revision for flyer

office intruders

i don’t like it when people just barge into my office and annoy me.

…especially today.  however, my office is starbucks and the people barging in are extremely loud & obnoxious paying customers.  therefore, i guess i don’t have much say in the matter.

oh well.  i just felt like ranting.

the year that’s been and 2010

happy new year!

i know we say and hear that each year but i am really hoping that each of you have a great 2010.  i can’t even explain how good 2009 was for me.  sure, it had its share of downs but overall it was the best year of my life.  i actually fulfilled a few of my resolutions from last year too.

-our first baby boy, Carson, was born on september 10.  he is, without a doubt, the most amazing little boy who is already guilty of growing up way too quick.  by far, this is the best thing about marriage….starting a family is great!

-our first home – we began the home building process in febuary and moved into our new home in the end of july.  we had just enough time to prepare the nursery and get settled by the time Carson arrived.  we love our house, our neighborhood, our neighbors.  this is what we’ve been wanting for a long time.  who knows how long we will stay here but we are happy to have a “home.”

-our new church home – we started of 2009 trying to find a church.  we knew what we were looking for…authentic community with authentic people serving the real God.  after months of “shopping” we found our fit at an amazing church in the medical center of houston.  it’s right by the hospital where becca works and we knew a couple of people that already went there.  we love it.  i’m really looking forward to growing with these guys in 2010.

there’s still a lot to accomplish for 2010, but i’m so ready.  i’ll start by trying to post blogs a little more often.  i have said that for the past two years and it always seems to get put on the back burner…we will hope not this year.

happy new year guys!  i hope you have a prosperous and faith-filled 2010.

is this normal?

i’m not the kind of guy who snaps very many pictures.  i don’t have the attention span or patience to just sit and take ‘em.  but, since carson has been born, i can’t put the camera down.  it’s almost like i follow this guy around, nikon in my hand, fiddling with the settings waiting for the next great shot.  i am a photo addict when it comes to my now-growing family.

and thanks to social media technology, i have a virtual gallery…so i apologize, in advance, for the ridiculous amounts of pictures you are likely to see on this blog.  hopefully you won’t get too tired of seeing this cool guy’s face.

now if i could just put the camera down and actually type some blogs, that would be good too.  i’ll try.

Carson Reid Doleman is here!

9lb 6oz
22in long
probably the most easy going baby i’ve ever seen!
-more pictures under photo tab at the top of the page

musical genius

david crowder never ceases to amaze me.  he’s like a musical einstein.  seriously.  maybe the power is in the beard…

houston’s just not as hardcore

last weekend i hung out with my brother tyler quite a bit.  one day while running some errands we decided to eat lunch at freebirds.  only this freebirds was a little different from what i am used to.  keep in mind that i have spent over 2 years in austin so i am famiar and quite at home amongst grunginess, tattoos, long hair, skater jeans, v-neck shirts, street-side beggars, very indie musicians, you know…austin.

so when we walk in the doors of this houston freebirds, imagine my curiosity when i see a multitude of clean cut, preppy guys and tattoo-free girls.  it was a little surreal.  i felt like i was in abercrombie not freebirds.  they even came to our table and refilled our drinks.  ”did that just happen?”

maybe austin has roughened me up a little.

zoolander christianity

 

the look: "le tigre"

first off, if you haven’t seen the movie zoolander you are missing out. you have my permission to drop everything right now and speed to your nearest redbox to rent a copy of it. ok, it may not be at the redbox anymore but just find a copy and watch it expecting great things and you will be glad you did.

the movie plot is simple. a fashionable, cool, somewhat naive model (derek zoolander – played by ben stiller) rules the media world until, all of a sudden, someone new and better comes along. he falls to the wayside because he has lost his freshness and and becomes second to “hansel.” “he’s so hot right now. hansel.” the movie is about derek reclaiming himself, making friends with his enemies, rediscovering his passion, and oh yeah…preventing an assassination at a fashion show despite being hypnotized. now, THAT sounds like quality entertainment right?

the thing about derek zoolander that people begin to notice is that he only has 1 pose, 1 look. that’s it. regardless of what he’s advertising, he has 1 facial expression. and it works for a while. but, in time, grows old. and he’s completely oblivious to it.

 

this is begging for a spiritual application so…deep breath…here goes:

how much of a gut check is this for us who have grown complacent in our faith? those of us who have our “1 look” down? we can strike our pose at the drop of a hat and most people will totally buy it. we can flash our cheesy grin or loudly speak our christianeese and we, naively, convince ourself that we are on top of the world.

usually, something bad has to happen to make us realize that we, indeed, are not on top of the world and the only person we were fooling is ourself. upon this realization you hit rock bottom, and believe me when i say that it hurts. make sure that you are not so stuck on looking like a christian that you completely miss being a lover of God. that doesn’t mean that you will always be happy. it surely doesn’t mean you will always be popular or have everything you want. but it does mean that when people look at you, they won’t just see 1 cheesy face. instead they will look at you and, hopefully see some resemblance to Christ.

 

 

oh, and for your information: derek zoolander did make a huge difference in the world. he founded “the derek zoollander center for kids who can’t read good and want to learn to do other stuff good too.”

blogging explosion

i have SO MUCH i want to blog about. i keep an ongoing list on my iphone of blog topics and ideas. i will work on getting some of them up within the next couple of days. i may just write a bunch tonight and set them to post daily. who knows? just rest assured that i have lots to say on here.

god loves a cheerful shiver

so many times i think, “how can i call myself faithful and still be scared of the uncertain?” i mean, if i’m faithful doesn’t that mean that i’m totally at ease with knowing that God’s controlling it all? you read the bible and see instruction to “fear not” and remember that God never leaves us but that, somehow, doesn’t seem to stop me from being a little apprehensive or nervous about the unknown.

i think God may get a little kick out of our jittery faith. maybe you can relate. it looks like this, “hey God, i know you are in control but i was kinda wondering how you are going to be working through all this stuff.” you may be there. i know i find myself shivering from time to time. i don’t think this is a lack of faith. instead it may be the ultimate display of faith. not knowing what may happen but knowing where you find your reliance.

so, take a deep breath, calm yourself, and KNOW that it’s really all good.