Far too long...

Well, It has been far too long since my last post. I promised myself I wouldn't let my blog go the way of most blogs. This was supposed to be a place of deep, longing thoughts. I failed to blog about my new move into our new home. We've gotten so far since my last post. So far as stuff is concerned. This stuff of earth. We are in a different place physically, that's for sure. I however can say that I'm definitely growing and maturing as I should. I don't want to find myself at the end of each shortened year realizing not much has changed. I'm a fan of "new." "Old" is boring right? Mundane. Similar. But somehow "new" becomes "old." It never fails. Chasing after "newness" is what I find myself doing time and time again, and I have to remind myself that this cycle isn't what my Heavenly Father desires for me. I'm grateful for the awareness of it. I feel I'm getting better at it. But it still competes. I'm sure it always will. While I'm here at least.

I want to record more music. I want it to be quality. But there is so much quality out there. That's so completely obvious that it makes me realize that I need not apply for the position of quality. It's been over-filled and over-booked. I guess I want to share as much as the next guy. And as newness and quality become old and surpassed, only few things really make a lasting impact. Heart. What's done for bringing people's hearts to a greater understanding and knowledge of Jesus-- that lasts.

I'm currently listening to Andy Gullahorn, and I'm blown away by the sheer grace and beauty of his musical prowess. I'm confused as to why I never heard his material before. And as I listen I am becoming aware that he sings songs and strives for the same things the rest of us do. We're all a bunch of stories. Songs.

I hope I continue to sing and write and record music of quality. I hope it's not too few and far too long in between those moments. But I pray I never become the sum of the newness... I never want to become the sum of all this stuff...

Erwin McManus said once that your legacy isn't what people remember you by...but that it's the momentum your life carries on after you're gone.

Those are heavy, simple words.

Almost there...

Just a few more days and we'll be signing papers on selling this house to a young couple. From there, we'll go on to signing papers buying our first home as a married couple. We're both very excited. So far we are scheduled to move on saturday the 14th! Boxes are stacking up around the house and things are disappearing off of the walls like some kind of vanish plague has occurred. It's neat.

Update

Hey everyone. Just an update here. We're currently waiting on our current mortgage company to get back to the escrow service with our title and payoff so that Glenda can write a check on our new place. After that happens it's all smooth sailing. We can pretty much close on everything from there.

In other news. Tom and I have moved our podcast, "Hey you remember that!?" to a different host and now has a cool website to go along with it so you can post comments and such.

Check it out at
http://heyyourememberthat.podbean.com/

Notice there is also a new podcast player down at the bottom of this blog as well. :)

Morph toy.

I was perusing my downloads of freeware tonight and forgot I had downloaded a neat little gizmo called "MorphX" by Norrkross. It takes two images of your choice and well... I'll just show you.


It's pretty fun and really easy to use after you figure out what all the lines do. I think I'll try turning me into a dog.

Like this!?!


Post your comments below!!

No place like a new home?

Things are going really good! For those of you who don't know already, Ashley and I have signed a contract on a new home. This home has served us well for the time being and it is time to upgrade. We actually have both homes on contract as I write this. We are set to close on both some time in mid June. We're hoping it happens sooner.
In the mean time, I've been making minor repairs to this and that and getting the place ready for its new owners. Plus, I need to get the swamp cooler working. That blasted thing hasn't worked right for the two years that I've lived here. There are a few other things that need work, but luckily our buyers aren't too picky. Plus the price is already lower than most in the neighborhood.
Ashley works with one of them at Red Robin. That was how we found them. It's all going smoothly as a "For Sale By Owner" deal.
Our future new house (As long as no wrenches get thrown in the gears) is sitting about two miles west of here. It's about the same size as our home right now, but it is a bit nicer with a garage and more storage. Here are some cool pictures.







We had an inspection on friday morning for our new place and everything came back great!
All we need to do is have our current mortgage co. get back to us with the payoff and title and we'll be able to close with our buyers. Shouldn't be more than a couple weeks out.

We'll keep you posted.

New Glasses

Hey everybody. Nothing much as of lately in the world of deep, ponderous thoughts from Josh. This weekend I took a hike up the side of mount garfield with a couple buddies from here. One needed some "Senior" pictures taken so I utilized the Nikon D40 a bit. I also had an eye exam and got some new glasses which is nice because my old pair was somewhere in the realm of 10 years old. Here's a peek.
I wanted something that I've never had and that most people don't get so I opted for these silverish gray/black big sided-frames with no bottoms on the lenses.... That's a great description eh? The picture kinda gives an idea.

Anywho, yesterday I got some neat shots. Here's a few. Enjoy! (Pssst... There are larger versions if you click on each)

^Cool Lizard shot. This guy was posing for a while.

^Neat Shot of a crazy red ant out for a lonesome stroll.

^Cool view in the valley.

I love our new camera.
Overall, it was a cool weekend; albeit a little busy. I hope you all are well. Peace.

How 'bout a new monkey...

I was looking through craigslist. (It's part of my daily routine now.) Hoping to find some sort of jewel that someone was getting rid of. I didn't expect to find this in the free section.



Apparently, in Colorado, anything goes for free on craigslist. Even cheetoh munching monkeys.

I wonder if they shed like a dog?....

Did you know?

Fresca goes well with steak and Gnocchi? haha. Well, maybe that's not what great cooks and steak connoisseurs would tell you. They might even say Gnocchi doesn't complement a steak correctly. But who makes those food laws anyway? Either way, I think the fresca refreshed rather well. Low sodium, no calories, great taste! I mean, just look at it standing there. It's probably even thinking, "Man, I belong here!"


By the way, those steaks were great as well!

I just thought I'd share something a little lighter.

a choice that tears...

Inside of me I have a choice that exists. This choice has existed for quite some time now. It's gone away, only to reappear as if it were a familiar season. It's a choice that appears simple, yet somehow complex enough to perplex me deeply. From a certain distance it seems relatively easy to figure out. Many would think it was of no consequence. But for me, it's nothing short of who I am.
Throughout the past few months, even years, I've had people tell me many different things regarding this choice. They've said, "Josh you first need to understand what you're called to do. Then go after it." Or maybe they even uttered, "If God isn't moving in the place you're at, then it might be time for you to move on..." I've heard much. People often give advice freely, but one would almost require payment to actually heed it.
So how much "going after" are we to exert on our own accord? At what point are we "moving on" because our memories of egypt seem fonder than the difficulties we face presently?
I personally often wonder what the dreams of the Israelites were like while they were wandering in the desert, being broken. What exactly did they envision the "movement of God" to look like? Now I know they expected a king and a promised land and all that jazz; what did they really want this "movement" to look like? For we know now that they had a pillar of fire and a cloud that moved directly with them. "Their decisions should have been easy." I'm tempted to conclude. How easy for us to see now. But who am I to assume that this "movement" actually looks anything like what I envision. I ask honestly. Why should I get what I want? I know what I want. And I want a lot. But I know all of that doesn't matter.
I want to be a man after the heart of God. A man that waits on the Lord to move. Not a man that moves so the Lord can wait for him.
What makes this choice so difficult is that it seems to tear in either direction. Or maybe I should say any direction I choose, makes a great impact. I understand I'm being quite ambiguous with my descriptions here, and that's for a purpose. I'm not quite at liberty to divulge my entire heart on this blog. I simply want to see to it that my decisions are always thought out, that my wife is with me every step of the way, and that I've prayed over them.

I don't pray enough.

It seems like opportunity and obligation often battle it out in my mind like some sort of cage match with no apparent victor. Maybe each gets K.O.'d near the end of the fight.
I often wish I could go back to training wheels so I can feel the reassuring confidence that my Dad is holding on to the back of my seat as I make my decisions to steer.

I know, I know... "Maybe He wants you to choose this time Josh."

I've been here before.

new roads...

I often sing about seasons and wordy visuals. I often write about colors and lessons I've learned.
When I step back, all the little things that don't make sense to me when I look at them individualistically, come together. They build something. Something grand. And each moment of each day is part of it. I'm learning that when I least understand what is going on is when the Lord knows what is happening. And when I understand, or claim to understand, is when He still knows what is happening. In spite of who I am and how lost I seem to be on the road, He has a plan. His plan not only involves picking up the pieces of my life that I've broken somehow, but it involves restoring them. Each and every fragment of my imaginative confusion that I call a day, is being shaped into something beautiful. Restoration is a beautifully consistent word. Every time it crosses my mind I'm reminded of how I'm being restored through grace.
Two weeks ago Ash and myself pulled up to the curb of our friends house. We were intending to go to the weekly, sunday night meeting with our church group. But, as life often changes, our road didn't end at the curb that evening. In that moment of discussion, Ash needed to talk. I needed to listen. We needed to drive. So we drove. My Kia pulled us down roads that we've never been down. Not only were we conversing over new topics and sharing hearts but we were experiencing newness. New roads. New moments. New us. It was remarkable. Not remarkable like a fantastic sports play, or a shiny new car; but remarkable like a wise word that sinks deep into your mind and grows to maturity. I love those moments. The kind where the bulk of the awe isn't formed by what pieces are at hand, but by the full restorative wholeness that is being built. Faith, love, and hope assembling. I'm coming back to the point where these moments are visible. For a while I lost sight of them. But these moments of grace make sense to me in a way that the setting sun makes sense to the stars. New roads are scary sometimes. But I love them.

something new

Hello everybody. I will be writing all of my new thoughts and entries into this new blog. I had one a while back before I moved out west and liked it quite a bit. And since my wife has started one here, I figured it would be good for me to get some of my thoughts out on here too. People have always told me they've enjoyed reading them. We're gonna go get some food. I will write more later.