Tuna Fish Sandwich

Hi...this is my first blog post ever!  How exciting...I guess.  I don't really know what to say, but Jake really wanted me to post and just say hi.  He authored the title by the way.  Jake's latest obsession is getting a dog, specifically a bagel dog (or beagle as most people know them, but my mom's neighbors have a beagle named Bagel, so Jake just refers to the kind of dogs now as bagels) which he wants to name Battlecat.  I can't remember if he has posted about this recently, but he has been seriously obsessed for the past week...he looks for bagels on-line and tells me about all the cute ones he's found in Salt Lake and Houston, we found a bed (and puppy food) for it at Costco the other day, and the other night he said Battlecat was curled up next to him as he read Harry Potter on the love-sac.  I think we have decided to wait until we get to Houston to get a dog, but I think Jake will run out and get one as soon as we arrive there.  Anyway, I must return to working now...so hi everyone, and happy blogging!

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Led Zeppelin didn't write tunes that everyone liked.....

Greetings all,
How was the Easter weekend? We had Good Friday service at Summit which was small but good....I really enjoy Good Friday service..... I may hold my own Good Friday service every Friday just to be safe. After Good Friday service, Erin and I watched the Utes be destroyed by a pretty weak Kentucky team.... Corey and Jenni viewed the game with us. Itwas during this time, that my true sports shame was revealed to the world. Erin and I filled out brackets for March Madness.... I was knocked out of the competition in the 1st round.... Erin won.

First Titanic..... now this....

I'm going to have to undergo hormonal therapy...like testosterone supplements. I think I need to go spend a week in a cave and live among Yaks to regain any semblance of manliness.....

Saturday I went to Layton to take Erin's car to the shop which was cool because I got to hang out with my parents for half the day.... and I don't get to hang with them too often. We ate at Denny's.

On Sunday Erin and I went to church where the Reverend C-Lint challenged us to consider the offense of believing someone could be resurrected from the dead. I thought it was a really good message!
Erin made cheesy potatoes and we prepared beef stew for Monday's comsumption.....We had dinner at Juanita's and were accompanied by my mom and dad and Doug, and lil jon pow, and E-Pac, and Jenny and Joshnita. The highlightf or me was watching Kentucky lose in 2OT. So anyway - I'm getting my preach on at Salt Co this Thursday..... we're going to dive into some Mary action....should be interesting. OK well...that's my weekend update.

Grace and Peace.
jake

Ahhh..... nostalgia

So Erin has been sick, and took the week off from work. Since she's had
time to kill she's been resting and going through boxes of things from
when she was a wee lass.

She found a letter from her cousin asking her and her sister if they were
into Michael Jackson.... because he is soooooooooooooooooooooooooo yummy!
Some sentiments are truly timeless.....

Erin and I spent last night reminiscing about when we were little... we
listened to a mix tape of some of her favorite songs (note - tape) and she
performed several New Kids on the Block hits - much to the delight of our
neighbor... I'm sure. We were forced to stop our trip down memory lane
when the Titanic theme song came on complete with Leo's voice in the
background....'promise me you'll stay alive'

weak. Now Erin wants me to watch Titanic with her...... I think Titanic
should only be viewed if one is in a comatose state.... that way the time
spent, really isn't time wasted.......

One memory I do have from watching Titanic is this:

I went to see Titanic (I think for the 2nd time.... could have been the
first) with my on again - off again girlfriend/next door neigbor Sarah
(this is an excellent arragnement for those who can't drive BTW)....

Anyway, Sarah'd seen it like 68 times, and was still crying..... but for
some reason Jonathan (my little bro) was with us... and when it came to
the part where Leo's painting the nude Jonathan exlaimed - "Wow - Those
are real" to the delight of the guys in the audience.....

Well.... that's my Titanic memory.

grace and peace,

jake

Meanwhile, back at Wayne Manor

Weekend Update:

Erin has taken ill.... she chilled on the couch for most of the day
yesterday and got some rest... which is good. I had dinner with my
parents at Red Lobster last night. That was a lot of fun. I love my
parents, it's weird how after you reach a certain age, their wisdom seems
to increase exponentially..... all their ideas that I thought foolish as a
teen now seem so wise. I'm really blessed to have believing parents and
to benefit from their experience in the Lord.

Erin and I are pondering whether or not we can pony up the cash to upgrade
our appliances to stainless steel in our new place....... there's a lot of
up-front costs....

Things we have to buy:

Laptop (Erin is required to have one for med school)
Couches (These are required for sitting purposes)
Fridge (This goes w/o saying)
Blinds/Curtains (Unless Erin and I experience some sort of exhibitionist
revolution... this will be a necessity in our home)

On the back burner:

Erin really wants a piano. The other day I came home from work, and there
was a picture of a piano on our fridge, and then when I went to hang up my
coat, there was an ad for a piano sale taped to the door......subtlety is
not her strong suit......

What I really want - a new TV. Right now I'll have to live vicariously
through Sean Patrick and lust after his TV..... but soon... I really must
acquire one. Watching DVD's/Sports is like one of my favorite
passtimes.....how can these things be fully appreciated with subpar
viewing equipment?

Perhaps I shall join a prosperity church for a limited time, until God
increase my income 10 fold....

Well.. TTFN,

jake

Two things

1) The reason Erin and I had to go to Houston this past weekend was for the minority accepted applicants weekend at Baylor College of Medicine. In my haste to post I neglected to mention that Erin has been offered a full-ride (tuition and fees) scholarship that is renewable for all four years of medical school. This is such an incredible praise! I am honestly amazed to see how God is providing for us in calling us to Houston.

2) On Monday we put a bid on the place we liked, and found out that it was accepted!

Tonight, since it's Spring Break, for Salt Company (O2) we're watching Wayne's World....
as such I leave you with this:

"I just got to be comfortable with me first..." -Garth Algar
Inspiring words, inspiring man.

grace and peace,
jake

Because Inquiring Minds Want to Know

In response to the rush of inquiries (2) regarding the location of the townhome-esque place Erin and I are looking purchase:

It is located 5 min from the metro rail station (& Park and Ride) on the south end of town, in Houston proper, and no I would not consider this the 'burbs' by any stretch of the imagination. We decided that my commute would suck if we lived in the burbs and that living closer was worth the extra cash so that I can pick Erin up late at night w/o having to fill up on the way there and back (w/gas).

We are not however in 'downtown' proper either as Erin and I decided that the walk from potential places to the train line would be really dangerous. The Med Center is like a city unto itself.... and we are in the downtown portion of the med center area if you wilst....

ok, peace out.
jake

Back from Houston

Erin and I stayed the first two nights with this really cool couple Damitra and Griffin…. Damitra is from the Houston area, and Griffin is from Vashon Island (which is across from the Port of Tacoma, excellent). They are both believers which is sweet, and Griffin makes excellent breakfast which is an added bonus. One other sweet thing worth mentioning is that they have: Young Frankenstein, and Rocky and Bullwinkle on DVD….sweet.

So Erin and I looked at stuff all over the place…. We looked in Midtown (between downtown and med center), we looked out in the burbs (both inside and outside beltway 8), and we looked at stuff near the med center. We looked at thing well within our prices range, and way outside our price range. We actually found a property we really like, and our in the process of making an offer (after we decide we can really afford it). It’s a new 3-story townhome esque place (not actually touching other units…so I guess it’s technically a stand-alone unit). It has a red brick face, hardwood floors on the second level (kitchen and family room), the family room is two stories tall (this room is my favorite) stainless steel appliances, and were mulling over granite countertops.

Hieu hung out with us most of the weekend as our financial advisor, and was very gracious in letting us roam around town in his truck and stay at his place Sunday night. We did go to Doneraki’s (and were accompanied by Justin & Lauren Stone – Justin was my first friend in Houston when I was out there for an internship) which was a lot of fun. I ate all my food which was good, because usually I’m disgraced as Hieu chows down in front of me and I am left watching sadly as I am incapable of eating what’s on my plate.

We ate some BBQ whilst we were there which I thoroughly enjoyed, and we looked for some sofas.
Anyway, that was the weekend. Please be praying for us through this decision.

Llama madness

Llamapaedia.com – The growing source for llama information!

“Llamapaedia is for everyone with an interest in Llamas. Written by veterinarians, it is intended to be an accurate source of information on husbandry, breeding, care and resources for further information.”

This has to be the greatest line ever published on the internet….. it would never have occurred to me to start a website to inform the public on such vital topics as llama husbandry. What can I say… my life has changed dramatically.

This web gem was sent to me by Robyn Fenn! Robyn is a freshman at the U (she went to SE Baptist Church so she hails from Chad Whitehead’s youth group) she works at a sub shop called Super G’s so you know she’s hardcore. Anyway – I wrote Robyn a b-day limerick, and to show her gratitude she sent me the link which has forever changed my life. I will share this limerick with you for your edification:

Robyn's b-day was two days agoYou went to a movie where it probably didn't snowIt was in a theatre, So there was no alligator,Who you could have hunted with a bow.

I will soon publish this work with a host of other, equally insightful limericks…. Look for it wherever “Prayer of Jabez for Pre-pubsecent Squirrels” is sold.

After Robyn sent me this link, I immediately forwarded the link to Erin…. Who was quick to call and inform me that we are not purchasing a llama. This is clearly heresy and I hope you all will join me in calling her to repentance. Erin did some reading and found out that some sheep herds have guard llamas…..like guard dogs. This is clearly God’s calling on my life. Erin and I will raise llamas, and train guard llamas for the protection of mankind. A genetically superior herd of guard llamas…. Beware of the new revolution.

Alpacas are for ninnies,
jake

In the city.... the city of Houston... we keep it rockin

OK, here’s the weekend in review: Erin’s b-day was March 2nd…… she is now 23. Coincidentally, so am I. Amidst all the hustle and bustle of everyday life, I committed a major violation of family tradition on Erin’s b-day…. Which I have to admit is both bogus and sad.

For b-days…… one usually receives a pancake with a candle in it upon waking up. This thought escaped me until Thursday when I was asking Robyn about her birthday traditions (Happy b-day Robyn - March 5)….. so that’s pretty weak. Anyway I was trying to get together a birthday shindig for Erin Saturday night at PF Changs which turned out to be quite the ordeal….. PF Changs gave us the shaft… so before our guests arrived Erin and I walked to Macaroni Grill and Café Pierpont and got on the waiting lists... then we decided we’d just wait it out at PF Changs….. so after guests arrived and I was sufficiently frustrated by the 2 hr wait… I left to return the little buzzer thingys. Outside of Macaroni Grill there was a young kid with a sign that read – Abused Teen – Cold, Need Help. I walked by to turn in the buzzer thingy and when I walked out I had to talk to him. So he and I walked over to Carl’s Jr where he pounded the Gourmet Burger…. His name is Mike. He’s been on the run from his abusive father with his twin brother and mom (who is severely hearing impaired) for several years. Mike is 15, and hasn’t been to school since 4th grade (He should be in 9th or 10th by now…). He’s been staying at shelters and the whole situation really grieved me that there are kids like this that slip through the cracks. I couldn’t believe that there wasn’t a social worker on his case or somebody helping him out at the shelter to get into school. I was really moved by that situation, and I hope that the Holy Spirit is changing me….. As the elders of the church in Jerusalem encouraged Paul: “All they asked was that I continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.”

Erin and I are off to Houston this weekend to do some house hunting etc. I think I’m staying with my good friend Hieu! Hieu really helped me through a tough adjustment when I was in Seattle. He was one of the first people on our ministry team to really reach out to me, and he’s been a consistent friend and encouragement since. Hieu moved to Houston the summer I was working there, so he and I were church hopping companions for the summer. The main thing I’m looking forward to doing with Hieu is going to Don Araki’s (or something like that.) It’s our favorite ‘authentic’ Mexican restaurant where you are served by actual Mexicans. The restaurant rules because at night they have the mariachi band serenading people, and there is always Mexican soccer on which is objectively sweet! Also, I think our favorite waiter Hielio has been promoted!

I’m also looking forward to going to Chewie’s (perhaps Justin and Lauren Stone will join us…. Justin was my first friend when I moved to Houston, we spent a couple weekends in Dallas-Ft. Worth visiting his fiancée (now wife – Lauren) while I was there, and I was encouraged that Dallas was not as humid and has 7-11s, which will be sorely missed.

So my itinerary for the weekend is as follows:
Thursday – Erin leaves for Houston
Friday Morning: 4:25 ish…. I will retrieve Ethan from the Salt Co house, attempt to wake him up, and probably let him sleep in the back seat or something. 4:45 arrive at airport, (coffee must be acquire en route) hope Ethan is awake enough to drive home….
Fly to Houston.

After I get in I’m meeting with our realtor… we’ll probably grab some lunch and look at downtown properties. Sometime on Saturday Erin and I are going to head out to the ‘burbs and look at more properties…. Maybe review some downtown properties that I liked from Friday. Sunday – get our church on – maybe some snake charming (not really) – might hit the Galleria….Monday morning – review properties we really liked, head back to the SLC.

See you when we get back.

5 Questions w/ Jonathan Hays

The answers to my 5 questions w/ Jonathan Hays.... there's some sort of
protocol for asking these questions of the first 5 people to post who'd
like to answer questions..... but currently I think blog readership
consists of 3 or 4 and most of you have probably answered these....but if
you'd like.... drop me a post, and I'll ask you 5 unique, probing
questions.

>From firstfloorflat.com:

He is probably my best good friend in the whole world, it is with him that
I can most be myself with. Jake is married to Erin and is the Southern
Baptist Campus Minister at the University of Utah. His favourite beer is
Dos Equis. He firmly (fishy) believes that pretty much every situation can
be summed up in a quote from a Reel Big Fish song or the movie
BASEketball. He came to faith whilst sleeping with me (true story). These
are his questions.

1. Why aren’t you a Presbyterian yet? Follow-up question for an extra 5
points: Could you enumerate 5 ways in which J.C. Ryle kicks butt?
I have trouble with the inclusion of children in the covenant and the
concept of being removed from the covenant. I also have issues with
varying views on paedobaptism i.e. presumptive regeneration…. I did pick
up Christ of the Covenants awhile back, and I plan on checking out Christ
the King when I get down to H-Town.

5 ways that Ryle Rules: There is only one appropriate acronym to answer
this question…..

T: Total Depravity – reading Holiness owned me in so many ways – but
Ryle’s constant reminder of our state (including his vivid treatment of
infant’s depravity) was refreshing and always brought me to the cross as I
considered his arguments.

U: Uncompromising on his view of justification has really re-ignited my
personal doctrinal purity fire. How are we pursuing holiness if we’re not
pursuing God’s Word? How can we pursue sanctification w/o a proper view
of justification? Ryle raises these issues.

L: Limited Atonement – a stumbling block to the Jews and folly to the
Gentiles…. Ryle’s arguments are centered on the premise that Christ’ death
actually accomplished something. Amen and amen

I: Introspective: One cannot read Holiness w/o being challenged
constantly to look inwardly and be in concert w/ the Great Physician’s
pruning; not only for myself, but for the sake of the purity of the Body.
The way that Ryle writes has really blessed my men’s group, and I’ve been
overwhelmed by watching them grow.

P: Pride: Ryle will slap you upside the head w/ his boldness in telling
it like it is. He said of John Owen, something to the effect of: This man
had more learning in his pinky then most man have in their body…. Or
something like that…. At any rate…. Reading him I got the distinct
impression that he wasn’t one who writes to see his name in lights, but he
communicated how moved he was with concern for the whole Body of Christ….
Something I’m only starting to get a glimpse of.

2.If you were a fruit, which one would you be, and why?
I guess I’ll roll with the apple: hard exterior that protects the soft
inside…. On the outside it looks delicious…. Yet on the inside who knows
how many worms are wriggling ‘round. Nonetheless most people are willing
to take a chance on an apple if it looks good on the outside and they’ll
stick around to get to the core of it, despite the bruises they find on
the inside.

3. If you had 10 minutes with Gordon B. what would you like to talk about
with him?

This is a question I’ve actually asked myself many times…… when it all
comes down to it…. I suppose I would spend that time sharing my experience
with the human condition and would leave him with a little Galatians 2 on
faith alone….. “For if I rebuild what I destroyed I prove that I am a
lawbreaker….” But truthfully if I had an audience with him, I would
probably be to grieved by all the people that are following him into
darkness to speak…. I feel confident in that situation that any words I
speak would have to be words given me by the Holy Spirit….. it would take
far more mercy than I could muster to be charitable (much in the vein of
the apostles at the beginning of Acts).

4. What do you think is RIGHT with the church today?
Church as an institution…. Very little….. at least people are compelled on
some level to support missions…… I’m far more encouraged by the Church
(congregates) than I am by the institution. I’m hopeful for a member-led
revolution…. I meet a lot of people on campus who love the Lord – there’s
something pure about young people (and I would consider myself 3 years
removed from this group) who look forward in life and see Christ
unhindered by the bureaucracy of institution. There’s such a myriad of
ministry and hope in that type of vision that’s compelling. If I had my
way – I would live in community with them, find some finances to free them
from college obligations for two years or so – and ….I know this is asking
a lot….. pro-actively reach out to the community……it would be Life
Together w/ solid Christology/Soteriology! That’s what I think is right
with the Church… and I hope that they will revolutionize the institution
of church. If I may borrow a word from my Pentecostal brethren….. I am
praying for serious, widespread revival.

5. What do you look forward to most about living in (giddy-up) Houston?
I am eager to cultivate an alien in this world mentality…. I am hopeful
for renewed humility in the face of Christ…..nothing grieves me more than
cultural Christians so I am eagerly awaiting the plank in your own eye
slap down…..more than anything I’m excited to see Erin fulfill her dream
of becoming a doctor, and we’re both excited about buying our first home.
Jump on it....

-jake

Weak

"I've had plenty of joe-jobs.... nothing I'd call a career. Let me put it
this way; I have an extensive collection of name tags and hear nets."
-Wayne Campbell

And now.....watch as I extract something meaningful, yet most likely
entirely unrelated out of this sacred verse from Wayne's World.

I've noticed over the past several months that I've really been needing to
be more bold in my confession of sins. It seems easy to confess to the
brothers - (well I love the band and they're a great bunch of guys. Say
"lookin at her brings tears to my eyes." Said watchin her shake she gonna
give me a heart attack now baby... I said Snoop Doggy Dogg")

I'm sidetracked way to easily.... anyway back on topic. It seems easy and
comfortable to confess my sins to the brothers at men's group because I
feel like we all have similar troubles....and somehow there's solace in
that and it makes me complacent. I've been reading Mortification of Sin,
and over the past couple of weeks - the Holy Spirit has really renewed in
me a fresh hatred for my sin. Maybe now I can start confessing to myself
- to my heart - and truly striving to put sin to death, rather than
jumping from joe-job to joe-job w/o pursuing a career.

I smell bacon,

jake

Greetings bloglings,
I saw The Life Aquatic yesterday w/ Erin, Craig, E-Pac, and Tiffany. It was randomly laughable and I thoroughly enjoyed Willem Dafoe's performance! There was definitely some unnecessary material.....
Moving on....Erin and I are searching for a home in Houston... so the question is: Less expensive home w/ more sq. ft etc. and long commute (40 min or so) or more expensive townhome in downtown area (less sq ft) with very short commute. BTW, I'd like to announce officialy that Jeremy Fuerst is engaged! Congrats to Lutherans everyway.....

As to the question in my last post.... what is God doing in your area...I think this is a really interesting subject, and responses are even more interesting. Not that a response is indicative of that person's perspective on God, I think it has more to do with how the church has conditioned us to respond. So w/o further adieu:

Have you noticed that the answers to this question are most often something to the effect of: God is opening doors, healing our land, preparing for harvest, breakingdown barriers etc. All these things are surely true and glorious characteristics of God, and praise God for extending His mercies in that fashion.....But do you ever hear an answer that has anything to do with God exercising His justice? Would you ever hear, God is raising up a people to visit His justice upon another people? Or God is disciplining us etc.....I was really struck by this at the missions conference......As a church culture we're raised to know and cling to all the "positive"and p.c. aspects of God while overlooking the one who came not to bring peace, but a sword....to turn brother against brother....I've been meditating on Is 42 for the last month or so, and am continually moved by how God is leading prisoners out of their dungeons! Amen Lord,thank you for that mercy, thank you for being our deliverer. But as surely as we are all prisoners in need of rescue, so it must be true that some prisoners are "left behind." And what of it?Where is our consistent theology when there are wars? Where will our theology be when calamity stikes on a personal level.... or what if the geo-political nation of Israel is destroyed?I guess I feel like the church is doing God's Church a disservice by presenting an imbalanced perspective of God that leaves many with shaky faith in times of trouble. Perhaps if we knew more of the entirety of God's attributes, we would find ourselves in a better position to minister in tough times.
grace and peace,
jake