Destroyed

I was reading Tim Keller's newest book King's Cross and came across this following passage that completely undid me:

Follow the thread. You say, "That sounds pretty hard," and you're right. How can we possibly follow the thread? It's simple but profound. Jesus himself does absolutely everything he's calling us to do. When he called James and John to leave their father in the boat, he had already left his Father's throne. "He left his Father's throne above, so free, so infinite his grace." And later he's going to be ripped from his Father's presence, on the cross. It's going to look as if your thread is taking you into dead ends, places where you'll get bloody, where the only way to follw the thread looks like it could crush you. But don't try to go backward. Don't turn to the left; don't turn to the right. Jesus Christ's kingship will not crush you. He was crushed for you. He followed the thread to the cross as you can follow yours into his arms. (p. 25)

Get this book and read it.

Introduction to Books & Resources by Timothy Keller from Redeemer City to City on Vimeo.

City Forum::Work

CityForum Work from Mark Grapengater on Vimeo.

I put together a video for City Church's forum on work using Brad's D7000 for time lapse. It starts on February 2nd on the 30th floor of the Laclede Gas Building (720 Olive) downtown St Louis at noon. Make an effort to come out. Some of the topics will be:

• Does my job matter?
• Finding fulfillment in work?
• Can I be a difference maker in the work place?

Hope to see you there.

Chouteau Bottoms

Mid-December, Brad and I headed to where the road and the river collide.  After a shot of espresso we didn't even feel the cold.  These are the photos that documented that morning.

Red Wings & Persols

If I had to define my style, I would have to say it's something along the lines of Rugged American Work with Steve McQueen cool.  This translates into double-pocketed demin work shirts with pen slits in the pockets, plaids, flannels, leather boots and jackets, wool and jeans.  Things that are American made.  I have my whims occasionally, like my Onitsuka Tigers that have every color of the rainbow in them.  I like thinking that working with one's hands is still valued and that, as my dad calls them, "office hands"–smooth and delicate–aren't the norm.  Thankfully everyone is producing the work shirts right now and the old American work brands are found in most department stores right now.  Red Wing 875s were the original American work boots that I want my feet to be encased in.

Steve McQueen tends to body the old rugged American look, but also carry a sense of class in all of that.  His life echoes the same–it was only after encounters with the law and heading into the military that he became the actor that embodied that lifestyle.  Much like his movie persona, his penchant for driving fast and living fast, was embodied in his style.  Like the Persol 714s that had blue lenses and folded.  The 649s are pretty cool too.

I, having an OCD streak in me, have been scouring the internets for images and pricing for these items.  But with a wedding coming up and irregular employment, the prospect of spending this kind of cash is out of reach.  For now I will just have to obsess.