a photographic update

some of the things i have seen lately. there is this intersection i want to explore.









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j.wiebe

a month and then some

hello to you. and you. I thought it an interesting choice.

I have been across the pond, back to California and back again to the UK. I missed the place quite a bit. Spent some time at Soul Survivor, a massive youth festival in Somerset. 10,000 kids?? Good people? Yes please. Shared a tent with my main man. It was beautiful. Now I am hanging out at Fort Crowne in Rugby, waiting to head to Birmingham.

In other news, I raised the majority of money I needed to stay in the UK. I sensed God saying that I was to come back, even though at the time of the flight, I had very little financial stability to return. He takes care of things if you trust Him. This I know.

I want to go see some shows. Conor Oberst is playing in Birmingham tonight. Probably going to miss it tho. Pendulum and LCD Soundsystem tomorrow night. The British Isle does not suffer for lack of shows.

List of things I'd like to do

1. Road trip to Ireland
2. Spend some time in Taunton with Georgina's family
3. Chill with my man T. Rob
4. Rock around London with HTB folks
5. Take some good photos
6. Watch Arsenal take control of the Premiership
7. Read a bit

Don't know where this is going. I know where I'd like to go though.

To those back home, thank you for a lovely time. I love you very much. Every single one.

With that, Romans 8:28-29.


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j.wiebe

my oh my

been reading jesus for president. needles to say (see what i did there, timee?), its been completely influential and important. i got teary-eyed over this passage last night.....its a poem shane wrote after an experience with a major American media outlet whilst in Iraq....

Traitor?

If this bloody, counterfeit liberation is American...
I am proud to be un-American.

If depleted uranium is American...
I am proud to be un-American.

If US sanctions are American...
I am proud to be un-American.

If the imposed 'peace' of Pax Americana is American...
I am proud to be un-American.

But if grace, humility, and nonviolence are American...
I am proud to be American.

If sharing to create a safe, sustainable world is American...
I am proud to be American.

If loving our enemies is American...
I am proud to be American.

Regardless, I would die for the people of New York, but I will not kill for them...
my kingdom is not of this world.

I would die for the people of Baghdad, but I will not kill for them...
my kingdom is not of this world.

I will not stand in the way of terror and war...
my kingdom is not of this world.

I will pledge an allegiance deeper than nationalism, to my God and to my family...
my kingdom is not of this world.

I will use my life to shout, 'Another world is possible'...
for my kingdom is from another place.

'My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight...but now my kingdom is from another place.'
(Jesus; John 18:36)

letting you in

just letting people know whats going on here in the uk.



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j.wiebe

hope, peace and justice

this gives me hope for the future.

its an alternative vision of the world.

one that operates from the perspective of....
-valuing every single person in the world greatly
-valuing the holy spirits transformative work
-valuing the importance and depth of authentic community
-caring for the marginalized, oppressed, poor and broken (and not just the proverbial kinds)
-being good stewards of what god has given us in the west
-the belief that this world can be bettered through gods kingdom
-ultimately hope

in no circumstance or situation is there no hope. always. consistently. beautifully. hope.




.....makes me get all jittery inside.....



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j.wiebe

of no consequence

this is really of no consequence.

its more of an exploration into what i've been doing, what i'm looking forward to, what i've been partaking in, etc. where to begin? how about a week ago today?

i went to wimbledon. yes, the wimbledon.
i trekked up on the 131 and found myself in the midst of pimms, strawberries and cream, loads of tan people and grunting. side note: sometimes, i find myself not being very.....smart. i brought my camera along to documentate the festivities, then realized while i was riding on the bus that i had forgot my memory card. doh!...regardless, i spent about 5 hours wandering around the famed all england tennis club, watching the world's top junior players, mixed doubles, senior men's (if you want a laugh, head there) and watching the bryan brothers win their quarterfinal match in the men's doubles along henman hill. it was an experience. loved it.

i spent some time with my south african friend dave dally this weekend. he's a great guy. we ended up finding an abandoned bike, convinced the bus driver to let us on with it and he managed to take it home. the sprocket wasn't aligned and so there was no way to move it by pedaling. we had a good time taking aim at the drunk people all over kingston town centre. what a saturday night.

about 2 weeks ago, i got a bus pass. that means free travel on buses anywhere in london. not a bad gig. i've spent most of my time reading this. i am a good 125 pages in. i am not sure what i think just yet.

lastly, two bands have been keeping me solid. first, the cool kids are killing it with their offering the bake sale. sparse '80s beats with solid flow. it doesn't get much better. second, bon iver is one of those finds you don't get often. if you listen to the track skinny love
-, you'll know what i mean. his music is important. i am reasonably sure of this.

i have also been thinking about the authority of love we have within the kingdom of God. its definitely been one of the major themes i have learned about while here. when thinking of authority, the words power, control, domination float around in my head. if maybe we started thinking of what we have in the holy spirit as the authority of love, we have something infinitely greater to speak to a world that needs healing. it might even resonate with the masses. its more an abstract concept at the moment and i am not satisfied with my thoughts on it. i need to articulate and clarify more. anyway, its late so i'm off to bed.

love.
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j.wiebe

...

usually, i don't like to share tons of stuff from what i write in my journal. (what do you call them now? journal? diary? secret book?) anyway, i felt like i needed to share this....just to receive some thoughts back..

6.17.08
-Richmond Park, greens and blues in a windy apathy

....maybe if we started valuing people as worthy, important, and dare I say, holy beings, regardless of the status of behavior, words, interactions and perspective, would then we shift to a unified human race that is capable of taking care of each other? god bless the chavs, the disgusting, the toothless. god bless the gays, the immigrants, the weak and scared. god bless the upper middle class white families and the Arabic peninsula. god bless the communist Cubans and Russians and maybe even the empirical British. god bless the self-harmers, the drug addicts, the transients and junkies, the prostitutes, transvestites and hermaphrodites. god bless the deaf, blind, albinos and government officials. god bless the brown, yellow, black, red, white, Nordic, Italian, Native American, mulatto, mestizo, slave, free, priest, sinner, drunkard and goody two shoes.....

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j.wiebe

inspiration comes in waves

you know when things suddenly start to change? when they pick up and you notice it and you have to move in with the flow of whats going on or else your going to be left wanting, stranded on the side of the road, talking to a former professional wrestler with a mullett who has a tattoo of a scorpion on his arm and a wife that wears flannel and can bench press 450 lbs? i am trying to run with that stream and get stuck with the pro wrestler. art is coming. and soon.


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j.wiebe

m. scott

i didn't say it, i declared it...



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j.wiebe

riding to big sur

today was a day of introspection. i woke up and realized i have less time here than i thought. i want it to be full of vitality, depth and hope. i just need to push myself to these things.

i sat on the train yesterday reading 'big sur' by jack kerouac. for those who don't know, kerouac is my all time favorite author. period. i find myself writing like him more and more. whilst i read kerouac, i listened to death cab's new album 'narrow stairs' which features a song by the name of 'bixby canyon bridge' about the exact area on the California coast kerouac spent his time writing 'big sur'. two of my favorite artists, past and present, fusing with my experience here. too good.

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j.wiebe