...Words Remain... Symphonically!

Mason Jar Music Presents... Josh Garrels from Mason Jar Music on Vimeo.

The past two days a number of folks have posted this video. I chose to 'sit' in it. I was a giddy boy just 'drinking' it in... This is a song that I've journeyed with - off of Josh's Jacaranda Album - a beautiful song in that version, but this... this production, this sound, this collection of musicians... It is just spectacular!

The first thing that hit me was the visual 'story'. I was so drawn in that later, in the evening I had my wife, julz (aka jewels), sit down and we watched it together - she was taken by it! Kudos to the Mason video team - shot beautifully. Kudos to the musicians - vocalist to bells to strings - who ventured to work on this thru the night! There is a lot going on this video - as mentioned by other note takers, but I recognized something deeper... I knew I wanted to really 'hear' it, as the Mason Collective suggests, "Listen with Head phones", so I took the past 24 hours to do this... 5 x to be exact. When I put on the headphones,

I closed my eyes.

The music followed a center - a beautiful line - the tiny guitar - and the miraculous voice. This version begins to hop, skip and jump along this line - similar to the 'climber' culture of 'slack lining' - the music follows its line, but it begins to skip and turn along in some spectacular ways! The creativity of all involved stays incredibly cohesive... and takes this song to a spectacular place. By the second line, when Josh sings, "it was pro-phesied long ago...", the strings and flutes and the bells all start to find there place. It's a beautiful line, and the orchestra makes it hop along!

The message and the voice are the real gift in this song, thank you, Josh, for writing and risking. A small group of 'faith-walkers' met tonight near USC, in a victorian house-turned-apartment. They talked about the 'Word' and its affect in their lives. This same Word hops, skips, and follows the 'center line' in their lives, as similar as this song comes alive in this video.

Planting, Growing...

We're getting ready for Costa Rica! Yes... Julz and I have prayed and talked about doing this since we first got married (five years in August!). This will be an immersion/Mission project. We leave this coming thursday - 6am. We're very stoked. We have about half of the money raised, and are trusting the rest to come in. I hope to be posting from there, as we'll have internet.

Spring has Sprung - and Life is moving along... This is more of an update than usual... in the sense that we've been bizzy-bees... Love this photo above, at our community garden we have been harvesting our first crops, and this seems appropriate - as we are in the midst of Church planting in South Los Angeles... we have seen some first fruits... And it feels like we're always on Adventure...
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This past week I spent a day and a half hiking "the last damned river" in southern Cali - with two incredible guys; Ben and Jeff. Jeff just graduated from USC and will be taking a job in San Diego. He has been a 'groundbreaking' disciple - always serving, hosting, practicing hospitality to our incredibly diverse neighborhood - His BBQs would be a third Indian and Chinese, respectively, and the third third, a mix of anglo, latino and other minorities. He will be greatly missed. This trip was a great time to connect and was a great challenge.
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The new "Art of Living" organization moved into the neighborhood last month. Its something to note, as USC has the largest per capita population of Indians on an American campus. This building is quite historic, as well. For a number of decades it was the largest dome west of the missippi. In the neighborhood, we also have a significant Mosque in LA county, two Mormon wards, three large Catholic churches... This diversity is very rare. The place where I see the most migling? On the soccer field. It is World Cup time, and this doesn't surprise me. This is a reason for prayer and engagement on multiple levels.

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I'll leave you with PROM! Yes, Julie finished her 7th year of teaching - and we chaperoned Prom... whew... from high up in a downtown building... you can see above with some reflection of the dancers in the window. Julie loves to see the impact on her students, and she works so hard. Here I'm with Daniel, a senior. He has been a part of our mentoring program - and has really taken steps forward in leadership this past year. One being, he started volunteering with our Bread outreach to the neighborhood. He is helping bake, and is really learning a lot about what it means to engage your neighbors and share the Love of Christ!

Grandma McCarthy, in Memory

Julie got news late friday night that her Grandma McCarthy passed on. She was a dear soul. And when I say "dear", I don't mean fluffy or the like. This isn't to mean she wasn't nice - quite the contrary. What I mean by 'dear' - is that she was endearing! In the years that I knew her, she had a common reply to most requests. Grandma could you get... Would you check...? And she'd reply, slyly, "I'm retired." Everyone would laugh, as she'd have a big smile on her face.
I didn't know the Grandma McCarthy when she wasn't in a wheel chair, but Julie shared some 'endearing' stories of her working in her garden, 'out-doing' Grandpa, and always mentioning how 'the floors need to be cleaned.' As Julie shared these memories, I stopped in my tracks in amazement at how Julie takes after her! It was as though I was hearing her grandmothers voice as Julie shared. Just yesterday, I came in the kitchen to see Julie looking curious at the floors, she stated, "I gotta get down there and clean this, they need to be cleaned."
The picture above was taken at Christmas this past year. Grandma was 94 years old. She was surrounded by her family. We are flying out today, Sunday, to go visit. I was reminded of these verses in 1 Corinthians 15 by my dad yesterday... They hold so much promise and hope... and encouragement.

"For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
“O death, where is your victory?
"O death, where is your sting?”

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain."

My City... micro-time-lapsed wonder

This past week we've had some wonderful weather - it is changing to cool and rainy - but this time-lapse video made me think of all that is LA. Julie and I are off today to explore and find adventure with in!

The East Side of Los Angeles on a Sunny Day from clark vogeler on Vimeo.

Easter Meditation

This easter I'm really excited! It's amazing what can happen in one year! Last Easter we prayed and formed a team for the South LA church plant. Being Launched, and Planted, now we're having our first easter service - in the park, with a BBQ, and hand-made easter bags that will be given to anyone who wants one.

(Before this - tonight, Julz and I are going to Prom! Yeah - we're going back. I think we're going to dress '80s style. Should be fun.)

Between Good (actually GREAT for us) Friday and Easter Sunday, I take time to reflect on this ultimate act of selflessness and redemptive act by Jesus. Two songs that speak deep to my soul are by my friend, Josh. I've printed the lyrics/poems below. May they refresh your soul with the grace of God.

Good Friday By Josh Garrels

Broken wing, forgotten dream, shattered thing
That a mans hands can’t ever truly mend
Shadow land, desert sand, a man searches
For a love that’ll never die
Truth be known, you’re not alone
Your aching bones will find a home
In place where God he sets us free
Wake me up before you go
I will listen for the sound of your voice
Hear the wind in the trees
It goes where it please
Like the breath in me
And all who have breath can sing

When we layed your body down
In earth and in the ground
Oh child, rest your soul.
Will a hope be made good
When a word is understood
In the day, will we see you again?

Gather round, hear the sound
Of a story that’s so old that it’s been told
Before time
He was born in the flesh and the blood
In a world that was dark as hell, and dead in sin
Born of the spirit, and the virgin child
He’s the son of God, son of man
I didn’t recognize that look in his eyes
When they cried
With a sorrow that no man has ever known
Hang him high, watch him die, hear the cry
Crucified up on that God forsaken tree
And all who have breath can sing

When we layed your body down
In the earth and in the ground
Oh Lord, rest your bones
Will a hope be made good
If your words are understood
In the day, will we see you again

Oh Eloi, Eloi, lama sabacthani?
Oh my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Oh Eloi, Eloi, lama sabacthani?
Oh my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

YHWH by Josh Garrels

Holy, holy, holy is the lamb
Almighty, almighty, almighty is the Lord

It’s unlocked in his left are the keys to death and hell
And in his other palm are seven stars
Silently circling like seven seals and sounds and seven cycles
Seventy sets of seven are prophesied
Before the king comes from heaven
The earth will quake and men’s hearts will shake
When they hear the war drum
And I’m talking about creator of the mountains
I’m talking about the one who gave up his son
I’m singing about the one who died for everyone
And in his blood he’s giving us real freedom
Brought by one, bought by one son
Someone from the kingdom come
He was, and is, and is to come
Healing the deaf and dumb
His words cut the dark like a sharp weapon light
Wrong or right?
All mankind was blind and he came to give us sight
Wrong or right?
Tell me, what is it about the name of Jesus Christ
It makes men fight within
Against the sin, against the night, dark or light
Day and night
Polarized
This is not a grey matter choice
And don’t blame it on another mans voice
Because time keeps on slipping, into the future
I don’t lose you
You must make a decision soon
Be it life, or death

Holy, holy, holy, is the Lamb
That was slain, that was slain
Worthy is his name, worthy is his name

YHWH

He was, and is, and is to come
He was, and is, and is to come

First fruits...

This turnip is very curious. Other than being enormous! See the 3- seperated stalks on the top? The only thing we could conclude is this is the evidence of 3 seperete seeds that grew into one!

There are many things that this brings to mind: The flexibility of bio-mechanics... Given the SoCal sunshine, our watering and rich soil care, these 3 seedlings found a way to grow... I'm thinking of the verse in Ecclesiastes - A chord of Three Strands is not easily broken. There is probably a case for 3-in-1 here, too. I'm just in awe of how the first fruits from our garden are blossoming!

K-Town!

This is my friend, Dennis. He graduated two years ago from Foshay. He did the marathon 3 times in High School - and since then has gone on to be a running mentor and done two more marathons! It's great to continue this relationship, and we had a rich conversation about relationships, and the ultimate relationship - especially leading up to Easter - had greater significance. I took him to my favorite Sushi place in Koreatown - Fat Fish. Here he is with the "Burrito Roll"! He love it! (and named it:)

Fat Fish is the only 'rotating sushi bar' in K-town. Its great fun and they make incredible creations.

I asked Dennis if he'd every been to Pebble Beach - or Monterey Bay. He said he hadn't to either - So I took him to Pebble Beach... On 6th street in LA! :)

Yes, the Virtual Famous California Coastline! This place is always busy, too. Get your tee-times early.