I was down at Notre Dame this weekend to visit friends and why not...go to the football game. Yikes. I don't really follow college football much, but I've seen Rudy enough times to know that Notre Dame is supposed to be pretty good, boy was I mistaken. I know they've had a rough year, but I didn't know that they are setting records...for the worst year they've ever had.

Luckily, that wasn't the only reason to be there, it was good times seeing people and enjoying a little tailgating. Lauren and I brought Jonathan's dog Nelly down with us and the dog puked on the way down...nice. Dog vomit is yellow and oddly chunky.

Not a completely exciting weekend, but it was a busy one, I felt like the only thing I wanted to do was to sleep for 10 hours that night...so I did. Good thing too, I think it's going to be another busy week.

Last night kicked off the beginning of Rob Bell's latest tour entitled The Gods Aren't Angry and I was fortunate enough to be amongst the sold-out crowd. It was interesting to see a line formed outside the Vic with the marquee reading "Rob Bell - Sold Out" it really felt like I was going to see a concert, not a preacher. Nonetheless Chicago was responsive.

I need to clarify a few things here, some people I talk to think that I don't like Rob Bell and I need to say that it's not a fair statement. In fact, I very much like his conviction, delivery, content and personality. As far as what kind of person he is, well, I don't know him – I have never met him and I am not going to be pretend like I have because I've followed his teachings for some time. The issue I have with Rob Bell is that I think it's just a shame that he is so radical. Now, hold on a sec, hear me out. I feel like the concepts and delivery he offers shouldn't be so unique, I mean what is the condition of our faith if a preacher can be considered radical when he can simply illustrate that God loves us and wants to be with us. Why haven't more pastors become intellectuals and desired to discover why our current culture rejects religion and want to desperately change that view because of the goodness God still shares? (Granted I realize there are people out there that are like this, but don't have the national influence Rob does) So along with this, I also don't like the celebrity-status Bell has. I don't like it just because it gets in the way, true, it allows him to reach further, but also people then start to think he can walk on water. The saving grace in all of this (yeah, yeah besides God) is that Bell has a gift to get right into it and make it about something besides himself...so anyway, I digress.

If you don't know, the latest tour is basically an "anthropological examination of religion." Looking at how religion fits into the human need of trying to understand the mystery of life around us. He explains, in great language, old world views on the gods and desires to appease them by making sacrifices, all while navigating around and about a prop of an altar. Identifying that the altar has the inherent flaw that the gods will always require MORE. Good season – show your appreciation, Bad season – make them happy. Always giving more.

He then brought us into the story of Abraham, making jokes along the way, and how the God of Abraham had compassion and interaction with humans in real-time. This God tells Abraham that you just need one sacrifice, then celebrate a meal with your family and you and I are good. What I appreciated so much about his delivery was that you felt educated along the way. He gave us history to understand the significance of the message. It gives you perspective and brings you into the story, a feature in my opinion which many preachers forget. To understand the power of the scripture it has to be taken within context, outside of that context it looks very unattractive and archaic, very few people can make scripture come alive like that for me.

So, after all of this background, he finally starts to rock the boat. He entered into the text of Hebrews, Psalms and Micah and suggested that this whole idea of sacrificing is not for God's sake, but simply for ours. To quote he said "Humans are very skeptical, especially of something that is good." He goes on to say that God doesn't need sacrifices, but we as humans need something tangible to know that we have peace with God, so we enter into these rituals. The part I loved most was when he declared that regardless of language...any ritual that does NOT help you understand the peace and love God has already made with us, is not Christian. These rituals/rhythms can be found in many different ways, but the basic fact is that God loves us and wants to be with us and we should begin celebrating that as soon as possible. His words were "There's never been an effective religious deed in all of humanity."

When he started going down this path I felt the heat and sweat of the pastors in the venue and if I could hear thoughts, I'm sure I would have been deafened at that moment. After the hour and a half diatribe, he gave a Nooma-esque benediction, complete with background music and all and everyone sat wondering if they should start chanting for an encore. I was asked why I thought he decided to do a national speaking tour on that content and aside from it being a clear and worthy message about God's love, I wonder too if it is intended to be a charge to church leaders (and us as well) to stop commercializing Christianity and begin getting back to the roots. For some reason, the part when he talked about Jesus coming into the temple to destroy it so it can be rebuilt, felt directed...maybe it was just me. Just like then, in my opinion, it seems like we (as the Church) are missing the point in so many levels. That the human being is getting in the way of divine being. That politics are killing Jesus all over again and that it's time our ears are opened again to be able to hear the news that is good.

Anyway, it was a good night, I am glad that Rob Bell has the language to help us along the journey, but I do have to say, I like him better with longer hair.

I love the idea of interactive art. It's always very interesting to me to see creative people, doing creative things and I saw this and felt compelled to share it. The project is called "She Loves The Moon" and it's being played out on the streets of San Francisco's Mission District.

Basically, it goes like this...you can start at one of two spots (his story or her story) and you make decisions along the way and eventually determine whether your romance ends happily or unhappily. Of course you can read all of this from the link, but thought it was a great piece of work.

In 3 days I will officially be homeless. Well, I guess that's a bit dramatic, since I will technically have a home. It's nearly September and my lease is up, Kate's moving to Africa and I've been looking for at many places online. Unfortunately all to no avail, some hopefuls, more disappointments. It's really no big deal, the bigger issue is the detaching of what I've come to know as normal.

There seems to always be a sense of sadness when closing certain chapters in your life, but for moving in particular, for me, it's always very melancholy. I mean, first there's the whole feeling of being undone, when you have to pack up all your stuff and you begin remembering the significance of the stuff of your life. Some tied to previous dwellings, others to the very one you're leaving. It certainly is annoying to pack everything up, but it also gives a chance to remember things in your life you had forgotten because the rest of your life was happening.

Secondly, if you have the great fortune to have a wonderful roommate it makes it hard to admit that you'll no longer be living together any longer. Sure, I'm planning on getting my own place and everyone tells me how great it will be and I know it will be, but for now, I just want to be a little sad that a great friend will no longer be sharing in the day to day stuff, no more random conversations, no more hearing the in's and out's of their day and certainly no more sharing of the the utilities.

Finally, there's the reality of finding a new spot to call your own (when in fact your renting it from someone, whose "own" actually is "theirs", but regardless). Finding a neighborhood, good landlords, nice appliances all while staying within your budget, really sucks. Appointments need to be made, decisions need to be weighed and right when you think you have it all worked out...it's gone.

Anyway, the thing is that I'm moving and I'm already missing my old life...completely ready and looking forward to the next part, but still not feeling ready for it. The month before you always want to make the best of and this past month, I feel like I have tried my hardest. It makes it feel nice to have it concluded with a large bookend. Now...if I could only find myself an apartment...

long time, no blog. so i'm in cabo san lucas right now, waiting to see if my cousin is actually going to get married or if this is just a big hoax just to get the family together since it does take an event to get it to happen. well i certainly love mexico, i mean what US citizen doesn't like a place where they can pretend like they are wealthy, have great weather and just put an "o" at the end of every word and think they are speaking a new language.

actually, i really do like mexico, but mostly for it's charm and the people that live there. i am learning very quickly that Cabo is really not Mexico, it's just a slice of California that has been transplanted with a Mexican address. there are certainly pretty people here, probably it's biggest draw, that and the ocean, it's beautiful, perhaps one of the most beautiful ocean-beach combos i have been lucky enough to see. outside of that it is fine, but not earth-shattering.

i am certainly glad to be here, i'll take it any day, but if it wasn't for the fact that i like my family and am happy for my cousin to get married, i wouldn't have been so eager to plan the trip.