I want to share something that's been on my heart recently. If you're going to read this, please try not to pretext it with anything you know of me, or of the discussions I take part in. If you think I am trying to start or continue trouble, you don't know me.
I believe Tastyfresh is headed for new, and bigger and better things. I know in the natural there is a site redesign in progress, which is always exciting, but beyond that,
I do wholeheartedly believe that God is taking this community somewhere.
- I'm excited by this Afterhours CD; I feel a little like it's the fulfillment of a dream many here have had about resurrecting a Tastyfresh album. As far as I recall, all previous attempts at such a thing failed dismally, but I feel like this is coming from a different attitude and has great possibility to succeed. Succeed musically, for the enjoyment of all; and succeed publicly, for spreading the community of Tastyfresh.
- I'm excited by the fact that Cornerstone is looking a little different this year. I've never been, so I'm no expert, but it's clear many changes have been taking place, and I think the TF community is being pushed to focus on their core competencies... but at the same time having to play a little bit of hot-potato. All in all, having to decide what's important, and distill that down to pure awesomeness.
- I think it'll be great for the few people that are going to catch up with each other, and re-energize each other, spur each other on for what we believe and what brings us all to this community.
- I'm excited by all the locked threads. I may be biased here, but in the last 6 months I think we've generally had more volatile discussions and more locked threads than in the previous 6 months... I could be totally off base here, but this is my feeling. And that tells me something's brewing. Public debate, heated discussion, locked threads, basically a lot of external rumblings I believe are a glimpse into the internal workings of things. I think they've been rising, and I think that indicates something is rising within the community. My perspective. I'm not talking about anything insurrectional, like changing rules or whatever, I'm just saying I think something's happening.
- I'm also excited by an expanding professional side of the community. People like Joel Armstrong, Shiloh, Topher Jones, and many others seem to be going from strength to strength, in their own music productions. I think this is awesome, and is a small but significant and encouraging part of our community.
- Over the last year we've lost a member dear to our community, though he's in the ultimate community now, in Heaven. We've also been blessed to see one of the oldest members, dj404 recover wonderfully (I believe) from his own cancer, and be "reborn" Christopher Carl. I appreciate the cycle of life and death, and believe that is part of who we are.
I don't claim to know where we're headed, but I believe God knows, and that His plans are good. I'd like to encourage anyone who feels similar (or even if you don't feel similar at all) to pray for God's hand on this community, and in particular those who are its de facto leaders (whether that is practical leaders, administrative, content, or whatever). People like Dave, Doug (who needs our prayers anyway), Alex, the mods, all the writers, all the high posters who keep this place alive, and all the lurkers who secretly pray for us all, without us being aware of it. God, I ask you would bless all those who pour into this community, with health and fullness of joy.
I consider myself blessed to be a part of this community. As God is my witness I love being here, and I'm excited for what the future holds
