Nate Loucks

What's this about?

2007-06-22T11:50:00.000-07:00

Because of the increasing non-xanga community that has developed, I will be cross-posting my posts on this blogger account. This will allow anyone to comment on my posts.

NateLoucks.com

2006-11-24T14:37:00.000-08:00

I just don't like Blogspot much so the cross posting didn't work. I'm still at xanga. You can get to the site via Nateloucks.com.

Innovative Church Conference

2006-09-20T08:16:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow and Friday I'll be attending the Innovative Church Conference
(aka Jason Millerpalooza) with my good buddy and youth pastor
extraordinaire, Seth Bartlette. Mark Batterson of Evotional.com and Perry Noble
will be the featured speakers with the staff of GCC stepping in from
time to time as well. My biggest reason for attending and what gets me
the most excited about this conference is listening and learning from
Mark and Perry, though. From my observation (that's an insured quote
just in case I'm wrong), they are great teachers, pastors, and
visionaries. And, that I admire and want to learn from them.

Jason
tells me that the church is wired so I'll probably (again, an insured
word covering the fact that I might or might not) be blogging the main
sessions and the breakouts. As for breakouts, I'll be attending one
for first impressions by Mark Waltz and staffing by Tim Stevens. If anyone else is going to be there, let me know and we can maybe do lunch or something.

Sudoko

2006-09-18T13:09:00.000-07:00

Ema likes sudoko. I don't. Our marriage WILL recover.

I found a website that agrees with me...

"...Or perhaps you find sudoku necessary? Are the puzzles really worth publishing, and moreover, why should you try to solve them? Few notice what damage they cause. They turn our world black and white, unimaginatively logical, and statically squared. Simplicity is unexciting, and excess logic kills variety. Is there nothing left but nine times nine? We are concerned, concerned about 81 traitorous squares, concerned about mankind. People waste their time and brain capacity by pondering over numbers, useless numbers, addictive numbers. "

Youth Against Sudoko is not only a worthy initiative to fight the onslaught of Sudoko-mania, but it's also a very red site. Seriously, what's with the Asian sites and red? The Chairman is gone, you have my permission to use all of the colors in the Crayola color palette.

Chicago Bears

2006-09-18T12:40:00.000-07:00

Is it just me or has someone else noticed that the Chicago Bears
defense punishes anyone that touches the ball? In all my years, I
haven't watched a more powerful defense with such intense tacklers. My
friends say that I'd make a good addition to the Bill Swerski's
Superfans. I took it as a compliment. Anyone got any sassages?

Oh, to be a farmer.

2006-09-13T19:23:00.000-07:00

It's no secret amongst those close to me, I'd like to own a farm. Also, not a secret amongst those that know me, I'm not real "farmer" material. It's time for the rubber to meet the road and to do a pro/con list of why I should or shouldn't become a farmer.

CONS:

I'm not a morning person. It's far more likely for me to see midnight than 6 am. Rumor has it that you have to feed and milk the cows early in the morning. Plus, someone has to feed the chickens.
Bugs annoy me. Have you ever wondered why bugs don't bother cows? They give flies willing invitations to fly around their faces, tails, and legs. Cows are crazy like that.
I don't have quite enough land yet. I'm working with an acre. I'd like to, at the very least, double that number.
I don't like to spit. Some men (and women) are graceful spitters. I've never developed the skill.
Good farmers are men of little words. I... I'm not.

PROS:

I like bib and brace overalls. In the nineties, I even got on the "unbrace one side and let it hang over your shoulder" bandwagon. Out of my love for the overalls, I rode the wagon until months after they weren't cool.
Cows make me laugh. Shouldn't we all be lucky enough to have something at work that genuinely makes us laugh? Alfred the Plant makes me laugh, but only because he has such a dry sense of humor.
My wife would have more room to plant her flowers. A few times a week we walk are existing farm and she points out flowers to me. Rarely do I remember their names from week to week. With more room, I think my forgetfulness would be more acceptable.
I could eat and drink coffee in the Blacksmith Shop in Rolling Prairie with the rest of the guys. Other careered people are always welcomed but farmers are cherished. I want to be cherished.
I enjoy me some John Denver. If I was a farmer, I could listen to John Denver all the time. Occasionally I would listen to Johnny Cash's early stuff to give my life some balance.

If given the choice, I'd buy a farm that was reminiscent of farms from the yesteryear. I don't like steel walls or tractors as big as Airbuses. Give me a barn with partially rotting wood and an old International tractor and I'm a happy camper farmer. As for animals, I want a few cows, some chickens, an emu, a tired old horse, and a pig. When the pig achieves something worthy of acknowledgment, I'd look at the pig and say, "That'll do, pig. That'll do."

I think it's obvious by weighing the pro's and con's of being a farmer, it won't be natural for me. However, when it's my destiny, who am I to argue?

Reflections of Adulthood

2006-09-12T11:42:00.000-07:00

It had been a month or two since I'd been in Rocky Mt. Cafe for some high quality caffeinated goodness. But, here I am. There is a saying that everyone has heard ad nauseum "Time flies when you're having fun." That's probably true, but, time flies when you're not having fun as well. I think the saying should be abridged to "time flies, period." One minute you're in a coffee house enjoying Cinnabon Blend coffee to the latest Beach house cut on the radio thinking, "I should make this a weekly habit" and then the next minute you're wondering whatever happened to that one time when you made a pact with yourself to get coffee every week while Dean Martin sings the greatest version of White Christmas known to man. Time flies.

The picture above is one of my brothers and sister. Because of my youthful understanding, I never pondered the menacing overhanging of time or the necessity of living in the moment. As a matter of fact, it was commonplace for me to look to the future when I would be old enough and strong enough to pick on my brothers instead of them picking on me. (It turns out that when you get big enough and strong enough to be a natural foe to your siblings, the idea doesn't spark any sort of interest inside of you). When I look at my surroundings, I think about some sobering realities...

My dad is a grandfather in his mid-50's. I remember when my grandfather was in his mid-50's and he was really old. Does this mean that my dad is really old? What does that say about me?
I turn 25 in less than a month. When my father was 25, he had 2 children. When my mother was 25, she had 4 children. Will I ever be "mature" enough to handle the frailty of a baby or conceptualize the importance of a father/child bond? I'm almost 25 and it hasn't happened yet.
I like coffee. When did that happen? Also, my wife has me eating and liking foods that were considered mortal enemies just a few years ago. I've even requested asparagus... more than once. Myself ten years ago would shutter at such things.

Do you ever wonder if the time that you've been given has been used effectively? I suppose that's a loaded question in that the term "effectively" isn't used statically. I could think that my time was used effectively if I watch every Notre Dame football game of the year. Or, in contrast, I could not think my time was used effectively because I've watched too much football. However, by taking my spiritual inclination of what Jesus Christ would have me do, could I honestly, in front of my Maker, tell him that I used my time effectively to share Love, Hope, and Peace. Probably not... and that bugs me.

You see, time passes by and my family changes, I grow older, and life sweeps up everything else. In 20 years, I don't want to look back and think, "Where did the time go?" If I can help it, I want to reflect upon my life and give an honest recounting of my time and say, "I spent the days of my life well." Time surely flies, I just want to fly with it and not get left behind.

Rick Rubin and U2

2006-09-09T07:05:00.000-07:00

For those of you that admire Johnny Cash's later works, then you can
appreciate the producer that brought you such brilliant masterpieces;
Rick Rubin. Since Johnny died, Rubin has went on to produce the latest
from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Justin Timberlake, and Weezer among
other groups. Now, he will produce U2's latest project that will be
released in 2007. I'm excited.

Information via Looking Closer.

Fantasy Football

2006-09-06T19:35:00.000-07:00

I always thought that fantasy football was an invention by people that
loved Star Wars and football. Seriously, how much more enjoyment can
you get out of football than just watching and cheering? And, yet,
here I am anxiously waiting my first draft against some buddies from
high school. My team name is Team Awesome and, from what I hear, we're
going to win the whole league this year.

As the season progresses, I'll let you know my "educated" opinion of
the fantasy phenomenon. It's it doesn't pan out, this experience is
going to be chalked up to pop-culture research. Because, seriously, I
don't even like Star Wars.

Blueberry Doughnuts

2006-09-05T12:54:00.000-07:00

I can't shake the feeling they gave me.

On Sunday, Heather the sister, Ryan the brother-in-law, Filip the
brother-in-law, Ema the wife, and I went to the Blueberry Festival in
Plymouth, IN. And, I tell you what, those darned blueberry doughnuts
have had my mind on them all day. At first, they were an incredible
sweet treat that tickled my taste buds but now they're on the same
status as the other nectars-of-the-gods (macaroni and cheese and mint
Oreo ice cream). Why didn't I buy a dozen to take home with me? Why
don't I ever think in important situations? I failed and now I sit in
my own misery as I wait another year to be reunited with those
pleasantly iced, deep-fried wonders.

ND Recap

2006-09-05T12:35:00.000-07:00

As it turns out, I won't have to become a recluse after all. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish pulled off a victory against a very tough Georgia Tech team. Here are some thoughts...

If I read one more time that Brady Quinn isn't Heisman material, I'm going to vomit. He is a good quarterback (note: I don't think college quarterbacks can be great... only good) and has proven so through his success from last year and will continue to prove it again this season. Georgia Tech did their homework and knew that our receivers (McKnight and Samardg...Samarred... Samardzija) would need double teamed in order to be contained. To their credit, they handled our receiving threat well. Let's not forget that, for an "off-game", 23-38 for almost 250 yards and zero interceptions isn't too bad.

To compare Brady Quinn with the other quarterbacks that we'll be facing, I've made an easily readable chart (the world is better with charts). Pay attention to their performance and the teams they played against.

Brady Quinn: 23-38 (60.5%), 246 yards, 0 TD's, 0 Int's
Reggie Ball (GT): 12-24 (50%), 138 yards, 1 TD, 0 Int's
Anthony Morreli (PSU): 16-32 (50%), 208 yards, 3 TD, 0 Int's (against Akron, mind you)
Chad Henne (UM): 11-23 (47.8%), 136 yards, 2 TD, 0 Int's (against Vanderbilt)
Drew Stanton (MSU): 16-25 (64%), 224 yards, 1 TD, 0 Int's (against Idaho)
Curtis Painter (PU): 16-30 (53.3%), 263 yards, 2 TD's, 0 Int's (against Indiana State)
Trent Edwards (Stanford): 20-34 (58.8%), 225 yards, 1 TD, 0 Int's (against a tough Oregon team)
Ben Olson (UCLA): 26-34 (76.5%), 315 yards, 3 TD, 0 Int's (against Utah)
Brian Hampton (Navy): Doesn't count, only attempted 6 passes... too boring.
Joe Dailey (NC): 24-36 (66.7%), 234 yards, 1 TD, 2 Int's (against Rutgers)
David Pevoto (Army): 12-23 (48%), 95 yards, 0 TD, 2 Int's (against Ark State)
John Booty (USC): 24-36 (66.7%), 260 yards, 3 TD's, 0 Int's (against Arkansas)

It's evident that Brady Quinn didn't have better games than John Booty, Joe Dailey, or Ben Olson but, then again, Booty, Dailey, and Olson didn't play against a defense like Georgia Tech and a coordinator like Tenuto. My intention isn't to excuse the less than excellent play of Brady Quinn but to put it into perspective... he had an off-game and still out-performed many quarterbacks through out D1 football.
Darius Walker did what we needed him to do in the first game of the season; make opposing defensive coordinator wonder about our running game. Georgia Tech defended our pass well so Charlie and the Irish decided to run the ball. It worked well. It's nice to have a dual threat option offense.
What happened to our offensive line? Sure, they continually blitzed us but that doesn't give us an excuse to allow the quarterback to get shaken, tackled, or rushed. Out of the many aspects of the team I was worried about before the Georgia Tech game, the offensive line wasn't one of them. It is now.
Defense... well done, gents. Keep it up. Calvin Johnson is the best receiver in all of college football-land and our secondary didn't "Ginn" it up. I'm proud of you. Atta' boy.
If we have another kicking game like this last game, I am putting on my kicking shoes and pads. I have no experience in kicking field goals but I can't be any worse than what I saw on Saturday night. Two missed field goals is not acceptable... ever.
As for Georgia Tech, I believe they're the best team we'll face in September. They have a mobile quarterback that keeps you guessing, Calvin "I'll catch whatever you put in the air" Johnson, and quality coaching (esp. defensivelly). Paint me naive but I'm not too worried about JoePa or Penn State. Our guys just got out of a tough game that prepared them mentally and physically while the Nittany Lions just got done playing on the swings with Akron. Again... I'm not worried.

ND vs. Georgia Tech

2006-09-01T15:30:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is the day. I've waited months for this day. Why am I so
nervous? There's just so many unanswered questions. What about the
secondary? For the love of Pete, what about covering the 50+ yard
capable receivers? Will our offense prove to be more than a "good
year" offense? If Georgia Tech wins, will I ever come out of my house
again? Well, that's a definite no... no need for speculation.

Have a great weekend sirs and madams.

2006-08-31T12:26:00.000-07:00

THURSDAYS AT

(updated through out the day)

As a pastor, I've taken an unsaid oath of things that I do and don't do. One category including in the "don't do's" is "things that Jesus did... but I probably won't." In this category are such feats as exponentially multiplying fish, dying on a cross for the salvation of humanity, turning water into wine (tried, not successful... yet), and walking on water. It's safe to say that I will never be able to do any of these things unless divinely appointed. It's an understanding pastors have that prohibits us from doing or trying any of these things. Or, that's what I thought anyway.

The Daily Recorder reports that a priest has died trying to walk on water. The article states,

"He took his congregation to the beach saying he would walk across the Komo estuary, which takes 20 minutes by boat.

"He walked into the water, which soon passed over his head and he never came back."

While the humor in this situation is very limited because, after all, a human being has died. However, I have to admit that whenever I read the text with Peter walking on the water, I've never thought, "I think I'm going to go try that myself." Again, if I'm going to try and imitate any of Jesus' miracles, I'm going with the ultra-safe and practical changing water into wine.

TEXT: Last week was our last week in the "Difficult People" series. This week we'll be starting a two week series on "Letdown" and disappointment.

LISTEN

The Boy Least Likely To "The Best Party Ever": I first heard of The Boy Least Likely To off of the Grey's Anatomy soundtrack. I streamed their whole album (which came out in the States last Spring) and have been listening regularly to their blend of fun, multi-tracked songs ever since. In an interview I read, the lead singer says, "We're the Winnie-the-Pooh of indie-pop" so I assume you can put them into that category. They use recorders (that instrument you played in 1st grade), glocks (the gun that Tupac was fond of), and other peculiar things to make great rhythms and sounds. I can't really relate them to another band very well (which is unusual) so you'll have to listen to them.

Song You've Probably Heard: Be Gentle With Me (Listen) (Watch the Video)
My favorite Song Off Their Album: Hugging My Grudge (Listen)
Best Cover of Theirs: Faith by George Michael (Listen) - this is also the friendliest version of this song... do you hear that Fred Durst? There's no need for all the anger, sir.

LINKS

In anticipation of the Notre Dame football season starting, my link today is the greatest football blog on the planet: Blue Gray Sky. They're smart, witty, and know football. If you're a ND fan or care about college football, give them some of your time and read.

THOUGHTS

Later this month, I'm going to Jason Millerpalooza (aka Innovative Church Conference). I will be the only one attending from Lamb's Chapel and fear that I might be lonely (though, I'll have my good pal Internet with me). Sure, I'll have one of my best friends in the building but he's most certainly a V.I.P. and has greater and more noble things to do. So, if anyone is going to be there and needs someone to talk with, I'll be the lonely guy raving about GCC's recycling recepticles. Visit TonyMorganLive.com for more information on the upcoming conference.

In October, Ema and I will be traveling to Grand Rapids, MI to catch The Fray and Aqualung in concert. I'm excited, she's excited, the family is excited. John Mayer recently remarked that the Fray is one of the only bands today making meaningful and moving music. John and I would disagree in that I believe there's more meaningful and moving music than he cares to give credit to but we agree that the Fray is one of those bands. And, Aqualung is top notch.

For those of you LCers, I created a photo album of some recent construction pictures. Check them out here.

Thursday's at LC

2006-08-17T13:28:00.000-07:00

THURSDAYS AT

(updated through out the day)

Alfred is not just a plant, he's an institution. I adopted him almost a year ago after my aunt dropped him off in my office.

"Do you want a plant?" she asked.
"Does it die easily?" I quickly responded remembering those fallen plants that have went before.
"I guess we'll see," she answered.

Alfred has quietly sat with me in my office for quite a few months being the best plant that he can be. He sits on the stage at church with me, enduring some of my most awful sermons and celebrating those that I don't mess up too bad. He even came with me to Camp Adventure last summer and thought about "blobbing". He's a good plant.

Now, though, the time has come where Alfred isn't doing as well as he should. His leaves are brownish-green and hanging to the ground. I don't think he's grown any taller in months. Worried about the development of such an integral part of Lamb's Chapel, I went to WalMart and bought some "Shake and Feed" Miracle Gro. It was my intent that the shake and feed would ultimately give Alfred that shot in the leaf that he needs to be green again. It's been a week and it's not working. I'm worried, Alfred's dying, and for all I know he could have the bird flu. Dang those Mute Swans! You didn't have to take the good ones!

TEXT: We're in our third week of "Difficult People: The Series". This week we'll be discussing manipulative people.

LISTEN

Red Hot Chili Peppers "Stadium Arcadia": There is a whomping 28 songs on the RHCP's latest effort. Their last release, By the Way, was one of my favorite albums of 2002. When I listened to Stadium Arcadia, I brought with me some high expectations of adding to the quality of an already impressive catalog of music. With said high expectations, I found the RHCP's latest album just alright. There are some stand out tracks like, "Wet Sand", "Dani California", "Tell Me Baby", and the title track "Stadium Arcadia". But, there's also many songs that are just decent. Give the album a listen and you won't be disappointed but, heed my warning, this album is not as great as "By the Way". Listen to music on myspace.

LINKS

CowAbduction.com: John the Methodist posted this link on his site earlier this week. Cow Abductions are not a joke and should be taken seriously. As a hopeful cow farmer, I find it alarming and wish the government would take a firmer stance on alien terrorism.

THOUGHTS

What's the difference between a mule and a donkey? Brian F., will you enlighten us?

Sleeping at Last

2006-08-16T11:51:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite bands, Sleeping at Last, has a new album out. I haven't ordered it yet but I'm hoping to in the next week or so. Until then, I've been listening to the two songs they've released from this album on their myspace.

Do yourself a favor and go listen to Needle and Thread and Envelopes. Lyrics are here and here. And, if you're ever in an area where SaL is playing, go and check them out. They have a great live show.

Question of the Day

2006-08-16T09:04:00.000-07:00

What is your favorite Christmas song? To be inclusive, you may include your favorite Kwanzaa song as well.

It's beginning to look alot like...

2006-08-16T09:02:00.000-07:00

...late summer. However, as I was listening to Sufjan Steven's wonderful music on my computer, I was taken to a new place. The Illinois album played through as did the Michigan and Seven Swans efforts. Then, as if my ears could perk up, I was jolted into awareness by a soothing rendition of "Silent Night". Sufjan's Christmas music has officially put me in the mood for the snow, cold, and sugar plums.

I'm giddy with excitement because, folks, Christmas is only four months away. YAHOO!

p.s. Jonathon Norman has the Sufjan christmas albums linked from his page.

Thursday's at LC

2006-08-10T10:23:00.000-07:00

THURSDAYS AT

(updated through out the day)

I'm tired of the rain. There, I said it. My brother in Dallas tells me that they're only allowed to water their lawns once a week because of the severe draught that part of the United States is in. But, I'm tired of it. In north central Indiana, July 2006 was the rainiest July we've ever had and now it looks like August is going to continue in that fine tradition. Before I bought the farm, I wouldn't have minded rain. Actually, before the house, there was a romantic sense of newness with rain. Now, there's only a sense of "I've got to mow the lawn... again? Didn't I just do that last week?" So, let me echo the statements of a famous scholar of yesteryear, "Rain, rain, go away, come again another day."

TEXT: Last week was our first week in "Difficult People". We talked about the right and wrong responses to overly critical people. This week we'll see what the Holy Scripture has to say about overly needy people.

LISTEN

Paolo Nutini "These Streets": Mix a little bit of Damien Rice with the raw vocals of Gavin Degraw and lyrical stylings of Amos Lee and you get Paolo Nutini. Paolo is a 19 year old Scottish singer slowly making a name for himself stateside. The songs aren't as much sing-songy as they are listen-and-reflect. The most prevalent theme on the album is love in relationships but other songs like Million Faces and These Streets touch on deeper social issues. These Streets won't make it into my top-10 albums of the year but there's a place for it in my music collection. It's impressive stuff coming from a kid that has a full career ahead of him. Check out his myspace for more information and music.

LINKS

We Are the Web.org is a site dedicated to keeping the internet(s) neutral, fair, and free. I'm all about their cause but even more about Tron Guy. Go to the website and then click the celebrities button. Behold, Tron Guy!

The little girl giant woke up one morning, got a shower from the Sultan's elephant, and wandered off to play in the park... or, quite possibly the creepiest and coolest video I've ever watched.

THOUGHTS

What is the best song to sing in your car, when no one's looking? My vote is "Come On Eileen" by Dexy's Midnight Riders. Coming in at a close second is "Kiss" by Prince. Your vote?

Johnny Cash once said, "I love songs about horses, railroads, land, judgement day, family, hard times, whiskey, courtship, marriage, adultery, separation, murder, war, prison, rambling, damnation, home, salvation, death, pride, humor, piety, rebellion, patriotism, larceny, determination, tragedy, rowdiness, heartbreak, and love. And Mother. And God." This is why I think Johnny Cash is awesome. I love songs about those things as well.

Thursday's at LC

2006-08-03T11:17:00.000-07:00

THURSDAYS AT

(updated through out the day)

Thursday's at LC are quiet. The food pantry doesn't operate on Thursday's, the office folk is down to just me, and the phone rarely rings. For those reasons, I think it's time to do something more productive and life-changing with my time. The time has come for reinstituting the "Thursday's at..." series. Those of you that have been around long enough know how this works. I write and update frequently throughout the day, you pretend to read it.

TEXT: This week we'll be starting a new series called, "Difficult People". It's a four week series.

LISTEN

Sufjan Stevens "Avalanche": I read somewhere that Sufjan can be described as anti-folk music. Personally, with the way the world is today, we shouldn't describe anything as "anti-this" or "anti-that" so I choose to describe Mr. Stevens as pro-stupendous music. The recently released album "Avalanche" is a collection of songs and compositions that didn't make Sufjan's critically acclaimed "Illinois" album. Usually, I'm skeptical when an artist puts out an unreleased material or rarities album because that translates to, "This album is full of songs that weren't good enough to be on the last album but I since you like me now, I assume you'll buy any album that I attach my name to... sucker". All that to say, this is not an album in that tradition. It's a great album that can stand up with pride for what it accomplishes; quality music.

LINKS

Send a Message from Samuel L. Jackson: I've always dreamed about having Jules Winnfield call my brother and ask him, nay, TELL HIM to take me to Snakes on a Plane. The internet (did you know they have that on computers now?) has, once again, made my dreams come true.

THOUGHTS

My wife goes to bed fairly early. She's not like my grandpa who goes to bed before the sun goes down but she's in bed a few hours before I get tired. Since she abhors scary movies, I decided to watch one after she went to bed. Around midnight, I put in the movie "The Exorcism of Emily Rose" and started watching what was to become one of the scariest movies I've ever witnessed.

The movie is about an actual case of supposed demon possessing that happened in Germany (the movie took place in America, though). A girl goes off to college and, instead of adding a few pounds, gets possessed by a demon. The story develops a case that wants to sway you to believe in one of two causes for the "possession. First, there is a case built upon different medical professionals and lawyers that want you to believe that Emily Rose was not possessed but had severe medical problems that were ultimately neglected by her priest causing her to die. Then, there's a case built upon the spiritual dynamics of possession in support of the priest who performed the exorcism which lead to Emily Rose's death.

The movie turned out great andhad just as much horror as it did crime drama parts to it. I'drecommend it to anyone. My question, if you want to answer, is do youbelieve in demon possessions today or, through medical discoveries, is our understanding of demon possession archaic and unscientific?

This picture made me laugh. Maybe it'll do the same for you.

Construction Update

2006-07-27T11:37:00.000-07:00

I hear the hammers hitting against aluminum. This could only mean one thing: the foundation walls are going up! Well, I guess it could mean other things. It's possible that, when people hear the sound of aluminum and hammers they think of an angry Bob Vila hitting pop cans. But, that's not very likely.

A bunch of Loucks' boys and guests poured the footing for the church on Monday. Propane is to Hank Hill what concrete is to a Loucks. We know little about life but we know about that beautiful, composite building material wonderfully constructed from a collision of aggregate and a cement binder. Needless to say, though, having a bunch of Loucks' pouring concrete is like having a bunch of chiefs show up to a battle, looking around for the warriors.

On Saturday, I get the priviledge of being a part of Stephen and Stephanie Thorla's wedding. We're having our 4th annual baptism service at LC on Sunday. I haven't checked lately but the last count was 22 people getting baptized. It's going to be a great weekend!

Mario - Live

2006-07-25T13:20:00.000-07:00


I found this video on Google Video. It took alot of time, I'm sure. But, for those of us 80's kids, the time was well spent. God bless you Mario guy.

Craig's List: South Bend

2006-07-22T08:55:00.000-07:00

South Bend now has a Craig's List. All the peasants rejoice!

Thanks Dana!

Facebook Wealth

2006-07-21T09:17:00.000-07:00

Inc.com wrote a piece about America's Coolest Young Entreprenuers under 30 years of age. At number 3 is Mark Zuckerburg, the founder and developer of Facebook. It started with an idea (to connect college students through the country) and became an internet phenomenon. It's reported that Zuckerburg got a $750 million offer to purchase his idea but he's waiting for someone to offer $2 billion. And, to think, it started with just an idea!

Does this count as good buzz?

2006-07-20T15:46:00.000-07:00

The city where I grew up and currently work is in a very competitive, Chicago-land market. The city is struggling economically and culturally. But, it's still home to 20,000 people and people are trying to bring our image up in this side of the world. With that said, I'm not sure if this is the news you want coming from your city...

From KUTV in Salt Lake City, Utah.

From CBS 2 News in Chicago.

From WTVM in Columbus, Georgia.

From KPVI in Idaho Falls, Idaho.

This leaves me with two questions. Is there such a thing as bad publicity? And, why is there so many people with Grateful Dead t-shirts and the "munchies" walking around downtown?

Updating is what I do best!

2006-07-17T20:05:00.000-07:00

It's been a very long time since I've been able to write. Sure, I've been busy but not more than usual. To tell you the truth, I'm just working on some other things that are taking most of my time. What things? Let me update you...

CHURCH

We have lots of cool things going on at LC. First, we're in the middle of a very cool series on Philemon. The series idea was developed by LifeChurch. I haven't spent much time in this letter until recently so it's been a great growing experience for myself as well.

If you're around the church during the day, there's a good chance that you'll hear the sound of hammers and mechanical equipment. We've officially started the construction on the new phase of the building. The other day I was walking the grounds and I thought, "Wow, this is going to be big." I must've said it out loud because someone said, "Oh yeah... one and a half times the size of the current building!" Needless to say, I'm excited about the future. It's great to be a part of a community that believes that people matter. In five years, the church has went from 20 to 200. Praise God.

DOWN ON THE FARM

My wife and I continually remind ourselves that our 20's is a time that is filled with "learning and growing". For instance, the next house we buy, we won't talk ourselves out of the necessity of air conditioning. For a brief moment, I became socially conscience and took a stand; "If most of the world doesn't have AC, then the Loucks' don't need it either." After coming home to a 90 degree house, I changed my tune. Staying strong in social causes have never been my strong suit.

There was nailed-down carpet on our side porch. Now, you have to understand that the only door we use in our home is the side door. It's the only way into the house. But, for some reason, they decided to nail down carpet to the wood. When rain or snow came, the carpet would get soaked and stay that way for days. The other day I finally got around the tearing the carpet off the porch and started repainting the wood to match the house. It's one of the only projects I haven't needed to call Super Ryan (my fix-it-all brother-in-law) on the how-to's and the what if's. I'm pretty much turning into Bob Vila.

Other than that, not much is new. It seems like I'm busier than ever but the list of what I'm actually doing isn't huge. I'm really looking forward to the Fall and the coming back of Fighting Irish and Chicago Bears football. It can't come quick enough!

What's happening?

2006-06-27T12:20:00.000-07:00

One of the great perks of attending a conference at a university (Kentucky Christian University) is that there is WiFi. The conference is going very well. Duffy Robbins is a gifted communicator. The students and myself have really enjoyed hearing him speak. Aaron Shust has done a tremendous job leading us in worship. Again, a very gifted individual. Last night Telecast took the stage. Since I'm a fan, I enjoyed the concert. My students, not so much. Then again, they don't even like Coldplay or U2. They are, what I like to call, dorks. If they had their choice, it'd be Panic at the Disco, Hawthorne Heights, or some band in that same vein. But, oh well, they're dealing. As I look out the window, I see that the Afters just pulled up. I'm assuming the students will like them.

My cellphone broke. I went to bed and it was jim dandy but when I woke up, it wasn't alive. I tried to turn it on but got no sign of life. The battery charger didn't help out either. So, today, I mourn the loss of a great phone. It was my strongest tool in communicating with my wife, my church, and my family. And, for that, I give it my salute and a "atta' boy". Our email at church is down as well. Actually, the whole website is not working. No phone calls, no emails, just me, my thoughts, and this blog. It's a scary world.

Gone for a week!

2006-06-25T03:38:00.000-07:00

I'm getting ready to take our high schoolers at LC to camp. I'll be back in a week. Until then, el capitan...

Congratulations are in order!

2006-06-23T13:28:00.000-07:00

June 23, 2001 : Ryan and Danielle Loucks are married.
June 22, 2002: Ryan and Heather Sebasty are married.

To my sisters and brothers:

I hope you have many, many, many more years of wedded bliss. I'm still honored that I was involved in your weddings. I love you guys.

Which came first, the hippy or Jesus?

2006-06-23T09:37:00.000-07:00

"When you talk, you make Jesus sound like a hippy. Why?"

After a few days at Camp Adventure, waxing all things spiritual with some great middle schoolers, one boy asked me the above question. I've been teaching every weekend for over a year now and no one has ever asked me a question relating Jesus to anything remotely like Jerry Garcia. My demeanor showed that I was perplexed and immediately I went through all of my words from the last few nights to see if I mentioned anything about sex, drugs, or rock and roll. I couldn't think of anything that would associate Jesus with That 70's Show.

After a few seconds, I realized that this young man was associating Christ's message of peace and love with what he knew about the hippy era. He probably heard from his grandparents (yes, if you were at Woodstock, you are now old) that being a hippy was making a statement about peace, love, and liberty. The danger, from what I saw, was that his tone indicating that hippies weren't cool and shouldn't be anything like Jesus. It was almost as if, by talking about peace and love, I was putting Jesus into a class that he didn't belong.

The only thing I could say to him was, "When you talk, you make hippies sound like Jesus. Why?" He laughed and walked away. When did we start believing that Jesus isn't the number one source of love, peace, and hope? If ever there was a love revolution, it was started by God and perfected by Christ.

Immigration Update

2006-06-21T09:08:00.000-07:00

What a day! One day our children will want to hear about how their dad and mom spent a day in Chicago running from the law, helping make their mother an actual resident. In light of this, I shall share with you what I would tell them. Ema and I woke up early at 5:30 AM and caught the early South Shore to Chicago for a trip that would prove to be tiresome yet victorious. Our goals included...

1. Go to Ema's immigration interview so she won't be my favorite little illegal alien.
2. Go to the Romanian Embassy and work on getting Ema's passport (it expired months ago)
3. Go to Moody Bible Institute and drop off some gifts for friends (he's leaving for Romania in a few weeks)

We got to the immigration office 45 minutes early. Being late for important events is a major sin in the Loucks household. If you gave me the option to be an hour early or 3 minutes late I would take the early option every time. So, being early wasn't an incredibly bad thing. The problem was that we were early for an appointment that was running late. After an hour and a half in a waiting room, the immigration lady with bad-itude sent us to the 23rd floor to another waiting room. She tried to call out Anca Loucks but it sounded more like Anca Lou-kes. It was the first time that I've heard my last name pronounced with a Spanish flare. Personally, I enjoyed it. I've always thought that I looked like an albino Spaniard. Upon arriving to the second and very much smaller waiting room, Ema and I encountered a man much like Deputy Dog. His goal was to keep the hallways clear in case any staff member needed to get through for official and important business. This was not a job for this man, it was his mission. My favorite line from him was, "Excuse me Miss but you apparently don't speak English because I've asked you numerous times to stay out of the hallway but you keep on doing it." And, it turns out that the lady was Polish and didn't speak much English.

After a brief 20 minute wait in the confines of the hallway deputy, Ema and I were called into a small room with a nice lady. She asked some questions and wanted to make sure we were legitimately married and gave us the approving signature. Ema smiled for the next 15 minutes. Our first goal had been accomplished without many trials or set backs.

We immediately set off to lunch because I was hungry and when I'm hungry I turn into the Incredibly Hungry Hulk. I've killed small trees in hunger rages before and I don't think Chicago was ready for the total devastation of Hurricane Nate. After Wendy's, I turned back into my normal self and we set off toward the Romanian Embassy. The walk wasn't too bad but I'm still not used to people not smiling at me. I felt like Will Ferrell in Elf. "Hi...(nod and smile)" After that, I'd get mean looks and stares. I ended up only looking at Ema and the sidewalk. In a big city, it must be the way to walk.

When we arrived at the embassy, we found out that they only work for two hours on Tuesday's and Thursday's. I asked Ema why they wouldn't work all day and she replied, "Because they're Romanians and I'm renouncing my Romanian citizenship as soon as I can." We searched for a good reason as to why they wouldn't work all day and the best reason I came up with is that the Romanian bureaucrats forgot about the Chicago embassy and they have no checks and balances. Either that or they're solving crime around the Romanian district of Chicago. To kill two and a half hours of time until they opened, we walked to Filip's office and dropped off some stuff so he can take them to Romania with him. The best way to travel, after all, is with gifts in hand.

After wasting more time around Chicago, we returned to the embassy and got "the process" started. The lady behind the counter gave Ema 13,200 papers to fill out and asked her to go the bottom floor of the John Hancock building to get her pictures taken. Passport pictures in Romania are not the same size as America (2in x 2 in compared to 2.5cm x 3.5 cm) so we had to go a special place to have this special order done. Ema filled out the forms and we went to the office supply place and a frazzled Polish lady told us that the man that takes pictures would be out for another 45 minutes. We'd have to check back then to get any pictures taken. Without another option, we reluctantly said, "alright". After returning to the almost closed embassy, Ema talked with the lady behind the counter and she agreed to wait after hours so that Ema could get her pictures taken and sent to Bucharest to get her passport made. We then returned (this had to be mile 7 for us) to the Polish photo/office shop and the man that takes pictures had not returned yet and it wasn't looking likely that he would in good time. Problem! Solution! We went to a Walgreens and asked if they would be able to take the pictures in the desired size and they said, "no". Problem still!

At this time, the embassy should've been closed. Ema and I went back to the 11th floor and talked with the lady. There happened to be an angry Romanian man yelling at the lady behind the counter. If you would ask a Romanian in that room, they would say that the man and woman were "discussing", but to me it was angry shouts of "sh's" and "u's". The lady behind the counter told Ema that she could go to Walgreens and have them take the picture from a further distance. This plan worked and the pictures were a success... but the coolest and possibly most bizarre part of all of this was that Ema ran into a girl that we went to college with at Walgreens (Jen McDonald for all of you Bethel people). We got through the embassy issues and made our way back to the train.

There are other things that happened like visiting a big bean in Millennium Park, getting sucked in by every person handing out a sheet of useless paper, and wondering why Trump's building is taking so long to build. But, I haven't figured out how to add these story lines and make myself a hero in them all. After all, if I'm going to tell my children this story one day, they need to know the true events on how their fugitive mom and the man who loved her made themselves legal.

Immigration

2006-06-20T09:09:00.000-07:00

Ema and I will be in Chicago most of the day dealing with immigration issues. To be honest, we're not looking forward to our trip. Between the mean people at the federal building (license brachers multiplied by five) and the Romanian consulate (federal building multiplied by twenty), we'll get back on the train to come home dazed and likely confused. But, that's what it takes I guess.

Last week was a great week at camp and I'm hoping to blog more about that at a later time. Until then...