Blah, blah, blog

RIP Jackson

2011-10-29T23:23:00.000-07:00

Whew! Ever have one of those days that ends waaaaay different than you thought it would?

Our lovable little furball of will and energy is no longer with us. He was hit by a car around noon on Saturday. He was gone mere moments after impact. Less than an hour and a half later he was wrapped in his favorite blankets and buried with his favorite stuffed toy as we had a graveside memorial in our backyard. [Attn: City Officials... not really. This is all just a big metaphor.] We still kept our plans to celebrate Cindy's birthday, but there was a palpable fog in our day.

As expected, tears were shed and hugs were in great demand.

Lucas' questions and observations were wrenching:
"We should pray for him to be alive."
"Can I blow in his ear to make sure he's dead?"
"I'm all done crying now."
"Dad, today is kind of weird huh?"
And many, many more.

Then there was the indelible image of Ethan's face when he heard the news. He went from mouth-agape shock to a silent cry of (what may be the first time for him) legitimate heartbreak.

If you are the praying type, we'd sure appreciate them! If not, we'll take your good thoughts. Our heart for the boys is that in a very real and tangible way, they would experience the love and comfort of Jesus Christ. And that God would draw them to Him. We shared with them God's promise that:

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Psalm 34:18

We believe this to be true, and that God is faithful to word.

I'm not sure this is doctrinally Biblical, but I like to think Jackson is in whatever doggie heaven all dogs who love Jesus go to and he is having a blast running around with all his new best dog friends and peeing on every tree he sees.

The Los Garcias are really going to miss him, but we are really, really grateful we got to play with him for a while.

Happy Birthday Cindy

2011-10-29T08:57:00.000-07:00

Dear Lord Jesus,
I want to thank You for my smokin' hot wife Cindy Garcia. Thank you for the way she continues to reflect Your kindness, grace and forgiveness. I am honored that she has let You knit our hearts together. Thanks for the way she gently reminds me that we need a date! And I really appreciate the way she faithfully loves and serves our family. She is pretty awesome Lord, thanks for making her! Please give her a great birthday!
--Sincerely, Joe Garcia

Care package items

2011-04-26T23:25:00.000-07:00

Here is an updated list of items that our friends have requested:

School Supplies
-Glue dots (found in craft stores)

Toiletries:

-Q-tips cotton swabs
-deodorant (Secret invisible solid Jasmine Orient; Speedstick solid)

-Advil, Tylenol PM, Adult cough medicine (Robitussin), children's cough medicine (Robitussin)
-chewable vitamin c

Recreational

-board games (Battleship, Sorry!, etc...)
-party plastic ware (dollar store forks, spoons)
-ear phones for running (the kind that have a "hook" that fits over your ear)
-any fun wholesome family tv shows, recent or old (we've watched Andy Griffith) [we have received Little House on the Prairie--Joe]
-"Bang" it's a card game we like but we don't have it in English

Clothing

-carpenter jeans size 8/9?
-swim trunks for 4T and boys' 8/9?

American foods
-Starbucks decaf Verona (whole bean)
-Starbucks coffee from Costco (whole bean)
-cheesecloth

-Cheddar Jalepeño Cheetos (crunchy) <==== NEED!!!

Heading west to the Far East

2011-03-31T17:39:00.000-07:00

[The wording of this post is intentionally vague. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us! We are more than happy to answer any inquiries.]

Dear friends and family,

We are very excited to share some very exciting news. The Garcias have a great opportunity to go to Central Asia this spring. Why Central Asia you ask? Well, it’s like this:

About six years ago our very dear friends left the comforts of their life here in America for the strange new land of Central Asia. They felt called to serve an indigenous people group who happen to live under the rule of a foreign government. Our friends are living their new life in a strange land so that the people of Central Asia might live with a new hope.

And for a couple of weeks this May, the Garcias will join them in their mission. After visiting the capital city for a few days, we are going to visit our friends and their kids with the goal of serving and encouraging them. We will bring them supplies and goods. We will offer our help with their new business. We will teach a co-op class with other international kids and their families. And we will also meet with the local indigenous people and share with them a message of hope and good news.

Would you prayerfully consider supporting us as we journey to Central Asia? Here are some ways you might consider:

Prayer for our family as we journey to Central Asia and back (13 hours to Central Asia= some pretty tired Garcias). Pray that we will remain in good health as we travel. Pray for our kids (and us) to welcome new experiences and cultures with glad hearts. Pray that Jesus would work through (and in spite of?) the Garcias to share with love and humility the good news of His Gospel.

Donating supplies needed for our friends. We have been given a list of hard to get items. If you are interested in graciously providing specific requests, feel free to contact us by May 1, 2011.

Thanks for your support. God bless you heaps!

Joe, Cindy, Ethan, and Lucas Garcia

Ethan sez

2010-09-20T23:44:00.000-07:00

The following was written to Lucas from big brother Ethan on his homemade birthday card:

"Dear Lucas,
You are the best brother enyone could ever have in his life.
You are very kind. I like the silly games you make.
Life coud not be the same without you. You are very fun.
I like you very much. I like that you beleve Jesus. Have fun turnig nine[?].

P.S. have fun with your present.
Ethan Garcia"

2010-06-27T15:40:00.000-07:00

Mt Hermon home

2010-06-27T09:19:00.000-07:00

Cindy Sez

2010-06-09T20:37:00.000-07:00

Cindy:

"Why is Ethan so dramatic?"

Cindy 30 minutes earlier (to Ethan):

"You will never be allowed in the front yard again! EVER!!!"

Cindy sez:

2010-04-14T19:16:00.000-07:00

"I'm Mexican now, but I wasn't until I married your dad."

My 3 favorite Birthday Presents

2010-03-07T14:14:00.001-08:00

1. My Wife Cindy

Look at this woman. She had pneumonia all week, but she still managed to make it out of the house and join the boys and I in Santa Cruz. You know how after you've been with a person for a while you just naturally drift apart? I DON'T!!! I've never understood how that happens to people. Even after almost 12 years of marriage, Cindy still fascinates me. It may be because I'm kinda slow. It may be because she's all kinds of awesome. Probably it's a little of both. Either way, I thank God for this beautiful woman. She challenges me, she calls me on my #@&$, she supports me, and laughs at my jokes. And as long as we've been together, whenever I see her, the Holy Spirit still puts these words in my heart..."Hubba hubba!"

Which leads me to...

2. "The Adventures of SuperDad" by Ethan Garcia

This is the first volume of SuperDad's adventures written and drawn by Ethan J. Garcia. It is with great pride that I tell you: I am SuperDad! That's right, I have my very own comic book! In this riveting tale of courage and heroism, SuperDad saves a family from a burning house. The actions of SuperDad reflect almost exactly what I would do in saving people from a fire. Right down to the cape. I am so jazzed to see Ethan explore his gift of storytelling. I hope to see more stories come out of this little guy in the near future.

3. My Rechargeable Battery Station

A wise philosopher once said "Parents just don't understand". I think the Fresh Prince might be right. I'm not sure what it was about her baby turning 39 that screamed "I must get him something so he can finally recharge his batteries!", but clearly now is the time. Sure, it lack the zing of a Blu-Ray player, but it beats a bottle of vitamins. Mostly, the ranking of this gift places so high because of the lady it came from. She raised me as best she could, in a loving and caring environment, and sacrificed a whole lot of dough so I could get edumacated. As I grow older, I find myself more and more confused about some of her decisions. Especially when it comes to gift giving. "Wow... so this Barbecue stove heats meals with newspaper?" or "Really, a 'Baby Can Read' gift set? Um... you know he's 5, right?" But at the end of the day, she loves me and my family. And who doesn't need to recharge their batteries every now and again?

10 Worship songs you won't hear on KLOV or Air 1

2009-08-16T20:37:00.000-07:00

So a friend of mine compiled a list of his favorite worship tunes recently. It's a fine (if not comprehensive) list, but I noticed something. Most of the songs were were written after the late 90's, and I'm pretty sure ALL of them had gotten airtime on the local "positive and encouraging" radio stations. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Anyhoo... I was inspired to put together a list of my own favorite worship tunes that (to my knowledge) have never gotten significant radio play. I should note that I compiled this list while I should have been packing for my vacation last week, so it is by no means comprehensive. Already I've noticed omissions of some great hymns (specifically from Mars Hill's "Rain City Hymnal" but there are others).

Ok, enough blah, blah, blah. Here's the list. What are some of your own favorites?

1. Pray Where You Are- The Lost Dogs
http://www.thelostdogs.com/lyrics/littleredridinghood/praywhereyouare.html

2. Cast Your Cares (Psalm 55:22)- Seeds Family Worship
This has been a favorite here at Casa Garcia recently. I defy you to get this song out of your head.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vc9pEb-Ej7U&feature=channel_page

3. Reveal Yourself- Glenn Kaiser
Little known tune from the lead singer of the Resurrection Band. From "All My Days" a worship disc focusing on small group worship.

4. In Your Eyes- Jeffery Gaines
I couldn't find the original disc from Peter Gabriel. Long been a favorite of mine. Favorite line: "In Your eyes...the resolution of all my fruitless searches".

5. Praise the Lord All Nations- Ron Kenoly
You know when Solomon completed the temple and they all started singing? I imagine it sounded a lot like this.

6. Break Our Hearts- Kevin Prosch
Taken from Joel 2, the opening line "Teach us O Lord what it really means/ to rend our hearts instead of outer things..." and continuing with the chorus "...that we might weep as Jesus wept/a fountain of tears for the wounded and lost/ whoever heard of an army O God/that conquered the earth with weeping and mourning and brokeness?" It's a great call for the church to pray for the lost instead of coming up with shiny new programs for them.

7. Oh Lord, You're Beautiful- Keith Green
Just a great song.

8. Somebody to Love- Resurrection Band
I'm not sure why this is here. I like it though. It's a really good cover.

9. For Crying Out Loud- The 77s
Again, I'm not really sure why this is here. Good song though.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tou-jb8aWXk

10. Breathe Deep- The Lost Dogs
Video is a little cheesy (not endorsed by the band) but the song cuts to the heart of what worship really is, IMO.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnaZlwme8Sw&feature=related

Plus 5 other Jesus-centric songs (also not heard on afore-mentioned stations)

1. Good Boy- Children of the Consuming Fire
No way anybody's heard this song in the last decade. trying to find a link.

2. The Outlaw- Larry Norman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuGcLDv5nvM
Music from the Jesus People times! Like today, there's a lot of thoughts about who Jesus was. Thankfully, Jesus Himself had some things to say about who He is.

3. Nothing is Beyond You- Rich Mullins
I like this song so much, it doesn't bug me that Amy Grant sings it (Mullins had died before recording it). "Nothing is beyond You, You stand beyond the reach/of our vain imaginations, our misguided pieties..." and then the song procedes to expand on the awsomeness and intimacy of Jesus. Very Psalm-y. I love it!

4. Why Don't You Look into Jesus- Larry Norman
At least 25 years ahead of his time, Larry Norman asks a pretty straight forward question.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TliWDSLrYb8

5. Strength- The Alarm
Hmmm... i'm sure there's a good reason this song is here, but for the life of me I can't figure out what it is. It's got a good beat and you can dance to it. So i think i will! Mullets Rock!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSN4W45rYvo

Movie Review- "Fallen Angel: The Outlaw Larry Norman"

2009-03-06T09:16:00.000-08:00

I first heard of Larry Norman when I was 7. Some well meaning producers used his song "(You've Been) Left Behind" for the Apocalypse movie "Thief in the Night". The whole experience almost literally scared the hell out of me.

When I rediscovered his music in the early '90s, I set aside old grudges and was willing to forgive him. At the time, I found his music fairly refreshing. It was gritty and honest, and most of the time he spoke of hope. His songs, which were almost 20 years old at the time still rang true to the lives of those following Jesus in a fallen, broken world. And they were theologically sound (mostly, except for the whole rapture thing). It was a contrast to most Christian music of that time which was just starting to expand from a musical niche to a full blown industry. His music occasionally wandered into musical propaganda, but at his creative peaks he surpassed the "Christian singer" label and was recognized as a brilliant songwriter and true artist. At least, in my humble opinion.

More than two decades earlier Larry Norman was a true pioneer of Christian music. His songs reached a generation of new Christians who at the time had very few options in terms of music that spoke to them. He died in February of 2008 heart failure.

"Fallen Angel: TOLN" is a movie that examines the life of Larry Norman beyond his music and takes a closer look at his life. My experience of "FA: TOLN" includes a brief Q and A with the filmmaker and also Larry's son.

To the fans of Larry Norman's music this film is probably going to be disappointing, if not down right heartbreaking. In short, it seems Norman had some problems walking the walk and talking the talk. Interviews by friends and fellow musicians (some of which are my all time favorites) give evidence to the fact that Norman could be self centered, manipulative, egotistical, and full of pride. In other words, he was an artist. None of this should come as a shock to anybody who has known anyone that has "artistic leanings". The film also exposes some of the greater sins of a man who professed to be a follower of Jesus and his teachings. These include, but are not limited to: adultery, lying, and stealing. The heartbreaking aspect of "FA: TOLN" indicates that Norman never owned up to any of these, and in fact kept practicing them well into his later years.

The film itself seems to have a definitive agenda. One can get a feel for said agenda in the opening 2 minutes of the film. The problem I have with "FA:TOLN" is that as documentary a film should be objective. Given the nature of the subject, I can understand how difficult that might be. Apparently, Norman's family objected to the making of the film and did not participate. Again, I can understand how difficult that would be to make a film like this completely balanced. But the language of the film's narrative seems to present the film's agenda.

Was Larry Norman a man called by God who lost his way? Was he a crazy man with a gift? Or was he a master manipulator that saw a void that could be filled and used it solely for his own personal gain? Despite the filmmaker's intention to present all three arguments, the film seems to lean heavily to the third. Asked about the use of animation during what could have been some fairly poignant exposition about Randy Stonehill's conversion, the director claimed it was used to "break up" the monotony of talking heads and overused photographs. What gets communicated seemed to be a wink and a nudge to the audience indicating "Can you believe these guys?" The movie also seems to run out of images in the last few minutes, displaying photos that seem to have little to do with the audio that is playing.

In the later moments of "FA: TOLN", there are some heartfelt moments given to Randy Stonehill, Terry Taylor, Mike Roe, and a host of others who give credit to Norman for his accomplishments as an artist and songwriter. It is quite moving to see Stonehill, who was severely wronged by Norman repeatedly, affirm how it was possible for God to use Larry Norman and his songs to communicate the truths of Christ's redeeming work to mankind in spite of Norman's continued deliberate deceptions.

If there were any redeeming qualities of Norman's character, "FA:TOLN" does not introduce us to them. It is a compelling film, one that makes you hope things work out for those involved. The movie also has a killer soundtrack filled with music that holds up decades later. In addition to Norman's music, Randy Stonehill's music is featured prominently. I saw this movie with a friend who had no idea who Larry Norman was, or that there was even a "Jesus People movement". He was inspired to learn more about both. He also made me feel really, really old. For me, the movie is worth seeing. The more people exposed to Norman's music the better.

I give "Fallen Angel: The Outlaw Larry Norman" 2 and 1/2 out of 5 ponchos.

We're flocked.

2009-02-23T23:21:00.000-08:00

One of our neighbors flocked us and asked us to write about our experience. The following is kinda true. Except the fake parts.

Dear Troop #1348,

Today is February 23, 2009. We were flocked!!! It started with a light rustling. Then we were surrounded by the sound of flapping wings. One by one they appeared, each with a knowing look in their eyes. “Hello,” we said.

They did not reply. Rather, they each started bobbing their heads up and down. From out of nowhere we heard the familiar guitar riff of Ritchie Valens’ “La Bamba”. Overcome by the music, we could not help but dance along with our new pink feathered friends. For the next 3 hours we danced, jigged and moon-walked with abandon as the greatest hits of Grand Funk Railroad played on a continuous loop. The booty-shaking was truly a sight to behold.

Then as suddenly as it had started, the music stopped. Without a word, they each looked to the sky, staring into the starry night. We knew their time with us was drawing to a close.

“Must you leave?” we asked. “Surely you can stay a while longer?”

Again, they never spoke. But the flamingo with the hula skirt looked at us as if to say, ”Dear friends. Thank you for your kind offer. We must continue our mission to spread joy to those in need. Perhaps we will meet again. Until then, remember us when you shake it, shake it, shake it like a Polaroid picture. Hey ya!” And with that they were off, flying into the night sky.

“We will never forget,” we whispered, watching their silhouettes as they soared before the full moon. “We will never forget.”

Sincerely,

The Garcias

My Favorite Quote of the Week

2008-11-09T20:10:00.000-08:00

Cindy: "Lucas! Stop hitting me with your sword!!"

Lucas (4 years old) pointing: "This is not a sword Mama. It's a wight saber."

Aaahhh...well that was refreshing!

2008-05-14T22:18:00.000-07:00

Well hello!

Pardon me whilst I stretch out a bit. Whoa, that kind of burns. Aaahhh...that's better.

Whoo, I tell you there's nothing like a 16 month break to get the old blogging muscles back in fighting form. Like so many things, I meant to get to this sooner than later. Oh well. I'm here now, and I got the eye of the tiger! So look out blogosphere, here comes Joe!!!

Some upcoming topics:

- Wow, I've been married for 10 years! In your face world!!!

- I think I accidently crushed a little bit of my son's childhood innocence.

- I think I accidently crushed a little bit of my son's childhood innocence Pt II.

- "Peter", our neighbor kid who won't leave us alone.

- You know, I don't really like Steely Dan.

That's all I can think of right now. Wow, I'm already kind of lightheaded. No matter, I have the will. I have the technology. I have the passion! I. Am. Back!!! And I will not-- oops gotta go, Scrubs is on!

Testing 1,2,3...

2008-01-06T17:08:00.000-08:00

Just seeing if this thing still works.

More Cool Things in 2006

2007-01-14T22:23:00.000-08:00

Another cool thing we did in '06 is visit my brothers. My brother Jeff (the tall guy on the left w/Mrs G, Amy) made it a point to have family over to his house as much as possible. And we were happy to oblige! As you can tell from these pictures, both Jeff and Josh love to hang with their nephews. There's been talk of a mass Garcia family vacation. Maybe we'll go camping, maybe get a cabin up in the snow. Heck, I'd be happy just to crash at Jeff''s and throw up a tent in the back yard. I hope it happens. And God bless the poor souls that are caught up in the wake of the Garcias passing through!

The pictures on the right were taken at my niece's 1st birthday party last summer. Ethan didn't want to get out of the pool, but we had to make him take a break whenever his lips were noticeably blue. Below, Lucas chills with his prima Ally. Aint she a doll? (I think she was getting remnants of her BDay cake washed off)

My 5 Year Old

2006-12-21T20:39:00.000-08:00

My oldest boy is all set to turn 5 tomorrow. And with only a minimal amount of trepidation because, "I don't want my teeth to get loose and fall out". Seems like only last week we brought him home from the hospital. Sooo tiny and sooo wrinkled.

A lot has changed for him since last year. He goes to school now. Last year the sentence "I love my little brother Lucas and his lion" would have been said like this: "I yove my yittle brother Yucas and his wion". This year he is allowed to answer the phone, and does so like this:
"Hello, this is Ethan speaking."

He also asks questions like these:
"Where was God when Jesus was a baby?"
"But why can't I see Grandpa Joe?"
"How come Lucas is done eating?"
"Why did God make it so spiders are born, they live, and they die?" (asked right after he saw "Charlotte's Web")

So he's 5 tomorrow and we love him more now than when we brought him home from the hospital. Even though he's sometimes loud, goofy, and disrespectful. Because he's also incredibly bright, kind, sensitive, with an incredible capacity to love. And he has a great singing voice!

Here's some pics Cindy took of him before his birthday party. We hope to get the little wallflower out of his shell soon.

Cool Things in 2006

2006-12-15T15:11:00.000-08:00

One of the cool things we did last year was pack up the family and head down to the Magic Kingdom. The Los Garcias were joined by our godsons Isaiah & Joshua and also Grandma Susie. It was very, very hot and very, very humid. And we had to put in a new air condtioner on the way down. Tempers were lost, and a few tantrums were thrown, but thankfully the kids did great!

Once we were there we had a really great time. Ethan loved Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters. Isaiah (11 yrs) loved California Screamin'. Joshua (10 yrs) liked riding the Matterhorn. And Lucas literally spent 45 minutes splashing around the creek in Redwood Creek Trail Challange. Both Garcia boys went "Ice Cream Man" crazy whenever a train or monorail went by. We all had heaps of fun at Buzz's Astro Blasters, which is like one huge submersive video game. As you can see by the top photo, even Grandma got into shooting the snot out of Zurg.

Disneyland is cool.

Los Garcias Christmas Letter

2006-12-15T11:48:00.001-08:00

Hello Family and Friends! Just a quick update from Los Garcias:

We had a fun year traveling. From Disneyland to Folsom, and many other places in between, we had a great time visiting with our friends and family. We camped in cabins, RV’s and even a swanky San Francisco hotel. Joe also visited Minneapolis, MN for the first time.

Ethan is turning 5 next week! He started Jr K this year, where he met his pals George, Noah, and Dillon. His best buddy is little bro Lucas, but he loves playing with Uncle Jake too. His favorite saying these days is “Watch how high I can jump!!”

Lucas turned 2 in Sept. and enjoys playing with Thomas trains and talking. He started a gymnastics class in the summer and loves tumbling and tackling his older brother. Did we mention he loves to talk? He tells the best stories. We are looking forward to the day when we can understand him!

Joe and Cindy celebrated 8 years of marriage this year. Cindy continues to tutor jr high students when she is not creatively and masterfully caring for Ethan and Lucas. Joe is still working at AT&T( formerly SBC). January will mark his 10th year there. Along with Ethan and Lucas, the Los Garcias continue to attend the newly named Mercy Hill Church (brand new name, same great people).

Merry Christmas,
Los Garcias

Thanksgiving memories

2006-11-26T23:21:00.000-08:00

Overall we had a great TG. Cindy once again hit the ball out of the park and created an incredible feast for all of our family. The crowd was made up of mostly her kin, with just a couple of brown folks from my side. The highlight of the day was provided by the oldest of my very own flesh and blood, Ethan.

First a little back story. Now this is entirely my opinion and I may be completely wrong about this, but this is my blog so here it goes. I love Cindy's family. Her parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles are generous and kind, and have given us more than we could have ever expected. But you get more than 2 of them in a room together and I seem to become a conversational ninja, disappearing into the shadows. It's like they can see me out of the corner of their eye but there are brighter (and more familiar) people to focus on, so that's where the chit-chat flows. Throw in a newly engaged brother and his fiancee, and I'd have to sing "Memory" in a cat suit to get any decent conversation.

Cindy had the perfect solution. Everybody at the adult table (the kids were set up in the other room) was given 3 corn kernels. Whenever anyone held up a kernel, they would be given the courtesy of undivided attention as they shared what they were thankful for. And it worked like a charm.

"I'm thankful for"...
- My upcoming vacation
- the love I found in him
- Cousin Selma who the doctors found, does not have cancer
- my grand daughter Amy's pregnancy
- aunt Beth's giant garage where I can park my RV
- that she finally moved in...

All of these and more were shared by the family as I patiently waited for my turn. In the midst of all the thankfulness, Ethan scampered in from the kids table and went directly to the bathroom in the hall. Apparently well within earshot of the adults. Finally it was my turn. I would have my share of the conversation pie. All eyes were on me, so I cleared my throat to begin.

"Well, I really want to--"

"I'M THANKFUL FOR MY FAMILY!!!" came the small voice from the still open bathroom door.

After the collective "Awwwwwww" from the table died down, I started again. "Ahem. Adorable, really. As I was saying--"

"AND I'M THANKFUL THAT WHEN I POOP, MY TUMMY FEELS BETTER!"

The roar from the table was deafening, but he continued undeterred.

"AND...AND...POOPS ARE GOOD TO GET OUT OF OUR BODIES!"

It took a good 10 minutes for the laughter to die down. I felt a lot like Charlie Brown as I sighed to myself "Good grief, even my own son steals my spotlight!"

Anyway, it all worked out ok. Eventually I was able to share and everyone was very kind. We ended the evening by watching "Mission Impossible 3" while nursing our turkey hangover. All in all, a good time.

New name, same great flavor

2006-11-22T00:01:00.000-08:00

So over the past 6 weeks, there have been many things going on here at our local church. We have disassociated ourselves from the Vineyard Organization of Churches. Nothing more than a willingness to agree to disagree and go our separate ways. We will of course, continue to pray for their eternal souls.

So the VCF San Jose is no more...again.

Needless to say, our church is in need of a name. Here are some of my favorite names least likely to make the cut:

-Not Your Father's Vineyard Christian Fellowship of San Jose
-Crystal Cathedral North
-The Gathering
-Turn or Burn Happy Town Fellowship of San Jose (I stole this from Jay Harnden)
-Ted
-Iglesia de Nueva Vida Community Church
-South Hills North

The following are the top 3 names that we are currently praying about. The <...> after the names denote that the words "church", "community", "fellowship", or "Christian" (or any combination thereof) may or may not be used. Here they are:

-Word of Life...
-Mercy Hill...(the Los Garcia's favorite)
-Fountain of Life...
-Christ the Treasure...

What do you think?

Update: It's official now. From here on out we shall be known as Mercy Hill Church!!!
Let us rejoice, everyone!

He was a good idea

2006-09-22T21:38:00.000-07:00

My boy Lucas turned 2 yesterday. Above are a couple of pics from his birthday party. He seemed to enjoy all the family, the pinata, the cake, the bounce house and tons of "Cars" memorabillia (graciously provided by Uncle Jeff). Yes, a fun time was had by all.

Seems like just yesterday (Ethan had just turned 2) when Cindy and I decided we would plan to have another child. Planning a child was an entirely new concept (to me anyway), but after praying about it we went ahead with said plan. About 3 months into the pregnancy I remember looking at my family and thinking, "Waaaiiit a minute!! Is this a good idea?!?" I really liked where we were at. I really loved my wife. I really loved Ethan. A lot. Just being around them filled me with joy. Did I have enough love in me for one more? Turns out I did. Or rather, God gave me more.

So about 6 months ago, I was at the table feeding Lucas. He finished his dinner, got down from his chair, and wanted to sit in my lap so he could finish mine. I remember holding him and thinking, "Wow, he was a good idea!"

Blah, blah, blog...Now with Links!!!

2006-02-26T21:09:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Sami for being a mentor-blogger and showing me how to link cool blogs and websites to 'Blah, blah, blog'. I'm still updating the links section, but I think it's a good start. I still don't know what an RSS feed is, but you know what they say, gotta learn to crawl before you teach an old dog to learn how to hold 2 birds in a bush. Or...something.

I would encourage you to check out 2 links in particular. If you currently play, or have ever dreamed about playing guitar, you need to click on the link for CB Perkins and experience all of the luthier-y goodness that follows. Purchase all of your guitar supplies from them. Now!!

Also, you just have to follow the link to Jodistyle. Our friends Matt and Jodi have introduced the Los Garcias to their truly inspiring artwork. See how color and canvas collide, brilliantly bringing together art and worship.

Ok, that's all for now. Thank you for your support.

If only I had the memory of a 4 yr old

2006-02-13T22:45:00.000-08:00

Off and on for the past year we have been reading "Jimmy's Lost Bug", by Simon Smith to Ethan. It is a very cute book that retells the parable of the Lost Sheep using mice and bugs. Sounds wierd, but it works.

Anyway, Ethan really likes it, and for the past 3 weeks straight we have been reading it at bedtime (his choice). One day, he decides that he is going to 'read' the story to Daddy. And he did. Perfectly.

2 things about this blew me away. The first is that twice in the story, we read about Jimmy's pet bugs. Each one has a name. There are Brian, Jack, Kate, Barry, Harry, Caroline, Tom, Jess, sophie, Caleb, Zoe, Pamela, Mitch, Mark, Sandra, Meagan, Peter, Luke, Graham, Hannah, Susan, Gary, Penny, Rachel, Laura, Loren, Grace, Rebekah, Joshua, Jacob, Joel, Tammy, Robbie, Daniel, Sara, James, Jonathan, Max, Eloise, George, Emma, Sam, and Lester (Spoiler alert: Lester is the one who gets lost). Most of the time, Ethan can tell you each name of each bug.

Also, after the story on the last page, is this passage from Luke 15: 4-6:

Then Jesus told them a story. He said, "Suppose one of you has 100 sheep and loses one of them.
Won't he leave the 99 in the open country? Won't he go and look for the one lost sheep until he
finds it? When he finds it, he will joyfully put it on his shoulders and go home. Then he will call his
friends and neighbors together. He will say 'Be joyful with me. I have found my lost sheep.'"

Ethan has this passage memorized too. I don't want to say he's brilliant, but the kid sure is sharp. I'm very proud of him, but mostly I am convicted that I need to be sharing more of the Scriptures with him.

Happy SuperBowl everyone!!!

2006-02-05T17:21:00.000-08:00

A new entry today so's to appease the masses. Or more accurately, Sami who gently prodded me to post by saying "Get your lazy pneumonia-ridden butt off the couch and update your blog! Jeeze!" I paraphrase, but that was the gist of it.

Like most Americans today, I am watching the Superbowl. By myself. Just like last year. And the year before that. Oh yeah, and the year before that.

Didn't used to be like that. Used to have pals to watch the game with. Then one went off to Illinois to go to get his doctorate where he just "happened" to meet a girl that he ended up dating, marrying, blah, blah, blah... The other pal of mine heard God "call" him to share the Gospel with "unreached" "people" "groups". So he's with his wife and kids huddled in an apartment on the other side of the world, going out only for supplies and to meet with any of the native people who risk their lives if they decide to convert, yadda, yadda.

Noble reasons? Maybe. Still, they could be here at Casa Garcia watching El Bowel Supremo.

Actually, I did get invited to what sounds like a killer SB party today. Planned on going, but then WHAMMO, I go and get pneumonia. I knew I shouldn't have let all those preschoolers borrow my Chapstick. I guess some things you just have to learn the hard way.

Oh well, there's always next year.

Merry Epiphany, everyone!

2006-01-05T22:22:00.000-08:00

Or if you prefer, Feliz dia de Los Reyes.

Today (Jan 6) marks the 12th day of Christmas. The day when we celebrate the day the magi offered their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to Jesus as a boy.

Mexicans like to leave their shoes outside with hay in them for the kings. What's so funny? Quit laughing. My people also like to celebrate by eating a Rosca, a ring shaped cake pastry-thing with a doll representing baby Jesus baked inside. Whoever gets the piece with the Jesus doll gets to throw a party on February 2nd. I said quit laughing.

Anyway, if you think Christmas has become too commercial, then join me in celebrating Epiphany!!

Some perks:
-12 more days of Christmas carols
-free up your hectic holiday schedule. Traffic in airports and on freeways clear out by Jan 6.
-no more being denied time off work because every pagan who has more seniority than you already has Christmas week off
-need more time to get presents? How does 12 days sound?!?
-take advantage of incredible After Christmas (or Pre-Epiphany) sales

Who's with me?!?!
Ok, those last 2 are a bit commercial, aren't they? And that 3rd one...oy.

Seriously though, could one more day to reflect on the miracle and purpose of Christ's birth (His death and resurrection) be a bad thing? And really, what's the point of celebrating Christmas if we have no epiphany?

Happy Birthday Ethan!!!

2005-12-22T01:24:00.000-08:00

It was 4 years ago today. Almost to the hour. Cindy and I had ordered a pizza and finished watching "the Pretender" movie we had taped. Her due date was Jan 11, so we talked about seeing the first "Lord of the Rings" movie the next morning. Slumber soon followed.

Around 1:00-ish a.m., Cindy got up to go to the bathroom. On the way she felt her water break. So she took a shower, got on the computer and wrote out our birth plan (1 epideral, hold the circumcision, etc...), so there would be no mix-ups at the hospital, and finally around 4:00 woke me up. An hour later we left for the hospital, bringing what seemed like half of our belongings with us. Our mothers joined us soon after. Finally, at 8:20am Ethan Joseph was born, all 6lbs 3oz of him.

My first memories of him are a bit hazy. I remember him being put right into Cindy's arms after he was born. I cut the cord, then came up to see Cindy and him. We both just kind of looked at him in awe. The nurses then took him to clean him up, a process he did not seem to care for. When they did, my instinct was to check up on Cindy because not 15 minutes prior, she was making sounds that she had never made before. After observing that she was as good as she could be at that point, I made my way over to my newly diapered son. He was sooo tiny. Also very wrinkled and hairy. I remember looking at him for a good 10 minutes or so before I realized that I could pick him up. I didn't even have to for permission from anyone. He was mine. His eyes were shut and his head was shaped kind of funny, but he was mine!

He came home the next day and as Cindy and I looked at him, we both wondered how we could love someone we just met so much. Less than 48 hours after he was born, we couldn't fathom life without him. Why did we wait so long to have a kid?

Four years later, so much in our lives has changed. Especially in the last few months. But I still have a sense of wonder about my little boy. Admittedly, sometimes that wonder is not initially a positive thing ("You just went to the bathroom 2 min and 32 seconds ago, how could you possibly have to go again?!?"). Still, on his worst days and on my better days he helps keep me humble before God, seeking the answers that are so far beyond me. Which is exactly where I need to be.

Right to the point

2005-12-09T01:17:00.000-08:00

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. --John 1:14

Here's to hoping the Los Garcias see more of Christ's glory in the next few weeks.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

2005-11-24T12:51:00.000-08:00

"Turkey sneeze"
By Ethan, age 3.

I hope it lasts longer than new Coke

2005-11-24T01:29:00.000-08:00

For anyone who cares about these things:

www.thenewatt.com

"I hear church!"

2005-11-24T01:04:00.000-08:00

That was Ethan's response to hearing a portable listening device for the first time. In this case it was my iPod shuffle. I put the ear buds in his ear while Matt Redman's "Blessed Be the Name" was playing. His eyes widened, then he looked up at me and said, "I hear church!" His little head started bobbing up and down and the beat quickly took over his body as he went into a full-on jig (it's a cross between Ed Grimly and Curly from the 3 stooges). The dancing kept him going through the 2nd song "God of Wonders", at which point he started singing the chorus as loud as he could, "You are ho-yee, ho-yee" (he has trouble with L's). It was all very cute.

I just thought it was cool that he associates church with singing, dancing and fun.

Someone should update this here blog!

2005-11-15T23:28:00.000-08:00

Seriously, who can I pay to post something, anything here? Perfectly good space here too.

Things have been somewhat slow here 'round Casa Garcia. I got glasses for the first time. My eyes are still thanking me. The Los Garcia's trekked up to my step-mom's house for the 1st time since my dad died. I finally got around to playing with my iPod (thanks Nat&Ramona), it is muy cool! We had a great Halloween. Oh yeah, my wife hit the big 3-0! She continues to rock!!

I'll probably eloaborate more on this stuff later. Overall though, things are well with us. The winter of 2005 started off crisis-free which is a good thing.

~~~~~~~

2005-10-12T00:15:00.000-07:00

Does anybody know how to type out the word "pinata" so that the ~ goes over the "n"?

There are people who will revoke my Latino permit if continue to violate the "~ Rule".

Blogging is hard work

2005-10-11T23:45:00.000-07:00

Wow! Can't believe it's been almost 2 weeks since my last entry. Didn't realize blogging was such a discipline.

I guess I should start with Lucas' first birthday. It was great! What really got me was that he was really "there". He seemed to really enjoy the classic aspects of most birthday parties. He liked hitting the pinata. He liked when people started singing. He liked the little flame that flickered so invitingly on his cake.

Lucas' 3 favorite presents:
-balloons
-tissue paper from gift bags
-a truck and bus that make lots of noise, rolls about 6 feet then makes more noise

A lot of friends and family showed up. It was good to see everyone under decidedly happier circumstances. My brother Jeff brought his wife and daughter. They also brought my stepmom. Cindy and I were especially touched they made the trek all the way from Folsom.

And I couldn't have been more proud of Ethan. He was a great big brother! He seemed to be genuinely excited to celebrate his little brother's BDay. I say this a lot, but that kid just amazes me sometimes.

It was a very blessed afternoon.

Kids and Birthdays

2005-09-28T00:08:00.000-07:00

We are having my youngest son's 1st birthday this Saturday. My 3 year old (who is a great big brother) is already asking "What time is my birthday going to be?"

Anyone have any suggestions how to keep a 3 yr old from feeling neglected at his little brother's first B-Day party?

Thanks!

Being sick sucks!!!

2005-09-27T23:45:00.000-07:00

So it's been a while since I posted. Got sick something fierce. As noted last week, the Los Garcia clan has been hit hard with various forms of viral infections.

I was the last to go down. Mild fever, runny nose, some kind of throat virus, dry cough, a bout of the runs, and lastly(for the first time in my life) pinkeye. I know what you're thinking but I'm sorry ladies, I'm already spoken for, so I won't be giving out my phone number.

Been feeling better for a couple of days now, as have the kids. Sadly though, my wife is still coughing through the night. Still, she's better than she was last week when her ear drum burst from an ear infection gone horribly wrong. I hate when that happens. My poor wife!

Ooops

2005-09-16T17:49:00.000-07:00

My apologies to those of you who tried to leave comments. I think the problem is fixed. I hope.
Comment your little hearts out.

Thanks for your patience,
Joe

There's no easy way out

2005-09-15T21:30:00.000-07:00

I think it was a week ago today.

My stepmom and I needed to get out of the house, so we took up my brother's invitation to go over to his house. His wife is a pretty good cook, and my brand new niece was there, so it was a no brainer. My youngest brother was there with his fiance too. It was a welcome distraction.

We talked about my dad, the memorial service, who would be speaking at the service, all the stuff we needed to talk about.

Then the conversation changed. I'm not sure who brought it up, but someone put it out there. I'm talking about the wonder that is...the Rocky IV Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. And as soon as it was mentioned, one of us began singing (scatting?) the drum intro to Robert Tepper's masterpiece "There's No Easy Way Out". Suddenly another jumped in with the driving bass hook that carries the listener to the first lyric, "We're not indestructible/Baby baby guess that true..." (you probably know the rest, so I won't write it out here). All while images of angst-ridden Rocky driving his Lambroghini through uptown Philly, remembering his fallen friend/rival Apollo completely threw us back to 1987. Turns out each of us has the R4 soundtrack on a different form of media. Myself, I have it on vinyl. Each of us agreed that not only are there no bad songs on the disc, but each song holds up incredibly well. And we will pass this album on to our children's children.

I should probably mention that it was only the Garcia boys that showed any kind of passion during this part of the conversation. For the most part, our little tangent was met with blank stares from those waiting for a point. We were also the only ones who remembered that "Ya sie byaht! YAH SIE BYAHT!!!" is Russian for "I fight for me. FOR ME!!!"

I've not been particularly close with my brothers. I think all of us want to make it a point for that to change. It was good for me to experience that moment where, for whatever reason, we were all on the same page, excited about the same thing. I look foward to more of those moments.

Sylvester Stallone, bringing brothers together.

Be it ever so humble

2005-09-15T20:57:00.000-07:00

It's been a crazy month or so. The business with my dad had been going on for about a month before I was able to get up there to help. And by help I mean stand around until someone asks for something. I probably felt more useless than I was. At least I hope so...

I was gone all of last week, seeing my dad's last days, being a support for my stepmom, planning for the memorial service. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. It's just that I'm not the type who really, really likes doing stuff. Cat-like in my relaxation am I. So I've been a bit tired lately.

I was more than ready to come home again. Missed my wife, missed my sons fiercely. It was really good to get home and feel like I was home again. Even liked going back to work, because it was a routine I was used to. Actually, I liked going back to work because I get to drive around a lot. Fix some phones. Feeling useful.

Anyway, I still feel really tired. Ususally sleeping isn't a problem for me. Every time I blinked, I used to run the risk of falling asleep. And, I could sleep through most natural disasters. Not so much now.

Also, everyone else has been sick this week. From my 1 yr old son to my 93 yr old grandpa (he lives next door), they've all been leaking through various orifices all week! My poor wife. My poor sons. My poor mom. ugh! I think a big part of me just wants them well so they can take care of me...hmm. But I know I'm still a bit skittish as I watch them all be sick. Just want to be sure they get well again. I'd really like some well people to hang out with.

Well that didn't take long...

2005-09-11T21:53:00.000-07:00

So yesterday was my dad's memorial service. Not too bad. The thing about Mexican, or Latin services is that there are invariably family there that you swear you've never seen before. Yet somehow, they know you.

My dad's family is pretty large. (One family I met were part of a clan in which 13 kids came from the same woman!). Many of them closely resemble my dad. At the wake following the memorial service, there were countless times that I'd see a guy out of the corner of my eye and I'd think "Oh, here comes dad. It's about time!" Simultaneously, the guy would come into focus and the realization that I was at my dad's wake would hit me, and I'd just think, "Dang!"

I was only awake maybe 12 minutes yesterday morning before I found myself neck deep in a family secret and was myself sworn to secrecy. The combination of wanting to focus on the afternoon's service and the "eeww"-factor made it easy not to think about it for most of the day. So on the way home from the wake when I was finally able to tell my wife about it (1- I had spent far too many days apart from her this week, including this one. 2- There are very few secrets I keep from her. And the ones I do keep she knows about. Mostly they're things shared in confidence when people are seeking counsel.), we spent a great deal of time wondering out loud "What?!? How...When...But didn't they..Are you sure? Why?" before finally resolving it was best not to think about it. A task that proved difficult if not impossible. It was soon after that when I thought that the best thing to do was call dad, because if anybody could help put things in perspective it was him. It took a good 2 or 3 minutes before I realized why this wouldn't work out.

This is one thing I will miss most about my dad. I can kind of work most things out on my own. If I can't, I have a pretty good support system around me who can help. But when things are just so far out there that I have no frame of reference for what to do, that's when it time to call dad. He had a way of taking the most bizarre things life threw at me seem manageable. Or he would tell me I was already on the right path, and that I already knew that.

God, I'm going to miss him. Big goofball.

UPDATE: I should mention that the afore-mentioned "secret" had nothing to do with my dad, my stepmom, or anyone in my immediate family. Just a cousin acting independent (and foolishly timed) of the week's events.

My very first blog

2005-02-09T18:00:00.000-08:00

Not much to say just yet. Just wanted to see if this works.