New Project of Tulips

After thinking and talking i finally did it! i planted my very own flowers. i thought that i would show you all the process of these beautiful plants. I wanted to plant them as seeds but i guess it is too early for that. So after some help from the OSH lady she directed me to this wonderful flowers. Everyday they seem to change, which is pretty dang exciting if you ask me. check em'. I also have a plant of cilantro that i haven't even used yet but is growing marvelously. The last picture of the three is the tulip before it started showing any color and the top picture is them getting ready to break through.

Shaver Lake

So because i work for the man....the school system....the state. I was forced to not work on Monday b/c they were closed so, i went on a little journey up to Shaver Lake. I discovered that it was only 45 miles a way and just thought i would hike around a bit (which made it very difficult in several feet of snow) and just chill. So here are a couple of pictures that i took. The beauty was unbelievable. All of the snow along side of the lake was simply breath taking. I hope that you enjoy a few of them. I listened to God for a bit and it was amazing. He seems to be on pretty good terms w/ me lately and i Love Him.

Harsh words?

So currently i am reading through the book of Luke and am in chapters 19,20,21. As i read some of jesus's words and the stories that he tells, they are not very comforting and peaceful all the time. I know that this is something that we hear quite often about how Jesus's words weren't always reader friendly but it is totally true. Especially to the culture that we are in where we don't want to offend people or not being 'loving' in the way that we think of (acceptance). I am not sure if this makes sense but check out the passages:

***His master replied, 'I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? 23Why then didn't you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?'

24"Then he said to those standing by, 'Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.'

25" 'Sir,' they said, 'he already has ten!'

26"He replied, 'I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away. 27But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me."*** Luke 19.

This has a bit of a twist from my usual interpretation of the parable of the Ten Minas. The master is requiring that when he gives his servants money that interest is made from it, and that we should not fear him to the point of being afraid of having to deal w/ the authority. He wants us to deal well w/ what is around us and move forward to him and to others. But the end seems super harsh "bring them here and kill them in front of me" wow that is intense. It seems like he could have ended the parable much earlier but this is here for a specific reason. Any ideas?

The second parable is such:

***14"But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. 'This is the heir,' they said. 'Let's kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' 15So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

"What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others." When the people heard this, they said, "May this never be!"

17Jesus looked directly at them and asked, "Then what is the meaning of that which is written:
" 'The stone the builders rejected
has become the capstone[a]'[b]? 18Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed."

19The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people.*** Luke 20:9

Another twist as Jesus says, they what they will do is kill the tenants and give the vineyard to others. I think that my reaction was the same as the Chief Priests. But he brings the heat again. This is something that has been on my mind since i read it. "i need more grace than i thought"

Verrrrtex

Here are some pictures taken by David Rickett of Stepsonday at the Vertex in Arroyo Grande.

Brilliant Rock Album

Nada Surf

New Album "Lucky" i recently got it up in seattle and haven't stopped listening to it. Well occasionally, but not too much. It is really great.

The Road

Tour

Hello all,

Here is a little recap of what my life has been like the past week. So we started off on the tour really excited b/c we had just bought a sweet van the day before the show! so all loaded up in the van we head off the Orange County to play in Upland CA. It was a great show, on the way there we picked up some shirts for the tour and made it to the show a little late and played after the band that was playing when we got there. It was a little rough as far as my playing went. I didn't do awful but not my best for sure. So loaded w/ snacks from Chad's financee we hit the road we a little bit of money in our pockets from the last show's merch that was sold. We make it to San Francisco, which is just down pouring rain all over us. (at this time we had terrible windshield whippers) then we play at a place called 'the bike kitchen'. It was just that, a place where people bring their bikes and get them fixed. it was a sweet little community joint where we met some great people. And the bands that we were to travel w/ up the west coast. (Jet Lag Gemini, and Weatherbox) so we had another great show and head off to Sacremento to stay with my Uncle and his terrific family. THey were a true blessing to us, as they fed us and gave us terrific beds to sleep in. We chilled w/ them all sunday and watched Tom Petty win the superbowl there. then headed to the show where lakes drove out. there were very little people there, which made for a huge bummer of a show. but we brushed it off and drove up to Portland the next day and it made for a real long one. In portland we have stayed w/ Jacob White he is amazing. on tuesday we just chilled out w/ some great friends and tooled around the city during the afternoon. On wednesday we slept till noon and then left for Seattle to beat the traffic. the show there when alright. not tons of people but not too bad. it was for sure my best performance as i think i nailed it. but didn't go so hot for everyone else. so that brings us pretty much to now, we are really excited for the show tonight in Portland. there should be all of the crew from here at the show so it will be a blast. Jacob is also having an after party for everyone to get together and have a great time. THen tomorrow we head back to bakersfield. and will get in late and then play the show on saturday night. that will be another exciting show. most of our friends/family will be there.

I have been having a really great time. Although you imagine it being one way, it is usually not what is expected. Eating off of giftcards to save money and then getting peanut butter and jelly and eating it in the van is not the rock and roll lifestyle, is sure is a hell of a lot of fun too. i will have to write more on it later, but i just wanted to let you guys know how everything is going for sure. I am doing very well and super excited for this opportunity. i would love to be able to continue this for a while. although it is not the most lucrative step its all good!!!! god is good!