A Collision

I'm a bit hard to please when it comes to worship music, although I acknowledge that the music isn't for me. One artist I really like is David Crowder. As I was driving to work this morning I played the Illuminate CD, his last album. I haven't listened to it in a while and, it blew me away. It's so fresh. I found myself singing within moments. I thought I'd look them up to see when their new album was coming out. So I went to their website to find out that the release date is, in fact, today. By the way - if you buy it on iTunes, you get a video and a booklet. I feel bad not going to Saltmine to pick it up there, but things are tight at the moment and I can't turn down $10 for 20 tracks. I'll continue buying books there. That will help me sleep at night. I think Mardel are the Wal-Mart of stores that sell Christian stuff - so I won't go there. Happy now?!

Who's Got the Last Laugh now?

They all laughed at Christopher Columbus
When he said the world was round
They all laughed when Edison recorded sound
They all laughed at Andy and his Champagne
When he said that a spoon could keep it fizzy for days.

But ho, ho, ho!
Who's got the last laugh now?

Ok, so it's not Champagne. And that didn't ryhme. The only real 'Champagne' is FROM Champagne in France, everything else is Champagne Method. Don't let anyone tell you differently. Anyway, this is alcohol removed sparkling wine. It serves very nicely for a new baby celebration and a chink-chink (thanks to the Blakes for providing that).
I revealed a little stage trick (Final Countdown music - Gob style) the other night. If you've ever opened a bottle of sparkling wine and not wanted to drink the entire thing that night - this method will work to keep it carbonated for days after it's been popped open.
Place a small spoon in the neck of the bottle. Here are the pics to prove it. This drink was poured 3 days after initially being opened. It fizzed up like a charm.


Thanks to Chris Elson for showing me this a few years ago.

Arrested Development Season 3

I was very excited to watch the season premiere of Arrested Development this week. If you've never watched this show - do so, at once.

Lucille Bluth: Did that Mexican girlfriend of yours kick you out?
Gob: She's not that Mexican, Mom, she's my Mexican. And she's Colombian or something.

A Tale of Puke and Shart

My house smells a bit like puke and sharts. At least the upstairs does anyway. Not bad considering our house smelled moldy before that. I'm trying to decide what the lesser of the two evils are. As I was hold Alec just a few minutes ago his face was on my chest and his mouth was in the V of my shirt.
What happened next is a bit of a blur. To cut a long story he spewed up all down my chest. Then he spewed some more. I've never seen so much puke from a baby. My t-shirt was soaked. My jeans were soaked. My underpants also were soaked - I think it was puke, although it could have been my own pee, because I was a little scared.
His Granny and Grandad sent the bib from Wales.

Encouragement

Last night's Evening by Evening devotion by Spurgeon really ministered to me. Here is an abridged version. Based on Deut 1:38 'Encourage him...'
God employs his people to encourage one another. He did not say to an angel, "Gabriel, my servant Joshua is about to lead my people into Canaan—go, encourage him." God never works needless miracles; if his purposes can be accomplished by ordinary means, he will not use miraculous agency. A brother’s sympathy is more precious than an angel’s embassy.
We should be glad that God usually works for man by man. It forms a bond of brotherhood, and being mutually dependent on one another, we are fused more completely into one family.

If you want to read the unabridged version (which is actually worth 2 minutes to read) click here.

Some thoughts on fatherhood

As I type this - my baby boy is lying on my chest in a fetal position, fast asleep. He's all warm after a good feed and he smells so sweet. My hand covers his entire back. It's really hard to explain what this feels like. I can hear his little short breaths. Every now and again he'll breathe in and breathe out a little sigh. He'll twitch every now again. It struck me that the little movements he is making now are probably the same he made in the womb. I suppose that for Mommy, feeling the kicks and twitches would feel a bit like it does now, but only deeper and further down. Amazing.

The experience of becoming a father has been a gradual realisation of a few things. Each day I realise more and more how much I love this little boy. There's no length that I wouldn't go to for him. I would walk 1000 miles for him. I would work 100 jobs if I had to, just to provide for him. I'd give my life to protect him.
I've never had much time for babies before, but I'd give all my time for this one.

Introducing Alec

Alexander William Michael
Born at 21:44 on Saturday 10th September
Weighed in at 7.5 lbs

I feel like the happiest man alive.
How could anything be so beautiful.
Mommy and baby are doing well. As you can see, Candra looks like she just stepped out of the salon!

Shhhhhhhhh!

So, here I am in the birthing room at the hospital. I'm doing a very naughty thing by being online - not supposed to be!
Anyway, please pray for us. Candra's water has been broken and she's all hooked up to the IV like a junkie. Waiting game!!

Enjuiced

A little piece of news - Candra is getting indeuced on Saturday at 7am. So, God willing, Alec William Michael will be on the scene sometime that day.
I wonder if he will come out black and white like this picture, or if he will be in colour.

iPod, anyone?

Ooooh Yes Please! I'll never ask for anything ever again!!

**************** More Light ***************

Snapped this as I was driving home from work. Ever wonder how someone could see something beautiful like this in the sky, and not attribute it to a Creator?

Lights

"In the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world." {Php 2:15}

We use lights to make manifest. A Christian man should so shine in his life, that a person could not live with him a week without knowing the gospel. His conversation should be such that all who are about him should clearly perceive whose he is, and whom he serves; and should see the image of Jesus reflected in his daily actions. Lights are intended for guidance. We are to help those around us who are in the dark. We are to hold forth to them the Word of life. We are to point sinners to the Saviour, and the weary to a divine resting place.

Excerpt from Spurgeon's 'Morning by Morning'. Sept 6th 05

Windmill in Old Amsterdam

A mouse lived in a windmill in old Amsterdam
A windmill with a mouse in and he wasn't grousin'
He sang every morning, "How lucky I am,
Living in a windmill in old Amsterdam!"

Chorus:
I saw a mouse!
Where?
There on the stair!
Where on the stair?
Right there!
A little mouse with clogs on
Well I declare!
Going clip-clippety-clop on the stair
Oh yeah

This mouse he got lonesome, he took him a wife
A windmill with mice in, it's hardly surprisin'
She sang every morning, "How lucky I am,
Living in a windmill in old Amsterdam!"

Chorus

First they had triplets and then they had quins
A windmill with quins in, and triplets and twins in
They sang every morning, "How lucky we are
Living in a windmill in Amsterdam, ya!"

Chorus

The daughters got married and so did the sons
The windmill had christ'nin's when no one was list'nin'
They all sang in chorus, "How lucky we am
Living in a windmill in old Amsterdam!"

Chorus

A mouse lived in a windmill, so snug and so nice
There's nobody there now but a whole lot of mice.

The new Jacob's Well website is finally up. When we were first considering JW as a church home, I was initially drawn to the church because of the website. Not just the website, but the sense of community that it conveyed, and the participation from so many people. I was so excited to log on there this morning to find a sweet new look and lots more content. I've never seen a church website utilized as much as this one. I think it's the mark of a real community driven church.