Spilt Wine

I can’t really pin point when the turn actually happen to me, but this morning I realized that I am fully exhausted by people. I have been holed up in a cave for the last four or five months. Actually, it’s probably been longer than that. I usually consider myself an out-going person, who is always open to people. For all of my life, up to the last recent months, I have needed to be around people. I have lived and thrived in community. Now, I would rather stay home, play X-box, work in my yard, and go camping on weekends than spend time with people or friends.

Despite my exhaustion and lack of desire to spend time with people, I know I need it. And if I am going to be honest with myself I miss living in community. I horribly miss the Sunday nights at the VP with the guys, the Wednesday nights at our house with five other dysfunctional couples, weekend dinner parties and couples nights out. A strange conundrum I find myself in.

Walt Whitman wrote a great deal in regards to the space of community and self and Jesus’ documented life shows how he balanced the two. For me the scale seems to have tipped to one side.

Yogurt is good.

The wise man can pick up a grain of sand and envision the whole universe. But the stupid man will just lay down on some seaweed and roll around until he's completely draped in it. Then he will stand up and go, " Hey, I am the Vine Man."
-Jack Handey

New Song

Em-C-G-D

Open myself up-Dear old friend
Open myself up-Dear old friend
Open myself up-Dear old friend
Open myself up-Dear old friend

Let me pour my sins into your cup
Let me pour my sins into your cup
Let me pour my sins into your cup
And we will drink and be merry
And we will drink and be merry
And we will drink and be merry

Open myself up-Dear old friend
Open myself up-Dear old friend
Open myself up-Dear old friend
Open myself up-Dear old friend

Let me pour my heart into your cup
Let me pour my heart into your cup
Let me pour my heart into your cup
And we will drink and be merry
And we will drink and be merry
And we will drink and be merry

Open myself up-Dear old friend
Open myself up-Dear old friend
Open myself up-Dear old friend
Open myself up-Dear old friend

Let me pour my sins into your cup
Let me pour my sins into your cup
Let me pour my sins into your cup
And we will drink and be merry
And we will drink and be merry
And we will drink and be merry

There is a homeless lady who spends a lot of time hanging out around the Starbucks on Main Street. In the past, both Audrey and I have bought her a muffin. For the past month or so, she has been wearing a pair of overalls that are barley hanging together. They are ripped at both of her knees and down her left side. She has to hold on to the left side of her overalls when she walks, or else the rip opens up and you would see her panties, that is if she is wearing any. Yesterday, as I was waiting for my triple white mocha I saw her standing outside. I went outside and asked if her I could buy some new clothes. She said no thanks. I said to her it looked like she could use some new pants. She said she had been looking for some new pants, but hadn't found any. I then told her that if she met me at the Salvation Army, I would buy her a pair of pants. No thanks, I am fine she said. You sure? Yeah. Then off she went, walking as she held her pant leg together.

Our church sign says No Perfect People Allowed! I am thinking it should be changed to something like this.

Audrey and I went to the Sequoia National Park this afternoon for a picnic. It's a shame that we live about an hour away from the world's largest trees, yet we only come up maybe once a year. And yes, I am a tree huger.







The largest living thing on the planet is a Giant Sequoia Tree. The General Sherman is over 2,000 years old and stands taller than the Statue of Liberty. General Sherman is also the Nation's Christmas Tree. About seven years ago, my friend Brad's girlfriend flew out from the mid-west to visit him for Christmas. One night, while the three of us were having dinner, I told her all about the Giant Sequoias. I mentioned to her that the Nation's Christmas Tree was only about an hour away. With that, the three of us took off at about 10:30 at night to go look at the biggest Christmas Tree in the world. To our surprise and disappointment, we found that they don't decorate the Nation's Christmas Tree with any Christmas lights or ornaments.