Thats Doesn't Seem Right.

I went to sleep last night at 12:10, I woke up at 3:55, I fetched our friends to drive to J-Bay at 4:45, I drove the Corolla for 12 hours and 22 minutes to the bottom of the world and it's freaking FREEZING!!!!!!!!

Its supposed to be the last stretch of summer before autumn comes, however nobody told mother nature concerning the weather in this wonderful land. I surely hope it warms tomorrow because it will be hard for me to get my much needed sunburn through my hoodie (that was worn in The Hydration Method by Patrick Snow playing the part of Josh Kindell [was that the kid's name?]) standing in the wind and rain. Oh well.

We arrived safely and I am excited about the week.

Also, I am making my band grow beards and not cut their hair so we look tough as nails as most of todays top worship bands do. The slight problem is that nobody, save me, can grow a beard. They each have a dozen or so hairs spread somewhere on their face. I will hand it to them though they are sticking in there and giving it the old college try. I think we are sexy.

I really hope the sun comes out.

The waves were huge today, there was some storm off in the Indian Ocean and it caused the surf to be up. I think I might just have to show these people what world-class belly surfing looks like....if it warms a bit of course. I mean I may look tough as nails, with my cool beard, but I'm just acting. I'm just a scared little boy that needs a hug......from a freakin' polar bear.......thats how tough my beard makes me....bring it on cold ocean and strong winds......I will battle against you to prove I am a true champion of all things belly surfing. Boo-ya!!!!!

I am sorry for the last paragraph, I have no idea what that was about. I am tired, it's late, and I need sleep......and sunlight. Cheers.

Chris

I Am Hooked, I Need A Digital Sponsor.

I used to consider myself a bit old school. I prefer black coffee to mocha whatevers, guitar rock to boy bands, Pearl Jam "Ten" to anything else they did, though I love "VS" as well it's a great albulm, (I know, thats not too old school, but relatively speaking students I work with now have never heard Pearl Jam "Ten", shame), I like beards and I think one of the greatest things if for a man to build his house with his own 2 hands, whatever. All that to say, now I am in love with computer/synth/dj/techno music. I am writing new music for a new show and I like all my music to be heavy drums and guitar. I didn't even want a keyboard player in my band. But this new show is to be more urban so I am having to write different stuff then I typically would produce on my own. It's great. I own a cheap, stripped down, crappy version of Reason (computer software that can be used to build drum loops and virtual synthesizers) and I stole my teams synthesizer for crazy sounds (I had to write an Indian dance-groove song, major sitar baby) and I am having a blast. I love hearing the music I want in my head and its not just old school heavy guitar. My issue is I don't have a huge salary to buy gear. I can do a much better job with writing production music for C-Kruis if I had a good studio set up and not just trying to make the best of what I have. If any of you out there has a heart for electronic music or arts ministries in general and would like to sponsor me to help build up my studio please contact me. I want to take my music and my ministry to the next level and I think if I had "proper" equipment I could do that. Please pray for this need of mine. If was in medical missions people wouldn't find it funny that I wanted someone to donate an x-ray machine, please don't think it funny that I am asking for music equipment when music is a major part of my ministry. Please pray that the new shows music turns out well, I am almost done. Cheers.

Chris

NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

Ray and I shipped my coffee make from America and when it got here it was broken, it was a great machine, "I miss you Mr. Coffee ISTX85". So I kind of gave in and started drinking the instant coffee that 99% of people drink here, it was easier. I have to admit there is some decent instant out there, I bought the good stuff. Well several weeks ago I quit drinking instant coffee. I have my french press, that was purchased for me as a replacement for my Mr Coffee ISTX85. Well, last week my french press fell over and cracked, it didnt break all the way so I continued on in a state of coffee bliss. Then yesterday I was cleaning the little french pretty and it broke for good. It just fell apart in my hand, jagged glass. I was so upset. So I tried to make coffee today in a travel mug. I ground the beans, put them in the travel mug with the hot water, let it sit for a few minutes, shook it up, them poured it through a metal filter (from the deceased press). It was a hassle, but worth it. I am going to get a new french press at the mall today after I go to the bank. Cheers.


Chris

Mmmmm J-Bay.

This has been an exhausting 2 weeks. We don't live by normal office hours, we work the whole time we are awake. It's been so busy. We are writing a new show so on top of my normal work load I have been composing and recording new music anytime I have free. So its up at 5:30-work-go to bed at midnight-repeat. However, we leave early Sunday morning for a festival with other ministries in SA at Jeffery"s Bay. It's a small beach town on the Indian Ocean. As Tour Leader I don't have many responsibilities so I get lots of time to relax and get sun burned, I can't wait. We are leading worship the first 2 nights and thats it. Save me J-Bay. Cheers.

Chris

Just Thinking Today.

Today Rach and I were at the campus doing rehearsals and somebody came by and did something that was funny or strange, I can't remember exactly what it was, but I just though how great it is to work with so many artists. From my 17 year old keyboard player who loves playing classical music, but is loving to experiment with the synthesizer, to the American girl that joined team after we met her in Brussels where she was hoping to go to college and has just a great mind for visual art and painting, to the guys and girls on team that can dance like angels. I love working with the people I work with and for the ministry can brings all this together to tell people that God loves them. Just a thought. Cheers.

Chris

Hey Guys.

I haven't blogged in a few days, just wanted to say hi. We are in a hectic bit of training right now. We are learning a show called Lil' Me, it was written for 13th Floor, so its the first time we will do it here in SA. The music is great, but tough. Its going to be crazy, but will work it out. I will let you know how it goes. Rachel is at a late rehearsal tonight so she wont get home until about 1130. I hate when she has to work so late. Besides crazy work stuff, we are doing well. Cheers.

Chris

Valentines Ball.

We have a Valentines ball every year with C-Kruis. Tonight we had the dinner/dance at a lodge just down the street from our house which was nice. We were supposed to have a mask to wear, I am not sure who's idea that was, but whatever. Well, Ray and I went looking for masks and I liked this one. It wasn't the traditional feathery mask or Phantom of the Opera mask, but I though it was cool. I liked it because it was kind of a mask of me, red hair, black glasses. The evening was good and I enjoyed my mask, however it made my forehead sweat so I only wore it for about 5 minutes at the beginning. Have a nice weekend. Cheers.

Chris

Ray Ray's Day.

Today is Rachel's Birthday. I must say that I think that every year that rachel gets older the more beautiful she gets. I cant wait till shes 80, ooohhh yeah. Happy Birthday Rach.


Chris

My Name Is......

I was looking at a friend's Myspace page yesterday and he listed in the "people I would like to meet" section that Jack Bauer from 24 is the person he would most like to meet. Then a friend of his left a comment saying he loves 24 so much that he bought a puppy and named it Jack Bauer. Well, Rach and I have recently gotten hooked on 24 like some people get hooked to crack or diet pills and I was so impressed that this guy named his dog Jack Bauer (which is quite bold and Jack-Bauer-Like) that I wanted to name something of mine Jack Bauer. So I looked around the house to consider what to give this great name and my eyes locked on the perfect object. My Starbucks coffee grinder. I mean its sexy in design, like Jack Bauer. It's made of metal so its tough, like Jack Bauer. Its a little loud and over bearing at times, like Jack Bauer. It's always there when I need it, like Jack Bauer. And most importantly, it always, always, always gets the job done, just like freaking Jack Bauer. I feel like a new man now that I too have something that is special to me named after the man I would most like to be (list in order of importance: Jack Bauer, Ben Harper, Abraham Lincoln). I heart life. Cheers.

Chris

Welcome Home.

Rach and I went to pick up Damar yesterday, I am so glad to have her home, she's a great dog. She broke her right back leg so that leg is splinted up and wrapped so it looks like a cast all the way up to her hip. I don't say this much, but its cute. She looks like a pirate with a peg leg. I know that she is happy to be out of the cage that she has been stuck in for a week. We have to bring her to work with us for the next 3 weeks, to keep her away from Guinness so they don't play to hard. It's nice to have the family back together. Cheers.

Chris

Grace.

Today we spoke about God's grace at Reverb (the church we are starting) and at Face to Face (the touring teams church thing). Grace is like when you get rewarded for something and you didn't earn it. So when God loves us it is grace because we are all sinners and because of us being sinners he should have nothing to do with us. But the coolest thing is, he does love us and will always love us. Pieter spoke tonight about how nothing we do makes God love us any more or less and that is such a great thing to know because it takes the pressure off of us. God loves me, its great. Thank you God for loving me even though I don't always love you. Cheers.

Chris

Perspective.

I taught a class the other day on spiritual disciplines and when we spoke about service something cool happened. Usually when I speak with people about serving others there is always a feeling of us serving them. I dont think this is healthy, but in the situations that I have been in it has been like that. Like, my youth group from Tallahassee, FL driving to Mexico to help work in a village. One of the guys of team is named Pule (poo-lay) and he was saying how he used to live in a shelter and have groups like ours come in and bring them food or clothes and how it was nice to get stuff, but once he wanted to know what it was like to give stuff and help people. So he and a couple of his friends took the stuff that was given to them and took it to some kids that were living on the street. He was saying how it blessed him so much to help someone when he was always the one getting help. Its cool to see a guy who doesnt have much at all trying to help others because he understands they need help. I wish I could be more like Pule. Cheers.

Chris

Damar Update.

Damar had her surgery today. I spoke with the surgeon earlier and he said it went really well. He put wires or something in the leg to mend the bone. They though it would be a metal plate so hopefully this makes it a bit cheaper. He said we can bring her home in a few days and she will have to be isolated for 3 weeks from Guinness so it can heal. Thats not going to be a pain in the butt. He said that she should make a full recovery and not have any lasting problems, so thats good. We are aloud to go visit her tomorrow afternoon. Please pray us about the money. We are planning on going home in June (my first time back in the states since moving) and this was most of our savings for that trip. It will work out, it always does. Cheers.

Chris

This is Funny.

Was introduced to this today. Obnoxious at first, but grows on you fast. www.askaninja.com

Chris

You Have Got To Be Kidding Me!!!!!

Ray just got back from the animal hospital and was informed that the surgery for Damar's leg will cost between R4500-R5000 ($625-$694). I don't know what we are going to do. We could technically kill the dog and get several others to replace her for the cost of the leg operation. Crap.

Chris

Oh, That Sucks.

Yesterday one of the greatest things in my life happened yesterday, then got shot to crap. I was working in my office at home on my sermon for last night, my feet were propped up on my desk, I had a cup on nice coffee, I was reading Exodus and the dogs were laying on the floor by my chair. Then they started playing and wrestling, which is norman, and then something went wrong. The next thing I know Damar is crying and screaming like I have never heard before. So we took Damar to the vet and found that Guinness accidently broke Damar's back leg around the knee area. The vet couldn't do anything about it and the animal hospitals were closed because it was Sunday so we had to comfort a puppy with a broken leg all night. Poor girl. She is off to the hospital now with Ray. I hope it turns out well and that it doesn't cost too much money.

Oh, That Sucks.

Yesterday one of the greatest things in my life happened yesterday, then got shot to crap. I was working in my office at home on my sermon for last night, my feet were propped up on my desk, I had a cup on nice coffee, I was reading Exodus and the dogs were laying on the floor by my chair. Then they started playing and wrestling, which is norman, and then something went wrong. The next thing I know Damar is crying and screaming like I have never heard before. So we took Damar to the vet and found that Guinness accidently broke Damar's back leg around the knee area. The vet couldn't do anything about it and the animal hospitals were closed because it was Sunday so we had to comfort a puppy with a broken leg all night. Poor girl. She is off to the hospital now with Ray. I hope it turns out well and that it doesn't cost too much money.

Come on Rio.

This is the map of where people check my blog. As you can see there are people from everywhere except South America. I was asked to check someone's blog so they would get a dot on Africa, so I am asking if you could help me with my lack of South America dot-ness. Thanks for your understanding and help. Cheers.

Chris

Training Update

Rachel and I have a long weekend now which is really nice after a month of training. Training has been going well, we have been really working hard and have one of the shows done for tour. We had our dress rehearsal earlier this week where we spend about 6 hours going through the 1:20 show setting everthing right where it is to be and getting every detail worked out. Then we do a normal run or 2 just to make sure we are able to remember everything. It went well and I am really excited about seeing the team come together to make the show work so well. The band sounded great too so that makes me extra happy. Everyone is gone now for the long weekend, but will be back Sunday night ready to start work on the next show. Hope you are all well. Cheers.

Chris

Great Movie.

Rachel and I watched Blood Diamond the other day and it is a beautiful movie. It's one of those stories where you feel there is no hope in the world, however the acting, filming, setting, etc is all wonderful. I think it is worth watching. Cheers.

Chris