That’s right! This wordpress location is PRE posterous.

Okay so first of all, for those of you who are awesome because you watch LOST, I think the Time Loop Theory is the best and most probable theory yet. Its so good, in fact, that I think the show may not be as fun now that I think this theory explains it all. Hopefully uncle J.J., in his brilliance, has come up with some twists for us. For those of you who haven’t watched any LOST, do not go to the above stated web site. Pick up Season 1 on DVD or go to ABC.com (You can watch every episode in full HD streaming. Free. Amazing.) and start with episode 1. Do not attempt to watch any other episodes or commercials. The island would not like that…

So since I moved back to good ‘ol, hometown, cop-infested Marysville, my life has been … interesting. I’ve been trying to snag as many hours as I can at Starbucks. But in the area of finances, it’s been really really difficult. This is nothing new so I won’t bore you with it, but it has been really tough for me. Really tough. Things that make life a lot harder just keep happening. Just when I thought it couldn’t get worse, it gets just a little bit worse. On the board game scenario, I wouldn’t compare the situation to Dominos, I would compare it to Jenga. The things I need to stand just keep getting slid out from under me. I would compare it to Jenga, but its starting to feel a little bit like Mouse Trap.

I know it is an opportunity for me to rely and lean on Jesus. I praise God for those opportunities, especially since, here in America, even the poorest are considered rich compared to other countries. I have to admit though, I feel very cornered. I really don’t want to get into it much and I don’t want any pity. I’m sure some of you can or could relate at some point. It gets me excited to be in Heaven where there is no sickness and no debt and no remembering of guilt and sin.

I’m glad that our time here on earth is so short. I wouldn’t want to live here for long. I am amazed that there are people being paid by government organization to find or create a “fountain of youth.” Who would want to live longer than 90 years? I’m sure there are some. But those are people I don’t understand.

If I were to say that “God has been good” I think it would be unfitting to His character. I think it would be demeaning, in that He is always good and has never stopped being good. If I had not been born, He would still be good. If America had never been discovered, He would still be good. If man never fell in the garden, God would still be good. If God, in His infinite holiness, never chose to create for Himself this universe, encompassed by space and time, well then, He would most definitely still be good. It’s not fair, and I think we fail when we say, that “God has been good”. God is good. Will be good. It’s a westernized phrase. I can understand it. And I know what it means. But regardless of where I’m at in my life, in my place and time, God will always be good. And that holds this life together.

But for those of you who like specific answers, here’s a little something:

I moved back to Marysville. I did this because I believe Jesus called me back, not in a dream or through a homeless person, but through the Spirit who is at work in all of us. I was serving on the production team at Mars Hill Church (which I love) while living in Seattle, not having to pay rent, with 5 other guys. Seattle is where its at, people. If you want to be cool then move there. I was cool for a little bit. It was really great. But let me step back a few chapters… After I stepped off of staff at One28 last December (06), I think, I felt very troubled, and this is something I have not spoken about at all here. I had little desire to attend any type of church, because I struggle very much with the Christian church and many Christians in general. This is a topic for later writing. But I cannot argue the fact that congregating, fellowshipping, or making community (whatever you want to call it) is an absolute essential part of a Christian’s life. One might even say that “if you fail to work towards Christian community, you’ve failed at the Christian vocation.” For a few months, I lived without any real community with fellow believers. And on the faith scale from 1 to 10, 10 being the highest, I hit a very low 1. If you didn’t really know that its because I’m a really good actor.

When I decided to move out of my father’s house in August, I moved in with a dear brother in Shoreline and shared a small apartment with him for 3 months. We decided to begin attending the Ballard campus of Mars Hill Church since it was so close to home. After a few weeks, we decided to go to dinner with some people who invited us after service. It was the first real fellowship I had had in a good many months. I felt like a new man. I truly believe the God was at work in that evening to restore a lot of what had fallen apart in my heart. They are dear friends of mine now (I lived with 5 of them) and I hold them very dear to my heart.

On a paralleling topic, since October, I’ve been privileged to befriend a few guys from Marysville. These guys were exactly what I wanted to be when it came not only to personality, but also to faith in Jesus. It’s true and rich. It’s gritty and deep. It’s down to earth faith. Faith that I never felt that I could accomplish. They were on the same page as me with my questions and doubts, but they had found true joy in finding the answers. I don’t know how to describe it, actually.

After a string of crazy, coincidental, small-world like experiences, I was able to talk with these guys about things, including community, cities, music, smoking, building, battling, praying, the study of Scripture, being really poor (and how no one in America really is), loving like Jesus, hot dogs, Ephesians, swearing, tattoos, abortion, writing, singing, the emergent church movement (God help us…), good art, bad art, bad gas, gas prices, money, not having money, the frustration of denominations, etc. I learned a lot. I realized a lot. I prayed a lot. In one of these conversations, I was told about a guy who was starting a church in Everett. I had heard about this guy a bunch before and how he’s really cool. “You should hang with this guy, tk,” I was told a few times. So I was able to hang with him a couple times and I saw how cool he was. His church will eventually be setting up a coffee shop. The coffee shop, while being a place to get good java, is also where the church will eventually meet on Sunday mornings. He needs people who really know coffee and how to make it. “Oh,” I said, “I happen to do that for a living.” After much discussion and prayer, I decided to commit myself to being a part of his church. I felt like I was being called to help, like this was something much bigger than myself and my little blip of an existence. So since late December I have been attending and serving at Mosaic Church (not affiliated with Mosaic of Oregon or North Carolina… or any other… places…). Please feel free to check out the site. Be sure to visit the “We believe” and “We value” sections of the web page.

That’s a very brief description of what has gone on in the last year. I am, though kinda bummed to not be living farther south (cause its cool), pretty stoked to be back in Mtown. I know many of you who read my blog live here, and that means I get to spend time with you all again. I miss you all, especially my family at Grace Bible Church. If it is appropriate to make a public apology on a blog, I’m gonna do it. I’m sorry I have left so many in the dark on how I am doing and where I am at. It’s not easy to be back in town and not attending my home church, to whom I owe so much. So much. I am sorry that I have not told you sooner that I love you and that I miss you terribly. I will be visiting with you soon and plan on hanging like the good ol days. Its true, I will be busy with work, wedding videos, ministry, and family, but you are my family. And I miss you. I’m also pretty envious that you got to hear Phil Johnson 2 years in a row at the Double K.

Alright. It is very late and I should have been in bed 2 hours ago. This was a difficult blog to write, and I’m sure there is much more to be said. If you want some coffee, you can stop in at the Starbucks at the Tulalip outlet mall where I will be working (I’ll also be covering shifts at the plaza 88 Starbucks by Haggen) and visit. I would love it. I already got to see SKH’s beautiful skinny face the other day, though I couldn’t spend time hangin with him which made me pretty depressed. But I shall see you all soon, and those I haven’t talked to in a while who are out of town, I miss talking with you and you can expect an email or two from me.

I remain forever grateful to you,

tk

I’ve fallen off the face of the earth. I am sorry. If you are reading this, you are awesome, with your patience. But I have news. For later. And knowing me, that could be in a few weeks.

No. I’ll give you the news soon. If you live in Marysville, and you are free from 10:30am – 4:15pm, come visit me at the 88th street Starbucks by Haggen. I will be working. Come say hi.

UPDATE: 10:30am – 4:15pm… tomorrow.

Here I am, to tell you what I know to be the best 5 albums of 2007. I know there were thousands of albums put out by thousands of artists, but these are the best:

-Straightjacket – Steven Delopoulos

-Neon Bible – The Arcade Fire

-The Trumpet Child – Over The Rhine

-Armchair Apocrypha – Andrew Bird

-And it’s a toss-up between The Reminder [Feist], Cease to Begin [Band of Horses], and Everybody [The Sea and Cake].

I would have loved to have posted Caedmon’s Call’s Overdressed or Jeremy Casella’s RECOVRY or Andrew Osenga’s Letters to the Editor, Vol 1… But I picked what I picked. And it is how it is. Another band I’ve been introduced to that I think you all (Clyde) should really listen to is a band called Fleet Foxes. Czech out their Myspace page

I am sorry for the lack of posts the last few weeks. It happens every year. There’s always a major dry spell, and it’s usually around this time. But you should all know that things are good for me. I will briefly say that living in Seattle has been really fun, though I’ve been spending most of my time in Redmond at work. There are, as always, many changes happening in the next few weeks for me. More updates later. But I will soon be posting more often, I hope. I hope your Christmas was Christ-centered. tk 

See Raising Arizona. It will make you laugh.

Hello my friends. I thought I would give a slight update. I know what blog readers want (including myself) when reading blogs is links and photos and a not-too-lengthy paragraph or two. But you’ve been known to care read my long posts. So this is a summary of where I’m at.

I’m living in Seattle with 5 other guys for 2 – 4 weeks. These guys have been nothing but kind and totally excited to be my friend. I am in a limbo zone in my living situation at this point. This isn’t exactly ‘home’ for me. It’s not a permanent stay. It’s a place where I can sleep and hang out until I find a place. And I’ve been told there’s many people from my church looking for roommates. I’m excited to move forward with this. Please pray for the progress.

So there’s the scoop. I am really excited to be getting involved with the production team at Mars Hill. I will be helping out with the audio team that focuses on broadcasting the audio to the other campuses during services. We’re in the same room with about 10 other people who do the video work (I’d like to dabble) and occasionally, Pastor Mark (Driscoll) comes and hangs out with us. He’s really funny. Just don’t trip over his foot until you meet him first.

Anyway, it’s late. And I have some website planning to do. Yep.

Oh and please go buy Steven Delopoulos’ new record Straightjacket. I’m really unsure how the dude writes the stuff. It blows my mind. He’s from another planet or something.

I’m trying to think how to start this blog post. Not really sure. I know I need to post though. Because I’ve gained a multitude of new readers due to an unholy amount of views from people doing an image search on google for “transformers.” If I had imagined a way to get people over to my blog via search engine, it wasn’t from searching for “transformers.” It would have been from searching for “Derek Webb” or “Andrew Osenga.” Very interesting.

Anywhoozles.  Things are really great right now. I’m bummed, though, because I won’t be living with DG anymore. I am currently in the market for an appartment, and until I find a place, I will be living with some dear, dear brothers in Fremont from Mars Hill Church. I met them through a friend and we’ve all clicked like nothing else. We’re all apart of the same Community Group and I think it’s going to be very awesome. But though, I won’t be living with Dave anymore, I am forced to rely on Jesus very much through what some may call, “a valley.” I don’t see it that way. But I am excited beyond anything to be in this situation because I have a chance to rely on Christ more than I ever have before. I feel I’ve put myself in this hole and I’ve been sinking deeper and deeper, and now I have an opportunity to dig out. Awesome.

So there’s the big update. I’m trying to think of some cool things you should check out online… Hmm… Nothing really coming to mind.

Oh here’s something you should check out. ColossiansThreeSixteen.com recently interviewed Steven Delopoulos who put out, in my opinion, the third best record of the year a couple weeks ago. It’s very interesting to hear a little bit about his past. A very good read.

If you haven’t checked out the RabbitRoom.com yet, you really should. Actually, RabbitRoom.com has inspired me to start another website. I haven’t launched anything yet (mostly because it requires ca$h), but it will be called “PayTonysRent.com.” No, it will not be a place where I accept donations to pay rent. It started as that, just a funny idea I had, but I think it’s going to be something even more awesome. I shall let you know when I know more.

Alright y’all. Thank you all for continuously reading. Feel free to comment with some good ideas you might have for PayTonysRent.com. I want to have multiple contributors and I want to focus on Music, Movies and Culture. It should be great, but I want your input.

Sweet.

tk

Here’s a song I wrote:

Storage, or A Song I Wrote While Dreaming I Was An Old Man. 

I’ve been here enough to know when to talk and when to shout
I know when it’s time to speak soft, to speak loud
There are old men you hate and old men you love
I’m just one in the middle somewhere in the middle
And I don’t think that constitutes as ordinary love

See, I’ve seen my shares of zeros and ones
I’ve seen the brute force of a dime above a dove
The ones who you hate and the ones who you love
Are just like the terrible teasers to us
And I don’t think that constitutes as ordinary love

Just look, o youngin’, upon the rusted gate
It swings wide to welcome and shuts hard to hate
You may find that it hurts you may find that it calms
But just don’t find your value in it’s fake frozen shape
I don’t think that constitutes as ordinary taste
I don’t think that constitutes as ordinary love

I know that I’m old and I know what I’ve seen
I know that you might find other men to mind
But if one thing that God has altogether taught
It’s storage in glory and to store in the kingdom
And storage in worship and storage in service
And storage in wells that do not run dry
And I don’t think that constitutes as ordinary love
No I don’t think that constitutes as ordinary love

You may give all you have to the poor, to the poor
But where is your storage?
That’s all I have to say.