Post Birthday Reflections

Thanks for all the blog love on the big 29th. I'm sitting looking over the San Gabe's out my classroom window donning my new Steve Madden kicks (thanks Abs), listening to The Shins and The Pixies (thanks Andrew for my CD entitled, "Songs I think Jacob might like at 29.") The birthday was great. My wife is wonderful and makes me feel loved. She also makes me keenly aware of my status as the aging patriarch of the Gaines/Lampi clan. Wait until next year! Thanks also to Steve for his better late than never call early this morning. Just good to hear your voice. Wish you could've all dined with us on the Lebaonese cuisine yesterday afternoon. I am still tasting the garlic. Well, I've got a puppy in a cage at home with a bladder that continues to fill with each passing second so I'll end. Thanks again for all the love. Much love in return!

for lack of a better title

Well, cheers Wes for setting up this blog. I think it's a good idea and I've been needing to feel more connected.
It's a beautiful day in Azusa California. I'm about to go over to the Homework House to tutor my two gals Christina and Janet. I'm having a little trouble tutoring Christina in Math, I think we're on the same level.
Yesterday we ate some mean Middle Eastern food and went on a classic Glendora Sunday afternoon walk. I've been reading a lot these days.
For school I've been reading a lot about Globalization and Economics. You need to check out some of Noam Chomsky's writings.
And on the side I've been reading 'God's Politics' by Jim Wallis and 'Blue Like Jazz' by Donald Miller.
And I saw a film the other day, 'Wings of Desire' it's from Germany and it'd be worth seeing.
Yins take care and I'll email Uncle Eddie with a ling ling to our blog.
Alright,
ANdrew

Happy Birthday Eldest Son

Jacob,
Dad and I extend birthday blessings to you on this your 29th! We are very proud parents of 4 incredible sons who have married 3 incredible women. Come on Andrew- don't break the streak!
Love you man,
Mom and Dad

My Jacob Birthday message...

Yacob, feliz cumpleanos! Hope your birthday is bright and cheery. expect a package pronto. hope that everyone can start writing on the blog more often. jacob, jesus loves you, but everyone else thinks you're a jerk.

sarahjane.

p.s. in case you haven't noticed, wes is all over this blog

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACOB!!

Here's to Jacob on his 29th. Happy Birthday Brother! Jacob has always lead the Gaines Brothers with the wisdom of an owl and the tenacity of a wolf. He is a great example and someone worth imitating, as all us brothers have at some point (e.g. my Reebok Pumps). Thank you Jacob for being a spiritual leader in our family, for being funny, for teaching us all how to make a living out of chiseling!

Were IN

Great to be here, from sunny cali!

What is a blog?

In response to this question here are a couple blogs I like to visit: instapundit boingboing Heartland Church Blog Tal G in Jerusalem

Click help and it will show you how to post anything (pictures, links etc.)

Good luck bloggers!

"I'm Divin' In"

This is the first blog plunge for me. Good idea, Wes and Sarah!

Divine Conspiracy

Here is an excerpt from Dallas Willard's book Divine Conspiracy. I am reading this book for the second time, and reccommend it to all of you. His premise is that many "Christians" today do not take discipleship seriously and we view our faith only in terms of "where we are going to spend eternity". He goes on to explain that the heart of the gospel isn't eternity insurance but an invitation to partner with God here and now. for more click here

"My hope is to gain a fresh hearing for Jesus, especially among those who believe they already understand him. Very few people today find Jesus interesting as a person or of vital relevance to the course of their actual lives. He is not generally regarded as a real life personality who deals with real-life issues, but is thought to be concerned with some feathery realm other than the one we must deal with, and must deal with now."

"[A]ctual discipleship or apprenticeship to Jesus is, in our day, no longer thought of as in any way essential to faith in him. It is regarded as a costly option, a spiritual luxury, or possibly even as an evasion. Why bother with discipleship, it is widely thought, or, for that matter, with a conversational relationship with God? Let us get on with what we have to do."

"This book, then, presents discipleship to Jesus as the very heart of the gospel. The eternal life that begins with confidence in Jesus is a life in His present kingdom, now on earth and available to all. So the message of and about him is specifically a gospel for our life now, not just for dying. It is about living now as his apprentice in kingdom living, not just as a consumer of his merits. Our future, however far we look, is a natural extension of the faith by which we live now and the life in which we now participate." -- from The Divine Conspiracy

I'm in!

Here we go, I'm blogging and what not. Hope this works out that everyone can chat it up online.

Start

This blog will detail the happenings, thoughts, and discussions amongst the gaines and lampi clans.