This is what I am reading...

I love N.T. Wright. He is our modern C.S. Lewis with amazing theology all wrapped into one. The man is a poet when he writes and talks and he is freaking brilliant, absolutely brilliant. Anyways I just started reading it and he poses two great questions about Heaven and Hope: "What is the ultimate Christian hope? Second, what hope is there for change, rescue, transformation, new possibilities within the world in the present?" (Wright, 2008, p. 5).

Great question because if one holds true to turn and burn, I have punched my ticket attitude of heaven, then there isn't much hope for those behind and the cosmos we leave...

"But if the Christian hope is for God's new creation, for 'new heavens and new earth,' and if that hope has already come to life in Jesus of Nazareth, then there is every reason to join the two questions together" (Wright, 2008, p. 5).

My mind is blown already...love it!!! Rabbi Bill Risinger stretched me to read stuff that baffles and stretches the mind. This is a book that is going to do that. Pick it up folks, I dare you.

Another Anthropological Lesson

I am studying for my final in Anthro today and unlike my nursing classes, I half-heartedly pay attention in this class. It is interesting but my class is from 2-4:30...of Anthro...you get my drift. Anyways this is from my book...soooo interesting:

About Hunger

1. Ironically while many millions of people in some parts of the world are starving, many millions of others are overeating - quite literally eating themselves to death. In fact, the number of overfed people now exceeds those who are underfed. According to the World Watch Institute in Washington, D.C., more than 1.1 billion people world wide are now overweight. And 300 million of these are obese (but still malnourished in that their diets lack certain nutrients). 

In light of the food shortage, I would venture to say that this could be part of it. Interesting though, right?

1: Cultural Anthropology: The Human Challenge 12 edition by William A. Haviland et al.

My Roommates...no...My Family

I love my roommates. Not many of you know that Holly and I have roommates. This was something we decided to do over one year ago in December of 2006. When Holly and I got married, we lived in a wonderful apartment downtown, which we loved so much. Downtown is a great place to live (I think). Yeah there are crack houses, but you actually have neighbors...can't say that about the Burbs. Well one day we decided that what if we lived with people and what if those people that we chose to live with see what our marriage and life was like, intentionally living it out, as a family of non-blood related people. And what if these "family members" began to understand that this is what Christ was talking about, all being in the family of Christ. Not just saying, "hey brother" at church, but actually having unguarded relationship with people...no place to hide. We also thought...what if this style of living helped to blow peoples perceptions of individual living; living inside an American Bubble. 

Well, we did, and we have, ever since December of 2006. When we told some of our friends, or when other people got wind of what we were going to do, they freaked. It made no sense. As a married couple we should have a house on our own. To be honest, it was received in a very counter cultural thing. When I told my friends Trav and Annette, they were pumped for us and very encouraging. One of the few that, I feel, understand what communal living is all about. 

So without further ado, let me introduce you to my fam

ily...

Bryce Hubbard:

I call Bryce, Beezy, I don't know why but I do. He loves to camp, climb, boulder, and play the Wii. He is also a drummer so we have that in common. He loves following Christ and he loves his fiance Rikki (they will be living with us when they get married). Bryce is a hard gruffed guy because of 

him being a EMT. Being an EMT has allowed him to see the, "various degrees of stupidity within our human race" as he would put it. But, even though Bryce might not specialize in the gift of grace giving, he is very intuitive and wise for his age. He can see things a certain way most people don't. I am using this picture because Bryce doesn't watch a lot of TV, but when he does this is where he sits...like a little boy...his fiance thinks it's cute.

Sara Goodwin: My Little Sis

Oh Sara...what can I say about her. Well for one she is very smart. She doesn't think so but she is very, very smart. Sara and I are in the same nursing program, in the same semester. I met her in Anatomy & Physiology and became good friends. Holly thinks that she acts like her little sister Hailey. I would have to agree. Sara loves to shop. She also loves retail therapy. She is very caring and super considerate. Always considering others before herself, oh and she is super clean. The first time we did our chores back in 2006, she had to vacuum. Well, you know how when you vacuum there are lines from vacuuming and you can see where the vacuum turns to go to the next path...well there were nothing but straight lines on the carpet, no turn marks...Sara IS a perfectionist. She is also Audrey Lane's Auntie. Sara was with us from start to finish when Holly went into labor. She loves her niece and she is more than willing to watch Audrey when we have to do stuff, or when holly and I want to go get coffee. Audrey loves Sara very much as well. She smiles whenever Sara comes close or holds her. But more than that she truly is my little sister. 

There is so much I could say about Bryce and Sara, but living with them I have learned that they are introverts and they would appreciate having their life details released to the world...ha ha ha. I will say this. Choosing to live outside our bubble has been one of the best things to happen to Holly and I. We love our family. It has allowed us to see Christ in a new light. Everyone has family, but not everyone has family. 

Seriously...is this necessary

where else would you see this but the IE. this is brotastic to the tenth power...

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Food, Food, and More Food!

I got this email from my wife, Holly, who got this email from Jim McGillicuty, which had a link of different pictures from Time Magazine of what other people (families) around the world are eating on a weeks groceries. Very telling of a lot of things. 

1. Now I KNOW why americans are so fat in general
2. Now I KNOW why italians live for so freakn long
3. World hunger does indeed exist (duh)
4. I wish my eating habits were broader. there is some good looking food in these pictures.

Check this out and let me know what you are thinking. Here is the link 

Peace out sucka foos...Oh and Go Lakers!!!

Summer Time

Is almost here for all who go to CBU...can't wait. here is what's happening:

1. going to see the osbornes and risingers
2. going to like 8 million weddings this summer
3. My brother is coming in June
4. celebrating my first fathers day (I've always been a Big Papi though)
5. I'm creating a nursing class for 3 different nursing groups during the summer...doing that for 12 weeks
6. taking care of the wee one (pics on the way)
7. working out like crazy, finally, school takes away my fun
8. getting dark, not by choice...I know you hate me. I hate myself too ;)
9. i'm going to work on my tshirt business. I don't know what it will look like which is why I'm working on it
10. sleep, r & r

What are you going to be doing over the summer?

I Can See The Light!!!

You know...the one at the end of the tunnel...that one!!! I have 1 1/2 weeks left till this semester is over. Then It is 4 months of watching Audrey grow. So much Fun!!!

iMac Update:

I love it. I really didn't know why I even bothered with PC. It is the most intuitive computer program ever. It just makes sense. I love that I don't need virus software, I love tha it is wicked fast, I love that it is simplistic in design. Just good stuff...

Which brings me to my next point change. I would like to share with you something I learned in my Anthropology class. If something was just better for your health and productivity would you change your way of doing stuff to accomplish better health and productivity?

The keyboards that we use are called QWERTY for the 6 letters on the top left row of the keyboard. We have been using this style since 1874. In 1932 an Education professor August Dvorak did research on the keyboard set QWERTY and made an amazing discover. He discovered that there is actually a better way to type. So he set up his own key pad:

Now this seems weird being that this is all we know but in fact, this keyboard is much more healthier for your wrist, especially reducing Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. You can learn to type in 1/3 the time it would take with the QWERTY and once you  learned it, tests have shown the average person will increase their accuracy by 68% and their speed by a whopping 74%. So why do we still go by the old way. If a new way is better for us why would we bother with the old way? Hmm...

Blow Out of The Century

First off, I know...every parent thinks their kid had the blow out of the century and I would like to take the time and enter in my bid for the Blow Out Of The Century...Holy cow!!!

Ok, so Audrey's poop is like the consistency of Organic Creamy Peanut Butter. If you don't know what that is like here is a description. The oils in Jif and Skippy don't separate until like 2 years down the road but Organic Peanut Butter is constantly separated. You have to mix the peanut with the oils...that is what it looks like! Not only that but every once in a while we supplement her breast milk with formula so it looks a tad bit seedy...Seedy Organic Creamy Peanut Butter.

Well she just blew up her diaper and it flowed to the points of least resistance. Unbelievable, all I could do was laugh, because I was holding her and it just kept coming. And because I was holding her, I held her at arms distance. Which for me is pretty far away. What an experience!!! I can't wait till she is dating at age 25; I will have so much amo.

I have been redeemed!!!

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am here to tell you that Apple has cleansed me of the devil and has given me a purpose for reliving my computer life. I have an iMac. I purchased  the 24" 2.4 Ghz duo with 2Gb of memory iMac...MOVE...YOUR WELCOME. In reality, my PC laptop crapped out on me once and that is all it takes for me to make up my mind. HP said they fixed it but my computer has too many files on it to trust it with so I felt it time to make the ultimate switch. I talked to Uber Mac Geniuses, Ian and Jonny Ri, and they helped to baptize me in the river Apple. So all those out there with macs...let's iChat or something...Dan, I'm waiting!!!

HARD!!!

You know what makes it hard to blog...life!!! I have had so much of it for the last 6 weeks. I want to post all of these pictures of Audrey but I don't find the time. why you ask...well. School is winding down so it gets harder which in turn means more work for me to do. I am also creating a class for 3 different semesters in our Nursing program. it will be a review group, class, thingie that does not go directly through CBU. It is taking more work than I thought but it will be worth it...i don't want to kill anyone when I am practicing (by the way...why do we use the term practicing when we are talking about someones life).
Second, and the biggest...AUDREY. I love her so much. She has taught me so much about God and our relation with and to and for Him and mostly about others. She requires so much work and devotion but I love to give it to her.
Third, and the hardest...Holly. I love her, and I know she loves me, but it has been really hard to just be with her and love on her like I used to. As much as I love Audrey, I love Holly more, and I miss my best friend. I'm sure as time goes on we will get better and more consistent as parents but for now...I miss my Mero Chini O (that is Nepalie for Sugar Lips)

Here is a list of what I have been doing though...

1. Hanging with Damien & Jenn O'Farrel and Mark & Erin Phillips. Some good ole friends with like minds about the kingdom of God. They have become family and aunts and uncles to Audrey
   
2. Going to Seminars about Every Thing Must Change. Brian McClaren wrote this book and he held a tour about the book. Holly, Audrey, and I got to go to San Diego for Saturdays seminar. it was good to just be around like minded people that see Christianity for more than just punching a ticket to heaven (the ticket idea might not get one far).
3. Working out again. I took 3 weeks off when Audrey came. It was the best thing for my body. Sometimes you can build bad workout habits and you need a break. When you go back you pretty much have to start over (somewhat) and you get to correct the old habits...find some Christian meaning in that, it's there, I know it is.
4. Reading. I haven't been reading to much, but what I have is changing my life. Our Rabbi Risinger has read, or is reading the same volume set that I have picked up from N.T, Wright. This is not an easy read. I am also reading some books from Brad Young called The Parables and Paul: The Jewish Theologian. Not easy as well...I tend to like dry, hard, intelligent reads. Inspirational reads bore me...I don't know why? Maybe I don't need inspiration, I'm amped enough as it is
5. I am playing music. I have been leading music for First Baptist Church in Riverside for the last 1 1/2 months. They had a need and I filled it. I committed for 4 months and then I will re-evaluate after that. I know that I am not interested in being the "worship guy" but it has been great to teach this small family what I have learned about what "worship" is and IS NOT!!! The teaching has been subversive. It makes me feel like a double agent...he he

So my friends...that is what has been going on in my life...in a nut shell...oh yeah I forgot to mention. Awhile back I told everyone that I made a bet with a one Joshua W. Solorio as to when Audrey would enter into this world. I called him stupid for making the bet with me thinking that Audrey was for sure coming early. Well, she did not. So:

Josh, I humbly apologize, publicly stating that you were right...and I was wrong. I know that this is not the first time, and I am sure this won't be the last time. I am sorry for calling you stupid. I regret any undue harm this might have caused you and your family. Sorry.