Pastor Jim Wallis

This is Pastor Jim Wallis. I don't know much about Pastor Wallis so I went to wikipedia and copied some info for you to figure out who he is along with me me.

The Reverend Jim Wallis is an evangelical Christian writer and political activist, best known as the founder and editor of Sojourners Magazine and of the Washington, D.C.-based Christian community of the same name. Wallis actively eschews political labels, but his advocacy tends to focus on issues of peace and social justice.

Now that is out of the way I want you all to go to this link to view this wonderful perspective on our economy from Pastor Wallis' perspective...click here

Didn't Think I'd Learn From a Baby

That's right folks...Audrey has taught me something. Through trial by fire she has taught me something my own mother could never...the art of being organized. These last four months I have been Mr. Mom, and they have been some of the most rewarding 4 months of my life. It is the most amazing thing to not understand how Marriage works and it is just as amazing to witness something you have created, with a little miracle from God, grow up right before your eyes. Not to diminish all of the other life lessons I have learned about being a father (those post will come later), to me, leaning to be organized was something I knew I might need to work on, but I didn't think I would ever be good at it. Being that I was organizationally challenged, I had to learn to be organized in a hurry with a little crying child that wants food...NOW!!! Now it has seeped into my school life for the first time...which will seep into my nursing career which is where I need it the most...so i don't kill anyone!! I figure that might be important. You know...to be organized

Thanks Audrey!

Bo Diddley

To all of my Musical and Non-Musical friends (I leave it to you to distinguish) a great pioneer in Rhythm & Blues has passed away at age 79. 

If you would like to read a great article about the man go here

Here is a a great video of what kind a music he produced for us all...enjoy

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.

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!!!

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...

My Life Has Changed!!!

***Warning: This Is A Long Post***

To all my fans...SORRY for the absolute lack of posts. I suck. I triple dog suck. I have been wanting to post but like RevRock I haven't really wanted to post lately. But due to some life situations I feel it a must to inform and educate you all as to why my life has changed...I AM A FREAKN RICAN DAD!!!

Many of you have seen my initial post that Audrey Lane Rodriguez (Audrigo...thanks for the nickname Mr. TheEpic) was born on Monday, February 25, 2008 at 12:06pm and I haven't been the same since.

Holly was in labor for 32 hours straight with some nice strong contractions. She started her contractions 4:00am on Sunday and they just got stronger as time went on. We went in to Kaiser at around 9:oopm and the contractions just got stronger. Mind you Holly hasn't really slept because even at 4am, her contractions were waking her up every 15mins. She finally got an Epidural and that helped her so much.

Now Audrey was 6.1 lbs and 19 inches long. Even without that information I think the staff knew, and I kind of new that Audrey was probably coming into this world via C-Section. However, that did not stop the staff from being the best staff ever, allowing Holly to give it her all. They exhausted every avenue in trying to have a vaginal delivery. They were so accommodating and understanding. Holly was determined and focused and I am so proud of her for it. After 3 hours of pushing, the staff, Holly, and I came to the decision of a C-Section; 20 mins later Audrey was born. It was completly surreal to hear the cry of God's creation for the first time.

Because Audrey was stuck for 3 hours, she came out with some good looking Caput (Cone Head). So weird...so very weird, that is all I could think. As a student nurse I was pulled in so many directions because I knew the procedure inside and out so I was paying attention to that as well as the Nurse Anesthetist (that is what I want to be) and looking at my baby girl. My senses were on complete overload. It was great!

Even now as I remember everything that went on, I don't have words to describe it all.

We stayed in the hospital for 2 days (standard for a C-Section). That sucked because I had to sleep on a convertible arm chair meant for people who are 5-5. Not only that but we didn't get a room by ourselves. For some reason, everybody in Riverside decided to get a Sinus Infection (this turned into Pneumonia for most people) so they took over the overflow section that was meant for Postpartum patients. But it didn't matter because most of our time was spent learning about Breast Feeding from the Lactation Nurse, or just waiting for Holly to pass gas (passing gas is the official get out of jail card in a hospital).

Holly, of course, recovered at a ridiculous pace. The doctor and nurses were amazed. When they asked if she wanted pain meds she said she didn't need it, she wasn't in pain; mouths dropped. When she started walking around the unit just 6 hours after her surgery, mouths dropped. Pretty much she did a two day recovery in 3/4 of a day.

Going home was another weird feeling. I was going home with a child...my child...forever...?!?

The last two weeks have been such a learning process without sleep. But I wouldn't change it for the world. Audrey has already grown so much, it's ridiculous. She has started to smile and we talk every morning as to what we are going to do today. I usually tell her I'm going to school. She just looks at me.

So what do I get out of this besides a beautiful daughter...more lessons on life and love and a bit more of God's personality. I have prayed every day that God would reveal more of his idea of love, his church, and any other lesson He can teach me. So far he hasn't disappointed.

Well this concludes a seriously long post. I need to blog more I know. It keeps my posts down to a manageable size I know.

More about what is going on at ThePuertoRicanSlant to come...stay tuned!!! Here are some more pictures of the miracle...

3 Generations First Bath She hates being changed...then loves it!













Seriously though...I did not teach her to do this. We were taking pictures last night and this happened...the funniest thing ever!!!

Toxicity

Well my wife has done it now...she has slowly and painfully but shirley (he he) changed me over to the dark side. She has made me concerned with the products I'm using...aaaaahhhhhh! No really, it is a great thing. I have never been one to use a ton of man made stuff on my body except for soap and shampoo and toothpaste and contact solution and shave gel and mouth wash and acne stuff and...well you get the point. If you have a brain and can critically think straight; does it really make sense to put man made stuff on your person? Does it? Out of the thousands upon thousands of ingredients that are used everyday for our care products do you actually think they check every single reaction and co-reaction of these products. No, they don't have the money or man power to check them. But this website that a friend of mine found is a great site to see which products you are using are safe, moderate, or dangerous.

There are two ratings that the website gives. One tells you how dangerous the product is. The second tells you what percentage of the ingredients used in the product have been tested for carcinogenic effects. If you click on this link you can get an idea of a product that I use in my hair: Garnier Fructis Hair Stuff. It is real eye opener and to me, it just makes sense to switch to something that is healthier.

Skin Deep is the name of the Website

What Would Jesus Buy?

I can't wait to see this movie. However, this is an interview of the infamous movie What Would Jesus Buy?, which, according to Trav, is worth seeing. The interview was done at Imago Dei in Portland, Oregon (Holly and I have been there and it is a great community doing miracles in the name of Jesus). Rick the pastor for Imago is interviewing the producer of the movie and it truly captures his heart in making this movie. Take a gander and let it marinate a bit on this one...

God Grew Tired Of Us

I really want to see this movie. The whole premise is close to those conversations we all have...you know the ones where what if someone from the middle ages stepped into the future, in 2007, and tried to live? How hard would it be? Well, this story is about bringing some men from Africa; from the war torn parts of Africa to the United States. It is a documentary from National Geographic and is narrated by Nicole Kidman. I don't think this movie will end up in the theaters but I am sure it will go to DVD. It is a movie like this that helps to bring balance to my life. You can never have too many examples of what balance should look like in the life of a Christian.

Not only that but any movie trailer that ends with a U2 song is an Oscar winning movie in my book!!!

The Story Of Stuff

This is very important that all should watch and learn. This has been going around quickly amongst my blog buddies and I want to make sure that if you read my blog, you will know about this short film. Go to this blog (Audience of One) and watch the videos. They blew me away at all of the stuff I have bought into and now need to change for my little rodrigo (Sydney Claire. that is not her name but that is what I want to name her). It even gave some great history as to how we as a society have bought into the same mentality.

I strongly encourage you to educate yourself using these videos. While you stop by at Micah's blog give him some love for posting these remarkable videos. It they do not change you than I say to you...You have a heart of Black and you're not cool!

On a spiritual note:

The video on consumerism is a great tell tale sign of yourself, of myself. This section of video will show how one truly looks inside and what one will go through to make sure that person feels accepted, complete, and whole. No one wants to be told they don't need this or that. It really falls in line with my blog Green = Contentment

Rev Rock :: AKA :: Dan Lance

I can speak in front of people. I can perform in front of people. I can preach in front of people. Today, at lunch I had many chances to tell my good friend Rev Rock what I love about him and what he means to me. Maybe I choked at the opportunity, maybe I didn't feel eloquent at the time. I do know that I don't regret not saying anything; here is why? I just feel like I will see Dan again someday and it will feel like the same. There are few friends I can say that about. The kind that you can start right where you left off. I think Dan is one of those friends; so I didn't need to make a speech about how much I am going to miss him. If anything, Holly and I have a new vacation spot. Now we have 3; Trav & Annette, Bill & Patty, and now Dan & Alyssa.

Now to make a speech about what Mr. Rock has done for me in front of 30+ people, to me, is not appropriate. But...to post, for all of bloggdom to read...now that's classic!!!

I lead musical worship. I would consider myself a good singer. I would consider myself a good guitar player. I have never had problem leading people through a song whether it was the band I was leading or a group of people singing with me. I was choir president for my high school so I would lead whole choral arrangements whenever the choir director was gone. So needless to say I have no problem with leading music and having people follow me in song. When I started leading music at The Grove I thought that it was an easy job because I can do all that I have mentioned but looking back, I was not enabling people to usher themselves into the presence of God through a common language like music.

Enter Dan Lance from, to me, Redding California. He took over the College group at VCC and brought a certain style of freedom in leading people through musical worship. I didn't like it. To me, whenever he led, his style was distracting. I didn't get why he would move away from the mic and just sing at the top of his lungs to the ceiling. It is unconventional and not conducive to leading people in musical worship. But the more he led in this way the more I understood that he was leading himself in musical worship and not just the audience. Once I understood this my ability to sing, play, and lead all came together for the glory of One. What I am saying is that because of Dan Lance, my style of leading people in music has freed me to be the music leader I am today. When I lead I do care about if people are going to get it but in the end, by the last song in the set, I am only concerned about what I am giving to God. Sure I have made my own style but the foundation I have is because of Dan Lance. The foundation I speak of is just being myself. Backing away from the mic to scream at the top of my lungs is me giving myself and acting undignified.

Dan thank you so much for showing me the truth about being caught between a song and a scream...

AIDS and The Magic Bullet

The disease process of HIV/AIDS, as most of us know, has no known cure. For many in our world today, you could say that this information could cause a bit of anxiety to know that death is imminent. Death is imminent for everyone but what if you could place a time limit on your life; say 2-10 years until life ends. Many pharmaceutical companies are searching for the Magic Bullet through millions of dollars of research and development to find THE cure for AIDS. One such company thought they had a vaccine but through doing research about the vaccine they have found that this particular vaccine actually makes you more susceptible to the virus.

I don't believe that there will be a vaccine but there is a cheaper Magic Bullet that could help prevent AIDS...Education, Teaching.
If you have time I invite you to read this article. AIDS Article

Questions to Think About:
1. Do you know anyone with HIV/AIDS?
2. Have you been tested for HIV? (I am going to get tested even though I know I don't have HIV/AIDS. My thinking is being proactive in doing away with the stigma of being tested)
3. Do you think everyone should be tested?
4. Do you think you should be tested?
5. Is there a stigma with testing for HIV/AIDS?
6. How much do you really know about HIV/AIDS?

Dinner and Some Texas Hold'Em

So I am going to tag myself in on the whole "Worship" conversation that should be had and is well overdue. I have been someone that takes the subject of "worship" very seriously and I think that after 8 years of teaching countless students on the subject that my opinion has some weight and validity to it.
My brother Adam started the conversation with a bang I will continue to fuel the fire, and by brother I don't mean it in a Southern Baptist kind of way, I mean it in a his family is my family and I am an uncle to his kids and if something should happen to him I would pick up where he left off in loving his family kind of brother...now you see what I just did...I was worshiping.
How could this be, there is no music; we did not meet together in a building we call church? Not only that but how abstract is what I just called worship.
My favorite chapter in all the bible is Romans 12. I know, I know, everyone's favorite chapter is Romans 12...but I guarantee that most people read it in a personal, singular type of context and not in a familial context; a context that is about the greater good of humanity as a family. Let me get even more specific; the part I like best about the chapter is after Romans 12:2. You see, Romans 12:1-2 are why we all should offer our lives as worship to God after a long court case from Romans 1-11. Then Paul the writer of Romans shows us how to worship starting in Romans 12:3 and so on. But the one verse that I am trying to get better at in worship is Romans 12:13. This verse talks about worshiping God through food and family time with those around you. I don't just mean family with blood I mean family in the sense of the human race. So Holly and I did, with international students from all over. We made dinner for them at our house which was amazing, holly threw down on the crock pot. Then I taught these international students from Brazil, Poland, India, etc. how to play Texas Hold'em. It was so much fun and God was there accepting our worship to Him. This is everyday church life. The is what offering your lives as a living sacrifice should look like. It is organic and fluid. Worship adapts to our Creator as you live out every single moment of your life for others.
As my brother Adam said, he thinks, and so do I, that powerful things can happen when we sing corporately. But do you really want to settle for 20-30 minutes of worship through music a week when you have your life to offer. Not even the early Jewish Rabbis would settle for that. To the early Jewish Rabbi, and I would argue to the modern Rabbi, believed that the highest form of worship to be offered up to YHWH would be to read his very word in order to have it written on their hearts. To read the VERY WORD of YHWH was to thrust oneself into the very presence of God.
Whew...long enough...I think I used up all my words for the day...I am just a guy.

Issues Of The Heart

If you haven't guessed by now I love the heart. I think it is a fascinating organ and if I could do life over again I would become a cardiothoracic surgeon. Of course when talking about issues of the heart and faith, which always seem to go hand in hand, one would find 569 verses in the bible if you were to just look up "heart" in a concordance. You will get subjects like "the depths of the heart" or the "overflow of the heart" and other such topics in the scriptures. There is also the mystery of the heart, philosophically and anatomically. What exactly is the heart? Is it just an organ or a "place" of decision making, of love? Or try this one...did you know the heart will start beating for the first time around week 4 in the womb without the brain controlling it. Each myocardial cell is connected with gap junctions that send electrical impulses to adjacent cells which in turn tell the other heart cells to beat. Now they can beat to their own drum (Atrial Fibrillation) or they can beat together in one accord...WITHOUT the brain...AT 4 WEEKS!!!
Even more interesting; did you know the heart can compensate in many different ways according to many different situations? It is if the heart has a mind of its own. The most interesting thing I have found about the heart is that it can grow without you wanting it to.
When you are fully grown your heart is fully grown. The right side of your heart is smaller than the left side so blood can get pumped to the rest of your body. The pump will nourish your organs with oxygen that each cell of your body needs. Now if you are an active person and take care of yourself and if you eat healthy, your heart will beat stronger, beat slower, and become more efficient and healthier. This is heart that is compatible with life. But let's not forget that your heart needs its own supply of blood and that job belongs to the great arteries and veins that surround your heart. Here is where the compensation starts. If the veins and arteries that surround your heart get blocked, the heart cells could die off, new arteries could grow around your heart, or my favorite...your heart will grow bigger, to be filled with more blood, to pump more oxygenated blood to the body (are you still with me...stay with me just a little while longer). The problem with this is that the actual pumping action of the heart does not get stronger. Eventually if the heart gets bigger, to be filled with more blood, the pumping action to get the oxygenated blood to the body eventually does not match what the heart is doing. This heart becomes incompatible with life. The oversized heart, that was compensating for the fact that the owner of the heart was not taking care of everything else in their life such as good nutrition and exercise, will fail and die.
So what...well think about it. The essentials of the church are to disciple and love. To be totally devoted to the kingdom of God. To be used to provide life giving Shalom to the nations. God breathing into the souls of those that are broken. We need our heart to be strong and be careful of growing too big or else we become ineffective; incompatible with life. What am I talking about? I am talking about focusing on what matters to the very heart beat of God. What matters to God?
It is amazing how in my feeble American mind bigger is better...

The Gospel According to Mary Poppins

I know what you are thinking because I am thinking the same thing, "How did Mike put gospel and Mary Poppins in the same sentence?" Well here is how. I was watching Mary Poppins last night with Holly and my roommate turned little sis Sara. If you haven't watched this movie in a while I suggest you do so. Watch it by yourself if you need to but I suggest watching it from an adult standpoint. I say an adult standpoint because to me there are a ton of life situations that children would just not understand unless they were taught them. I know I didn't when I was a kid or at least I did not understand the weight that each issue truly caries.
Now let me get this perfectly clear...I did not specifically watch this movie to seek out faith meanings but as I was watching, and given the time period that this movie came out, I realized how advanced this movie and its' plot really was. Yes it may be cheesy but it truly was ahead of its' time dealing with family issues, womens rights, overlooking the poor, money and how to use it for self gain or for selfless reasons. These are all very religious and very spiritual ideas; of course all things are spiritual...right!

May I introduce you to the Bishop.

Today, Holly and I went to our first "Young Marrieds" class. I had a great time in the class. Sam Boone did a great job being "The Substitute" and it was great to see some lights turning on in the heads of those who have never studied the Scriptures in a Narrative format. Narrative meaning that God gave us his word in the form of a story, from Genesis to Revelation; it is a story that has spanned the centuries. It is a story of hope, faith, and love. It is a story that heals and rebukes. Which got me thinking, "I never used to think like this about the scriptures." So who is responsible for my new train of thought. Well the more I thought the more I have come to find that it is Dan's buddy Rob Bell that has been helping me with this journey. But even deeper than that, who do I believe started it for Rob? Of course there could be many wonderful answers but I would venture to state that a main player in Rob Bell's discipleship belongs to N.T. Wright the Bishop of Durham. If you know nothing of this man I am begging you to do all that you can to soak yourself in his wisdom of the scriptures. He is absolutely ridiculous in his knowledge of the Texts. What's so amazing about Wright is that he, along with Rob, Dan, and myself (there are others as well), would be the first to tell you that he is on this same journey in trying to understand the Scriptures as a story not a systematic study guide. His main slant is to read and dive into the historical context of every passage of scripture. It really does bring the scriptures into new light. So without further ado, I introduce to you Bishop N.T. Wright!!!

Could this be...

You are going to have to read this to believe this...this, if not placed into the wrong hands, could solve a billion issues

This is real ish...

Check this out. This looks like a good movie that will make you uncomfortable. TRADE

If you have 8 mins...take a gander!

This was really good and refreshing. I have never really heard Tony Campolo speak. If you haven't either and you have heard that name thrown around then click on this link (Tony Campolo) and check it out. While you are there check out Daley Hake's blog. He is an amazing Photo Artist.