Strong winds

So we a strong storm here tonight as I was coming home from work.  The sky went black, the winds went crazy and a tree across the street was blown over...which took out a mailbox. 

It's amazing to think of how short we are on this Earth.  That goes for all living things.  A giant tree standing next to a quant little pond in our neighborhood was destroyed by the storm today which in turn blocked the back parking lot.  The complex called in the landscaping company to chop up the tree and haul most of it away.  Within 5 short hours this tree went from "Hi, I'm a happy tree...it sure is nice out here today" to "ouch, that hurt"  to a pile of wood next to a mailbox.  

What to take away from an experience like this....?  Well to be honest, I hadn't really thought much of this tree.  It was a nice tree I suppose.  It's death will not be forgotten.

How can something so big and so magnificent just blend into the background?  There is something odd about the lack of this large tree.  It changes your surroundings, perhaps even the way you perceive your neighborhood.  

Why do we fail to see the beauty in the place we live?  Why do people ask me why I ever left Colorado?  Yes, Colorado is gorgeous.  However,  there is something very charming and down to earth about the midwest.  I love the fact that in just a few short minutes I can be outside of the Fort Wayne city limits in the middle of seemingly endless fields of corn, beans...wheat...(what else do you folks grow 'round here?)

God knows the hairs on your head...he surely know the leaves on the trees.  If God has a plan for us, does he also have a plan for plants too?

  

Workin for the weekend

So I have a new job! I am officially a waiter. It's an interesting occupation. I've worked in customer service and with food before but this brings the two together. It's going to be tough work. The thing I appreciate about it is that if you work hard and treat your customers well, you make tips. So different than working on commission. Can you imagine if someone ordered a pizza and asked for a discount because another chain in town was having a sale?

I am going to be working 35 hours a week and making comparable money to what I was making before. It's really nice to be home more. I am considering finding a job that will give me 10 hours a week. To make a bit more money.

"money can't buy happiness but it sure can pay the rent"

Well, had an inspiring night at praise band practice. Always good to play music with friends.

Cassie said to me today "God gave us the musical talent that we in turn use to glorify Him".

Tattoos hurt

Alright, as I promised here is my tattoo discussion.

If you knew me in Denver, you probably have seen all or most of my tattoos.

If you know me in Fort Wayne, you've probably only see the one on my forearm.

Here's the deal.  I have quite a few tattoos and a few of them might offend people.  No no no, I don't have anything demonic or evil.  The two that I think may offend people the most would be the Buddha on my right shoulder and the no bombs sign on my right leg.

If you read my first post you will know that I had a few years that I considered living a Buddhist lifestyle.  I was 20 and wanted a big tattoo for a number of reasons.

1. I like tattoos
2. To be rebellious
3. To do something different

The "No Bombs" sign in particular interesting.  Those that have spoken up about it to my face have been quite rude.  It's not that I am against our Armed Forces.  Believe me, I'm not.  Both of my Grandfathers served in WWII.  Bapa was even a bombardier.  I have the tattoo because I believe no one should have to drop a bomb to prove a point.  It's not a statement, it's an ideal for the future.  I wish we didn't have to fight about Money, Power, Oil, Boarders...whatever it is countries want to fight about.

I believe that the tattoos I have are a snap shot in time.  The Buddha tattoo on my arm is a snapshot of who I was in my early 20s.

Will this stop me from working for the Church?  Will my visible forearm tattoo drive people away?

Bye for now!

So here we begin!

Listening to: Patent Pending

Hanging with: Gemmi

Date: June 6, 2012

Hello All!

In case you didn't know, the name is Nick Lindeberg.  I am recently married to the love of my life, Mrs Cassie Lindeberg!  We have a cat Bolt and a dog Gemini aka Gemmi.

Oh, if you hate misspelled words or bad grammer...stop reading right now...just saying.


Where do I start?  I haven't had a blog in a long time.  Last time I wrote in any kind of blog I was in a very different place in my life.  First of all, I was living with my parents in beautiful Arvada, Colorado.  I was entertaining the idea of living a Buddhist life.  I was also playing in several Denver based bands.

In September of 2010 I took a job in Fabulous Fort Wayne, Indiana.  Well, the job didn't work out.  I spent 18 months with a company that shall remain nameless.  What can I say, I learned a lot but it wasn't the right place for me.  Cassie moved out here (as my girlfriend at the time) in the summer of 2011.  We were quickly engaged thereafter.

Why should I write this?

I have been wanting to get a few things off my mind recently and felt that this might be a good medium to do so.  So as I mentioned before, I didn't really have a "Church Home" when I moved to Fort Wayne.  I wasn't really interested in the thought of going to Church.  I was a bit bitter due to a few small mishaps in the past.  Churches are made up of people and people are imperfect.  I wish I had known that years ago.  Cassie suggested going to Church shortly she moved here.  We decided to try Sonrise Church just a few miles away from where we were living.

Hold on, I have to go swap some laundry over.

several hours later...

Hi i'm back.

So...we felt welcome at Sonrise from the very beginning.  We walked in right as the music was starting.  Someone greeted us at the door.  For the first time in many years I felt good about being at church.  God is definitely in this room.

Fast forward a few months.   Cassie gets in contact with Pastor Zac about singing in the praise band.  At this point I am playing 2 to 3 nights a week in a local bar band, making some money but staying out way to late for my own good.  I loved the music but it just wasn't the right situation for me at the time.  Had this been 4 years ago, maybe things would have worked out differently.  Anyway...right around Christmas we went to a praise band rehearsal to check things out.  Cassie sang with the group on Christmas Eve and Christmas and had a blast.    I decided that it was time for me to get involved too.  Zac gave me a shot on New Years Day to play acoustic guitar.  It felt good, really good.

Not too long after that I heard through my friend Andrew that the North Group (Sonrise North Praise Band) was looking for a bass player.  Cassie and I are now weekly members.

Okay, on to the reason I am writing this

I have decided in the past few months that I am giving myself to God.  I would love to one day work for the Church as a Worship Leader.

How do I go about doing this? How do I say that I want to do this without seeming like I just want to be a rock star? Is it okay to want to make money while still praising God? Am I looking at it the wrong way?

For years I thought il of the worship leaders that made money. Should one make tons of money in the name of The Lord? I always had a bad taste in my mouth due to this. But I realize now why these Men and Women of God make a decent wage. They are writing music that thousands of of worship leaders can share with millions of church goers.

Well goodnight for now. I will continue with my next blog tomorrow. Next blog will include a tattoo discussion with myself!