I thought this interesting:

“GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) – Scientists listening to underwater microphones have detected an unusual swarm of earthquakes off central Oregon, something that often happens before a volcanic eruption – except there are no volcanoes in the area.

“There have been more than 600 quakes over the past 10 days in a basin 150 miles southwest of Newport. The biggest was magnitude 5.4, and two others were more than magnitude 5.0, OSU reported.

“On the hydrophones, the quakes sound like low thunder and are unlike anything scientists have heard in 17 years of listening.”

Hmm. You can read the whole article here.

Romans 8:22//For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.

I’m going to do that thing where I blog about other blogs. Yup, deal with it. My reasoning is two-fold:
1. I’ve been out-done the past couple days. I can admit it.
2. I only have 9 minutes left of my lunch break.

True Love from FC Post on Vimeo.

That is a song/presentation that Fellowship Church in Texas did this past Resurrection Sunday. I dig the song and I really like how they used motion graphics over the video clips. The painting thing – eh.

Church Marketing Sucks interviewed Mark from Missio Dei church, which is part of the “New Monasticism” movement taking shape. (The interview reminded me of an interesting conversation we’ve been having at the CMS Lab.) I’ve not done enough looking into New Monasticism to really comment intelligently on it, but so far I like what I’ve seen. It seems to be mixing my affinity for DIY punk-house life with Jesus. Dare to dream.

One of their projects is the Jesus Manifesto, which is also right up my proverbial alley.

CMS also quoted an interesting take on some branding research featuring the masters of branding, Apple.

Remember the One Prayer video that was up a couple days ago? The website has been launched. I can’t quite describe the feeling I got as I scrolled down the long list of churches who have already signed up to be a part of this. Suffice to say it was warm, and a little fuzzy.

The Plow posted a two-part interview with Matt Gilkerson about porn in our society. It’s good … in a really bad sort of way. Part 1. Part 2.

And Seth Godin, marketing guru, thinks I’m cool ’cause I use Firefox.

That should keep you busy.

We’re going to try this whole “closing on a house” thing again! With the same house!

The attorneys couldn’t make productive phone calls, so Timothy stopped by the house on Saturday afternoon to chat with the owners and see what’s really been going on. Is this really their decision, or is this the realtor? Do they know what their realtor is doing? Why didn’t their attorney talk to them?
It turns out everyone was a little irritated at everyone else for strange miscommunications. Timothy and Doug (owner guy) talked for a while, both got to feeling better about each other, and Doug said he’d talk to his wife and give us a call.

Doug called about an hour and a half ago. Closing is April 28th! We’re going to sign an “as is” contract for the price we agreed on initially, and they’re going to give us the cash we need to fix the concrete at closing!

I feel so much better about the thing just because we actually got to talk to the people selling the house. I know realtor’s are good and often necessary, but I think the next time we want to buy a house we’re going to stop by one afternoon and talk to the people selling it (assuming they’re living in it) first.

And I will say I’m relieved (I feel like I’ve been holding my breath for a month), but not really excited. The way you naturally develop a kind of innate urge to avoid something that hurt you in the past. I’m sure it will all work out this time since we’ve been through the inspection and we’ve talked to the sellers … it’s just this strange, irrational uneasiness. Or maybe I’m nervous because we really are about to buy a house this time. I dunno.

Regardless, save Saturday May 3rd for our closing/house-warming party!