The Onion put this wonderful piece of satire on the web...
Diebold Accidentally Leaks Results Of 2008 Election Early
except it isn't so far from the truth... watch this clip from an interview with Don Siegelman regarding the theft of the 2002 election for governor in Alabama. The rest of Siegelman's story was covered on 60 Minutes. Scary stuff.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
One Day
Ever think about what we could do if we diverted the cost of just one day of the Iraq war to meet social needs here in the US?
now imagine if we diverted all of those resources used in that war to touching the needs of the world... imagine how that would impact our security.
Thanks to the American Friends Service Committee
now imagine if we diverted all of those resources used in that war to touching the needs of the world... imagine how that would impact our security.
Thanks to the American Friends Service Committee
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Frozen
when I think of frozen, it is usually in relation to thinking of February back in Albany, New York.
This is a delightful performance art piece done by improv everywhere that gives new meaning to the word
This is a delightful performance art piece done by improv everywhere that gives new meaning to the word
Station Fifteen
Station Fifteen - Resurrection!
The traditional Stations of the Cross end with the 14th station, "Jesus Body Is Laid in the Tomb." As Protestants who stand outside that tradition, we felt that the story was incomplete. Good Friday must be followed by Easter Sunday. Death must give way to life. God's love transforms the whole order of creation. So, our Stations include a 15th Station - Resurrection. As you see it is the brightest of the paintings. It is also the largest, symbolizing the fact that the resurrection gives meaning to all that went before.
Prayer for the Fifteenth Station
When I am in the darkest night, remind me of the coming dawn. Creator, the One who made everything, remind me that you have transformative power. In your compassionate arms, evil is made good, ugly made beautiful, weak made strong, dead made to live. Allow me to receive your compassion so that I may transform lives around me.
Hear my earnest prayer, O God
The traditional Stations of the Cross end with the 14th station, "Jesus Body Is Laid in the Tomb." As Protestants who stand outside that tradition, we felt that the story was incomplete. Good Friday must be followed by Easter Sunday. Death must give way to life. God's love transforms the whole order of creation. So, our Stations include a 15th Station - Resurrection. As you see it is the brightest of the paintings. It is also the largest, symbolizing the fact that the resurrection gives meaning to all that went before.
Prayer for the Fifteenth Station
When I am in the darkest night, remind me of the coming dawn. Creator, the One who made everything, remind me that you have transformative power. In your compassionate arms, evil is made good, ugly made beautiful, weak made strong, dead made to live. Allow me to receive your compassion so that I may transform lives around me.
Hear my earnest prayer, O God
music
for a number of years Alexis and I have had some songs up on Soundclick.
I've played a variety of styles of music since that project - Jamie Green, Karen Thurber, Soulamente, and a funk project that was tentatively called "The Broken Hipsters" that never grew wings. I'm still very proud of the music Alexis and I did and it has been available at soundclick and CD Baby and I think even Itunes.
Sometime ago Soundclick added the code for a player to add to a page and I hadn't done it... so here it is. (moved to sidebar...)
Hope you like the tunes... you can click on store and purchase them for download and add them to your mp3 player or go to . CD Baby and get the CD of our earlier material.
I've played a variety of styles of music since that project - Jamie Green, Karen Thurber, Soulamente, and a funk project that was tentatively called "The Broken Hipsters" that never grew wings. I'm still very proud of the music Alexis and I did and it has been available at soundclick and CD Baby and I think even Itunes.
Sometime ago Soundclick added the code for a player to add to a page and I hadn't done it... so here it is. (moved to sidebar...)
Hope you like the tunes... you can click on store and purchase them for download and add them to your mp3 player or go to . CD Baby and get the CD of our earlier material.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Partscaster progress
Things are almost finished with the partscaster.
Here's the body with 6 coats of tung oil, the shielding, and the studs for the floating bridge installed. Looks pretty good doesn't it?
Here's the headstock with my little logo. It was dark when I applied it and I couldn't see as well as I would have liked in the garage... so it is a little crooked and there is a cat hair underneath it. Oh well.
I had a few pieces of exotic woods sitting in the garage that I've been waiting to use for something for over 20 years... so I cut a truss rod cover from a piece of stripped ebony. I don't have the proper tools so the line isn't quite even but I like the rustic look. I put one coat of tung oil on it.
and here it is with everything assembled...
which leads us to the almost part... I plugged it in and there is a problem with the fancy switch I added. It splits the bridge pickup when you combine that pickup with the single coils so 4 of 5 of the pickup selections are humbucking. Well, it is splitting the pickup but to the wrong coils so I have single coil hum in two positions that should be hum free. I'm trying to find out which wires to move so that it will work correctly and then we'll be set to go. Hopefully by tomorrow I'll have an answer and maybe have it ready to play in church in the morning.
Here's the body with 6 coats of tung oil, the shielding, and the studs for the floating bridge installed. Looks pretty good doesn't it?
Here's the headstock with my little logo. It was dark when I applied it and I couldn't see as well as I would have liked in the garage... so it is a little crooked and there is a cat hair underneath it. Oh well.
I had a few pieces of exotic woods sitting in the garage that I've been waiting to use for something for over 20 years... so I cut a truss rod cover from a piece of stripped ebony. I don't have the proper tools so the line isn't quite even but I like the rustic look. I put one coat of tung oil on it.
and here it is with everything assembled...
which leads us to the almost part... I plugged it in and there is a problem with the fancy switch I added. It splits the bridge pickup when you combine that pickup with the single coils so 4 of 5 of the pickup selections are humbucking. Well, it is splitting the pickup but to the wrong coils so I have single coil hum in two positions that should be hum free. I'm trying to find out which wires to move so that it will work correctly and then we'll be set to go. Hopefully by tomorrow I'll have an answer and maybe have it ready to play in church in the morning.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Ouch
Churches walk a very fine line between being relevant to the culture and embracing it whole hog. Incarnation requires us to be relevant in the context we find ourselves but many of the values of the dominant culture are antithetical to the call of Jesus. If we do not speak the language of the culture and understand it, then we have nothing to say. At the same time, if we fail to be authentic to the values of Jesus in our context, we lose our credibility and damage the ministry of the church.
Sometimes, the line is really difficult to walk. I wonder when worship treads too close to entertainment or when church leaders become celebrities. At CDCC, we try to use media well, present music with quality, and I work hard to make my sermons engaging. I want to keep people's attention in a world where they are inundated with high production value entertainment. Running a church that speaks to this culture isn't cheap, especially in Santa Barbara. Money is an issue we cannot ignore but we must always be good stewards of the money we receive. And it is difficult to measure "success" outside of its cultural trappings.
Add to that a culture that has high expectations of the Church even as they ignore it. Folk in the broader culture expect churches of all institutions, to be authentic to the values we espouse. We become an easy target if we slip over the line even a little.
A friend shared this link to a youtube video that evidently came from an Australian television show called Chaser's War on Everything. It is a parody of a very large church in Australia with huge numbers of people, incredibly high production values, and more resources than many small countries in the developing world. I have no idea how fairly the parody reflects Hillsong, but it certainly hurts any of us in the institutional church who struggle with those lines. Evidently the perception of some in Australia is that Hillsong has crossed the line.
I have to say that I wrestled with whether or not I should post the video. I did laugh... and cringe as I watched it. Most of all though, I prayed... May God keep the Church of Jesus from becoming like this parody. I posted it as a reminder to myself...
Sometimes, the line is really difficult to walk. I wonder when worship treads too close to entertainment or when church leaders become celebrities. At CDCC, we try to use media well, present music with quality, and I work hard to make my sermons engaging. I want to keep people's attention in a world where they are inundated with high production value entertainment. Running a church that speaks to this culture isn't cheap, especially in Santa Barbara. Money is an issue we cannot ignore but we must always be good stewards of the money we receive. And it is difficult to measure "success" outside of its cultural trappings.
Add to that a culture that has high expectations of the Church even as they ignore it. Folk in the broader culture expect churches of all institutions, to be authentic to the values we espouse. We become an easy target if we slip over the line even a little.
A friend shared this link to a youtube video that evidently came from an Australian television show called Chaser's War on Everything. It is a parody of a very large church in Australia with huge numbers of people, incredibly high production values, and more resources than many small countries in the developing world. I have no idea how fairly the parody reflects Hillsong, but it certainly hurts any of us in the institutional church who struggle with those lines. Evidently the perception of some in Australia is that Hillsong has crossed the line.
I have to say that I wrestled with whether or not I should post the video. I did laugh... and cringe as I watched it. Most of all though, I prayed... May God keep the Church of Jesus from becoming like this parody. I posted it as a reminder to myself...
Thursday, February 21, 2008
gear
The other day, I blogged about v-picks and what a great product they are. Well, I was thinking about guitar gear and thought I'd post a few products and vendors that I really appreciate.
First... the big one - Lowden Guitars. George, Flo, and company build the most amazing acoustic guitars and they are wonderful people. If you are in the market for a small shop acoustic guitar, make sure you check out a Lowden.
Every musician who carries an instrument around needs a good case. There are lots of options at a variety of price points with different purposes in mind. For everyday use, I really like a good gig bag. They are light in weight. You can sling them over your shoulder, freeing up your hands. And the good ones are almost as protective as old fashioned hard cases. My favorite is the Incase slim bag. They aren't cheap but they are great bags and really protect your electric guitar or bass. Unfortunately, they don't make an acoustic bag any longer. Mono makes an acoustic bag that looks pretty good. One of these days, I'll probably try one out.
Most fingerboards are not finished and so the wood is subject to drying out. A good fingerboard oil is a must but what to use is a bigger question. There are lots of products available - some of which are marketed for guitars and others that are either aimed at other purposes ("lemon oil" furniture polish) or just bizarre (nose oil!). I really like Fret Doctor. It is a mix of natural oils and stabilizers that works great. It is also available in smaller bottles for use as bore oil for woodwinds.
Strings... without strings, a guitar doesn't do much. In the last decade or so, a number of companies have released strings that are coated with teflon like substances to increase string life - strings lose their brightness as dirt and corrosion build up. I tried a number of those different strings on my acoustic guitars and just didn't care for any of them. They lasted a long time, but they didn't sound very good to me. I found a little company called Wyres Strings in Canada that makes coated strings that sound as good to me as the uncoated ones. They last forever and sound great. I use the TP1256 which have light gauge trebles and medium gauge bass strings. This works great for dropped tunings and gives me a little bigger bottom.
On electric guitar, I don't hear the change as strings age quite as drastically as I do on acoustic so I go for inexpensive here. I purchase my electric strings from Webstrings and used to get my acoustic strings there as well. There are only a few companies that actually manufactuer guitar strings. Most come from those couple of factories and are re-branded by a company that markets them... so there is a strong possibility that strings from webstrings are the same ones you get at the local music store... except the webstrings cost half as much.
Back to the partscaster. There are 3 or 4 companies that make wonderful guitar bodies and necks - Warmoth, and USA Custom Guitars stand out. Between those two companies you can get great bodies or necks made in the USA of top qualty woods with an amazing number of options... and there are other companies such as allparts or mightymite that offer fewer options at lower prices from overseas manufacturers. (I put together a beautiful guitar using parts from Warmoth and USACG.) For me though, Carvin guitars works. It is true that there is only one body shape and one neck profile available but the options for different woods are there, the price is right, and the fit of the parts is second to none. If you go with one of their kits, you get everything you need at a much lower price point than you would pay if you purchased everything separately. In the next few days, I hope to finish my latest partscaster and I'll post some more photos.
Last, my favorite acoustic guitar shop in the world is Cathedral Music in Troy, New York. Klem says he doesn't sell any junk and that is absolutely true. Klem's inventory is not the biggest but every guitar he sells at any price point is a gem. His customer service is also second to none. Don't buy a high end acoustic guitar without talking to Klem first... and tell him that I sent you.
First... the big one - Lowden Guitars. George, Flo, and company build the most amazing acoustic guitars and they are wonderful people. If you are in the market for a small shop acoustic guitar, make sure you check out a Lowden.
Every musician who carries an instrument around needs a good case. There are lots of options at a variety of price points with different purposes in mind. For everyday use, I really like a good gig bag. They are light in weight. You can sling them over your shoulder, freeing up your hands. And the good ones are almost as protective as old fashioned hard cases. My favorite is the Incase slim bag. They aren't cheap but they are great bags and really protect your electric guitar or bass. Unfortunately, they don't make an acoustic bag any longer. Mono makes an acoustic bag that looks pretty good. One of these days, I'll probably try one out.
Most fingerboards are not finished and so the wood is subject to drying out. A good fingerboard oil is a must but what to use is a bigger question. There are lots of products available - some of which are marketed for guitars and others that are either aimed at other purposes ("lemon oil" furniture polish) or just bizarre (nose oil!). I really like Fret Doctor. It is a mix of natural oils and stabilizers that works great. It is also available in smaller bottles for use as bore oil for woodwinds.
Strings... without strings, a guitar doesn't do much. In the last decade or so, a number of companies have released strings that are coated with teflon like substances to increase string life - strings lose their brightness as dirt and corrosion build up. I tried a number of those different strings on my acoustic guitars and just didn't care for any of them. They lasted a long time, but they didn't sound very good to me. I found a little company called Wyres Strings in Canada that makes coated strings that sound as good to me as the uncoated ones. They last forever and sound great. I use the TP1256 which have light gauge trebles and medium gauge bass strings. This works great for dropped tunings and gives me a little bigger bottom.
On electric guitar, I don't hear the change as strings age quite as drastically as I do on acoustic so I go for inexpensive here. I purchase my electric strings from Webstrings and used to get my acoustic strings there as well. There are only a few companies that actually manufactuer guitar strings. Most come from those couple of factories and are re-branded by a company that markets them... so there is a strong possibility that strings from webstrings are the same ones you get at the local music store... except the webstrings cost half as much.
Back to the partscaster. There are 3 or 4 companies that make wonderful guitar bodies and necks - Warmoth, and USA Custom Guitars stand out. Between those two companies you can get great bodies or necks made in the USA of top qualty woods with an amazing number of options... and there are other companies such as allparts or mightymite that offer fewer options at lower prices from overseas manufacturers. (I put together a beautiful guitar using parts from Warmoth and USACG.) For me though, Carvin guitars works. It is true that there is only one body shape and one neck profile available but the options for different woods are there, the price is right, and the fit of the parts is second to none. If you go with one of their kits, you get everything you need at a much lower price point than you would pay if you purchased everything separately. In the next few days, I hope to finish my latest partscaster and I'll post some more photos.
Last, my favorite acoustic guitar shop in the world is Cathedral Music in Troy, New York. Klem says he doesn't sell any junk and that is absolutely true. Klem's inventory is not the biggest but every guitar he sells at any price point is a gem. His customer service is also second to none. Don't buy a high end acoustic guitar without talking to Klem first... and tell him that I sent you.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Station Fourteen
Station Fourteen - Jesus Is Laid in the Tomb
Prayer for Station Fourteen
When I want to keep my resources to myself, even though they would be used better elsewhere, drive me to give. Keep generosity at the foremost of my thoughts, the tip of my tongue and the ends of my fingers. Remind me that the gifts I give now come back one hundred-fold.
Prayer for Station Fourteen
When I want to keep my resources to myself, even though they would be used better elsewhere, drive me to give. Keep generosity at the foremost of my thoughts, the tip of my tongue and the ends of my fingers. Remind me that the gifts I give now come back one hundred-fold.
Station Thirteen
Station Thirteen - The Body of Jesus Is Taken Down from the Cross
Prayer for Station Thirteen
It is easy to be kind and to do good when someone is obviously in pain. It is easy to see a way of healing at that time. Grant me sight for those difficult moments when your people are in pain, in longing in much more subtle ways. Give me vision for shades of gray.
Prayer for Station Thirteen
It is easy to be kind and to do good when someone is obviously in pain. It is easy to see a way of healing at that time. Grant me sight for those difficult moments when your people are in pain, in longing in much more subtle ways. Give me vision for shades of gray.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Station Twelve
Station Twelve - Jesus Dies
Prayer for Station Twelve
Give me moments to ponder in my heart your supreme love, a love greater than all others, a love for each and every one of your children.
Prayer for Station Twelve
Give me moments to ponder in my heart your supreme love, a love greater than all others, a love for each and every one of your children.
cool product
Guitar players are often gear whores... we have this myth that if we just purchase the correct equipment we'll become stars. So we go through lots of different guitars, amps, accessories (ask my wife, she can tell you how many guitars and amps I've gone through)... The problem is that while many are great, they are not qualitatively different from the one you just sold, and then you wish you had the old one back - boy I wish I had that '68 tele back and the '64 Deluxe Reverb and the '70 Marshall 50 and the...
Well, I came across a wonderful little product that is great and truly is qualitatively different. I had been using ivory picks made from old piano keys. They sound great and feel great but they are expensive, inconsistent, and hard to find. One of the guitar websites that I frequent has had a lot of buzz about a new pick company (how boring can you get?) with picks made of acrylic. Frankly, I wasn't expecting much and didn't plan to order any. When I visited NAMM, V-Picks had a booth and were handing out free samples. Their picks aren't cheap for picks - $4, but they're a lot less than my ivory ones. So, I picked one up, not expecting to be impressed. I was. It is great! It sounds great. It feels great. I like it as much or more than the ivory picks and it is 1/5th the price or less and it looks as if it will last a very long time. So I ordered some more including some of their acoustic models which have a slightly different bevel. Again, I didn't expect much. I knew that different materials sound different, but different bevels? Well, they are completely different and I am thrilled to have both.
If you play guitar, check out these picks. They really are amazing and do sound and play significantly differently than your stock music store picks. Thanks Vinni
Well, I came across a wonderful little product that is great and truly is qualitatively different. I had been using ivory picks made from old piano keys. They sound great and feel great but they are expensive, inconsistent, and hard to find. One of the guitar websites that I frequent has had a lot of buzz about a new pick company (how boring can you get?) with picks made of acrylic. Frankly, I wasn't expecting much and didn't plan to order any. When I visited NAMM, V-Picks had a booth and were handing out free samples. Their picks aren't cheap for picks - $4, but they're a lot less than my ivory ones. So, I picked one up, not expecting to be impressed. I was. It is great! It sounds great. It feels great. I like it as much or more than the ivory picks and it is 1/5th the price or less and it looks as if it will last a very long time. So I ordered some more including some of their acoustic models which have a slightly different bevel. Again, I didn't expect much. I knew that different materials sound different, but different bevels? Well, they are completely different and I am thrilled to have both.If you play guitar, check out these picks. They really are amazing and do sound and play significantly differently than your stock music store picks. Thanks Vinni
Monday, February 18, 2008
Station Eleven
Station Eleven - Jesus Is Nailed to the Cross
Prayer for Station Eleven
Peel my prejudice away and open my arms that I may embrace all of my family on this world. It is tempting for me to take my anger out on others. Grant me strength to love and not to lash out. Make my hands those of healing and not those of hate.
Prayer for Station Eleven
Peel my prejudice away and open my arms that I may embrace all of my family on this world. It is tempting for me to take my anger out on others. Grant me strength to love and not to lash out. Make my hands those of healing and not those of hate.
bolt-t progress
I promised to follow the process of putting together the Carvin Bolt T kit. Frankly it has been frustrating. I waited longer for the kit than I expected but was very pleased with it when it finally arrived. The body
is very light weight (which generally is a good thing) and has pleasant grain for alder which isn't a fancy looking wood. The original plan was to dye it using bing cherry from Woodburst Dyes. I placed an order with them with the expectation that it would arrive in about a week... after three weeks of waiting I canceled the order.
In the meantime, I sanded the arm and belly cuts to be a little deeper than the original body and then decided just to use tung oil as a finish. So here is the body after the sanding and two coats of the finish.
Tung oil is a very easy finish to use and I like the look, the feel, and any effect that it might have on the tone of a solid body guitar. It darkens the alder nicely and brings out the grain. I added a third coat this morning and plan two or three more. More coats will give a little more gloss to the finish and will darken the wood a little more.
While I was waiting for the stain to come, I put 4 coats of tung oil on the back of the neck and the headstock. Notice that the oil doesn't darken the maple nearly as much as it does alder.
Here is the front of the neck. You don't add finish to the ebony fingerboard. I really like the little streak of lighter color in the grain.
I also changed the switch for selecting pickups while everything else was sitting.
Another little frustration presented itself yesterday. On the other partscasters that I've put together, I did a little logo on waterslide decal paper and applied it on the headstock. I had a small piece of decal paper left over from a previous build, put it in the printer, printed my logo and... the ink didn't stick to the paper. I guess there must be some kind of coating on the paper than didn't age well since its been sitting for about 2 years. So, either I wait to get more decal paper before putting the guitar together or go without my little decal. And I've not been able to find any of this paper locally. I'd have to purchase it via the web. ARGGGHHHH
So... I'm looking at final assembly in about 3 or 4 days without the decal, or waiting about a week or so if I choose to put the decal on.
is very light weight (which generally is a good thing) and has pleasant grain for alder which isn't a fancy looking wood. The original plan was to dye it using bing cherry from Woodburst Dyes. I placed an order with them with the expectation that it would arrive in about a week... after three weeks of waiting I canceled the order.
In the meantime, I sanded the arm and belly cuts to be a little deeper than the original body and then decided just to use tung oil as a finish. So here is the body after the sanding and two coats of the finish.
Tung oil is a very easy finish to use and I like the look, the feel, and any effect that it might have on the tone of a solid body guitar. It darkens the alder nicely and brings out the grain. I added a third coat this morning and plan two or three more. More coats will give a little more gloss to the finish and will darken the wood a little more.
While I was waiting for the stain to come, I put 4 coats of tung oil on the back of the neck and the headstock. Notice that the oil doesn't darken the maple nearly as much as it does alder.
Here is the front of the neck. You don't add finish to the ebony fingerboard. I really like the little streak of lighter color in the grain.
I also changed the switch for selecting pickups while everything else was sitting.
Another little frustration presented itself yesterday. On the other partscasters that I've put together, I did a little logo on waterslide decal paper and applied it on the headstock. I had a small piece of decal paper left over from a previous build, put it in the printer, printed my logo and... the ink didn't stick to the paper. I guess there must be some kind of coating on the paper than didn't age well since its been sitting for about 2 years. So, either I wait to get more decal paper before putting the guitar together or go without my little decal. And I've not been able to find any of this paper locally. I'd have to purchase it via the web. ARGGGHHHH
So... I'm looking at final assembly in about 3 or 4 days without the decal, or waiting about a week or so if I choose to put the decal on.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Station Ten
Station Ten - Jesus is Stripped of His Clothing
Prayer for Station Ten
When I am tempted to be a follower of societal norms, correct my direction. Allow me to only be a follower of one path, the one of truth. Never allow me to grow so weak that I am a pack member, but only allow me to run with your pack.
Prayer for Station Ten
When I am tempted to be a follower of societal norms, correct my direction. Allow me to only be a follower of one path, the one of truth. Never allow me to grow so weak that I am a pack member, but only allow me to run with your pack.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Station Nine
Station Nine - Jesus Falls a Third Time
Prayer for Station Nine
Grant me strength to be crazy. Help me to jump off cliffs and to crawl into dark places. Keep my talk and step in time together.
Prayer for Station Nine
Grant me strength to be crazy. Help me to jump off cliffs and to crawl into dark places. Keep my talk and step in time together.
Station Eight
Station Eight - Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem
Prayer for Station Eight
My own reflection clouds my judgment. Break my mirror so that I can see beyond it. Squeeze out my ego when I have become too self absorbed. The world is larger than me or mine. I can do more with you.
Prayer for Station Eight
My own reflection clouds my judgment. Break my mirror so that I can see beyond it. Squeeze out my ego when I have become too self absorbed. The world is larger than me or mine. I can do more with you.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Station Seven
Station Seven - Jesus Falls a Second Time
Prayer for Station Seven:
Give me knowledge that I have strengths and weaknesses. Do not allow me to shy away from this fact. Make me strong enough to recognize that I cannot do everything well or correctly the first time, but do not permit me to give up. Keep me stubborn so that I will never stop trying.
Prayer for Station Seven:
Give me knowledge that I have strengths and weaknesses. Do not allow me to shy away from this fact. Make me strong enough to recognize that I cannot do everything well or correctly the first time, but do not permit me to give up. Keep me stubborn so that I will never stop trying.
Station Six
Station Six - Veronica Wipes Jesus' Face
Prayer for Station Six
O Creator, remind me that though I am small, though I am insignificant in this vast universe, everything I do makes a difference. Show me that when I so much as smile to a person who is burdened, I can change the path of fate
Prayer for Station Six
O Creator, remind me that though I am small, though I am insignificant in this vast universe, everything I do makes a difference. Show me that when I so much as smile to a person who is burdened, I can change the path of fate
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Station Five
Station Five - Simone of Cyrene Is Made to Carry Jesus' Cross
Prayer for Station Five
Sometimes I am frightened to give of myself to others. Peel the caul from my eyes so that I might see when I give part of myself to help another, I will gain ten times ten what was given. Show me that there is nothing to lose, and everything to gain.
Prayer for Station Five
Sometimes I am frightened to give of myself to others. Peel the caul from my eyes so that I might see when I give part of myself to help another, I will gain ten times ten what was given. Show me that there is nothing to lose, and everything to gain.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Station Four
Station Four - Jesus Meets Mary, His Mother
Prayer for Station Four
In the midst of a hectic world, I am thrown. I turn my head this way and that, seeking solace in the mess. Guide me to those who will nurture me. Lead me to those who will lift me up out of the mess so that I might find that peace that passes understanding.
Prayer for Station Four
In the midst of a hectic world, I am thrown. I turn my head this way and that, seeking solace in the mess. Guide me to those who will nurture me. Lead me to those who will lift me up out of the mess so that I might find that peace that passes understanding.
Friday, February 08, 2008
New Partscaster
In my profile I mention that I play a partscaster electric. For those of you who aren't guitarists, let me explain. In the electric guitar world, there are basically two families of guitars - those based on Gibson designs and those based on Fender designs. Fender style construction included a bolt on neck. What that means in practical terms is that putting together a guitar with that style construction is sort of like building with legos... you purchase well made parts, bolt or screw everything in place and you have a guitar. Obviously the parts making requires a great deal of skill and complicated machinery and there is the issue of setting the guitar up (adjusting everything) to make it play well and in tune, but basically if you are putting together a partscaster, it isn't rocket science. Good parts, careful assembly and you have a decent guitar.
I did my first partscaster (that's it above)about 5 years ago using a Carvin kit. Basically I bought that kit because it was inexpensive and I hoped I'd get an OK guitar out of the deal. I love the guitar. I have changed some of the electronics to my taste but even stock, I really enjoyed that guitar. So I though using more expensive parts from a variety of vendors could get me something I liked even better. I built this guitar:
pretty huh? The parts are very high quality and I did a good job putting it together. Still, it didn't sound any better than the Carvin and I prefer the shape of the Carvin neck (read, I like the way the Carvin feels better)
Then, I began to get an itch of a different type of bridge on a guitar (these two were both hardtails which means the bridge is solidly flat against the guitar body) and I have been wanting a floating trem. So the fancy partscaster sold and I ordered another kit from Carvin, this one with a trem bridge. I found that the carvin body and neck fit together better than the parts from other vendors, I liked the pickups on the Carvin, and I prefer the sound of the simpler wood body of alder over the fancy stuff, and I like an ebony fingerboard on a maple neck so the kit made sense and cost a lot less than sourcing out all of the parts individually. The only things I changed from the stock kit are the addition of stainless steel frets and a different bridge pickup. I ordered the kit on December 5.
The kit arrived today! Whooo Whooo! At this point, I'm just doing final sanding so there is nothing exciting to show... well, here's the body
I am going to carve the arm and belly cutouts a little deeper. The body will be stained with bing cherry from Woodburst and I'll do a tung oil finish on top of that and on the neck (I love the feel of tung oil). I'll also be swapping out the switch for a fancier one that does some cool things beyond the stock switch. This will be the first time I've set up a guitar with a trem so wish me luck with that. As the kit comes together, I'll blog about the process and add some photos.
I did my first partscaster (that's it above)about 5 years ago using a Carvin kit. Basically I bought that kit because it was inexpensive and I hoped I'd get an OK guitar out of the deal. I love the guitar. I have changed some of the electronics to my taste but even stock, I really enjoyed that guitar. So I though using more expensive parts from a variety of vendors could get me something I liked even better. I built this guitar:
pretty huh? The parts are very high quality and I did a good job putting it together. Still, it didn't sound any better than the Carvin and I prefer the shape of the Carvin neck (read, I like the way the Carvin feels better)
Then, I began to get an itch of a different type of bridge on a guitar (these two were both hardtails which means the bridge is solidly flat against the guitar body) and I have been wanting a floating trem. So the fancy partscaster sold and I ordered another kit from Carvin, this one with a trem bridge. I found that the carvin body and neck fit together better than the parts from other vendors, I liked the pickups on the Carvin, and I prefer the sound of the simpler wood body of alder over the fancy stuff, and I like an ebony fingerboard on a maple neck so the kit made sense and cost a lot less than sourcing out all of the parts individually. The only things I changed from the stock kit are the addition of stainless steel frets and a different bridge pickup. I ordered the kit on December 5.
The kit arrived today! Whooo Whooo! At this point, I'm just doing final sanding so there is nothing exciting to show... well, here's the body
I am going to carve the arm and belly cutouts a little deeper. The body will be stained with bing cherry from Woodburst and I'll do a tung oil finish on top of that and on the neck (I love the feel of tung oil). I'll also be swapping out the switch for a fancier one that does some cool things beyond the stock switch. This will be the first time I've set up a guitar with a trem so wish me luck with that. As the kit comes together, I'll blog about the process and add some photos.
Station Three
Station Three: Jesus Falls the First Time
Prayer for the Third Station
In my fear of failure, I abandon difficult projects, people, and problems. I procrastinate, and I finish tasks haphazardly. Buttress my soul with your strength. Help me to see that I can accomplish anything with you by my side.
Prayer for the Third Station
In my fear of failure, I abandon difficult projects, people, and problems. I procrastinate, and I finish tasks haphazardly. Buttress my soul with your strength. Help me to see that I can accomplish anything with you by my side.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Station 2
The Second Station - Jesus Takes His Cross
Prayer for the Second Station
Along my journey there will be obstacles. Give me the strength to pursue my path. Give me courage to persist in life’s problems. Allow my eyes to be opened to the world and the communal struggles your people face. Give me courage to join together with my sisters and brothers to take up our communal crosses.
Prayer for the Second Station
Along my journey there will be obstacles. Give me the strength to pursue my path. Give me courage to persist in life’s problems. Allow my eyes to be opened to the world and the communal struggles your people face. Give me courage to join together with my sisters and brothers to take up our communal crosses.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Obama for President
I voted for Obama. I think he is the far stronger of the two candidates left in the Democratic party. I haven't worked for his campaign. Frankly, I'm not as happy with some of his policies as I was with some of the candidates who have withdrawn. Still, he was my choice because of some intangibles that I couldn't quite make clear.
The following video expresses those thoughts clearly. It is just under 22 minutes long but it is worth listening to the entire thing. Let Lawrence Lessig tell you why he is for Obama and if your state is still to come in the primaries, Vote Obama for the next president of the United States.
Had I seen this video a week or so ago, I think I would have been out actively campaigning for Obama.
The following video expresses those thoughts clearly. It is just under 22 minutes long but it is worth listening to the entire thing. Let Lawrence Lessig tell you why he is for Obama and if your state is still to come in the primaries, Vote Obama for the next president of the United States.
Had I seen this video a week or so ago, I think I would have been out actively campaigning for Obama.
Station 1
As I said in my previous post, Alexis did the paintings and wrote the prayers for our stations at Cambridge Drive Church. Because the tradition of the Stations of the Cross is foreign to our tradition, she was freed to interpret the stations in ways that go far afield from the tradition. The paintings are abstract. The prayers are personal. I hope you find them helpful in your faith journey.
Opening Prayer:
Dear Creator – Thank you for your greatest miracle, and your greatest gift. I walk now, remembering your walk two thousand years before. My heart meditating on the world’s most awesome power, your love.
Amen.
The First Station: Jesus is Condemned to Die
Prayer for the First Station:
Some will accuse and some will attack. When words come at me like swords, I pray for understanding of hurt hearts and of frightened minds. Give me strength to be wise, still my heart of confusion, give me clarity to see, and grant me peace to forgive.
Opening Prayer:
Dear Creator – Thank you for your greatest miracle, and your greatest gift. I walk now, remembering your walk two thousand years before. My heart meditating on the world’s most awesome power, your love.
Amen.
The First Station: Jesus is Condemned to Die
Prayer for the First Station:
Some will accuse and some will attack. When words come at me like swords, I pray for understanding of hurt hearts and of frightened minds. Give me strength to be wise, still my heart of confusion, give me clarity to see, and grant me peace to forgive.
Ash Wednesday and the Stations of the Cross
I'm a Baptist. We aren't known for being particularly concerned with ancient rituals, liturgy, the church year, or religious artwork. In part that is true for me except I do find the church year very meaningful and helpful in setting a rhythm for my life.
Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. Penitential seasons are not important in my tradition but this one is for me. Actually this is the first year in at least 20 that I haven't had ashes on my forehead. One thing we do at Cambridge Drive Church each year is to hang stations of the cross. I finished hanging the paintings this morning and will spend some time praying through them later today.
Throughout Lent, I will post the paintings and the suggested prayers that we have on our walls... but first some information. This text is from a handout that we have near the first station. It is based on a Roman Catholic site that can be found here.
Why Do the Stations?
The most important reason for reviving the practice of making the Stations of the Cross is that it is a powerful way to contemplate, and enter into, the mystery of Jesus' gift of himself to us. It takes the reflection on the passion out of my head, and makes it an imaginative exercise. It involves my senses, my experience and my emotions. To the extent I come to experience the love of Jesus for me, to that extent the gratitude I feel will be deep. Deep gratitude leads to real generosity and a desire to love as I have been loved. First, just a note about the history of the stations.
The History:
From the earliest of days, followers of Jesus told the story of his passion, death and resurrection. When pilgrims came to see Jerusalem, they were anxious to see the sites where Jesus was. These sites become important holy connections with Jesus. Eventually, following in the footsteps of the Lord, along the way of the cross, became a part of the pilgrimage visit. The stations, as we know them today, came about when it was no longer easy or even possible to visit the holy sites. In the 1500's, villages all over Europe started creating "replicas" of the way of the cross, with small shrines commemorating the places along the route in Jerusalem. Eventually, these shrines became the set of 14 stations we now know and were placed in almost every Catholic Church in the world. More recently, this devotional practice has been embraced by other Christian traditions.
The Context:
The first point to note is that this is prayer. It isn't an intellectual exercise. It is in the context of my relationship with God. I could read through the text of each of the stations, and look at the pictures, but that wouldn't necessarily be prayer. This is an invitation to enter into a gifted faith experience of who Jesus is for me. It becomes prayer when I open my heart to be touched, and it leads me to express my response in prayer.
The second thing to remember is that this is an imaginative exercise. Its purpose is not a historical examination of "what really happened" on that day in history. It's about something far more profound. This is an opportunity to use this long standing Christian prayer to let Jesus touch my heart deeply by showing me the depth of his love for me. The context is the historical fact that he was made to carry the instrument of his death, from the place where he was condemned to die, to Calvary where he died, and that he was taken down and laid in a tomb. The religious context is that today Jesus wants to use any means available to move my heart to know his love for me. These exercises can allow me to imaginatively visualize the "meaning" of his passion and death.
The point of this exercise is to lead us to gratitude. It will also lead us into a sense of solidarity with all our brothers and sisters. In our busy, high tech lives we can easily get out of touch with the terrible suffering of real people in our world. Journeying with Jesus in the Stations allows us to imagine his entry into the experience of those who are tortured, unjustly accused or victimized, sitting on death row, carrying impossible burdens, facing terminal illnesses, or simply fatigued with life.
How to:
Just go from one station to another. When "arriving" at a station, begin by looking carefully at the image itself. Let the image lead your imagination wherever it will go. Then read the description of the station. Look at the image again and let it lead you deeper into your experience of Jesus' love and suffering. Then, pray. You may pray the prayers that are written on the wall or use your own prayer. When you finish the 14th station, stop and remember that the story is not over. Good Friday is followed by Easter Sunday and the death of Jesus leads to his resurrection. Spend a few moments in contemplation of that miracle and of the power of God that overcomes even the power of death. For this reason, we have an additional station which goes beyond the traditional 14 - Resurrection
When you are finished, sit in silence and pray a while, resting in the experience.
The paintings and prayers were done by Alexis Donkin. In addition to being my daughter, Alexis is an amazing young woman. She did part of her undergraduate education at Bard College as a painting major. She finished at Juniata College as a Peace & Conflict Studies major and is finishing a masters in the International Studies department at UCSB with plans to pursue a PhD in conflict studies with an emphasis on the way that religious traditions play out in conflict situations.
I hope you find these stations as meaningful as I do. If you are in the Santa Barbara area and would like to experience them all at once, drop me a note and we'll arrange a time.
Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. Penitential seasons are not important in my tradition but this one is for me. Actually this is the first year in at least 20 that I haven't had ashes on my forehead. One thing we do at Cambridge Drive Church each year is to hang stations of the cross. I finished hanging the paintings this morning and will spend some time praying through them later today.
Throughout Lent, I will post the paintings and the suggested prayers that we have on our walls... but first some information. This text is from a handout that we have near the first station. It is based on a Roman Catholic site that can be found here.
Why Do the Stations?
The most important reason for reviving the practice of making the Stations of the Cross is that it is a powerful way to contemplate, and enter into, the mystery of Jesus' gift of himself to us. It takes the reflection on the passion out of my head, and makes it an imaginative exercise. It involves my senses, my experience and my emotions. To the extent I come to experience the love of Jesus for me, to that extent the gratitude I feel will be deep. Deep gratitude leads to real generosity and a desire to love as I have been loved. First, just a note about the history of the stations.
The History:
From the earliest of days, followers of Jesus told the story of his passion, death and resurrection. When pilgrims came to see Jerusalem, they were anxious to see the sites where Jesus was. These sites become important holy connections with Jesus. Eventually, following in the footsteps of the Lord, along the way of the cross, became a part of the pilgrimage visit. The stations, as we know them today, came about when it was no longer easy or even possible to visit the holy sites. In the 1500's, villages all over Europe started creating "replicas" of the way of the cross, with small shrines commemorating the places along the route in Jerusalem. Eventually, these shrines became the set of 14 stations we now know and were placed in almost every Catholic Church in the world. More recently, this devotional practice has been embraced by other Christian traditions.
The Context:
The first point to note is that this is prayer. It isn't an intellectual exercise. It is in the context of my relationship with God. I could read through the text of each of the stations, and look at the pictures, but that wouldn't necessarily be prayer. This is an invitation to enter into a gifted faith experience of who Jesus is for me. It becomes prayer when I open my heart to be touched, and it leads me to express my response in prayer.
The second thing to remember is that this is an imaginative exercise. Its purpose is not a historical examination of "what really happened" on that day in history. It's about something far more profound. This is an opportunity to use this long standing Christian prayer to let Jesus touch my heart deeply by showing me the depth of his love for me. The context is the historical fact that he was made to carry the instrument of his death, from the place where he was condemned to die, to Calvary where he died, and that he was taken down and laid in a tomb. The religious context is that today Jesus wants to use any means available to move my heart to know his love for me. These exercises can allow me to imaginatively visualize the "meaning" of his passion and death.
The point of this exercise is to lead us to gratitude. It will also lead us into a sense of solidarity with all our brothers and sisters. In our busy, high tech lives we can easily get out of touch with the terrible suffering of real people in our world. Journeying with Jesus in the Stations allows us to imagine his entry into the experience of those who are tortured, unjustly accused or victimized, sitting on death row, carrying impossible burdens, facing terminal illnesses, or simply fatigued with life.
How to:
Just go from one station to another. When "arriving" at a station, begin by looking carefully at the image itself. Let the image lead your imagination wherever it will go. Then read the description of the station. Look at the image again and let it lead you deeper into your experience of Jesus' love and suffering. Then, pray. You may pray the prayers that are written on the wall or use your own prayer. When you finish the 14th station, stop and remember that the story is not over. Good Friday is followed by Easter Sunday and the death of Jesus leads to his resurrection. Spend a few moments in contemplation of that miracle and of the power of God that overcomes even the power of death. For this reason, we have an additional station which goes beyond the traditional 14 - Resurrection
When you are finished, sit in silence and pray a while, resting in the experience.
The paintings and prayers were done by Alexis Donkin. In addition to being my daughter, Alexis is an amazing young woman. She did part of her undergraduate education at Bard College as a painting major. She finished at Juniata College as a Peace & Conflict Studies major and is finishing a masters in the International Studies department at UCSB with plans to pursue a PhD in conflict studies with an emphasis on the way that religious traditions play out in conflict situations.
I hope you find these stations as meaningful as I do. If you are in the Santa Barbara area and would like to experience them all at once, drop me a note and we'll arrange a time.
Monday, February 04, 2008
Super Tuesday
Tomorrow is February 5, Super Tuesday...
If you are in a state that is having a primary, be sure to vote!
If you are in a state that is having a primary, be sure to vote!
Superbowl
I'm not a HUGE a football fan, but I grew up in Pittsburgh where football is religion so it is next to impossible to not at least be a little fan. Well... I'm more than a little fan. I'm a big fan at least of the Steelers. I began this past season that they would make it to the superbowl. Inconsistent play and an offensive line that allowed far too many sacks kept that from being anything more than a fantasy.
There is no question that the New England Patriots are a talented team. They won every game through the season. They made very few mistakes and broke lots of records. Somehow, I could not like them and every week I hoped they would lose.
Early in the season, the New England Patriots were caught cheating. They were filming the defensive play calls of an opposing team. In effect, they stole the other teams playbook. I immediately thought about what would happen if a grad student cheated on a test by stealing the questions before hand. Of course, they would be thrown out of school with no hope of being admitted into any school for a graduate program ever again. Even in High School if you're caught cheating on a test, you fail the test and perhaps the term. Well, the Patriots kept the win and were given a fine - chump change in NFL terms.
As the season went on, they ran up scores on some of the teams that they beat. Their arrogance was disgusting. When it came to the superbowl, they were picked to win by 2 touchdowns and in reality, it seemed to be a reasonable prediction. Reports came out that during the week prior to the game, their players sent invitations to players from the opposing team to come to their victory parties. They even tried to trademark "19-0."
And then the game took place and the Giants did everything right... they pressured Tom Brady, they hit the receivers, they won in the trenches on both sides of the ball and they did the one thing that no other team had been able to pull off against the Patriots, they made the big plays when they were needed. They won. And how the mighty are fallen.
I've watched every superbowl including the ones that were won by the Steelers but I don't think any win has satisfied me more than the Giants beating the Patriots.
There were a few great commercials (I really liked the e-trade commercials) and Tom Petty didn't have any wardrobe malfunctions... but best of all, the Patriots LOST!!!!!
There is no question that the New England Patriots are a talented team. They won every game through the season. They made very few mistakes and broke lots of records. Somehow, I could not like them and every week I hoped they would lose.
Early in the season, the New England Patriots were caught cheating. They were filming the defensive play calls of an opposing team. In effect, they stole the other teams playbook. I immediately thought about what would happen if a grad student cheated on a test by stealing the questions before hand. Of course, they would be thrown out of school with no hope of being admitted into any school for a graduate program ever again. Even in High School if you're caught cheating on a test, you fail the test and perhaps the term. Well, the Patriots kept the win and were given a fine - chump change in NFL terms.
As the season went on, they ran up scores on some of the teams that they beat. Their arrogance was disgusting. When it came to the superbowl, they were picked to win by 2 touchdowns and in reality, it seemed to be a reasonable prediction. Reports came out that during the week prior to the game, their players sent invitations to players from the opposing team to come to their victory parties. They even tried to trademark "19-0."
And then the game took place and the Giants did everything right... they pressured Tom Brady, they hit the receivers, they won in the trenches on both sides of the ball and they did the one thing that no other team had been able to pull off against the Patriots, they made the big plays when they were needed. They won. And how the mighty are fallen.
I've watched every superbowl including the ones that were won by the Steelers but I don't think any win has satisfied me more than the Giants beating the Patriots.
There were a few great commercials (I really liked the e-trade commercials) and Tom Petty didn't have any wardrobe malfunctions... but best of all, the Patriots LOST!!!!!
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