A Perfect Evening

As I write this I'm sitting on the deck of the house we've rented, for our 7 day relocation to Myrtle Beach, with Annamarie. We've had a full day and now we get to relax. It's perfect. A slight breeze blows occasionally enough to keep cool, and distant fireworks are the only thing interrupting the chirping creatures of the night. I could spend 7 days in this spot.

Adding to my immediate enjoyment is Pandora radio, which I have tuned to the incredible sounds of Sarah Brightman and Hayley Westerna. Awesome. If you don't know who they are I highly recommend tuning your own Pandora station to either one of them....then close your eyes...and just chill. Brightman is the star of Phantom of the Opera (which was written specifically for her) among other things. Westerna, is well, less known. I know very little about her except this.....she can sing and I love her voice. I first heard her on a Wii game called Endless Oceans. Her voice is scary beautiful, and makes that game totally mesmerizing. Highly recommended for Wii owners.

Anyway, in case you haven't figured it out, they are "opera" singers. Or classical, or whatever you want to call it. They are the kind of artist that must sing as well live as on an album. Not doctored or dubbed to sound better than they are. They are real.

So now you know that in addition to being a major Lincoln Park, Guns n Roses, etc. fan......I like classical music. Strange, I know, but it's true. At the right times, I am happier with pianos and violins more than electric guitars and keyboards. Nights like this are those times.

So why did I even write about this? It highlights a discussion Jeff Burkhimer and I listened too a few weeks back that pointed out the need for multiple types of Church's being necessary to reach the unchurched. Diversity is a requirement if we plan to be successful. We will need Baptist, Methodist, Lutherans, Catholic, traditional, progressive, fundamentalist, charismatics...everyone. Each one has it's time and place. Just like my music.

So

10 Things Church's Could Learn from Mickey Mouse

This is not an original thought....I stole it from a book I'm currently reading (and highly recommend), "Killing Cockroaches" by Tony Morgan. It makes all the sense in the world. What could we do if we set out to attract people to church the way Disney sets out to attract people to EVERYTHING they do? Why do people remember every moment of there visit to the Mouse House? Heres a few thoughts......

1. The experience begins is the parking lot.

2. They invest lots of money to make dreams come true.

3. It helps to be with someone who's been there before.

4. The value of excellence trancends all socioeconomic and cultural barriers.

5. You can't communicate with people wearing masks.(think about THAT)

6. The journey is more fun with friends.

7. The world is small.

8. Lots of people fulfilling the same mission can achieve incredible results.

9. It is possible to leave behind a legacy for future generations.

10. Everyone remembers the fireworks at the end.

I really can't add anything to this. I thought hard about each one of these and how I am appoaching UpStreet. Am I envisioning a "Disney World" like experience for the kids, or just a different type of "Sunday School"? Will they remember Sunday morning and crave the next one, or will they just walk out glad to be going home so they can start having fun.

Myrtle....my old friend.

va⋅ca⋅tion

 [vey-key-shuhn, vuh-]

–noun

1.	a period of suspension of work, study, or other activity, usually used for rest, recreation, or travel; recess or holiday:Schoolchildren are on vacation now.

2.	a part of the year, regularly set aside, when normal activities of law courts, legislatures, etc., are suspended.

3.	freedom or release from duty, business, or activity.

4.	an act or instance of vacating.

Okay, according to the definition above, I should be suspending work, relaxing, shunning duties, and resting. By that definition, i am NOT on vacation. In fact, I am actually more tired right now, than on a normal week of my life. Why? 'Cause I'm at the beach.....'cause we go to the beach.....thats what we do.

From what I can tell, being born in North Carolina automatically gets you a "Myrytle Beach" stamp in your "Where Will You Go On Vacation" box of my birth certificate. Apparently 87 million other people got that same stamp, cause they came too. Like bugs drawn to that humming blue light on Uncle Ned's porch, people flock to this sandbox called Myrtle Beach.

I used to think it must be because Myrtle was the only beach on the East Coast. Everywhere else the ocean just ran up to a wall or stopped miles from shore and you had to go to South Carolina if you wanted to see the Atlantic ocean. But you know what there are more beaches. LOTS of beaches! Beautiful, uncrowded, less expensive and much cleaner beaches! But we are stamped for Myrtle.

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against the place personally, I just dont get the vacation appeal. Maybe when I was younger and more carefree, dancing at the Magic Attic, etc, it was more fun. Now I'm chasing a two year old through crowds Wal-mart would be jealous of on black Friday. Goin out to eat? Leave a good hour early cause your gonna be in a line....and if you want something besides McDonald's, you better leave two.

It will all be over in a few days though, and I'll wish I was back here. Or somewhere. Anywhere other than the reality of life back home. Even if it's with 87 million of my closest friends.

Sunday Mornin' Movie

Okay guys, heres the deal.....it's hard to find a Sunday morning movie kids will enjoy, parents will approve of, and hasn't been seen 37 times already. After searching, and inquiring with you guys, we decided we would show One Night with the King. Great movie about Esther and her amazing faith that saved an entire nation. Looked perfect until we noticed it was OVER 2 Hours! So much for that, back to square one.

After expressing our frustrations in selecting a movie, with previously stated criteria, my mother made a suggestion; The Velveteen Rabbit. Now let me say right now when she threw out her idea.....I rolled my eyes. I've heard about it for years, but never actually seen, or read about the story. Her explanation of the movie being a combination of live action and animation did not help in sounding like a possible candidate. But we were desperate. So with very little enthusiasm, we watched it. I was wrong. Very wrong.

I wont presume that every kid's gonna be glued to the screen for 90 minutes, but some are. And they are gonna be glad they did. Its a great story about belief, faith and love. No, there's no bible story in this film, but it's full of lessons. While the tag line of the film is "All you need to do is believe", I was much more impressed with the line "Love makes us real". It sorta sounds like 1 John 13:35.

Anyway, I hope its well received. I wont be there, so I am praying hard for a smooth day and that someone sees what we saw in this film.

Love you guys more than words can say. -J

The Games of the 2009 UpStreet Olympiad..