the searbys

I loved trick-o-treating as a kid. I remember walking the streets of Bellflower with my friends and after we had begged at the doorstep of every house, we would go back to my friend Chrystal's house and sort our candy. We would sit in the living room with the candy all over the floor and make trades so we all ended up with what we liked the best. When I had what I wanted I ran home so I could go with my family to Saybrook....for more trick-o-treating! We would stop at friends' & relatives' houses, but most important was the stop at Grandma Bridgwater's house. We knew what would await us....the famous popcorn balls. The last stop of the night was at the old highschool in Saybrook where they had the annual costume contest. Jake won one year as a "Pillow-Person." I can't remember if I ever won anything.

Anyways, Halloween has always been fun. But tonight? We're doing absolutely nothing. Its kind of nice not to have anything to do. We celebrated last night with some friends. We ate lots of junk food and played games....not too Halloweenish but it was fun!

Here are Joel, Matt, & Kevin finishing up supper and getting geared up for games.......

And, this is Ashley (in the velvet shirt she promised her grandma she would wear!), Kelly, and me solving the Cranium clue.....

What are your Halloween Memories?

We found out yesterday one of those truths about being at a small church. If too many people get sick AND take vacation on the same weekend, the church feels empty! We had exactly half the amount of people that we had last week, all due to sickness and people being out of town. I guess it's better than everyone being gone because they don't like my preaching! But the day was a great one nonetheless.

On Saturday we went to Devil's Millhopper State Geological site which is a giant sinkhole. It has waterfalls cascading into it and a nature trail around the rim. There's also a boardwalk that has steps (lots of them) down into the sinkhole so that you can go to the bottom and enjoy the waterfalls. Then we went to San Felasco state park and hiked a while on their nature trails. They have a lot longer trails available for horseback riding and biking as well. It was really great to just be out in God's creation and be quiet together. We didn't realize how much we missed being outside until we got out there and just felt so peaceful and relaxed. It was really nice.

Hope everyone has a great week. The time change is nice. It's actually light outside now when I open the coffee shop. At least I can see the customer's faces!
-joel

This morning's ride to work was quite chilly. I know I'm from Illinois but when the air temperature is 40 and you're going 40mph the windchill is pretty bad. But, as we know, chilly mornings turn to beautiful days when you live in Florida and it is indeed a beautiful day. Jen and I have had to laugh at the number of people we've been seeing with parkas, hats, gloves and even scarves walking on the street. On a scooter, ok, but walking on the street in the middle of a 50 degree day! It is hilarious. Lots of people buying hot coffee these days too. Too bad I don't get commission!
-joel

"Sometimes you eat steak with hot, fresh garlic mashed potatoes in a beautiful restuarant with great service. Sometimes you eat a warm hotdog on a stale bun by yourself at work."
-joel

I hope you're having a "steak" kind of day.

As I write this hurricane Wilma is bearing down on our state. It's raining here in Gainesville but not windy yet although they're saying it will be in a little bit. When we saw the projected path of the storm we thought of our friends at New Missions Systems in Fort Myers. We decided to call down there and offer our apartment for anyone who needed to evacuate. It just so happened that Miosh Rock and his family were looking for a place. Miosh is a graduate of Lincoln Christian Seminary, where we met him because he was in the coffee shop a lot. His wife's name is Rosie and they have two beautiful kids, Darcy (4) and Meoli (2). They're going to be with us a few days and its been great getting to know them. They will be moving back to Haiti, their home, in a month or so to continue in their ministry there. Rosie is going to cook us a Haitian meal tonight. We're excited about that!

Yesterday at church was a great day. We had lots of visitors again and many are return visitors now. I hope that we can help them feel connected and help them to become part of the community at Harvest. It is a mystery to me why people gravitate toward one church or another but I do believe that even in her imperfections the church, or rather the Christian community, is the place to find the deepest, fullest sense of true family and belonging because of what's at the center. If God is real, Jesus is the human expression of that reality and the Spirit is working among us (and I believe this is true) then there can be no more fulfilling existence than one with God, in community. That's what I see as the truth about church. I hope we can create a place at Harvest that is welcoming and open in such a way that it invites people to come and be a part of the journey with God.

Well, those are my thoughts early on this hurricane morn. I hope you have a great week and as always, stay in touch.
Grace and Peace be yours today.
-joel

I came into work early this morning because last night they set off "roach bombs" trying to kill our roach problem. Ok, it sounds gross but it's not really since we're a coffee shop and they don't bother the coffee. It's just a nuisance. But, there was a thin film of "bomb dust" on everything so I had to wipe it all down and get out everything that had been put away to protect it. Why does Florida have so many bugs! It seems like we're the exterminators capital of the world. In our church alone we have a professor of entymology who is world renowned, married to a guy who works for the state department that oversees insect stuff and one of our elders is in charge of pest control for the entire university. He's a fanatic about bugs. I've never seen someone get so excited about termites! It's so fun to watch because you see how amazing God is in that he made each one of us so unique to fill such unique roles in life. It encourages me to really be myself and remember that God designed me to be just how I am. I hope it encourages you too. Have a great weekend.
-joel

Last night as we drove home I saw the ever-dreaded flashing lights in my rear view mirror. I had no idea what I could have possibly done to deserve getting pulled over. Yet, I was told I was speeding (it was an area I wasn't sure of, honestly.) But, instead of ticketing me for that the officer gave me a ticket for having a "tag light" out. Do you know what a "tag light" is? I didn't. Then I remembered, liscense plates down here are called "tags." Sure enough, it was out but he could have given me a warning at least. Nope, $77.50. I was not happy but Jen thought it was funny for some reason and was laughing so that made it light-hearted. Well, I guess I couldn't live in Florida forever without some kind of law-breaking!

We actually "prepared" for the hurricane last night. It's not likely we'll get much more than rain and a bit of wind but if the storm turns north enough, we could get drilled and lose power. We've also opened up our home to people from New Missions Systems in Fort Myers where the hurricane is expected to make significant impact. So we'll let you all know how that turns out.

We've got a busy weekend ahead so keep us in your prayers. We always love hearing from you all so drop us an e-mail, call, or post a comment!
-joel

I said goodbye to my faithful old car this evening. I bought my baby-blue camaro in '99 while I was at LCC. I thought I was cool. I rode with the T-tops off mostly because the air conditioning never worked, but also because it made the car even more cool. Well, my "cool" days are over. My boss's son loves camaros. He already has two and this one makes 3. My girl sure looked at home next to the other two red camaros. This kid is a mechanic and can do all the work himself, something we were never going to be able to do. Joel is a preacher & certainly not a mechanic. It was sad, yet such a relief to know that I won't have to put another dime into that silly thing.

To top off the evening, we were invited in at my boss's house. We talked and laughed and had a great time getting to know her and her husband a little better. They are really great people and they have horses which makes Joel really excited. They invited him to come out and ride anytime!

Now I drive the ol' Buick and Joel has the scooter and we live in Florida with our cat, Jack, and who knows what God will do with us next.
-Jen

Ok, you've all been asking for them. Here they are, the scooter pictures. Some info about the scooter for those interested: Its an Eton Beamer Matrix. Eton is a company that makes engine parts for Ford and Chrysler and has decided to start making small engine stuff. So, they've not been around long in the scooter business but they know what they're doing. It has a top speed of about 43mph with me on it, probably faster with Jen. I clocked about 50 though today on a downhill. Basically its going to get me to and from work and running errands. I'm loving it so far. Its amazing all the things you see when you're riding instead of inside a car. One great feature of this scooter is the "trunk." It has lots of storage and I can fit my whole backpack (thanks mom) in there! You can see it well in the second picture.

Today I had my first miracle. Settle down worriers, it wasn't dangerous. I looked into my blindspot to change lanes on a busy street and my $300 sunglasses went flying off. The price of the sunglasses is a long story related to me having some money when I was 19 and being stupid but the point is, I thought they were going to get crushed for sure. I doubled back and looked all over, not finding them. I actually prayed to God asking Him to help me find them, not really being sure if He was into that sort of stuff. Not only did I find them, they were sitting right on the yellow dotted lines where no one was driving without a scratch. Thank you God, or something. It was amazing. Did I mention they are prescription lenses and I don't see real well without them? Yeah.

On another note, Jen and I had a delicious dinner of fish on the grill, rice and lima beans. Thanks Deena for the great fish grilling grate! Hope you all are having a great start to the week!
-joel

As I drove to work this morning (on my new scooter!!!) I was cold. I guess you don't think about all that wind until you're riding in it. So, I'll have to layer a bit more tomorrow. But it is really a beautiful way to get around. You can see and hear and smell everything just a little better than in a car. The moon was full and bright this morning and lighting up the western sky.

We had a great worship service yesterday at Harvest. We continue to have many visitors each week and its exciting to see how God is working at Harvest right now. After several months of turmoil and difficult times, I think we're really moving in a good direction, healing and getting excited about what Harvest can be.

I'll post some pictures later today of the scooter so ya'll can see this big goon on his new toy! Hope you have a great day!
-joel

It was the busiest day I've had in the coffee shop since I've worked here. In my first hour we brought in $115.00. An average hour is $55.00. And on Saturday mornings I'm by myself so it was a little overwhelming. But, now its quiet and I can breathe. I hope that Jen's morning was not as crazy as mine.

It's beautiful here in Gainesville today. I think fall is finally arriving. We're going to go get our scooter today!! I am really excited about it and most excited about the 90 miles per gallon. Who cares if it only holds one gallon of gas, I can drive to work and back for two weeks! It'll probably take some getting used to but I'll be careful (that's for all the moms and grandmas out there!) We'll post some pictures once we get it.

Hope you're enjoying a beautiful Saturday wherever you are. Have a great weekend!
-joel

As I walked out the door this morning I felt some cool air for the first time. Could it be that maybe the extreme humidity and heat has broken? Of course, it'll never totally break and we don't want it to because, as we've said before, we'll be in shorts while our friends and family in Illinois are freezing their little tushes. But, it was kind of refreshing this morning to think that maybe I don't have to sweat every day anymore!

We have sold our Camaro. We've been trying for a while and it turns out that Jen's boss' son is a "collector." He is really excited about it and we feel good about giving him a bit of a deal because 1) the car's not in that great of shape, 2) it will need work to get it to "collectible" status, and 3) he wants it and we do love the car and want to see it go to someone who'll take care of it. So, we'll probably finally get me a scooter this weekend! Can't you all see it, the big, goofy 6'5" midwesterner buzzing around on a little scooter. When people are laughing at me I'll just remember that my scooter gets 90 miles per gallon while they get 12 in their big SUV. I can live with that.

We're going to start a new sermon series this sunday that will last five weeks. It is based on the book of James. James talks a lot about practical Christian living so we are focusing on the idea that as Christians, people are always observing us, wondering if we are hypocrits (a major beef for many people against the church), seeing if they'd want to be part of something like that. We're calling it, "Lights, Camera...Life" and talking about how our lives are not a show, but are watched closely. I'm pretty excited about it. We're going to try to engage all the senses by using some props on stage, having the drama team do a skit one week, using movie clips and that sort of thing. Of course, the heart of the message is always in the text itself so we will try our best to let it speak and not distract from it. There's always that fine line, to me, of reinforcing a biblical text or using it to create a spectacle. I hope that what we're doing will always stay focused on the central message.

Hope everyone is well. We always enjoy hearing from you so either post or send us an e-mail.
-joel

Yep, I've been spending the weekend without my lovely wife. Jen has been in Illinois at a friends wedding and its been strange being here all alone. My whole routine has been off and I'm a creature of some habit. In some ways its nice to have some alone time but in most ways, I don't like it. You grow to love and depend upon someone and you want them there. I'll be glad when she gets home.

Yesterday after church and lunch I came home, crashed on the couch and turned on golf. Growing up there were lots and lots of Sundays that my dad and I would do the same thing. I never quite understood it but I always liked it. There we'd sit in our white undershirts leftover from church and the most comfortable shorts or sweats we could find. It was usually just kind of a nice background sound for naps. Now I'm starting to understand a bit more. Sunday mornings are draining when you're a minister. For one, you've prepared all week for the sermon and when its over you feel a sense of relief. Plus, you greet everyone you see and spend a few moments with them, hearing about their week, sharing yours, just generally interacting. But the minister is expected to remember everyone's week. It's a lot of pressure. Then you eat lunch with someone in church and it often turns theological or at least to discussions about ministry. By the time you get home a nap is certainly in order. So, that's what I did yesterday, before waking up and heading back to church last night for a prayer time. It was a great day at Harvest yesterday and I continue to be excited about that opportunity that God has placed before us.

I hope you're well and always enjoy hearing from any and all of you. Have a great week!
-joel

As many of you know, I'm all alone this weekend since Jen is in Illinois for a friend's wedding. I'm sure I'll find things to do but last night I sure was bored. It is so true that you appreciate things when you don't have them. Our nightly chats after work, dinner together, watching a TV show, picking up the house. So, I guess I'm saying to those married men out there, appreciate your wife for the little things that she brings to your life every day.

Many people at the coffee shop now know that I am a "preacher." I don't tell them, they ask questions like, "are you a preacher?" It's so strange how they seem to know or something. I wrestle with how much to talk about faith and church here at work. I don't want people to feel like every time they get their coffee they have to have a spiritual or theological discussion. However, I want them to know that I am always myself and can't ignore that, nor would I want to. Many of them have actually asked what time the church service is and pledged they'll show up some week. No one has yet but I'm hopeful. I just try to be the same person at work as I am at church, home, eating out, at a football game, wherever. I don't have to hide who I am, nor do I feel the need to broadcast it so everyone knows. I guess I just believe that if I'm deeply in love with God and the mission of Jesus to bring wholeness and healing to people through love, I'll want to live it out. If I am committed to that, I'll be reading scripture, praying, meditating, serving, and loving as a natural overflow of my being. I won't need to think so critically about it. That's my prayer. I hope that my life speaks the love of Jesus to everyone I meet.

Didn't mean to get all deep on you this morning, I just wanted to share my heart. Hope you're all well.
-joel

That's right, for the first time since I've worked at Coffee Culture I overslept. Wouldn't you know it, it happened while Jen was gone. Not that she ever wakes me up (if you know her you know that 5:00 in the morning is not her functional hour) but I think the change just threw me off. I did manage to get the shop open by 6:45, only 45 minutes late but I'm sure there were my four or so regulars that were not happy when they arrived before then. For now, back to work. It's another rainy, cloudy day here today and is forecast that way for a few more. Hope yours is sunny!
-joel

As I sit and watch the rain this gray morning I think of Illinois. My friends there say its getting cool. Nights are especially crisp, they say. Here in Gainesville its still hot and humid. The heat has broken a bit, not in the high 90's anymore, but it still gets pretty dang hot by afternoon. Jen gets to go back to Illinois this weekend and enjoy that early fall air.

Last night we went to "Chocolate Night" at Sweet Dreams, the only local ice cream place. There are all the usual chains, Coldstone, Marble Slab, etc but they can't even touch Sweet Dreams. The owner makes ALL of the ice cream homemade on sight. They usually have all kinds of crazy flavors along with the usuals. Once every couple months they have a chocolate night when they have only chocolate ice creams and special events. Last night we went with some friends from church. They had 30 flavors, all with chocolate. Jen and I tried the chocolate hazelnut, chocolate peanut butter, chocolate with 'dulce de leche' (a latin american sweet), and chocolate espresso. They had other flavors like chocolate Jack Daniels fudge, chocolate cherry amaretto, Mayan Mexican chocolate, chocolate cookie bar, and many others. They had live music which was wonderful, a jazz-folk singer with a Norah Jones sound. Then later in the night they were showing a movie, chocolate themed of course. Pretty cool thing if you ask me, even though I'm not a big chocolate fan. Jen, however, was quite pumped.

Yesterday afternoon we went to the Art Show at Thornebrook. It is a yearly show that is held at this shopping complex called Thornebrook. The complex is full of specialty shops like gourmet foods, a couple restaurants, jewelry stores, art stores, clothing boutiques, a gourmet candy store and stuff like that. There were probably 50 or more artists with booths set up. They were all Florida artists, mostly from this area. Just about every medium was present from all types of paints to photography, pottery, woodworking and scultpure. It's great to live in a college town with lots of neat stuff like that!

Hope you're all doing well!
-joel