Why Hillbilly Graham Crackers?

Some of you who didn't get the original email have asked what the heck "Hillbilly Graham Crackers" is all about. Well, here's the story:

Because I'm strange, I have always thought it would be a hilarious name for a band, if I ever were to start one. I mean, you've got hillbilly, Billy Graham, and graham crackers, all in one spot! What could be better?!

The scary thing is that I did a search a couple months back on Google, and there's actually a band named this. It seems frightening that someone else would/could share my odd sense of humor, but I guess that just means I'm unique, just like everybody else!

Worship complainer - the REMIX!

Worship Band Complaint!

Apparently this is a REAL voicemail left at a church complaining about a gal in a worship band. You can listen to it by clicking here:

Concerned Attender Voicemail

But then the genius worship pastor (or some other clever soul!) took the phone message and made a remix dance version of it:

Concerned Attender: The Dance Remix

This is just hilarious, and I needed a laugh today!

They'll know us by our...?

I'm a big fan of singer Derek Webb (formerly of Caedmon's Call). He's got two solo albums out, the 2nd of which, "I See Things Upside Down" I just got yesterday. He does a great job, in my opinion, of challenging the church in our complacency. I wanted to share the lyrics to one of the songs off of his last album, as I think it's a great reminder and challenge to us as Christians to stop being so judgmental, and instead to be about the business of Christ: loving people into His kingdom!

"t-shirts (what we should be known for)

by Derek Webb

they'll know us by the t-shirts that we wear

they'll know us by the way we point and stare

at anyone whose sin looks worse than ours

who cannot hide the scars of this curse that we all bear

they'll know us by our picket lines and signs

they'll know us by the pride we hide behind

like anyone on earth is living right

and isn't that why Jesus died?

not to make us think we're right

when love,love,love is what we should be known for

love, love, love - it's the how and it's the why

we live and breathe and we die

they'll know us by reasons we divide

and how we can't seem to unify

because we've gotta sing songs a certain style

or we'll walk right down that aisle

and just leave 'em all behind

they'll know us by the billboards that we make

just turning God's words to cheap cliches

says "what part of murder don't you understand"

but we hate our fellow man

and point a finger at his grave

they'll know us by the t-shirts that we wear
they'll know us by the way we point and stare
telling 'em their sins are worse than ours
thinking we can hide our scars

beneath these t-shirts that we wear

If you find it easier to judge people than to love them, as I am definitely guilty of at times, I hope these words are an encouragement to you. Christ can transform our hearts and our perceptions of each other, if we continue to seek Him out and ask for His heart and mind for people.

Love in Christ,

Carl

Nonsensical Disclaimers

Here are some random thoughts & nonsensical disclaimers:

• Children, get your parent's permission before reading.
• Not for internal use.
• I love escalators because they can never break - they can only become stairs.
• Not to be consumed with shellfish.
• Rinse, lather, and repeat.
• Not for use while sleeping.
• Really, don't you have work you could be doing?
• I like refried beans, but I wanna try fried beans 'cuz maybe they're just as good and we're wasting time.
• Apply generously, then wait ten minutes.
• I saw a subliminal advertising executive, but only for a second.
• Why is it, "A penny for your thoughts," but "Put your two cents in?" Someone's making a profit on that deal!
• This blog not to be used as a flotation device.
• I like rice. Rice is great if you're really hungry and you want 2000 of something.
• Individuality--great in everything but police line-ups.
• The trouble with being punctual is that no one's there to appreciate it.

Long live Antonio!

A link to a fun video I starred in last year for Vanguard - my church here in the Springs...

http://balloonballoon.com/pastacontest/

Look at my pretty bonnet!

Here's our most recent shot of our beautiful 3-month old, Aubrey!

My little man

Caden - a few months ago, but my favorite picture of him!

Look, I'm Blogging and I Don't Know Why!!

Well, since my friend John just sent me a link to his blog, I thought it may be fun to set one up for myself. But then I realized, hey, don't you have to have something to talk about? So I guess I'll have to figure that out as I go along. I'm new to this, so hopefully as I have time I'll learn ways to make this more interesting and fun to read.

But seems a good way to stay in touch with my more distant friends, who I don't have as much opportunity to talk to in person/via phone as I would like...


Joy and I have been married 4 1/2 years now and she is incredible. I couldn't have asked for a better wife. God obviously knows what He's doing when He brings you your spouse. She is so supportive and understanding of me and also a phenomenal mom. I'm very blessed at all she knows about kids, having worked for 15+ years in the childcare industry. It definitely made the transition into fatherhood easier, knowing Joy had a lot of knowledge an experience with how to handle kids!

Being a parent is such an awesome experience. Humbling? You bet. Exhausting a lot of the time? Definitely. Worthy every sacrifice it requires? Without a doubt!

Caden is two and talks up a storm. It's incredible the things he knows, so he just continually fascinates me with his verbal ability. The downside is sometimes we wish he had an off switch! Lately we've really wanted that as he's taken to waking up at 5:30 am no matter what time he goes to bed. What makes him especially challenging is that he wakes up going 100 miles per hour. There's no warm-up period for Caden! He wakes up, and is in our room asking about breakfast, telling us to wake up, knocking on our eyeballs, etc. Who would have known he'd be able to figure out the combo lock we had on his door, too? Ah, kids. Gotta love 'em!

Aubrey is our beautiful little 3 month old. She's very dramatic and has two extremes: extremely sweet, smiling and gurgling at us ("goo" is literally her favorite "word"), or crying her head off! She will be fine, and then if she's hungry or suddenly decides it's time to be held, she is not shy about letting us know. This is maddening occasionally, but I think it's God's way of showing us ourselves, and how we may whine and cry to Him about why His will (or what we hope it will be!) takes so long. God has that way of making us learn things, doesn't he? And my kids, like my wife, have a way of holding up a mirror and really showing myself back to me. Which is important, so we can try and keep growing.

Well, I guess that's all I'll write for now. A decent start, but definitely rambling. (see, the title is a disclaimer, really!)

Until next time...

The Mad VoiceBoy