The Blog Idea

Clean Cars of the Future... for California

I saw an ad for this today on Time.com and got very excited.

Dubbed as the "Zero Emission Sedan of the Future," the Honda FCX Clarity [website] is something I've been hoping to see for a while, but it might be a while longer because they're only being released in Southern California. Dangit.

They have good reason for only letting the residents of Torrance, Santa Monica, and Irvine use it: no other cities have places to refuel the cars.

Here is the ad I saw - "Waterfight"

More videos after the break.

Here is the Kelley Blue Book review of the FCX Clarity

And for more digging and good ads, here are some more Honda FCX Clarity ads.

Mark those calendars for 2009!

I got the job!

I would like to announce a few things on the blog because so much has been up in the air about where we're going, what we're doing, etc. Today, things got solidified and it feels so good.

I got a job at Southwestern Seminary as a production artist [graphic design] and will start January 2nd. I accepted it today [after I turned it down about 10 days ago, long story].

This means we're moving to Fort Worth right before Christmas. We don't know about the living situation just yet, but I'll be looking for houses/apartments in Fort Worth while Kristy and the kids are in Northwest Arkansas [hey Browns!] over Christmas and a little while afterward.

This also means we need to sell the house very, very soon. If you know someone looking for a 4bd/3bt 2,100 sq ft house right in the middle of Lafayette, you just let me know. Also, if you are an able-bodied person who would like to help us clean up and fix it up, we need you pronto. Give me a call or email me.

OK, consider yourself informed and please help us inform others. Hey, it's not gossip if I give you permission, right?

Anniversary

Today, Kristy and I tied the knot 7 years ago... and she's still got it.

Here she is as a cute little girl...

...a foxy lady...

...a faithful mother...

...and a loving sister.

Baby, you do it all. Thank you. Happy Anniversary.

Songs for a Funeral

Every once in a while, I consider what my funeral would be like [don't worry]: what Scripture would be read, what songs could be played, who would give the eulogy?

I don't know about Scripture or speakers, but here are a few songs I'd like to be played at my funeral. Am I crazy or do other people think about this?

Read on for songs and related videos.

"Come To Jesus" by Chris Rice

"I Will Wait For You There" by Phil Wickham

"Daylight" by Brave Saint Saturn
If you get tired of this one, just fast-forward to around the 4:00 [or -1:50] mark. Simply moving.

My Next Inspiration

The cool thing is that these kids are lying on the ground. The artist's name is Jan Von Holleben and his latest work is Dreams of Flying. Very creative and fun.

Just looking at them made me laugh and think of how much fun it would be to shoot pictures like that. Maybe we'll try it sometime. More pictures after the break.

ht: Reformissionary

October's Top 7

Presenting the top Blog Idea posts from the month of October. Courtesy of Google Analytics:

7. Steve Horn and Sean Payton. Both run large South Louisiana organizations [FBC Lafayette and the Saints respectively], and both have the same exact face. Strange.

6. Sixed: Perry Sanders. An interview with a great preacher. The funniest part about this is where Dr. Sanders does the word association with "rap music" near the bottom. Classic.

5. Like, you know, it's Taylor Mali. Still funny, and I've watched it a few times. More videos by comedian Taylor Mali on YouTube.

4. Let's go to the Caperton's house! Don't know why this is #4.

3. My son is an artistic prodigy. When Jed is older and his tire sculpting is in the Museum of Modern Art, I can sell this post on eBay!

2. Alcohol: Should Believers Drink? I've refined this post a little- easier to understand and a little more culturally apt.

1. Triple X Church. A fun video to watch and a great work these guys are doing for freedom in Christ. Their work among the women coming out of porn is awe-inspiring.

Writing Right with a Dragon

My friend Paige Gmaz is a teacher, a really good special ed high school teacher. She's so good that she's helping one of her students get to college. Here's the story and how you can help him go to college.

Paige's Proposal: Writing Right with a Dragon
[same proposal as an event on Facebook]

Right now [as of 10pm on 11/15/07] his need is down to $290.

Paige is going through DonorsChoose.org, an organization that tries to be "a simple way to provide students in need with resources that our public schools often lack." One obvious route is helping great teachers [like Paige] get special funding for their students.

So, take the plunge all you people that read this blog with some extra cash. All you have to do is click the link. You could even give a mere $5 to help Paige out. Think about it.

Seminary-ing at Southwestern

I've spoken with many of you personally about this already, but I wanted to put it there for everyone to know: the Capertons are going to seminary and we've chosen Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth.

It was either going to be Southwestern or Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, and after visiting both, our choice was clear. Here are some highlights from those trips.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SOUTHWESTERN IN FORT WORTH [in order of occurrence]:

1. Aunt Patti and Uncle Lee. I have an uncle I'd never met until this trip and Lee Cooper is his name. It turns out he's a great guy and he loves my dear Aunt Patti very much. I'm excited he's part of the family. I stayed with them while I was there and Aunt Patti's charm and hospitality was so needed.
2. The Admissions Staff. I know it's their job, but these people are just downright hospitable to the core. By the time I left, I felt as though three or four of them were really good friends of mine. Somebody deserves a raise.
3. Lunch with Sean Walker and Tori. Besides Sean's amazing beard, it was good to catch up with Sean and sit in on a class with him. Too bad the class was a tiny bit boring.
4. Meeting Catherine Garner. Joe and Rebekah Garner had me over for dinner one night and I got to meet their daughter Catherine. She is a sweetheart and made an already-excellent dinner a lot of fun.
5. Getting a job interview on the spot. I didn't plan to interview for jobs while there, but it just unfolded for me. It is a position with the seminary doing graphic design, which is something I do on the side.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SOUTHERN IN LOUISVILLE:

1. The Legacy Center. Compared to many hotels I've stayed at, this was a very swanky and very roomy place. Everyone at the front desk was very cool.
2. Sojourn Community Church. After one service [and multiple trips to their website] I am thoroughly impressed with the gospel-centered / community-minded approach to church planting that Daniel Montgomery and the guys at Sojourn have taken. If I was going to Southern, I'd definitely be going here.
3. Saints win three straight! With a win over the hated [at least by me] 49ers, the New Orleans Saints are one game out of first place in their division after an 0-4 start. Good times.
4. Josh and Tracy Mauldin. I stayed my last night with Josh and Tracy and we had a really good time with dinner [asian], dessert [pies], and many late-night laughs. The bed was also very nice, which was an unexpected surprise [foldouts aren't known for their comfort].

In the end, the LORD led me to be wise with what He's given me, and Southwestern was the wise choice for very many reasons. Thank you to all who have prayed.

InCarnation Instant Breakfast

InCarnation Instant Breakfast is possibly the best title of a blog I've ever seen, and it's "the unofficial weblog for new types of missional communities in Canada." Anyone looking for the last frontier in missional church planting can find it blogged here.

Get on their site, give them some love.

No more Vox Church

Over the last year or so, I have undergone one of the most painful and revealing times of my adult life. Our efforts to plant a church have proven only temporarily fruitful. We planted a church, but the church did not survive.

I guess this is what most church planters feel when their efforts do not produce a church that lasts longer than a few months or years. It's difficult to put into words, but one phrase that captures a lot of it is second guessing.

"Is there something wrong with me?"
"Did I really receive a call to plant this church?"
"Is this mostly my fault?"
"Is this what the 'minor' prophets felt like?"
"How in the world does this fit into God's plan?"

The list goes on and on. In fact, I'm thinking about writing a book filled with just the questions that are in my head at this given moment.

I'll leave you with what I wrote at the end of my last newsletter:

Two and a half years ago, two men and their families came to Lafayette with a dream and a calling for a church family. Through heartaches and jubilation, I have journeyed through the process of church planting with no church and fewer friends to show for it. I know the LORD has done great things in the lives of others and has transformed things that I cannot see, but it still seems like such a loss. Even in that "I will rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death." Even though Paul wrote this from prison and I'm far from that, this is one of the hardest things I have walked through. Thank you to all who have walked it with me. I am better because of you. The LORD is glorified because of you.

By the way, could one of you Photoshop-ers make me an image of a nice gravestone with "Vox Church RIP June 1, 2005 - May 9th, 2007" on it? I'd like to post it here, but don't have the means to make it.

UPDATE: Kent Caperton has come through for me. It's a little spooky, but I appreciate it, thanks bro.

My son is an artisitc prodigy

OK, so I know a lot of people think their children are super-talented and super-smart, but when Jedidiah did this

and then said, "Hey Dad, come here, look I made a pig soooooie!" I was pretty amazed. Take a closer look:

And then compare it with the old Arkansas icon [still used in some logos]
Pretty cool.

And for those distrusting souls out there, this was not coaxed. I'm not even a fan of the Razorbacks, he saw the icon on a jersey his Uncle Nate gave him.

Next time you see Jed, ask him to draw a picture, you might get a surprise.

Man sues God, God responds

So, a man sued God to "make a point" but I don't think he guessed God would respond. The man filed a "permanent injunction" against God, but I don't know if he thought through the ramifications of that.

CNN: 'God' responds to legislator's lawsuit

ht: Aaron Stewart

Changing it up

I'm going for a different look with the blog, and I'm in transition for the time being. So, if there are broken links or things don't look right, just know I'm working on it. You can also drop me a line of encouragement or chiding, either will do. Since I got this template from Mexico, I'm thinking of keeping everything in Spanish for my bi-lingual friends..

By the way, I'm looking for some more sixed candidates, got any ideas? I've only done three so far, but I'm interested in doing more. Here's who I've sixed already.

BKing the fun

Today it was just the boys for breakfast and Jed and I headed out to BK for some morning man time. Lately, Jed and I haven't gotten much time just by ourselves and we were both due.

Since Jed has an insatiable urge to do things by himself lately [he's such a firstborn], I asked him to carry our food all the way to our table, which he did without a hitch.

We began taking pictures of each other randomly and I have to admit Jed is quite the photographer for only being 3 years old. After his first shot of my face didn't pan out, Jed got it dead on with his second attempt.

The only problem was that I happened to have a drink straw nearing my nose when he got the shot right.

After downing a couple of croissanwiches [by the way, I don't know why Burger King did not win the Nobel for coming up with the name croissanwich; regardless of where you fall on the like/dislike continuum, croissanwiches are here to stay and BK gets all the cred for entering them into our vocabulary... and mouths], Jed and I decided to go outside and play on the playground.
There was only one problem: when we walked outside the only thing we could see was the plot of cement where a playground once lived.

At this point, Jed became sad [yes, this was staged].

But we eventually found some good times at a nearby car lot. We took jumping pictures.

Would you make it as an immigrant?

"Officials have released updated questions that are part of the naturalization test required for immigrants to become citizens." And here's the 25-question quiz.

Quiz: How well do you know the United States?

I got two wrong [#4, #18] and I hang my head in shame... I wouldn't make it as an immigrant.

Let me know how you did. No cheating, I'm serious.

ht: Relevant Magazine

To Boston and Back - Day Two Afternoon

With a niece being born and a brother-in-law getting married, the Caperton family is going to be hitting the road and the air for 13 days.

Well, I was wrong. I didn't get to check the wifi at O'Hare in Chicago, but the Philadephia airport has the same pay-as-you-go system. Why are airports so over-priced? This is so sad...

By 9pm today I will have traveled during 26 of the last 35 hours, all the way from Lafayette, LA, to Cape Cod, MA. Crazy, just crazy. I don't think I've ever traveled this much in one day. On top of all that traveling, it might not stop. If Kent and Jessica have their baby tonight, I'm driving from Cape Cod to Boston, MA, another hour on top of the craziness.

OK, enough whining, I've got food to eat and a flight to catch. By the way, the Philadelphia Airport [PHL] absolutely stinks. I think Lafayette Municipal Airport [LFT] looks much more inviting and professional. No wonder people are moving away from Philadelphia.

update: Kent and Jessica have had their baby... more coming soon.

To Boston and Back - Day Two Morning

With a niece being born and a brother-in-law getting married, the Caperton family is going to be hitting the road and the air for 13 days.

I really didn't get a proper good-bye with Kristy or the kids. We were so dead walking in, unloading, and preparing to leave super-early tomorrow that I didn't even think "I won't see them for seven days and I won't get to tell them good-bye." Kristy's mom, Denise brought me to the airport this morning. What a blessing that was. I was dead when she woke me up, but I slept in my clothes, so all I had to do was grab breakfast and roll. Could not imagine driving after so little sleep and so much driving the day before.

I'm sitting in the Northwest Arkansas airport waiting for a long day of flying to begin. Check-in goes smooth and I have about 45 minutes until I actually get on the plane so I ask someone if the airport is wireless and they are. Score. All is well until I try to check my email and I get a page that asks me to pay $7.99 for an all-day pass. Seriously? I immediately begin to think that this is a small-town phenomenon and that Chicago, Philly, or Boston will not have such money-grabbing complications... the metropolitan people would not stand for it. We'll see.

To Boston and Back - Day One

With a niece being born and a brother-in-law getting married, the Caperton family is going to be hitting the road and the air for 13 days.

The first leg is complete: a 12-hour drive in the Odyssey with the whole family. Kristy and I have a plan for times like this: I drive with the goal of getting there as fast as we can and she concentrates on taking care of the kids' needs. There's definitely overlap on each side, but that's pretty much how it goes. She does an incredible job of getting everything laid out for them: snacks, movies, pillows, etc. all ready to go when we need them. She does a great job at this.

Kristy and I did a lot of praying on this trip. It's just so easy to lose your cool in a confined space where kids screams seem like they're going to cause your ears to spontaneously combust. We knew we needed God to keep things calm.

Time for bed, more traveling later.

So, I'm an M & M now...

Here's what I look like as an M & M. You can do it, too. Fun times. Thanks to Beth for the inspiration.

My Brother...

My brother, Kent, is one of the dearest friends I have. I mean, he's family, but he's also a friend, and I count that a great privilege.

Most of you know what's been going on with Kent and Jessica and their baby coming in September. They've set up a blog with more information about their baby daughter, Julianne. If you don't know the whole story, just start from the beginning and work you way up.

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