I’ve been in LA now for over a month, and I must admit that I am feeling so incredibly fortunate to have the opportunities I have here to learn, grow and experience this entirely new side of life.   It’s beautiful here, of course, I mean hey, it’s California…   Mosaic is also going great, it feels like a family that I have had for many years, in that there are so many like-minded people, each reaching for amazing and incredible goals in life and ministry, and also chasing God in ways that are admirable and inspiring.   There is absolutely no question that I am where I am supposed to be at this exact time in my life, and that feeling is awesome.

The picture above however, is not of LA (you probably knew that) it’s just a typical day from life in Paris, where I was just a few months ago.   The clouds are holding back the sun, and the thousands of clay chimney pots form their own little skyline if you are fortunate enough to find a high vantage point.   I don’t know if two places could contrast each other more, it’s amazing to experience the differences. 

Ironically, in the last few days, I have been feeling like I am out of the game now, by being in LA.   Realistically, and logically, I can see that this is NOT the case, but emotionally, and perhaps even spiritually, I am definitely experiencing this phenomenon.   Like I said before, there is no question that I am where I am supposed to be, but there is also this undercurrent that I have left my cohorts in battle overseas, and something inside of me yearns to see them and fight alongside them once again.  

I expected this, to a degree.   I knew that once life settled down a little bit here in California that I would feel the cavity left that is still France-shaped.  While I am able to find little reminders of my life there, and the people whom I miss so very much, it’s obviously not the same.   I have subscribed to a life like this though, a life where I love and engage deeply, and the side effect of this simply MUST be the feeling of loss whenever the time comes to move on.   One can only wonder what the future will hold?   When will I be able to come back to visit, will I (after two years in LA) choose to go back to Paris, or Europe and continue the fight?  Will I instead find a way to engage in the same battles, but from this side of the world?   I can only guess at those answers, and they seem different every day.   As the saying goes, only time will tell…   What I do know for now however, is that I am HERE to get everything I can from this experience and journey.  No matter where HERE ever turns out to be, that is all I can ask of myself.  

Onward and upward.  

By the way, if you are in Paris and reading this…   I miss you all so much.  I hope and pray that our paths will cross again soon, undoubtedly that time will be sweet and precious. 

P.S.  If you don’t know what Hank looks like, then he is the guy with the white t-shirt who comes in at the end to save the day…  This role is very much like normal life here in LA, can you say, Type casting?  (joke)

So, what to say…   Hmmm, let’s start with this.  Before leaving for LA, I kept wrestling with the logic that I should be looking for a job, even before getting here.  Each time I started the process however, I just kept feeling like I had no peace about it, like I wasn't supposed to look until I actually got here.   After arriving, I immediately jumped in at Mosaic (see my previous posts) and after just a few days of getting to know people, it slowly became apparent to me why I needed to not have any prior conflicts with the job are, as it seemed that Mosaic was actually in need of someone with my skills!   WHAT?   Oh man, it took some careful planning and communicating, but as of October 1, I stepped into a role of not only volunteering at Mosaic, but also being paid for my services… SERIOUSLY.

Now don’t get me wrong here, I am not forgetting the original plan and am certainly watching out for “jumping the gun”, but the original plan was to find a job for 20 hours a week in LA.  A job that would allow me to focus on my learning and growing at Mosaic, while still affording me to pay the bills, and participate in many other elements of my time here.   I prayed about it a lot, and asked God to line up the perfect scenario, and it looks to me like he DID.

So, what am I doing at Mosaic?  Ironically, it is what I have been doing for several years with my dear friends at USIntegration.   I will be programming, and customizing a very robust Church management system that just happens to be written in the languages I have been using for years.   On top of that, I will be managing the podcasts, and working through restructuring their web presence, etc. etc.   The best part is that their needs equate to exactly 20 hours per week.   OH MAN, could it be any better?  

On top of that, there are some other opportunities on the horizon that are just as exciting.  I will update more on those as they come to pass.  In the meantime though, I have to get some sleep.  We have a big church conference tomorrow in Irvine with NewSong church.  It should be awesome!  Stay tuned!

If you’ve been reading this blog for any amount of time, you undoubtedly have noticed that when I move, or things change drastically, that this is one of the first areas of my life that gets put aside.  Whether that is good or bad, I don’t really know; but I do know that things here in California are going really well.   I have been here now almost two weeks (it will be two weeks tomorrow) and I have been amazed at the level with which I have been able to just step right into this community.  

Since arriving, I have had the pleasure of taking responsibility for the audio podcasts, which makes so much sense to me as I have followed these podcasts for so long, and it only feels right to be able to give back into that area.   I have also had the fortune of editing a baptism video, using footage from over the years here at Mosaic.  It was so much fun!  (see the final product below)

On top of those things, I have had oodles of opportunity to serve in every gathering I have attended, and it has been incredible.   Now the best part of doing all of these things, is that I truly feel like I am already making a difference here at Mosaic.  I feel like my talents are being heavily recognized, and put to good use, and I couldn’t ask for a better scenario in which to serve.   I have made so many like-minded friends and established so many new relationships that I just feel incredibly blessed and honored to engage in this journey every day.   The only limitations I am finding are in the hours that are available each day.  It’s awesome. 

It also looks like I will be using my programming, and software development skills in the coming days, weeks, months and maybe years. Mosaic is right in the middle of the process of implementing an extremely robust Operations Management System, and honestly I couldn’t imagine a project for which I was more uniquely qualified.   Talk about divine intervention!!!!   I am obviously just very happy to be here, and feeling like this is the beginning of a wonderfully amazing journey.   I’ll work harder at keeping you all more informed. 

A+!

The second location, for which I had to leave Pasadena early, was in Beverly Hills at Beverly Hills High school.  Somehow Erwin beat me there…  I left Pasadena before him, and arrived in Beverly Hills 10 minutes after him…  I am fairly confident that I took the WRONG way.   None the less, I made it in time to get the full Beverly Hills experience.   This particular gathering meets in the auditorium of the high school, which by the way is ridiculously posh.  These students even have their own private parking garage… a multi-story parking garage… crazy.  Erwin also spoke at this location and I also saw many of the friends I have been getting to know over the last few days.  It seems amongst my circles, that Westside (Beverly Hills) is the most commonly popular.   (shhh… I think I liked Pasadena better.)

After BOTH of those services, and the extensive drive between them, it was time for some lunch in Beverly Hills with some great people.  Nearly replaying our Filipino dinner from Friday night; I joined Neil, Lito, and Stephan for some awesome Thai food in a really great (and not too expensive) restaurant.  We laughed and cut-up quite a bit, it is obvious that there are some deeper friendships forming.  I feel really fortunate to be making such friends. 

FINALLY, last night…  I was able to attend the Mayan.  If you’ve ever heard me talk about Mosaic, then you have probably heard me talk about the Mayan, although I had never been until last night.  The Mayan is a nightclub in downtown LA, it’s the same club where Rockstar INXS was filmed a few years ago.   ‘School of Rock’ filmed its grand finale concert at the Mayan, as well as several artists and bands performing concerts, and having concert DVD’s filmed at the Mayan.  It’s a top-tier nightclub and to be blunt, it is incredible.   What is even MORE incredible though, is that Mosaic has a gathering in this nightclub every Sunday night, and it  is really done WELL.  The ambiance is perfect, with DJ’s playing intro music and creating the atmosphere.  The walls are covered in Aztec and Mayan statues with dramatic lighting reminiscent of a theme park, it’s just the perfect location for a church… lol  Even the main bar of the club is put to use, and becomes the “bookstore” or media table, alongside with connection opportunities, and information.  It was so cool!!!

I could go on and on about the location, the music, the atmosphere, because it really was ALL top notch.  However, the most impressive thing to me was the group that came to experience that night.  They came to experience community, and to maybe experience pieces of faith for the first time.   This is by far the least “churchy” of all the gatherings I attended yesterday (and none of them were really churchy at all) and the design is to create an atmosphere for those who otherwise might not ever go to a church.  I should say that it is working, and working well.   The entire club was packed, people were sitting on stairs, floors, and tables because there just weren't enough chairs for everyone.  The music was incredible, the message was the same as had been preached all day, “What to do with the Bible” but suddenly, that night, it felt more poignant than ever before.  It was never so clear that there were people in that audience who were thinking about those things for the very first time…   and that makes me VERY excited.  

Sorry for the long post…  There is really so much to say, and I am even cutting it short.   I’ll undoubtedly write more about the Mayan in the future.  I expect I will be giving a lot of myself there. 

I went out to play in the surf a little and was surprised at how powerful these waves really are. Being amongst them really inspires contemplative moments and big smiles. The only similarities between here and Croatia, my last experience with the sea, is the sun and the salt. The water here is not blue, nor is it clear, nor is it calm... But it holds it's own unique charm and wonder. I haven't yet figured out how to deal with the sand though, it seems to have gotten in everything.

Ironically, there are pigeons even here. I wonder if they followed me from Paris? They seem to handle the sand and it's complexities without difficulty, and certainly haven't forgotten how to beg for food. None the less, they are joining me for the beginning of this new chapter in life, the next chapter... I wonder what we'll call it?

It gets hot here, like crazy hot… Pasadena doesn’t have the pleasure of being by the sea, and instead gets to experience the sun in all of its glory without all the fancy wind to cool it off.   It is the hottest weather I have experienced since being back in the states… but interestingly enough, it gets rather cool at night.  Today for example, my car thermometer said that it was 96 degrees outside (35.5 C) but it felt like 104 F (40 C).  Tonight, as the sun has set, the temp is already down to 68 F (20 C).  With low humidity that feels pretty incredible.  I may have to find a way to skip daytime… especially with all of this smug (yuck!)

I also had the chance today to meet another Protégé named Nikki, as well as some people from Mosaic.  It was a real joy to connect with these like-minded people, whose journeys remind me of my own.  After meeting and getting to know Nikki a little bit, Neil and I cooked steaks out on the grill.  It felt like nothing short of a celebration of the next step.   Neil even spiced the steaks up with some hot Thai chilies, oh man it was HOT, but so so good.  For desert, grilled peaches!   Awesome stuff!

A few job scenarios also came my way today, nothing was offered to me of course, but I am starting to get my eyes on a whole new world of opportunity.  The most promising from today is a possible job teaching a six-year-old French expat boy how to speak English and help the family get accustomed to living in the United States.  Can you believe someone would actually pay me to do that?   Oh man, it sounds like something I would probably do for free, but hey…  i need the income.  

So that is it from LA before going to bed tonight.   I started this day not really liking my new city much, but after some great conversations, a good meal, and a taste of hope and possibility, I am going to sleep happy.  Tomorrow is another new day, HOW EXCITING!   

I have nearly been in Pasadena for 24 hours and already things are coming together.  Here is a picture of my new place that I am sharing with Neil.  It’s a great little two-bedroom home sitting right in a cozy little neighborhood of Pasadena.  It’s only a few miles from the school, and a few hundred feet from the offices of Mosaic.  It’s perfect.  

Starting this morning, the job hunt goes into full speed.  I have the opportunity to work a bit while going through the Protégé program, up to 25 hours per week, so I am seeking to make those hours count!   Also the opportunities to serve at Mosaic are already showing their faces, and I can see that this will be an intense and life-changing time here in LA.  

The first 24 hours however have already been a remarkable example of how well things are going here.   I have met people and made connections both with the church and with some pretty incredible business leaders in the area.  Also it seems that most everyone here is a transplant of sorts, so they all seem to understand the initial shock of moving to LA.  I am thankful for that, as I believe there is some extra tolerance extended in reaching out to anyone and everyone.  I guess we will see how that all turns out!

It sure is hot here though… ooh la la, il fait TROP chaud.  I guess I will be missing winter pretty badly this year, lol.  Oh well, I didn’t come here for the weather.  :)