Hammer Time

We have a new plumbing problem -- water hammer. It wasn't possible before because the pressure was so abysmally low, but now that there's 3/4" and 1/2" copper everywhere, the pipes rattle when a valve is closed quickly. I've added a hammer arrester for the washing machine since that was one of the worst sources, and been double-checking all the pipes are well secured, but there's still some work needed.

It's also hammer time in another sense. I leave Monday for Mexico to help take the youth group from RLC down to build a house for people in need in the barrios of Tijuana. We usually try to have the kids do most of the work anyways, but this year I need to be extra careful because my shoulder is still healing from the tendinitis. Supervising and translating are usually on my task list, but this year that's about all that will be on it. See you in a week or so!

I'm a Movie Star!

Not only have I been in print, now I'm in a movie! I'm not expecting an Oscar for my short performance, but part of my interview is included in the prize-winning documentary, "Building a Better Future". And I only sound a little like a dork. The film was created by Amy Schleicher, a 17 year old junior at San Ramon High School. She won 2nd place at the First Annual Bay Area Social Issues Documentary Film Contest (SI DocFest) for it, and shared the prize money with her high school and Habitat for Humanity East Bay. It covers the great need for decent, affordable housing, has interviews with some staff and volunteers, and highlights Sonnie Dae's story. Sonnie is the mom of the partner family for the Thrivent Builds-sponsored house, and a pretty amazing person. You can read more about Amy and view the video here.

Church Media

One of the things I do besides work on the house is create media for churches. Mostly it's media for the church I attend, Resurrection Lutheran in Dublin. But I also spend a lot of time on ChurchMedia.net (CMN), an amazing community of volunteer and paid media ministers and pastors from around the world. We share ideas, graphics and videos, and support one another in our ministries. CMN holds an annual convention to get together and help spread the word about this unique way to spread The Word. You can read more about the upcoming convention here:

In past years the convention has been on the other side of the country. But this year's is in Mesquite, Texas (between Dallas and Fort Worth), and the timing is such that I'm hoping to be able to make it. Even if I can't, I'll attend the convention 'virtually'. I highly recommend checking out the convention if you do church media, and checking out ChurchMedia.net, too.