in some profound way -- ie. choices that shape a lifetime... like who they marry, what vocation they choose, and many other choices.

Back to family... I was suprised how much I really needed this time of rest.

and so it goes...

Daily Meditation: August 30
by; from Bread for the Journey Henri Nouwen , Harper Collins, New York, 1997

Choosing Life

God says, "I am offering you life or death, blessing or curse. Choose life, then, so that you and your descendants may live" (Deuteronomy 30:19).
"Choose life." That's God's call for us, and there is not a moment in which we do not have to make that choice. Life and death are always before us. In our imaginations, our thoughts, our words, our gestures, our actions ... even in our nonactions. This choice for life starts in a deep interior place. Underneath very life-affirming behaviour I can still harbour death-thoughts and death-feelings. The most important question is not "Do I kill?" but "Do I carry a blessing in my heart or a curse?" The bullet that kills is only the final instrument of the hatred that began being nurtured in the heart long before the gun was picked up.

Today I went with Rikkell and her Dad through our neighborhood to find a pet store for her pet lizzard... a Bearded Dragon. I did not know you could buy in our neighborhood a dozen live crickets for $1.00. We also took the opportunity to check out the rest of the neighborhood.

Rikkell and her Dad arrived in LA today. Rikkell has just relocated to LA from Wisconson to work with InnerChange for a year. She will be roomates with Melanie who is also joining us this year. I wonder what God has in this for all of us.

Rikkell and her Dad arrived in LA today. Rikkell has just relocated to LA from Wisconson to work with InnerChange for a year. She will be roomates with Melanie who is also joining us this year. I wonder what God has in this for all of us.

Here is my play list for my Kill Radio show. I will be asking the soul searching question am I my brother's keeper??? If you want an interesting discussion with friends... watch the movie Rear Window and ask the Question??? I also burn copies of my shows for some of my friends and neighbors. Let me know if you would like a copy. I want to make it clear that I am a Christian and that Kill radio is a Collective... and not part of any Church community... it is too anarchist for that. If any of you are salt and light... get that salt out of the salt shaker... and that light from under a basket... (Matthew 5). I do this show every Tues. on the Internet from 11am to 1pm. Tune in. Look for future play lists here.

1. Big Brother 4:12 AD - SEG
2. peacemaker 4:28 Marie Brennan Whisper to the Wild Water
3. A Do Right Woman/Man 3:15 Aretha Franklin Best of Aretha Franklin
4. Zombie 5:07 Cranberries Best Of
5. Resplendent 5:02 Bill Mallonee & Vigilantes of Love Audible Sigh
6. Mercy Rains 5:31 Barry Taylor Love Songs for Underdogs
7. Stay of Execution 4:19 Deliverance Live in the Studio
8. Cantan Los Ninos 5:55 Giovani Aniversaio
9. Track 13 3:51 Matthew 6
10. Track 20 5:39 KRS ONE
11. Mahalia Jackson 2:37 Mahalia Jackson
12. Path of Life 4:47 Ruth Naomi Floyd With New Eyes
13. Smooth Operator 4:56 Sade Diamond Life
14. Track 11 3:00 Daniel Amos
15. Womanology 2:01 KRS ONE Prophets Vs. Profits
16. Never Give Up 3:17 KRS ONE, Spiritual Minded
17. Believe It 3:59 KRS ONE Prophets Vs. Profits

This is an email sent to us by a friend working as a health care professional in Iraq.
I helps me to pray when I can pray by name for someone. Pray for Jane and those who are with her as they seek to improve the quality of life for those living in Bagdad. -- John TW

Just a quick e-mail to let you know (although you've probably already heard the news), that the United Nations Headquarters here in Baghdad has been the scene of a major bomb blast. Many have been killed and score wounded with many staff still trapped inside the collapsed building.

Our organization's office and home is about 10 minutes from the UN facility, so we felt the explosion but didn't think about it too much as bomb blasts and the sound of shots being fired are daily occurences here in Iraq, that you learn to live with.

Anyway, I am safe ... and wanted to send a quick e-mail to let you all know that. I was supposed to visit the UN HQ this afternoon to meet with a couple of representatives there, but decided to make the visit tomorrow morning instead ... scary thought in hindsight.

Ambulance helicopters and military planes are abundant in the skies overhead. Not sure what will happen in terms of expat staff being evacuated should the situation be deemed too insecure for the continuation of activities in the country.

I'll keep you all posted with any updates. Thanks for your prayers. And please pray for those who are badly injured and others who are still trapped inside the UN building.

Love,

Jane

Daily Meditation: August 13
By Henri Nouwen; from Bread for the Journey, Harper Collins, New York, 1997
Hiddenness, a Place of Intimacy
Hiddenness is an essential quality of the spiritual life. Solitude, silence, quiet, ordinary tasks, being with people without great agendas, sleeping, eating, working, playing … all of that without being different from others, that is the life that Jesus lived and the life he asks us to live. It is in hiddenness that we, like Jesus, can increase "in wisdom, in stature, and in favor with God and with people" (Luke 2:51). It is in hiddenness that we can find a true intimacy with God and a true love for people.
Even during his active ministry, Jesus continued to return to hidden places to be with God alone. If we don't have a hidden life with God, our public life for God cannot bear fruit.

ps. thanks Toni for sending this out to me...

Today two young friends came by to visit. They were bored. They were interested in being entertained. I was glad to be a friend, but not an entertainment unit. When I told them that I wanted to go exploring Korea town with them; they were uncertain if that is what they wanted to do. When they kept on for over a half an hour canceling out each-others ideas for what we could do; frustrated, I decided to go on my own. I Ran into another young friend named Glen and he was really grateful for a chance to get out of the house. We had a great time together. We got to watch some semi-pro skate boarders. We checked out a place set up for Karaoke… played a few video games at an arcade and split a box of Mcnuggets (my one fast food weakness). I get to be a “Big Brother” for a number of teens in our neighborhood. Too many absent fathers in this neighborhood.

My cousin Caleb emailed me from Taiwan...

Hey Cuz,

I'm in Taiwan. Teaching English at a little school.
It keeps me pretty busy, and is pretty tiring. But
it's interesting to note how life here is. These
people are different than mainland Chinese because the
economy is much wealthier than in mainland China and
they are generally less conservative and more eager to
learn from foreigners including many bad aspects of
western society. But I have found some Christian
friends and they help to keep me on the right track.
That's one of the best things about brothers and
sisters. Just being around them encourages you to do
what's right.

Well, my brother and my cousin, God bless you and keep
you. God bless you in the work that you do.

love from Caleb

I really like this poem that Darren wrote...


peter's ankles
were submerged
when jesus said,
"come."

salty, and still wet with fish,
his sunburned feet
would rise to follow,
stepping over nets
that soon
would rot by seaside.

those feet
stepped away from
not just nets,
but the fullness of a life
well known.

now, i stand,
knee-deep
in the choices of my life
and hear His call.
it sounds like seagulls
and smells like
ocean-mist.

my fingers clutch the nets
as i consider.



darren prince
7/03

Today Pam, Darren and their little one Jesse came to visit. Check out Darren's musings about life and more on thier web site...(see links). Great to see you all doing so well.

Today I had the privelge of bringing Alberto and Clelia, who want to plant a church in this area together with other friends (Walter & Tonya) who are looking for a church. A Bible study will start next Wed. and the great part is that I do not have to lead it. Thank you for every prayer for us offered.

Lights Out in New York!!! What??? Big city Big Lights??? Well I hope we can learn humility befor we develope some real problems.

Today was a day of rest for me. Wed. is my scheduled day off... I was sad for a good part of it. I am not use to Jude having to work most of our day off... I am angry that we live in a world where young people that I knew have gotten shot and killed... I am tired of the role of offeing comfort... I want more than justice... I want a new heaven and a new earth... Dont' you??? "Thy kingdom come Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven". I am thankful for the day off.

I with Randa's help just finished the initial physical set up of the office. I am sure everything will get rearranged.

Friday I had the privelege of sharing in Judes class on "Mission and self-care" from first hand experience what Trama and Post-traumatic Stress Sydrome is like. Hopefully others will bennefit from what I went through...this feels good...if we suffer in life it is easier to deal with when the suffering is meaningful. I am in many ways out of the woods with htis now... but the experience still leaves me with certain vulnerability on one hand and sensitivity with understanding on the other.

We also have been reflecting on the contridiction of teaching a class of this nature as a two week intensive. At some point people are just over-saturated and can not take anymore in... Jude will be pushing through this week...and so it goes.

Yesterday was about moving furniture for our new InnerChange office. Pual, Randa, Joe, Angel, and sweated through the heat to move 2 filing cabinets, a large conference table, Lots of chairs, 3 desks, 8 free standing deviders and more.

Thank you Bob for your generous gift to us.

This will help us in the process of setting up the InnerChange Office. If anyone is interested in a wish list??? just email me... and in this season we are facing new financial needs too... "God's Work done God's Way Won't Lack God's Supply" Hudson Taylor.

This is a Big Shout out To Boy1 and Laura who announced to LA Street Productions last night that they just got engaged.

I am glad that the two of you found each other. Love each other and keep the faith... I look forward to witnessing your journey together.