the dust settles

Finals are over and the youth program is on hold for the holidays ... so, here I am.

It's been too long, and I'm up late as it is. So, let me just say that K and I are heading north to Washington. Snow? I sure hope so.

Merry Christmas to all of you! (If anyone checks this blog anymore.)

Phones

Let me tell you ... Californians, specifically those in Orange County, have taken cell phones to a new level. So, I recommend this article to everyone, but especially ... well ... the OC.

Love

I am continuously struck by how intentional love must be ...

My wife and I have to work at our love. It is work, but it's that kind of work that is more rewarding than any amount of sweat and tears you put into it.

... I wonder if that's how it is for God. So intentional ... so willing to sweat and cry ... and how he must rejoice beyond any meaning of the term we can fathom when the love is returned.

No wonder angels dance.

Public Service Announcement

Garbage Pale kids are back! Unfortunately the packs no long include the really terrible-tasting gum, which is how you rationalized buying them.

Galloping Gertie

My brother, Rob, is now living in Tacoma, Washington. True to form he's spent much of his spare time uncovering the folklore and finer points of his new turf. In the process he's reminded the family of the classic attempt by Tacoma to build its own suspession bridge. The bridge was the third largest in the nation behind the Golden Gate and the George Washington Bridge in NY.

Anyway, people loved the bridge because even in the lightest wind four to five foot waves would roll down the bridge causing cars in front of you to disappear and reappear as they drove accross. Not surpisingly the bridge failed only four months after its completion. The best part is Galloping Gertie was almost left open despite the fact that it was clearly unsafe.

Luckily ... except for Tubby the half-paralyzed dog, there were not casualties.

Thanks Rob for the fine trivia.

Change colors. Why bother?

Since moving to California, I've noticed that Fall is a formality largely reserved and revered for the mere fact that we get to set the clocks back (don't get me wrong, I revere the clock thing as well). In the Northwest, though, it was more of a process, and it was appreciated.

Where is this bitterness coming from? I'll tell you.

When Krista and I moved to Dana Point I took notice of all the deciduous trees, and I hoped (oops) that I might get to see some Fall colors. As it turns out, the trees here, much like everything else, just skip straight to the outcome and have no appreciation for the process. So, leaves don't really change color as much as they just pick a night and in the darkness die and fall off the trees. It's depressing.

Now I will go get a haircut.

Go Ireland!

It looks like the Irish are trying to keep up with the realestate prices here in California.

Rabies continued ... again

Krista and I had our last rabies vaccine shot today.

I vow to kill the next bat that even comes near me.

a reflection on the evening ...

Krista and I went with Jordo and Sue to check out the Shepard Fairey art show tonight. On the way we happened to see the Cinderella Carriage. (If you check out the link make sure to note the awesome graphics!)

During the art show I found myself thinking that in all likelyhood neither Jordo, Shepard Fairey, my cat, nor I will probably ever ride in the Cinderalla Carriage. Come to think of it, I'll be surprised if I ever meet someone that has.

That's all for this late night musing.

(No, that's not Jordo's normal look. It was a one-time deal ... as far as I know.)

Pet Day Spa

I had to run to the hardware store today, and I happened to notice there was a "Pet Day Spa" next door. Let me just say these two things:

First, I am by no means the man I should be, but I'm trying.

Second, toward the end of helping me become the man I hope to be ... Should I ever take a pet of mine to a Pet Day Spa, please remind me that there are people in this world that don't even know what a day spa is, and that they might have some needs worth meeting before my pet is subjected to the confusion and money-sucking experience of a Pet Day Spa.

Finally, as it stands right now, it would just be good for me to ask, and be asked, how I'm being a steward of my current resources. I'll have to think on that ... maybe that Pet Day Spa will be good for something after all ... but it sure won't be for my pet.

getty

getty girl
Originally uploaded by crotty.

My brother was in town a couple of weeks back, and we got some time to get to the Getty - hence the photo. (no the people in the photo are no direct relation)

Really I just wanted to say that I love my family and value what little time I do get with them. Ben, my brother that visited, lives in France, and he told me that the French think it's weird that we blog ... since most of what gets blogged consists of personal feelings and "private" stuff.

So, weird though I may be, let the world know that I miss being able to spend more time with my family.

Anniversary

Krista and I have been together for a little over a year now, and we still love it.

We didn't get to celebrate our anniversary on our actually wedding date, since we had a bunch of stuff going on. We did, however, celebrate this last weekend. It was so good to spend some time looking back at what was joyous and what was challenging about our first year. It was good to spend some time telling and hearing about our love for one another. In fact, I got myself to thinking that it's something we should be more intentional about.

The only reason I write about it at all is to let you in on it. If you are recently married and you haven't stopped, looked each other in the eyes, and spend an hour or two sharing about your love, joys, struggles, and dreams, then get to it. It's good for the soul. I assume that goes double if you've been married longer.

Oh, and thanks to all of you that sent cards and called to wish us well. I cannot tell you how much that means! We thank God for you.

published

My wife had an article published in the Youth Worker Journal complete with picture and brief bio. I think I'm married to a nerd, and I love it!

It's unbelievable

I never thought that I would be able to say that I can see the ocean every day on my way to work ... and not be lying.

Rabies continued

This morning Krista and I given more shots to fight the rabies ... yippie.

I'm thinking that since we'll be impervious to rabies for a season that I might hire myself in some sort of bat-removal capacity. What do you suppose the going rate for such a service is ... ?

Get this

Within 2 minutes of posting the "drunken cat" there were two comments. That's one comment per minute, which isn't too shabby. Both comments, however, were blog spam (for lack of a better term) ... which, of course, is funny if you read the post just before the "drunken cat."

Classic.

drunken cat?

drunken cat?
Originally uploaded by crotty.

Our poor cat has the worms. Today he gets a shot that will get the worms out ... which will probably make him feel ... well ... the same way he does in this picture.

Comments

I've had several people post comments that have nothing to do with anything being said on this site ... comments like:

"WoW !---Talk about SPAM ! I'm almost afraid to post on your site ! I was looking for ideas for web sites, cuz I'm putting up one called Cell Phones, which of course covers topics related to cell phone holders . Are you using a Blog Template or free-handing it ? ---Jack---"

Or

"So many Bloggs so little time. Thanks For letting me leave a comment. movue "

Whoever "Jack" is hit it on the head; it's SPAM. I thinks it's also annoying.

(As a point of humor, and to prevent anyone from inadvertantly linking to the sites these SPAMers want us to visit, I changed the original links to something self-serving.)

katrina

I bought a dollar sunday at McDonalds today, and I felt guilty. I think my guilt was justified. There are brothers and sisters in our own country that couldn't get a dollar ice-cream let alone use decent plumbing.

I've resolved to get my act together ... and soon ... to help those people - definitely before I get another ice-cream.

it's true...

...if you haven't seen this, you should.

(Click on the "watch this movie" link. It should be the Numa Numa dance)

our man

our man
Originally uploaded by crotty.

This is a youngster that Krista used to work with. He has some food allergies.

Rabies

I can tell you a lot about Rabies now that Krista and I are going through the immunization process for it ... I can tell you things like: when they give you shots for it, the first round is based on your body weight. So, if you weigh less, you get five shots (like Krista) instead of six (like me). Of course, that's only the first round in the month-long immunization process.

I guess it beats dying, though. After all, rabies does have a 100% mortality rate.

What happened ... ? A long story ... but let's just say it mostly has to do with a bat, a small room, and a mom who's full of caring concern to the point that you just have to, well, get a half dozen shots to start off your week.

fishing boat

fishing boat
Originally uploaded by crotty.

moments like these are why we love the Northwest

before the wedding

before the wedding
Originally uploaded by crotty.

nothing like a brother to bring joy to your life ...

Seattle Library

Seattle Library
Originally uploaded by crotty.

From the weekend ... vacation is good.

whelp ...

K and I are off to my little brother's wedding. First Seattle then the "kan."

On a related note: It hit me how different the place we are now is when I saw a plumber's van, a well-cleaned and professionally painted one, that had a white-board displaying the local surf report magnetically attached to the back. I can't tell you how much I wish I had a camera.

Out of Touch

I am at the office of the new job in Laguna Niguel. The internet at the house doesn't start to pick up until the 10th of the month; so, we've been way out of touch.

The new ministry here is sweet, though. It's a smaller church than I'm used to, but I like it. It's nice to feel like you have a voice. The head pastor is a great guy with a great vision, and I will enjoy working with him. The downsize is there are a lot of informal systems that I have to learn. Things just seem to work like you would expect them to in a smaller organization. I like it; it's just hard to get a handle on.

Other than that, life is good.

Just a point of interest ... when we moved from our address in Pasadena to our address in Dana Point ... our car insurance dropped by a third even though Krista will drive more! According to the guy I talked to it's because both living and driving down here is much safer. Interesting.

Movement

To those of you that know us ... you are welcome to visit us at our new home. We have a spare room reserved from you, and would value and appreciate your company and investment in our lives.

In fact, we move this Friday if any of you are interested in helping.

As far as movement goes ... I just spent the last week in Tijuana, Mexico. I was blessed with the opportunity to lead worship for the week, and was a small part of building the houses. Dave runs a sweet ministry, and he's blessed with some sweet kids.

There's also movement on the Stuntman stuff ... we think. The lawyer has money and is working ... we think. We shall see what exactly he's working on ... we shall see.

Laguna Niguel

Krista and I are headed to Laguna Niguel Presbyterian Church!

I've accepted a Youth Ministry position with them, and we start August one. So, we've been madly searching for a place to live. We think we've found a sweet place just outside of Dana Point, and will know for sure tomorrow.

Please pray for the transition and the new ministry!

Back

Well, it's been way too long since I've posted . . . and so it goes.

I spent last week speaking up at Calvin Crest, and it was a sweet time. Junior high students are so fun, and seek in a way that is very much their own. At the same time, speaking is really humbling. It's been a bit since I've spoken, and could do little more than realize anything that happens is all God's doing.

And God does stuff, which is great.

passion flower

passion flower closeup
Originally uploaded by crotty.

simon says ...

simon says ...
Originally uploaded by crotty.

cover your eyes with your "arm."

I don't think the cat liked the camera flash any more than I did.

16?

By the time Calvin was 16 he had earned both his BA and his Masters. Now, you might hear that and think ... man ... I'm slow. On the other hand, I choose to believe there's just a lot more stuff to know now than there was then ... so ... uh ... of course it takes longer. Right?

New Songs?

Hey, I'm looking for some new worship songs to learn. Who's worth looking into, and what songs specifically?

Let me know.

Vacuuming

Have you ever felt like when you vacuum you're just spinning the dirt down into the rug?

I have, and frankly that's fine ... as long as it's down there deep enough that it doesn't come back out right away.

baby sheep

"Because of the dichotomy of salvation and sanctification, millions of undisciplined baby sheep roam the countryside. They've accepted Christ as their Savior but have not been discipled in His body."

That's probably true ... and pretty much not okay.

Inclusion

“… Jesus threatened people with inclusion; if they were to be excluded, it would be because they refused to accept their acceptance. If people rejected his acceptance, he did not retaliate against them, but submitted himself to humiliation, mistreatment, even crucifixion by them.” - McLaren, Generous Orthodoxy, 247

Are we still threatening inclusion in the name of Jesus?

I had never thought about it ...

"Heads bowed, eyes closed please, no one looking around, this is just between you and the Lord. Now raise your hand if you want to accept Jesus Christ into your life."

I've heard that one several times at camps and retreats, but what does that say about a new Christian's position in the new faith? Doesn't that practice encourage current believers to literally turn a blind eye to new converts? Doesn't it also suggest that the new believer should be very careful about how fully he or she lives into their new faith, after all we seem to suggest to them that it might be wise to only accept Jesus when no one is looking?

This thought hit me just the other day ... Is there a better way to do it? Am I missing something?

Shouldn't we push people to understand that accepting Jesus means that you are entering into his body, the church. If we value that, then shouldn't we rejoice together in full sight?

How about, "Heads up, eyes open, everyone is looking, this is between you, the God of the universe, and the church ..."

Blessings

Brother Si is getting married, and we send our blessings!

Scratch Tones

I struck up a conversation with the guy that hands out the pre-screening tickets at a local theather, which if you've never done you should try to check out. Anyway, within seconds of opening the conversation he pulled out his cell phone and said, "call me." I said, "Okay."

So, I called him and his phone rang ... it was a turn-table scratch. Apparently the guy played the tables and had a different scratch for every person in his phone book (I got the generic scratch, though). I told him he ought to market the whole thing ... 'cause it was all just too classic.

Point? Find out something fun and facinating today; talk to someone you don't know.

Has Costco gone too far?

I used to joke with people that Costco would soon be selling anything they could think of ... from homes to cars. Well, I must admit, they out did themselves on this one.

Harry Potter Gone Wild

I'm not sure if the scientist have looked into it, but I think some rogue Hogwarts students might be behind the mysterious, German, exploding frogs.

help

Will someone gently remind me why it is that I pay a lot of money to take midterms?

$10,000

If I had floorboards in my house and an old magazine then I might be able to afford that hike in ice cream prices.

$3.99

... for a 2 scoop sunday at 31 flavors? Inflation is not okay.

You're kidding. Right?

So, here's what I want to know: Do you think this guy is serious?

If you're not sure after watching, then check out his web site.

out back

night tree close
Originally uploaded by crotty.

the spotlight out back makes for some cool lighting

next steps

So, it looks like the possibility is pretty high that both Krista and I will be working next quarter. That means we'll be making more money. What's the first thing we intend to do? ... Sign up for one of those time-share pitches where you have to have a certain income to get through the door. Once you're through and if you can say no a lot ... you get free stuff. On the table for us will be two free round-trip tickets to Cabo!

Mexico, here we come.

Think about it

What's interesting about today is that people rarely seem to doubt the power of God; instead, it's his character that they doubt. Comments?

Gravity

is annoying in the morning.

Mass Trans

Earlier tonight Krista and I took the rail downtown to have dinner with my pops. We spent more time waiting for the train to start moving than we did on the train. That being the case, it's just no wonder that the people of LA love their cars. It'll be fun to see what kind of effect the rising gas prices have on that fact ...

A point?

So, here's something related to the last post ...

I come from a Christian home where I was aware of Jesus at an early age. You could say that I've spent most of my life in the shadow of the cross. That's been a huge blessing, but as many of you know, such things are often taken for granted.

What does this have to do with Jesus' desire for honesty rather than neatness? Well, I have lived a relatively "neat," though far from perfect, life. So, I have rarely, truly felt desperate for Christ. Since emotion doesn't and shouldn't drive my faith, this is not entirely bad; however, it can open the door to apathy.

This is why I need people in my life that have walked long and dark roads to come to Jesus. I need to see there faces when they discover the living Christ. I need the depths of their joy that spring from Jesus' working in the depths of their brokenness to remind me, to inspire me. Isn't that the body at work? Didn't the woman run from the well and minister? She sure could minister to me ... to many of us that are Pharisaic and orderly in our faiths ...

She was a mess, and I need her in my church to inspire and humble me!

Matt 21

Between classes at Fuller, some time in Mexico with the Spokane group, and Krista's thesis I've had some things to think about. It seems that many people in the Christian faith are looking to make the faith nice. I don't mean just kind, I mean orderly and, well, without failure. In other words, people want things to be clean.

Well, I just don't think the church can be clean when it's doing things right. After all, where there are sinners, there is often a mess.

More importantly, the creation of a clean church does not seem to be a goal of Christ. The inference of the parable of the two sons, the story of thomas, and of the boy with the evil spirit (Mk 9) all seem to suggest Jesus would rather have honest people reaching for him than "clean" people who don't think they need him.

So, we should expect the church to be a mess. If we're doing things right, it should be hard work. We should have to remind ourselves of why we do it, of the cross.

I'll make a point later ...

mexico

Krista and I visited the 'ole youth group in Mexico this weekend. God is so good. Pray for them!

easter egg hunt

egg iris
Originally uploaded by crotty.

We try to make it a bit challenging when we hide the eggs.

good word

A prof got me thinking about this today:

In John 20:21 Jesus says, "As my Father has sent me, I am sending you."

So, the question is how far is it from heaven to Bethlehem, Earth? How far was Jesus sent? This, then, moves me to wonder how it is that the church can keep building fortresses and inviting people in. If that is how Christ practiced ministry, he would have simply continued to shout to us from heaven; things would have been left at the law. He was sent, though, and he came.

Then I should go too, right? What does that mean for a church that's institutional? How does it learn to go again? How does it learn to become relevant again ... or better yet ... how does it become incarnate to the world?

I think I'll leave it at that for now - just a lot of questions.

bubba

bubba
Originally uploaded by crotty.

I don't know how to spell his name, but I can sure tell you what it's like to be in his crosshairs. frightening.

Jury Duty

I'm off to jury duty ... let the good times roll.

Easter

First, Happy Easter.

Now a thought:
Mary clung to Jesus after he called her name. Then she ran from the tomb to tell those that she knew his resurrection would mean the most to crying, "I have seen the Lord!"

Today, I said, "that sure was an off video they opened the service with, but the music was great."

I'm pretty sure Mary was closer to the mark.

Don't get me wrong, I love that the Lord is risen. I rejoice, but I am sometimes so petty in the midst of it.

Note to Cory: Thanks.

christ risen

christ risen
Originally uploaded by crotty.

What does it mean to you?

Red Rock Canyon State Park

Red Rock Canyon State Park
Originally uploaded by crotty.

We camped in the desert last weekend. At least the rain was worth something; The desert is awesome when it blooms.

Well worth a visit.

For those of you that check out Corey's site, this is nothing new. For those of you that don't, you need to check this out.

Cat Sleepin

Cat Sleepin
Originally uploaded by crotty.

Yes - we have a cat.
No - it does not sleep normally.

Yes - I wish I was asleep.

Cali Driving

Since moving to California I have developed two theories about California drivers.
First, I believe that motorists in this state are largely encouraged to ignore their turn signals.
Second, it appears to be that the speed limit is considered to be more of an average than a limit. So, if you spend the morning stuck in traffic, you get to spend the remainder of the day driving like a bat-out-of-hell to bring that average back up. Right?

Things I'm not

In the off chance that you Google "Jeff Crotty" to find out a bit about me ...

No, that's not my phone number, and no I was not recently hired as the general manager for Legends by Notre Dame Food Services.

No, I have not been recently certified as a DARE Mentor.

And, no, I am not a Junior Champion at the Redwood Empire Golf and Country Club.

or am I?

It's not just hindsight that's 20/20

"In the crisis of the world the church becomes aware of its own crisis: not that merely of a weak and responsible institution but of one which is threatened with destruction. It is true ... that the church will probably survive in some form in any circumstances, and that the real question is whether it will survive as a reliable witness to the Christian faith. Yet it is also true that the larger question receives part of its urgency from the threat of extinction. It was when Israel's life as a nation was in danger that the prophets came to understand the more dire peril to Israel as a people of God ...

"Yet a society based, as the church has been, upon the conviction that to seek life is to lose it, must discover the fallacy in any attempt merely to live for the sake of living ... The church then realizes that the important question is not how to save its life but rather how to keep its soul, how to face loss, impoverishment, and even death without surrendering its self, its work, and its service.

"From the point of view of civilization the question of the church seems often to be regarded as that of an institution which has failed to adjust itself to the world and which is making desperate efforts to overcome its maladjustments. The problem it presents is that of a conservative organization which has not kept abreast of the times, which has remained medieval while the world grows modern, dogmatic while civilization was becoming scientific; which is individualistic in a collectiveist period and theological in a time of humanism ...

"It is true also, within certain limits, that failure to adjust results in decay as is evident in all mere traditionalism .... The failure of traditionalism, moreover, is less in its lack of adjustment to changing conditions than in the confusion of the spirit with the letter and in blindness to the actual shift of attention from the meaning to symbol that has taken place within the church.

"In the faith of the church, the problem is not one of adjustment to the changing, relative, and temporal elements in civilization but rather one of constant adjustment, amid these changing things to the eternal.

"WHAT IS ENDANGERED in the church is the secular elements: its prestige as a social institution, its power as a political agency, its endowment as a foster-child of nation or of class. And this very peril indicates that the church has adjusted itself too much rather than too little to the world in which it lives." - H. Richard Niebuhr (1935)

bach party

bach party
Originally uploaded by crotty.

Is there a better sight to behold at your bachelor party? Really? 5 points of you can name the man behind the smoke.

General Store

General Store
Originally uploaded by crotty.

I'm still figuring this out, but I figure I can still post some things while I'm at it. On that note, here's something you don't see much any more in a Wal-Mart world.

Huge Lemon

Huge Lemon
Originally uploaded by crotty.

These are easily the biggest lemons that I've ever seen and they grow in our yard. So, if you're in the market for a novelty gift of the fruit sort and if they are in season, I'd be happy to send you one.

one step

I really have no idea what I'm doing, but I'm learning. If any of you blog-savvy folks have suggestions for a starter, please suggest away.