Mind My Business

2010-03-25T12:52:00.000-07:00

I don't blog enough anymore.. what the heck.... here's some recent works..

Merry Christmas.

2009-12-18T14:06:00.000-08:00

12 days of Christmas from Juan.E on Vimeo.

I haven't blogged for days..

2009-09-29T17:40:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I've actually blogged. I guess I got tired of being the only one that reads them.. Anyways, I'm enjoying being married. Biggest blessing of my life. For those that enjoy my art and design, here are some of my recent works..

Also, I'm starting up a clothing company. I'll post about it soon.

Leonardo Illustration Final (aprox:15hrs)

2009-07-16T15:21:00.001-07:00

Illustration Madness...

2009-07-11T12:04:00.000-07:00

So, I'm putting to use some free time... I decided that I'm going to draw more instead of always "designing" .. It's a lost passion of mine.. I figured I'd start with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Can't go wrong there eh? In the past, I used to spend hours drawing these crazy turtles ripping up the Foot Clan, chasing The Shredder, humiliating Rocksteady and Bebop.. oh the memories... anyways... Here's the progress.. I figured I'd start with the humble leader Leonardo..

Enjoy.

When God Dreams

2009-05-05T15:01:00.000-07:00

T-Shirt Design for "When God Dreams Conference" If you want one, you can register for the conference or buy one from the Stirring. All shirts are printed on Asphalt Gray American Apparel. Sizes and quantity are limited and range from x-small to 2x.

This took a good 30 hours to ink up and comp, but I think it was worth it.. My Cintiq sure makes this process a piece of cake :)

---------------cut here-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This concept was my favorite. Didn't sit well with the final decision making.

-enjoy.

Yep :)

2009-04-02T18:06:00.001-07:00

Painting 101

2009-03-22T00:25:00.000-07:00

I was asked to do some Organic pieces. Here is what I've accomplished so far.

Enjoy.

New medium attempt.

2009-03-21T02:53:00.000-07:00

I recently thought of the idea to illustrate on Plexiglass. This is my first attempt. I want to create a cool way to hang these... I'm thinking some kind of industrial look.

Enjoy..

I still have a little more detail to add.. gonna be kinda hard seeing how I pulled the film off.

Paint projects...

2009-03-04T22:20:00.000-08:00

Just thought I'd post some current works....

I'm still working on this one (two panel) 12x36 it's called "Beautiful Birth Defects .... the other one already sold..

Faces (36x48)

Boombox progress...

2009-02-24T22:06:00.001-08:00

A painting for the "Scatter Brains" series I'm working on.. this one is called "Boombox"

-enjoy

I need to start doing these again....

2009-02-23T00:59:00.000-08:00

I was going through some old files and came across some portraits I did. Unfortunately about 2 years ago I had my portfolio stolen. In it was about 35 portraits, comic illustrations, lots of mixed media and other cherished art of mine. My entire collection from my AP Princeton University exam was also in it..... total bummer.. And I have a good feeling who might of stolen it. But hey... I can draw more! anyone want to send me pictures? I might be up for drawing them to reestablish what I've lost.

Most recent, 2008... unfinished..
I found a scan of this (Kyle and Kristin Stevens..... I did this back in 2000... (one of my stolen pieces)
I did this in 98.... (another stolen piece)
This was done in 98 as well. ( yep.. stolen)

I really want to start doing these again... Kinda miss it..

Charlie the Unicorn.

2009-02-21T10:40:00.000-08:00

Shun the non-believer.. shhhhhhhhhhhhhhuuuuuuunn.....

haha.. great stuff. I remember when the first one came out a few years back..

The Billy Brown Project

2009-02-19T02:08:00.001-08:00

"I am Jonah" Project

2009-02-15T23:29:00.001-08:00

The Jonah Project.

2009-02-14T11:56:00.001-08:00

This is the first project I used my new Cintiq21ux on. I was really excited to do this.. I've had the concept swimmin' around in my head for a few weeks... Just finished it last night. I'll post the full illustration design after the series begins...

Until then..

here are a few paintings I'm working on..

Ken Lipski and I are planning out some art shows that will start in several weeks. (more posts on that in the near future.) Lot's of amazing art will be for sale..

Why so serious...

2009-02-13T11:55:00.001-08:00

I was in the mood for something funny.... so it's ok if you laugh at me..

we just never know...

2009-02-04T17:13:00.000-08:00

I was referencing trees for a design concept and came across this... I read up on it, and from what I've found this isn't fake.

Men of God.

2009-01-29T14:06:00.000-08:00

Ken Bedsaul.
Jeff Coulter.
Nathan Edwardson.
Eric Podtetenieff.
Dan Lance.
Sean McMasters.
Mike Kerns.
Billy Brown.
Garrett Viggers.
Benji Edwardson.
Christian Ostrom.
Derrick Fleck.
Chris McCarley.
Sean Gafner.
Matt Moseley.
Bobby Pecaut.
Matt Klutts.
Brian Johnson.
Mitch Santella.
Richard Bright.
Bill Randall.
Josh Caldwell.
Jesse Rosten.
John Klein.
Chris Cable.
Nathan Peterson.
Josh Hagquist.
T.J. Macke.
Tony Luerra.
Kevin Nickoles.
Tyler Faires.
Kyle Stevens.
Paul David.
Brent VanAuken.
Yori Niculescu.
Jeremy Gonske.
Jeremy Coverdale.
Matt Metz.
Andrew Randall.
Evan Persons.
Josiah Calendar.
Patrick Hardy.
Jonnie Haddad.
Jeremy Edwardson.
Chris Overstreet.
Randy Miller.
Josh Ratiani.
Pete Metz.
Glenn Calendar.
Richard Gonske.

People come and go. I've remembered some people and I've forgotten others instantly. But men of God have always remained as part of my life with Jesus. Some of these men have helped shape me, Some I've helped shape, Some I've disagreed with at times. Some I've agreed with at times. Some of these men have challenged me. Some of these men have encouraged me. Some of these men I've prayed with. Some of these men have been through hardships with me. Some of these men I've wanted to punch in the throat. Some of these men have watched me cry. Some have watched me run after God. Some have been there while I've wrestled with God. Some of these men I hardly know. Some of these men I see maybe 5 minutes a week or once a year. Some of these men I don't see at all. But the one thing that they all have in common is their passion and heart after God. They are all men of God. They all live their lives postured to please and honor Jesus Christ our Lord. They all bend their hearts towards the Holy Spirit. Most importantly they all have found that the only way to be a true man is to surrender fully to God Almighty. Whether or not I know them well or hardly interact with them... Every time I do cross paths with them I see God all over them.

Gotta give it to him...

2009-01-28T18:57:00.000-08:00

I may not be a Calvinist... But I gotta hand it to Mark... This guy doesn't mess around. You either love him or hate him...

For Sale...

2009-01-26T12:56:00.000-08:00

I'm selling my 23" HD Cinema Display for $700.00. It's less than a year old and in perfect shape. No digs, scratches or distorted or broken pixels. I don't have any use for it anymore because I'm getting a new iMac and Cintiq 21ux. So if you or anyone you know might be interested. Hit me up or email me at juan@orangefloorstudio.com

-peace

Program Revamp

2009-01-24T21:05:00.000-08:00

So I'm buying the new Adobe CS4 Production Premium Edition.

Should be awesome.. I'm really excited to learn After Effects.. As a kid I always talked about being an animator. This program will bring that into fruition... well, sort of. I won't be like the animators at Disney, Pixar, Dreamworks or Sparx.. but I'll be able to expand my arsenal as a multimedia creative.

Josh Smith from Hydro74 is a design illustrator I really like. He recently picked up After Effects and is having a blast..

here's some of his first attempts with the program.

I must be on the right track...

2009-01-23T10:41:00.001-08:00

So I was leaving Simpson today and two people walked by smiling... One spoke to the other saying "Yep, Juan is going here." the other replied. "He must be done with backsliding."

The fact that one of them spoke confidently in regards to my life and up until my enrollment at Simpson, I was an unstable neanderthal wasting away my precious calling definitely tells me one thing...

Who gives a rip what God thinks about me... It's about the perspective other people have on me. Seriously, you are never living out your calling unless someone can find you in the database of an institution. And better yet, how about the debt that comes with it.

Sorry God, The significance of my devotion to you must have looked like Micheal Jackson trying to start a Day Care Center. Please forgive me.

Now that I have jumped aboard the A.B. Simpson train I'm sure my life will have some meaning in no time!

Next on the list... I need to see if I can change my Degree Majors from Bible and Theology and Music to People Pleasing and Brown Nosing.

Sweet!

Favor...

2009-01-23T08:12:00.000-08:00

I was talking with someone this week.... They told me they see me as someone who has a ton of favor in the Lord. But I don't have much or really any with men.

I've thought long and hard about this. And at this point I can only come up with one thought...

It really revealed to me who really has control, especially in the church... You can have all the favor that God can give you, but what really matters in this world is what man thinks of you... Man is in control or rather wants to decide who is in and who is out, not God. God is an awesome God, but favor in men seems to outweigh favor in God I guess..Who cares what God thinks about you, right? If I have all the favor in God but none in man I've lost... But if I have none or very little in God and a ton in man, I've won. Or so it seems...

Maybe I should start a rock band.. Tour the globe... Speak against social injustices... Sleep around with groupies, experiment with drugs...Rock stars don't have to worry about character or integrity, loyalty or humility... They have tons of favor...everybody wants to kiss their ass... I am definitely doing something wrong.

Being in tune with men is really the key, being in tune with God is really secondary when it comes to living as a successful Christian in this world. Nobody reads their scripture anymore anyways... and praying.. that's for dinner time and counseling sessions.

I'm still processing this... But as for now...

In the end... I'll take favor in God, because that's who I have to face when I die...

oh dang...

2009-01-22T15:16:00.002-08:00

...soon :)

It's offical...

2009-01-22T09:33:00.001-08:00

... Yep

Vintage Church and Stuff...

2009-01-14T22:56:00.001-08:00

I really enjoy a lot of the format from Mark Driscoll..

He just released this book. I hope to pick it up. I expect it to speak directly to my generation.

you can check out the info here.

Also, here's a concept I pitched to Jeremy Edwardson for his studio.. I sketched out the concept on paper then vectored it Adobe Illustrator. I was going for a propaganda look with a Memphis twist.

-peace

Blog post.

2009-01-13T23:00:00.000-08:00

So Nate asked everyone at the Stirring to blog... Seems we've been slacking. I haven't, but that doesn't matter. These days I blog to myself because I was kicked off Rev Rock (the heavy weight champ of what's right) and The Stirring blog (the blog with the least amount of comments) for disagreeing with Dan on some things (plus I think Nate deleted me too, because he didn't want to not be like everyone else.) Seems I had a thing or two to learn about blogging.

Of course my immaturity, cruel posture, brash comments and poor grammar superseded Dan's blatant mocking and bait trap to humiliate whomever was snagged. (with a smile). But Hey, we all get to dictate our blogs right? Kinda like Myspace. Interesting... somehow myspace drama rears it's ugly head on blogger.. It's become a self proclaimed intellectual hugging network with an egotistical territorial opinionated tally marker as it's sidekick...(Fifth Amendment need not apply) and it even has a top friends. If the attitude stays the same, what's the difference?

I probably just sentence myself to life off Rev Rock and the Stirring and Nate's blog and whomever else.. but oh well.. I'm sure in 2 or 3 years to everyones approval, I'll have grown so much in the Lord and everything will be ok...

I've personally pissed people off, made people laugh, gave people the impression that I was angry... gave people the impression that I wasn't. But with all that... who cares about blogging.. who cares how imperfect I am or anyone else for that matter.. Go read your Bible.. Go pray... Go seek God.... Only that will change your life.... And maybe at some point you'll be approved by all the perfect sinners around you. Who knows.. be hopeful, like Obama..

-peace.

by the way.... I got accepted to Simpson University... and Julie (my beautiful fiance) graduated Simpson with her second degree..

P.S. This was meant to be funny.... I love both Nate and Dan and my church, with all it's issues.. so don't read into it. except for the God part and the Julie part... Me going to Simpson is probably funny, so I'll let you have that as well.. I'll probably make up for this and blog about something deep, like how to Honor your deadbeat dad..

-Peace. (for real this time)

IT'S ALIVE!!

2009-01-11T02:49:00.000-08:00

The New site is up... www.orangefloorstudio.com

Check it out... I still have content to add, but it's all down hill from here.. Now all I need to do is get some much needed work!

Enjoy!

Zombie Love.

2009-01-07T05:11:00.000-08:00

Welp... I threw together a concept with the Zombie Illustration I did a few weeks back... I wanted to go a little 80's with it.. Bright neon colors, some reverb line work, RayBans and of course my own twist...

I wish my sharp line work didn't get fuzzed out by blogger... Oh well, it'll be up on the Orange Floor site.. Anyways........

Enjoy!

Bump.

2009-01-05T19:27:00.000-08:00

I'm in a great time in my life. Like a time once with David, I'm in a cave. But I come into town every so often.. God is good. I've been spending a lot of time in scripture. More than ever before. And even more in prayer. I'm wrestling more with God these days. I'm not trying to constitute how I can be a nicer person. I think so often I look upon scripture like a closet full of clothes. And I concern myself with putting on a fashion show for the world to see. I go to the closet and look to add the much needed attributes in my life, to give the appearance of a "Christian" for those around me.. I'm tired of trying to find the right t-shirt that will make everyone happy. God is deep and I'm diving in head first.... and let me tell you, it's like a pool with no water.. IT HURTS! God is exposing me, waking me up early, keeping me up all night. He is speaking to me in profound areas where I need more of Him. I started this blog because it helps me see my own thoughts. I have the benefit of getting critiqued every single day. And although some come from behind my back, I'm still moving forward. God will let me swim in His pool, but only when I learn how and promise not to pee in it.

God is deep and I'm diving in head first.... and let me tell you, it's like a pool with no water.. IT HURTS!

I know a lot of people stop by to see what "Angry Juan" has to say. And it seems this is the only avenue I have right now to share my heart... Let me say in all seriousness, I'm not angry in the way you might think. God is calling me to challenge myself. He is calling me out to say the things that are being forgotten. Not just around me, but even the truths I have abandoned. He is calling me out, towards change and through repentance. He's challenging me to take thoughts to scripture and not consume them as absolute truths until I've lined them with His word. If they fail to parallel, or go beyond His margins, He has told me to cast them aside and not skew His word for my justification. God is reminding me of His design. Through repentance and salvation in Jesus Christ, we are able to obtain the promise He has for us. Through the Cross it has been demonstrated. He is reminding me that scripture is God breathed and it all came from His hand alone. Starting from Prophets to Kings to even the least and the simple words of John the baptist, being cleansed of our sins, to the profound example of Jesus himself. And furthermore the encouragement from men of God like Paul, I AM CALLED! I'm not perfect and this blog is not the avenue to find my true character and most importantly to know me like your friend.

God is reminding me of His design.

I want to be a man whose evil past is forgotten. I want to be a man of humility and strength. A man of boldness. I want to be a man that is full of life and defends it as well. I want to be a trusted man, I want to be a man of compassion and justice. I want to be a biblical man, a Godly man, a man of love and character... A disciplined man that is not easily swayed by the craftiness of the enemy. I want to be a man that is called upon by others. I want to be a man of discernment and a man that can stand in full view that he may be wrong when others are clearly right. A man that can be rebuked. I want to be told "well done, good and faithful servant". I want to make sure I lead a life that places Christ on display, that people may see Him instead of me. I want to be known as a man after God's own heart. I want people to forget my name but know the good things I've done for the kingdom. I don't want to be told by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords that He never knew me! I desire to appease no man but only Jesus. I want to love like He loved. But I want to hate the things He hates and confidently stand against them protecting those around me. I don't want to be in a place where I have to question God and try to redefine His truths to correlate with the world I live in. I want to present Jesus in the way that is unaltered, remains the same as it has always been, but communicates to my generation and calls us to change. I really feel like I'm in the lions den and danger is all around. But I'm so not afraid, God is with me and I'm not trembling in any man made fear but only in the righteousness of God's presence..... and I just want to make sure that I remain with Him. This is the direction I am heading, this is where I am.... I can still look back and see where it started and although many of you are further ahead.. I ask for your patience and even more, your prayer.

Recording...

2009-01-04T01:00:00.000-08:00

Recently I've been talking about setting up a small recording studio for demoing songs... I have the tendency to forget the songs I write.

Anyways, on Christmas I got a MXL 990 Condenser Mic. pretty stoked....

Then today I went and bought this

It's a Yamaha AudioGram 6 Interface. It's pretty sweet. It came with CUBIS AI Software. Which I've read is a decent program. If not I'll just use Garage Band. It also has inputs for my Motif ES8.

I think this might be a good start for this years goals...

I'm stoked... now I can lay down tracks for the music that comes to me and I won't have to worry about trying to remember what I wrote.

2009

2009-01-02T19:02:00.000-08:00

This year I'm getting married (June 6th).. which is the most exciting thing in my life.

But I also have some goals that I want to meet..

here they are... in no particular order.
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I hope to work further into the Orange Floor vision and get into a building.

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I want to expand my design set-up with a Wacom Cintiq 21UX (cost $2000)
Also I'm taking on another design program.. After Effects. Should be fun!

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I hope to further my passion for Worship and start leading again, write some songs and seek God more. There's a possibility I might attend the Bethel School of Worship.

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I also hope to excel further musically. Vocals, Guitar, Drums and Piano.

I'm well rounded vocally and my guitar skills do justice (about 11 years). But I would like to get better.
This last year I picked up drums and piano. So far I'm self taught on the drums and I've taken a semester of piano.

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I also want to get back down to 175lbs. I weigh 205...

we shall see how I treat 2009.

Zombie Progress 2

2008-12-28T22:50:00.000-08:00

Here's another look at the Zombie design..... I'm pleased with the color so far... Almost done, just need to finish the detail, shading, add some blood (of course) and then throw in a sweet background!

Enjoy!

T-shirt concept. (skulls)

2008-12-24T16:19:00.000-08:00

This is a design concept for a pitching project.. Justin and I haven't completed it yet, but here's a look.. I still have to do some type treatment (band name and stuff.) , and maybe some background stuff.

Enjoy.

Merry Christmas!

If You Didn't Know It Already...

2008-12-23T10:54:00.000-08:00

Jeremy Coverdale is the man.

Julie and I got pictures done for Christmas gifts to each of our parents. Here are some of them.

My mom totally cried when she opened hers... I look really good as a blur, right?

Zombie Progress

2008-12-19T20:30:00.001-08:00

Here is some progress on the Zombie Illustration. I inked this in Illustrator . (NO LIVE TRACE) I'm doing most of the color in Photoshop. (I decided to separate this for a t-shirt print).

Enjoy!

Zombie Concept.

2008-12-17T19:26:00.000-08:00

I decided to draw up a zombie concept from a continuing conversation I've been having with Billy. Here's the first rendering. I plan on bringing this into Illustrator and Photoshop to finish it.

Enjoy.

Happy Birthday Wyatt.

2008-12-04T17:45:00.000-08:00

I designed this for my Nephew. His Birthday isn't until the 17th.. and the party is on the 13th.

I put some good use to some hand painted clouds in water color... Used two different photos to create the look of him flying in the plane.. the rest is illustration.. all done in photoshop..

enjoy..

No you can't go to the party... It's a private party... I wouldn't have been able to go unless I designed this for him! Family and their blackmailing... gezzzz

Advent Conspiracy or Christian Con?

2008-12-04T00:06:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking a lot about a video that was shared Sunday night at the Stirring. Advent Conspiracy made a video that presented it's opinion with a very creative message telling us we are spending gluttons and we should be ashamed., But of course masked in a very gleeful manner for the sake of the Christmas spirit. These kinds of things bug me. I'll be honest, and I'll probably get the stink eye, even though I'm not making any personal attack towards anyone. In the video they go two directions.. one about giving presence and the other involving giving towards a clean water fund.. My problem is with the clean water fund..

I think to often the Church and/or Christian organizations spend too much time brainstorming for the next big thing and not enough time praying and listening to God. They prance around like a mad scientist overly excited and consumed by their poorly created frankenstein. They enjoy flexing their religious muscles with creative and innovative ways for us to board their bandwagons. And who is the pawn to prove their points... no, it's not the Christians... never us.. It is however the "world" AKA unbelievers, non-saved, heathens even... Why do we do this? Why do we put the follies of the worlds unrepentant acts on full blast to motivate us? Shouldn't we be motivated by Jesus? Who cares if the world spends 450 billion dollars on Christmas? Do Christians alone spend 450 billion on Christmas? No... So why should we concern ourselves with how the world wastes money. I know Christians waste money... but lets be fair and use our own wasteful spending habits. Rather than use the unprovable tallying of a worldly statistic created for a good guilt trip and a quick passport aboard another bandwagon. Even Shane Claiborne misses it and uses the example of the world to motivate belivers. I'm not sure that's what Jesus has in mind. Why don't we observe what we as Christians spend on Apple products or our sickly addiction with the coffee bean? And of course it isn't called the Santa Conspiracy, it's called the Advent Conspiracy. I doubt most could tell you what Advent means, but they can easily tell you who Santa is... So, by the example of the world but titled for and spoken to the Christian? huh? Why don't we try to first take Christmas back? Why don't we posture ourselves and give Jesus His birthday back. The world will know us by our faith, not because we use them for a reminder on what not to be. We should be looking to Jesus on how to be. Something is wrong and in this case I wont be pointing at what obviously always looks wrong. I think it's time to pull the plank out of our own eyes...

These video attractions do have a purpose, in the name of Jesus of course.... Once their done making you feel like a piece of trash, they pitch you with their outstanding discovery. Almost like they're Columbus. And like Columbus, they want you to ignore what has already been a discovered and just go with it. So what is this troubling effort? Well, although their are many ugly strategies out there this one particularly deals with unclean water. It involves helping provide clean water to those the same naive Christian would mistake for chocolate milk. However, some either not knowing at all, or quickly forget there is a reason why some don't have clean water buy into these masked wasteful spending machines. Obviously, It isn't because of American spending addictions that there isn't clean water abroad. But thankfully someone finally found a reason to use their algebra skills to mathematically prove the cost it would take to provide clean water to those that don't have it. But strangely and conveniently it's brought to our attention around one of the busy spending times of the year. It's either genius or selfish. And I'm gonna go with selfish... and here's why. It's because in most 3rd world countries people are being dictated by gun happy, child trafficking, drug addicted gangs. These gangs oppress their own people. And at every effort of those oversea, whether it be full of gleeful giving, these gangs find a way to trample and strip these efforts away from those in need. They fill wells with dirt or concrete. They threaten the lives of those who receive the aid. And sometimes even capture those that have come to help and kill them too. People die in the name of clean water? There is something wrong with that picture... I understand that God created water.... so God can provide clean water... why don't we pray and fast for those in need of clean water... God set forth a flood, God healed the sick, God says we can move mountains, Jesus says we will do even greater things then He did... But of course by His power. So why don't we stop with the foolish strategies and start praying and fasting that God would move in, destroy the enemies plot and redeem those that are shackled and oppressed.. The only other way is giving the materials to Rambo so he can go in and build the wells... But nobody wants to fight nowadays... Except for Jesus, and I'll gladly board that bandwagon.

More Mock-ups

2008-11-21T08:37:00.000-08:00

Here are a few more Mock-Ups for the Orange Floor site...... Enjoy

Yep.

2008-11-15T06:16:00.001-08:00

this pretty much says it all...

thanks Jeremy for taking the photos :)

Remember these?

2008-11-14T10:30:00.000-08:00

I'm doing t-shirt mock-ups for the site (OrangeFloor)... thought I'd share these.
enjoy

mixin' it up.

2008-11-12T16:51:00.000-08:00

This is what happens when artists get together and hang.

Photo Magic: Jeremy Coverdale
Illustration: Yours truly

Enjoy :)

"our" kingdom come.

2008-11-04T21:31:00.000-08:00

This election season which has dominated the cultural conversation for many months has been particularly insightful regarding the incessant gospel thirst that abides deep in the heart of the men and women who bear God’s image. Without endorsing or maligning either political party or their respective presidential candidates, I am hopeful that a few insights from the recent election season are of help, particularly to younger evangelicals.

First, people are longing for a savior who will atone for their sins. In this election, people thirst for a savior who will atone for their economic sins of buying things they did not need with money they did not have. The result is a mountain of credit debt they cannot pay and a desperate yearning that somehow a new president will save them from economic hell.

Second, people are longing for a king who will keep them safe from terror in his kingdom. In the Old Testament the concept of a peaceable kingdom is marked by the word shalom. In shalom there is not only the absence of sin, war, strife, and suffering but also the presence of love, peace, harmony, and health. And, this thirst for shalom is so parched that every election people cannot help but naively believe that if their candidate simply wins shalom is sure to come despite sin and the curse.

The bottom line is obvious to those with gospel eyes. People are longing for Jesus, and tragically left voting for mere presidential candidates. For those whose candidate wins today there will be some months of groundless euphoric faith in that candidate and the atoning salvation that their kingdom will bring. But, in time, their supporters will see that no matter who wins the presidency, they are mere mortals prone to sin, folly, and self-interest just like all the other sons of Adam and daughters of Eve. To help extend naïve false hope as long as possible, a great enemy will be named and demonized as the one who is hindering all of the progress to atone for our sins and usher in our kingdom. If the Democrats win it will be the rich, and if the Republicans win it will be the terrorists. This diversionary trick is as old as Eve who blamed her sin on Satan rather than repenting. The lie is that it’s always someone else’s fault and we’re always the victim of sinners and never the sinner.

Speaking of repentance, sadly, no matter who wins there will be no call to personal repentance of our own personal sins which contributes to cultural suffering and decline such as our pride, gluttony, covetousness, greed, indebtedness, self-righteousness, perversion, and laziness. And, in four years we’ll do it all again and pretend that this time things will be different. Four years after that, we’ll do it yet again. And, we’ll continue driving around this cul de sac until Jesus returns, sets up his throne, and puts an end to folly once and for all.

In the meantime, I would encourage all preachers to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and repentance of personal sin. He alone can truly atone for our sins. He alone can deliver us from a real hell. He alone is our sinless and great King. And, he alone has a Shalom kingdom to offer.

Lastly, for those preachers who have gotten sidetracked for the cause of a false king and a false kingdom by making too much of the election and too little of Jesus, today is a good day to practice repentance in preparation to preach it on Sunday. Just give it some time. The thirst will remain that only Jesus can quench. So, we’ve still got work to do….until we see King Jesus and voting is done once and for all.

-Mark Driscoll

Happy Halloween?

2008-10-31T18:39:00.000-07:00

Should we even say "happy halloween"?... I don't know..

I thought about dressing up as Obama.. And instead of buying candy, I would pick the kid with the most, take from them and redistribute it to the other kids with the least.... what do ya think?

Head In Heaven.

2008-10-31T00:14:00.000-07:00

Keep your head in heaven........ I dare you.

(This design is part of the Orange Floor Promo Gear :)

PROMO GEAR UPDATE.

2008-10-28T00:07:00.001-07:00

Just finished the Booklet, might tweak it a little.. But for the most part it's finished. Here's a sneak peek.

Once all this is printed, all I have to do is get it in the right hands for some much needed work.

enjoy :)

ORANGE FLOOR PROMO GEAR.

2008-10-22T02:07:00.000-07:00

I've been wrapped up in the PROMO GEAR for the ORANGE FLOOR launch...whenever that will be.

Here's a look at my business card (front and back). Also a coaster that might also be used for stickers. I'm working on the Example Booklet right now. I'll post it when it's done.

I spent some quality time on these.. all original, all hand vectored.

enjoy.

I need work...... badly :(

CITIZENSHIP.

2008-10-20T12:43:00.000-07:00

Click Here to read a small article about the video.

Question.

2008-10-14T21:00:00.000-07:00

With all the political fanfare being orchestrated for us, I thought I would ask this question pertaining us, the Church.

If a Church is made up of a congregation that is 3/4 homeless and extremely poor and the other 1/4 is lower to middle class with one family being upper class, what do you think the words would be coming from the pulpit?

Books I'm reading.

2008-10-11T12:56:00.000-07:00

Orange Floor and beyond...

2008-09-22T23:29:00.000-07:00

So, I finished the finalcept (that's my own made up word.. It means Final Concept.) of the Antioch Church logo and brand and sent it to Sean McMasters (Pastor in Santa Cruz). Haven't heard anything yet, he just had a baby.. well he didn't but his wife did.. If anything, colors might change... on the logo that is..

Here's a look..
Also, the creation of this logo will be exposed in a tutorial on the Orange Floor site... We are working hard and plan to launch everything soon.. I've spent the last few weeks writing up a crazy contract form for future clients... Basically, I'm doing all the stuff that isn't fun right now.

Earlier today I went down and collaborated with a Redding Print Company for promotional material for Orange Floor. I'm getting some pretty sick example booklets done up, as well as some DIE-CUT contact cards, all fully custom. Can't wait!

Some of you have heard about the 6 panel painting I'm going to start.. Sunday night after church I shared it with Billy... the look on his face was priceless as I told him about the two hunchback looking dudes jamming what looked to be giant tubes into the sides of the Son of Man. I think the sprinkler system was Billy's favorite part.. or maybe it was the 5 gallon buckets. Hopefully I can do justice to the vision the Lord gave me.... Anyways, I plan on spending a good year or so on this project... I won't be revealing it publicly until it's finished.. The only way to get glimpses of it, is by being my friend...

A word from the little ones...

2008-09-21T14:36:00.000-07:00

These are incredible... Some of the things these little ones say brings me to my knees. amazing!

Up On Canvas.

2008-09-17T23:34:00.001-07:00

I want to start posting a weekly or bi-weekly post of the projects I've got up on canvas.... Here is a compiled glimpse at what I'm up to..

I don't know if I want to call these posts, "Up On Canvas" or something else like.. "On the table" or "On my plate"... So, the name might change.. who knows, I'm open for suggestions..

peace.

26

2008-09-17T23:34:00.000-07:00

Today was my birthday......... I'm 26

Rev 19

2008-09-15T16:11:00.000-07:00

I've been having dreams... Last night the Lord woke me up and brought me to His Word....

The Bible shows us the prophesy, testimony and purpose of Jesus and with that, He (Jesus) commands and shows us how we should live. We should love all those that Jesus points out. We should obey all that Jesus instructs us, and when we fall, we should repent like Jesus commands. But, there has been a skewed view that goes beyond scripture. The "REPEAT" of a liberal view that puts it's focuses on social, economic and political struggles of today. This focus has been polluting the true meanings of our sound doctrine. I can plainly see two major problems in the "Christian society" today as to why a lot of these proclamations are widely received .

1.) The absence of biblical commitment.

If we are honest with ourselves, which most of us fail to do so, we would notice in our daily, weekly, monthly and yearly lives, scripture scratches our walk maybe once a week. But not by our own efforts, but from our Pastors and Leaders we look up to and love. Scripture tells us to work out our own salvation. We are individually judged and proclaimed single runners in a race to achieve the goal. With the consistent absence of the Word of God, what is left to happen? There is only one thing, the absence of God.

2.) We lay down our daily commitments to the Word of God and pick up the words of man.

There is a pattern that is taking place with those that yearn for God. The Bible is slowly becoming a sub-doctrine to a more widely excepted Re-thought, or rather "new" teachings of the Word of God as we know it. We use the written words of these "new" teachers to define the SOUND WORDS OF GOD. We fail to see that scripture can support itself. We substitute its capability with books that, "for their readers" define what is to be true. Paul tells us to remain stable, unswayed, and pay close attention to those that can truly discern and teach by the Spirit, instead of those that fail to articulate scripture and abandon the Spirit. By staying close to this, we will see Gods' word alive more than ever before. These "new teachings" of scripture are being circulated faster than scripture itself. Many leaders of today's Churches are making quick hand offs of books full of dangerous material that promote "new conversations" and only achieve a small portion of truth. If we approach books written to compliment the Word of God, rather than reconstruct or deconstruct but teach scripture with scripture, we will with out a doubt see where the "fecal matter" of these "new teachings" cakes our eye sockets and we are only left to inhale the foul smell of false articulations of where we've supposedly missed it...

With the consistent absence of the Word of God, what is left to happen? There is only one thing, the absence of God.

This bad breath attacks mainly the thought patterns of Christians in America. The lives of those that lived in this country as believers have missed the true meanings of scripture since the day our country was birthed. The "American Christian" has widely screwed up Gods word according to the "new findings" of some. The vast majority of my generation without a blink of discernment is turning their hearts to writers like Brian McLaren and highly praised Rob Bell. Most of these books display or critique the ancient teachings passed down from generation to generation. In every attempt possible, these writers try to show us where our traditional understandings fall short of what "they" believe scripture actually tells us. Let me say this; If we approach scripture with an agenda made from our own heart, we will find it. And in that, we can venture off in our own knowledge and build a very strong analysis as to why we are correct. When we build upon our own understandings we blind ourselves from the truth. We are warned all over scripture as to how we achieve such things from our own hearts rather than the heart of Christ living in us.. We need to pay close attention to the advantage of the enemy. We need to understand that he knows scripture and has a historical view and experience that we will never achieve. The enemy was once with God, as the Angel of Light. He was the house worshiper of all worshipers. This enemy knows his stuff! Given that, we as followers of Jesus are given something the enemy doesn't have available. We are given the Holy Spirit. This is our biggest weapon that we have in our arsenal against the spiritual war that is taking place for OUR LIVES.

If we approach scripture with an agenda made from our own heart, we will find it...

I'll leave you with this thought to wrestle with:

Rev 19:11-16

I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one but he himself knows. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:

KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

In his book "Everything Must Change", Brian McLaren shares this:

“The phrase “the Second Coming of Christ” never actually appears in the Bible. Whether or not the doctrine to which the phrase refers deserves re-thinking, a popular abuse of it certainly needs to be named and rejected. If we believe that Jesus came in peace the first time, but that wasn’t his “real” and decisive coming - it was just a kind of warm-up for the real thing - then we leave the door open to envisioning a second coming that will be characterized by violence, killing, domination, and eternal torture. This vision reflects a diversion, a return to trust in the power of Pilate, not the unarmed truth that stood before Pilate, refusing to fight...

If we remain charmed by this kind of eschatology, we will be forced to see the nonviolence of the Jesus of the Gospels as a kind of strategic fake-out, like a feigned retreat in war, to be followed up by a crushing blow of so-called redemptive violence in the end. The gentle Jesus of the first coming becomes a kind of trick Jesus, a fake-me-out Messiah, to be replaced by the true jihadist Jesus of a violent second coming.
This is why I believe that many of our current eschatologies, intoxicated by dubious interpretations of John’s Apocalypse are not only ignorant and wrong, but dangerous and immoral.” (page 144).

McLaren's newly re-imagined "Jesus" didn’t come to Earth to die for the sins of the world. (Mclaren and other emergents like him reject and ridicule the Penal Substitionary Atonement). Instead, McLaren’s "Jesus" is a blend of non-violent civil rights leaders like Ghandi, Martin Luther King Jr. and Bishop Desmund Tutu. In McLaren's thinking, Jesus’ death on the cross, much like Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination, exposed the brutality and injustice of the Imperial System. The mission of McLaren’s "Jesus", much like Ghandi's, was to teach us a "new framing story" that would topple imperialism through the practice of non-violence and defection from empire. Since the historic Christian teaching that Jesus 'will come again in glory to judge both the living and the dead’ requires Jesus to utilize violence and imperial tactics to establish His kingdom on Earth, McLaren concludes that the historic Christian doctrine regarding the Second Coming is a false and immoral eschatology that turns Jesus into a jihadist rather than an unarmed non-violent peace maker.

Let’s review what the scriptures teach regarding Jesus Second Coming and then we can determine which teaching is false and immoral.

Since McLaren thinks that dubious interpretations of the book of Revelation are to blame for the formation of these immoral eschatologies I’ll only quote passages from other books of the Bible and will start with Jesus’ words from the gospels.

In John 5:28-29 Jesus says,

“Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.”

In Matthew 24:27, 29-31 Jesus says,

“For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.... “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

Jesus continues in Matthew 25:31-33 by saying:

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.”

Jesus says that He will then judge the sheep and the goats. Regarding the goats Jesus ultimately says, “And these will go away into eternal punishment”. Regarding the sheep Jesus says they will enter into ‘eternal life’ (v46).

The Apostle Paul writing about Jesus Second Coming says this in 1 Thess 4:15-18:

“For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.”

Paul continues in 1 Thess 5:1-3 by saying:

“Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.”

Finally, the author to the Hebrews writes, in Hebrews 9:28:

“So Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.”

Every one of the passages quoted above make it perfectly clear that the Historic and Biblical Jesus promises and intends to return to Earth a second time. When he appears, HE SAYS that He will come in glory with the angels and will judge the living and the dead. McLaren doesn't like this inconvenient Biblical truth. It contradicts the nature of the "Jesus Idol" that he has created for himself. That is why he attacks the Biblical Jesus by calling Him an immoral Imperialist and a Jihadist. Also McLaren bases his findings on the mere suggestion that the words "second coming" don't actually appear in the scriptures... Well, neither does the word "trinity". In a matter not to change the subject, I'll let you work that out if you want.

Question:

Who is truly being immoral here? Is it immoral for Jesus to return a second time in power and glory to judge the living and the dead (afterall, Jesus is God) Or is it immoral for Brian McLaren to refashion Jesus in such a way that he could call the Biblical doctrine of Jesus’ second coming an evil act of jihadi imperialism?

A word from our troops...

2008-09-15T11:33:00.000-07:00

After God's Own Heart.

2008-09-05T02:25:00.000-07:00

God is deep and I'm diving in head first.... and let me tell you, it's like a pool with no water.. IT HURTS!

God is reminding me of His design.

Jude

2008-09-04T06:01:00.000-07:00

Anybody care to explain this?

The Truth Hurts.

2008-09-03T16:26:00.000-07:00

www.nohussein.com

Grasshopper Entitlements...

2008-09-03T15:48:00.000-07:00

THE ANT AND THE GRASSHOPPER 2008
OLD VERSION:

The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long,
building his house and laying up supplies for the winter.

The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and
dances and plays the summer away. Come winter, the ant is
warm and well fed.The grasshopper has no food or shelter,
so he dies out in the cold.

MORAL OF THE STORY:
Be responsible for yourself!

MODERN
VERSION:

The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long,
building his house and laying up supplies for the winter

The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and
dances and plays the summer away while watching MTV
and jumping on passing bandwagons...

Come winter, the shivering grasshopper calls a press
conference and demands to know why the ant should be
allowed to be warm and well fed while others are cold and
starving.

CBS, NBC, PBS, CNN, and ABC show up to provide pictures of
the shivering grasshopper next to a video of the ant in his
comfortable home with a table filled with food. America is
stunned by the sharp contrast.

How can this be, that in a country of such wealth, this
poor grasshopper is allowed to suffer so ?

Kermit the Frog appears on Oprah with the grasshopper, and
everybody cries when
they sing, 'It's Not Easy Being Green.'

Jesse Jackson stages a demonstration in front of the
ant's house where the news stations film the group
singing, 'We shall overcome.' Jesse then has the
group kneel down to pray to God for the grasshopper's
sake.

Nancy Pelosi & John Kerry exclaim in an interview with
Larry King that the ant has gotten rich off the back of the
grasshopper, and both call for an immediate tax hike on the
ant to make him pay his fair share.

Hillary and Barack go on national television bashing one another
but then turn all of a sudden agreeing that the plight of the grasshopper
is the fault of George Bush.

Finally, the EEOC drafts the Economic Equity &
Anti-Grasshopper Act retroactive to the beginning of the
summer.

The ant is fined for failing to hire a proportionate number of
green bugs and, having nothing left to pay his retroactive taxes,
his home is confiscated by the government.

Obama gets his old law firm to represent the grasshopper in a
defamation suit against the ant, and the case is tried before a panel
of federal judges that Bill Clinton appointed from a list of
single-parent welfare recipients.

The ant loses the case.

The story ends as we see the grass hopper finishing up the
last bits of the ant's food while the government house
he is in, which just happens to be the ant's old house,
crumbles around him because he doesn't maintain it.

The ant has disappeared in the snow.

The grasshopper is found dead in a drug related incident
and the house, now abandoned, is taken over by a gang of
spiders who terrorize the once peaceful neighborhood.

MORAL OF THE STORY:
Be very careful how you vote in 2008

Discipleship

2008-09-03T03:28:00.000-07:00

I was talking with Julie today... We got on the topic of discipleship.... I pictured a cross with two people working together to hold it up.. what was interesting about this was, I never thought of discipleship this way....

I envisioned a cross with two people standing on each side. One is the disciple the other is the teacher... both are holding it up, sustaining it firm and fully erected... If one of the two isn't there the cross is weakened.... Either the disciple isn't being disciplined in biblical teachings and is doing his or her own thing or the teacher isn't walking in obedience with the command Jesus gave regarding baptizing and making disciples in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.....(keep in mind this is your cross representing that of which Jesus speaks of in Matthew 10) The weakness comes from the absence of the other... Again, because there is only one person holding the cross it's weakened, it leans, it can easily lose it's balance inevitably falling and skew the true meaning of who we are called to be in Christ...

The weakness comes from the absence of the other...

The picture I got from this is; If there is one of the two absent, the cross essentially sways back and forth, one direction and then another, faltering and presenting a distorted depiction of the full purpose of becoming part the kingdom of God . Even if the person has good in their heart, they are still damaging the full presentation of what Christ established... There is only one cross that stands alone in full perfectness and we are called to imitate it.

An example is given in Ephesians 4:14, "Then they will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming."

There is only one cross that stands alone in full perfectness and we are called to imitate it.

Some of the common things we can do to create a skewed depiction of Christ is what we read as Christians. If we are not getting to know our bible and rely more on earthy books we can easily find ourselves drifting away from the power of God, lacking in spiritual discernment. We replace the spirit with hot air that eventually deflates away. There are a lot of writers writing books... Some of these books are written with the intent to compliment scripture, and some of them do. But there are others that don't. In fact, there are a lot of books out there that fail completely and are simply junk.. If a young (not in age) follower of Christ gets an early start, consuming literature that fails to be biblically sound, they won't notice they are hearing the words of a very crafty enemy and will devolve off coarse presenting a false Jesus and a false doctrine. The biblically uneducated, undisciplined Christian will not discern the difference.

Today the perfect example of this is the Emerging Church. It is full of young people, just like myself, in all sincerity fired up about Jesus but strongly lacking in both biblical and Godly character. Too many sheep trying to be shepherds. They are like a bunch of untamed stallions. Beautiful and strong in every sense but have no value to a rider and will actually kill them, robbing them of their purpose. They create their own paths, walk in their own authority and when challenged they form a stampede and radically trample any opposition. They look upon older horses with respect but treat them as inferiors and see no added value to their herd. They want to lead, but consistently abandon tradition and the trails created before them. But in every way young riders don't heed the warnings and flock to the appealing appearance of the black stallion, revering it's trends. A stallion horse rejects it's purpose to be ridden until it is tamed and disciplined.

They create their own paths, walk in their own authority...

Without discipleship we damage the meaning of the cross, the blood of the lamb, and ultimately quench the Holy Spirit. An undisciplined follower of Christ might mean well, but without the guidance of a mature teacher who is biblically sound and bares fruits of Godly character, they will without a doubt misrepresent what Jesus established the day he rose from the dead.

So with that, If the young (not in age) follower has someone to help hold their cross and teach them the ways towards Godly character which bears the full and pure presentation of a fully stable balanced cross. They will be walking in the design Christ established....

Now, you can go even further. We all have a cross to carry... And when we have arrived to a place where we are able to stand firm, we can then also enter into a locality of Godly community. We do this by coming along side brothers and sisters that are like-minded in the spirit and produce Godly fruits. We are all capable of helping hold each-others cross. As a community putting God on display to the multitudes. Picture a cross between the hands of the people, creating a never ending line side by side, going both directions... Community strengthens one another and if one falls, we are all exposed to the hardship. But through discipline, accountability and grace we bring our brother or sister in Christ Jesus back to their purpose and plan, through the simple but always challenging edicts of God's great word.

Add to trash.

2008-09-02T00:35:00.000-07:00

Sometimes things must be put to death... Except for babies of course....

As an artist I personally toss away many concepts that never see the light of day. Here's a few that will join the dark depths of my never ending virtual chasm of disappointment.. May they rest in peace...

Democratic Stance On Abortion

2008-09-01T18:08:00.000-07:00

An excerpt from the recently announced Democratic Party Platform.

"The Democratic Party strongly and unequivocally supports Roe v. Wade and a woman's right to choose a safe and legal abortion, regardless of ability to pay, and we oppose any and all efforts to weaken or undermine that right."

Question: Embracing Roe V Wade advanced the cause for life? If you are a (Christian) Obama supporter, clarify for me where he is making progress? Defining that your taxes will now help pay to abort babies... That's progress? Clearly, you've officially been duped...

God is good...

2008-09-01T10:50:00.000-07:00

I can't imagine how many times we take things out of God's hands, as if He was incapable to make any good come of bad things...

MAN-UP2

2008-09-01T09:56:00.000-07:00

MOST FATHERS HAVE MORE OF THEIR "OWN" AGENDA RATHER THAN "OWNING" THE FATHERS AGENDA.

So, Julie and I spent two days in Sac with her family... We all went to the State Fair on Saturday and then Sunday we dashed over to Old Sac to check out the Gold Rush Days... Now there's a time period I would have enjoyed living in... I'm not stoked on country music, but there is something about the old west that has always attracted me.. Ask Julie, I've always appreciated the rugged, flying by the seat of your pants lifestyle the old west demonstrates... Her Dad is that in traditions.. He loves the out doors.. Hunting, fishing, camping, sports.... But you know what's interesting about him versus other "men" or fathers I've seen... This guy doesn't do it without his family... Everything he does, he does with his family... He doesn't pawn off his kids on his wife, so he can scamper away and do his own thing... He doesn't seclude himself in a cave away from everyone so he can consume hours of NASCar or ESPN. He doesn't sneek off to the golf coarse on the weekends... He plans his life around his family... And in return, his family respects him naturally and loves him dearly... They look to him in all their concerns, never being afraid of what he might think. They don't live amongst their father walking on eggshells and wondering what side of the bed daddy woke up on... This man demonstrates for me what it means to be a father... I hope I can someday live up to the task..

Oh he's in his 50's, in really good shape.. (no beer belly!!) and plays soccer every week.. he can probably give you an ass kicking too if you needed it...

I like what Driscoll has to share...

Paying attention...

2008-09-01T00:42:00.000-07:00

I really appreciate people that bring legitimate perspective to the table.... [click here]

MAN-UP.

2008-08-30T02:12:00.000-07:00

You know, with all the Obvious differences I have with Barrack Obama I agree with him on one thing.. Wheres all the "dudes" at? Out of all Obama's hopeful (and I say it boldly) claptrap he says one thing right... (I'll be breaking down what he say's wrong also.. as well as what McCain says right and wrong.. but that's for a later time..)

In regards to the men in most Churches.... I feel there is a lack of "real" men... If I look around I see dudes that look like little boys.. why? Mainly because they still act like little boys.. They run around wearing "girl clothing" have "girl haircuts" and are BIG TIME "drama queens" Men today are more concerned with fashion more than anytime in history.. Don't get me wrong.. I don't have an issue with making sure you look good.... The ladies like that.. Today men are passive, they are cowards, they can't talk face to face... When issues arise they hide behind pansy texting. They try and drink their problems away.. They abandon their children.. MOST MEN IN THE CHURCH ARE NOT CAPABLE OF DISCIPLING SOMEONE.

A lot of these "dudes" make more of a stand through being EMO or INDIE or METROSEXUAL than they do with Jesus Christ... There's a small group of real men in the church but the numbers fall sup-par to what it should be... I became a "man" by mistake really.... My dad abandoned me... But I've somehow survived and haven't become a pussy like "most" of the boys around me (I've made a lot of "admitted" mistakes and have had to Man-up) However, there are a few real men around me, and I'm making sure I stay close... I spent a lot of my youth getting in fights and dodging gangs and bullies. For a short time I walked in retaliation, breaking my knuckles and hurting a lot of my enemies along the way.... Through the many paths I've been down, trying to make sense of what the purpose of a man is, I think I've arrived on the right path that God wants me to journey down...

I've been thinking about this one guy..... this one guy, that is a true man.. someone that I have been around almost since the beginning of my walk with God.. This man is significantly older than me.. It's important for us young men to find older men... Obviously this is a huge deficient with most of the men in todays churches..... The young prideful man is always the one that abandons wisdom.. but this guy is amazing.. this is a guy who is very wise and humble... but at the same time if you get in his face he's completely capable of giving you the ass kicking that you probably deserve.. I'ma make sure I stay close to him...

here's another guy that doesn't mess around..

Little (wannabe) drummer boy..

2008-08-29T16:56:00.001-07:00

So, I've been beating away on the drums for a little of a year.. self-taught..... I'm no Randy Miller and I don't consider myself a drummer yet.. maybe someday.. haha.. I've also ventured down other musical avenues.. Guitar (11 years) Singing (10 years) and piano (5 months)... As for drumming, I've wanted to drum since I was a kid... it is another great avenue of music that I'm really enjoying...

heres a video of myself trying to figure it all out..

sorry for the poor quality.. I'm also new at video stuff as well... Good thing I got a talented guy for Orange Floor...

A format for the "simple" mind...

2008-08-29T14:29:00.000-07:00

A word from God....

2008-08-26T07:20:00.000-07:00

So, God spoke to me.. or rather God slapped me silly.... I gotta figure out why He's been doing this to me a lot...

Within all the talk about Obama and McCain... and McCain and Obama... There are a few key issues that everyone should be wrestling with....

One that keeps coming into play is the health care issue.. Now if you're a believer in Jesus, this is for you.. I'm excited to share this because for myself and my faith in Christ, what God brought to my attention really reminded me of how small I really am without Him... God spoke to me on this, not a word that was only for me... But a word that I believe is for all of us that follow Jesus..

Through pondering and prayer I listened...

He said... (not audibly by the way...)

I've given you a free health care system... The problem is you've abandoned it... You don't "really" believe in healing the sick, You don't "really" believe that I can touch the maimed, in fact you are uncomfortable.. especially seeing them among where you walk... It is easier for you to touch the sick when you are abroad, away from your own camp and in your own time..... You don't "really" believe that I can destroy the toxins and viruses that harm millions of people daily... You just say that I can... You don't "really" want to hear My Voice...You have abandoned that part of Me.... I demonstrated for you how one could heal the sick, make the broken unbroken and cast out anything that places harm upon My children... But you are not willing to trust in Me.. You are not willing to trust that I choose to not heal sometimes... You give more faith to broken promises, to ideas that skew what my heart is really about... You try and solve your problems but in fact create others in return... You think robbing from the rich is the answer to feed the poor... You oppress the poor because you fail to teach them My word... My honor is not in that... My heart does not set out to punish one of my children to accomplish the needs of another... You are only shifting your problems, and pointing your faith to Godlessness... I am not with you there, I am over here.. You ignore my promise... You miss out on My love because you lack obedience... I'm yelling, I'm screaming, I'm dying and yet you do nothing to help... When I'm naked, you make sure you are clothed first.. then you clothe Me... When I am hungry, you feed me when you are full... I weep because you have gathered yourself around a false hope. You will not let me dream.... You will not let me be your God...

I don't know if this shakes you, but it sure shakes me... I try to hear God in every thought I process, this took over my thoughts.. I felt encountered by the Father... For me, I believe in order to hear from the Father we have to persevere beyond our flesh.. We have to lay to sleep after the sun has set and awaken before the sun rises... We have to walk in our gifts daily.. We have to surrender and take a hold of our cross.. and most importantly we have to let God use us, especially when "we" don't want to be used... I feel like God is telling us that His Heart is all around us and we refuse to see it. Although God has the power to abolish all of the wicked and hurtful things in our world He has designed things in a way that puts the baton in our grasp... We need to let God out of the box...

To steal a little excerpt from Nate..... God is "gooder" than we think...

The wisdom of a running mate...

2008-08-26T01:41:00.000-07:00

it's late.. I have some thoughts about Biden, in which I'll share later.. I have some design stuff I need to work on..... I think we can all see that Obama probably would have tried to get McCain if he wasn't his opponent...... but then again, there is a reason McCain is his opponent...

Voice for the Voiceless 3

2008-08-25T15:37:00.000-07:00

This will be my last post regarding this topic.. Mainly because I'd like to spend sometime wrestling through more of this and allowing God to minister to my heart regarding my approach to what I want to say in my short ebook.. I know I have a decent amount of people that peek in from time to time... even though they don't chime in on any of the discussions.. Probably wise on their part...

Further more I'd like to leave whomever has thoughts about the issue with abortion with this...

a shared statement..

If I’m an unborn child (and we all were), I’m willing to take my chances without healthcare, and with poorly performing public schools and a broken federal welfare system, if you promise to keep the skin-eating acid off my flesh and the buzzsaw away from my skull - sound fair? Give me a shot at life (which I would guess you value for yourself) and I will sort out the financial ups and downs from there....

A voice for the voiceless 2

2008-08-22T03:54:00.000-07:00

Asked at what point a baby gets “human rights,” Obama, who strongly supports abortion rights, said: “… whether you’re looking at it from a theological perspective or a scientific perspective, answering that question with specificity … is above my pay grade.”

Well, step aside Obama..... it isn't above mine...and I make a fraction of what you make.

CBN's David Brody interviewed Obama immediately after the Saddleback forum and this interesting exchange occured where Obama accused the National Right to Life Committee of lying in no uncertain terms. Here's the exchange via Red State:

Brody: Real quick, the Born Alive Infant Protection Act. I gotta tell you that's the one thing I get a lot of emails about and it's just not just from Evangelicals, it about Catholics, Protestants, main -- they're trying to understand it because there was some literature put out by the National Right to Life Committee. And they're basically saying they felt like you misrepresented your position on that bill.

Obama: Let me clarify this right now.

Brody: Because it's getting a lot of play.

Obama: Well and because they have not been telling the truth. And I hate to say that people are lying, but here's a situation where folks are lying. I have said repeatedly that I would have been completely in, fully in support of the federal bill that everybody supported - which was to say --that you should provide assistance to any infant that was born - even if it was as a consequence of an induced abortion. That was not the bill that was presented at the state level. What that bill also was doing was trying to undermine Roe vs. Wade. By the way, we also had a bill, a law already in place in Illinois that insured life saving treatment was given to infants.

That's a gutsy move by Obama, especially because he is lying. It is also a very dumb move by Obama because this could start a war of words between the NRLC and Obama. And the exchange might just be enough to make the media interested in the matter, putting this issue on the news -exactly where Obama doesn't want it to be.

The only way a Christian can cast their vote for Obama is if they are willing to slap themselves to the point where they're unconscious and won't remember it... Or do you think it has to do with the fact that Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a "donkey" to eat with republicans and sinners? Clearly you can't be that ignorant right?

So with the rise of a Pro-Choice Mob per-say in the Christian community.. Perhaps they've been around for awhile.. And if so, they've been hiding out.... what a bunch of cowards.. with one hand they proclaim Jesus and with the other hand they cast their vote giving a death sentence to babies... Is it because you disagree with war more? So far 40 million babies never got a chance at peace and thats just since Roe vs. Wade.. Maybe one of them could have made a difference.. .. Is it because its inevitable and we need to make it safe? Well, so is murder... You wanna tell me how we might explain to people how to kill others safely? Or better yet, how we can safely sin? Or is it because you're entitled to something like free health care? Nice compromise you got their Hitler. Here's the deal... The honest truth.... I'm disgusted.. disappointed and passionately furious.. And I seriously want to know, on what grounds, biblically and morally is the killing of babies okay for Christians?

Good thing is... I'm angry about something that matters.. right?

Recently in a sermon from Nate, he shared with us a historical perspective what was going down in Ephesus in biblical times. On the topic of adoption, Nate educated listeners on the fact that during this time, this culture was basically punting unwanted babies off a cliff...I'm positive most of those that heard this message had some compassion and concluded how grotesque such an action was. Mainly those that have children.. For me, I ponder how the same thing is happening today.. Obviously not on the lines of picking through life like dictating savages for a dominate race like the Roman and Greek cultures did. But more on the lines of a careless act against life in general.... As a believer, my questions are only to those that "supposedly" believe the same biblical principles, or rather call themselves a follower of the teachings that we plainly see in the support of life when reading the words of Jesus... I'm convinced that this issue is due to biblical education and spiritual discipline.. or rather the lack thereof. Like I shared before in my previous blog, I hadn't a clue that a chasm existed. Seriously, how can a so-called Christian be so aloof? and not just biblically but also worldly? Both? You gotta be kidding me! For example: what would you say about Matthew 18:9? Gouging out our eye if it causes us to sin? Pretty straight forward right? But we set those scriptures aside and only cast our eyes upon the stuff that treats our needs. So,we ignore them. Of course I'm sure someone will write in a book about how we've missed it and proclaim with a drug induced mystical realization that Jesus was talking about how we have a third eye which is our "demonic eye" and "this eye" is what we are supposed to "gouge out"... Probably Rob Bell and Brian McLaren in a book co-written about how the Mormons are right, that there is no hell, we'll all be saved and we all have our own personal demonic cyclops..

I've decided I'm going to write a short 5 or 6 chapter Ebook on this issue... And I'm going to challenge every Pro-Choice Christian to come out of the woodwork and explain to me or rather explain to their community how we as followers can support abortion.. Please, kindly share with us your wisdom...I want to specifically know where in scripture this is.. I want to specifically know how it is ok.. and I want to specifically know what "wisdom" you are being guided on to make such a proclamation.. Like I said I think it's more on the lines of being biblically and spiritually sub-par. For those that want to.. call me out on why I'm Pro-Life. Fortunately for you, I'm not a Todd Bentley crony that would happily explain my reasons after I gave you a swift kick to the face in the name of Jesus.. I'm not a coward and I would be glad to explain why I believe in life and TRUST IN GOD WHOLEHEARTEDLY.. But then again.... I just gave you my answer.

Maybe Paul is right.. we all have our thorns.... Maybe all those Christian Pro-Choice supporters suffer from a giant thorn stabbing them right in the heart...

Books to check out...

2008-08-19T23:08:00.000-07:00

I was over at the Stirring Office. (which should be a global landmark by the way...they have the Trinity there.... what can we do to make that happen?)

Anyways.. if you haven't been there.. right when you walk in there is this sad looking shelf with a few books on it... I asked Meghan what was the scoop on the depressing bookshelf.. She said.. "oh, that's supposed to be the Stirring library.. [insert depressing sound here] but those that were contributing to it haven't brought in any of their spare books..."

I told her.. " I see you got Velvet Elvis and Purpose Driven Life... but wheres the good stuff?"

she shrugged...

Maybe someone gets on the ball soon... I then went into Pastor Nathaniel and Pastor Daniel's office and blessed them by cleaning off their desks... (lots of dust) I tried to get Brent and Christian to help.. but that's like trying to get people to help transport 250 backpacks to a tiny office for a Church outreach to a local school... Ironically Meghan delegated a similar operation and about a thousand people showed up.. which was really odd..

Anyways.. Pastor Nathaniel and Pastor Daniel work so hard during the week.. hopefully they appreciated my small gesture.

After I left, I went and looked around my house to see if there were any books I could part with... None so far.. kinda hypocritical I guess... but I didn't commit to bringing in books in the first place..

For lacking a contribution to the Stirring library I feel compelled to give a small recommendation on what I find to be great reads... I think I'm going to start doing this biweekly...

So here are the first 3 books...

-Who You Are When No One's Looking: Bill Hybels

First off, this is a great book for guys to read... including Umpa Lumpas.. what do they do when no one's looking? But seriously.. those in any form of leadership. Not excluding anything beyond the boundaries of church walls... whomever decides to pick this book up will go from chapter to chapter feeling like they just got confronted by a little old lady outside a porn shop..

-A Tale Of Three Kings: Gene Edwards

Ever talk trash behind someones back? Practice any form of retaliation often?

I read this book during my time away from Church and battling a six month court trial...
It was like being in Royal Rumble.. tossed, body slammed and forced to lick the middle of my back by water retaining, leotard wearing, buff dudes beating me into submission... I keep this one in my back pocket.

- Where's Waldo: Martin Handford

I think if Jesus were on earth today. He would use the Where's Waldo books for his analogy to the rich man, rather than a camel fitting through the eye of a needle.. Seriously... I'm still searching for Waldo.. Sometimes I think I might have spotted him... like when I'm swimming through the sea of confused looking people that meet up to socialize in the crowded aisles of Wal-Mart..who calls up their friends and tells them "find the most crowded aisle at Wal-Mart.. we'll meet there.. I'll bring the Dutch Bro's.." But when I finally work my way like a rat in a maze to freedom, I quickly realize it was just some indie rock and roll dude trying to look comfortable while wearing a bennie in the dead heat of summer. Did I mention skinny jeans? Other than surviving the circus at Wally world that's a life commitment in itself... Of course I don't have much room to talk with the two culvert pipes I have attached to both sides of my head..... Julie says she always catches people staring at me..... One time (at band camp) she saw this one person so memorized, they started drooling.... I can probably stand in a large crowd for awhile with some buckets.. purify their spit and send it overseas to one of those countries with dirty water... but then again....they do have these..

Waldo kinda looks like a child molester that just broke out of prison and is running to keep from being captured... He and Carmen San Diego would make a fantastic couple.. Their babies would probably be world renown escape artist and conspiratorialist would probably believe that President Bush hired them for 911 ... Maybe Banksy is a creation of theirs.. who knows..

This book is no longer in my possession... I never made my way through it.. but like I said it really stretches your character... kinda like Mike Tyson's punch out for NES. Makes Eye Spy books look like Obama in a debate with McCain.

Happy reading!

P.S. If you click on Meghan's link.. beware of Alien Kitty Cat..

Church... and Church Planting...

2008-08-19T16:30:00.000-07:00

It's exciting to know that we at the Stirring have exceeded the maximum capacity for what God has placed in the hearts of leadership... Thus meaning, some are migrating to another blessed sanctuary to continue out what God is calling and proclaiming for the Stirring community...

-Creating avenues for the lost to be saved.

-Living out discipleship through leaders of biblical and Christ-like character.

-Walking with wisdom, through the strength of Jesus Christ, the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the power of God the father.

-Keeping our doctrine close and always discerning when the enemy might plot against God's vision for the Redding area or among our own camp..

These are all evident in the Stirring and in scripture..
and with new horizons coming, we need to call out those that need to be called out.

I had the privilege of sitting in on a Stirring staff meeting last week... Sean brought some questions to the table and I felt compelled to share what I have been observing during my short time back at the Stirring... He shared with us some of the loose ends of connecting with people.. and in this case was a little overwhelmed and felt things seemed out of place.. I encouraged him to look at the glass half full and know that what is happening is making a tremendous difference.. and although there are some critiques needed, it really just needs to be consistent...

Within this conversation he also said that he needed people... and he needed to know who those people should be. To me, that was an easy fix. On any given Sunday I can look around and see the same people talking amongst themselves. These people are not new whatsoever. In fact, I shared that they are Stirring Veterans per-say and he should grab them and call them out.. As well as the worship team. With the worship team, and I say this from experience... it is easy for those that play every Sunday to mingle with one another, sit in the back and wait for their que. (sound team as well) and never interact with anyone else.... I highly doubt there is a just reasoning for why that would be ok.. For me, it convicts my heart and I have vowed if I ever step into I time of leadership with worship I will overwhelm the time I'm not on stage to interact with people I don't know or rather people I need to build relationship with... It's very simple..

So, as I was sharing some of these insights with Sean, I also shared with him a basic concept that I believe we can all place in our arsenal for sunday night fellowship.. I spoke this with Nate first but decided it was good for Sean to hear... I explained that if I disciplined myself to meet a few people every Sunday and even just shooting the breeze with those I met before, in a few months time or maybe even sooner I would be the most popular person at the Stirring besides Nate or whomever else graces a mic..

Not that being popular is the goal but rather knowing people...I think thats the whole point of community right?

Here's a great video from the archives that Mark and the guys from Mars Hill created for church planters (a little controversial) which doesn't bother me none, I believe in times like these we sometimes need to hear things in this format.. especially with all those indie-emo-seenster kids running around competing with one another to who has the worst life..... For some reason they flock to me.. in which I don't mind.. maybe it's the tattoos. And I understand how to interact with this group of cry babies.. calling them out to the promise of life... but that's another blog...

I hope this video brings or rather supports the ideas that have been drawn up for the Stirring church plant..

enjoy :)

It has begun....

2008-08-18T17:04:00.000-07:00

So I just watched the Saddleback Rick Warren interview with Barack Obama and John McCain. It was a lengthy commitment. I could have made things easier for myself and strolled along as a lemming skipping down the yellow brick road like most of the counterparts my age. I could make a short hand commitment by flipping on to watch MTV and see what Kanye West, P-diddy or Real lifers say... I can even commit to another popular avenue and hop down the Bono, Chris Martin or Oprah trail for wisdom on who would be best for the presidential position... But I find it more satisfying to hear from those that are actually contending to be our next president beyond a 30 second clip.. Any statement from the short list I provided pales in comparison of the words that fly from the lips of Senator McCain and Senator Obama. My hats off to both McCain and Obama for being men of character and committing to this opportunity hosted by Rick Warren and Saddleback Church.

With both presidential runners sharing ardently about where they stand with their walk with Christ, this should be an EYE OPENER to anyone that calls themselves a follower of Jesus... However I will say, and it grieves me to say this.. But I had an epiphany the other day. I realized that there are "claiming" followers of Christ that are completely detached Biblically as well as worldly. Meaning with specific topics at hand, they haven't a clue what the bible tells us, as well as what is going on outside their own doorstep. I never knew a chasm like this existed.. I really thought that people contain in themselves some capability and have some balance. But I am finding that a large percentage of Christians are completely aloof in both cases...

With the context of my last "political blog" and even the ones before, I'm finding that words really don't matter and it's more about the "image", an extremely potent and deadly popular trait . I'll be the first to admit that blogging is really just a egotistical venue, but it disappoints me that so many can't chime in. Whether it's because a lack of educational character or outright passiveness, some topics like abortion or foreign affairs do matter in the realms of our beliefs. I would be a hypocrite if I wouldn't be able to admit that maybe I'm assuming that the numbers of my readers are under what my hands can count. But then I would have to be content with speaking to the open air or rather fall in line and start snorting what's popular.

As a follower of Jesus I believe If there is a whole heartily commitment to watch the world, there should be a whole heartily commitment to pray and move in the direction that solely upholds the character of not our own agenda, but that of Jesus Christ. And through the CONSISTENT guidance of the Holy Spirit in discernment and the wisdom and power of God's word we won't fall into confusion as to what we need to do.

So, without further adieu.. here is a link of the interviews of both Obama and McCain. [Click Here]

Gone fishin'

2008-08-17T20:03:00.000-07:00

So Julie and I took a trip up to Cassle... it's basically Burney for those that don't know where Cassle is.... We spend a lot of time there with Julie's family.. camping and staying in cabins.. Julie's family is pretty outdoorsy.... But this time around it was just her and I... For the first 4 hours we didn't catch a thing.. we both only got one or two little bites.. It was pretty frustrating considering the fact that a bunch of dudes came right next to where I was casting.. Using the same exact bate practically caught the whole canal of fish... We decided to go down stream.... I think it was God telling us to..

Together, her and I have been having some great talks... one in particular has to do with what we want to do in life and what we feel called to do in our time here on this earth... Lot's of people know I have a huge passion for music and art... I've been working fervently on the Orange Floor vision which constitutes what I want to do "Art" wise.. however, musically.. more so, worship pastoring/leading.. that passion only exists in the close quarters of my home and has been for awhile.. I used to be involved in worship which is something my heart wills to do for the rest of my life... Julie has spent many years pastoring young adults and has worked with some great youth ministries... She has a huge heart for the young women around her and hopes to find opportunities to pour into young women once again.. We both are hungry for what the Lord desires for us.... We decided we are going to search out to find a place where we can walk in our passions .... We know God is behind us..

Voice for the voiceless.....

2008-08-15T15:39:00.000-07:00

"Look, I got two daughters — 9 years old and 6 years old,” he said. “I am going to teach them first about values and morals, but if they make a mistake, I don’t want them punished with a baby. I don’t want them punished with an STD at age 16, so it doesn’t make sense to not give them information.” - Presidential hopeful Barack Obama

My question is to "Christians" or rather followers of Christ.... My question isn't to 3/4 of San Francisco or the alike that would vote in support of the above statement... Barack Obama claims to know Jesus..... Now, how does someone that claims this, support abortion? I'm going to leave it simple.. I could bring in a ton of documentation to show the Obama cover-up on the born-alive survivors bill, endless documents that prove Obama has been misrepresenting fact. Obama's record on abortion is extreme...like I said he opposed the ban on partial-birth abortion -- a practice a fellow Democrat, the late Daniel Patrick Moynihan, once called "too close to infanticide." Obama strongly criticized the Supreme Court decision upholding the partial-birth ban.... In the Illinois state Senate... he opposed a bill similar to the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act, which prevents the killing of infants mistakenly left alive by abortion. And now Obama has oddly claimed that he would not want his daughters to be "punished with a baby" because of a crisis pregnancy -- hardly a welcoming attitude toward new life.

.. but I'll keep it simple and direct...

If you claim to be a follower of Christ and support this, I would ask on what grounds? As something as ridiculous as this crap. I can find rhyme and reason and chalk up grounds that would support letting me run up and punch you square in the throat..

If you support Barack Obama........... you support killing babies... which is fine, you are entitled to your opinion.. however... if you claim to live a life that follows Jesus Christ and support this crap.. well.. I don't think we know the same Jesus Christ and I would be glad to slug your fake jesus christ in the throat twice..... Clearly I'm just as capable of being ignorant but at least I'm not supporting the death of little children and I'll gladly sin in their defense...

If you think this is brutal I would disagree.. because it's not as brutal as sucking the brains out of a babes skull..

Go educate yourself...

Jesus supports life... Obama supports death..

here is a start..

Mark 9:37... "whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me." - Jesus Christ..

Mark 10:14-15..." Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not recieve the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." -Jesus Christ..

Recent design work..

2008-08-07T15:29:00.000-07:00

I figured I'd toss some finished works as well as concepts and renderings for people to smirk at........ peace..

Many forms of Jesus... which one are you?

2008-07-25T17:28:00.000-07:00

Time to tell King Paul he has no clothes.

2008-07-24T03:06:00.000-07:00

A take on the speech by Congressman Ron Paul

Obviously Ron Paul is of the "doom and gloom" set. My uncle has told me of how in the 70's there were stories in the media reporting on the impending ice age, in the 80's it was the impending nuclear holocaust. Neither incident happened, in fact in a ironic reversal we're now talking about global warming. I'm sure if Ron Paul had to do over again he would have got in on the Hale-Bopp suicide cult and committed suicide so he could meet the mother ship as it passed earth disguised as a comet. Ahhh but that was the 90's and Ron Paul probably didn't get the memo.
Well factually Ron Paul has a few things skewed, I mean generously interspersed with some historically accurate facts. The truth is of course that the US has been in uncharted waters since 1776 and with every day and every event, taking into consideration globilization I think its fair to say that no one knows for sure how things are going to unfold, but thats not bad news its good news which I'll explain later. A year and a half ago the odds for anyone but Hillary and Rudy being the nominees running for their respective parties for the presidency would have been astronomical and so we all know that the future is hard to predict.
Ron Paul wants to talk about our personal liberties being trashed? Where is the evidence? In a Obama-istic manner he speaks of it in a general way without supporting facts like its something we're all aware of. Yes we did pass some wire tapping laws aimed at overseas calls to middle eastern countries. I can't see how that tramples on my freedom. Ron Paul speaks of American imperialism, thats crazy. Every place we have asserted our military might and stuck it out have become economic powerhouses, leaders in democracy and freedom. Germany, Japan, Korea, all tales of the triumph of the human spirit over horrific circumstances. Iraq and its 25 million people are now free, free to elect their leaders, free to express their opinions, free to travel and ultimately enjoy the great riches of their country in a manner they collectively choose.
Ron Paul and those less informed would live the hypocritical lie that its logical to buy car insurance at whatever cost regardless of the prospect of and imminent accident yet reject that idea that the US needs to invests itself globally as an insurance policy to a catastrophe. You don't have 50K to cover the cost of an accident, so you buy insurance, and we don't have the trillions it would cost to clean up the nuclear crater that was LA so we make an investment now in billions. Bringing democracy and sanity to the middle east is really priceless. The Truman Doctrine in the age of the atom is ridiculous, Chernobyl alone spread radiation across the globe killing tens of thousands in the immediate vicinity. Chernobyl was an accident and mostly contained, it will pale in comparison to the nuke detonated by a jihadist that the Ron Paul's and Obama's of the world chose to do nothing about. Paul's idea of "empire building" is a complete unsubstantiated utterance of fiction.
Ron Paul's relevant points referred to "guns and butter" and "entitlements". Today a politician would have a slim chance of getting elected without promising their constituents the moon and the stars payed for on the backs of the rich and those diabolical corporations (regardless of the fact that all those companies are publicly owned, stocks held by teachers, fireman, policeman and just about anyone with a few bucks to invest) Ron Paul didn't get into "class baiting" similar to the race baiting practiced by the likes of Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. People also have now come to believe that there should be no limits on what they are entitled to, free education, health care the list goes on and on. Ron Paul in this instance touched on a subject that not only had merit but need to be expounded on.
Ron Paul speaks of our military might as a weakness. Its only through our might that we persevered over communism and fascism in the last century. Only through our might have we backed down all the upstart nuclear nations. Only through our might have we secured freedom for the Taiwanese. Only through our might have we discouraged real imperialism(Russia in Afghanistan, Iraq in Kuwait). Again the hypocrisy is thick and sickening in those who would advocate humanity, charity, and justice in our own country but turn a blind eye to the injustices perpetrated on others because a border alleviates their consciences of any responsibility. What a shameful lack of compassion and principles by some of our leaders, and our countrymen that refuse to educate themselves.
Ron Paul talks of a financial crisis. This is the same Ron Paul that lived through unemployment of 13% and interest rates of 20% in the late seventies and early eighties. Is he insane? Our unemployment is less than half of that and our interest rates a quarter of the eighties numbers. I really didn't look up any Ron Paul speeches from that era but I'm sure they weren't so dire. The economy has a cycle, it heats up and cools down. No one has perspective they keep wanting to compare our economy now to a period when it was red hot. It would be like getting to drive a really fast car 200mph and then jumping in a fast car that does only 150 and being depressed for the rest of your life. 150mph is still outstanding! But the good news about our economy is that it usually always gets back up to 200mph for a few years and people really prosper, unfortunately people without historical perspective just don't understand the business cycle. Ron Paul is old enough to know better, spouting this inaccurate crap is to impress the rookies, those that think they care but not enough to crack a book. Only those of us to know the difference on whether the book was better than the movie can share that perspective, Ron Paul is shovel feeding doom and gloom to the movie watchers.
Jeff Foxworthy has a popular saying "you know your a redneck when....." Well I can imagine someone well known like Ben Stein coming up with a similar phrase "you know your a crackpot when...." and the punchline would be "Just like Ron Paul you romanticize in a completely illogical and unrealistic fashion about when the dollar was backed by gold". Come on Ron, when our economy was 1000th its size(I'm probably even underestimating) there was enough gold on the planet to back the dollar, but with three hundred million American's and countless other countries using US currency we'd have to mine the moon to make that practical. All that gold talk is for people without any reasoning ability and no access to a calculator.
Ron Paul talks of exporting dollars overseas, what would be the alternative. No exports, or imports? We might as well take that premise a little further and not transport goods between states, I mean we don't want to give money or export jobs to Georgia when we live here in California. Ron Paul talks about freedom and liberty but apparently that doesn't extend to buying Russian vodka or and Afghan rug. And as far as foriegn entities loaning the money back to us, they wouldn't do it if we weren't a good credit risk and they are doing it at a historically low interest rate. Furthermore the talk of debt ratio's is completely out of skew with even Ron Pauls personal finances I'm sure. For the sake of argument lets say Ron Paul makes 200k a year, well he would qualify for a housing loan of at least 600k a third of his income. So it would be practical to assume a debt 3 times larger than your yearly salary, and for decades millions of Americans have used that formula, successfully paying off their homes. Lets look at our GDP(gross domestic product) which according to the US department of commerce is almost 14 trillion dollars, we compare that too a debt of 9.5 trillion dollars. So when Ron Paul and anyone I know goes to purchase a home, a debt to income ratio of 3 to 1 is okay but when he wants to strike fear in the hearts of his fellow American's a .65 to 1 ratio is atrocious. Ron Paul must have scored very low on his college entrance exams because his logic and math just don't add up.
Ron Paul also attempts to disregard a foundational concept in a free market economy, that of supply and demand. He talks of $4 dollar gas as being the result of the sins of our fathers while in fact its a matter of "natural inflation" and a burgeoning world population. Paul seems to think the fact that our planet is covered with 6 billion other souls who consume fuel in one way or another has nothing to do with fuel costs. We only have so much supply and the demand keeps increasing, very simple economics. Natural inflation is very simply the fact that every time you accept or ask for a raise you are causing inflation. The Paulites should really lead the way by accepting a minimum wage job at 18 and retiring at the same wage, then they would have no culpability in causing the gas prices to rise. Whether it's a COLA raise or a merit based raise when practiced through the economy it causes inflation.
Ron Paul goes on to discuss collusion with the central banks, he might as well talk about an Elvis sighting. 9/11 cost our economy 500 billion, the war is costing 175 billion a year, OPEC controls fuel costs to a great extent and the central banks have no governance over any of those variables. Ron Paul is not only a gloom and doomer he's also got a conspiratorial side to him. He talks of collusion without proof, which is really a manipulative practice used by the desperate.
I told you there was good news in uncertainty, let me share with you something about human nature that usurps Ron Paul's traditionally myopic view of the world. Self interest always trumps all the other human motivations. Regardless of the troubled times in history, societies have always come to the conclusion that chaos doesn't benefit anyone. Despite differences we always choose order over madness and uncertainty. There are 300 million of us, with family and friends, houses and cars, jobs and lives. We all have to much at stake to choose pandemonium over stability. The sheer momentum the American people have built up in their love of freedom and prosperity makes it certain we'll work out any problems we'll encounter regardless of the obstacles.

Does Jesus know you?

2008-07-23T07:03:00.000-07:00

Is it possible to be haunted by the bible? When I say this I'm not talking of ghouls and ghost types of haunting... I mean something that causes you to consistently focus and gaze into as if you needed to watch out. Does the bible share that we need to be concerned for ourselves? Does it say anything that should cause us to be obsessed with it's words in a way that causes us to tremble? Or is everything peachy? Seriously. In the book of Ephesians Paul writes from prison exalting God! He writes a letter full of praise and worship. He writes a letter that exalts and lifts up an understanding of Christ. He challenges us to abandon the most filthy part of ourselves and encourages us to look towards, to run after the promise of our highest potential in Jesus... He says that He (Jesus) is seated at the right hand of the Father. What is that? What Paul is getting at is; here is salvation by grace through faith, including the unity and purpose of the church. Paul then follows this by inspiring us to turn this teaching to application. He displays for us what unity looks like and how God led ministry functions in the body of Christ. Paul parallels the sin of this world with his conviction that Jesus Christ can free us to become like "light in the Lord." Paul paints this picture for us of a loving and Godly marriage, and compares it to Christ and His church. Paul concludes by calling us out to become who we are! He says for us to put on the whole armor of God and to struggle in prayer for victory! Amazing! But why does Paul say these things? What is the real issue he is trying to get at?

I came across these videos... I accidentally played them at the same time.... I'm glad I did.... if you watch these, start them at the same time...

Recession??

2008-07-21T08:21:00.000-07:00

For those who think we're in, or going into a recession..... this should help..

6 Volt Battery Hack! You'll Be Amazed! - Funny videos are here

9 Volt Battery Hack! You'll Be Surprised... - The most amazing videos are a click away

12 Volt Battery Hack! You'll Be Surprised... - The best video clips are right here

I am Iron Man....

2008-07-19T06:52:00.001-07:00

Just an update......... I plan on showing all the progress of this piece until it's completion.. Also it will be part of the Orange Floor Studio blog as a tutorial on Vector and Illustration design......

I think I'm going to do a series of designs like this.... anyone have any they would like to see me do? I'm really considering doing a dozen or more pieces for Erase The Dark next year...

Drawing with a tablet...

2008-07-18T09:16:00.000-07:00

So, this speed painting stuff got me a little hooked on getting in touch with my old self.... Plus Patrick was over last week and he was asking how I draw with a tablet.... He just picked one up and I've been trying to help him and explain how to do it... But really..... It's just drawing, there is really no trick... It just helps you draw digitally.... anyways... Julie and I went and saw the Hulk movie.... and since there is this whole super hero thing... I thought I would draw one up....

This is a work in progress.....

all done in Photoshop..... (Vector and Illustration)

Speed Painting....

2008-07-16T17:23:00.000-07:00

What is Speed Painting?

"There are many definitions of this kind of art, but actually on the Internet, Speed Paintings are known as a time-lapse video featuring the construction of an image. It is primarily a digital art form whereby the image is hand-drawn and rendered using a tablet and graphics editor such as Photoshop or Painter. The artist may use his imagination or take direct inspiration from a live scene, but will typically choose to recreate an image depicted in a photograph. Whilst the image is in production, every single action on the computer screen is automatically captured and compiled into a real-time video. That recording, which begins with a blank background and ends with the completed piece, then undergoes an editing process. The video is accelerated by a factor of between forty and sixty, components are added or removed and it is also given an appropriate soundtrack. The finished SpeedPainting, which may have taken the artist more than five hours altogether, will usually last little more than three and a half minutes – the average length of a song."
In few words: is the “Behind the Scenes” of an illustration." -Nico Di Mattia

So... I think I'm going to start doing this.... In the past I've done many portraits with graphite pencils.. Lately I haven't lifted a single pencil which is a total bummer.. I've kinda fell into the graphic design world leaving behind my natural ability to draw and create..... So...... I think I'm going to start doing this...

Nico Di Mattia is an amazing artist whom I've always admired....

all these are done in photoshop

here is some of his speed paintings... prepared to be amazed....

Another great Speed Painter, Manlio Noto...

here are a few of his.

Another great Speed Painter... S. (steven) Maguire...

Here are some of his...

Anyways...... So, I think I'm gonna join these guys..... Maybe I can have some for next years Erase The Dark, Music..Art..and Film festival..

We shall see...... If I am good enough... :)

Cintiq.

2008-07-15T18:05:00.000-07:00

So, I've decided somehow Lord willing.. I'm going to get one of these...........

Be my everything........

2008-07-13T20:35:00.000-07:00

What more can one ask for than a Church that is moving in a direction that challenges and loves people...

Sometimes I get off track on the full picture of Christ and I look for what I want to hear at Church. Don't we all? Tonight at Church was one of those nights where I think everyone had a full view of what we are called to look like.... And I think a lot of us were waiting for the justification...The verse that covers us. You know the one where the Pastor says "but! it's okay because...blah blah blah....." BUT There wasn't one ... Crap! Do you mean I have to actually apply myself? Come on Nate!! Right?? haha... I've known Nate for a long time, I'm proud to be part of his life that moves towards the face of Christ... Amazing friend...

I loved that Nate used the Wendy's commercial. It was such a great illustration how we get comfortable and just go with the flow.... I've always expressed that I'm not a lemming but at the same time try not to come off in a forceful manner in my views, I at least never mean to. I'll be honest.. some of the other illustrations were elementary.. In no offense let me explain.. I believe that most of us are "off the bottle". When I hear things like... We need to be a Church that doesn't hate fags.. I think to myself.. Done. We are, because we have never been one that did, right? And yes there are Churches that are proclaiming such garbage... But seriously, that is such a small army... God is conquering that. Really, I think we are so far beyond this idea that "Christians" are this: Against gays, against abortion, against democrats....... People cheered when Nate said "democrats".... haha.. they must support Obama... But seriously, I think we are beyond that.. He even said "tattoos" And I was thinking to myself, thank God I don't have any of those, right? The message was so challenging... I guess I was a tad disappointed at the examples that were given as to what we need to move away from...

Nate did hit on a very important topic though, Gossip. I have personally seen gossip shatter relationships, I've used such a disgraceful weapon and have had to repent so many times for my stupid tongue, I've moved away from that I hope.... God has really broke me in that area and has showed me what a life speaker looks like. I'm still working on that and will probably spend the rest of my days doing so. This doesn't mean I'm rolling over though... But, this gossip thing is a very big deal, even in our community...... Lets be honest......So, really I'm saying this..... We know how to love the unloved, the gays... the straights... the politicians of any sort.. we really know how to be generous too....... but the one that stuck out to me the most.. the one thing that challenges us the most at the Stirring is gossip... slandering... course joking.... sarcasm... shelving our angers and frustrations... This is our weakness as a Church... It has been our weakness as a body of Christ even since the days before the Stirring (for all you celebration veterans.. yeah Klein.. you too brother..)

I just want to say.... I'm guilty... and I'm sorry...... and I want to move in the direction that goes against it.

Jesus had a Budget?

2008-07-13T03:24:00.000-07:00

So I've been on this journey... I've been looking in scripture to see what the life of our Lord looks like... in my last blog I talked a little about the "idea" that Jesus could or could've not been homeless..... I think Scripture supports that Jesus in fact wasn't homeless to the least bit. So I've moved beyond the "resting place" of Jesus... my next thought was.... well, what did His ministry look like? We've all been talking about this idea.. ( or some of us) of a "paid" minister or a ministry being funded and obviously we would need to look no further than to what scripture shows us.. at least that's what we should base it off of, right? So.. here we got this Dude that starts talking about God and the Kingdom of Heaven .... thus, Jesus starts His ministry..... out of thin air? Jesus took on the same trade as his earthly father Joseph.... Did He work for free? What did He do with HIs cash?? well, lets take a deeper look...

Was Jesus' ministry poor and poverty-stricken? He had enough funds that a treasurer was required right? Or better yet established... Not only that, but the treasurer of His ministry (Judas) was a thief. (John 12:4-6) So there must have been enough in the funds so that the thefts would not be too apparent.......So, despite His treasurer being a thief, there is nothing in the Scripture that would lead us to believe that Jesus’ ministry ever lacked for money, and why should it? I mean..... Would God fail to provide the wherewithal for His Son’s earthly ministry? If we look at Luke 8:1-3, it tells us that Jesus “began going about from one city and village to another, proclaiming and preaching the kingdom of God; and the twelve were with Him.” It also tells us that He had the financial support of several women whom He had “healed of evil spirits and sicknesses” (including Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward), “who were contributing to their support out of their private means.” But is that where it started? I don't think so, because Jesus started His ministry before that miracle.. also Scripture says they "were contributing to their support......" Which tells us they were adding to the ministry. A ministry that already had money.. A ministry that already had a focus. It was through the blessing that they received that compelled them to give. It wasn't commanded or required. (If you read my last blog you might understand what I mean as far as Jesus and money goes.....) So, how much money did Jesus have available? We can recall that Jesus miraculously fed the 5000 men (plus the women and children with them) with just five loaves of bread and two fish. But few note that (Luke 9:13), Jesus first told the disciples “‘You give them something to eat.’ And they said, ‘We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless perhaps we go and buy food for all these people’”. They obviously had enough money to consider buying food for more than 5000 people! Jesus performed the miracle because the people were hungry and He had compassion on them. To go and buy enough food for several thousand people in the “desolate place” (Luke 9:12) where they were gathered would have taken a lot longer. On another occasion when Jesus performed a miracle to feed a great company of people, He said to Philip, “‘Where are we to buy bread, that these may eat?’ And this he was saying to test him; for He Himself knew what He was intending to do. Philip answered him, ‘Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, for everyone to receive a little’.” (John 6:5-7). Two hundred denarii was more than six months wages at that time but it didn’t seem to trouble Philip to consider spending that amount to feed the crowd. Jesus also spoke thought provoking parables talking about talents.. Which in scripture we learn one talent was greater than one thousand dollars.... why would Jesus choose to speak like this? Especially if He was dirt poor.....

Jesus the transient

2008-07-11T17:15:00.000-07:00

I heard a great Christian writer make a statement that "Jesus was homeless". I thought to myself, was he really? And if so, what did that look like? I love challenging statements. They have always directed me straight to scripture. I thought I would expound on some of my thoughts.

When we enter into scripture in search for the beginning of Christ it starts off of a baby born in a stable. Jesus’ birth in a stable has led many to believe that Joseph and Mary were "poor people" and this has been used to make Christians think that there is something spiritual and, therefore, desirable about being poor. However, if we turn to scripture the word teaches us in Luke 2:7 and is clear that Jesus was born in a stable only “because there was no room in the inn”. When I think of women in labor and stories I have heard, sometimes babies are born in inconvenient places like the back seat of a Nova. Sometimes circumstances arise in crazy situations... So being born in a stable has really nothing to do with being poor. Joseph was a carpenter, a fairly rewarding occupation in Biblical times. He had money to pay for a room at the inn if one was available. He owned a donkey that Mary rode. Poor women made the journey for the census on foot. So, needless to say Mary had her Mercedes... or Geo Metro.. whatever you like to picture. Furthermore, if we turn to Matthew 2:11 it talks of the three wise men, “And they came into the house, and saw the Child with Mary his mother; and they fell down, and worshiped Him: and opening their treasures they presented to him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.” So Joseph and Mary apparently had enough money to rent a house where they had been living with their young son from His birth until He was almost two years old. King Herod had ascertained from the wise men the time frame in which Jesus might have been born and then ordered that all male children born in the area of Bethlehem within the previous two years be killed. Given this, we can conclude that Jesus may have been as much as two years old when the wise men came. Further in scripture it is written an angel warned Joseph about Herod’s plan and told him to take Mary and the child and flee into Egypt (Matthew 2:13-16). It has often been taught that the valuable presents from the wise men arrived at just the right time to cover the expenses of the flight into Egypt to escape King Herod’s soldiers. However, there is nothing in the Scripture to suggest that Joseph and Mary used the gifts for that purpose. They both knew that Jesus was a divine child. Is it likely that they would have spent all of His wealth? It’s more likely that Jesus still had some of that wealth available to Him when He started His earthly ministry.

Jesus was homeless?

If we look at the passage in Luke 9:58, Jesus says, “the foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man has nowhere to lay His head.” From this scripture, many have concluded that Jesus was so poor that He didn’t even have a place that He could call home. pointing to my quote at the beginning of this post "Jesus was homeless." Basically we get the idea that if Jesus was here today in Redding.. He would probably be down at Winchell's or the Gray Hound Bus Station. I'm not sure about that.... The proper context is seen in the preceding verses (51-57) where it is stated that Jesus had “resolutely set His face to go to Jerusalem; and He sent messengers on ahead of Him. And they went, and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make arrangements for Him. And they did not receive Him, because He was journeying with His face toward Jerusalem......And they went on to another village. And as they were going along the road, someone said to Him, ‘I will follow You wherever You go.’” It was then that Jesus made the remark about having nowhere to lay His head. He had thought to sleep in the village that would not receive Him and had not yet reached the next village so He did not know what awaited Him there. Matthew 8:20 quotes Jesus as saying essentially the same thing when He was preparing to enter a boat to cross the Sea of Galilee with His disciples at night. Again, He did not know where He would sleep that night. (He slept in the boat). In addition, John 1:35-37 tells us that two of John the Baptist’s disciples followed Jesus after John identified Him as the Lamb of God. According to John 1:38 , “And Jesus turned, and beheld them following, and said to them, ‘What do you seek?’ And they said to him, ‘Rabbi, (which translated means Teacher), where are You staying?’ He said to them, ‘Come and you will see’. They came therefore and saw where he was staying; and they stayed with Him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.” So, Jesus did have a dwelling place and it was big enough that others could stay with Him. Obviously, when Jesus said He had nowhere to lay His head, He was not commenting on His financial state or lack of a home, but on the itinerant nature of His ministry that allowed Him little opportunity to sleep in His own house or bed.

I love DragonForce...

2008-07-09T20:40:00.000-07:00

Don't ever judge those crazy metal guys with hair down to their kneecaps.... I don't know of any other band that can really touch these guys musically...........

This is not a waste of time... watch the entire video and you'll see what I mean.... Can we get these guys to come lead worship at the Stirring... haha..

Orange Floor Happenings.. 4am

2008-07-09T03:36:00.000-07:00

Made some changes to the site.... I was hangin' with Patrick this last week and he suggested I throw in a little Web 2.0 effect..... I wasn't sure if I was into it.. I think the web is all ready over saturated with this look.. However, I didn't get to crazy with it... anyways... threw a simple gradient as well as a little face lift with some drop shadow.... got rid of a lot of the black.. which for me makes the biggest difference..... All was done by hand.. NO BLENDING OPTIONS AND FILTERS... a great challenge for anyone who deems themselves a Graphic Artist...

also......... here is some new work from Orange Floor.
All done in Ps (photoshop) and some in Ai ( Adobe illustrator)

I almost died today..

2008-07-08T23:48:00.000-07:00

For those that work around computers I think you'll understand just exactly how I felt when my hard drive failed... I can not explain how sick I was when I thought everything I had.. designs, tools, art, EVERYTHING was gone......

I keep everything on my External Hard Drive.......

good news is I recovered it all.... took almost 2 hours.. but I did it.. Good thing too, I spent all day on several designs... Stirring stuff, orange floor stuff and a few others.....

praise God!

So, I had a bad day... and I'm watching Alvin and the Chipmunks.. Never seen the movie and it opens with the song... "Bad Day" by Daniel Powter..... weird.....

Orange Floor happenings.....

2008-07-02T14:57:00.000-07:00

So, a lot has been going on. I've been working away non stop.....

the site is almost complete. Just have to complete the flash... Hope to have it up soon..
the logo has also been finalized.

here is the final logo.. and below is a screen shot of the website.....

let me know what you guys think..

I sometimes consult with The Godfather.. or Edward

2008-07-01T16:16:00.000-07:00

People sometimes ask me where I get my inspiration......

here's the answer.

I know what some might think...." grow up Juan... really.. come on!"

Nahh... it's too much fun!! and the best part is, I'm not sinning!!!

*side (post)

For those with the slightly satire "Devil's Juice" comments....

I own an un-opened bottle.....cheers!
*notice it's True title*

I love Music.

2008-06-28T13:42:00.000-07:00

So, I've been a student of the guitar for about 11 years. And a little over a year ago I decided to take on drumming.. It's been a blast. As a child I wasn't aloud the leisure of such adventures..

I've also taken on Piano........ I'm not that good... haha

I'm excited to see where I'll be in another year... If I can remain focussed.... I'm self taught so far.... except for taking a beginners piano class. I'd love to get people like Jeff Colter or Nate to show me some stuff. By the way, Julie actually blows all of them out of the water if I could just get her to start playing again.. haha

Bullwhip Guy

2008-06-26T12:32:00.000-07:00

Drinking and Smoking and the poise of the Church

2008-06-25T14:37:00.000-07:00

So, there's been a lot of discussion over at Dan's blog about drinking and smoking. People have some very valid points I might add. But the one thing we as Christians have to be careful of is, do these opinions portray Christ?

Dan's main point was "if you are of age and you act responsibly and you’re not smoking something against the law I do not think there is anything wrong with drinking or smoking." Now, Dan is making a harmless statement and he is entitled to his point of view. But I believe the big picture is being missed.

I stated in a comment that the Church should remain the same as it's always been. Which is, not promoting any support towards these two issues. And discouraging it all together. Not a sin, just not good choices.

We as Christians should never promote drinking or smoking, whether it's on small social levels or larger scales . The reason's are plain as day. Are we trying to justify our own actions? We are called to live out the image of Christ. Now, some can say well," Jesus drank wine." I'm not even going to go into that.

Look, let me share with you something...

We have people in our community that come from different backgrounds, many of the Christians that I know don't have a clue what it's like to come from a background that is full of pain, suffering and damage. Christ is the only freedom from this, do you agree? Now, If we have these mixtures of people in our Church or at least within our influential grasp we have to be sensitive to that. Lets say there is a single mother with four kids that goes to our church. Why is she single? We don't know, she didn't tell us. What kind of perception do you think you would be giving if this woman came to a BBQ put on, not by the Church but personally by you and a bunch of friends just getting together for the heck of it. What if she walked in and saw these people who she, at this point viewed them as amazing, warm, loving, caring people, and they were drinking?

The big picture is this. Before walking in to see what we claim is only a BBQ and a little social drinking she saw Christ. This women didn't see you at all. When she came to Church and she actually encountered Christ through you. It wasn't your cool guess jeans and your Emo hair, your Foe-hawk , your tattoos or gauges. It wasn't your Prada, your Gucci or your Mac make-up. It was Jesus Christ living through you. Now, picture the excitement this woman has at that moment. A sense of freedom. Freedom from pain, suffering and damage. Think about the hope this women has for her children. Now let's go back to the BBQ scenario. What do you think would be going through her mind? I'm not going to pretend that I know but I'm sure it consist of that wrenching gut feeling that brings you to a screeching holt. Like a knife piercing right through the damage that she and her children had to endure. How sensitive are we to these kinds of things? You haven't even a clue this lady is going through this, because she just puts on a smile and presumes to socialize and mingle with everyone there. And heres the kicker, someone actually comes along and asks her if she would like a drink. Again, our perception so far is we haven't any idea what this ladies story is. And there doesn't seem to be any harm done in our eyes by inviting her over to a good ol' BBQ for some great food, socializing and few brewskeez. But what opportunity are you giving to her to continue to see Jesus through you. Are you really being sensitive or have you turned that switch off because it's not sunday night. Here's the deal. The woman is a single mother because her husband died due to alcoholism. He was also very abusive to her and the children. Now, what if this lady brought her children over to play with the other kids running a muck? Do you think those children would understand that you aren't drinking excessively like their farther did for many years? These children would see that one beer and the only thing that registers in their little minds is the damage and death of their father. What are you to do?

We can't view drinking and smoking as something that is miniscule. Look at the damage levels. Alcoholism, Lung Cancer, Death, Domestic Violence, DUI''s, Drunk Drivers. now place whatever title next to those.. Mother, Father, Grandpa, Grandma, Sister, Brother, Niece, Nephew, Cousin, Uncle, Aunt, the list goes on and on.

My point is this. It isn't about you as a Christian being responsible, even if you are following the law. It's about you letting Jesus Christ live through you. We have to always be willing to let God determine the outcome, not us. The Church hasn't damaged the perception of Drinking and Smoking. We have only come against this issue with ignorance and pride. You cannot flex the margin on this. The Church, the Christians, the disciples of Christ, whomever you are called are called to the same thing. This issue on drinking and smoking has to remain a discouraged choice. We cannot promote anything otherwise. Now if you like to drink or smoke, that's your business. But never should we call on the Church to change its views because it's different from ours, we are the Church. Your views are the Churches, especially to someone new to Christ. The Church has to protect first and foremost those that are coming into the Church that need to encounter God, that need salvation in Jesus Christ. That's where this issue is miniscule. Not with it being not a big deal to drink and smoke.

I've made the choice not to disclose whether I drink or smoke. And I have to support that because of the damage levels that these types of actions carry, it is wise for the Church to remain in the position in keeping it a discouraged choice. Remember, I'm not saying it's a sin. I know people that drink. I know people that smoke. I know people that go wine tasting. I even know people that collect micro beers and wines. These people have shared with me that they don't promote that they do. Not because they are ashamed and believe its an addicted sin. They make this choice because they understand the different types of stories out there that may contain damage in this areas.
Now is it safe to say that there is a good side to drinking and smoking? Not for the Church. The Church shouldn't have to explain that. Like I said the damage levels out weigh any justification you can bring.