Malibu Presbyterian Church Fire

Wildfires swept through much of Southern California this week, and one of the first casualties was Malibu Pres. Late Saturday night/early Sunday the building was completely gutted. I stopped by after work to see what the damage was like, and it was devastating.

The following panorama is composed of nine shots shooting from the front steps through what used to be the sanctuary.

All future Saturdays will be spent passing out orange sections

Today's All new thing...

Stalk an internet celebrity. Sweet!

Pasadena Starbucks, at the chalkwalk

Friday Foto

Thanks Ree and Robin

Apparently, chicks dig a guy who can comment on another man's ass.

Who knew?

Hopefully this will motivate me to clear off the dust and post about:

a) two seconds where "decapitation" crossed my mind

b) getting as close as possible to the biggest wild animals I've ever seen

and

c) the surprisingly strong effect of losing people I've only met through stories.

How's that for a couple of good teases.

Friday Foto

two lips


from the garden

Damn you Shane Nickerson

Well, you lasted longer than I did

Man: You sit here, dear.
Wife: All right.
Man: Morning!
Waitress: Morning!
Man: Well, what've you got?
Waitress: Well, there's egg and bacon; egg sausage and bacon; egg and ham; egg bacon and ham; egg bacon sausage and ham; ham bacon sausage and ham; ham egg ham ham bacon and ham; ham sausage ham ham bacon ham tomato and ham;
Vikings: Ham ham ham ham...
Waitress: ...ham ham ham egg and ham; ham ham ham ham ham ham baked beans ham ham ham...
Vikings: Ham! Lovely ham! Lovely ham!
Waitress: ...or Lobster Thermidor a Crevette with a mornay sauce served in a Provencale manner with shallots and aubergines garnished with truffle pate, brandy and with a fried egg on top and ham.
Wife: Have you got anything without ham?
Waitress: Well, there's ham egg sausage and ham, that's not got much ham in it.
Wife: I don't want ANY ham!
Man: Why can't she have egg bacon ham and sausage?
Wife: THAT'S got ham in it!
Man: Hasn't got as much ham in it as ham egg sausage and ham, has it?
Vikings: Ham ham ham ham... (Crescendo through next few lines...)
Wife: Could you do the egg bacon ham and sausage without the ham then?
Waitress: Urgghh!
Wife: What do you mean 'Urgghh'? I don't like ham!
Vikings: Lovely ham! Wonderful ham!
Waitress: Shut up!
Vikings: Lovely ham! Wonderful ham!
Waitress: Shut up! (Vikings stop) Bloody Vikings! You can't have egg bacon ham and sausage without the ham.
Wife: I don't like ham!
Man: Sshh, dear, don't cause a fuss. I'll have your ham. I love it. I'm having ham ham ham ham ham ham ham beaked beans ham ham ham and ham!
Vikings: Ham ham ham ham. Lovely ham! Wonderful ham!
Waitress: Shut up!! Baked beans are off.
Man: Well could I have her ham instead of the baked beans then?
Waitress: You mean ham ham ham ham ham ham... (but it is too late and the Vikings drown her words)
Vikings: Ham ham ham ham. Lovely ham! Wonderful ham! Ham ha-a-a-a-a-am ham ha-a-a-a-a-am ham. Lovely ham! Lovely ham! Lovely ham! Lovely ham! Lovely ham! Ham ham ham ham!

Photo and text blatantly ripped off from people more talented than I.

A Starfish Tale

A few years back, a strong Pacific hurricane in slammed into the coast of Southern Mexico. After the storm passed, a small boy walked down to the beach to survey the damage. When he reached the sand, he saw thousands of starfish that had been washed high up onto the sand. Not knowing what else to do, the boy picked one up and carefully returned it to the safety of the tide. He then returned up to the sand and rescued a second starfish, and a third, and fourth.

As the boy proceeded, a man was walking do the beach and saw the boy running back and forth, up and down into the surf. When the man approached the boy, he asked the lad, “What are you doing? Don’t you realize that this beach goes on for miles? There are millions of beached starfish. What possible difference can you make, boy?”

The child paused, looked up at the man, and answered, “Well, it makes a difference to this one” and he held up the starfish in his hands.

Sometimes going to the slums of Tijuana, Mexico can seem overwhelming, hill after hill of extreme poverty and desolation becomes almost too much to bear. “What possible good can I do? How can I possibly make a difference here?” and then I remember, “Well, it makes a difference to this family” In fact, it changes their lives.

For the fourth year this summer, from July 13 – 15, I’m helping lead a house building trip to the slums of Tijuana. We are going to raise $5,500, buy building materials, build a house and give it away, all in a single weekend. It’s about the most rewarding thing you can do.

Matthew 25: 34-40

Baja Christian Ministries

The scariest email I've received this month...

"Hey Jim, your wife suggested that since she is playing bells on Easter at all 3 services, maybe you would consider teaching the 4's and kindergarten kids at 11 a.m. Would you be interested?"


Hey what the heck, it's not like they'll be all hopped up on sugar or anything...