The Ragamuffin Team

I meet the visionary for this group. The things that young people will do for the love of God. Can we give them wisdom and support without stopping them from risking big things for God??? It is a joy to see such an upsidedown sense of the kingdom of God being expressed in this kind of dream. Check out the website for yourself...ragamuffinteam.com

It is Amazing to see.

20,000 Young people who are college age willingly listening to A challenge to not give into materialism and a self-centered life-style. I'll be In Urbana IL. until the new year.

I am getting to do public art as part of CRM / InnerChange. A lot of people are looking for a road map to get involved with changing the world we live in... the theme of this conference is "Your Kingdom Come" (from the Lord's prayer).

I Got to go to sleep have a great New Year... I do not know if I will get another chance at a computor until the new year.

Hospitality

I am in Anderson Indiana visiting with our friends Chris and Nita. Tommorrow we will travel together to take part in Intervarsity's 20th Student Mission Convention called Urbana.

We have two Kidneys... Only need one...

Mark Tiersma - Jude's Dad - was released from the hospital today. He has a growth on top of one of his kidneys. The doctors said they could try to remove it... or it would be easier to just remove the whole Kidney. Mark is happy to be home. The choices have yet to be made.

I would prefer the Miracle of God removing the tumor before the doctor cuts him with a knife.

I am impressed with Mark's gratitude for each day of life.

Do pray for us... We will accept Whatever is God's best for us.

just another thought...

It is possible not to know the words, symbols, or to have the experience necessary to understand something... or to hold onto insight... if and when it comes...

This is part of the struggle when we seek to say something of God.

(I am not of the school that says speach and words are meaningless...)

just a thought.

Freedom is wasted if it is not spent on learning to give and recieve love.

A Shout out From Boy1

LA Street Productions and friends had a Christmas gift exchange at Wil's house. We have hung tight together fro years and have grown a lot in the journey of life together. It is time to celebrate life and the gift of life. Merry Christmas!!!

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Sandra & Rei Give a Shout out!!!

Sandra and Rei send their love out to everyone. I am blessed to have their friendship. Thank you Wil for allowing us to gather so often at your home.

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The Lord of the Rings Return of the King Mystery Post

Chris and I enjoyed the last enstallment of the Lord of the Rings based on Tolkiens books. Reading provides so much more conversation and dialogue. If you really liked the movies... the books to me are still better.

Well I tried just for fun to post part of the this movie on my blog using Chris's cell phone. It didn't come out that well. Yet the idea was worth a try. I want to stay better connected with my friends. I can share my thoughts... and sounds and eventually sights as well...

The movie brings things to an end... it would have been better to make it into two movies instead of one. If you have read the books then you are more likely to be critical of this one. And so it goes...

This movie I think shows something of the bonds that are formed by going through struggles together. The comfortable life is not the good life.

And so it goes... Can you figure out what part of the movie I was adding to my blog???


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A note on the links

I have found once again the "online Prayer Guide" a real helpful tool to nurture my soul towards the love of God.

Kate Hammette and her art work is deeper than it first appears.

Seed Graphics is my MoM and she is making some incredible cards that she has for sale...

Emaus Ministries is working in a real tough context...

Hands of Hope functions on the flip side of similar struggles...

In each link for me is a face to face friendship. I do not always agree with everything represented... I do however value the friendship and how that friendship has influenced me. Let me know if any of the links are helpful or inspiring.

Also let me know if you have a web page or blog...

Yesterday... Turkey and Stuff

Last night I tried to call my mom cause I needed some advice on cooking a turkey. Well her phone was busy so on an inspiration I called my friend Dora. She knew all the important facts that I was missing about cooking this large bird. More than that We are witnesses to each other's journey. She had some things I needed to hear.

My heart burns with a call not to be silent -- I want to see the church vibrant and alive in my day...
Isaiah 58, Ecclesiates 4, Matthew 25.

I can be available to preach on these texts in the LA area if there is a pulpit that needs to be filled...

Back at the Station

I am tired today. An end of the year kind of tired. A I can't hang with Jr. high youth forever kind of tired. I cooked a turkey yesterday and finished putting it in the fridge at 1:00am in the morning and still got up for morning prayer at 8:00am.

Today I am playing Bruce Cockburn Christmas Albumn

And Reflecting on parts Luke 1... my favorite Christmas Text.

Well it is not working... when I finally found the earphones... It became clear that what I was streaming did not have the sound quality that I wanted. This is the last time I try to stream music on tape at the station.

Now streaming part of last year's Christmas show.


The best of it being part of
Charles Dicken's "A Christmas Carol". to encourage further exploration of this insightful author.

Trip to look for more team members for CRM / InnerChange

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During the Urbana Conference I'll be Kicking it in the Armory and spending the time doing collage with whoever is interested.

Continuity and Discontinuity

The links and blogs and expressions on this blog are first and foremost because of relationships that matter to me. I hope that is an act of love to share my worlds of relationships with you... however big or small it seems to you.

I have been mildly depressed for the last couple of days because I have a young friend who seems to have joined the local gang. He is a young leader and my influence is only one of the voices in his life. I am angry inside because I know too many people that have died from the violence, or the drugs, or are locked up in prison. What many of my friends lacked was a world large enough for their dreams. Street level friendship was their only comfort. Please pray for us...

I had a friend who helped save me from a lifetime of self destructiveness. He allowed me into his life. Showed me a world I never knew before and got me to desire to learn. He provided a model for part of what I do now.

What does it mean for the church to carve out paths of hope for people? Lost and disconnected is a human condition that I run into both in and out of the church... and sometimes it is me too.
Reconciliation to God without reconciliation to one another creates a distortion in the Christian message that kills the soul. (I John1)

Some kids are not "safe" but need to belong somewhere. The gang says yes you can belong to us... The Church isn't quite sure what to do about embracing the "sinner"... And that in some way is all of us...

Mercy... I have a gift of Mercy and it gets in the way of church planting because I often want to bring into groups people who do not know how to conform to those groups...

There is a reason that Jesus and our neighborhood gangs take public space seriously. Jesus showed up and demonstrated the truths he was talking about...

show and tell...

The Gangs do the same thing when they mentor others... What is at stake is not just how we think, but how we live... And Public space is where the you and I becomes Us.

There are limits to understanding certain Biblical truths... if we avoid the context they are meant to be understood in... Private Prayer... and Public actions.

An Acts 2 quality of life had a whole lot of people talking about life... Are we going to wake up in our generation??? "When the Son of Man returns will he find faith on the earth???"

Like I said I am feeling somewhat blue and angry today... I hope my rumblings are redemptive...

It is sad when the next thing one is waiting for and longing for is a Fictional movie... "The Return of The King"... at least we will get a fictional taste of heroic sacrifice for the sake of the good of all. Then we will go on and...??? Wake Up Neo the Matrix has you... Follow the???

Soren Kierkagaard warned us about a time and a future society in which the greatest desire of most men would be to have more money. Many will live and die thinking if only I had enough money I could have really lived the "good life" or a life of significance.

Mother Theresa Just sought to love one person at a time... at least she loved!!!

Do not underestimate the value of love burning in your heart.

Be angry and don't sin because of your anger. Don't let the sun go down and stay stuck in your anger... it helps me to bleed a little on this page... thanks for listening.

A thought on how words and symbols shape us.

There are thoughts we can not hold on to because we have not learned the words to comprehend them. John 1:1-14. Knowing is rooted in being... words are tools of indication... nothing is sweeter than revelation. WAkE Up !!! Maybe you lack an experience of God because there are a lack of revelatory words in your life. Maybe you have already been touched by God but lack the language to understand.

We are shaped by what we persue and study. Focuss is our responsibility and our side of choice in matters of perception. I John 1.

Strange LA Land Fragments

Today

I saw an Elderly Man sifting through some trash. He came accross a Mcdonalds bag and proceded to with some eagerness pull out some condiments.

A friend of mine asked me for some advice after having had a negative experience with astral projection.

A Homeless friend informs me that another mutaul friend who has been missing for a while is in a Rehab. A simple gift of a pen helps him smile a bit after telling me how depressed he has been.

Our mini-subway system was shut down right when I was about to get on it.

Today we looked at Matthew chapter 2

Matthew Chapter 2 is one of the most uncomfortable parts of the Christmas story. It show how tyranny and power is challenged ultimately by God the infant child Jesus Christ. It shows that religious leaders can be coopted by evil men. God works out our salvation from the inside out. First by sharing our condition of exsistence. Some I think are offended that God gives so much free expression to violent evil men. Inspite of evil people salvation will come.

Revolution that does not transform the heart will ultimately die of the human brokeness that we call sin. The Kingdom of this world will become the kingdom of our Lord and Christ. We can say this with confidence not because we have to make it happen... but because God will make it happen in the most unlikely of ways... Not by power nor by might... yet we too can represent such intrusions of the coming kingdom with all the realities behind it... we pray "thy Kindom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven". Let the revolution start in our own hearts. Embrace God's vulnerable love for you... that came first as a baby... to be God with us "emmanuel".

This is what i talked about on my internet radio show today.

Sunday

Boy and Laura stoped by . It is a joy to see the love that they have for each other.

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Melanie and I took a group of young people to play basketball at Belmont High School. Melani has a killer jump shot... and I had the height advantage...

We played winners took the ball out, and that every time a team scored a basket they had to have every memeber of their team touch the ball before they shot again. This created a lot of team work and passing. No one felt left out.

Since then they have been asking about when we could go play basketball again.

What this day was about.

We learned today that an appartment that we hope to rent come February for the beginnings of youth center may be ours. We will at least one of the top applicants for this appartment. Pray... and we will need to raise some funds for thsi as well. It does seem that God is in this opportunity.

Prayer and Breakfast for with those who could join us in the AM.

In the PM a lot of the Jr. high gals joined Mel and Rikkie for making Chistmas cookies to share with various families.

Jude and I just provided an extra oven because Jude is feeling a little under the weather.

One young friend from the neighborhood joined us for dinner.

A Big Shout Out to Maria Barajas... Her Birthday was yesterday

All we and our neighbors have is Street Parking

This is a common experience for us and our neighbors.

I woke up this morning to move our car. The only space left when I got back from visiting Chris was a space with a meter. (we call this the morning car shuffle.)

when I got into our car I at first didn't realize that something was missing... until I looked up and saw that our left mirror was completely gone. Sheared off by some car that side swiped us... or so I imagine. Fortunately we only lost the mirror and that our door seems to work just fine. From past experience of replacing these parts... these parts are expensive... but I don't like to drive in LA trafic without a Mirror either...

We and many of our neighbors are feeling financially tight this Christmas. What is going to be a lean Christmas just got a little slimmer.

It does not change the real hope of Christmas itself...

And so it goes...

How did I get things done without an office???

Today we celebrated Randa's birthday.

Happy Birthday Randa!!!

She is Sue's assistant who is one of the leaders of InnerChange. InnerChange has moved it's main office to LA 7th and Alvarado. This has allowed us to afford to sublet a small room from them for an office for LA InnerChange. This has been a huge gift to us in slowly getting more organized.

There is a reason why the poor are disorganized. Hardly any space and too much people and stuff in these very small appartments... Kids want to come to my appartment so they can concentrate do their homework... or read a book... or just get a break from their brothers and sisters..

We are dreaming of what it wqould be like to have a youth center in our neighborhood. Space is expensive... We need to raise an additional $300.00 a month to run our office in LA... We need space at times to work without interuptions... Some of our neighborhood youth could use the same gift of space... Sometimes what we can share with them is enough, but many times it is not...

Greetings now you can hear my voice ; )

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The best news for me is news of redemption at any level. We all need another chance at life... Every day if we are honest... It is grace to learn how to receive this kind of Love and be transformed by it. The best of life is free.

Thanks Giving.

On Thanks Giving I set out with the intent of saying thank you as often as I had oportunity. I also sought not to take anyone or anything for granted. Found that I am out of habbit with this and that it lead to a much better attitude towards life.

Jude and I joined her family at Peter and Thea's house in Goleta. Dinner was great and the company a gift to be with... sad that Chris and Roxy couldn't join us this year like they have in the past...

Peter showed me some coins he collected.
Carlo shared his musings on his work world.
Thea had such a great time teaching at UCSB that she was sad to have her class end.
All is well on the farm. We got treated to som citrus fresh picked from the farm.
Ben, Jeanine, and their three kids are all doing the growing up in the family thing and the littlest one of their children, Sara, has no natural fear for trying anything... and quite a handful.

and so it goes...

Also had a great walk by the sea and saw an amazing sight at a butterfly grove...

Saturday we too a hike...

Last Saturday the LAIC team, George Sr. and 9 jr high youth to a 3 mile hike to a visita looking out over some of the mountain ranges... it was a good perspective thing to get a different look at Los Angeles... it was good to get out of the city together... hiking provided a context to just be together and talk without doing anything else... by the time we got back most of the youth were asking when are we going to do this again.

Spinng on www.Kill Radio.org today.

I found a LP of "Great Scenes From Gershin's Porgy and Bess" ... which I will spin and then I will spin some Mahalia Jackson's Christmas and close with a little KRS One if time allows.

I am finding it a lot of fun to have followed some of the youth from my nieghborhood into this context. A big shout out to Adrian and Snapoe1.

For the Christians that ask why are you hanging out with this context... Jesus would hang here with the "sinners" too... I won't live in a "Christian Bubble World"... I would rather be with those that know that there is something wrong with the world the way it is... them is who I hang with... even if we disagree about the reasons why etc.

For the KR Dj's that are sometimes confused by my hanging with you all and being a "Christian" ... I am cool with it I hope you are too. If you read Tom Sine's book "Mustard Seed vs. McWorld" you get a good view of where I am coming from... Or better yet, Isaiah 58 and Matthew 25.

C & R and the car

Pray for my friends Chris & Roxy. Chris just had his car stolen this afternoon. Every time they seem to be financially just about stable another reality kicks in and this just kind of sucks like evil always does.

On the Show today

Today I am spinnig two old favorites of mine.

U2, War

Kerry Livgren, Seeds of Change.

I am caught as a person between the questions of a need for a cry for Justice and the need for personal Transformation. My favorite Old Testament book is Amos, and my Favorite New Testament book is I John. Don't sit there and think Oh the Bible... or yeah I've heard of them... Read them. I guess I am frustrated with people who want me to keep an open mind but refuse to look outside their comfort zone. Dialogue and sharing is a two way street.

A poem I wrot e for Wil's 5th grade Class

I find it interesting that we live in a time where there is soooo much knowledge available and soooo much boredom. This I believe is the natural result of what happens when knowledge is disconnected from personhood and purpose. Children need an expanding answer to the question

"Why"

I go into Wil's 5th grade class to help them understand why we are asking them to work so hard at learning. To get them to own it. Helping people make sense and make meaning out of their lives is part of ministry. Part of the journey of people connecting with God's call on their lives.

I saw a parent wearing a T-shirt with the slogan "DON'T JUST DO IT".

Recover for your heart's sake the wonder in the question why that ultimately is only satisfied in God.

A poem for Wil's 5th Grade class:

Learning is for me
I am going to learn
Everything I need to learn...
So I can be free
Free to be me.

jaw1

Up late and sending a quick note out.

Well... Friday i had the privelege of teaching at Wil's fifth grade class. I have developed a motivational piece for kids to encourage them to own the learning process.

Saturday Valerie and Raymond got married. They are both committed to Victory outreach and are a witness to their families. It is a privelege to witness this.

Friday Pm some of the members of LA St. prod had a last minute carne assada.

Thursday we got help from John stokes about a lot of our Technicle computor questions.

There are many details I have missed these last few days... i hope to say more...

from a song that I love that haunts me in a good way.

"No one gets a second chance to be the friend they meant to be."
(Mark Heard)

Gratitude

I wrote this while reflecting on Luke 4 with our InnerChange community.

It is a gift to taste of heaven
It is a gift to taste of hell
It is a gift to taste
of life -- to exist.

It is a gift to taste and witness
--- Our time
--- Our place

It is a gift to give thanks
and not take what is, for granted.

(by Jaw1)

"Some taste of heaven
Some taste of hell
some lose their taste and cannot tell"

(Mark Heard)

The MTA is Back

At least for now the MTA is back. This has hampered the life of soo many in LA including myself. Here is a cry from the little people of LA... Work it out and help us survive... Be reliable so we can keep in touch with our families, our schools, and our jobs. We do not handle desparation very well in LA land.

Streaming Mo Leverett Today.

My wife went to the CCDA conference this Nov. in New Orleans. Mo was a speaker there and shared a talk on redemptive suffing that I had to share and discuss. Good fodder for the fire. He is also a good singer. So between the heat sweat tears and stories of Desire street ministies we are going to rock this show. Take up the cross... for the joy of it... and if you can't for the joy of it... then go learn more of what it is about. Learn what it really means to give and recieve love. Ther is no way to do this without sharing in suffering and resurection life.

Staind Concert and other Ramblings

Well I went last night to the Hollywood Palladium to see Staind with a young friend in the neighborhood who invited me to go with him. I will be reflecting on the over all experience for some time.

Some came to the concert in every day dress... quite plainly in fact... normal Joe's and JoAnna's out to see a show...

Others were dressed in the Black attire uniform of non-conformity...
Others were dressed to impress...

There were a few T-shirt Quotes worth sharing:

Do Not Hate the Player
HATE THE GAME!!!!"

Everyone Has Issues

I was struck by the range of ages at this concert... mid-teens to late forties...

I did not like the opening bands much at all...

Stained on the other hand ... their music is about the human condition and the pain in simply trying to live life. Authentically shared and artistically delivered (if you like melodic metal/thrash as a style of music). There are moments when I felt like this was the closest some of these folks have ever experienced something like church in a good sense. A kind of confession to each other about life... missing the prayer for healing part though... maybe missing the hope for healing part.

There was also a deep sadness in the air. Many people seemed to have come to the concert hoping to feel alive for a few hours before retreating back into their various forms and levels of depression. Staind does not sing "happy fun or silly playful kind of music". It is all about looking hard at the condition of the soul.

I think some of their material could be used to stimulate deeper dialogue if we would take the time to listen and then talk to each other. If you have a friend who is already a fan... try it out... ask them to play their favorite tune for you and then to talk... honestly about it...

My Friend Freddy Loved the concert and the Mosh Pit dancing. He worked hard to get as close to the front as possible. I enjoyed watching the crowd as much as the show.

Freddy reminded me that I said I would help him learn to write poetry. We had a great time of sharing after the concert at Denny's.

Two souls were brought a lot closer together as friends through this concert and I woke up wanting to pray more, reflect on life more, and to do more of my own art... I also woke up more determined than ever to share the hope and joy I have been gifted with in this life... and to share it's source...

God Bless,
JTW

Sharing the journey...

There is an emerging housing crisis for the poor in LA. i have witnessed the seperation of families, the eviction of other families, and the overwhelmed state of those trying to serve those who might become homeless.

I know people who are now homeless.

I have a friends about to come out of jail in a few months who will need work and a place to live.

I have another friend who needs help moving her stuff into storage.

We will be getting new neighbors... The new Rampart Police Station is going to be built accross the street from where Jude and I live.

I wish I was more gifted at working with and through systems. My gifts are more creative and interpersonal.

I do not pretend to have the answers.

I will share the journey... and what we need is a lot more affordable housing and those with the vision and the skills to make this kind of thing happen.

This is a cry and a prayer in the LA Urban Jungle...
Mercy, Lord have Mercy on us..
peace out,
John TW

This Past Weekend

This weekend feels like a blur because so many realities happened. Most significant for me was a prayer meeting for the persecuted church around the world. I lead the prayer time for Latin America.

We prayed for those who have paid the price for being peace makers when so many divisions have been sown among the people.

We prayed for those who have paid the price for not compromising the truth as part of exercising their faith.

We prayed for those who have found the strength to forgive. And for others who wish they had the strength to forgive.

In prayer we found common ground in the midst of our differences of political views... this too was grace.

Sunday eve. I took a friend to pick up his car. My life is often filled with a lot of little helpful tasks and trying to share the love of God all along the way.

Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning was about helping my friends Tonya and Walter move. A Job promotion and the lack of safe parking in our neighborhood is what made the move inevitable for them. They need a palce of rest to come home to when the day is done. I think they have found a better home for themselves.

We lose more potential leaders in our neighborhood to a better quality of life and opportunities elsewhere far too often. We have a friend who wants to plant a church in this neighborhood in part to work on healthy Christian Leadership of the Community for the Community. He was hoping that Tonya and Walter would be part of this... Yet they really do need to do what they need to do to survive and grow. Pray for us as we seek to partner with Alberto's efforts in this reguard.

Friday evening I got to hang with Boy, Laura and boy's two brothers. We went to the new matrix movie... and then Boy, Luara, and I hung out at I Hop on 6th St. and talked about Life. This is what friendship is about... growing together.

Went to the new Matrix Movie

Chris and I went opening night to the new Matrix movie. Brave ending in my opinion. I liked it and will see it again.

What is more important is the conversation that Chris and I had before and after the movie. We talked about values and truth and life. We are determined in and through our lives to love God and People while learning the appropriate place for things. Friends help each other in keeping their priorities right. We agreed that we would support each other in being faithful to our wives... This is the real stuff of life.

2 hours at the movies... this dream landscape provided a reference point for conversation to unfold. Now if we could only have the same level of open conversation over the scriptures... we might find not just inspiration, but God given guidance.

I am greatful for a movie that makes it clear that winning isn't everything. Do we need a common enemy before we can make peace???

I am not a big fan of Hegel... and the series is true to Hegel's categories of...

Matrix 1: Thesis
Matrix 2: Anti-thesis
Matrix 3: Synthesis

What is concerning to me is the lack of prayer and reflection that is going on when people consume media. Everything we witness, real and unreal impacts us at some level. To be aware of what is going on in our souls takes intentional time and space. See my link to "Space for God", and try the "Online Prayer Guide".

Media is a given in our current culture. What I find young people want from adults is not so much rules about what is good and bad in it. But the tools to understand it and the means to understand how it is effecting them. Often if they can get beyound the addictive elements of our own culture... they will begin to self select a healthy diet. Model this... Don't just consume media... reflect on it... deconstruct it... and build tools for insight... Don't just tell the kids... show them!!!!

Both Chris and I have cut down our TV consumption a lot. I watch less than 4 hours of TV a month now including the news. Take a fast from some of these things and let your soul breathe... maybe even pray a little bit more.

Chris and I went early to the theator and we felt abused by the manipulative advertisements before the movie started. I will have to figure out a strategy of skipping the hype before movies... find my own exit out of "the Matrix" "To see it for what it really is".

(Their is a little book by Soren Kierkagaard that I really like... called "This Present Age" where he explores the necessity of a religious stance that is necessary for us to become fully ourselves... I have heard that C.S. Lewis explored a similar theme in his novel "Till We Have Faces".)

Be the fingerprint in this world and history that God intended you to be.

Ramblings about today and other stuff

Well you probably noticed that my feedback link is out of commission. I found a statement that my feedback service is supposed to be moving to another server. so we will see if it comes back in a little bit. If you have something you really want up with my stuff... email it to me and I will consider it.

Well after the war with Iraq started... my Financial support for what I do here in LA has gone down a lot. I will either need to raise more funds or will need to become tri-vocational... One of my mentors from CRM, Steve Hoke, thinks that my time with people is worth investing in. I think so too. I have never done the asking for money thing very well. I guess I will have to start learning. Questions about this are welcome...

On my 2 hour internet radio show I played Stained and Barry Taylor. Stained is interesting because they are a group that is quite honest about their own emotional pain... something very important to understanding youth these days. I have started borrowing a CD a week to listen to from my neighbors. Music resonates deep within the soul and often gives insight to realities that we might otherwise miss. Have you ever thought about sharing CD's as a way of sharing with a friend some special part of your life story??? Have you ever thought of it as another kind of listening to others???

I met with steve Hoke today and we are working on learning to pace myself for the long haul. I have already cut out all TV after 10 PM. Now the computor is to be shut down after 10:30 on week days. For a stimulation addict... these are big adjustments. You can hold me to them.

Peace Out,
John TW

Dear John,
I have to reply to this.

See Tues. Oct. 28th Post

You sound so much better. I'm appreciating
what you have to say much more because you sound healthier, your
spelling and grammar and contextualization are so much more readable
and your light side is shining through. (example- kind of shuts up your
mouth) I love the part about being "thrust into a history of God's
making". (That's where you and Sunday came from, a history of God's
making.)

And AMBER Too!!! (see below)

I was thinking I needed to send you a book called "Margins"
about avoiding overload but now I don't think it's necessary. Love, Mom

Mom I think I could still use that book on Margins ; ) I still got to learn about not over packing my life... there is soo much to do and sooo much wonder in it alllll !!!

I find myself speachless today. Today I held a little newborn baby in my arms. It gave me pause for thought and more perspective about life than a book with a thousand words. Her name is Amber and she is the child of Joe (Cisco) and Daniela. Life goes on... Are we ready for the generations to come?

I can only imagine the joy that our friends the Rundles are also feeling... They wrote:

Dear friends,

We wanted to send you the announcement that our daughter, Zoe Galloway Rundle, arrived into our expectant arms on Friday October 17th at 12:56pm. She weighed 8lbs.7oz. and was 21 3/4" long.

The birth was a beautiful experience, very hard work for Catherine but she did amazingly well - tribute in a large part to the birthing method we chose which allowed Alastair to take a very large role in the labor, encouraging and supporting her. Zoe came out alert and happy, long enough for us to say "Hi" then promptly went to sleep and gave us chance to eat a big meal to recharge ourselves.

Her Apgar results were 9 after 1min and 10 after 5min!

Our birthing team was amazing, Melanie, our mid-wife and Diana our nurse were just wonderful.

A thumbs up all around.

Well done Catherine, well done Zoe.

Life is Huge!!!

I want to recomend the musings of my friend Darren Darren's Blog. We all need an awareness of our roots and the process of changes that come over time.

Wednesday is usually our day off. After sleeping over and in a friends house in Santa Monica and having coffee in bed (Thanks!!!)... going out for an early dinner at Koo Koo Roo... and walking the Santa Monica Promenade with Jude... I tried to have an extended devotional time at a coffee shop. It felt at first rather dry and forced.

The whole of InnerChange goes through the book of Luke with any apprentices as part of our community life. Tomorrow we will reflect on Luke 2 together. (I find Luke 2 life affirming because all these people on the margins of their current society get the privilege of first hand revelation).

Since Luke didn't hit pay dirt very deeply I turned to the Journal of Francis Asbury. I've been reading through his journal slowly for the last 10 years. I also try to read any scripture that he refers to. This usually challenges my laziness. It also gets me out of the temptation of reading the passages I like to read. Today's journal entry said that he preached on I Peter 1 to about 30 people... that he felt that he wasn't very inspired today... and that latter that day he read the books Philippians, and Colossians. Nothing at first hit pay dirt. Then I realized that Philippians is a letter of gratitude Phil. 4:10-20.

I have been feeling gratitude to many in my life, but some of you wouldn't know it. That extra step of saying thanks has been missing... both in my relationships with friends and family and in my relationships with God. Insight... fuel for the soul... and so it goes...

Thanks for visiting my blog ;)
Peace and Grace
John TW

Our friend Mona treated Jude and I to an amazing theator presentation of poetry called Def Poetry Jam . What I see in this is that there is a very deep search for inspiration. The world is turning to the easthetics of language and to easthetics in general to try to work out what reason seems to leave incomplete. The show was a wow. Maybe a taste of the best of what hiphop has to offer.

Jesus offers something quite radically more and different. More than most of us don't really want it (cause we like our self-centered worlds). I am glad that grace is larger than our ego's. The road to Emmaus in Luke 24 has become a parable for me. What is it like to be ripped out of our self-centered worlds and to be thrust into a world of God's design. Like Zachariah I find myself wanting a family and instead God wants to thrust me into Eternal History that matters from God's perspective. (I may never get to have "my own" children.)

A poet speaks from their soul to ours. I like this I am a poet too. This if done with authenticity is an amazing wow of a gift of communication.

A Prophet, a preacher, a pastor, a "servant of God" is called to speak something of the heart of God to those who will hear it.

Poetry is nice. It wows me.

Revelation is necessary. This keeps me on my knees.

Today I am spinning a KRS One Mix. I think that there is a lot to learn from his journey. Both his criticism of the church and his willingness to work with the church. He is a significant voice in HipHop culture which has gone world wide. If you had a chance to talk with him and share your faith and life journey with him what would you say??? What could you learn from him??? What would Jesus Do??? and would you walk away if he asked, "What the f@#$^^% is Jesus doing???"

It is going to take demonstration of life to be a witness in our times.
"Don't just tell me, Show me."

Jesus' teaching style could be described as show and tell. I am all for that... demonstration of life.

Peace out,
JAW1

Christy of Dry Bones posted on her blog:

I got to see three friends from Chicago yesterday who were in town, as well as two LA people. I went to the City of Angels Film Festival, and saw Pulp Fiction for the first time. (Nope, hadn't seen it before - or any of Tarantino's other films.) I had hours of conversation yesterday about many topics. Now my brain is full and I can't decide which of the following topics to think about and write about first:
Pulp Fiction
The detrimental effect of feminism on black men
The feminine nature of the Holy Spirit
Why TV is just one big advertisement
New clients for Wedgies for Jesus
The interconnectedness of joy and grief

I must go muse on these things for a while. So, Ann & Brian - great to see you. And to the other Brian, Rikkell, and John - thanks for being the kind of people who make me think. And John - Not many people say things I haven't heard before. Even fewer will start freestyling at 2 am in the middle of Denny's. I need to know more people who do that sort of thing.


My Response to her Blog

It is a joy to hang with a sisters and brothers who can dialogue with such a wide range of realities quite easily. It is interesting what we remember... I could add:

The organic nature of Character/ fruit of the Spirit and the bankrupt nature of any institution the teaches love only as a command verses nurturing Love and other Positive Character traits as a fruit,

Following "Jesus" means following a person which implies communication... which many saints of the past declared that God is always speaking...and we are not use to really listening... also all those other people who get to have a relationship with GOD... but now I am supposed to settle for only ink on a page??? "And lo I will be with you always even to the end of the age...",

the theme of blood that ran through the evening -- no bloodless cross for me -- the danger of over sanitizing the Christian faith,

Sex /images/ Fear & repression, sexual scripts, intimate ties that transcend shallow scripts, and collage as a tool to regain power over images and what they mean -- the need for a more wholistic approach to human sexuality, physicality, and holiness.

West Hollywood Denny's as a fassion runway in the late night PM... with extreme fashions out for the show,

Institutions becoming disyfuncktioNaL over time when they simply try to repeat old successes over and over again ie. no need for God's guidance or the Holy Spirit... just do it like we always have,

Freestlying and learning to speak directly from the heart,

beoming the one unique creation God meant for us to be rather than a social xerox copy,

and more... I say we had a rich evening of conversation and it was a gift to share it with all.

I had the privelege of hanging out with Dr. Gibbony's house last night with a group of health care professionals. We are dreaming and praying that God might lead us into how to best use our skills (including health care skills) to best glorify God in this city. There is certainly room for a Christian clinic in this city if all the details would come together. This would be a dream fullfilled for Kathy Henry. We all want to move with integrity... let us pray.

Dear Friends,

Let me know if I in my Imperfections have let you down.

Conviction from God is a good thing. It does not produce shame, but rather a new level of awareness. God has been pointing out to me the number of promises that I have made to friends that I have yet to come through on. They were all made with good intentions, but some have remained outstanding – some of them for years. Yesterday, for example, I took to the printers the set of collectable trading cards that LA Street Productions has sought to make on an annual basis. I am a year over due on this.

The call of the Holy Spirit is clear. God wants us to be a people of our word -- to keep our promises. Ever so gently God has told me to shut my mouth... to either come through on the promises made, or to apologize for not being able to come through on those promises. It is also clear that my memory is incomplete so I decided to share this with you. God is faithful and kind... he longs for us to be the same.

Yes there are reasons why my energies broke down for a while. It mostly has to do with learning about walking through grief and sorrow rather than around it. (reading Jerry Sittser’s book: A Grace Disguised.) God in his gentleness waited until I could see the other side of this before deeply impressing this new insight of truth on my heart and mind — to speak more slowly and to keep my word more faithfully. Except when God is seeking to get us to humble ourselves and submit ourselves to God’s love and care; God generally does not seek to overwhelm us with our human condition.



Some random notes on how to know the difference of the voice of God and other voices...

God will press us towards insight, knowledge, understanding, and wisdom (Luke 24:13-49 is a great example of this).

Accusation that puts us on the spot and causes shame is usually not from God. In Rev. 12:10&11. Satan is called the accuser.

God will usually provide guidance with conviction. That is a positive steps towards growth in character -- who we truly are on the inside grows.

The voices of socialization seek to control us from the outside in and usually have a fear element to them. Mom, dad, or some else will be angry or not pleased with me if I do this. Socialization is necessary for groups to function, but rarely do groups have the insight to transform themselves. Ultimately in following Christ we have to learn when and how to rise above the voices of socialization, because conformity buries our uniqueness as God intended us to be.

God will speak to us in line with the history of revelation that has already been passed on to us through the scriptures -- both Old and New Testament.

The quality of our relationships usually will improve as we respond to what God reveals to us. (I John 1:5-10).

I could say more but that is a good start for reflection for now.

Peace and Grace,
JohnTW

This post was inspired by an Oct. 22nd post of "Dry Bones"

I have a friend who told me that God has only spoken to him directly 2 or 3 times. The last 2 times were several years ago when he was told to "Go visit prisoners in jail" "Pray more". It took him several years to do the prison thing... but when he did it changed his life. He says it may take him more time to pray more... but at this point he expects that only good will come of it.

God guides me in the weirdest ways. I am so book oriented that I had to read a book to accept the process of learning a new way to hear God. It is as if God keeps changing languages on me every 2 to 3 months... (this is the same God that gave me the "Gift of Toungues"... which I am reading a book about to better understand it cause I am stuck in the hyper analytical heritage of the town I grew up in... Princeton NJ.)

I will take out for dinner anyone willing to come to our LA neighborhood and willing to read the book, "The Transforming Momment: a study of convictional Knowldge" by Dr. James Loder

The book on Toungues is written by Morton Kelsey ... I forget the title...

My favorite Devotional right now is "Space for God" by Don Postema

My life is soooo different than it would have been if I had not run into the realities of God speaking to me personally.

I probably will never be rich... but I am free to learn to love... my wife, my neighbors, myself, mi Barrio, and my God. And so it goes....

During the The Hyperesthesia Show I hope to share a little from my reflections on Ps 23 that I had the privelege of preaching on this past Sunday. Thank you for all prayers. My voice lasted through both services and The Spirit of God encouraged the people greatly... I also felt an affirmation of my calling in a way that I have not felt for a long time.

1. Track 20 5:39 KRS ONE
2. All the Lonely People 2:38 Aretha Franklin Best of Aretha Franklin
3. Big Brother 4:12 AD - SEG
4. Resplendent5:02 Vigilantes of Love Audible Sigh
5. Fatherless Child 5:44 MysticCuts for Love Scars for Freedom
6. Track 01 4:02 Out of the Grey
7. Stand to the Glory 3:49 Ruth Naomi Floyd With New Eyes
8. Track 04 4:32 Blackalicious Arrow
9. So Free 4:51 Barry Taylor Love Songs for Underdogs
10. 920 5:53 Cauzin' Effekt Famlee Afair
11. Like a Tree 4:33 Beth Meres Tree
12. Chris Key And Friends 8:50
13. Track 14 5:27 Mahalia Jackson The Greatest Gospel singer In the World

Fragments from today:

Natalie, the beautician who cuts my hair, said, "I know that God loves me because he keeps sending me people like you to me." Melanie, Rikkell, and I had an impromtu prayer time with Natalie along with two other friends of hers.

Someone lets me know that a relative of a friend of mine got stabbed today.

A young person asks me to listen to some Hiphop by Tupac. I try to explain that a thug life is not as good of a life as it is made out to be... KRS ONE and his Album "Spiritual Minded" helps some in making my point. Need more Good hiphop music folks...

I tell a young person that I am preaching tomorrow. He says "Cool"... meaning that is cool for you... even though I wouldn't think of going myself... I tell him maybe next time... and he considers it... maybe next time...

Cooked Omlets for the IC team this morning.

Loaning out games to neighbors decreases the boredom factor in the neighborhod... and we know that kids do stupid stuff when they are bored.

Joe gives a shout out to all those suffering because of the MTA strike. Got to work today and I have to struggle for tommorrow. I am trying to get from point A to point B... even though I have to committ myself to go to work... I hope the madness of this strike ends very soon... Joe's thought for the Day :) From black to white and black again... here is another containment unit I have to stuggle against.

This Sunday I will be preaching at both morning services, the 8:30am and the 11:00am at Central City Community Church of the Nazarene this Sunday. All are welcome to join us if you would like. Mere is a Map to the Church located at 419 E. 6th Street, LA CA 90013. Pray that I share the Word of God Boldly and Faithfully as I should. Also pray that my voice holds out for both services.

Dear Friends,


City of Angels Film Festival

I am interested in this annual film festival because of the conversation that is going on about film, media, Values, Pop Culture and the church.

Realistically this year I will only be able to attend one or two movies. The cost to go to just one showing is $8.00 ($6.00 for students). Seating is limited. I am most interested in seeing and hearing the discussion on the movie “Pulp Fiction” (rated R) On Saturday Evening at 9:15PM. Anyone else Interested???

PM of the MTA strike. A friend of mine just got a job 15 miles from where we live. With no car and very little family support he will probably loose a job that he would have been able to keep if our public transportation system was up and running. He got stranded today... so I picked him up.

If you have a van and want to make some cash... I bet at least in theory one could drive some of the bus routes and start your own temporary replacement of the MTA. And so it goes

Well I got caught by the MTA strike. The ride I got out to the Kill Radio Station turned out to be a oneway ride... and so it goes... I get to hike from Vermont & beverly... I wonder how many mile this will be????

I obviously did not get my play list up. I have been sick for almost a week. I am strong enough to work inspite of not feeling good. I have this gift called life to work out. I am greatful for today.

Yesterday some of the younger guys were flipping cards with me after dinner. It was nice to have some company after spending so much time cooped up. Jude teaches on Monday evenings this quarter... so it's a neighborhood game night at my house most of these Mondays...

Rikkell came by needing the computor... seeing the guests she almost caused a riot by her kindness. Heating up water and serving up Hot Chocolate for all of us. Small acts of kindness are big here and greatly appreciated -- thanks.

Kathy Henry organized a social gathering for Steve Scharf on Sunday Night. Over 20 people came out to hear how life has been for him ...and how the work in Venezuela is doing... good from what I heard... but I had to cut out early cause I have been sick.

(Won't make it to Luna Tierra Sol Tonight either.)

A lot of folks came through. Kathy Gable told me her Church -- Passadena Mennonite -- is planning an alternative Christmas sale on Nov. 16th. I hope to sell some of the good made by the women of House of Hope in Cambodia to support heir struggle through Hands of Hope. (See Link).

It was good to see Boy & Laura who are working towards getting married next year -- Lord willing. They have that Lovers glow about them... which is a good thing.

It was good to see Chris and Roxanna... Joe and Daniela... Glen, Lupita, and Carmen... Miguel and his sister... Norma Zelaya...Rikkell and others.

A Big Shout Out to Kathy Henry -- Thank you for your generous hospitality!!!.

And a Big Shout Out to Steve Scharf... We in LA miss you... KEEP THE FAITH!

My cough is keeping me up tonight. Strangely I feel happy otherwise. I guess it has been my contemplations on Psalm 23. I don't get why we so often read this at funerals. It is kind of like reading someone else’s testimony (David's in this case) to a bunch of grieving people who need to wrestle with life in front of them. Yes the God part of the testimony is comforting. Job would have written it differently... so would have Jacob, Paul, or John the Baptist.

I am going to preach on Psalm 23 at Central City Community Church on Sunday -- if I have the strength God provides. I am not going to tell them that if they turn to God everything will be immediately OK. I trust the Character of God. I know the Character of "Sheep"... that going astray part and going our own way part... (Isaiah 53 kinda costly part). Rather, what do we need to do in order to allow God to reorder our lives so that we have a testimony too? I like Zachariah's Testimony in Luke 1... Kinda shut's up the mouth a bit after so many years of struggling with faithfulness only to find oneself thrust into a history of God's making rather than your own. David anointed King -- for many years a fugitive -- was just that kind of person... so was many of my hero's of faith:

Desmond Tutu, Keith Green, Amy Carmichael, Juan Carlos Ortiz, Oscar Romero, Soren Kierkegaard, John Perkins, Dr. Martin Luther King, John Wesley, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Dr. James Loder, Toyohiko Kagawa of Japan... and many others...

Reality has to go through a being turned inside out process... Who is in control of "my reality"... Like the Emmaus road in Luke 24... human pride has to hit the skids big time and fail... (facing this is what the best of the 12 Steps of AA and NA are all about).

So you want to be anointed like King David??? Psalm 23... Live into this: "The least in the Kingdom of God is greater than John the Baptist" (Jesus). Cry out to God... We need the Spirit's anointing oil poured out on us... But don't think for a Momment that personal comfort is the end point to the journey. Only the very sick are comfortable with the brokeness of the world as it is... Ministry, Mission, Love Sweat and Tears awaits us all.

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...

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.

I am over at Chris Aguilar's house. His band has just gone through a tragic loss yet they are still trying to do the rock band thing anyway. Thought some of you would say a prayer for them and others of you might check out their web site... dreams are both frigile and are a big part of what life is about. noci-influence still keeping their dreams alive.

Well I wasted part of this afternoon. Can't be focussed all the time... but I can do better than chosing to distract myself. Grace sometimes comes in the form of friends showing up in our lives. Werner Pastran came in to check his email and just his presence reminded me that I had not come here with the intent to play an internet game. He did not ask what are you up to... I would have felt that feeling we feel when we recognize that we have been procrastinating. And so it goes. Now to get back to work.

I love the fact that my mom leaves coments on my blog...bu I really wish that you others would as well... maybe I need to say some more open ended stuff.

Dennis, Lucy, and their daughter Gabby came out to LA from NJ and I had the privelege of showing them arround a little bit in LA. Their daughter Gabby has the stongest sense of being herself that I've ever seen in an 8 year old girl... and knows more about different dogs than I could have imagined an 8 year old knowing.

I went to get my haircut. I’ve been encouraging my Barbour in her relationship with God over the last few years. We chatted for a bit but I noticed that she wasn’t her normal cheerful self. Finally I discovered that her brother died. Between tears, conversation, prayers, and I believe God given consolation – 2 hours latter my hair was cut. We were graced with this time without interruption. Getting a hair cut can be a place for God’s love to grow in our hearts. Whenever God’s love grows in our hearts – the ministry of the Holy Spirit is there.

I had the privilege of spending several hours with Mr. Barrajas. We took the Gold line together to Pasadena...we had coffee at one of my favorite coffee shops called "Buster's". I showed him where we can buy bread directly from the Oro Wheat outlet in Pasadena. We also signed up for the privilege of using the South Pasadena library (which let's people check out books for 3 weeks at a time).

He taught me some Spanish including a way not to confuse the grammatical order of adjectives and what they describe in Spanish. “The White House” in Spanish is “La Casa Blanca” and reminds me of the movie of the same title : ) !!!

I was able to encourage his faith in God… and he helped me understand a little better the realities that divide people in this neighborhood. And so it goes.

Jesus, Jose, and I went to play miniature golf in South Pasadena. Jose won this time. Jesus won last time. We ate at McDonalds afterwards. Jesus brought an old KRS One CD knowing that I like his music a lot better than Nelly and many other “WACK” Rappers.

Saturday we joined a good bye celebration for Scott Chamberline; he has faithfully served as pastor of Central City community church of the Nazerene. One of the few churches that serves to nurture Christian Community in skid row.

This next two weeks Jude, will be teaching an intensive on Self-care and Mission at Fuller Seminary.

This next generation of Jr. high youth that are growing up in our neighborhoods take Video Games at home as the normal course of life. Digital dissapation... they are learning a stimulous response pattern that is at the core addictive.

I have had to introduce other games to them just to hold their attention. They are far less skilled socially than the youth even 5 years older than they are. Bonding is done over the game... and this is just where it is at...

so how do we grow from here... I want to teach them to design games rather than just consume them... being in the image of the creator gives you power over something that otherwise just appears to be magical... also we need to pray more as being captivated by vain imaginations becomes more and more the norm.

This Friday Boy & Laura kicked it at a coffee shop. We listened to jazz freely offered at a coffee shop on Larchmont between 6th and Beverly. Conversation was family like...we even colaborated on a poem. Big up to Laura that steped up to the challenge...

Here is what we wrote together:


Soul to Soul, Language that sets the Tone,
Love to Love -- Harmony that completes the world.

Power ties, realized energy
reflected in promises made and kept
-- Nuturing life together.

The Power of Love creates the Peace
of two different worlds
-- to combine into One.

Unity is a disaster without It,
a tragic utility
sterile from the soul's Heart-Beat.

-- Let us all learn to Love
And Love Deeply.

By Boy, Laura, & JAW 2003

to write this together says something of the friendships going on.

I have the witness of a chalenge in my soul and a need to pray. Not clear about all that is underneath it yet. Maybe a need to fast and pray. Just an intuitive awareness. Now is a season of prep. for the fall...and for some new opportunities on the horizon. More on this latter.

Peace and Grace,
John TW

I am in a season where my devotional life has to take priority over evrything else. In one sense this is always true. Yet there are times we need to draw near to God. There is no other comfort in the midst of sorrow. I have found no other source of peace sufficient to feed the soul than my heart turned towards God. Prayer becomes like breathing sometimes. Don't forget to breathe.

I am reading a book that is helping me let go of pain that was robing me of internal freedom and joy. The loss of a friend that was murdered near where I live. A Gace Disguised is the best book on understanding and walking through grief that I have ever read. I strongly encourage anyone aquainted with grief to read it

My heart is finding a new level of healing and freedom. Pain, Evil, and wrong doing exsists in this world. To forgive and to cry for justice in one voice is not a contradiction. We forgive and let go of the past in order to be free to continue to love. We cry for justice in order to halt the perpetuation of Wrong doing. Dr. Martin Luther King understood this profoundly...he could forgive someone who stabed him and continue to call for justice on all fronts. King is known for what he did in public, but few pay attention to his spiritual disciplines -- what he did in private. I want to nurture the soul of compassionate leaders. What we do when no one is looking is key to the strength we carry out into the streets.