old news

This post contains old news to those of you on Facebook.  But sooome people don't haaave Facebook... like my Nana and Boompa. =)

And sooome people forget they have Facebook (or just don't check it... like... ever).  Like my Grandma and Granddad. =)

I just wanted to share these couple songs I recorded recently. =) Love you guys!

This is a cover I recorded a few months ago of a Lifehouse song.


This one's an original song that I wrote a few years ago. The Lifehouse one was more polished and practiced and this one I did "live" for the camera, but I played a couple more guitar parts over the video to flesh it out a bit.

(dis)content

We all want it, right?  Contentment?

A friend recently claimed to be content. Said there was nothing else to want (or at least nothing came to mind). And honestly, it kinda rubbed me the wrong way. I thought, nuh uh!  =)

IIII'm not content! Are you?!

Now, I'm not saying it's impossible or that my friend was pretending (denial!! =P), it's probably just a matter of differing definitions...

It seems to me that lots of Christians feel they should be content. And understandably so. For one, Christians have Jesus. And if he's not enough, what's the point in it, right? Plus, the Bible kinda tells us to be content. 1 Timothy 6:8 says, "And having food and raiment let us be therewith content." And in Philippians 4:11-12 Paul says he's learned to be content no matter his circumstances.

But what does that mean? I guess the thing is, for me anyway, I'm in a better place spiritually when I'm not content, when I'm not satisfied. And acknowledging it too. With work, in friendships, in my relationship with Jesus. There's always room for more...

Yeah, so I'm thinking about this now (right now) and wondering what's the deal? Do I just need to learn to be content? Is this selfishness? Should this feeling be illuminating some flaw in my approach to life so I can change? I think Paul's talking about a spiritual contentment - letting God be enough or more than enough at all times. And I agree with that. I can have that contentment, but-- agh, this is tricky. =) Sorry, I feeeel like I have something here... give me a minute.

Oh! He IS enough! And he's NOT enough at the same time. Not that I need other stuff in addition to him, but that I need more of him. In the way that you don't take a first bite of a delicious meal and then just put the fork down and call it good. Especially if you're hungry, which I am, for dinner. =\ You want, crave, neeeed more. (I'm realizing the story of Jesus offering the woman living water so that she'll never thirst again brings up an interesting point... about becoming satisfied... but I'm thinking that doesn't help my "argument" here. So, disregarded!)

Yeah, so this is basically a discussion between me, myself and I. And I'm wishing they had more to contribute here, like other perspectives, to make it interesting.

And "oh!" again! I think too of the man in the Bible who sat by the healing pool, a cripple for 38 years. And of Jesus asking him, "Do you want to be healed?" Oh. My. Gosh. Really?! What kind of question is that to ask a crippled man who's been suffering all his life?! At first you think, well, duh! Hello, Jesus! Of course he wants to be healed!

But does he?

Maybe Jesus was awakening something in him that had died away. He's been this way for 38 years! Think there's a chance that maybe he's come to accept some of this? This is just the way it is. Maybe? I mean, Jesus asks him and his response is basically, "No, you see, it doesn't work for me."


Think about it. Isn't it easy to accept hurt? Brokenness? Illness or loss? Aspects of our lives that sometimes feel permanent or inescapable? Do we forget that there's better out there? A better life? A better approach?


I understand the being content/grateful for what God has done. And I am! I SO am! But being content or saying we are feels like letting up somehow, ya know? I don't want this to be pushy or-- blah blah blah, I don't know what I'm saying here, but I just feel stirred up to say, to encourage if I can, keep wanting! Keep asking! Don't  say, "This is good enough."

Basically, I want better. I will always want better. And I believe God smiles at that. Let's not be content! (But, really, be content. =P) Let's say instead, this is good and I'm thankful, but I WANT MORE!!! More of God, more life, more love, more health, more beauty around us! Do you doubt that's what God wants for you? He's bigger and better than we know and I'm convinced it delights him when we say I know that and "PLEASE, SHOW ME MORE!" But he's not just gonna force it on us if we're saying, "that's enough."

Okay, I really thought that was the end. But then I thought of this. Luke 6:38. An image. Pressed down, shaken together and running over/overflowing. Imagine he's pouring you a cup of something super-amazingly-delicious. If God's the kind to be so delightfully reckless with the serving sizes that it pours "into your lap," doesn't it make sense that he'd love to hear us say, "Haha, MORE, MORE!!"? Instead of "When."?

now i remember

If you've read many of my previous posts you know that God has orchestrated some interesting (some fantastical) happenings in my life in the last year and a half. Well, nothing really obviously amazing has been happening lately. =P

I think it's because I've let myself get caught up in work and to-do lists and activities and have spent less time really seeking His heart. Really, I think I lost a lot of the desperation for Him that I experienced in some heavy and trying times in the early part of 2010. Interesting how your desperate times can be your best(ish).

Anyway, I sort of got a wake up call last week.

I went out to the farmers market with a couple coworkers one day and as we approached the busy market I heard a voice saying, "Excuse me! Excuse me!" A homeless woman sat on a bench nearby. I spotted her and realized she was calling to me. I went over (kinda forgetting about my friends =P who didn't notice at first that I'd wandered off).

She had a friendly face and reminded me of a good friend of mine. I expected her, of course, to tell me she needed money for this, that or the other and of her terrible circumstances, but instead she asked me another question...

She said, "Are you a spiritual person?" Oh, man, I thought, probably with a smile beginning to form on my face. I thought of how unspiritual my life had felt recently - how little attention I'd been paying to God. "Yes, I am."

"Well, this may sound strange to you," she said, "but God just told me that you should pray for me and my family."

Haha. He was at it again. =) I had to tell her, "Actually, that doesn't sound strange at all." So we prayed there, outside the farmers market. I gave her some money too and as I stood to leave she spoke/prayed a blessing over me.

God, thank you for all the ways you invade our lives and capture our hearts and minds again and again.  And wherever Cindy Williams is now, bless her. Invade her life. Amen.

south pasadena

So, I kinda love it here.

Got out on my rollerblades this morning and spent an hour plus meandering/zigzagging back and forth through my new neighborhood. It's about time (both that I got back on my skates and that I explored where I live)!

It's a neighborhood of tree forts and front yard soccer fields.  Joggers, dog-walkers and porch swings.

I mean, there were two tree forts on opposite ends of one block! They were empty, of course, being that it's only 8:30 on Saturday morning... and that's when cartoons are on TV.  =)  But really!  I can just imagine epic acorn battles and daring espionage with kids from one fort sending "secret" messages down the block to the enemy (probably by way of a little sister =).

I saw a middle-aged guy in his bath robe, out for a walk with the dog. They crossed someone's lawn and took a seat on a park bench at the edge of the garden (not his - they got up and moved along after a while).  It was fun to think, that's probably their routine.  I think I'd like that.  Minus the bath robe, perhaps. =)

There's a sign I drive past regularly that says South Pas has been one of the Tree City USA cities for 13 years now.  I knew we had a lot of trees down here (haha, I like saying "we"), but I hadn't realized how many until today.  Well, not that I know how many exactly, like a number, but the point is that I was really surprised by how green and shady and cool this area is!  It's really relaxing.  Little streets so populated with big trees that they become tunnels of green.

And unlike so many neighborhoods, no one builds ugly houses here! Okay, maybe there're a few oddball ones, but for the most part people have decent taste.  Lots of craftsman style homes with wide covered porches and healthy gardens.  I found myself wanting to take pictures of everything so I could show you, but a picture only tells so much.

I did take this one.  I feel like it captures something of the way the morning felt.

imagine another petal falling every few seconds

It's picturesque!  That's what it is!  It's the "Father of the Bride" neighborhood.  A picturesque slice of So Cal suburbia that feels friendly, like family, like neighbors talking after work in the evenings, kids playing tag across multiple yards.

Anyway, I like it okay.

welcome back, me!

Hello, faithful few!

Hello? HellO?!

Ah, well.

By now most of you've figured out what's up in my life and don't need this, but I'll tell anyway, for the sake of those whose paths don't regularly intersect mine.

This. Is. An update.

I was searching/waiting for God to put me on a boat and float me away into the next season of my life and something unexpected happened...

Woke up one morning and God said, I'm going to give you reason to rejoice today. I thought, ooh, cool, I wonder what it'll be. The things I hoped would happen didn't and I got to the end of the day wondering if I'd missed something. I had! But wait, I didn't know that yet.

I chose to be thankful and rejoice in the simplicities of the day, saying God, you HAVE given me reason to rejoice and you always do. Then I pulled my phone out to switch it off for the night and saw a missed call...

Ended up that I had a coooool job in just a couple days and have been there since. So I'm a visual effects (VFX) coordinator at a company called Zoic Studios.

The last month has been crazy at work, putting in 13, 14 and 15 hour days. I left off the 16, 17 and 18 hour days cuz they don't happen as often... but they happen. Sheesh. And I didn't want you think I'm just trying to get sympathy points or something, but that's the truth. Yeah, I'll take the points. =P

I'm finishing work on an action comedy called RED that stars Bruce Willis and Mary-Louise Parker, Morgan Freeman and John Malkovich. Looks like a fun one and it'll be fun just to see my name in the credits. Starts October 15!

Oh, and I was in a car wreck on the freeway last Sunday. More on that later... maybe. Just know God protected me, which is his way. =)

pictures worth a couple words

My friend, Rae (found on the sidebar under People I Listen To), recently posted a blog of pictures that had long been trapped in her cell phone. And it inspired me to figure out getting my own photos out of my pocket and onto the computer (you see, the USB port on the phone only works to get battery juice IN and not data OUT).

So I texted the pics to my dad, who then e-mailed them to my computer. Easy. Shoulda thought of that sooner. =P

So here are a few of my favorites with a few words of description or story to go along with 'em.

First off, a picture of Ryan (my bro) in a room made of chocolate at MOCA in LA. We were both downtown for jury duty and heard you get into the museum free with your badge! We could smell the "installation" way before we got to it! =) HEY, NO LICKING!!!

This seemed to pop up overnight! I swear it was just suddenly there, right in the middle of the driveway! Made me think of country songs and how beautiful life is. "I saw God today."

Went to a Wild At Heart camp in CO a couple years back and we got caught in a bit of a whiteout as we drove out into the mountains - crazy! The 4 wheel drive rental was a good idea.

This is from back in the day when I risked my life to put shades on windows. =P That's my buddy, Roger, way down there. We're at the new Monrovia library working on scaffolding. That job took me to some really cool places all over SoCal. Very grateful for the time and experiences I had with those people.

I got in my car after work one day and it didn't move when I took my foot off the brake. See, I was on a slope and it should have moved. Weird, I thought. Gave it a little gas. Nothing. Hmm. Got out and found this on the other side of the car, tactfully hidden where I wouldn't see, step on the gas, shred my tire. What up, gangstas?!

Every once in a while Interior Services (the window blind company) would send us to USC dorms for "an easy day of inspections." And, far more regularly than was funny, we'd open the door to a room and see this. Yeah, "agility test" woulda been a more fitting description of what we were doing. =P

This was one. fine. day. in April 2008. We went sailing with Jim and Joe.

That's all for now. There'll probably be another post like this at a later date - I've still got some pics I haven't transferred that I think are interesting and fun.

Life is cool. Share it. =Drew

live in a tent

Forgot to post this recently... so it's a little old. But so is the Bible. =D

A way of thinking (and existing - at a heart level) that's been developing in me in recent months just became more clear to me as I was painting the porch (I'm finished now, btw).

As Christians we need to live in tents. Not literally, but in our hearts. Like Abraham, we need to be ready to pick up everything and go where God says at a moment's notice.

And yeah, it may be hard. You may think, but what about these things I have? Kinda like the rich young ruler. Jesus wasn't asking him to take a vow of poverty! He just knew the guy's wealth was too important to him (and we see that it was because he chose not to go follow). We need to hold loosely. Even with people! You may think, but what about this or that relationship? I may never get that back.

You're right. Maybe you won't. But I believe in a good God! And He knows our hearts and the things that are dear to us. Trust in the goodness of His love. And even if we do leave those relationships or possessions...

Peter said to him, "We have left everything to follow you!"

"I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life." - Mark 10:28-30

So be ready to let go. In fact, let go now! Don't hold on to the things of this life! Not even the good things you know are from God! Cuz by holding on, in a way, you're saying, "God, I trust you, just not with that." Enjoy them and be thankful as long as they're there, but hold only to Him.

It's when we live like this that He can give us the desires of our hearts.