My Cousin Caleb emailed me and wrote:

Hey John,

I appreciated your comments and your poetic way of
going about life. And your introduction of the Tale
of Two Cities definitely makes me want to read it. I
never had to read it in highschool and only have a
vague recollection of an old movie. I really like it
when someone recommends a book or a movie. It makes
it much more meaningful when you go to read the book
or see the movie to think that so-and-so really likes
this movie and took the time to recommend it to me.
If your just in the mood to see a movie and you go to
blockbuster unawares, there's about a nine out of ten
chance you'll pick up something you'll almost wish you
hadn't watched. Anyway, Thank you. Also Can you tell
me how one posts a message on your blog? I've have
tried unsuccesfully. Tell me how it's done and we can
communicate more freely in that way.

God bless you and keep. I love you.

love from

Caleb

You are supposed to be able to double click on the comment section that is highlighted and fill out the form. I'll check and make sure on the service end that it is working... If you can get your feedback up that way just email me and I will post it like I have here. Thanks for the love... Keep the faith.

Upon reflection it is interesting that my grandparents on my mother’s side, my mom, Jude and I have all been influenced by the writings of Charles Dickens. Yesterday in the midst of being sick I finished listening to “A Tale of Two Cities” on our CD player. My Grandfather read this book to his children. I first read it in high school and it changed me forever. Dickens as an author seems to understand something about the human spirit and its struggles with the dark sides of life. He draws people into an examination of both the human soul and the soul of society in a manner that is healthy. In a manner that encourages Faith, Hope, and Charity.

I was recently told that three street in downtown LA use to be named Faith, Hope, and Charity. That Charity is now “Grand” and is near the center “Bunker Hill” of our financial district. Faith was changed to Figueroa or Flower (I do not remember which), and Hope still remains Hope, but is left alone without the symbolic support of Faith and Charity. Hope was divided to build our public library. (Our hope is in our current cultures are so rooted in what we think we know and what we think we can learn; I’ve never heard of a street named Humility) None of us make it through life without inner strength and external support. I wonder what Charles Dickens would write about such a change of landscape. I don’t think he would have missed their metaphorical nature.

Soren Kierkegaard warned against a time when people’s greatest hope would be to somehow get more money. That people would console themselves with the idea if they only had enough money they would have been able to live the life that they really wanted to live. In contrast to this one third of John Wesley’s sermons in the last 5 years of his life was on the Christian uses of wealth.

If you want to get some strange looks. Try doing a public reading of Isaiah 58. I hope to do this on Monday night -- if I am well enough – at Luna Tierra Sol (not a “Christian” context). I hope to connect with those in this context that would be drawn to the truth expressed here.

While these thoughts are not poetry… I hope that they stir the pot of your imagination as you look out into the world. What are the realities that feed your soul?

Peace and Grace,
John Tw

I am hesitant to go to bed. Last night was a miserable night of sleep. I have heard of night sweats as a symptom of some colds and sicknesses... but I never remember having it like this. Still I pulled together a rough surmon outline for Sunday Oct. 19th. I will have the privilege of preaching at Central City Community Church. I will be sharing on Psalm 23 and what life is like for all of us when we go our own lost ways. Pray for this... That what is in God's heart will be carried to the people who come that Sunday.

I am sick today. Yesterday I was in denial about being sick. Today I have a temperature... and ache enough to know that I have to rest.

Today I had the privelege of introducing a young friend to a community of artists trying to restart an old art school -- Chouinard .

I have learned to do everything I can to encourage learning at any and every point in life. Living things grow. From my pastoral point of view Pride is one of the danger for the soul here at this point; ignorance and folly are far worse and still does not dent the temptation towards pride. And some might actually find true wisdom.

I am also glad to meet a goup of adults that think that advertisement need not be the ultimate niche for art.

Tommorrow I will be spinning tunes selected by a Glen, who is a youth in my neighborhood. His hunger for lots of drums and continuity of artists is obvious.

The Hyperesthesia Show 10/7/03

1. Surrender 5:00 Deliverance Live in the Studio
2. Stay of Execution 4:19 Deliverance Live in the Studio
3. Track 09 4:57 Deliverance Live in the Studio
4. Lift My Eyes Up 3:00 Miss Angie 100 Million Eyeballs
5. Free 4:14 Miss Angie 100 Million Eyeballs
6. Life, Life, Life 2:51 Miss Angie 100 Million Eyeballs
7. Bestia Ex MaChina 0:39 Ark Angel Ark Angel
8. To A Sleeping Infidel 3:22 Ark Angel Ark Angel
9. Waves 2:58 Rez XX
10. Military Man 3:37 Rez XX
11. Afrikaans 3:07 Rez XX
12. Colours 3:46 Rez XX
13. The Struggle 4:16 Rez XX
14. Alienated 2:17 Rez XX
15. Right On Time 5:14 Rez XX
16. When the Love Comes Down 3:28 Rez XX
17. Bargin 4:57 Rez XX
18. Track 26 4:53 Rez XX
19. Track 27 3:40 Rez XX
20. So Free 4:51 Barry Taylor Love Songs for Underdogs
21. Angel 3:14 Barry Taylor Love Songs for Underdogs

The Yard sale Saturday was a great success. The best part of it for me is that a lot of the jounior high/high school youth hung out with us the whole afternoon. 2 of the junior high guys tried to sell some their own stuff. Pluss a couple of folks asked when we were going to do this again... with the hopes of possibly joining us... It was a great way for our new interns to meet in a humble manner many of our neighbors.

Today I am preparing for a Saturday Prayer breakfast at our house and a yard sale in our neighborhood. For the first time I used Power Point to make up the flyers that I am going to post up in the neighborhood. This is a fun way to hang in the neighborhood and connect with our neighbors. Some of our neighbors will join us in selling as well. This could turn into a real community event kind of happening.

Rikkell and Melanie are beginning to settle into life here in LA. Rikkell is still looking for work.

At 12:30Pm I get to meet with a friend and pastor for a couple of hours who is working on planting a church in this neighborhood. He wants me to possibly help with training some of the young people interested in helping with outreach.

Peace and Grace... Keep us in your prayers...

Today we went over to Chris and Roxy's house to celebrate Jude and Rikkell's birthdays -- which are both in Sept. Chris and I went for a long walk with their dog Russell. When we got back the gals were chatting about life and having a lot of fun. and so it goes...

Hey kids I am with John 'JAW' Watson here at kill radio. First time on radio, having a killer time. We're here talking about taking time to listen to God and the world around us. We are such a busy society, running around trying to keep up with what people are telling us to be that we forget that we are created and here with a purpose. That purpose is not to make sure that we keep up with what everyone else wants/expects for us to be. Instead it is enjoy all that we have been given and acknowledge that they were given and not gained by the "busy" work of our lives. Take time to remember what you have been given!!!

Peace

My Friend Davina sent me this email today. I really want to challenge all of us to put the arts to good use. and consider the gift of sharing your life a little more openly with the world. A blog / Web log is a great window for dialogue and reflection. Check out her link... Crazy for JC

Hi John,

I want to thank you for the CD and spending time to chat with me
on Sat. I listened to the CD and really like the mix of music and talk.
I listened to it when driving back home. And it really made me think.
It challenged me in thinking about several issues about dealing with
pain, materialism, comfort, and power-seeking. I am glad for the chat
too. Since I process externally, it always helps to talk. thank you!
I also appreciate the encouragement about writing. I think it'll actually
be healing to write on the blogger and to share with a broader community.
Hope that I could visit the LA team after you folks have settled back
into your normal routine. I am getting too comfortable in OC.

thanks,
Davina.

My Brother in law wrote me with the following note

Jude/John,

  If you receive messages from PayPal (or any other financial institution), like the email below - DO NOT FOLLOW THOSE INSTRUCTIONS!
  Being the computer geek that I am, if you look at the "source" behind the web page, it redirects you to a fake PayPal site - one that actually steals graphics from the real paypal.  This site is www.acepr.co.kr and they will steal enough information on the form that they can drain your bank account immediately.

-cm

This kind of "Spoff" scam is happening more and more often. I have recieved false emails related to ebay and paypal.

As a general rule go directly to a site rather than using a provided hyperlink if there may be any risks involved.

We live in a twisted world... stay sharp.

Hear is my play list for "The HyperEsthesia Show" on Kill Radio. Tues. 11:00 AM to 1PM.


1. Say a Little Prayer For You 3:36 Aretha Franklin Best of Aretha Franklin
2. Track 01 3:53 Avril Lavigne Let Go
3. Air 4:18 Barry Taylor Love Songs for Underdogs
4. Track 02 4:35 Beck Sea of Change
5. Sound Doctrine 4:47 Corey Red/ADF
6. Trust 2:57 KRS ONE Spiritual Minded
7. Ain't Ready 4:03 KRS ONE Spiritual Minded
8. Track 08 2:36 Larea Raine Garretson
9. Track 01 6:17 Larea Raine Garretson
10. Track 01 4:32 Larea Raine Garretson
11. Track 07 3:23 Charles Dickens A Tale of Two Cities Excerpts Books & Spoken With Snapoe Beats
12. Track 08 3:20 Charles Dickens A Tale of Two Cities Excerpts Books & Spoken With Snapoe Beats
13. Track 07 4:59 Lauryn Hill Un Plugged
14. peacemaker 4:28 Marie Brennan Whisper to the Wild Water
15. Irene 4:13 TobyMac We Are Hip Hope
16. Revolting 4:02 Future Shock
17. Track 04 3:42 Mahalia Jackson The Greatest Gospel singer In the World
Track 02 0:46 Scratch

Later I met David and Danny. A big Shout out to you two. We had fun discovering together that we are really interested in engaging life and kind of tired feeling like the "adult world" is expecting most of us to be spectators for a long time.

Live... become a Learner. Not just a survivor.

Obey -- God... rather than ending up conformed to this world of people.

To do this we need to learn to Pray; -- No one can go to the mountain top for you. All they can do at best is try to point the way.

PAIN IS PART OF LEARNING -- Every Skateboarder knows this instinctively... and the pain is both internal (Ex. fear etc.) as well as external in terms of training the coordination of heart, mind, body, and soul.

A lot of people do not want real life and spend a lot of energy trying to avoid it... we all try to avoid life sometime.

A big shout out again to David and Danny... Neo Wake up... the Matrix has you...

��5{��������together with Micheal at Magees donut shop at 7:00am. The presence of Belmont High students was in full force. Their absence in the pm hours and their presence there before school set before me a challenge. can I become a morning person? or is it time for me to start working with just adults. I love teenagers and all their growing pains. Even at 7:00 in the am??? we will see...

Micheal wants to find hang time and to learn from us... yet he needs to keep things flexible....

"Without the strength of a committment our experience of others is at best esthetic." Dag Hammerskold

We need to share life in the context of vision and community. This will require ownership of the realities behind this reguardless to how we get there. People need to see love manifested between us as Christians... They need this much more than being socialized into being part of a church. Being socialized into a church without the love can become toxic to faith itself. Where is the love??? If you Got it then Keep it REAL!!!

Went to the Church Urban Mosaic this evening with Melanie, and Rikkell. Afterwards was treated to Thai food over at Sue's house... Thank you Sue... while we socialized with our InnerChange "Novitiates" (think year 2 & 3 of service with IC).

Brad, Racheal, & Lucy from Mineapolis along with Jim B. wanted a car tour in our neighborhood.

The highlight of the tour was to find out that live music was being played once again at Luna Tierra Sol. Tonight they witnessed full force local Latino Punk. Rikkell who's last youth pastor came out of the Punk scene was all excited about the possibilities here. And so it goes...

Well the new look to my blog is because I have been hacked. I will fix the comment section in a few days. and so it goes...

All part of this public space called the net...

Just Got back from conference.

I am glad to be back.

I have an invitation to preach at Central City Community Church in our Skid Row sometime in Oct.

It is really nice to be recognized for the gifts that one has to offer. I am more inspired than ever to work on my skills as a poet.

I thank God for the work of deepening that has been going on in my life over the last 3 years.

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...