new web site

Hey friends: I have a new web site: behindtheart. I've moved my blog there and I would also love to have you check out my portfolio. If you have any music or graphic design needs, I may be able to help you. I won't be posting to this site anymore. Thanks!

"all anxieties cast on God"

I haven't posted for a while. I haven't had much I want to say in cyberspace. But today I read some amazing words from Thomas A' Kempis in Of the Imitation of Christ. I thought I'd share them so that not only could you see them, but so I would remember them.

"My son, suffer Me to do with you what I please; I know what is expedient for you. You think as man; you judge in many things as human feelings persuade you.

O Lord, what You say is true. Greater is Your anxiety for me than all the care that I can take for myself. For he stands very unsteadily who casts not all his anxiety upon You.

O Lord, if only my will may remain right and firm toward You, do with me whatever it shall please You. For it cannot be anything but good, whatever You shall do with me. If You will me to be in darkness, You will be blessed; and if You will me to be in light, You will again be blessed. If You vouchsafe to comfort me, You will be blessed; and if You will me to be afflicted, You will be ever equally blessed.

My son, such as this ought to be your state, if you desire to walk with Me. You ought to be as ready to suffer as to rejoice. You ought as cheerfully to be destitute and poor as full and rich.

O Lord, cheerfully will I suffer for Your sake, whatever You will to come upon me. From Your hand I am willing to receive indifferently good and evil, sweet and bitter, joy and sorrow, and for all that befalls me, to give You thanks.

Keep me safe from all sin, and I shall fear neither death nor hell. Cast me not from You forever, nor blot me out of the Book of Life, and whatever tribulation may come upon me shall not hurt me."

– The Third Book, Chapter Seventeen

the advent video

Here are a few videos from our Christmas concert this weekend (final performance).

From Little Drummer Boy


Gabriel's Message


While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks

worship staff Christmas party

Each year our staff gets together for a Christmas party and gift exchange. This year, we met at Matt & Kelli's new house and ate yummy food (like Tim's volcano of chocolate marshmallow cookies), got a tour of the house, laughed, prayed for one another, heard some cool news and stole gifts.

the advent

Our first of six Christmas concerts was last night. This year, the concert is called The Advent and is organized around the tradition of lighting advent candles to share the Christmas story. For those not accustomed to this tradition, there are 5 candles lit the 4 Sundays before Christmas and Christmas Eve: Prophecy, Bethlehem, Shepherds, Angels and Christ. With each candle is a corresponding reading from the Bible.

Here's some pictures from our dress rehearsal Wednesday night.

Gabriel's Message

The set was inspired by Chicago's Millenium Park and our department's trip to Saddleback Church this summer (the plasmas and trusses). Our production team did a phenomenal job!

Sing Noel, Sing Hallelujah from Michael W. Smith's new Christmas project

While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks as performed by Andrew Peterson (but Rick does it better!)

Jesus Messiah

new windows!

I am so blessed to have new windows! Just installed in the last two days. My old windows were just that—old—83 years. And most of them didn't have screens. I got to do something yesterday for the first time: It was really hot in the room I was in and I got to open a window! Woo hoo!

Here's some before and after pictures.

Living room before ...

after ...

Breakfast room before ...

after (he's still finishing the woodwork but framed it in quite nicely) ...

I got a new back door, too!

election grammar question

I was listening to NPR on the way home from class ... more post-election nonsense—I thought the election was over and we wouldn't be subjected to more of this! Anyway, it stirred a question within me.

Is it really correct to say that someone won an election? Rather, wouldn't it be that he won votes?