Casting Crowns: Guys Blog

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As it is, she may hardly be termed as such. But Catholic Sp

Ed, until mass is again daily said within these consecrated walls, and

finally until San Carlos of Carmelo is again a worthier Carmel, "for the

greater honor and glory of God" and the praises of His Virgin Mother

once more are sung about this smiling valley where the Christian Indian

children gathered the beautiful wild flowers of the blooming meadows to

adorn the hallowed shrines, ere chimed the Angelus at evenings mellow

glow. Chapter IX Reverend Raymond M. Mestres of Monterey Writes

Historical Drama--"Fray Junipero" Beautiful among beautiful historical

dramas is the mission play "Fray Junipero" written by Reverend Raymond

Mestres, pastor of San Carlos Church (Capilla Real de San Carlos) of

Monterey. Many men and women have undertaken to write about mission

times, but we may safely assert that this good priest so unassuming in

what he does, is above all qualified to handle this subject, being first

of all a religious, a native of Barcelona, the Metropolis of the

Province of Catalonia, which can claim Junipero Serra and so many of the

early Spanish missionaries, explorers and settlers, and being too an

artist and scholar in every way acquainted with the history of the

missions, having made it a special study during his twenty-seven years

of residence (as a priest) in four mission towns of California,

twenty-one of which have been spent in that chief of mission towns,

Monterey. Unbiased, careful of detail and true to history, while not

wanting in artistic setting "Fray Junipero" carries the audience in Act

I back to the College of Fernando, when Junipero Serra received his

commission to come to California as Father Pre

un of beer

Meet em, at the corner, bout 7 clock. They was there on time, all drest

up ter kill, and we took em down to the Standard, and had a big time.

Wen the show wos out, we went to a resterant, & had sum oysters. Wile we

was etin them, I axt Maria who the Georgie was who tuk her out. "Oh,"

sez she, "he's a red hedded devil, wot wurks in the _Buster_ offis, and

aint a bit lik you. Ma likes him, and thinks he's orful steddy, and she

aint frade to let me go eny place with him. He's mashed on me bad, and

thinks I'm in luv with him, so he spends all his munney on me, and I

jest go with him, cos he takes me to ennything wot cums along. It's fun

ter see him, he's so green, and besides, he never fixes up eny, and I'm

gettin most ashamed to be seen on the strete with him." [Illustration:

THEN I HAWLED OFF MY FALSE MUSTASH ] By this time I was feelin purty

bad, but I maneged to keep up and make blieve I was feerful in love with

her, and got her to promis never to go with Georgie agin. I had a bottel

of perfume in my pocket, and jest 'fore we left the restyrant, I put sum

on the gals handkercheefs, then I hawled off my false mustash, and soon

Maria seen, I was her Georgie, and begun a cryin lik her hart wuld brak.

I felt sorry for her, but I told her to dry up her eyes. I

Bolton spoke firmly, and looked Ray resolutely in

Pondent. His craving became intolerable. He felt that he had been

decidedly ill used. What was the use of money unless it could be

converted into what his soul desired? But there was no way of changing

the coin except at the store of Joe Marks. To ask any of the villagers

would only have excited suspicion. Besides, the tramp felt sure that

Ernest would soon discover that he had been robbed. He would naturally

be suspected, especially as Joe Marks had knowledge of a gold piece

being in his possession. There was a small settlement about five miles

off called Daneboro. It was probably the nearest place where he could

get a glass of whisky. He must walk there. It was not a pleasant

prospect, for the tramp was lazy and not fond of walking. Still, it

seemed to be a necessity, and when he left the store of Joe Marks he set

out for Daneboro. Thirst was not the only trouble with Tom Burns. He had

not eaten anything for about twenty-four hours, and his neglected

stomach rebelled. H

it would be impossible to keep up the supply of labor without it. In

Be enlarged are the Schuylkill, leading by the Union from Philadelphia,

through Reading to Middleton on the Susquehanna, and thence up that

river to the Erie and the lakes. The Schuylkill canal, 70 miles to

Reading, has a depth of 6 feet, and from Reading to Middleton, 4 feet.

The Susquehanna canal, from Havre de Grace, Maryland, at the head of

tidewater, and the Chesapeake bay to the New York line, and system, has

a uniform depth of 5 feet, and is about 300 miles long. This canal,

leading through Maryland and Pennsylvania along the Susquehanna, can

readily and cheaply be enlarged to the dimensions of the Erie canal, and

will then furnish Norfolk, Baltimore, and Philadelphia a direct route to

the lakes by the enlarged system, fully equal to that of New York.

Western Pennsylvania and Pittsburg would have the route, by the enlarged

system, up the Alleghany and Olean to Rochester on the Erie canal, and

thence to the Hudson or the lakes, and from Bridgeport to Cleveland or

Erie city. Ohio would have the benefit of the routes (enlarged) to and

from Cleveland to Bridgeport or Portsmouth on the Ohio, and to and from

Toledo to the mouth of the Wabash or Miami or to Cincinnati. These

canals are 40 feet wide and 4 feet deep. Indiana would have the benefit

of the Wabash and Erie canal to Evansville, on the Ohio, from Toledo,

and to and from the same point to the mouth of the Miami at Lawrenceburg

and to Cincinnati, and would also largely participate in the benefit of

the Chicago and Illinois canal of the whole system. Wisconsin would have

the benefit of all these canals, but especially of that connecting the

Wisconsin river with Green Bay, and the rest of the lakes with Lake

Superior. Illinois would have the benefit of the Wabash and Erie, the

Chicago and Illinois, and of the entire system. Indeed, with a

thorough-cut canal from the Illinois river to Chicago, fact will

outstrip fancy

What I Learned from ComiCon 2009

Hey Eerrbody,

You may have read the last blog and inferred from it that I have no sympathy for the technophile, or that my heart doesn't relate to the fashionably challenged.  You could not have been more incorrect.  I AM a technophile, and while I do not entirely enjoy Star Trek, I really am a fan of most things "Nerdy".  Thus my invigorating visit to ComiCon 2009.  I am most fortunate to have a nerdy friend who likes those things as I do.  His name is Mark Hall.  I am  also very fortunate that his wife loves him so much that she came to me to ask about what she should get him as a Father's day gift.  She asks, because he has pretty much everything (the man has a Han Solo desk for crying out loud).  After saying I had no idea, I remembered that we had attended a couple of conventions here in the ATL, and really wanted to go to the "Big One" in San Diego.  I mentioned this thinking she'd shoot it down, but she liked it, and a few weeks later I was standing on the curb of the San Diego Convention Center on the fringe of the third grandest collection of eccentrics on this continent (besides LA or Capital Hill *snare fill*).   I won't lie, I loved it.  I was in my element.  I know these people.  They are my brothers and sisters.  So we spent two days gawking, pointing and geeking out over all the new cool things that Imagination had brought to us this year.  Mark found some things to buy, I found some things I will get from Mark when he runs out of room, and overall we had a really great time.

I'm going to post a video later, so I won't give away too many details, because this is about what I learned.  There's always this tongue and cheek attitude when we talk about these kinds of things.  The news will cover it, but pretty much as a sideshow and the reporter will have a half smile when doing the story.  Let me say that there's nothing wrong with any of  that, its all in fun anyway, and should be handled as such, but there are people who are very passionate about this.  We were caught in a friendly discussion about The Watchmen that turned into a one sided profane hallway sermonette about how bad it looked and what music they used. (Side Note: We just stood there, and listened because we were standing in line with no where to go.  I was laughing because of the look on Mark's face, but I had heard it all before, having gone to a very nerdy college.)  People spend hours in their homes and create outfits so they can become someone else for a couple of days.  Fans wait for hours just to catch a glimpse of someone they really like from TV or movies.  This is their life.  They may have a job, a girlfriend, but when they get an email or see the trailer for the new movie coming out, they tingle.  The light begins to burn brightly, and they can hardly wait to share it with everyone around them.  

The pinnacle of this escapism was when we were walking the length of the convention hall, and a line of teenagers was running down the building, blaring dance music.  They ended at a certain point, gathered in a circle, and begin to dance with no thought of who was around them.  It was like they had been released from prison, and I think that there, they had been.  You have to wonder that in school, when they're not in such a close group, how quiet they must be trapped inside themselves, because if they try to escape, they will be gently reminded (with a wedgie) that there's only one way to be, but no one seems to be giving lectures on what that is.  

   God brought it all to me while we were cruising in the airplane back to our home in Atlanta,  and it flooded me.  I realized that people who dress like Storm Troopers on the weekend are no different than a girl who gives her love away hoping that she'll get it back.  Or the guy who gives away his dignity hoping it will return in the form of respect.  While most of that happens on the weekend as well.  When we walk back in to work, or school or church, it might help us to point at someone and shake our heads to bury the shame of who we are, but it's not the right way to do things.  A guy may not be able to throw a football, and a girl might not be able to match her rouge and lipstick, but what unites us is the very Thing that gives us life, and I feel like I have a responsibility to bridge that gap and let both Jocks and Geeks know that we can let go of all our disdain and thoughts of revenge, because we are the same.  There is God there is everyone else and that is all.  This goes for the bullies as well as the victims with thier heads in trash cans or toilets.

   I hope we can all look at each other with the eyes of God who sees everyone as they are, and not who they're dressed like.  The next time you see a nerd or freak or geek, try to look past the black raincoat or thick makeup or confusing t-shirt, and see them as a human who needs love just like you do.  And geeks, this is a two way street.  If you expect love, you must give it.  It will take courage, but people (all people even the ones who hurt you) were created by God, just like you, and they go to sleep at night feeling the same way you do.  Imagine what would happen if the world got tired of being lonely, and started making contact.

"If we could read the secret history of our enemies, we should find in each man's life sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility."
  --  Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted

    and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

               --Psalm 34:18

Peace

Juan

While You Giggle in the Dark

Dear People That Keep Hacking this Blog,

   This Post will commemorate the third time you have broken into this blog and posted some things of a nature that ought not be.  I realize people have trouble with their relationships, but the help you are offering is tasteless, pointless and doesn't fix any real problems at all.  So I can hardly see why you need this website to pawn your solutions that only dig people deeper into whatever fantasy hole they managed to get themselves into with help from folks like you.

   Now to the real issue.  I imagine that even though you're down in your mom's basement at 3 or 4 in the morning quietly giggling at the ever so clever time you're having invading other people's lives and sprinkling filth all over it, it doesn't seem to fill that hole you had when no one showed up to your 41st birthday party.  I'm sure it gives you goose pimples of excitement at the great adventure you're having...you know, doing things you're not supposed to do, but allow me to make a list of things that might fill your life with that sense of adventure that eludes you.

   1. Go outside - the big light might shock you, so bring protective eye gear

   2. Talk to a girl - might want to work up to this.  Try another human first

   3. Play a sport (hint: it won't involve pushing buttons)

   4. Plant a garden - that stuff under the grass is called "dirt", wait, do you know what grass is?

   5. Adopt a pet - No, dragons don't exist, try a puppy.

  These are just a few things you can try to avoid annoying people, teaching children new words, and creating awkward situations that good folks who like to write things don't have to keep changing passwords or shooting people to keep this sort of thing from happening.  I offer this, email me if you'd like to find any more things to do, or if you want to have a good friend.  I'd post it, but I'm pretty sure you've already got the address.  Toodles,

Your future friend and mentor

Juan

I Think I'll Write a Blog

Hey peoples,

I have been remise in my duties of keeping everyone up to speed, and for that I beg forgiveness......SO now that that's out of the way, here's what's up.  We have had a really easy couple of weeks, if you look at our play dates.  If you dig a little deeper it has been a little stressful for some, and not stressful at all for others. I'll explain, no, there is too much, Imma sum up...We started tracking a new CD, had some great songs in mind, and since it was geared to be a worship record (yes, I know some people cringe at referring to a Christian CD as "worship" but we have CDs with story songs on them, and songs to encourage the church, as this CD will be directed straight to God....take a breath and relax).  We were going to put songs on there that we already do in church, but the good news is Mark started writing new songs, and the bad news is time started running out to actually get the record done.  Things are looking up, though, as we're starting to wrap things up, and not to pat ourselves on our collective backs, but it sounds good.  Thanks for the prayers and encouragements through Twitter and email.  

As for the last few days, we were in Indianapolis and Louisville.  It marked the second  weekend in a row that I left my kids home, and I was, on one hand, bored, but then again I got a lot of stuff done - namely, sleeping like the dead.  I had finished Chronicles of Narnia, so now as I move on, I need to read some things that have come out as the world was passing me by whilst I visited a land of talking animals.  I call this "Contemporary Literature Month" and as such I bought The Shack by W.P.Young and Crazy Love by Francis Chan.  Both of these books are getting to people around me, The Shack has been recommended by a lot of my Nashville friends, and Crazy Love was just read by nearly everyone in the youth ministry at my church.  So, I'm pretty excited about what I will find in the pages there.  We played at the North American Christian Church convention.  I like playing conventions, because I get to sell all the cool boothery that is being displayed.  I found a Christian History book I almost bought, but we're watching the spending, and so I have been placed on a 2 book per day limit.  Also we saw our friends from the Creation museum...actually we saw the booth, but no people...It was lunch time.

The concert went really well, I feel like we're gellin now with our new drummer, and things are staring to rock a little harder.  The night also taught me a little about crowds.  If you try to judge an audience by the reaction to your music, you may be surprised.  Because although it was a reserved crowd (I know reserved, I grew up Independent Baptist), we had the longest signing line we've had since Hawaii, and I don't even want to get into that! (I kid, we love all of you).  But that really does show you that people can be listening and meeting with God even though YOU don't think they are, or just because there's no mosh pit.  It probably just shocked us compared to the high octane festival energy we've been experiencing at the last few we played.  Lastly, I almost jammed out on  some saxophones the worship band left on stage, but I decided not to.  Partly because a blazing sax solo may have distracted from the worship, and partly because I can't play......okay, mostly.

Indianapolis is always a treat, and I'll tell you why.  When Casting Crowns started, we had an interview at a station here in Atlanta (J93.3), and a lifelong friendship was struck with one Kurt Wallace, who is now in Indianapolis, and stuffs us with BBQ every time we come through.  Not to mention a few rounds of Wii Fit, then we whipped out the mopeds, and re-enacted some scenes from The Wild One with Marlon Brando.  When we got back, we all took naps. Rising from our comas, we decided to play a concert, and it was good.  It was not the first time to play with John Waller, but it was the first  time he had a whole band with him, and I do love to hear those songs with the whole band.  We were doing a concert for Mission:Pre-Born which just so happens to be the most effective crisis pregnancy center in America.  We gave an altar call, which we haven't done in a long time, and I'm horrible at counting groups, so I'm just going to say a lot of people came forward.  It was pretty powerful considering we haven't got to actually see the fruits in a while.

Many props to Alan Pierce for playing keys with us, Megan went to youth camp, and I'm sure she'll post something on her blog to tell you all about it.  I am just waiting for my bride to get home from doing vocals and violins on the CD in Nashville (or "work" as I'm telling our 2 year old).  God bless you all and thanks for praying for us.

Peace

Juan

 

Johnson City, TN

Hey Errbody,

    I'm trying to let you guys in on what we do here, but sometimes what we do here is not that much.  So let me fill you in on my day.  The kids are at home this weekend, so that leaves me pretty bored without my little tornado to run around with.  Instead, I decided to finish The Chronicles of Narnia of which I am on the last book and a huge chapter of my life, along with my slow march or gradual descent into Nerdom, will be completed.  It almost feels like I'm about to graduate, but all it means is I will start another book that I will torture myself over for not finishing.
    After doing some of that reading I promised myself, the wife and I went to see Transformers 2, and the following is my review...it ain't Citizen Kane, but it was entertaining.  We got back, did soundcheck, and had about 25 minutes to eat, get dressed and see some folks.  By the way, in a pleasant turn of events, it seemed our good buddy John Waller was stopping by to do some of his homegrown worship for us (or God, really).  I love when we get people who can really lead people into worship before we get to play, it helps me get focused, and the crowd is ready before we even get started. 
    You guys in Johnson City were great. Shout outs to WCQR and Brian Sumner, thanks for bringing us, and to Chik-Fil-A for the minis, and all the coupons for free milkshakes we took off of about 358 chairs.  Sorry to you guys who were anticipating Hector's smiling face on stage tonight, he is home with a case of the Strep Throat.  So, in his stead is a guy who played on our albums, and can blow us both out of the water, Dale Oliver.  We tremble in his presence, and only hope he does not destroy us with his guitar powers.  Actually, he is a great guy, and I wish he was with us instead of Hector....Actually, I don't wish that, but he's cool.
    I made this a little short so I could let everyone in on something God hit me with while we were at camp, but had nothing to do with camp.  I try to read a chapter of Proverbs (ch 23) and a Psalm (23rd) a day, then I've been reading through Romans (ch 1).  And they all lined up this one day, and if I don't make any sense, its because I'm still trying to word all this out, but the jist is, that we are so full of thigs that eventually dissapear, that that makes us hungry.  Our appetite was designed to hold eternity and only One can fill it.  In Proverbs 23, you have verses like "Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist" and "the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty and slumber will clothe them with rags"...In Psalm 23 you have "I shall not want" and "you prepare a table before me" and "He makes me lie down in green pastures". And finally in Romans 1, you can look at the people Paul talks about enjoying every indulgence they possibly can, and still there is the need for more, but God lets them go and they are consumed by desire for the things they consume.  It sticks out in our culture and it seems we think its a good thing to aim for.  A house, a job, a family...all good things.  But we were not called to a house.  We were called to bring the world Christ.  I think that for me, the enemy doesn't set out do destroy me, because he knows if he pushes too hard, I will fight back.  He sets out to make me someone who spends everything (emotions, affections, time) on nothing (fame, congratulations, security).  I leave you with another thing I read that same day...just a couple of lines from a poem by Francis Thompson called "The Hound of Heaven" read it a few times.

        [God speaking]
            "Ah fondest, blindest, weakest
                I am He whom thou seekest!
          Thou dravest love from thee, who dravest Me"

Peace
Juan

Poplar Bluff, MO

Today we were in the Big MO. Lotsa fun mostly due to the fact that there was a swimming pool in the same building we played in. NEVER happened before. It was also due to the great crowd tonight, but mostly the pool. When you have an overactive 2 yr old, a pool in the summertime is exactly like an oasis halfway through a big boring desert where all you were doing was riding on a bus. In the "Don't complain about things" department, my ear monitors have finally busted, and I can only use one ear as opposed to a monitor in each ear that sounds so great. At first, you would think a broken piece of equipment warrents some belly aching (which is what I did), but what I didn't realize that the absence of the monitor unplugged my ear to hear that the people of Poplar Bluff and the surrounding areas like to sing. A little cue for you guys for if you're singing loud enough is if we back off to hear you, and that happened quite a bit tonight. It rocks when you can hear everyone in one place worshipping together. It's pretty much a payoff for me. As we go to sleep tonight, we are gently rocked asleep to the wafting vapors of the chicken wings we had for bus food, we bid you adieu, sweet Missouri. Know that God has you even if you can feel His hands

Peace Juan