thank you ben rector...

i think i originally wrote this on december 31 of last year.  i never finished the post (hence it isn't what i originally wanted it to be), but i think it's worth posting anyways...especially as the list still applies.

"good music makes you homesick for a place you've never been."

went to a good concert a while back.  a month or so, now that i think about it.  delightful.  it was one of those that was totally worth it.  and, i decided to finally buy the album.  i liked it so much.  good work ben rector.  so, i decided i would sit and listen to it.  and, there's something about his sound and his lyrics that stir something in me.  maybe make me homesick for a place i've never been.  maybe just take me to my happy place.  anyways, sitting and listening (before i got too uncomfortable and needed to get up and do other stuff) made me think.  think about things i wanna do a better job of doing:

• really knowing people and pursuing relationships.
• taking time to sit and rest and be still and wind down (just stopping and listening to music, ya know)
• know the lord.  i do good at times and bad at others.
• rest in the lord.  know that who i am is not dependent on how put together i think i am, how well work is going, or where i am in life.  it's in jesus.  
• take up some spiritual disciplines.  
• dream.
• do fun things i've been wanting to do for a while.
• process and blog and journal more often.
• appreciate natural beauty.
• make new memories.  

gentrification with justice.

toxic charity.  it's a book by bob lupton.  a guy who cares a lot about community development in the context of the kingdom.  he works and lives in atlanta.
so, he gave this talk/seminar/conference/i don't know what to call it one saturday in birmingham.  the northstar crew went.  and, it was good stuff.  i recommend reading the book or hearing him speak if you haven't.
many things from the seminar and book to incorporate/process through in regards to northstar and me  personally.    
that saturday, bob lupton talked a good bit about gentrification.  yes, it's the hot topic of today, the cool thing to do, the place to be.  but how can we gentrify justly?  bob is a believer in jesus.  interesting that even secular organizations are trying to answer that question, for reasons laid out in this ny times article.  check it out.