The Art of Innovation by Guy Kawasaki

I'm getting tired of writing about lies, so today I'm covering truths. Specifically, the truths of innovation. I hold these truths to not be self-evident; hence we see so little innovation.

1. Jump to the next curve. Too many companies duke it out on the same curve. If they were daisy wheel printer companies, they think innovation means adding Helvetica in 24 points. Instead, they should invent laser printing. True innovation happens when a company jumps to the next curve--or better still, invents the next curve, so set your goals high.
2. Don't worry, be crappy. An innovator doesn't worry about shipping an innovative product with elements of crappiness if it's truly innovative. The first permutation of a innovation is seldom perfect--Macintosh, for example, didn't have software (thanks to me), a hard disk (it wouldn't matter with no software anyway), slots, and color. If a company waits--for example, the engineers convince management to add more features--until everything is perfect, it will never ship, and the market will pass it by.
3. Churn, baby, churn. I'm saying it's okay to ship crap--I'm not saying that it's okay to stay crappy. A company must improve version 1.0 and create version 1.1, 1.2, ... 2.0. This is a difficult lesson to learn because it's so hard to ship an innovation; therefore, the last thing employees want to deal with is complaints about their perfect baby. Innovation is not an event. It's a process.
4. Don't be afraid to polarize people. Most companies want to create the holy grail of products that appeals to every demographic, social-economic background, and geographic location. To attempt to do so guarantees mediocrity. Instead, create great DICEE products that make segments of people very happy. And fear not if these products make other segments unhappy. The worst case is to incite no passionate reactions at all, and that happens when companies try to make everyone happy.
5. Break down the barriers. The way life should work is that innovative products are easy to sell. Dream on. Life isn't fair. Indeed, the more innovative, the more barriers the status quo will erect in your way. Entrepreneurs should understand this upfront and not get flustered when market acceptance comes slowly. I've found that the best way to break barriers is enable people to test drive your innovation: download your software, take home your hardware, whatever it takes.
6. “Let a hundred flowers blossom.” I stole this from Chairman Mao. Innovators need to be flexible about how people use their products. Avon created Skin So Soft to soften skin, but when parents used it as an insect repellant, Avon went with the flow. Apple thought it created a spreadsheet/database/wordprocessing computer; but, come to find out, customers used it as a desktop publishing machine. The lesson is: Don't be proud. Let a hundred flowers blossom.
7. Think digital, act analog. Thinking digital means that companies should use all the digital tools at its disposal--computers, web sites, instruments, whatever--to create great products. But companies should act analog--that is, they must remember that the purpose of innovation is not cool products and cool technologies but happy people. Happy people is a decidedly analog goal.
8. Never ask people to do what you wouldn't do. This is a great test for any company. Suppose a company invents the world's greatest mousetrap. It murders mice better than anything in the history of mankind--in fact, it's nuclear powered. The problem is that the customer needs a PhD to set it, it costs $500,000, and has to drop off the dead, radioactive mouse 500 miles away in the middle of the desert. No one at the company would jump through those hoops--it shouldn't expect customers to either.
9. Don't let the bozos grind you down. The bozos will tell a company that what it's doing can't be done, shouldn't be done, and isn't necessary. Some bozos are clearly losers--they're the ones who are easy to ignore. The dangerous ones are rich, famous, and powerful--because they are so successful, innovators may think they are right. They're not right; they're just successful on the previous curve so they cannot comprehend, much less embrace, the next curve.

Written at Marriott Hotel, San Francisco, California

Behold - A Sermon on Luke 2: 22-40

“Behold!”
Luke 2:22-40
Todd Buegler
December 31, 2005 & January 1, 2006
Lord of Life


Grace and peace to you from God our Creator, and from Jesus, the Son of God and the Messiah who is grace! Amen.

Several years ago, when Lord of Life’s youth Habitat for Humanity team arrived on the site for our first day of work, we were greeted by a construction supervisor, a foundation in place and ready for framing, and a large pile of lumber, trusses, siding, roofing and other supplies. We got to work. On this particular trip, because the family was working “day jobs” to afford their portion of the home, and they worked on the house itself on weekends, we knew that we wouldn’t get an opportunity to meet them until sometime on Friday. The week went well and much work was done. On Friday at 2pm, the house was framed, the roof was on and shingled, and we were three-quarters of the way done with siding.

While we were at work, a car pulled up and a family of 5 arrived, THE family. They walked slowly up the incline that would be their driveway and they just stopped and soaked it all in. Their eyes were wide and you could see the excitement brimming inside.

Gradually, our group noticed them, and began nudging each other. “Look at that! Check it out! Look!” and they watched the family’s reaction to seeing their home standing for the first time. As more and more people noticed the family, the sound of hammers and saws came to a stop.

A couple of the group members and I walked up to introduce ourselves. I shook the Mother and Father’s hand and they continued to stare at their home. The first words the woman spoke are burned into my memory: “Look at that!” and she broke into tears.

Our group did look. And suddenly, for me and our entire group, the transition was complete. Over the course of the week, what had started out as a pile of wood, had become a house. And now, with the simple words “Look at that”, that house had become someone’s home.

There are occasional moments in our lives when what we see or experience is more than what we expect. It is a moment when the Holy Spirit is infused into an experience. This was one of those moments for me. “Look at that!” “Look at that family.” “Look at that home.”

I’ve had other “Look at that” moments. The kind of moment that takes your breath away:
The birth of my children.
The look of those same children when they saw Christmas presents under the tree last weekend.
The look on my face when staring at the instructions for assembling those same presents.
When a homeless person took my hand and said “Thank you, God bless you” after I dropped some change into his coffee can.
When I watched the volunteer missionaries immediately fall in love with the children at Westhaven, the Jamaican orphanage where we work.
Whenever I’ve experienced the presence of God in ways I didn’t expect.

When these moments have happened, my usual response has been to catch my breath, and then to say “look at that!” In those moments, I encountered Jesus.

This is exactly what happened to Simeon and Anna in our Gospel lesson. They knew the Messiah was coming and they waited and prayed for the day to arrive. The prophecy in the Book of Isaiah said that “In the Lord, all the offspring of Israel shall triumph and glory.” They were waiting to see the glory of the Lord. Simeon was even told by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he would see the Messiah. Every time parents brought their children to the Temple to be dedicated, and he and Anna were filled with anticipation that possibly one of them was the child they were waiting for. For years, they had been waiting patiently.

Then, one day, Mary and Joseph arrived at the Temple and Simeon and Anna, now an old man and woman, looked and saw something in the face of this child. With the eyes of faith Simeon and Anna saw in this ordinary event, the presentation of a firstborn child, the very salvation of God. This would be the Messiah. Two aged person, whose eyes were no doubt dimmed by time, were able to “see” with clarity unmatched by others the true meaning of what was before them: God’s gracious presence. Simeon took the child up into his arms and praised God saying: “Behold, your salvation!” Now, “Behold” isn’t a word we use too much today. Today that word would more accurately translate to: “Look at that!” But whichever phrase was used, it was clear that the joy of Simeon's discovery far exceeded his expectations.

I had a similar “Behold”, or “Look at that” moment when my own children were brought to the temple, or in this case, our sanctuary, to be presented to God and to receive the sacrament of baptism. Now I had taught about baptism in our confirmation program, our youth ministries, in Bible studies for years. But when I held Nathan at the font, and Pastor Peter poured the water on his head…in the name of the Father, of the Son, of the Holy Spirit…I understood something that had escaped me before. Looking down at Nathan, I remembered the words God spoke: “I have called you by name…you are mine…” and at that moment, I realized that Nathan doesn’t really belong to Lori and me. Nathan belongs to God. God is just loaning Nathan to us for awhile…to tend while he grows, to care for, to love. But ultimately, Nathan belongs to God. Ultimately, I belong to God. Ultimately, you belong to God.

Mary and Joseph were bringing Jesus to the temple, as was the practice, to present Him to God; in a sense, to again acknowledge that “God, this child belongs to you.” The difference in the story of Jesus and the story of my Nathan? When Mary and Joseph presented Jesus at the temple, God, through the words of Simeon, gave Jesus back to us. God is saying “this child is the salvation. Look at that. See my plans for you.”

Even Simeon didn’t know that the child he held in his arms was to have such a dramatic and forceful impact on the course of human history. But he did know that something great and significant was taking place and he was part of it. And he said: “Look at that!”
But at the time, Simeon and Anna were the exception. They were the only ones who saw Jesus this way. The early church leaders looked for a Messiah who would be a revolutionary to set them free from political oppression and would give Israel back its lands. Jesus was the unexpected Messiah. He came, not as a King, but as a child in a stable, born into poverty. He completely defied the expectations and hopes. You see, Jesus’ revolution was not about restoring a nation. It was about restoring a broken relationship between God and God’s people. Look at that!

What do we, today, expect Jesus to be? Much like Simeon and Anna, we are at the temple today, and Jesus is being presented to us. How do we expect Jesus to be working in the world now? What do you expect of Jesus for your own life?

In the Book of Colossians, Paul uses baptismal imagery in saying that Christians, as God’s people, are to “put on” a new Christ-like life and its qualities of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, patience, forgiveness and above all else, love. In fact, we are completely dependent on God for these gifts. We do not dress ourselves in these qualities. It is God who dresses us.

And what is most revolutionary? That Jesus’ gift of forgiveness is for you.

Your expectation might be that you don’t deserve it. You’re right. Your understanding might be that try as you might, you just can’t earn God’s love. Absolutely. God’s revolutionary idea is that Jesus’ life is given for you. God loves and forgives you unconditionally. God dresses us in these new garments. We are made new by the baby we see today…everyday.

Jesus is not just a child. Jesus is a “Look at that” experience. And Jesus is much more than we would expect:
Jesus spent time with sinners. Look at that!
Jesus healed the sick and resurrected the dead! Look at that!
Jesus fed the hungry. Look at that!
Jesus, the son of God, was crucified…a criminal’s death. Look at that!
Jesus, dead for three days, was resurrected. Look at that!

Like Simeon, we can look and see the life of Jesus and with amazement say “Look at that! This gift is love and promise, fulfilled!” It is amazing…there are no words to describe. It is grace!

Expected or unexpected, Christ comes. The world will never be the same since his coming. Look and see…today, Jesus is being presented, but this time he is being presented to you.

And because of Jesus we can see ourselves, as God sees us, clothed in new garments of love.

Look at that!

Amen .

Nathan reads a book online. He is totally engaged.

Christmas Concert

Last night, Lori and I went with friends to the Steven Curtis Chapman and the Mercy Me Christmas concert. It was a nice night. The music was great...SCC in particular was "on his game". And the Excel Energy Center is a great venue for these kind of events.

It was interesting though...Christmas is as much as anything about a sense or a feeling of anticipation. I really enjoyed the music, but for me the vibe wasn't there. I'm not sure why that was. Other years I have walked out of events feeling a stronger emotional connection to the Spirit of the holiday. Not so much last night. Perhaps it's just where I am at emotionally.

Peder Eide is doing his Christmas gig next Sunday night here at Lord of Life. Maybe that will do it for me.

Watch, Wait and Wonder

“Watch, Wait and Wonder”
Mark 13:24-37
Todd Buegler
November 26 & 27, 2005
Lord of Life


Grace and peace to you from God our Creator, and from Jesus the Messiah, who comes to each of us. Amen.

Since my ordination as a pastor at the end of September, I really haven’t had a public opportunity to say “thank you” for calling me as your pastor of youth and family ministries. Having been at Lord of Life as the Director of Youth and Family Ministries for over 18 years has been a privilege and an honor. To receive this call to now serve as a pastor is something for which I am very grateful. Over the years, you have been a blessing to me and my family. God is doing amazing things in our community; Thank you for allowing me to continue to be a part of it. My ordination affirmed my call to this congregation and to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As an added side-benefit, it made my Mom really, really happy.

I have a belief that there are three words in the English language that are among the most difficult for us to say. In a society that expects quick, instant answers, being forced to say these words can put fear into the heart of presidents and kings, generals and business leaders, pastors and parents. What are these three simple words? I don’t know. No…I don’t mean that I don’t know what the words are…I mean that those three words are “I don’t know.”

Saying I don’t know can be an admission of our frailty, or our ignorance, or our ability. And in our hyper competitive culture, those are things we just don’t want to admit, and people will go to almost any lengths to avoid having to say them.

At one large university, it was the last day before the football team was to play its biggest game of the season. Unfortunately, the head football coach had just received the horrible news that his star quarterback had been disqualified by the dean for academic reasons. The coach went running to the dean’s office to protest. The dean said, “We caught him cheating on a major exam this week.” The coach demanded to know how they knew the quarterback had cheated. The dean said, “Well, he sat right next to an ‘A’ student, the best student in the class, and on the first nine questions, his answers were identical, word-for-word to the answers of the ‘A’ student.” Not satisfied, the coach replied, “That doesn’t prove he was cheating. Maybe he really studied this time. Or maybe the ‘A’ student copied from him.” The dean answered, “Actually it was the tenth question that really did it. The ‘A’ student had written, ‘I don’t know’, and the quarterback wrote, ‘I don’t know either.’”

Sometimes we’d just rather make something up, or cheat, or go to other drastic action to avoid finally admitting that we don’t know something. Heaven forbid, someone might see our flaws.

But we often confuse “not knowing” with failing. Not knowing all the answers, not finding the right solution among the choices laid out before you, doesn’t mean you’re a failure. A political pollster asked one person on election day whether he believed our political system was characterized by ignorance or by apathy. The respondent answered, “I don’t know and I don’t care.”

But just because you don’t know, doesn’t mean that you don’t care.

Not knowing things can keep you on your toes, keep your eyes open and your ear to the ground. And is there anything more annoying than a know it all? A know it all may think they have all of life’s answers, but they’ll never get any of life’s surprises.

This weekend is the first in the season of Advent. It is the beginning of the season where we prepare for Christmas. Advent is loaded with family traditions. Tonight, Lori, Nathan, Samuel and I will light our Advent wreath. We’ll open the daily advent calendar. In the next week or so we’ll get and decorate our tree. We’ll send and receive Christmas cards. These traditions are important to us. You probably have your own traditions, important to you.

Advent is a wonderful season because it is traditional and familiar. We know what to expect. One of the most popular Christmas songs ever is “I’m dreaming of a White Christmas…just like the ones I used to know.” This little phrase, “Just like the ones I used to know” is the essence of many of our Christmas celebrations. The risk in this is that we tend to view Jesus in the past tense, and forget about the Jesus of the present tense. We become know-it-alls about Advent, about Christmas, about Jesus.

Our Gospel lesson for today rattles our “know it all” cage a bit. Jesus has just identified himself as the “Son of God” for the only time in Mark’s Gospel. And His answer to the question of when He will return is: “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son. Only the Father.” Jesus is the Son of God, and his answer is “I don’t know.”? What is that about?

If ever there was someone who knew the answers to all the hard questions, it was Jesus. But his “I don’t know” changed the focus of these Messiah conversations from what may or may not happen, or when these events may occur, to who is always and ever in charge: The Father.

Knowing is over-rated. After all:
Scholars knew that the world was flat.
Astronomers knew that the sun revolved around the earth.
Engineers knew that the Titanic was unsinkable.
Fans and pundits knew that the Vikings would dominate this year.

Our “knowing” is over-rated. And Jesus is showing us that our faith is not about our “knowing” more. It is about “believing” more. It is about believing in the grace of God, even though we do not deserve it. There are things in our world that cannot be known…they can only be believed. The first step in believing is to admit that there are things we just cannot know.

It is only when we approach life from the posture of not knowing that we are stretched, in love, in trust and in faith.

This Advent season, let’s take seriously Jesus pronouncement that no one knows the day, the hour or the place of the Lord’s coming into the world. Advent is a season of heightened watchfulness, of wide-awake expectations, of wide-eyed wonder at what God is doing in our lives, in our church, and in our world.

You see, Jesus has this habit of “showing up” in our world and in our lives. And it’s usually at times and in ways that we don’t expect and that we can’t anticipate. In my life and my ministry I have experienced the presence of God in countless ways that I never would have expected. I was with our church’s disaster relief team to Biloxi a few weeks ago. 30 of us drove down, expecting to work and to serve; and we did. But Jesus showed up for us in ways we weren’t expecting. Jesus was in the face of the people at the local stores, who worked to figure out ways to get the most in basic living supplies with the donation money you sent us down there with. Jesus was in the faces of the pastor and the members of Bethel Lutheran. Though they had suffered damage in their own homes, they took time to welcome us into their community and to serve us.

Jesus was in the face of Eddie, a worker on an off-shore oil rig which was destroyed by Katrina. He asked if he could sleep in a tent outdoors that stored some of the donations and supplies. He stayed to serve at the distribution point. Our team went to Biloxi with the intent to serve; and we were served. We intended to give hope; and we received faith. We intended to love, and we were loved. Jesus showed up in ways I never expected.

And Jesus continues to bewilder me. I don’t know when he’s going to “show up”. I don’t know where he’s going to show up. I don’t know how he’s going to show up. But there is one thing that I do know: Jesus is going to show up. He is going to come to me when I least expect it. He is going to love me when I least deserve it. And he’s going to do the same thing for you. He promises. We don’t know what the future holds, but we do know who holds the future.

The Advent story is about Jesus Christ, being found in utterly surprising, unexpected circumstances.

Christ is born in the world. Christ is born in a nowhere town called Bethlehem. Christ is born in a smelly, dirty, manger. Christ is born a tiny, helpless, poor, powerless baby.

This is the last place we would expect to find the Son of God being born. Know-it-alls never found him in that stable, in the dark, in the manger. It was the shepherds and the wise men who just believed, who made their way to him. All who think they know where they will find the Christ-child will surely miss him. Christians are people not afraid to proclaim with their Lord, “I don’t know.”

Where will I find Christ this Christmas?
I don’t know.
Where will you find Christ this Christmas?
You don’t know.

But we do know that Jesus comes for each of us. With the gift of grace, of love, of eternal life. It is for you. So keep your heart, your spirit and your mind ready. Watch: Jesus Christ is going to “show up” for you, bearing the gift of love and grace.

Amen.

Good

Last night was a good night. We had the third of our Sunday night gatherings for Jr. Highers in the confirmation program. It was a great night. Nate Burleson did the music. Happy Fun Time did improv comedy, Erik Steen did a great job with the videos, Pastor Peter did the talk, along with Tom Tipton... The whole thing flowed. It was what we wanted it to be.

I came home last night with the sense of "this is why I do what I do." It is a program. Programs are not a magic panacea that answers all problems or issues. Far from it. But when it does work, they are tools. And really, if we are going to do programs, and we should, shouldn't we do them well?

The theme was "God Creates." The primary focus was on how God continues to create...to be active in our world... Externally and internally. It is a matter of being able to name God in the midst of that process.

My hope is that God continues to create within our process.

Old Vision

"If you're going to do things like you've always done them, you're going to get what you've always gotten."

I'm at at conference sponsored by the ELCA this weekend. The conference is a gathering of 250 people who are either synod evangelism specialists, or are a part of the Christian Educator's Network. It's been an interesting event. There are big parts of it that have been driving me crazy.

I can't seem to get anyone to understand what I mean when I talk ab out "language" as being a key to evangelism. Unfortunately, this event isn't about that.

I've heard mostly stuff that is repackaged from the past:

• Hospitality needs to be a priority.
• We need to live the story.
• The story has power.

None of these things are wrong. But every time that they were spoken, I cringed just a little. They are the same things that we have been saying for what...10? 20? 30 years? And how well has that worked for us so far?

The ELCA has shrunk in membership. 10% of ELCA congregations have grown by an average of 1 member per year over the last 10 years. (Yes, I typed 1 member.) That means the other 90% have been stable or shrunk.

Evangelism hasn't worked for us.

Is it our culture?
Is it our methodology?
Yes.

It is not our theology and it is not our message. They are a constant and they are life-giving.

But we need a new language. Or maybe new languages. We need to speak to a culture who doesn't "get" us. We need change. I don't know what that change is yet, but we need to figure it out. It is a problem that needs to be solved.

I'm not sure that the people who are here are capable of figuring it out. I'm not sure that our church, institutaionally, has the courage it takes to make the kinds of changes, or to think in creative ways necessary to institute change.

More on the event later...

At the Smithville Methodist Church

At the Smithville Methodist Church
by Stephen Dunn

It was supposed to be Arts & Crafts for a week,
but when she came home with the "Jesus Saves" button,
we knew what art was up, what ancient craft.

She liked her little friends.
She liked the songs they sang
when they weren't twisting and folding paper into dolls.
What could be so bad?

Jesus had been a good man,
and putting faith in good men was
what we had to do to stay this side of cynicism,
that other sadness. OK, we said, One week.

But when she came home singing
"Jesus loves me, the Bible tells me so," it was time to talk. Could we say Jesus doesn't love you? Could I tell her the Bible is a great book certain people use to make you feel bad?
We sent her back without a word.

It had been so long since we believed,
so long since we needed Jesus as our nemesis and friend,
that we thought he was sufficiently dead,
that our children would think of him like Lincoln or Thomas Jefferson.

Soon it became clear to us: you can't teach disbelief to a child,
only wonderful stories, and we hadn't a story nearly as good.
On parents' night there were the Arts & Crafts all spread out like appetizers.
Then we took our seats in the church and the children sang a song about the Ark, and Hallelujah and one in which they had to jump up and down for Jesus.

I can't remember ever feeling so uncertain about what's comic, what's serious.
Evolution is magical but devoid of heroes.
You can't say to your child "Evolution loves you."
The story stinks of extinction and nothing exciting happens for centuries.

I didn't have a wonderful story for my child and she was beaming.
All the way home in the car she sang the songs, occasionally standing up for Jesus.
There was nothing to do but drive, ride it out,
sing along in silence.

APOD: 2005 November 7 - NGC 7635: The Bubble Nebula

APOD: 2005 November 7 - NGC 7635: The Bubble Nebula

An amazing photo from space

Bethel Lutheran of Biloxi Katrina Volunteers

Bethel Lutheran of Biloxi Katrina Volunteers

What is Honest

A friend of mine made a comment last weekend that I have been wrestling with. He said that in his prayer life, it was becoming more important to him to "just be honest."

Intersting.

Why would you not be honest in prayer? What good would it do to not be honest, if God is indeed all-knowing.

It's not about God, is it? It is about our own need to put ourselves in the best possible light, for God's sake and even more for our own. We are always trying to justify ourselves...to rationalize to ourselves, to make ourselves right.

It can't be done.

So how to be honest in prayer? I suppose I need to just start out figuring out how to be honest in life.

That's a different topic.

Academy

I'm in San Antonio for a planning meeting for the adult "Academy" at the ELCA Youth Gathering next summer.

I love the creative planning and dreaming process. The opportunity to dream about what kind of training the people who bring young people to the Gathering need, is really going to be fun. This is especially true when working on an project with the Gathering, which really has resources to throw around.

Saying What You Mean

This weekend 185 of our 10th graders affirmed their baptismal promises in the service of confirmation. It was a great weekend...a good celebration of faith...

It was interesting. There were many of the young people who were completely into the celebration. They were there because they "wanted" to make these promises their own and to enter into the life of the mystery of faith.

I also know that there were some young people who were completely going through the motions.

I love the young people who have strong faiths, who yearn to be challenged.
I love the young people who have doubts. Who wonder.
What drives me crazy are the young people (or any people) who are apathetic.

What do we do? How do we handle it? Do we "not" confirm? No, I don't think so. People are people and as God accepts them where they are at, we must also. Not everyone would agree with that. But it's where I'm at with it. So we confirm those who don't "deserve" it.

God's grace is not for those who deserve it.

God's grace is for me.

Confirmation is for them.

Time...

I've been too tired to write. Deep down tired.

We returned from our 8 days in Biloxi on Saturday night. There's not words to describe the experience. We blogged the trip on our web site.

Overall though, it was a powerful experience. 300 people a day...300 stories of pain. It sucks the energy right out of you. I have very rarely felt as useful and as needed as I did down there.

A Photo Share

The boys at Barnes and Noble

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Home Today

I Drove today from Hattiesburg back up to Jackson. I visited Ascension Lutheran Church in Jackson. These are amazing people. They are working an unbelievable pace, putting in unbelievable hours to distribute goods and to "warehouse" donations heading for the coast.

It's an amazing process, and the are doing this important work with grace. Theyh are not warehouse managers...they are not logixtics specialists...

The Pastor hung up the phone, looked at me and grinned and said "I just got another forklift!"

These people are tired and in need of relief, support and prayer too. They are doing the "grind it out" work that just needs to happen. Thanks to God for their work.

Seeing is believing

There are not words to describe what I'm seeing in Biloxi.

It's surreal:

• A McDonald's open for business like nothing is wrong, standing next to a Burger King which has been destroyed.
• Heavy traffic.
• RV and tent cities set up in the parking lots of K-Marts, Wal Marts and Save A Centers.
• Lines of cars to get free ice.
• Huge lines in the Wal Mart.

It's as if the destruction along Pass Road is "hit and miss." As if someone pointed at buildings one at a time and arbitrarily said "survive...survive...destroy...survive...destroy..."

Giant trees down everywhere.

The people are the most amazing though. The resiliancy awes me. The people at Bethel Lutheran are simply, quietly, going about the business of the Gospel. They are distributing food. They are distributing goods. 200-250 families a day. Amazing. They are not reflecting God's grace. They ARE God's grace.

The team gutting houses is working at a frantic pace. They are under a time limit before the mold becomes too significant. "Thank God for the Lutherans" a homeowner told me. "No one else is here in this neighborhood. Not FEMA, not the Red Cross, not even my own church...Thank God for the Lutherans."

The destruction along Hwy 90, the Beach highway, is a whole different story. I've never seen anything so complete. I've seen homes destroyed before, but they were always framed within the context of other homes that were fine, or several homes, but still within a neighborhood.

On 90, the destruction doesn't end. The only scene I can equate it to is the landscapes in the movie "Saving Private Ryan." The destruction, and rubble of burned out buildings goes on and on and on. But even the movie is in 2 dimensions. In 3 dimensions, Hwy 90 rocked my world. The power to destroy this way...I can't imagine it. And the people working in this area have a whole different demeanor. It's as if they are unaware of the rest of Biloxi...of the people in line in Wal Mart. These people are still, somehow, in rescue mode.

We will be back here in Mid October with a team. There is much to be done.

Our Habitat House!

The Habitat home our youth participated in building this past summer. It survived the storm.

Distribution of goods at Bethel Lutheran

The Fellowship Hall where our group ate its meals last summer, converted into a distribution center.