This video cracked me up. It couldn’t possibly get more low rent and yet it is strangely worthy of the U2 brand. Well done. Since they delayed their event by a year, maybe I’ll be able to afford to go to the show in Anaheim?

Anyone else want to go?

[Please press play]

I love this song. And I love how Bono performed it on this tour. He kicked it off and let the audience do the first verse and chorus. An amazing moment in the show.

One reason I think this song is so powerful, particularly performed live, is that as the audience sing along loudly, each voice represents the cry of every heart there. Collectively, 60,000 people shouting their cry out during this song, each imagining what they are still looking for. Tears, joys, sorrow, pride, and dreams all mashed together and pushed towards the stage.

I wanted to take this moment of pause to reflect, and ask you to join me in singing this chorus.

I don’t know what you are looking for today. Each of us cries a slightly different cry. But I thank you for walking with me, reading along, and together we will continue to walk together until we find what we are looking for.

Amazing? Too cool at the U2 show, originally uploaded by mclanea.

How do I recap the U2 show? It’s an beyond description.

Here are some thoughts from the trip, in no particular order.

1. It was well-timed. A week before my trip to Cincinnati for NYWC and with all the stuff stirring at work, a day away from the chaos was God’s timing.
2. I had good company. Kristen and I rarely get to do a road trip without the kids. And it was great to have Marko and Tash as companions. Technically, Kristen and I were along for the ride since Tash took over driving!
3. Phoenix is a long way away. It’s a solid 6-7 hours away from San Diego. It’s hard to understand because it’s only a 70 minute flight.
4. Bono is amazing. He is a captivating performer. How a man puts out that kind of energy for 2.5 hours I will never know. And his ability to do little moments throughout the show for the fans is incredible. I think I saw him grab a camera and take pictures of fans!
5. The stage becomes the 5th band member. I love production in a show. And this is done so masterfully that the production actually becomes a member of the band.
6. It was worshipful. Hard to explain unless you’ve experienced it. But so many of U2′s songs have deep meaning. There were moments of elation, tears, and just resting in the joy of the show.
7. It was what I needed. Look, it wasn’t a “Beautiful Day.” Tuesday ranked right up there with one of the toughest days of my ministry career. But that song in the show really spoke to me. Finding moments of joy through sorrow was poetic. I keep going back to that song.
8. It was worth the money. Tickets to this show weren’t cheap. Getting there wasn’t easy. But the journey, the show, and the memories of the day made the costs a bargain.
9. I’m still recovering. It’s been two days. And a missed night of sleep is hard to recover from. I am not 21 anymore.
10. We missed the Black Eyed Peas. Seriously, traffic into the stadium was so crazy that we missed all but their last 2 songs. I’m sure they were great. What we saw was a lot of fun.

Today, Kristen and I are driving to Phoenix to see the U2 360 Tour. I have a figurative bucket list and this was on it. My brain has been mush lately so I am greatly looking forward to driving 5 hours across the desert to lose my voice screaming lyrics with Bono. Just for good measure we’re ride sharing with Tash McGill… and a late edition, Marko. (The artist formerly known as ysmarko.) I need a road trip. I’ve got another one coming this weekend. Stuff like this clears and renews my mind.

Mentioning this brings up jealousy. Like “Hey, so happy you and Kristen and spending the day together… but I really wanna go and I’m thinking of killing you to steal your tickets.”

No need to be jealous. You can have Mr. Bono and the massive stage craziness. Just tune in Sunday night for all the goodness of live streaming. Screaming “it’s a beautiful day!” in your home is optional. Better save that for the live experience.

I can’t wait. Is it October 20th yet?

p.s. They have an awesome WordPress powered site.

Not a lot of plans this weekend, so we will fall into routines fairly quickly. Kristen and Megan are hiking up Cowles Mountain. Stoney and I are waiting for them to return so we can head to Dog Beach for some beach therepy. After that we have no plans. A nice relaxing weekend lies ahead.

Right now I am sipping tea and listening to music. I did some rearranging on things in the sidebar, so make sure you check that out. The blogroll is back! Here are the next 10 tunes I’m listening to. As always, these are completely random and my ratings are included.

#1 Mysterious Ways by U2 ****

#2 Single Ladies by Beyonce *****

#3 Going On by Gnarles Barkley ****

#4 Thanksgiving Song by Adam Sandler *****

#5 Tell Me Something Good by P!nk ****

#6 Dare You to Move by Switchfoot ***

#7 Dissonant Distinction by Brae ****

#8 Faithful by Steve Fee **

#9 Made to Worship by Chris Tomlin ***

#10 Starstrukk by 3OH!3 ****

I wasn’t tagged directly… but I felt tagged in spirit by Marko’s music meme. So here goes:

The 411:

1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play
4. For every question, type the song that’s playing
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button
6. Don’t lie and try to pretend you’re cool!

Opening Credits: Over My Head — The Fray

Waking Up: When I Said I Would — Whitney Duncan

First Day At School: Make Someone Happy — Jimmy Durante

Falling In Love: Homeless –Paul Simon

Fight Song: No More — Boaz

Breaking Up: Listen to the Music — The Doobie Brothers

Prom: Angel — Sarah McLachlan

Life: Faithful — Steve Fee

Mental Breakdown: Every Little Things She Does is Magic — The Police

Driving: Pick up the Pieces — Brae

Flashback:
Hometown Glory — Adele

Getting Back Together: Sweet Home Alabama — Lynyrd Skynyrd

Wedding: 42 — Coldplay

Birth of Child: Who Says You Can’t Go Home — Bon Jovi

Final Battle: Bye, Bye Love — Ray Charles

Death Scene: I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For — U2

Funeral Song: Mona Lisa — Nat King Cole

Remembrance Song: You Alone by David Crowder Band

End Credits: Open Skies by David Crowder Band

I’m tagging Billy, Todd, Tim, Jeremy, Sara, and Kim.

Ah, Memorial Day. It’s hard to have an “unofficial start to summer” when your kids have 6 weeks left in school and the temperature pretty much hovers around the same 20 degree variable 10 months a year. Alas, it’s summer and I’m excited about that.

We’ve had a hectic for a kick-off to a 3 day weekend. Last night we decided to take the trolley down to the Gasplamp district of San Diego to enjoy our family date night. While we got settled onto the trolley I got a text that my long-awaited iPhone app had finally released. (You get to submit and wait for Apple, no choice on a release date.) Tucking that distraction into the back of my mind we had a good evening of walking around downtown and eating at the Old Spaghetti Factory. [Just OK food, but the kids liked it.]

This morning I woke up and did a bit of PR to get things moving with the app. Then I dashed of to Del Mar to film a podcast segment with a comedian… who was funny despite it being 10 in the morning. From here we actually don’t know what we’re doing until Tuesday morning. I’m sure we’ll figure it out.

For now, I’m just chilling and listening to some music.

Here are the next 10 tunes flowing to my cranium. As always… completely random with my ratings included:

1. Fix You by Coldplay ***** (Love this free album!)

2. The Swing by Kimya Dawson ****

3. Make Someone Happy by Jimmy Durante ****

4. The Glory of It All by David Crowder Band ****

5. Stuck to You by Nikka Costa ****

6. I’m Sticking With You by The Velvet Underground ****

7. One by U2 *****

8. Can You Feel It? by David Crowder Band ***

9. Joyful, Joyful, We Adore You by Charlie Hall ****

10. Hard Times by Ray Charles

Fully in life’s rhythms now. I can’t think of another period of my adult life where I’ve been in such a looonnngggg stand of just doing normal things. Going to the office and coming home at the same times. I have a morning routine, an evening routine, and a firmly established weekend routine. It won’t last much longer… so I’m soaking up the final few weeks. (The travel part of my year kicks back in soon.)

Today, we’re going to take Stoney to the beach so he can run, play, and swim. Low tide is in a couple of hours and we totally look forward to playing with him the tide pools. Each time the kids claim they don’t want to go and they won’t have fun… then we have to drag them home. After that we’re meeting my mom at the nut farm. No really, we’re meeting her at Bates Nut Farm near Escondido. Let the nut jokes and innuendo begin. When we told Paul (5) where we were going he whispered to Megan (8), “When we get there I can say, ‘Oh my nuts.”

Later tonight, we may be getting a houseguest for one night. More on that later.

Right now, I am just chilling out and listening to music. Here are the next 10 tunes streaming from my iPod to my brain. I’m sharing them with you since we’re such great web-friends. As always, these are completely random and my ratings are included.

#1 Fall for You by Secondhand Serenade ****

#2 Oh the Glory of It All by David Crowder Band ****

#3 Disco Inferno by Bee Gees *****

#4 Seven Days of Lonely by I Nine ***

#5 Amazing Grace by Jadon Lavik ***

#6 Bittersweet Symphony by The Verve *****

#7 The Saints Are Coming by U2 & Green Day *****

#8 God of Wrath by David Crowder ****

#9 Accidentally in Love by Counting Crows *****

#10 Tonight by High Five ***** (Seriously, but this song.)

Since Spring has finally arrived in most of the country, I don’t mind bragging a little. We’re going to have a fantastic weekend! With tempuraturs in the mid to upper 70s, our family is drawn to the beach like a mosquito to a bug zapper. Right now, Kristen is meeting some of my co-workers for a hike up Cowles Mountain. Later this morning we’ll all take Stoney to the beach for his weekly ocean therepy. Tommorow we’re headed to the beach after church to resume our Sunday beach tradition after a long break for Winter. Then on Monday night our community group has decided to meet down in Ocean Beach for a bonfire on the beach.

In the meantime, the kids are watching cartoons. Water is boiling for coffee and I am settling in to relax a bit. Here are the next 10 tunes I’m listening to. As always, no cheating and my ratings are included.

#1 Stardust by Nat King Cole ****

#2 Glorious by Chris Tomlin ***

#3 Maria Maria by Santana ****

#4 Seven Steps to Heaven by Miles Davis ****

#5 Take it to the Limit by The Eagles *****

#6 Magnificent by U2 *****

#7 You Give Me Something by James Morrison ****

#8 Doolin-Dalton by The Eagles ****

#9 Late Night, Early Town by Lloyd Cole *****

#10 Neverending by David Crowder Band *****