Old School Photos

In celebration of being around for 2.5 years, here's a quick walk down memory lane...



Doug, Jenna and one of Brian's finer moments in learning drumming technique...maybe that's why they didn't come back!?!


Dana, Bob, Josh's body, Wayne, Mykalia and Erica at the first Big Sur Camp Out.




Our First Sunday PM Beach Party...

pictures anyone?

we need to liven this up with some recent pics - Bob? Erica? and thanks for the fun at C&A the other evening -

in the mean time here's a cool article about the recent discovery of the only known pyramid(s) in Europe - from nationalgeographic.com





April 20, 2006—Could this hill be hiding Europe's first known pyramid?

Amateur archaeologist Semir Osmanagic recently announced that he has uncovered proof that a four-sided hill in the town of Visoko, Bosnia, is an ancient manmade structure.

On Wednesday Osmanagic said he and his team unearthed large, cut stone slabs on a side of the hill that form the outer surface of an ancient pyramid (see inset photo).

"These are the first uncovered walls of the pyramid," Osmanagic told the Associated Press. "We can see the surface is perfectly flat. This is the crucial material proof that we are talking pyramids."

The discovery comes at the beginning of a six-month excavation at the site. The Bosnian-born Osmanagic hopes the dig will support his theory that an ancient people built a 722-foot (220-meter) step pyramid there some 12,000 years ago.

Last week the dig team, along with geologists and rescue workers from a nearby coal mine, also began exploring a tunnel under the 2,210-foot (650-meter) hill that Osmanagic believes may lead to two similarly shaped hills nearby.

Egyptian scientists are scheduled to join the excavation in about a month to offer their expertise.

"It will be a very exciting archaeological spring and summer," Osmanagic said.

—Blake de Pastino

on the road . . . emmaus and our mess

So we read a bit from Luke 24 last night during our Easter feast - here it is:


13That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles[a] from Jerusalem, 14and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17And he said to them, "What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?" And they stood still, looking sad. 18Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, "Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?" 19And he said to them, "What things?" And they said to him, "Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. 22Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, 23and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. 24Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see." 25And he said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?" 27And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.



28So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, 29but they urged him strongly, saying, "Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent." So he went in to stay with them. 30When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 32They said to each other, "Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?" 33And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34saying, "The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!" 35Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.


faith is uncontrollable - it collides with us in ways that is not often logical or even consistent with our our so-called systematic theologies. faith is messy and mysterious - directed only by the unseen breath of the holy spirit; heaving the mysteries of the universe at us during a walk begun in depression & heartache - ending during a meal with a disguised stranger. it is no wonder jesus plays hide and seek in the last, the lost, and the least of our world as he describes in Matthew 25.

it seems the burning bush really doesn't ever stop from happening; it simply appears in unexpected forms and places - asking of us only that we may perceive things anew - see with a new set of eyes if you will. these two men traveling to emmaus found that the burning occurred on the inside of their bodies and when the bread was broken and blessed and the identity of jesus was revealed and the stranger disappeared they immediately ran back (seven miles! brilliant) to the same city where their depression began in order to tell their friends that something new was afoot and fresh in the kingdom of god.

and as these two sat telling of their recent experiences with the hidden jesus to their friends in Jerusalem perhaps they shared a few good bottles of pinot so as to finish the communion supper that had already begun in emmaus - an extended and always extending eucharist if you will . . . and perhaps they were all thinking and discussing excitedly in their own ways - when will he come next? and will I recognize him? and will my heart burn as it is burning now? or will it burn more so . . .

in the beginning . . .

here we go -

let's consider this a forum where we have the freedom to discuss anything above and under the suns of the universe:

theology, poetry, literature, philosophy, prayers & prayer requests, quotes, articles, global politics, cosmology, justice movements, rants, reviews, questions big & small, and simple thoughts and comments and hopes and dreams about our community of people who come and go through Carmel; and then for many of us on to the ends of the earth - this is one way we can stay connected

just a bit more than once or twice a week or month or year - attempting in fits and starts to understand what it means to follow and engage the path of Jesus - to become what Amos Yong writes, "christologically centered and pneumatologically driven," - big theological words which simply mean being Jesus centered and Spirit driven.

And so this is for all of us when we feel the urge, the need, the poke in the gut to express what's on our minds, in our hearts, and deep in our souls.

Peace to you all during this Easter season