Our drummer John Macelwee and his wife (the ’60s couple) hosted our small group and a bunch of friends for a pumpkin carving party.  It was awesome!  I painted on a sweet handlebar mustache, Heidi went as a Starbuck’s barista, and of course the kids got into it, too!

I love this book by Donald Miller!  He wrote Blue Like Jazz of course, too, but this one’s just as amazing, I think!  Especially on the topic of God’s love for us….I haven’t read anything (besides the Bible) that has moved me more.  Here’s one of my favorite sections (page 110).

…what we really need is God.  What we really need is somebody who loves us so much we don’t worry about death, about our hair thinning, about other drivers pulling in front of us on the road, about whether people are poor or rich, good-looking or ugly, about whether we feel lonely or about whether or not we are wearing clothes.  We need this; we need this so we can love other people purely and not for selfish gain, we need this so we can see everybody as equals, we need this so our relationships can be sincere, we need this so we can lose all self-awareness and find ourselves for the first time, not by realizing some dream, but by being told who we are by the only Being who has the authority to know…

I’ve posted over 100 pictures from our recent retreat; The Ascent, on a new Shutterfly website.  I’m thinking of putting a bunch more photos there, too, from my recent summer tours, family trips, and random moments.  Click the logo below to view…