angeles

I was in a coffee shop yesterday working and was reminded of one of my favorite artist i haven't listened to in a while...Elliott Smith. of course, i was like everyone else who found him in the soundtrack of Good Will Hunting, one of my favorite movies.

so, i came home to get some songs from itunes...and he is from portland!! wahooo!! his whispering voice is great, his strumming is great...i will be listening to either/or constantly.

time for the sim

travis has finished ground school in portland and has 4 weeks in the simulator in seattle. (for most of the week i'll be travless. he'll have 4 days on, 3 days off...so he'll be home part of every week. it will feel a little more like our life in mlps. i'm glad that he doesn't have to be in seattle the full month!)

we're hoping after he finishes his last 4 weeks of training we can go hard core into house hunting mode. i'm ready!! i have to admit that i had my heart set on buying a house in SE mlps and i'm sad that didn't happen. suburbs of portland, here we come! (although i'm still holding onto my dream of living in a neighborhood in the heart of the city...we'll see what a realtor says!)

this week work will be a little crazy. i just have a lot of deadline, but i'm so thankful that projects keep coming!

i went to the bridge again this morning. great community. this morning all three of the pastors spoke. they were great. i loved what deborah had to say...about not being constipated with God's love...not being a wall, absorbing it, but a window, letting it shine through. it was good and she spoke with such a gentle, passionate spirit.

that is something i've been thinking about lately...being filled up with God's spirit, so that i can let it overflow to others...rather than needing to get from others, i can give. i can love and listen and help the people around me, rather than expecting them to meet my needs. i've been trying to allow more time for me to receive God's spirit...creatively, emotionally, spiritually. so that i am not empty, but full and alive.

portland downtown

community: the buzz word of the emerging

well, i've been to 5 churches so far (evergreen, imago dei, the bridge, vibrant, and ethnos) i'm amazed that there are so many great emerging churches in portland. and i feel like each one of these churches have their own personality, which i like. all the churches are under 150 on sunday, with the exception of imago dei.

all of them have an emphasis on community (and i'm curious how that plays out in the church...is it just one of their values or do they really have community?)

i would love to go other things at these churches to see what it is like. because sunday just doesn't tell me enough. is their service really a reflection of their community or just a reflection of the leaders?

i have to say that going to the bridge yesterday challenged me so much. i think the reason that i value community so much in churches is because i long for deep relationships and it seems that with each place travis and i move, our church becomes our family in some way. i also think that community is a huge way God speaks into my life and challenges me.

i've been a part of countless discussion on what community means, the challenges of it, why we need it, but i have to say i learned something about community yesterday at the bridge, simply by being there. i saw community in a different way than i have seen community before.

i say that i want diversity and want to be around people that think differently than i do. and i think i do, but how far am i really willing to go. i say that i want to be a part of church that truly embodies social justice...not just "reaching out" but being in relationship with the "needy". and that's what i saw at the bridge. they had free food to hand out, clothes to hand out...and people attending the service actually needed those things. (i'm use to those kinds of things taking place some other time, not during church, god forbid) ...do i really want to be friends with people i'm not sure how to connect with? would i rather go out and "serve" these people and then go back to my happy little community to have my friends? do i really want to live among the needy? (and can i see them for who they are and not just label them as needy) do i really want to be in community with people that aren't like me? it's given me a lot to think about. it makes me think about how God intended community and what my part is.

the bridge

this morning i checked out the bridge. all i have to say is wow. my heart was filled with joy. this is probably the most eclectic church that i've ever been to and i loved that. they have a heart for the people in portland and it is very evident. i'll just let you read this article that explains a little bit about who they are. they didn't say things that made me cringe. all of their music is written by the artists (and the music is so damn cool)

people were playing the drums in the front row and i just wanted to join them. people were standing up on the sides dancing and clapping to the beat...i wanted to join them, too.

i feel like it was a combination of the free spirit of bridgeway (trav & i's first church) the musical passion of oneplace, and the organicness of solomon's porch....all rolled up into one. i can't think of anything else that makes my heart smile.

they had a special dance this sunday where a couple of kids did this hip-hop routine....very, very cool.

i met a few people and had the chance to talk to them. i really like what i see. i would love to go to a couple other things here.

(okay i'm outside of a coffee shop right now and someone just walked by with headphones singing really loud...i love this town!)

i'm going to another church tonight and i would also like to check out evergreen again...the church hopping continues!

here are the lyrics to one of the songs we sang...the song was great...


EVEN WHEN ITS LIKE A SEVERED ANTENNA
A LOOSE CONNECTION
THIS WON'T FIT ANY DICTIONARY
TEXTBOOK DEFINITION

CAUSE WHAT I FIND IN YOU CAN'T BE DEFINED
WHAT I FIND IN YOU CAN'T BE DEFINED

YOU CAN CHANGE MY MIND
YOU CAN CHANGE MY MIND

SOMETHING SOMETHING TELLS ME
I'M GONNA LET YOU GET TO ME

beloved fight club

that's right, the author of fight club wrote a book about portland. it's a very interesting book (how could it not be from this author?!) it is vulgar, but that also comes with this author, too. (but don't say i didn't warn you.)

it is cool to think that the guy that dreamed up fight club lives right here in portland.

"every corner tells a story." there is so much history here. i guess it is the oldest city on the west coast.

the book covers it all, from the vocabulary of portland, to the haunted buildings, to the rumors. he lays it all out. the things in this book you won't find in an official history book on portland. he also gives you some great shops, museums, and restaurants to check out.

someone created a self-cleaning house that has tilted floors (so the water can be drained after the sprinklers clean it) and waterproof art on the walls. supposedly you can take a tour. i could go on and on with little tidbits from the book...but i'll let you take a look at your local bookseller!

(oh, and btw, blink was an excellent book and highly recommend it. it really makes you think!...no pun intended)

what i've been up to lately

once again, we had our "friday night spades" i guess we'll have to find another night for it when travis starts flying and his trips are over the weekend.

saturday night we went to the northwest 23rd and ate at typhoon and then stopped by alotto gelato....yummmieee! i don't think i could ever get tired of this area!

sunday i went to a new coffee shop on broadway and about NE 10th (i think). a great neighborhood coffee house. it was beautiful outside, so i sat outside and enjoyed the weather.

i also walked around in the pearl distrinct...it was great. here are some pictures. the area is a very cool. i only went to a few shops...so much more to explore in this area.



i finally stopped in the famous powell's city of books, the largest independent bookstore. wow! it was amazing. i think i'll be going there often. it is much better than a b&n or borders. there are sooo many books. it takes up a block and i think it is 4 floors. each room has its own color with a map...i only made it to the purple and orange room. i love bookstores!

i went to ethnos community sunday night. it was a great church (and it meets at night...after four years of church meeting at night, i'm finding it might be difficult to switch to morning!) i think i'll take another post to talk about all the things swimming in my head about church right now.

today i drove around with a friend of lauren's who might be moving to portland. we ate at noahs on nw 23rd. the place was an utter disgrace to nw portland. i guess i should try out a place before i take someone who is checking out the city to move here! we had fun talking, though. we drove around to the different areas of portland. i was able to explore a little more of the neighborhoods in ne and se that might be potential for us. we also drove around the west side.

here's a picture of the west side neighborhoods...they are beautiful.

snowin' n mowin'

well, today it snowed. it was a rather wet snow, but it was snow. and it made me happy. it would rain for a little while. stop. snow. then rain some more. i watched this out the window as i tried to work. and then this afternoon (during the raining and snowing i might add) the maintenance guys in our apartment were mowing and trimming the bushes. i guess nothing stops their weekly routine.

i don't really like to talk about the weather. it seems so surfacy...like there isn't anything else to talk about. but weather is exciting, especially after being in weatherless phoenix for 3 years. clouds are even exciting.

mount st helens

on a clear day. you can see mount st. helens. here it is from mount tabor park.

mt tabor and hawthorne

here are some cool pictures of of mount tabor and the hawthorne district on nikki & ben's blog.

i need a raincoat

today i went on a walk by the river close to our apartment. i had on the only thing that i own that resembles a raincoat; a windbreaker. and it doesn't cut it. i think i'm going to have to go get me a raincoat, so i can take daily walks or bikerides no matter what the weather is doing. do they even make trendy raincoats? i've been on the look out, but haven't found anything that i want to be a perminent fixture on my body.

travis' training is going well. he is now learning all about his plane, the CRJ 700. apparently this plane is pretty supped up...lots of little gadgets to learn about. in two weeks he will go to seattle to fly in the simulator. (right now he is just going through computer tutorials about the plane.) i think i might go up to seattle with him and work from there, at least for a few days. i have to make the most of my portable job!

the power of thinking without thinking

i've been wanting to read the book "blink" since last summer...and i was on the hold list at the minneapolis library until right before i left...i should have just bought the dang book, but i checked it out at the library here. it is a great book. i mean a really good book. i'm about half-way through, so i'll let you know how it turns out. (usually i love the beginning of books and then they just fall apart and i lose interest...we'll see)

it's been great reading weather lately...rainy! : )

neighborhoods, couches, and hikes

in my quest to find a cool, yet affordable (ha!) neighborhood, i explored some of the west neighborhoods of portland and the suburb of beaverton on friday. the west side is very hilly with lots of winding roads. i think i could be happy with a house in any of the west neighborhoods, even if it has to be in a suburb! (i think my dream of living in the heart of the city is only a dream in this city. but my search isn't over to find a spot as close to the heart of portland as possible...with more than 500 square feet!)

today we bought a couch...so exciting! and then we went hiking at mount tabor in se portland. this is a great spot. it was a beatiful sunny day and we had to get out and enjoy it.

what are the odds?

what are the odds that our last sunday at the porch there would be a reporter who takes our picture and happens to mention we will be moving to portland...and a couple, nikki and ben, read that article and they, too, are moving from mlps to portland...and we end up meeting for coffee this week...have great conversations about community, churches, and life in a new city...but it doesn't stop there....someone else (tricia and brian), find ben's blog and set up a time to get together. while i'm meeting with nikki and ben at a coffee shop, tricia and brian randomly walk by. They recognizing them from a picture and come in to meet us...so, we all end up going to hang out tonight. wow.

we went to le happy for crepes. (any place called le happy has to be good.) it was a cute little place and it was really fun getting to know my new portland friends. after that we walked around in the pearl district for first thursdays. (where art galleries were opened up on the first thursday of the month.) there was some great stuff, although i wish the galleries were closer together like they are for the first fridays in phoenix. it seems to create more of a vibe when they are more condensed. i would like to see the hawthorne district here have a first thursdays...now that would be cool.

now, brian's been here two years and he seems to know everyone. so it was cool to see how connected you could be in this small city. i really liked it.

so, travis has been busy studying and kobie has been exploring the city.

a word of warning...if you are reading this blog to just get a quick update on the life of kobie and travis, read no further...come again another day...because what lies ahead is just a bunch of ramblings thoughts!

i feel like i have been able to experienced so much of the city in such a short period of time...and there's so much more to discover and enjoy. that is the part that excites me. i'm so glad that i've been able to hang out with people and not just work at my computer in isolation in a new place. but i have to say i feel a little numb. maybe it is from all the moving. maybe it is being emotionally exhausted in hoping that mlps was our home and moving 8 months later. (and i think that has caused me to be afraid to hope, afraid to plant some roots here.) one moment i feel courageous and ready to conquer the world (at least the world of portland) another minute i'm overwhelmed at buying our first house.

but how can i feel a little numb and also feel more alive than i have felt in a long time? maybe i'm just numb to moving. i don't know...i don't see it as an adventure anymore, but this is where i am and i better start making my home here. i want to be present where i am. i learned that in minneapolis, to really soak up every moment. (and i just can't quit talking about minneapolis. it was such a great 8 months for me. it was so refreshing not having any responsibilities at church, to have time for relationships, to enjoy the outdoors...i feel i grew so much in such a short period of time. i felt alive.

and this city gives me the same feeling. (feelings aren't everything, but they hold a lot of weight in my book.) i feel this city is full of freedom. i don't feel a need to be anyone but myself. i feel like the last four years have been a question of who i am created to be...maybe i'll never figure that out and maybe i'll be someone different along the way. i feel like i have experienced so much and grown so much as a person...and i hope that true freedom is expressed in my life. i seem to struggle with this. like i have this ball of fire inside of me just bursting to come out...but at the same time, i'm feeling a little self-absorbed. i'm dying to find a way to serve in the community and i would prefer it not be in the church. i would love to volunteer somewhere. somewhere i can help people. not somewhere i can volunteer my design skills, but somewhere i can help people, somehow. not sure what that place will be...but i want to have my eyes open to God moving around me.