This is a long but fascinating article about DeBeers and the diamond industry. It is truly interesting how diamonds get their value because of a really smart advertising campaign and a company’s tight control of the supply.
Some India Debrief
I haven’t posted a life blog in a while. I got back from India on January 8th and spent about a week trying to get over the jet lag. The next couple of weeks I still couldn’t figure out what to say for the blog. I still don’t fully know what to share, but I will try and post up some new highlights and thoughts from the trip.
I have returned from India my third time in as many years. Each trip has been unique and each has done something significant in my life. With each successive trip, though, it becomes harder and harder to figure out what stories to share. It becomes harder to articulate personal transformation stories since I was impacted so much my first time. I will try, though. As a start, I will post some highlights:
- Jesus was proclaimed everywhere
- Only two people got the Delhi Belly
- The team became a large family
- I got to see the same little girl from the orphanage I’ve seen each year
- Her name is Sudhana
- It rained for my first time in three trips
- I saw monkeys as pets
- I ate endangered road kill
- I got to preach at a church
- We got into a flower fight on the bus
- We held a three night crusade
- I preached at the final night of the crusade
- Around 3,000 people accepted Jesus over the three nights of the crusade
- I flew over the North Pole
- Most Importantly: I remembered how much I love it there and how I am excited to go back again
Live Music Thursday: Leonard Cohen live in Grand Prairie, TX on April 3, 2009
This week’s concert is by Leonard Cohen. He has a great singing voice; very raspy and “old”. He’s been singing since the 70’s, although I hadn’t heard of him up until last year.
This concert is an epic-long set from him. It’s so long it’s split into 3 different recordings. During the first set, there’s a problem where “Everybody Knows” is repeated multiple times, so you can skip from the 28th minute to the 51st minute of the first recording. The songs you should check out are:
“Bird on the Wire”
“Everybody Knows”
“Hallelujah”
“First We Take Manhattan”
Soccer's Heavy Boredom
Here’s an article on one thing that is drawing me to soccer.
Played 11 times
[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]
“The Sporting Life” - The Decemberists
This week’s Tuesday Tune is by The Decemberists. They have some great albums you should check out.
I love sports even though the person in this song hates the sporting life.
Live Music Thursday: Tegan and Sara Live at Orpheum Theatre on January 6, 2010
This week’s concert is from Tegan and Sara. It’s enjoyable. It has good sound quality and doesn’t have as much crowd noise (read: high pitched screaming from female crowd members) as other recordings. It has a ton of songs as they play most of my favorites. Be sure to listen to:
“Walking With a Ghost”
“Northshore”
“Alligator”
“The Con”
“Feel it in Your Bones”
Played 10 times
[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]
“One Armed Scissor” - At the Drive In
I never had the chance to see At the Drive In before they broke up. In fact, I didn’t hear about them until after they broke. They are talented musicians. After their split, half the members went on to become the founding members of The Mars Volta and the other half went on to form Sparta. Both are talented bands.
At the Drive In is reuniting for some reunion shows. The first of these shows is at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. I would love to see the band, but I dislike festivals, especially this one. “One Armed Scissor” is an incredible song.
The Greatest Animated Sports Gifs of 2011
These animated sports gifs are hilarious. Take the time to go through each one. You’ll be glad you did.
I Leave for India Today!
I’m leaving for India on mission today at 3PM. There will be no music or blog posts until the week of January 8th.
Pray for my team.
Pray for me.
Live Music Thursday: Matisyahu Live at Jemison Hall at the Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center on August 28, 2011
Tuesday night marked the beginning of Hanukkah. I think that it’s only appropriate to make this week’s concert one by Matisyahu. This one was from around August. It happened after I saw him at the Grove. This show was much shorter than that one, but it’s still pretty solid. It sounds great.
Make sure to check out:
“Exaltation”
“Obstacles”
“King Without a Crown”
“One Day”
Played 10 times
[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]
“Carol of the Bells” - August Burns Red
This week’s Christmas song is my favorite song of the holidays. I love hearing this song when there’s a choir singing to it, but this is a shredding version from August Burns Red that’s pretty awesome too. I hope you enjoy it!
Star Wars Snowflakes
This site has some printable guides to make Star Wars Snowflakes.
I'm Going Back to India!
There are only 10 more days until India! I’m at 74%, can you help me reach the final amount?
Meeting God in an Unexpected Way
I’m sorry that this blog is long overdue. I haven’t had a chance to sit down and write this until now.
I was exhausted after the final India team training. It was supposed to end at 2:30, but I was leaving the training location at 4:30. Two friends and I decided to go to Tranquil Tea before church. I was going to leave there early because I had to be at church at 6:00 for preservice prayer. At tea, my friend commented that I looked exhausted. I felt it. I wasn’t sure how useful I was going to be during the prayer time, but I would just do what I could. I left tea and drove to church.
When I arrived at church, I told the prayer ministry head, Nick, what had happened. I told him how exhausted I was and he said that he’d get people to pray for me before the service. As I walked through the auditorium praying, I walked by someone and without knowing much about him wondered if he was ok. I went to Nick and asked about the guy. Nick replied that he had a bad morning and that we will pray for him before service. He also told me to listen if there was something that God wanted to say to him.
I went to Listen and got an image of someone on his knees in worship of the Glory of the Lord. I wasn’t sure who that image was for but I shared it when we were praying for the guy. I don’t know how well it went over, but I shared it in Faith. After praying for the guy, the whole team gathered together to pray as a group for the service. They asked if anyone wanted prayer. I raised my hand. I felt so tired that I knew the only way that I’d get through the service was if God would get me through it.
As the 4 men gathered around me to pray, I just wanted to receive what God had for me. I waited. Nick came up and thought he heard the Lord say that I didn’t need to worry about my motivations and that I was just being an obedient man. It hit directly as it was something that I worried about when I first decided to come check out Fullerton. Someone else prayed that I should ask for what God has for me without feeling guilty. It is a good gift. Finally someone said that the Lord wanted to meet me in an unexpected way. After the prayer, I felt much better. I was in a good mood and not as tired.
Live Music Thursday: John Mayer Live at the Hollywood Bowl on August 22, 2010
This week’s show is John Mayer at the Hollywood Bowl from last year.
This is my second time posting a John Mayer show. I like his live shows. They have some great bluesy guitar solos interspersed throughout. This show is loaded more with cover songs and newer stuff than the previous show I posted. This set is pretty long. It starts out with 5 acoustic songs and then follows up with electric songs. There’s a great cover of “Bittersweet Symphony” and then the show ends with a cover of “Don’t Stop Believing”.
Make sure to check out:
“Bittersweet Symphony”
“Why Georgia”
“Gravity”
“Don’t Stop Believing”
Stuff I like
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- Sri Yukteswar Gigi (guru)
- Aleister Crowley (dabbler in sex, drugs and magic)
- Mae West (actress)
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a couple weeks ago at the holy spirit conference i attended the “hearing God’s voice” seminar. we...
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This reminds me of Emma.
