**Mustard Seed Distributed**

I have been in constant prayer for people in communitas-for jobs for people on our team. A lot of team members thought they would already have jobs in the city by now, but don't. No one on the team is on plan A-most are not on plan B-and a lot are past plan C. It has been a trust building event for everyone on the team that is truly engaged in the process. I feel very fortunate in my position being brought to my doorstep by God, and it is not even close to what I thought would happen. But this post is a shout of praise for my boy briggsy. He sold his stuff, packed up, and moved to nyc for a temp job. He finished the temp job, and searched for more work. God has been testing his trust for sure, and I have enjoyed the conversations with briggsy along the way. He will be the first to tell you that this has not been easy. He will also tell you about the days he was going to throw in the towel and bail on the city. But now, he has found a place that is in an intentional commun...

A long time ago, my very best friend, the fish man, was in a verbal altercation. I don't even know if it was an altercation. Matter of fact, I don't even know who it was with. But I will never forget his comeback in the conversation: "You're running." How can you have a comeback to that? You can't. All of that to get to the running-today, I ran a half mile. I do realize that people run marathons that are 26 some miles. Big whoop. I ran a half mile. For some reason, God has really pushed me to excercise more in taking better care of my body. Well, I think I may know the reason-if you are going to live in NYC, you are going to have to walk more than other cities. Especially more than R-town. (PS to mg-it has been 304 days since my last cigarette-61 days and you owe me some cash) I worked less than a mile from work for the last four years, and I drove my car. That is nuts. That is assnine. Everyone in communitas has talked about the physical drain....

So after a week in Cinci, I was back in our building today. I did get razzed quite a bit about how much 'vacation' I get. HA HA. I am glad that I have been welcomed into the staff, and people enjoy joking around as much as I do. It was great to see the smiles, and get the hugs from my chillens at our school. What joy they bring to my heart. Unbelievable really that I missed them as much as I did this week. And then next week I will be out for two days attending the leadership academy-but I'm looking forward to learning opportunities once again. So the pastor was at our house tonight-miss him more than I knew. He drove away tonight, and my heart realized how much our weekly meetings have meant to my spiritual growth the last year. I don't recall if I have blogged this, but I know I have told a few people-before the nyc call happened, I longed to find a mature christian man that could mentor me, guide me, hold me accountable, etc. I was even in the midst of purs...

I have been reading Peter again this week-it is packed full of juicy delicious bits of God's plan for how He wants us to live. If you haven't spent serious time reading it, get you a napkin and plate, fork and knife out of the kitchen, sit down, and devour all the morsels in there. It will last you through breakfast, lunch, dinner, and breakfast. Here is the revelation that came to me this morning through reading Peter-He calls us to be self-controlled and alert, to humble ourselves(1 Peter 5). He warns us to stand firm in the faith and resist the devil-because he 'prowls around you like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.' If that isn't a picture that puts a little bit of fear in your heart, then you have something wrong with you. A lion prowling around you? Have you seen one up close when it roars? There are a lot of teeth up in there. But stop the music-insert soundbite of record scratching-cue the revelation music-when you stand firm in knowing...

I'm just saying that I LOVE barbecued ribs. Love them. But I am pretty particular about them and how they are made, the sauce, etc. I am in Cincinnati for work this week, and I got to eat dinner last night at Montgomery Inn's Boathouse: www.montgomeryinn.com They absolutely have the best ribs I have ever eaten in my life. I LOVE THEM. I might go back again this week just to eat them again. The sauce is so sweet and delectible. I am also really enjoying what I am learning on this trip, and the people that I am working with. That certainly makes being away from the KKFT a lot easier. But I do miss those darn Kelly girls. I haven't mentioned lately how much I love the superstar. I have realized the past two days how much I long to spend time with her, even if we are in the same house doing different things. Plus, she's HOT, so that doesn't suck. Shout out to my boys sick pete and cay-uh for being my wing men in my whole approach to life. If you are a man (...

Couple of observations for today from my bible reading. First off, I am proud of myself for getting all the way through the old testament in less than a year. Whippee! There is a lot to chew on there, and when I finished this morning, I was literally excited about what I learned and getting through it. Ok, so I'm a geek. I get it. Otherwise-I am in 1 Timothy right now, and I was seriously convicted on how we are called to live if we are truly following God. From 1 Timothy 6: 6But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. Look at verse 8-if we have ...

There is good reason to call him sick pete. And how did she get so cute? And what is up with the crazy driver?

It is sad to not be in the city for now, but God continues to give me gifts of joy to fill my heart. Today, a girl in first grade read me the book Walter, the Farting Dog. If you haven't read it, you might want to pick up a copy. It was great to be back at school this week with my new place of employment. I'm helping a kindergarten boy to get his lunch today, and as he walks away from me, he says "Thanks, homey". That is something special I say. Benzr also started a new game this week at our school where she takes a picture of me, and posts it somewhere in the school. Whoever finds it gets a point, and at the end of the game, the person with the most points gets a prize. Who knew it would create so much excitement? I have always loved kids-fo sho as sick pete would say. The smile and the laugh and the eyes that look up to you as if to show you how much joy is in their body that wants to come out from those eyes and lift the world up and make it smile. Whatev...

I am back in our fair state of Michigan. But my heart aches. I know what God created me to do, and a piece of that puzzle is NYC. It was hard to get a nibble of communitas while I was there, and then to leave that and return to this place. My heart longs for my friends and brothers and sisters there that are wrestling with life in the city. I loved being with them there. I am NOT claiming anything more than the longing to be there, and I am doing my best to focus on today, and what God has laid at my feet for now. I am going to be patient and prudent in the journey to be there, and hope that God will show me some ripe fruit along the path. I praise Him for the fruit I have already eaten. PS-Here are the pics: http://picasaweb.google.com/timmkellynyc/NYC03#

If you do ever read my post titles, the one above is to be sung in your best Jim Morrison voice with doom and gloom overtones. If you can't do that, then you fogetabodit. So we come to the last night of our visit to nyc. I sit on the balcony on the 20th floor at 33rd and 1st. I know that God has changed my heart and my soul and my mind to prepare to come here to live and to serve. I know that He has offered me many experiences in my lifetime to prepare me for this. I am certain that when His time arrives, He will open the right doors to move the kkft into the right building in the right neighborhood, on the right timeline. I am certain that though I am a sinner, Jesus cleanses my sins and offers me redemption in my life so that others might see Him. I am certain that this may well be the most incredible city in the world, barnone. I am also certain that the lines of disparity in this city may very well be the greatest in the world. I have made many new friends here on th...

Tonight marks a monumental occasion for the entire KKFT-October 12, 2008. Tonight we attended our first official Communitas Sunday night meeting in New York City. Really, it was nothing monumental, no large fanfare, no ticker tape parade, no flamethrowers. Just a group of people meeting in an odd shaped office space with a kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom. Talking about the group continuing to meet weekly to discuss the following of Jesus they are trying to take care of during each week they live here in the city. Just a group of people praying together, eating pizza together, talking about opportunities that they face each day in a city of millions. I have to be honest, I did feel a bit odd sitting in this room with the kallens, with the pastor's family, with my family, and others on the team, and new friends from the city that have joined in. It was real. It was visceral. It was palpable. The flavor of Jesus overwhelms me at times. People on this team still seeking employ...

So today, the superstar and I spent most of the day in 'the village'. That's what people call it here, you know. The East Village is the more technical term, but who's counting. First, we went to the farmer's market type thing in Union Square. I sware I had the best Honeycrisp apple I have ever had in my life today. We went with the pastor's wife. I love that woman. Her sense of humor is so hi-larious. Anywho-then we went to the village and walked around. I just knew the superstar would like it. The only way I know how to describe it is it is 'without pretense'. Not that nyc people are uppity, but the village is earthy, real, gritty, cultural diverse, and a splash of artsy fartsy. Perhaps a slice of eccentric on the side. But we went to Tompkins park, which I never saw before. Sweet. We also spent hours at an orthodox church fundraiser that was in the streets, including food from Romania, Georgia, and maybe other places, a 'garage sale...

It is right for me to be in this city. I am certain that God has called me to be here. I don't just mean for this weekend, I mean for communitas-permanently. Not yet as far as His timeline goes, but soon enough. 'You are but a mist' means that time may seem long to us, but it is so short. Here are a few monumental items from the past few days: I got to hang with the pastor and pastor's wife, and the kids too. Funny how you miss being around people. I got to make fun of the Yankee again, too-always fun. We met at a bar last night with some people that are interested in being involved with communitas. We met there b/c a guy told pastor he would never attend a church service, but if he was going to meet in a bar he would come. So pastor said let's do it. So people came. I'm not sure how many biblical conversations were monumental, but pastor had never been to a bar before, so this was a key moment. Pastor and yankee are realizing that doing things li...

So spending time in the city shows me a lot of things-particularly how difficult this 'church plant' effort can be. Physically, mentally, socially, economically, strategically. It is not what pastor and wife thought it was going to be like. Funny, that is how my life has gone since I signed the covenant to be on the launch team. That term is now dead in my opinion-the church is launched here. That does not mean having a service, thank you very little. It means when I walked to the donut store after dinner with the Yankee and pastor, inviting Square to come and get a tea with us. It means knowing the kind of donut the parking structure guy prefers. It meant inviting Square to come up for a few minutes on his break working security on a job site to meet people on the team, and take dinner back to work with him. I love how Yankee knows all that stuff already. Serving others along the way. The test pattern continues, and life is not easy here on the island. The economy h...

So my 'baby' turns nine this week. Thanks to the berman, we had a "Dance Dance Party" up in our garage last night with some of alli's buds. It was a LOT of fun to play HS musical songs, soldja boy, and low low low low low low low low. Not to mention the hokey pokey, the hamster dance, macarena, and the limbo.... Even 'DJ Daddy' got into it as you can see above. Nothing like a black light, sparkle lights, loud music, and a smoke machine to get a group of pre-adolescent children pumped up with. You can check out the rest of the session here: http://picasaweb.google.com/timmkellynyc/DanceDanceRevolution# On top of all that, I got to hang out for the evening with my boy berman, who was my friend from the first time we walked into a room together back in the summer of 1996. It doesn't matter where we go or what we do, when we are together, or we are apart, we are always friends. I have greatly appreciated his honesty, his sense of humor that kills me...

Colors invade my soul. Oranges and blues. Reds and browns. Green grass contrasts. I see the world slowing down To taste the hesitations. My trees show me the time. The time passes slowly by. The maple falls even more red now. As the helmet and pads crack. Birds of all kinds group and flock. As if to tell you goodbye for now. Another day dawns pink. The coolness of the morning rises to meet the sun in his path. The piles captivate each child's wonder. As play gives way to something new. Soon, the leaves will be a memory. As we long for warm sunshine. Bur for now, as the colors blast my rods and cones--I enjoy the Autumnal Bliss.

First-I went to a funeral home visitation tonight. A parent of two young ladies (still in hs) I had as students at my old school. This woman was working on her teaching degree and was supposed to student teach last year at our school. Months before she was to begin, she found out she had a tumor in her brain. The long and short is that she never got to student teach, as she went through keimo, treatments, etc. The doctors gave her three weeks to live about six weeks ago. Here are a couple of things that I learned from this wonderful woman- A) No matter what, always maintain a positive attitude-even in her darkest points, she would smile and warm your heart, she would talk about when she got through it, etc. Her positive attitude and her smile were all I could think about in looking at her face tonight. B) Life is short. You have today-and that might be it. So live today as if it were your last, and do it with a positive attitude. The last thing I want to say on this topic-I kn...