Don't stop reading

I need your help. I want to quit my job but I need to have money to pay the bills while I look. I haven't had any luck at all in looking for part time work and I really want to do full time ministry. This search may take a while and in the meantime I am asking you, my readership, and friends for whatever support you can muster. I need roughly $500. That is a donation of just 5 dollars from 100 people.
I realize this might leave a bad taste in some mouths. To these people I can only say I feel this is what I think I should do. I want to look wholeheartedly for a position. I'm not lazy. If I get a part time job I will inform you through this and my facebook account. I promise if I get more than I need I will donate it to an African Relief cause. Here's the address:
Jon Hurd
6107 Federalist Dr.
Galloway, OH 43119
USA

Thanks in advance and I'll keep you posted.

Feeling upbraided and rightfully so

Me
In my last blog I sat complaining about what's wrong with church. I'm not backing down from that sentiment and I still want to hear from you about that but I was sitting in church Saturday night and was reminded that there are more important things than my personal feelings about how things are run. I want to share with you the outline of Dave's sermon without permission.
Dave
Why I believe In and Belong to the Church
1. Only the church helps me deal in both worlds- Time and Reality
The church helps me understand the word of God
The church helps me hear and listen to the Spirit of God
The church helps me be like the Son of God

2. The church is a moral compass in a world of moral chaos.
We are called to be salt in a bland world and light in a dark world. The church needs to step up and make a difference now like it did before. Slavery, women's rights, child labor, poverty, hospitals, schools, orphanages, mental institutions, prisons, YMCA, hospitals.

3. The church is a community of grace and healing in a world of hurt
Do you want people like that in your church?

4. The church reveals the dignity of every human being (1 Peter 2:9)

5. Christ believes in the church and I believe in Christ. (Matthew 16:18)

Me
Church, in my opinion, is in need of an overhaul. Church can be boring, it can misfire and it can be lame. But church my friends, is not the church. The church is who we are to be and we should reflect and represent our head, our leader, our brother in arms, Christ Jesus our Lord.

50 is the new 30!

This happens to be my fiftieth post. Of this I am proud considering a year ago I thought this blog extinct. Speaking of things that are extinct..... what is up with Shannon and the woman?
I hate conventional church. I hate the way it is packaged, presented and performed. Whatever happened to creativity? Or spontaneity? I feel like I need to burn the place to the ground and start over.
You can help me. (Not burn down the church, I wasn't really going to do that) Let me know what church would look like for you.
Less formal, more music, no music, less talk, no offering asked for, more teaching?
Humor, drama, instrumental, food, intimate, more dangerous, confession, communion, practical?
Challenging, beautiful, somber, interactive, media-oriented, choir, short, long, old, new, fun, active?
I could go on but I want to be surprised. Seriously, hit me.

Family is overated!

Well we've got family here and it's great....except Emma now is rejecting her former bedtime. It's not their fault, she just seems to get thrown off her rhythm every time there are house guests. Dinner was perfectly grilled hamburgers, homemade oven fries and fresh corn on the cob.
Having two babies in the house is interesting. Mine is not crawling yet so I'm seeing what I have to look forward to. Getting into the dog's dishes, crawling up the first stairs, grabbing random items out of bags.
Chocolate Lucky Charms makes its own chocolate milk!
Baby is in the throws of turmoil, must go settle her down. Sigh.

Pictures of the peach

What's that stain....?

I need new underwear. Not because I'm gross and soil myself. My underwear are as clean as anybodies. Because they're getting holey. I look at people who wear clothes that always look new and wonder how they do it. Either they are the world's best launderers, they never do anything dirty, or they are constantly replacing their worn looking clothes. I am currently in need of 5 new pairs of boxers, ten new T-shirts and a couple pairs of jeans. Don't get me started on socks...
Did you ever sneeze and something comes flying out the back of your throat? It happens to me more than I'm comfortable with. Emma found my nipple this morning. Not with her teeth thank God. Guess it's time to start getting dressed quicker.
Positives: brother's family visiting, hope for a ministry position, Tiger's assured victory
Negatives: part time jobs, budget crunching, dry feet

Which way to go?

Well I have a job. Not the job I wanted, but I may learn to love, or hate it. I'm almost through my supply of Canadian candy bars and that saddens me. The next task is the search for a part time job. Even though I start the new job on the 17th of August I don't get paid until September 14th. So I'm going to work part time at some entry level job hopefully for just under a month. Subway, a gas station, I don't care.
I sent an open letter to my pastor asking for a job. Though I wouldn't recommend doing that to anyone I felt very strongly that I should whether hired or not. Sometimes I get feelings to act on things even though success is a remote possibility. Hmmm.
I love watching the dogs sleep. They seem so peaceful. It's almost as good as watching the baby sleep. They both can sleep anywhere though, the dogs and the baby.
I have many books to read and not enough time to read them. Two on prayer, one on men, one with stories and one on messy spirituality. Not sure what to tackle first.
I'm trying these Breathe right strips. Laurie says they worked the first night. Now if only I can remember to use them.
To all of you who have been removed as friends from facebook, sorry, but you should know that I only keep friends who interact with me. And if you didn't know, now you now.

And knowing
is half the battle. G.I. JOE!