Tuesday, January 25, 2011

I don't understand

First of all I have no intention of judging or offending anyone by this post, I simply hope to portray my concern, personal convictions, and ask a few questions.

The past few months I've been travelling I have noticed that especially in the "Christian world" people are fascinated with Apple products. Now, don't get me wrong, I think Apple produces great products that are aesthetically pleasing and work well. But I've noticed that across the board in America, most churches, "Christians" (I use this term lightly), and pastors have and use Apple 99.9% of the time. I've seen them in church services, conferences, by preachers, and the congregation tweeting or reading their Bible via iPhone. Personally the latter is just sick. I know it's convenient and I myself have a Kindle so I have no room to talk about it's versatility, but REALLY?

I don't get it. Personally I would rather save the $500-$3000 on my computer and other products than have the infamous Apple symbol peaking out. I've never had a problem with my PC, my Sony MP3 player, or my free Nokia flip phone. I have all the same programs as you, and some other features that I think are even greater (smart keys, easy to type, and not having my screen disappear every time I use the touch pad.)

So my question is, are you ashamed to own a PC? Does your Mac define you? Or you simply have so much money to spend that you don't care how much your computer or phone costs? Really I would like to know because I could give you a few ideas of where you could donate that extra money. I'm not kidding.

I know a few friends who have had nice Macbooks given to them and I love that. They really need them and use them for work. And I hope some day some one donates a Macbook Pro i7 with 8GB of ram. I will not complain :)
I mean, as long as you give double of what you gave to me to the poor first.


But to me that's almost asking for someone to donate a Mercedes Benz when a beat up Dodge Caravan will work just fine.... which I wouldn't mind either. The Dodge, not the Benz.

And like I said, please do not yell at me for this. I really do want to know the truth.

"the power the pleasure, the possessions of this world, they pale in comparison to the beauty of my lord"

Friday, January 21, 2011

Francesco Giusti

There is a truth in his images that I have never seen before. Giusti has revealed something so innocent, yet offsetting. I don't really know how to express my feelings into words right away.







It is almost as if I am an impostor in someone's life by viewing these. Are they posed or unposed?

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Art and India

For months I've planning to return to India to create a short documentary for a good friend Vera. Born and raised in Mumbai, she found out about Kamathipura (the largest red light district in East Asia) through a friend of mine with she was studying in America. Appalled, she returned to India and started a children's home for 9 girls whose mothers are/where prostitutes. Some of which have since past from AIDS.

Vera and her team want to open a second-hand shop for the mothers and older girls. The shop would be training grounds for further careers in tailoring, jewelry making, painting, accounting, and will also host home to discipleship. The shop will be a safe place the women can escape to in their realities of life. I also hope to get the film translated into Hindi. It will be taken to Universities around Mumbai to show the locals the horrors of what is happening in their own city - since the work is shunned, the city seldom mentions the horrific things that take place throughout the winding ally-ways .




If you are on the eastside, you can stop by Bongo Java. My work is now showing the entire month of January on 11th S and Woodland.

Monday, January 17, 2011

Tribute

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

GREAT

Great things
Great video
Great people

Did you know?

$8 could buy you 15 organic apples OR 25 fruit trees for farmers in Honduras to grow and sell fruit at their local market.

$30 could buy you an ER DVD Boxset OR a First Aid kit for a village in Haiti.

$73 could buy you a new mobile phone OR a new mobile health clinic to care for AIDS orphans in Uganda.

$2400 could buy you a second generation High Definition TV OR schooling for an entire generation of school children in an Angolan village.

SOURCE

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Friday, January 7, 2011

where i've been

I thought that I would try to sum up this past year (mostly for myself) so I can remember where I've been...

2010

January - Brought in the New Year with worship in Herrnhut, Germany - a magical place in eastern Europe covered in snow with scents of fresh baked bread and coffee floating in the air.



Feburary - Worked on the book and became inspired to CREATE



March - Celebrated my 25th birthday with my crazy roommates from Grand Rapids, Orlando, and Düsseldorf, Germany with mickey mouse pancakes



April - Travelled aroung southern Germany with Pick a Pocket srpeading the word about our upcoming book and meeting Musicians on fire for God



May - Finish the book with Daivd, Tiana, and a handful of editors spending 4 final all-nighters to wrap up writing and spell checks



Also hit the skies to America where we would have our first ever Pick a Pocket American tour in Nashville and PA



June - Spent weeks on the road with the craziest people I know and got to see family (aka cutest kids IN THE WORLD:)




July - Cornerstone, Celebrated God's goodness, danced in the heat of the southern air. My favorite month of them all.




August - Returned to Herrnhut, Germany with enough inspiration from the summer to CREATE, DREAM, and prepare for Ethiopia



Celebrated the unity of two great lives



September - Landed in Ethiopia and began the search



October - Celebrated Meskel with the locals



and saw life come to be



November - Travelled from Ethiopia, to Germany (from Berlin to Herrnhut, to Hamburg), to America saying goodbye to new friends and reconnecting with the old (film to be developed...)



December - Creating again, preparing for shows, staying warm with family, encountering Our Great King - visiting IHOP in Kansas City, celebrating New Year's Eve in St. Louis, and having the time of my life in Nashville.






woah.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

IT'S HERE!

So a good friend just told me Waste Land is showing at the Belcourt in Nashville! If you haven't watched the video, you can see the preview on one of my previous posts...

For the schedule check their site:


My time in Nashville has been beyond belief amazingly fulling and has been such a blessing to be around such great friends and family.

It might take me a while to update in detail, so those of you on my mailing list, be checking your emails soon.

For those of you in the Nashville area, make sure you make it out to Bongo Java East. My art is on display all this month. Photo updates coming soon :)