Hi everyone. Over the weekend I have been working on a new blog. It is still going to be very similar to this one, it bears the same name “Writings from the Grass-root”. Click HERE to be re-directed to the new site and bookmark it too. Share this information with your friends. See you there. (keep in mind its a new blog and it is still a work in progress but I am getting the hang of it quickly).

Today as we remember the selfless efforts of Martin Luther King Jr. we stand on the shoulders of giants as we march forward “to narrow the gap between promise of our ideals and the reality of their time” (Obama, from “A More Perfect Union” Click HERE for speech video and manuscript)

Last night I was invited to lecture on the Civil Rights Movement at our local college in the Valley. It was an amazing experience. In preparation for last night, I read as much as I could get my hands on. One of the things I stressed, and stressed and then overemphasized was that the events that happened in the 50’s and 60’s affect us today. And if history repeats itself then what we do today will affect our society 50 years from now. This is a call to action for us today, from issues of race, environment, politics, and peace to name a few. To qoute a contemporary voice, “we are our brother’s keeper, we are our sister’s keeper”.

Last night we defined ‘freedom’ and ‘justice’. More specifically we looked at the opposite of justice, - ‘injustice’. I asked questions of the time, of how non-whites were treated and asked, “What is it called when people killed others and were then acquitted?” - Injustice. “What is it called when a school board spends $179 per white child and only spends $43 per non-white child? - injustice. We followed this pattern of questioning to set up the situation and feeling of despair felt by non-white citizens during the 40’s through 60’s and presumably before then and after that.

I suggested that the every movement begins with an idea, a belief a hope, often times in reaction to, or resisting the current way of life. For the Civil Rights Movement it was a reaction to the way non-whites were viewed (as less than equal) and consequently treated. I talked about the resistance of non-violence. I was able to use an illustration from the Bible. When Jesus says, “But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. (Matt. 5:39)” It was Jesus command to stand against the Empire in a non-violent, yet extremely effective way. Turning the other cheek in the first century would mean that you turn your left cheek to other person, and they would be forced to punch you with a closed fist- you would only ever hit an equal in the face with a closed fist. The demonstrations led by Martin Luther King Jr. were creative non-violent ways to stand against the empire (the dominant framing story of the 50’s and 60’s). It is men like Martin Luther King Jr. who fought for the rights of the “disinherited” and have consequently made if possible for people like me to have the possibilities I have had in education and career options.

I could keep writing on this topic. If you would like a refresher on the Civil Rights movement I could forward you my presentation notes.

This morning I encourage you to let scripture read you…

“I waited patiently for the Lord; God turned to me and heard my cry.

God lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of mud and mire;

God set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.

God put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. ” (Psalm 40:1-3)

I have a question for you.

When was the last time you left your cell phone at home?

I had not realized how much a part of my life my cellphone had become. I never left the house without it. Yesterday morning I discovered that my cell phone was not charged. My cell phone charger was broken. I went to the wireless provider and they said that I needed a new phone, but that I wouldn’t receive my replacement phone for two days. That meant two days without my cellphone. However, I did manage to convince the workers at the phone store to allow me to charge my battery on another one of their phones. Which meant that I was without my cellphone for several hours, both yesterday and today. I cannot tell you how amazing it felt to not have a phone. At first it felt weird, almost a feeling of nakedness. But after the first several minutes it was a freeing experience…maybe it was because no one could get a hold of me (because I am that important). This whole day made me wonder,

“What did we do when cell phones didn’t exist?” Do you even remember what that was like? Maybe it was called the stone age.

This whole experience gave birth to the idea, “Say NO to cellphone Day” where we would all leave our cellphones at home and try to experience life without them. What if there was one day a week when the phone was off all day, and our whole job was to just enjoy life with those closest to us. There might even be a name for that day.

Hi everyone. I came across this Social Network Type of Website (not like myspace or facebook) with an Adventist twist. Its seems like it will be a place to discuss any kind of questions, theological, cultural or just about anything on your mind. It was created by a guy named Patrick, he wanted to see a place where Adventist could diaglogue.

I have been working with the Clean Air Coalition in the Imperial Valley for close to a year now. Our main goal is to draw attention to the air quality in the Imperial Valley and ways in which we can become a part of creating everyday solutions to make the air cleaner. As a member of the faith community I have found the words of Jesus when he says, “Love your neighbor as yourself” as motivation enough to try and make our planet a more enjoyable place to live in. Our current project is tree planting in the City of Heber. This is where all of you come into the story. You can’t not help make the air cleaning in our city. If you live in the Imperial Valley then this means cleaner air for you. If you don’t live in the Valley, then you can enter into solidarity with us by donating a tree or a few dollars. One people, one planet, one purpose.

I missed my flight! I was one minute too late, at 7:22 am when my flight had departed at 7:21 am. What are the odds. As I waited for an airline attendant to try and find a flight for me I looked around the airport, just killing time and there…to my right I saw someone that resembled Rob Bell. He made his way up to the security screening place and I thought there he goes. I was still waiting for the attendant as he slowly typed on his keyboard one key at a time and with too many milliseconds between each key stroke. I thought to myself, “My chance to meet Rob Bell is slipping away.” I finally got my new ticket and ran (as best I could I am still recovering from knee surgery it was probably more like a hobble) up the escalator to see if I could catch him, “because I knew exactly what to say?” and YES! I saw him still in line at the screening place. I thought it best not to approach him in the security line ‘awkward’. When I finally made it past the screening portal, I found him sitting on the floor below the “Flight Status Screen”. In his hands was a copy of The Reason for God a book by Timothy Keller.

I approached him and said, “Sorry for bothering you but, you are Rob Bell!” (in as unexcited a voice I could use).

“Yes” He responded as he shook my hand.

We spoke for while and what follows is what I walked away with from our conversation. Pastors you might like this.

On Becoming a Pastor/Preacher. I asked, “How or why Pastoring?” He answered, “I discovered preaching after college and it was something I could give my life to.”

On Preparing his Messages. I asked, “How do you prepare for your messages (if you have ever heard his sermons he is quite possibly the best communicator for our generation, he has even been called the next Billy Graham)? He said, “I work months ahead of time.” Which might not seem like a new answer. But if any of you are like me and are preaching on a weekly basis, working months ahead isn’t as easy as it sounds. He also added that he reads tons of commentary’s and other books to help flesh out the text. I asked if he used notes, he said NO. He said that when he steps up to preach, he wants the freedom, so that the text flows.

On What he Preaches. He doesn’t preach for show. I asked if he uses notes and he said no “because the message is a part of me”. So when he delivers his message he doesn’t just talk about what others have said about the text (although he does reference others)but rather how the text has come alive in his life. He further implied that if you are looking for you next point in the message it has not become a part of you. So we might even be able to say that he actually believes what he preaches.

On His Critics. I asked how he deals with his critics or criticism. He responded by saying, “I don’t google myself.” He said if you listen to all of the criticism it will kill you. He continued to say that, you need to surround yourself with people that love you and who will tell you when you are off (paraphrase).

Meeting Rob Bell made up for missing my flight. Who news who I will meet next. Erwin McManus?

Hey everyone!  I have been moving apartments, trying to organize things for Lent and a million other things.  So I will be posting soon.

“The gospel of grace begins and ends with forgiveness.  And people write songs with titles like “Amazing Grace” for one reason:  grace is the only force in the universe powerful enough to break the chains that enslave generations.  Grace alone melts ungrace.” (from What’s So Amazing About Grace pg. 90)