We Christians are a funny bunch of people

isn’t it funny that we Christians condemn Christian artists for not talking about Jesus enough, but when an artist who wasn’t thought to be christian talks about the Divine we claim them as our own…

I Will Not Let You Grow Old (An Open Letter to My Friends)

This was inspired by a lady I saw at Starbucks one day. I wanted to share this letter that I wrote with everybody to let you know what kind of friend I can be. I care too much about all my friends to let this happen to them, as I hope you do also. If you know the kind of person being described here, please pass this on to them. enjoy!

2/27/09

Dear Friend,

I won’t let you grow old with you believing that you are younger than you truly are. Talking and dressing like you are 40 going on 20. Eventually, it might become embarassing.

Low rise jeans with muffin tops or Abercrombie fashion on a JC Penny body. Faux hawks at 50 and puka shell chokers choking out the last bit of sense that you might have.

Front butts playing peekaboo out the bottom of camisols and beer guts in a wife beater are never sexy. Both seem to reveal denial and freshly inked tribal tattoos.

Fake tans and highlighted hair make for an interesting contrast. Not intersting like Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, but more like Michael Jackson and Priscilla Presley.

So it comes to this: I promise as your friend to inform you rather than embarrass you if this happens to you. I would rather inform you than allow you to become red in the face. I would hope that you do the same for me. Let us grow old and move forward rather than trying to deny the inevitable. Growing old is a rite of passage and it is for you and me.

Sincerely, Your Friend,

The Brown Kid

This would have been mine

…if I was in the 11th grade.

The Ultimate in Whatcom County Dating

If you are married, you know the importance of “Date Night”. It’s a night to get out and away from home to connect with your significant other. Last night I went to the Ultimate Date here in Whatcom County, Washington. Cynthia and I were “lucky” enough to get tickets to the Lynden Fair to watch the hottest ticket in town. Randy Travis? no. Chicago? no again. Though both of those shows are really going on this week here in our little section of the United States, the hottest ticket in town every year is the demolition derby. Yep. You read right!

So we had an evening filled with Fair Food and smashed up cars. Break out your John Deere Hats and “Git-R-Done” t-shirts, because here are some pics for you (Incidently, this first pic is the first pic of Daddy with his baby pai…it’s a family pic of sorts):

All in all it was a fun night. Cynthia and I had a great time. Cars were smashed. Fords and Chevy’s were rivaled. All was right in this neck of the woods.

Open Letter to the High Schooler at Starbucks: You Stink.

Dear Highschooler,

As I sit here next to you in Starbucks, you cannot imagine how much I envy you and your life. So much time on your hands and so little to do with it. Really, you think that you are “hella-busy”, but you’re not. And though I could talk you through this part of your life, what I would like to talk about is public hygiene. Specifically your cologne.

You see my friend, cologne is not like water. You don’t literally splash it on. You don’t hold it an inch from your chest and squirt. Instead, cologne should be misted and walked through. Cologne is an intimate scent, not something for anybody within 5-10 feet of you to smell. Please High Schooler, I beg of you, quit making the air so pungent when you walk by. People would rather smell fresh air than your cologne.

One more thing before I leave you. Please understand that Axe body spray is in no way a good thing. In fact, I think it may make your skin break out more than it already has. If you are wearing Axe in an attempt to “grow up” then consider this: nobody over the age of 16 wears Axe because it smells like A$$. In fact, I think that is what they should have called it.

Hoping that our next meeting is more pleasant to my scent of smell,

The Brown Kid

My Pastor is More Metro than I am!?!

I found this test while lurking on Tyler’s site who found it on Stuff Christians Like. It’s a test to see How Metro your Worship Leader is. I didn’t score too well on this test (30 pts). In fact, I think that our pastor Baron Miller scored better than me (according to my calculations he scored a 41). He really is pretty Metro as it is…

Here’s where I scored on the test.

1. Has a faux hawk hair style = +1 (When it is long enough)

2. Has more product in his hair than your wife = +1 (I use a lot of product and compare notes with other guys)

7. Owns Puma, Vans or Diesel sneakers = +2 per each pair (2 pair)

8. Wears jeans on stage = +1 (and shorts.)

12. Wears one of those Castro revolution looking hats = +2 (Yes)

14. Drinks some kind of coffee you did not know existed = +2 ( I work at the ‘bucks.)

17. Good at Frisbee but hates getting all “sweaty” = +1 (That’s why I play ultimate frisbee)

25. Uses the words, “postmodern, relevant” or “emergent” nonstop = +2 (not non stop)

27. Has ever said some form of the phrase, “That song is so 1990s” = +1

30. References Norwegian punk bands you’ve never heard of = +2 (I just love music)

33. Looks as if he might exfoliate = +2 (I once worked for Lancome)

34. Has a man bag or European Carry All = +2 (My Murse is my everything)

35. Brings said bag on stage with him = +2 (Where am I going to store my music?)

44. Owns every Nooma video = +2 (By default. Our church owns them)

45. Has a soul patch = +3 (opting for the shaved look these days. The Soul Patch is for people who can’t grow handlebars or connectors for the goatee)

52. He wears graphic t-shirts over button down, long sleeve shirts = +2 (why wouldn’t you?)

Click on the link and share how you or your Worship Leader or your pastor scored!

Furthering My Evergrowing Music Library

To help me get to know people better at St. Arbucks I work at and for simple team building, I’ve started bringing in CD’s for them to borrow. What happens is that they let me know what they like and I get to listen to their music also. I brought in four CD’s to start it off:

Amos Lee – Amos Lee

Rocky Votolato – Makers

Glen Hansard – The Soundtrack to “Once”

and a Death Cab Mix that I put together.

Well, my new friend Diana (If you ever visit my Starbucks, she is the one with the faux-hawk) brought me a copy of Bon Iver’s “For Emma, Forever ago”. Holy Crap! This CD is great! You need to listen to this. Here is a taste below:

No More Fat A$$ People In Ministry: Week 1

Well, my wife was sick and then I got sick. You can tell where I am going with this. I didn’t get to the gym as much as I wanted to (only 3 times), but I did keep a semi healthy eating regimine. So here is how it went down:

 

Original Weigh In: Wt. – 217 lbs      Chest – 45       Waist – 42 1/2

Week 1: Wt. – 215 lbs.     Chest – 44 1/2      Waist – 42

 

So I lost 2 lbs and a half an inch on my chest and waist. It was really hard this week because I really wanted to eat bad because I was sick. My wife pesters me by telling me, “now you have all of those people on your blog who are going to keep you accountable.” Thanks honey. Anyways, what I did different this week was I really tried to keep an eye on what I ate and drank. Basically I looked at what I was putting into my mouth before I put it in there. I need to start an eating journal. That’s what I want to do. That would probably get it going.

How are you doing this week?

***Here are more people who are involved in the NMFAPIMWLC. Check out their progress!

are a few of the other bloggers on board:

James
Brent
Kristen
Joe
Buddy
Dan
Rick
Brandy
Deborah
Joel
Theresa
Steven
Love
Tawny
Kelly
Jen
Ron
Darla
Theresa
Heidi
Lynn
Natalie

Plus Spiritual Battleground, Pastor Kevin, and Kurt!

How to “Fit in” in Bellingham, Wa.

People in Bellingham dress alike. It’s really strange actually. Having grown up in this area for the longest time, I’ve seen clothing trends come and go. One of my favorites was about 10 years ago when everybody wore a Western Washington University sweatshirt (WWU), jeans, birkenstocks, and a nalgene bottle in tow.

These days, the trend has slowly evolved. We have added trendy eye wear to the mix (think rob bell type of glasses that sometimes I suspect aren’t always perscription), changed the sweatshirt to a Boundary Bay Brewing “Save the Ales” hoody, changed the birkenstocks to flip flops, made the jeans a low rise baggy pair that shows off your butt crack, and kept the nalgene. *BAM* You can fit in in Bellingham. You can also fit in if you wear anything from REI or if you are “older” and wear outerwear from the “life is good” wear line.

Do I fit in here in Bellingham? Kind of. First, I do wear flip flops – I call them slippers – but I’ve worn them since I was a little guy, so I have a limited shelf life here. Second, all anybody can buy these days are low rise jeans that show off our coin slots. Third, Nalgene? Check! The only thing that I refuse to do is wear a Save the Ales Sweatshirt. I love Boundary Bay’s Beer (emphasis on love), but I will not conform to you Bellingham.

My question is this: is there a “uniform” in the area you live in, or does this only happen in Bellingham? 

No More Fat A$$ People In Ministry Weight Loss Challenge

Brent over at InWorship jumped on board with this and set out the weight loss challenge for fellow bloggers and people in ministry. I think that its funny how the most overweight people are working in either minstry or health care…two people who tell you that your body is a temple and how to take care of it.

So here we go! I, in typical Hawaiian fashion, have simply been continuing to gain weight and put this challenge off for later. Well, later started today.  Here are the Brown Kid’s stats for you:

I’m 6′ 1″. I weigh 217 lbs. My chest 45″ and my waist is 42 1/2″. I would post a picture, but I don’t want to make the ladies stumble (that’s a joke).

So I see a pattern developing in myself that I seem to have a comfort zone of 215-220. I hope to get down to 205 before or by september-ish. It doesn’t help that I work at St. Arbucks and am surrounded by deliciousness of the “Reduced Fat” Strawberries and Cream Coffee Cake…and caramel Machiatos…and Grande Hazelnut and Vanilla Lattes…and strawberries and cream blended creams…and, oh who am I kidding, I want to put it all in my mouth because it’s all good. So here is what I am going to do. While I am working out and eating healthy, I will only drink black coffee and unsweetened black Iced teas. Also, no sweets until the cheat days. Yes, I said cheat days. It will be my day of free for all eating so I don’t go crazy.

Here are a few of the other bloggers on board:

James
Brent
Kristen
Joe
Buddy
Dan
Rick
Brandy
Deborah
Joel
Theresa
Steven
Love
Tawny
Kelly
Jen
Ron
Darla
Theresa
Heidi
Lynn
Natalie

Care to join? It should be a piece of cake. mmmm. cake. I miss you already sugary mistress of deliciousness.