Climactic Coffee

A coffee bean has a past. It has a present; and it has a future.

There is a tree. The air around the tree is thin. The tree stands tall and strong.

There is a star. The star is hot. The star warms the air around the tree.

There is water. It collects together to make clouds. The clouds rain on the tree.

The tree produces a cherry. A farmer picks the cherry. He soaks the cherry. The outer layer comes off. A green bean is left.

There is a man. He inspects the bean. He pays the farmer for his bean. He takes the bean overseas. He puts the bean in a roasting oven.

The roasting oven produces a bean ready to sell. A man takes the bean out of the roaster and puts it into a bag. He sends it to a shop.

There is a barista. The barista opens the bag and puts the bean in a grinder. The barista collects the ground bean and mixes it with hot water.

You buy the hot water and the bean.

Break. Change of subject.

When you look into the eye of a person it is intense. There is a tension created because you aren't just looking at an eyeball. You are staring into something larger than can fit in the space allowed. You are looking into a production of thought and emotion.

Same with a camera.

When you stare at the lense of a camera there is more going on than appears. There is a weightiness to the direct contact with a working lense because you know that the camera will capture a moment. It will continue to create thoughts and emotions beyond the moment.

There is a tension when you look into an eye; when you look into a lense.

Break. Go back.

The coffee bean.

There is a tension created when I stare into the cup. I look into the coffee. I smell the coffee, I taste the coffee. I feel the coffee, I see the coffee. I hear the slurp. I hear the people around me. I hear the music playing.

There is more going on than it seems. There is a farmer behind my cup. There was a master roaster that chose the roast. There was warm sunlight shining on the hill. There was a tree on the hill.

My cup of coffee has been, is currently, and will be full of thought and emotion. A web of reallity coming to a climax. The climax created a moment, a willingness, a feeling enough to write about the coffee bean.

There is more going on than it seems. There is a glory that we refuse to glorify.

Let me tell you.

Let me tell you about Joseph.

Joseph is my friend. Joseph is a friend of God.

Joseph knows his scripture. Joseph is working on his own translation of the bible.

Joseph is working on his masters thesis. Joseph is a professor at Simpson University.

Let me tell you about Joseph.

He likes to collect bottles. He enjoys honey.

He is writing a screenplay for broadway. He is writing me in.

He has been to war. He has been across the country.

Let me tell you about Joseph.

Joseph wears a hat, and has a nice windbreaker.

I tell you about Joseph because you probably wont ever get to know him, but I think he is important. He is amazing because God thinks he is amazing. A man so amazing as to attract the love of the Almighty deserves to be talked about.

Joseph is loved by God; and that is why he is worth your time. And mine.

Climbing Clyde

Clyde was a climber. He climbed all sorts of things.

Clyde climbed rock walls to feel the breeze. Clyde climbed buildings and trees.

Clyde never said nope. Clyde never lost hope.

If he couldn't make it to the top, he would climb something else, but he always tried. Yes he did, Clyde.

All sorts of people didn't understand Clyde. They would say things like "Get your head out of the clouds" or "You might hurt yourself Clyde".

But Clyde didn't understand all sorts of people. He liked the clouds. He hurt himself countless times.

Clyde thought those times made him smarter.

He would learn when he would fall, to try things a different way. He would appreciate the clouds and the things that he saw when he climbed stuff.

One day someone drove by Clyde while he was walking. The black window of a blacker car started to roll down; he payed attention because he liked to learn about things that he didn't know.

The car was mysterious, as was the Man inside. The Man had dark glasses on. Clyde couldn't see his eyes. When the Man started speaking, Clyde listened.

Clyde listened to stories about beautiful homes, and fancy cars. Clyde listened to stories about comfortable shoes. Clyde listened to stories about neat gadgets; and how to get the money to have them for himself.

Clyde put down the rope that he climbed stuff with. He got a job. He gave his bike to Luke and got a car. He got a better job and picked up more shifts. Then he got a computer. Clyde had climbed rope for years, that was hard. So Clyde climbed latters, that was easy. Clyde bought nice shoes, and then he got some dark glasses.

Clyde wanted a bigger house so he put in some overtime.

He loved to grill steak and watch his big T.V. in the evenings.

One day Clyde saw Luke riding a bike to the top of a mountain.

Clyde wondered why Luke always had his head in the clouds. So Clyde decided to tell Luke how to get an air conditioned home.

Luke doesn't understand people like Clyde.

Luke likes enjoying all day, every day.

Days like Today.

I live for days like today.

It was sunny, warm, a slight breeze, I was surrounded by mountains, and I had nothing to do, with alot to think about.

"Conditions are perfect. It's Wednesday, there's nothing good on TV... conditions are perfect."

I went to coffee shops. I talked to friends, I watched the mountains, I talked to Jesus. I drank coffee and enjoyed the sunshine.

End of day. How amazing.

Kendall

A dark day.

The day is dark.

The mood Somber. The mood angry. The mood unsettled. The mood storming. The mood raging.

The air is crisp. The sun is shining. God's glory is pouring. The trees are blooming. The grass is green. The moutains are majestic. The flowers are precious. The people are passing.

Some people: A dark day. Some: A beautiful day.

Mine: Caught in between. My heart bouncing to and fro. Warfare is raging. My soul is longing. I am crying. I am loving. I am enjoying. I am disturbed. I am lifted. I am drug down. I am crying out for my God. My dad. My friend. My love. I am crying out for my God. My dad. My friend, my love. My friend, my love. My love. Love.

Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not boast. It is not self seeking.

Love gives. Love does not take.

God loves. God refreshes.

You oh God are my strength. I am strong. You oh God are my strength. I cannot fail. You oh God are mine. I am yours.

It is a thorn in the flesh. Or is it a limp from my hip? What is the pain that fights my soul. What is the enemy that hinders?

My God wins. The enemy has been defeated. Death couldn't hold him down. We are victorious. We are given peace. My peace is from God. It transcends all understanding.

My heart is resting. I need a miracle. I don't need a miracle. I need to fight. I need to stand. I am given strength. I don't stand alone.

I want a miracle. God wants my heart. My undivided heart. I must undivide it.

God wants my focus. I must focus. I must charge.

God draw me in closer to you. Draw me into your presence. You are good. All I need is you Lord. It's you Lord. All I need is you. You hold the universe. You hold my heart. You love my heart. I give you my heart. My heart is a sanctuary for your love. Sanctify it. Bless my heart God. Dad. Friend. Pave my path God. Dad. Friend.

-Kendall

-Kendall

An introduction

Let me introduce you to a couple of my friends:
Wes and Blue Feather.

Wes has studied God's word diligently for years. Years spent in prison.
He knows Jesus' love and he knows Jesus is coming back.
Wes lives a life chasing after God.

He has a drinking problem. He will tell you that up front. He is trying to quit alcohol, weed, and cigarettes so that he can treat the temple of God better. He is quite the evangelist and also has the spiritual gift of profecy. We met over burgers in downtown Redding.

Blue Feather is from the indian tribe of Cri. He is an amazing musician. He spent years of his life touring with a band playing jazz harmonica. He also plays guitar, bass, Indian flute, and rythym instruments.

Blue Feather drank vodca the entire time that we were hanging out. Which is really cool. Because he replaced crystal meth (an addiction of 20 years) with alcohol. He's working on weening off.

He camps out toward wiskey town and has a nine man tent. He collects bottles and cans every day to get money for food. He never spends money on alcohol. His friends just share. He has amazing friends. Wes offered him a place to stay over the next week or so because he has a motel right now. Wes also began to tell Blue Feather about Jesus.

It happened over burgers.

I saw Jesus over burgers in downtown Redding.

Kendall

A tired tire

Today I was eating at the park.
A tire was in the river. It was attached to an axle.

She said "Is that a rock or a tire in the water?"
It was a tire... i already stated that...

I says "I wonder why they don't take it out"

She said "Why don't you?"

I says "Good point. I'll try."

So I rolled up my jeans, took off my shoes and socks and proceded to timidly enter the icy water. I waded over to the tire, bent down and couldn't budge the thing half an inch.

Zero movement.

But I'm glad I tried. That tire is ugly, and I'm sure plenty of people have walked by and wondered "why don't they take that tire out?".

But I tried. Action behind the words. A first step into my dreams.

Every idea starts somewhere. Every dream starts small. Every goal has prerequisites.

The tire didn't budge, but I threw my entire self into it. I tried.

Kendall

Hit the ground walking?

I just got back from Seattle eight days ago.
I've got dreams. I've got friends with dreams.
I've got family. I've got Jesus.

But I get tired of things preventing a full out sprint for the kingdom of God.

Friends who don't want to move as fast as I do.
People that have very little passion to live out of.
Money.
Health insurance.
Job.
Car.
Family.
These things that are a part of daily life that can be so destructive to God's design.

They can be very constructive too, but I am tired of being in a culture so bent on things. My things are your things. If you are my brother or sister: how can I help?

Do you need a car to borrow for the weekend? I have one. Do you need a pound of coffee? I get one every week for free. Do you need some clothes to borrow. I can't wear em all today. Do you need to get some homework done? I'll lend you my laptop. Do you need help moving? I have time on Saturday mornings? Do you want to talk Jesus? I'll go to lunch. Or we can walk downtown together.

God has been growing in me a heart for downtown Redding. We are called to serve the poor and the homeless. The tired and the hungry. I want to live a life chasing after God that doesn't involve compromises. Sometimes it feels like we "trade" God this chunk of time, as long as "I get to watch American Idol" or as long as "you keep providing" or as long as "everything is peachy".

I mean that's what Jesus tells us right? Serve me "as long as everything in life is 'good'". Nope.

Anyways, I'd like to move in with a few guys and begin to live out of community, instead of living my life and joining in community on Sundays.

God doesn't call us to compromise. We are his. We are loved. We are fearfully and wonderfully made. We are Kings. We are Queens. We are blessed.

We are blessed.
We are blessings?
I want to be.

Kendall