Echoes and Moments

If you don't understand this, or at least don't have a strong opinion about this,  then I WANT TO BE YOUR FRIEND, PLEASE. I love the church. I love ministry, and I'm sold out on giving my entire life, resources, and talent to cooperate in its mission from here on out. Now, that doesn't mean I always like "church" in the sense of that regular religious practice of going to a local community worship gathering, navigating its bureaucracy, or processing any number of things that strikes a chord or a nerve related to music, preaching style, or theology. No, the vision is more dynamic than that, amplified, even widescreen in proportions. I serve in an interdenominational parachurch ministry, which means that I serve in partnership and interdependence with the Church universal. I take this notion of Church seriously, so much in fact, that I make it my business to engage and support dialogue across an unfortunately segmented and disjointed entity that sometimes ...

By now it should be apparent that I love to write about a few things. Beyond the theological frontiers of my service in active ministry, my travels, and my appreciation for new forms of creative expression in other societies and cultures, there are few things I love more than music. One of my criteria for friendship (come on, we all have them...) is how lively a conversation we can have about it. What type of music we enjoy can say a lot about us. Or, if we begin talking about Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift, it is pretty clear that music might not be all that important to you... Perhaps it is for this reason, how near and dear to me the conversation on music is to me, and how many of my friendships have flourished through an exchange of music, that I've delayed my second entry in this personal exploration of Mexican consciousness. In my first treatment of the subject, we looked at the dynamic field of film, which has reached crossover appeal and allowed an international audience...

Like most young twenty-somethings employed in less-than-traditional roles, I find myself at least a few times a week at my favorite local coffee hangout. Although I normally rail against the corporate consumerism that enslaves our society, I have to admit my favorite spot to hammer out a few hours of work is the Starbucks on the other side of town. It's not that I particularly enjoy their coffee, music, or service. Rather, I like how much space there is (a surprise considering that the typical Starbucks is a poor work/meeting space, much more suited to refueling on-the-go as opposed to, say, your typical indie coffee shop) and how it is a perfect 15 minute drive from home (it means I feel like a "normal" person when I drive to and from the place). Plus, that Gold Card free refill is a lifesaver. My typical work regimen includes a batch of planning, emails, working on my schedule for appointments, travel, and budgeting. Woven into the mix are always spots for browsin...