Old Cars Inspire Me.

I don't know what it is about old cars but they have this power over me.  When I see them I see what they could be... when I touch them I touch history... I can hear the crackly old AM radio playing old tunes that were new when this old car rolled off the showroom floor.  I can feel all the excitement of the new owners and their families, just home from the war, a new house and a new car, things were really coming together, and the whole package only cost seven grand.  There is nothing like old car smell... it's a potpouri of old leather, cheap perfume, pine tree air freshener and cigaretts.  All of my senses spring to life except for my taste buds... I have never tasted a car...but, I'm sure it tastes like really good beer.

Then something wonderful happens.  My mind starts to rebuild this car... to change this or that.  I'm suddenly inspired to begin to make this car more than a car.  It's already been a car for 50 or 65 or even 80 years.  I can almost hear the old metal creek out the phrase..."Make me beautiful again".  I almost feel a responsibility and compassion towards the old heap of history.  However, when these old cars inspire me to do something about their current state, It's never to make them what they were, it's always to make them what they could be... today.  Change their shape, their ability to go fast, update their sound systems and interiors... They just don't want to be remembered for what the were in the past, they want to make a new statement about their present and their future.  The car above is the same car... before in its old skin, our history... our past... and after... our present/future statement of what we know we could be, what we feel is bursting through the creeky old metal... And thats nothing, wait till you see it done. 

I'm an artist, and old car parts is my medium... I love old cars... and I love all the culture, creativity and community that surrounds old cars.  I love turning old things into new things.

Pinups, Preaching and Paradox

A paradox is two seemingly opposing truths that are held in tension... and "paradox" is the best description for my last week.  I was at a Youth With A Mission base for the week preaching on the person of Holy Spirit and then had to race home to a photo shoot of pinup girls for the up coming launch of "Mr. Mercs" Custom Car Studio and our retail showroom, "Myk Roks".  What an adventure.

Monday through Friday I was preaching and praying for people to receive a REAL revelation of Holy Spirit.  You know, to change your thinking about someone you thought you already knew or had already figured out.  Challenging the students to think again about what they have been told, or to take a fresh look at their fears.  It was an amazing week and many people had a REAL, live, life changing week....We had so much fun; the air was full of excitement and life.  We were laughing and joking and dreaming and learning stuff about each other... Man, what a blast!

Then Karen and I jump into the rental car and drove home so I could get back for the photo shoot. We all started arriving at Mike's at around noon.  The girls, Tiffany, Kristina, Natalia, and Madison (my daughter) were all decked out in their pinup attire and they looked B-E-A-utiful... Josh Dunford from "Burnkit" and Kris Krug, a fashion photographer from Vancouver, started setting up lights and poses on choppers and old bicycles and cars.  John and Stephen from "John Fluevog Shoes" sent over some wicked footwear... even Mike and Ted and I got into the action.    We had so much fun, the air was full of excitement and life.  We were laughing and joking and dreaming and learning stuff about each other... Man, what a blast!

This is the snapshot of my life right now.  From preaching to pinups...from building one-of-a-kind custom cars and a business to building the Kingdom of Heaven in and through one-of-a-kind people.  It's an adventure alright; a fantastic one.  If you would have told me living in paradox could be this much fun I wouldn't have believed you.  If you would have told me that I was two seemingly opposing truths held in tension I would have laughed at you...not with you... at you.  But, it's the truth... I party to hard and pray to loud.