.::discover::understand::be::.

new logo?

this is the "in progress" new surf city logo. what do you think?

posted by nathan sean @ Tuesday, February 28, 2006 6 comments

three season ant

these guys are just flat out great.

great music.
great guys.
great heart.
great friends.

check out their website over in the links.

thanks guys!

posted by nathan sean @ Tuesday, February 28, 2006 0 comments

the secret secret

Kissthefather
Originally uploaded by nathansean.

last week in the mail i received a great secret. actually it was a book, and the book is about a secret.

"the secret message of jesus" by brian d mclaren. it is an advanced release copy i got through his website anewkindofchristian.com. i am just about finished with it. as with all of brian's books, it goes much beyond just scratching the surface. but... i'll share a deeper review next week sometime. i am in a major processing mode. good stuff.

posted by nathan sean @ Tuesday, February 28, 2006 1 comments

random quote

so i'm going to turn to my left and grab a book from my sagging bookshelf (literally... we put it together wrong) and type up a quote from a random spot.

ok so here we go random book...

the winner is one of my favorites... The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning. if you have not read this book, go and do so now!


ok so here is the random section...

that sucks. i opened up and pointed to the middle of a story on page 129. i'll try again. wait i can't then it wouldn't be random. so i guess here is the paragraph, you try to make sense of it...

""you unspeakable slime," Murphy O'Connor roared. There's the door on your right and the window on your left. Take whichever is fastest. Get out of here before I throw up. I am not running a rehab for liars!

The philosophy of tough love is based on the conviction that no effective recovery can be initiated until a man admits that he is powerless over alcohol and that his life has become unmanageable."

i thought i should add the first line of the next paragraph just because it is pretty cool and challenging... i mean you can substitute just about any sin in the "alcohol" spot right? i sure can.

posted by nathan sean @ Thursday, February 16, 2006 4 comments

valentine's day in the MOTO nation

i like valentine's day well enough. not to excited about it, but i'm not a scrooge about it either. it isn't quite as special as it was growing up. back in the elemetary and j-high days, the day was clouded with mystery and romance and butterflies in the stomach. 20 years later i still get butterflies, but they are surrounded by the thoughts... "oh crap tomorrow is valentine's day" and the mystery is now over trying to figure out does jenn want a gift or do i am going to get the "we don't have money for that" speech.

anyway, valentines day is always a great time in middle school ministry. they get all ga-ga over the thoughts of cupid and silly cards with bears and hearts that say i love you... it's great. i too well remember those days. (i still have the valentine's card jenn got me in 9th grade... i know... sappy)

last night at MOTO we jumped head first into the topic of dating. this is always fun because the students love to talk about it and it is always kinda funny to hear some of the parents get just a little uncomfortable with the topic. but we always have fun with it. last night we played the good 'ol classic dating game. the questions were crazy and the answers were even nuttier, and in the end we have two dates to video tape and have some fun with. one of the "winners" was my son, who is in 6th grade, and he has taken the ever popular stance of "this is stupid, do i really have to go out with her?" funny thing is i think meghan, who will be his "date", feels the same way. it'll be fun for sure.

we also did a drama that kinda wraps up every guys thoughts on dating, at least at the middle-school age...maybe even beyond. it was funny, the students did a great job with it. oh the joys of a valentines day in middle school...

i kinda miss that...




below is the drama we did. enjoy.

The Rules of Dating-
the scene takes place at a coffee shop. jack and kim both have back packs and are sitting down to have a drink.


Jack: Oh man… that was such a riot.

Kim: I can’t believe we used 35 rolls of toilet paper.

Jack: No kiddin’. It is going to take Whitey all weekend to clean up that mess. I wish I could be there to see his face.

Kim: I love hangin’ out with you… we always do cool stuff. When I’m with Kaylee and Hannah all we do is talk about guys and who likes who and who did what, and who is mad at who… it can be so confusing.

Jack: Yeah… girls are weird. (Kim gives Jack a funny look) ….. ahh.. I mean SOME girls are weird. Your not… yer…. Um… I dunno…. your like… You a COOL girl!

Kim: Thanks… I guess.

(kim and jack kinda sit uncomfortable for a minute… playing with the stuff at the table… smiling at each other once in a while….)

Kim and Jack: I ahh… (the same time)

Jack: sorry…go ahead.

Kim: no, no, you go first.

Jack: ok… I was just thinking… maybe we should go out.

Kim: ya mean like go out and t.p again… or do you mean we should go out…. Like boyfriend girlfriend?

Jack: well yeah… I mean like girlfriend and boyfriend… like do you want to be boyfriend girlfriend? I mean if you don’t that’s cool… I guess.

Kim: No I’d like that… I mean to be your girlfriend. (pause for a minute the two look a little uncomfortable…then she continues as she reaches in her bag for magazine) I was just reading about relationships in my teen people.

Jack: oh yeah… you read?

Kim: well it says that in order to make our relationship “public” (Kim makes air quotes), we should exchange class rings.

Jack: a class what?

Kim: a class ring… I think it’s a high school thing… maybe you could give me your sweatshirt.

Jack: my sweatshirt… this is my favorite sweatshirt, I wear it all the time.

Kim: Oh that’ll be perfect.

Jack: no…no… I mean this is my favorite sweatshirt… can I give you a different one? I’ve got a grey one that I spilled Gatorade on… will that do?

Kim: no silly… that one will be perfect.

(Jack begins to take off his sweatshirt and give it to kim… reluctantly.)

Kim: (smells the sweatshirt and makes a funny face) ewww, it smells like a boy… I’ll spray it with some perfume, it’ll be fine.

Kim: ok… oh you better write this number down. (she gives him paper and a pen)

Jack: ok???? (looking confused)

Kim: 502-5555. and 502-5556

Jack: ok

Kim: and then write down this one… 847-7640

Jack: ok

Kim: and then write down 847-7646

Jack: what are all these numbers, are any of them for Mario’s Pizza?

Kim: (kinda annoyed) no! they are my numbers!

Jack: Your numbers? How many numbers do you have?

Kim: well one is my cell number, one is my dad’s cell number, and one is my home number?

Jacks: that’s only three … you gave me four numbers.

Kim: oh yeah, the last one is our fax number

Jack: why in the crap do I need your fax number?…. Wait! Wait! Wait! why in the crap do I have to have so many numbers?

Kim: well it says here that we should talk at least five times a day!!

Jack: (laughing) yeah… five times my bootie! (still laughing)

Kim: (sternly)… Jack, five times!

Kim: it also says that you should tell me everyday how much you’ve missed me.

Jack: missed you… where did you go? (he laughs)

Kim: Jack, this is serious…

Jack: yeah… seriously whack!

Kim: also you need to change your email address to include my name some how… like jackloveskim@hotmail.com or jackandkimforever@hotmail.com or kimismyhoneybunny@hotmail.com or maybe just kimishotandiloveher@hotmail.com.

Jack: ok… (he starts to get a little nervous)

Kim: and it also says that we should have pet names for each other

Jack: pet names? My dog already has a name… it is max but we just say hey dumb dog… (he laughs at himself)

Kim: (very irritated) no Jack a pet name… a cute name for me and a cute name for you. You can call me…. “sugarmuffin” and I’ll call you “my vanilla-snikerdoodle”.

Jack looks very confused.

Kim: ok so we have the sweatshirt… check (she marks on magazine)
We covered the phone rule….check.
We have the email change… check.
We have the pet names… check.

Jack: what are you checking off.

Kim: The rules!!!

Jack: Rules???!!

Kim: If I am going to be your girlfriend we have to follow the rules. We’ve got the first four done… only six to go.

Jack: six!!!

Kim: well yes!! we have to cover “public displays of affection”, “online chatting”, we have to develop a list of “girls you can talk to”, “girls you can’t talk to”… and “girls you have to be mean to”…
Jack: Are you serious? Girls I CAN’T talk to! What next… I can’t talk to my own sister!

Kim: well… (looking at her magazine) I will have to interview her.

Jack puts his hands up like “what?”

Kim: ok… so we have to figure out our time together… that could be tough… (she looks at her magazine thinks for a minute…) oh no problem… you’ll just have to quit football.

Jack: football no way!!

Kim: well it’s gotta be football… unless you want to get up at like five am. And I don’t do mornings!!! soooo, it’s gotta be football…

Jack: shakes his head and puts his face in his hands

Kim: ok so that gets us to holidays… we’ll start off with Thanksgiving at my house and we can do Christmas at your house…

Jack: woahh woahh. Back it up nancy! You’ve gone loopy. Did you check the sell by date on those pickles that you ate?

Kim: Jack this is for real!! These are the rules!! If we are going to make this last we’ve got to follow the rules!! YOU’RE THE ONE WHO WANTED TO BE BOYFRIEND AND GIRLFRIEND!! IF YOU WANT ME FOR YOUR GIRLFRIEND WE’VE GOT TO FOLLOW THE RULES!!!

(There is a moment of quiet… then jack sheepishly says…)

Jack: ummm…. hey do you think I could have my sweatshirt back…????



doesn't that sound familiar???

posted by nathan sean @ Tuesday, February 14, 2006 1 comments

death cab for cutie

what a great song... the lyrics really make me think.


"Marching Bands Of Manhattan"

If I could open my arms
And span the length of the isle of Manhattan,
I'd bring it to where you are
Making a lake of the East River and Hudson
If I could open my mouth
Wide enough for a marching band to march out
They would make your name sing
And bend through alleys and bounce off all the buildings.

I wish we could open our eyes
To see in all directions at the same time
Oh what a beautiful view
If you were never aware of what was around you
And it is true what you said
That I live like a hermit in my own head
But when the sun shines again
I'll pull the curtains and blinds to let the light in.

Sorrow drips into your heart through a pinhole
Just like a faucet that leaks and there is comfort in the sound
But while you debate half empty or half full
It slowly rises, your love is gonna drown

Your love is gonna drown
Your love is gonna...

posted by nathan sean @ Wednesday, February 08, 2006 0 comments

my job description

job
Originally uploaded by nathansean.

i had to write a mini-article for our newsletter at watermark. i wrote about what we have been doing in cession. i have a strong feeling the article will be editted down quite a bit so i suppose you all have a chance to read the full monty. enjoy...


Job Description

That’s the name… Job. Not the alternative word for occupation. A Job description. Typically Job’s name is synonymous with suffering and pain, agony and turmoil. After all, the poor guy loses everything; family, home, livestock, and even reputation. But he doesn’t lose what is most important. Maybe that is what the book should be known for: what Job doesn’t lose. In that light we find a story about how God believes in us and a story of God’s faithfulness and ultimately a story about the beauty that is found in the mystery of God.

At cession this past month we have been reading the Book of Job with different eyes and listening with different ears. Which has lead us to ask different questions and helped us discover a different Job. And with the discovery of a “different Job*”, we find new implications and new applications for our walk with God through Jesus.

We see that the relationship between the pain we experience and the wrong we commit is not necessarily a direct relationship. Sometimes there is no relationship at all, and that can be frustrating to say the least. But what does this say about God? About suffering? About justice? Flip it around… if we do not see a direct correlation between suffering and doing wrong what is to be said about doing right and finding joy? I think we ask the wrong question when we read this book and ask “what causes what?”. But the question should be “how do you define joy?” or “what determines my happiness or suffering?” Those can be tough questions and with even tougher answers.

We see that Job doesn’t just roll with it. He boldly vocalizes his angst and makes poetry out of pain. He refuses to play the “poor ‘ol me” card. He refuses to be defeated. His commitment to God never wavers and he never curses God. Question? Yes. Curse? No. In fact it is even suggested that his commitment intensifies.

In this time of questioning and facing His suffering Job discovers something that eludes many of us - the mystery of God. He does more that discover he embraces, he walks in, he finds joy in the mystery. He even comes to respect the mystery of God. In the mysterious unknown of God, Job finds himself in a state of worship, full of wonder, love and praise.

We also see that Job is not alone in his suffering. But he may be better served alone. His friends show up with all the answers to why Job suffers and bestow their wisdom on him by answering all the questions Job posed to God. “Sufferers attract fixers the way roadkills attract vultures.” And like vultures, the answers his friends offer slowly pick at him, doing nothing constructive. Many of the answers they give Job may be “technically” true, but it is the technicality that makes them empty answers. “They are answers without personal relationship, intellect without intimacy.”

The answers are secularized wisdom – they are religious. They are man’s understanding of God. Not God! Job rages against such answers that are absent of the living realities of God. They are answers severed form their Source – absent of the Living God. “We cannot have truth about God absent from the mind and heart of God”.

In beginning, Job had everything and God. In the middle, Job had nothing and God. In the end, Job has a future and God. God is the constant.

There is a lot to be looked at in the book of Job. It says a lot about God. It says a lot about us. It says a lot about our ideas of God. It says a lot about God’s idea of us. It’s a story of a guy who on the outside has it all, and on the outside, loses it all. His friends turn on him, attempting to show him that he has a wrong understanding of God that has lead him to lead a “wrong” life. Yet, he never fails in his commitment to God. Job follows Him through it all… “His will be done.” And in the end, the Father restores His Son.

Amazing story. It gains even more wonder and mystery when you consider that many theologians argue that the Book of Job may be the first book written, before even Genesis. If this is true, and we most likely will never know, it may deserve another look. The thought that this is the first story God has for us, makes this little “book of suffering”, this little “book of wisdom”, all the more mysterious, all the more powerful.

Read it again, with new eyes. Or read it for the first time. In all the mystery, it may draw you, like it did Job, into a state of worship, full of wonder, love and praise.

posted by nathan sean @ Wednesday, February 01, 2006 0 comments