changes

you've heard me mention it a few times now. i'm moving, at least in terms of this blog. nothing will be deleted here but i won't be posting here regularly. please visit me at my new blog: http://parkeb4.blogspot.com/

for reference sake i also hold these blogs under this screen name:

opencanvas.blogspot.com - group art project
lettersfromthekid.blogspot.com - slightly more in-depth writing
andthehammerfell.blogspot.com - a writing attempt. i'll return to this story someday

our hope

i hope that in my posts here i have not been not overdramatic or too self-absorbed. blogs are some wierd mesh of personal revelation and public display that i have not yet mastered the flow of. and in truth i am a person who cannot look too long at just one point without considering how that point fits into the web of life in which we exist. i think that will help as i continue to develop my writing but it makes personal expression challenging sometimes. my friend at work jokes that i never answer a questsion with a black and white answer, and thought it's funny to joke about, he's right. to truly explore an issue i need to talk through it with someone or myself.

i say all this because there have been many days here when i have said here that i am battling on or retaining hope in spite of circumstances. this is not to minimize the joy of life. i'm listening to a beautiful song by a band called Macrosick that is built on some great guitar riffs. i just got back from playing a non-sensical card game with a friends daughter, shooting pool and sharing a meal with my community of faith. today i was able to see a glimmer of a light at the end of one long tunnel i've been clambering down at work. today a friend returns to people she's deeply missed. these are all cause for joy and i will not let frustrations minmize them. we recognize to few times just all that God has provided us and is doing on our behalf. not tonight. not here. not now. my hope is in an eternal God and these passing joys will pale in light of what is to come, whatever that is.

now and again, i rent a movie and hold onto it for the five day standard rent. as i don't have tv and choose movies with replay value, it's a nice diversion that lets me really appreciate a movie. (I still nee to rent "Ground Hogs Day.") i've had Lord of the Rings: Return of the King since this past weekend and I've really enjoyed it. i'm a sucker for epic movies and there are some truly deep moments when values of honor and love cut so close to the heart that i do find myself tearing up on.

today, as i struggled a bit more than some days to keep moving this quote came to mind. "a day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day." quotes like this are part of why i appreciate epic movies. every now and again, i need to see some picture of core values in glorious form. in some weird kinship with romantic "chick-flicks" epic stories bring out values that we all seek but often feel are out of reach.

this is also why when i have a chance to speak at church in June i'm really considering spending the whole service letting people tell short, focused stories of what God has done. we don't recount these things often enough.

some good radio

lately i've been turning on the college radio station FM 88.7 for some good indie/90s rock music. if you're able to, you should check it out in the evenings or listen here.