The Invisible Sun

Biographies

2008-12-18T10:18:00.004-06:00

Don't know if anyone reads this anymore. It's been almost 6 months. No excuses.

I am reading a book called "Not Quite what I was Planning". It's full of 6 word biographies by famous or not people. Some examples:

"My life's a bunch of almosts."

"3000 miles away from the truth."

"Girl loves Jesus. Girl loves boys."

"Quietly cultivating my inner Lynda Carter."

Wife: one; Degrees: two; Arrests: seven."

You get the idea. I'm wondering if anyone out there would venture to lay out their lives for us in six words. It's an excercise in vulnerability. You have to get to the essence. You can write more that one. Here's one of mine:

"What exactly should I be doing?'

let your inner thinker merge with your inner writer for a few moments, and see what happens.

Ron McLean leaves Beijing

2008-08-21T00:52:00.004-06:00

Thought I would post this clip. As always, Ron McLean is a class act, and the crown jewel of Canadian sports broadcasting. We're all thinking of you and your family, Ron.

Derek Edwards - one of Canada's best comedians

2008-08-20T22:57:00.001-06:00

Raj Binder's joke (22 Minutes)

2008-08-20T22:17:00.002-06:00

Maggie Gyllenhaal | The A.V. Club

2008-07-28T14:24:00.001-06:00

Gyllenhaal is one of those actors that stop me in my tracks. She's done some wacky, good movies, and she looks...GOOD.

Calif. diving program helps anchor ex-inmates - USATODAY.com

2008-07-28T14:22:00.000-06:00

Calif. diving program helps anchor ex-inmates - USATODAY.com

Alice Cooper urges Amy Winehouse not to kill herself | News | NME.COM

2008-07-28T14:21:00.000-06:00

I like Alice Cooper. Not the music so much - it's okay - but the guy. Listen here.

http://www.drewmarshall.ca/audio/080126alicecooper.mp3

Reports of man in van approaching Sask. kids rises to 14

2008-06-19T22:32:00.000-06:00

Reports of man in van approaching Sask. kids rises to 14

This is always scary to hear. We talk to our kids all the time about it, and will be doing so again tomorrow morning.

Frank Caliendo

2008-06-18T12:43:00.002-06:00

If you haven't seen this guy before, you are missing out. He is an amazing impersonator, and this is a great clip.

Alison Krauss And Robert Plant, Together - WSJ.com

2008-06-17T17:23:00.000-06:00

Alison Krauss And Robert Plant, Together - WSJ.com

Saskatoon man performs roadside caesarean section on a white-tailed deer

2008-06-12T22:19:00.001-06:00

Saskatoon man performs roadside caesarean section on a white-tailed deer

2008-05-16T16:46:00.002-06:00

“Offering a Small Time of Sanctuary and Peace”

Father Ted Hughes, Regional Chaplain, Prairie Region (right) with Darren Friesen, from Saskatoon Community Chaplaincy

Photo: Jeff Campbell

“You might call me ‘chaplain to the chaplains,’ ” says Father Ted Hughes, in describing his dual role as Regional Chaplain, Prairie Region.

In contrast to his team of 32 institutional and community chaplains, who work on contract, Father Ted, originally from Hamilton, Ontario, is a Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) employee. His job is to work with the chaplains, manage their contracts and see that the spiritual needs of both offenders and staff are met, regardless of religious affiliation. At the same time, he remains active as a Roman Catholic priest.

“Wearing these two hats can be a balancing act,” he says, “but not in any way
contradictory to what I was doing before — namely, as our Chaplaincy motto says, ‘Overcoming evil with good.’ That was the motto of my own ministry, so it flowed well into the Correctional Service when I joined in 2003.”

As both Regional Chaplain and priest, Father Ted has to walk a fine line between representing the interests of CSC and holding sacred the seal of confession. A dilemma arose early on when there were proposed revisions to Chaplaincy contracts: How to respect an offender’s confession without compromising institutional security?

“I couldn’t tell the chaplains that they must never hold any privileged
information confidential,” he explains. “Fortunately, with Legal Services and Contracting, we agreed on a phrase that says chaplains must report all security threats, ‘while respecting the confidential nature of privileged information received during spiritual counsel’. People have to make a judgment call,” he adds, “to follow their own conscience, but in an informed manner.”

Helping correctional staff find a balance between the seemingly conflicting
values of justice and mercy or control and compassion is another aspect of Father Ted’s work. In his orientation sessions with new correctional officers he challenges them to think beyond the control part of the job and see themselves as “offering a small time of sanctuary and peace” to those who have been entrusted to their care.

“It’s not easy,” he says, “because in the midst of a segregation unit or an assault on staff, you still have to ask yourself ‘How can I do the right thing?’
Which is: to offer respect. Not just following the rule of law, but the underlying respect that each one of us should have for a fellow human being. That may be Chaplaincy talk, but it fits in completely with our Mission and Values.”

Another fun guitar thing

2008-05-09T12:47:00.001-06:00

Four Hands Guitar

Jolt...

2008-05-09T12:45:00.001-06:00

It's been a while people, and I am still alive, still chaplaining, still father, husband, and struggling artist. Hope you are well (all three of you). Let's see if we can get this thing back on it's wheels.

2008-05-09T09:51:00.001-06:00

Test

And for all you musicians (especially guitar players), do yourself a favour and watch this.

2007-10-10T09:41:00.000-06:00

Richard Simmons on "Whose Line..."

2007-10-10T09:20:00.000-06:00

Many of you will find this somewhat inappropriate, which it is. Many of those same people will laugh hard, cuz it is FUNNY!!

2007-09-26T20:48:00.000-06:00

Thomas Merton on the Inner life

I do not know if I have found answers. When I first became a monk, yes,I was more sure of answers. But as I grow old in the monastic life and advance further into solitude, I become aware that I have only begun to seek the questions. And what are the questions? Can man make sense out of his existence? Can man honestly give his life meaning merely by adopting a certain set of explanations which pretend to tell him why the world began and where it will end, why there is evil and what is necessary for a good life? My brother, perhaps in my solitude I have become as it were an explorer for you, a searcher in realms which you are not able to visit . . . I have been summoned to explore a desert area of man?s heart in which explanations no longer suffice, and in which one learns that only experience counts. An arid, rocky, dark land of the soul, sometimes illuminated by strange fires which men fear and peopled by specters which men studiously avoid except in their nightmares. And in this area I have learned that one cannot truly know hope unless he has found out how like despair hope is.

- Thomas Merton
The Hidden Ground of Love
(Via Randall)

Little Rock Nine mark 50th anniversary - Yahoo! News

2007-09-25T17:12:00.000-06:00

This is a wonderful story of some brave students who did what I don't think I would have the guts to do. It is something to celebrate.

2007-07-15T16:05:00.000-06:00

Advocating Artist

Blah Blah Blah

2007-07-07T18:11:00.000-06:00

I just thought I'd ramble a little here. I don't do much these days, as I am recovering from open-heart surgery on June 18th. For those who haven't been following, I had my mitral valve replaced. Most of my day focuses on doing my exercises and walking, eating well, and resting. Because of the extent of the anesthetic's work in my body, it takes days or weeks for different parts of my body (i.e. - lungs) to fully awaken. My stamina is down, and my patience doesn't like that too much. I've been watching a lot of TV, not much reading or writing. I had hoped to be able to "use the time wisely", but energy levels are not allowing for that. So I still seem to be waiting, albeit something different than I was waiting for before

The Latest on the Heart Saga

2007-07-05T21:56:00.000-06:00

So I had a little glitch in recovery yesterday. I had an appointment scheduled with my GP yesterday, and that got stretched into a 24 hour stay in emerg. The blood thinner has not been kicking in as expected, and that puts me at risk for clots, which can lead to a stroke. My GP, being the thorough guy he is, did a bunch of tests and the sent me to the hospital for more tests. My warfarin was too low, so they hooked me up with some IV to get the ball rolling. I was also experiencing afribulation (sp?), which means that my upper heart chambers were quivering instead of pumping. This is often a problem with valve replacement, but one that can be fixed relatively easily with medication. Needless to say, it is always a little scary when these things come up, but they are not out-of-the-ordinary. Thanks again for all your thoughts and prayers. I am back home and getting back into my slow routine.

Political SLAM!!

2007-07-05T21:50:00.000-06:00

This may be one of the most calculated, scathing commentaries on anything political that I have ever seen. Whether you agree or not, it is an amazing piece of writing, and it is refreshing to hear someone say what they think.

Steve Bell and Orchestra

2007-06-29T21:25:00.000-06:00

I first got to know Steve almost 20 years ago working at YFC Winnipeg. I just found this clip from concert last fall with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, which would have been an amazing night. There is a symphony tour planned for the fall, and all the details can be found at his web site. Enjoy!

There is a great moment near the beginning where Steve just seems to sit back and take in all that is happening right then. This was on his birthday, and I cannot imagine what it would be like to see one's own ideas and dreams take shape over the years into a place like that. Pretty amazing stuff!

Alive and Kickin'

2007-06-26T10:33:00.000-06:00

It looks like it's time for the first official update since my surgery, which was 8 days ago.

First, the surgery was a success. Everything went as it was supposed to, and doctors and nurses during that time were very good, at least according to those closest to me.I have vague images of the ICU, but I hear that I was fairly funny. I am wondering about becoming addicted to valium and taking it on the road.

The week in the hospital is a bit of a blur. One of the factors that one doesn't think of unless you've been through it is the effects of anesthesia. That stuff can do a number on you like you would not believe. If you have been under it, you know. I had panic attacks and - dare i say - hallucinations of the not kind or fun variety. That seems to have subsided now, thankfully.

I came home on Friday,and although it seemed too fast for me, I think it was good for me to do that. It is good to be back with Sherryl and the kids, although their lives haven't slowed down for a minute. Last night was the first decent sleep I've had, which has been frustrating.

My incision is amazingly clean, and the scar won't be too noticable at all after the gray chest hair grows back in. My sternum is sore - obviously, but I guess I've adapted somewhat to the pain. I think I feel better than I thought I would, and that is a wonderful surprise.

Thanks to so many of you for your thoughts and prayers. They have made all the difference over the last weeks - I am convinced of that. Thanks also to the many of you who have visited, called and sent emails. Although I can't answer them all, I am very thankful for them.

If you'd like to call, please do. We are screening our calls a bit, only for time and because of my energy, but feel free to leave a message. If you live around here and would like to stop in, please phone first to make sure it's a good time.

Take care.

I may have to die on this hill...

2007-06-11T20:48:00.000-06:00

I heard some disturbing news a few days ago. Apparently there is a song climbing the country charts that is called "I Wanna Check You for Tics". Here's an example of the lyrics:

Every time you take a sip
In this smoky atmosphere
You press that bottle to your lips
And I wish I was your beer
In the small there of your back
Your jeans are playing peekaboo
I'd like to see the other half of your butterfly tattoo.

Cause I'd like to see you out in the moonlight
I'd like to kiss you way back in the sticks
I'd like to walk you through a field of wildflowers
And I'd like to check you for ticks.

Now I am sure that there are some out there that love country music, and may even love this song. I don't mean to offend, but this is just BAD songwriting. I don't care if the tune is catchy. I just had to say this out loud: I rally do not like country music, and this song shows why.

Paris turns to God's word before prison | NEWS.com.au

2007-06-04T17:08:00.000-06:00

Not sure what this means, but I might be turning to God to after the verbal shot to the head that Sarah Silverman laid on her at the MTV Movie Awards last night. Check this out (content warning):

Two months...

2007-06-03T21:45:00.001-06:00

...since I last posted here. With the onslaught of facebook, my time has been taken up elsewhere. Anyhoo, just to let the few of you who read this blog know that I finally have a date for my surgery - June 18th. I'd appreciate your prayers for my family and for peace of mind over the next two weeks. Thanks. Oh, and I'll try and to get to posting some more.

2007-04-16T17:10:00.000-06:00

Bono in the Pulpit

2007-03-11T15:56:00.000-06:00

This is much the same as his presidential prayer breakfast speech last year, but the energy is crazy good.

Nouwen on living life

2007-03-07T09:37:00.000-06:00

More and more, the desire grows in me simply to walk around, greet people, enter their homes, sit on their doorsteps, play ball, throw water, and be known as someone who wants to live with them. It is a privilege to have the time to practice this simple ministry of presence. Still, it is not as simple as it seems. My own desire to be useful, to do something significant, or to be part of some impressive project is so strong that soon my time is taken up by meetings, conferences, study groups, and workshops that prevent me from walking the streets. It is difficult not to have plans, not to organize people around an urgent cause, and not to feel that you are working directly for social progress. But I wonder more and more if the first thing shouldn't be to know people by name, to eat and drink with them, to listen to their stories and tell your own, and to let them know with words, handshakes, and hugs that you do not simply like them, but truly love them.

Henri Nouwen
via Jordon

Thousands feared at risk from asbestos on warships

2007-03-06T21:59:00.000-06:00

This is a very interesting story, not only because of the content and the tragedy of being exposed to asbestos, but because the man featured here is my Uncle Harvey. He is a good man, and it is sad to see all that he has gone through.

Coffee For People Who LIke to Think

2007-03-06T09:53:00.000-06:00

This Saturday at 8:00 p.m., Coffee for People Who Like to Think returns to the Broadway Roastery on Five Corners. We are looking at Philip Yancey's book Soul Survivor and are discussing chapter 3 on Dr. Paul Brand.

More information on the Church of the Exiles weblog.

Tough Day

2007-03-02T19:50:00.000-06:00

If you could do me a favor, please pray for Sherryl's family. Her uncle took his own life this afternoon. It is the end of a hard, sad story. Thanks.

www.cbc.ca - The National

2007-03-01T17:27:00.000-06:00

This is pretty funny. Rex Murphy has a way with words that few can match, and he's on the money. If you haven't heard, James Cameron has "found the tombs of Jesus and his family". Wow, he's good!

About my appointment...

2007-03-01T15:34:00.000-06:00

My doctor's appointment on Monday was routine, but it takes me one big step closer to going under the knife. I met with the surgeon who will do the operation, and he layed out a couple of options. I need to decide whether I'll go with repair or replacement. Repair is better in that I would not have to take blood thinner for more than a couple of months. The down side is that the repairs can wear out after 10 years or so, and a second operation is much more risky. Replacement is somewhat of an easier operation; they just cut out the old and put in the new. And I won't have to have another operation: the fake valve lasts for the rest of my life. The down side of this option is that I would have to take blood thinner for the rest of my life.

The other choice I have is whether I'll be available to go in on short notice. I don't know what they consider "short notice", but that might not be a bad idea; less time to think about it beforehand.

This is a model of a replacement valve. I guess I could be considered a cyborg, but I gain no extra powers.

This gives you and idea of what they want to do. If you google "mitral valve replacement", you'll see a couple of photos that are a little more graphic.

Doctor's Appointment

2007-02-26T09:10:00.000-06:00

If there are still any of you out there who come past this blog every once in a while, I would ask for your prayers this morning. I have an appointment with a heart specialist (I think it's the cardiac surgeon) regarding my heart problem. It;s probably routine and the nest step in the process, but there has been bad communication with the heart people in general, and it has continued today. They said they had sent me a notice of an appointment in the mail, but I never received anything, and then - as before - they phone and see if they can squeeze me in on short notice. I never know if I have missed an appointment because I get nothing in the mail. It is frustrating.

For those of you who have wondered if I am still around, I am. As my friend Brian says, there is lots happening, but writing about it just doesn't happen, and so the blog is quiet. My wife is in Florida right now, avoiding the cold weather (-25 here this morning) and watching dolphins follow the boat, walking on the beach with her mom, and generally having a blast. The kids and I are still alive and talking to each other, which is no small miracle, it seems. Really, we're okay.

MSNBC Report on Sex Offenders

2007-02-09T22:27:00.000-06:00

This report brings up a very touchy subject for most people. When have sex offenders payed their dues, if ever? I work with sex offenders every week, so I have a few opinions on the topic. This report takes a different approach than most others, and I would encourage you to watch it and think about it.

From Playmate years till her sad end, Anna Nicole Smith was a media darling

2007-02-09T22:14:00.000-06:00

Smith was indeed a tragic figure. In some way she represents all that is wrong with Hollywood and the media. Inside of all of that was a woman that tried to find happiness in so many ways, and God loved her through all of that. This picture is of her and her son Daniel, who died six months ago.

Coffee For People Who LIke to Think

2007-02-09T09:19:00.000-06:00

This coming this Saturday is the Church of the Exiles first Coffee for people who like to think at Broadway Roastery.

Who: Anyone who wants to discuss with us, Philip Yancey's book, Soul Survivor .
When: Every second Saturday at 8:00 p.m. Starting February 10th.
Where: Broadway Roastery at 5 corners on Broadway.

Cost: Just your coffee and the cost of the book. If you don't have the book, we will post a link to some background information on the blog of who we are talking about.

Thunderstruck

2007-02-06T22:36:00.000-06:00

This site has become one of my favourites over the last couple of years. Steve Beard scours the net and compiles stories and articles regarding faith and culture. It always makes for interesting reading. U2, Jonny Lang, the fundies and not-so-fundies, and much more - it's all there.

This is worth your time

2007-02-02T23:07:00.000-06:00

Through my sister in law I came across this interview. I don't know if it actually aired, but it is funny...at least for me. Drew Marshall is a radio host from Toronto with, as he says, the most listened-to christian radio show in Canada. These clips are an interview with Drew on "100 Huntley Street", a popular Canadian evangelical TV show. I had never heard of him before today, but we are becoming friends. Here's the link to his site

'U2-charist': church to replace hymns with hits

2007-01-29T17:01:00.000-06:00

I think this sort of thing is gaining in popularity. I'd love to be there.

Five Things about me

2006-12-19T21:56:00.000-06:00

I usually don't do these things, but Coop asked me, and I can't say no. Five things most people don't know about me.
1. I've known my best friend Nolan Balzer since kindergarten. We lost touch for a few years, and then spent all of high school, parts of college, and lost of other time hanging out. He is a audio technician and cd producer at DaCapo in Winnipeg.
2. I would love to write a book someday...and make a cd.
3. As much as I love computers, I am so NOT into computer games.
4. I used to do a lot of acting in college, and have performed in front of crowds in the thousands. Of course, they weren't there cuz my name was on the marquee...and I am still waiting for my cheque.
5. Among my former jobs: McDonalds, Bonanza, day care worker, bus driver, basketball ref, treeplanter, guitar teacher (still do it), camp counselor, and youth pastor.

Dear Church: Letters from a Disillusioned Generation

2006-11-22T19:07:00.000-06:00

This book was recommended to me a few days ago by a friend. If some people don't like the word 'disillusioned', I am not one of them. Disillusionment is something I have felt for years, even when working in churches, which I did for 10 years. I think I'll pick this one up.

Incomplete Manifesto

2006-11-21T21:43:00.000-06:00

This is such a great list. Often I find I need "permission" to do what I really want/need to do to be whole. This list gives me permission in bucketloads. It comes from a design firm that thrives doing the "other". Some of my favourites:

1.Study. A studio is a place of study. Use the necessity of production as an excuse to study. Everyone will benefit

2. Don’t be cool. Cool is conservative fear dressed in black. Free yourself from limits of this sort

3. Imitate. Don’t be shy about it. Try to get as close as you can. You'll never get all the way, and the separation might be truly remarkable. We have only to look to Richard Hamilton and his version of Marcel Duchamp’s large glass to see how rich, discredited, and underused imitation is as a technique.

4. Coffee breaks, cab rides, green rooms. Real growth often happens outside of where we intend it to, in the interstitial spaces -- what Dr. Seuss calls "the waiting place." Hans Ulrich Obrist once organized a science and art conference with all of the infrastructure of a conference -- the parties, chats, lunches, airport arrivals — but with no actual conference. Apparently it was hugely successful and spawned many ongoing collaborations.

The Festival Collection

2006-10-31T18:14:00.000-06:00

The Festival Collection
If you're tired of looking for movies at the rental place, here's an alternative. Blockbuster has a bunch of film festival-type movies from all of the the world. I plan to be picking up a few of these.

It's True Spirituality, Live at "Studio 60" - Beliefnet Entertainment blog, TV blog, Movie blog, Religion in entertainment blog

2006-10-18T20:21:00.000-06:00

Idol Chatter: It's True Spirituality, Live at "Studio 60" - Beliefnet Entertainment blog, TV blog, Movie blog, Religion in entertainment blog

I've watched this show a couple of tmes and I really like it. Reminded me a bit of what "L.A. Law" tried to do all those years ago - have a christian character who was a REAL PERSON.

Dallas Willard: Don't make outreach a primary goal

2006-10-18T20:09:00.000-06:00

Common wisdom says that inwardly focused churches need to focus on outreach in order to change. Dallas Willard challenges this wisdom in Renovation of the Heart:

It is, I gently suggest, a serious error to make "outreach" a primary goal of the local congregation, and especially so when those who are already "with us" have not become clear-headed and devoted apprentices of Jesus, and are not, for the most part, solidly progressing along the path. Outreach is one essential task of Christ's people, and among them there will always be those especially gifted for evangelism. But the most successful work of outreach would be the work of inreach that turns people, wherever they are, into lights in the darkened world.

A simple goal for the leaders of a particular group would be to bring all those in attendance to understand clearly what it means to be a disciple of Jesus and to be solidly committed to discipleship in their whole life. That is, when they are asked who they are, the first words out of their mouth would be, "I am an apprentice of Jesus Christ." This goal would have to be approached very gently and lovingly and patiently with existing groups, where the people involved have not understood this to be part of their membership commitment.

Yet Another Update

2006-10-18T19:04:00.000-06:00

Just to let you all know what's been happening. This morning I had a test done called a T.E.E.. It went well, and I am only feeling a bit of a sore throat. The information they gain from this test will direct the surgeons as to what they'l when they crack me open. Thanks to all who prayed; I felt them.

Ricky Gervais

2006-10-06T23:17:00.000-06:00

If you're a fan of "The Office" (American version), you have to thank the man Ricky Gervais, who is one of the funniest people I've seen. In addition to writing and starring in the original "Office" (British version), he's done a bunch of other stuff, including a in-house video for Microsoft that was leaked onto the net for a few days. Apparently he has a new show called Extras. I tried to watch it online, but it took too long to download. Did I mention that I thnk I am becoming more ADD every day? If you have a chance to see the original Office Series (two seasons and Christmas special), DO IT. I rented them from my local library.

Off for the weekend

2006-10-06T22:59:00.000-06:00

Been a while again. Just wanted to let you know that I'm still alive. My wife is gone for a few days, and me 'n' the kids are off to my parents in Swift Current for a weekend of food and merriment.

My heart deal is the same. I am still waiting for a TransEsophageal Echo. Once that happens, the surgeons will have the information they need to do the operation. My hope is that the delay means they are not overly concerned, and not that they forgot.

Work at the chaplaincy has been good in some ways, and tough in others. Politics always seems to get in the way, and I am dealing with a little of that right now. I also find that the stories I hear - most of which are tragic - are becoming more difficult to listen to. They exhaust me, especially when I have a day of them. I know that this is my job, and that's cool. But it does tend to wear on a guy.

Don't Waste Your Cancer

2006-09-12T13:09:00.000-06:00

I found this article on dealing with health trials and thught it was good. I don't know if I agree with everything Piper says, but there are a lot of good reminders

Health Update

2006-09-12T12:56:00.000-06:00

There are many of you that I haven't met before, and I'd like to fill you in on some changes in my life.
I have had a heart murmur for my whole life. I found out about it when I was 21, and thought that, as many others who have one, it wouldn't affect me in any grave way.
That however, is not my fate. About a month ago I found out that it has gotten worse, and I will require open-heart surgery in the near future. The operation has a very high sucess rate, so I am not really fearful for my life, but it is a big deal. You can read about what will be happening here.
I need to have one more test to get all the information the surgeons need before we can proceed, and I don't have any dagtes or guesses as to when this all will take place. I had originally hoped to have the operation done before Christmas, but there is no sign of that yet.
I would appreicate your prayers over this, for myself and my family.

From Edward Abbey

2006-09-11T15:56:00.000-06:00

Here's a quote that I have thought about a lot in the last couple of years, and I am finally putting it here. What are your thoughts?

One final paragraph of advice: Do not burn yourselves out. Be as I am - a reluctant crusader, a half-hearted fanatic. Save the other half of yourselves and your life for pleasure and adventure. It is not enough to fight for the land; it is even more inportant to enjoy it. While you can. While it's still here. So get out there and hunt and fish and mess around with your friends, ramble out yonder and explore the forests, encounter the grizz, climb the mountains, bag the peaks, run the rivers, breathe deep of that yet sweet and lucid air, sit quietly for a while and contemplate the precious stillness, that lovely,. mysterious and awesome space.

Quote from Mark Heard

2006-08-23T17:49:00.000-06:00

When asked what legacy he would like his art to leave, Mark says simply: "I think that all the mystery in the world, all the wonder in the world, all the tears of happiness, all the tears of sadness, all the truth in the world - they have all been rolled up into a big ball and thrown into a hole and boarded up by society. All I'd like to do is just to punch a peep-hole in that, so that somebody walking by might look in.

2006-08-23T16:57:00.000-06:00

I also thought these "Armour of God" pajamas were so sweet. Do they make adult sizes?

Enough is Enough

2006-08-22T20:04:00.000-06:00

I'm sitting here in front of the laptop, as I have many times in the last few months, not knowing what to say. I have comtemplated shutting the blog down, but I don't think I will do that. In my own mind, I write, even if I don't actually write here that much. So for a person who thinks himself a writer to shut down a place where he can write doesn't make much sense.

I absolutely admit that my blogging has been pathetic. I can admit that because it has been. Sorry to all those of you - if you're still there - who keep checking back.

The summer has been good. A few thoughts have bubbled to the surface that I will elabourate on some other time. I've had a chance to relax doing some camping with the family, my son Dylan bought a gecko (just one more tiny tiny step on the way to getting a St.Bernard), do some reading and revisit a few musicians that I haven't listened to in a while.

One songwriter that I return to over and over is Mark Heard(picture above). He died in 1992 at the age of 39, and he was one of the world's great songwriters. No doubt you've never heard of him. In songwriter terms, he ranks with Bruce Cockburn and Bob Dylan. His stuff is hard to find these days, partly due to some long-standing legal issues over who owns his earlier music. If you have the chance, and like that sort of thing, try and track down some of his stuff.

I have more to say, but I'll save that for next year.

Berlin's World Cup co-ordinator shoots himself

2006-07-11T21:14:00.000-06:00

This is such a sad story. Not sure of the details, but if is as TSN says, very sad.

World's Worst Analogies

2006-06-26T20:43:00.000-06:00

Figures that it would take something this stupid to get me back at the blog. These made me laugh out loud, especially the following:

McBride fell 12 stories, hitting the pavement like a Hefty Bag filled with
vegetable soup.
(Paul Sabourin, Silver Spring)

She caught your eye like one of those pointy hook latches that used to dangle
from screen doors and would fly up whenever you banged the door open again.
(Rich Murphy, Fairfax Station)

They lived in a typical suburban neighborhood with picket fences that resembled
Nancy Kerrigan?s teeth.
(Paul Kocak, Syracuse, N.Y.)

John and Mary had never met. They were like two hummingbirds who had also
never met.
(Russell Beland, Springfield)

Check out the rest here

Depression Discussion

2006-05-30T22:25:00.000-06:00

I wanted to respond to a comment that was left here a few days ago. It's from someone named "Doug", and I'd ask you(the reader) to read it before you read my comments, as they won't make much sense otherwise. Also read Joyce's(kehlerhildebrand) comment right after that. She lets go here, and I laughed out loud when I read it. Thanks for jumping in, Joyce. There is much that you said well that I won't repeat.

Doug, as Joyce said, clinical depression is...well...clinical. It is like having a broken arm or a hernia. There is something physically wrong with the brain, and it needs to get fixed. That is what I suffer from (though not as badly as some). When you braek your arm, you go to the doctor, who does what he/she can to fix it. It's the same with depression. The doctor does what they can to fix it. THAT is what depression is; that and nothing else.

That being said, I know that sin can affect your psyche, and that needs to be dealt with too, through prayer and honesty before God. I, like everyone else I know, deal with sin. I love God, and want to follow him. Clinical depression has the tendancy to make that journey tougher, but I do what I can. Depression affects the way you think about your life with God, but it does not your life with God. They affect each other, but are not the same.

Third, I have to say that the approach you took to addressing me and this problem of depression is amazing and scary to me. Amazing because clinical depression is all over the place, probably with people you know and love. The approach you took with me was fairly condescending, and it seems to me that you need to do a little research so you know the facts on what you're talking about.Scary because you so easily threw out judgement and condemnation at me, thinking that my problem would somehow be fixed through that. There are others I know, suffering from depression, that would not be able to handle your words, and, if you were to have written to them, you could end up driving them deeper into it instead of helping them. The most surprising part of your comment was calling the existance of my relationship with God into question. Doug, you don't know my heart, or anyone else's. Do you see how dangerous it is to "play God" and say that you know the hearts of people. It is not yours, mine, or anyone else's place to judge the heart of another. I would ask you to seriously think about that, not to apologize, but for the sake of others who will come across your path in the future who need you to really love them and not condemn them.

Doug, I'd be interested in hearing your comments (or anyone else's) on this.

AMEN

Donald Miller Isn’t Hip: a gospel for people tired of trying to be cool

2006-05-15T13:05:00.000-06:00

This headline hit me. There is way too much "cool" (or at least trying to be) in my own life, and in the church, too, I think. it takes so much effort and energy to keep up that appearance. I see my kids dealing with it, and I just want to say "STOP!! Don't get sucked into the game." It's a game that I got sucked into a long time ago, and getting out is hard. Miller is on the right track, and his writing reflects it. If you haven't had a chance to read his stuff, do yourself a favour and go buy one of his books. I only wish that he could publish one about every 48 hours, so I could finish one and go get another. But beyond that, there are ideas about being real and honest about who you are that we as Christians give lip-service to, but don't actually want because we'll look bad, or have less fun (we think), or not be famous, or something...

Just my opinion, so check it out for yourself.

2006-05-11T11:59:00.000-06:00

He who saves one person saves the whole world. - Jewish Talmud

Update

2006-05-01T14:44:00.000-06:00

Thanks so much to all of you who have commented and written over the last couple of days. I am thankful for your prayers and thoughts. As many of you know, I have been battling this for about 5 years. One thing that I neglected to make clear in the last post is that I have been on medication for the last 5 years. I just switched from Effexor to Celexa, each of which have their own unique side-effects. They have helped me cope fairly well, but there are cycles to the whole thing. So I have taken that step, as well as seen two different counselors during that time.

There are times when I wonder about what has specifically brought me to this place in life. My past thoughts about myself havea lot to do with it. It is difficult to stop listening to the voices that have been condemning you for many years. I go through cycles of ability to believe what is true or the tapes that seem to have been playing in my head my whole life. The meds help with this, and for that I am thankful.

Aside from meds, what do you do personally to keep yourself balanced and well? Music? certain authors? Meditation? Just curious, that's all!

2006-04-25T10:14:00.000-06:00

Some of you have noticed that I haven't been writing here much at all lately. I have intended to, but haven't had the strength or desire. My depression seems to have it's way with me these days. I am lethargic, frustrated, and muddled much of the time. This reaks havoc on family life, work, and all else that is around me. There are moments that are clear, but mostly I am in a fog, not knowing what to do next, not knowing how to take the next step to where I should be.

For those of you who have dealt with/are dealing with depression, you know what I mean. For those of you who (fortunately) have not entered this realm, I know that it is hard to understand. People don't get why you can't just "get up and do what you need to do". That's the thing; you can't. The brain knows intellectually what needs to happen (i.e. - do the laundry, make a phone call, etc.) but the "why should I" doesn't make any sense. Some of it has to do with my own attitudes, or the circumstances I find myself in, but there is no ability to push through that, to believe in yourself and that what you do actually matters. And so you just sit...and think (not clearly, mind you)...and sit some more.

And because of this, there is guilt...lots of guilt. "if only I could...". "I should...".

I would appreciate your thoughts on this. Do you you suffer from depression? How do you cope?

I recently had the chance to meet and visit with Diana Pops, a singer/songwriter from Winnipeg. She is a wonderful young woman who is very talented and has an amazing voice. One of her songs has been flowing through my head.

Turning Around
- Diana Pops

True love is silent (still letters 'til you fall)
But who knows where the time goes when you stay the hard road?

I hope now to be softer
I hope now to be lovely
I hope now something better is just around the corner

I, I listen to me hurt
I tear my self apart
I break my own heart
I'm going to start turning around
any day now

Truth is I'm just lonely, but seeing as I'm never left alone
Who knows where my love shows up in lives I've never known?

I hope now to be softer
I hope now to be lovely
I hope now something better is just around the corner

I, I listen to me hurt
I tear myself apart
I break my own heart
I'm going to start turning around
any day now

globeandmail.com : Cockburn hailed as the 'Bono of Canada'

2006-04-05T11:59:00.000-06:00

Recently I spoke out a bit about Cockburn's music on the Faithmaps Yahoo group. I think he is one of Canada's greatest musical treasures, and this award should go to no other.

Evangelical teens rally in S.F.

2006-03-27T09:46:00.000-06:00

An interesting article on how some believers are dealing with culture. I can't say that I agree, but see for yourself.

Jason's Music

2006-03-24T12:57:00.000-06:00

I've known Jason Silver for a long time. His wife Joanne and my wife are cousins. Like me, he has worked in a few churches and has the scars to prove it. He now lives in Hamilton, and, amoung other things, writes a lot of music. You can click on the arrow to listen to a bit of it. or go to his site, Crooked Bush (that is not a political statement, although, perhaps, it could be).

For those who are interested...

2006-03-23T19:05:00.000-06:00

2006-03-20T09:07:00.000-06:00

Which Member of U2 Are You?

You're The Edge! Edge is the beanie-sporting lead guitarist of U2. He has an Irish-Welsh accent and enjoys documentaries on owl droppings. What a catch!
Take this quiz!

A Powerful Preacher Who Tries to Deflect Public Acclaim - New York Times

2006-03-10T11:21:00.001-06:00

John Stott is one of those people that one could/should aspire to emulate. He has devoted his life to Jesus, and does not make a big deal of it, although there certainly could be much fanfare around him. He is still going hard at age 84, and sees where he can best be used by God; in the developing countries where Christianity is taking off. Thank you for your example, John Stott.

2006-03-08T13:42:00.000-06:00

I thought this was pretty funny. Who knew Larry and Bono could act? All in all, I'd give it a "B".

grrrl meets world: Our own Muhammad cartoon controversy

2006-03-08T10:31:00.000-06:00

Here's a take on the Jesus cartoon that, I have to admit, I hadn't thought of. The message they were attempting to get across in the cartoon is true, even though their method may not be acceptable. Thanks, Becky.grrrl meets world: Our own Muhammad cartoon controversy

The Sheaf - University of Saskatchewan Student Newspaper - Freedom from responsibility?

2006-03-07T22:56:00.000-06:00

The Sheaf - University of Saskatchewan Student Newspaper - Freedom from responsibility?

This piece is The Sheaf's response to the Muslim cartoons that were published last fall. Seems like they should have read their own paper before the Jesus cartoons got out. Interesting.

Sheaf Editor Resigns Over Cartoon Publication

2006-03-07T22:36:00.000-06:00

The cartoon publiched last week on "the Sheaf", portrayed Jesus having 'relations' with a pig. Obviously there has been a HUGE stink about this, as there should be. Especially considering that the same paper refused to publish the Danish cartoons refering to Muslims. I just don't get it.

Oh how the Mighty have Fallen

2006-03-07T10:08:00.000-06:00

Don't get me wrong...I still love Eddie. He was the guy who brought me true rock and roll at a time when I was still listening to the Imperials. That's why the pics in this link are sad. He was the guitar god of a generation, but the band (Van Halen) hasn't put out anything in years, and the future doesn't look promising.

Dark Portrait of a 'Painter of Light' - Los Angeles Times

2006-03-06T17:13:00.000-06:00

Dark Portrait of a 'Painter of Light' - Los Angeles Times

So I was flicking channels and ...

2006-03-03T11:42:00.000-06:00

...I saw that Tony Campolo was the guest on The Colbert report. He was grat, as you would expect. Check out the interview here. You have to scroll down a bit and click on Tony's face.

Life in the Medium/Fast Lane

2006-02-27T13:11:00.001-06:00

It's been a a while since I was last here. These unannounced breaks happen every so often, not by conscious choice, but as a result of not feeling like I have anything significant to say. I'm still here, alive and kicking at the darkness til it's bleeds daylight. (Thanks, Brian, for the reminder.)

Life has been strange lately. I have been thinking a lot about church, and my lack of involvement in it. On February 22 it was a year since I was let go from Lakeview, and I've gone through phases that range from forgiveness to indifference and anger. Right now I'm in the latter stage, and I feel like a boat adrift on the water. I thought that I had a few things figured out 18 months ago, and that is gone now. I am still trying to find my place in this new job as commuity chaplain, and not feeling connected to any church body at all. I wish this wasn't the case, but it is. There are a few people from Lakeview tht I still connect well with, and our kids like it there, so we call it our church home. Lakeivew is in the middle of a huge building project that is exciting, but taking up much of the thought and energy of the leaders there. They are an evangelistic church, and put much emphasis on drawing people in who don't know much about God or a relationship with Him. My concern has been that there is no place for them to go after they've been around for a couple of years and are looking to dig deeper and explore this new kingdon they have entered. I'm not sure what will happen there with this seeming unbalance. I still try and do what I can, as do a number of others, but it seems to be too little, or not heard.

My position as Community Chaplan is fairly new to Saskatoon, and there is not a lot of structure. I know that there is the expectation that much of my connection needs to come from the local church body that I am involved with, but, as you can see, there's not a lot of that right now. So...I putz along and try and do what I can for the men who are getting out of prison. All this is tough to do without some kind of community anchor.

I helped out with the Alpha retreat weekend on Friday and Saturday. It was wierd to be in that place with those responsibilitites again, as I used to be in charge of that area at the church. The weekend went well, and it was good to connect with a few people that I hadn't seen in the last year.

Every day I think about what I can contribute to the body of Christ. Writing? Music? Leading in some way? These thoughts weigh on me, and I have no outlet right now to be creative and give my opinion on things. There have been times in the past when it seemed that no one wanted to here my thoughts. I don't mean to complain, but that's the way it is these days.

Other thoughts...

...family...doing well
...Olympics...sad that they're over; I love watching, and there are so many inspiring people and stories

That's all I have in this moment. Appreciate your prayers over the above thoughts. I'll be back soon.

2006-02-08T23:02:00.000-06:00

NEW @U2 U2 SWEEPS THE GRAMMYS
February 08, 2006
posted by: m2

U2 swept all five awards for which it was nominated at tonight's Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb won for Album of the Year and Best Rock Album; "Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own" won Song of the Year and Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal; and "City of Blinding Lights" was named Best Rock Song.

BONO'S REMARKS TO THE NATIONAL PRAYER BREAKFAST

2006-02-03T23:00:00.000-06:00

This is a lousy post to use to break my self-imposed blogging silence, but it quite intriguing. A Quote:

I mean, God may well be with us in our mansions on the hill… I hope so. He may well be with us as in all manner of controversial stuff… maybe, maybe not… But the one thing we can all agree, all faiths and ideologies, is that God is with the vulnerable and poor.

God is in the slums, in the cardboard boxes where the poor play house… God is in the silence of a mother who has infected her child with a virus that will end both their lives… God is in the cries heard under the rubble of war… God is in the debris of wasted opportunity and lives, and God is with us if we are with them. “If you remove the yolk from your midst, the pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness, and if you give yourself to the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then your light will rise in darkness and your gloom with become like midday and the Lord will continually guide you and satisfy your desire in scorched places”

It’s not a coincidence that in the Scriptures, poverty is mentioned more than 2,100 times. It’s not an accident. That’s a lot of air time, 2,100 mentions. [You know, the only time Christ is judgmental is on the subject of the poor.] ‘As you have done it unto the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto me.’ (Matthew 25:40). As I say, good news to the poor.

2006-01-31T20:52:00.000-06:00

****Blessed are the cracked: for it is they who let in the light*****

The Bigness of Jesus

2006-01-18T21:22:00.000-06:00

This is a story that I've had on the back burner for a while. It was told to me by a friend of mine whose grandfather is the one who experienced it. It goes like this...

My friend's grandparetns were Baptist missionaries in Nepal in the early part of the 20th century. When they arrived, they were placed in a small village that had never seen a white person before. It took quite a while for the them to be accepted and somewhat understood by the native Nepalese, but after a while, the missionaries bacame a normal part of village life.
One of the stories that circulated in the village was that of a "witch woman" that haunted the forest nearby. Children were told that they needed to be good or "the witch woman would get them". No one in the village ventured out alone for fear of an attack. And there was physical evidence that she existed. Hunters would come across a fire that had recently ben put out. Footprints were found. That was enough to keep the local rumour mill going strong.
The missionary heard these stories, and was curious as to what their origin was. He began to inquire and found out that, many years before, a young woman of the town had been caught in some sort of indescretion and was sent into the forest to die. The only problem was that she hadn't died, but managed to eak out an existance with no other human contact.
One particular day there was a stir amoung the people. A lone figure was slowly making it's way down the road to the vliiage limits. It was soon recognized as the woman who had been banished. She crossed the threshold of the town and collapsed. The native people ran from her, as they were fearfull of the curse put on her. The missionary and his wife, having nothing to lose, helped her to her feet and took her to their home. It was obvious she was dying, so they made her as comfortable as possible. They asked her why she had come back, and she responded that it was her last wish to die in the town where she was born.
Being a good Baptist missionary, the man sat by her bed and began to tell her about Jesus. He spoke of His love for her, and that he had died for her and wanted her to be with Him when she died. As he spoke, a warmness and "glow" came over her, and she would nod periodically to the truths of the story being told. When the man had finished, she looked at him and smiled. "That's the Buddha I've known all along", she said. "I just didn't know his name".

As the missionary retold the story to his family, including my friend, he knew that there was no reason to have her say a prayer or anything of that sort. She was already there.

Local Film Shoot

2006-01-09T11:04:00.000-06:00

I didn't realize it's been this long since I've written here, so it's about time...
I'm sitting in the Broadway Roastery watching part of the making of a film called "The Philosophy of Some of my Friends". A guy that I kinda know, Tim Hildebrand, is in it. It's a 14 minute film diercted by Dave Turcotte, whom I don't know at all. I'd like to see the completed version, and I'll post information about it here for those of you in Saskatoon who may be interested in seeing it.

A Link to Jason's Music

2005-12-23T20:38:00.000-06:00

I've messed around with a few of the links on the right side, and I wanted to highlight Jason' Silver's site. I've known him for quite a while, and he is married to my wife's cousin Joanne. Take a listen, and you can download as much as you want.

This from "Overheard in New York" (a great site)

2005-12-23T10:55:00.000-06:00

The subway doors open. A hobo enters, holding a bottle of windex in one hand and a tube of toothpaste in the other. He says: Which is the better time to read Dostyevsky? Winter?

He sprays the windex.

Hobo: Or Spring?

He squeezes toothpaste out of the tube.

Japanese girl: Spring!
Hobo: You are correct.

2005-12-22T15:15:00.000-06:00

When most people hear "The 12 days of Christmas" they think of the song. This song had it's origins as a teaching tool to instruct young people in the meaning and content of the Christian faith. From 1558 to 1829 Roman Catholics in England were not able to practice their faith openly so they had to find other ways to pass on their beliefs. The song "The Twelve Days of Christmas" is one example of how they did it.

The song goes, "On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me..."

The "true love" represents God and the "me" who receives these presents is the Christian. The partridge in a pear tree" was Jesus Christ who died on a tree as a gift from God.

The "two turtle doves" were the Old and New Testaments-another gift from God.

The "three French hens" were faith, hope and love-the three gifts of the Spirit that abide (1Corinthians 13).

The "four calling birds" were the four Gospels which sing the song of salvation through Jesus Christ.

The "five golden rings" were the first five books of the Bible also called the "Book of Moses." The "six geese a-laying" were the six days of creation.

The "seven swans a swimming" were "seven gifts of the Holy Spirit." (1Corinthians 12:9-11, Romans 12, Ephsesians 4, 1Peter 4:10-11)

The "eight maids a milking" were the eight beatitudes.

The "nine ladies dancing" were nine fruits of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22- 23)

The "ten lords a-leaping" were the Ten Commandments.

The "eleven pipers piping" were the eleven faithful disciples.

The "twelve drummers drumming" were the twelve points of the Apostles' Creed.

So the next time you hear "The 12 Days of Christmas" consider how this otherwise non-religious sounding song had its origins in the Christian Faith.

Some Election Thoughts from MCC

2005-12-22T12:36:00.000-06:00

As we prepare to elect a new federal government, we consider how faith informs our view of current issues. The following issues and questions are offered by MCC Canada for your consideration, based on MCC’s programs, education, and advocacy for justice and peace.

1. Canada’s commitment to refugees is most clearly demonstrated by the annual immigration levels. The 2006 levels for all immigrant categories has been increased to 250,000 but there is no mention of an increase for refugees sponsored or resettled from abroad, which has fallen far below the level of a decade ago. In addition, the signing of a new border agreement with the US last December (the Safe Third Country Agreement) has reduced the number of refugees admitted directly at our borders by 25 percent. In order to make up for these decreases, advocates recommend that the target for refugees resettled from abroad should be increased to make up for the decrease at the border. In light of the increasing overall immigration levels, how will the parties ensure that refugee numbers increase correspondingly?

2. A home is much more than a physical dwelling. It can also be a place of security, of welcome, and a first step in getting other elements of life under control. Yet 1.7 million Canadians were unable to find shelter that is adequate, suitable, and affordable. Those most affected include refugees, people who have been incarcerated, people living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, those living with mental health concerns, Aboriginal people, and low income Canadians. What measures will your candidates take to help ensure that these groups can access appropriate housing?

3. What should Justice mean to our politicians? Current policy discussions around crime advocate higher levels of incarceration and new laws, with little or no consideration for ubstantive victim and community needs. With fewer than 50 percent of victims of abuse, assault, or theft reporting their victimization to the police and only $2 million dedicated to meeting victim needs, what can be done by the Canadian government to meet the needs of victims? In comparison, how could the $10 billion we spend be used more effectively?

4. International Development continues to be a crucial issue. Some two billion people live in severe poverty. An estimated 30,000 die unnecessarily every day. In the year 2000, virtually all heads of governments committed themselves to reaching eight “Millennium Development Goals” by 2015. If this is to succeed, industrialized countries will have to increase aid, provide more debt relief, and do more to promote justice in international trade. In 1994, Canada cut its budget on foreign aid substantially. Recently, Canada has committed itself to a gradual increase but, according to this new plan, Canada’s aid will still not reach the widely accepted goal of .7 percent of gross national income by 2015. On debt relief, Canada has been somewhat of a leader since the 1980s, but more needs to be done. Many countries suffer from terrible debt loads because of changes in international interest rates and uneven international commodity prices, and also from bad management of their economies. African governments have made deep cuts in expenditures on education, health and other basic needs just to service their debts. A strong voice from Canada is needed in multilateral institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

On justice in trade, Canada has also taken positive steps but, again, much more is needed. A key problem is that in trade negotiations, poor countries are pressured to open their markets to products from richer countries, which in many cases, are heavily subsidized. A recent UN report says that donor countries “spend $1 billion a year aiding agriculture in developing countries and $1 billion a day on domestic subsidies that undermine the world’s poorest farmers.”

What do the parties envision as Canada’s role in international development? In line with the “Make Poverty History” campaign, what will Canada’s political parties do to increase aid, provide more debt relief to hard-pressed developing nations, and promote justice in international trade?

5. Work on issues of international peace is also urgent.
On nuclear weapons, the threat of a nuclear war no longer manifests itself as it did in the Cold War years. Nuclear disarmament is, however, stalled and the number of countries with nuclear weapons is increasing. This should be addressed and the 1968 Non-Proliferation Treaty, which Canada has always supported, should not be allowed to collapse.
On small arms, (which claim 500,000 lives each year, most of them in Africa) Canada should make every effort to ensure the success of the 2006 UN conference to review and strengthen the 2001 “Programme of Action” to control these “instruments of death”.
On Canada’s arms exports, which rank as the sixth largest in the world, Canada should review its 1986 export regulations to ensure that export decisions are made, not only as trade issues, but also in light of our foreign policy ideals. Further, to limit proliferation in the developing world, Canada should press for an international treaty on the transfer of conventional weapons.
On security spending, Canada spends four times more on defense than on development aid. Smaller still is our spending on diplomacy, even though it can do much in terms of conflict prevention and peacebuilding. What are the most effective ways of promoting our own security and that of our sisters and brothers the world over?

6. Water is life. Its multiple uses offer us spiritual, physical, economic, and social sustenance. Perhaps because of its importance in so many aspects of our lives, water is often the subject of conflict. How can the use of Canada’s waterways balance indigenous uses of land and water with the demands for hydroelectricity? How can we ensure good quality drinking water for all Canadians? How will Canada’s rich water resources be managed as the market for water continues to grow? How should we respond to the needs around the world for safe and accessible water? Ask your candidates what concerns him or her about water in Canada and around the world.

A Prayer for Election Time

2005-12-22T11:58:00.000-06:00

Almighty God,
All of life is in your embrace—
Even the political life of our country.
We give you thanks for Canada, our home.
We give you thanks for a political system that invites our participation.

Saviour Jesus,
You cared for those who were poor, physically challenged, social outcasts.
You called all people to practice love, peace and reconciliation.
Empower us to hear the voices of the marginalized.
Move our hearts to seek the common good, rather than our own gain.

Holy Spirit,
You enliven us as Christians to be salt and light in this world.
Increase in us conversation, vigilance and prayer about this election.
Guide candidates to campaign fairly and present their viewpoints honestly.
Guide voters as they listen and assess the positions of the different parties.
May all of us speak and act in ways that bear witness to you. Amen.

—Adapted from a prayer by Carol Penner

From "Out of Ur"

2005-12-19T14:11:00.000-06:00

This idea also comes from Henri Nouwen, which I believe I posted about a few days ago.

Erwin (McManus)said that the church tries too hard to be relevant. He expounded that the word in itself implies that someone else has already arrived or done something; that anyone thereafter must link or join to. Anyone after the first has to also find ways to add on some value to the foundation already built. He said that the church (who has all of the power of Christ, and inherently the ability to do anything in God’s will) should never try to be relevant. Instead the church should be setting the curve for the culture to follow. Wouldn’t it be great if the church was doing so many great things that the culture took notice and was in hot pursuit to add on to what we were doing? I agree: Jesus was not relevant, he was real, he was revolutionary. He was not connected to anything else, except the Father, and that is what made him so much more than anything that was, or is, relevant.

Time's People of the Year

2005-12-19T13:51:00.000-06:00

Feb. 2009 Could Be End Of Analog TV

2005-12-19T13:49:00.000-06:00

House lawmakers approved legislation early Monday that would complete the transition to all-digital television broadcasts by Feb. 17, 2009.

The measure also would allocate up to $1.5 billion to help consumers with older, analog TV sets purchase converter boxes so they would continue to get service in the digital era.

If this is true, it will be the end of a huge era in life for people born in the last half of the 20th century. What we have come to expect as "normal" will be gone, and something totally different (at least in some ways) will take it's place. Sounds like another institution I know of, although that one is finding the changeover much more difficult. Maybe the church needs a hard date too.

a little thing that I wrote...

2005-12-16T00:57:00.000-06:00

There are so many distractions everywhere. They make you cut yourself shaving, miss a turn, or have to ask to have a question repeated. They are difficult to rid ones' self of because there is always a new one to take the place of the old one. You cannot stuff the hole fast enough to prevent drainage of the noise back into your recently cleansed cortex.”I need to get out of the house” I say. But this only changes the flavour of the filler that is waiting for me.

This morning I was thinking about the things I've done wrong. Not necessarily in a bad way,. Just acknowledging that they exist and I have not yet forgotten about them. I did miss a corner on the way to work, but I'm so used to that that it no longer bothers me.

I guess I don't want to be bothered by sin once I've dealt with it as far as I have the power to . I know that others have participated in worse acts than I have, and some would not even think of doing some of what I've done. The comparison to others – good or bad – is not the point. I don't know what the point is, but I cannot live if the point is keeping score with what you think you know about other people.

So I just try and whistle a little tune and get on with the day. Someone asked me whether I was bothered when my screw-ups were thrown in my face. And to that I have to say yes...and no. I have not been humiliated in public, and my wrongdoing has not yet caused catastrophe in my day-to-day existence. So, in that sense, I learn to live with my mistakes, and it's relatively easy to do so.

On the other hand, I can hear an echo of lostness in my brain; a sound of the chances I've had and may continue to have slowly moving away. The weight of evil, sin, and wrong choices is rolling forward and putting all it's force on me (or so it seems). I find that some days the only thing I can do it to allow a little of the noise of life seep in and distract me. I'm like a drunk who actually cannot imagine not having at least a little rye before bed. That is the only way I can get through the day.

And that's why I don't mind if I cut myself shaving. I know there is more to the situation than a trickle of watery blood touching the neckline of my shirt. There are the big things, the things that actually do matter, or should. And there is the knowledge that, although I am not who I want to be, I am also not who I once was, and I will change again, and write a few more words about that time in life. It will probably sound a lot the same as this one.

Telegraph | News | Former stripper takes God's word to world of porn

2005-12-12T12:57:00.000-06:00

I found this interesting, as there are so few that want to venture into the porn world with the ideas of Jesus. The few (very few) stories I have heard of believers reaching out to the porn industry have been encouraging and amazing. Not that it's not tough (I don't think I could do it), but Jesus is already there, loving those people right where they are.

It's been a while...

2005-12-09T11:15:00.000-06:00

Life has been going full-force in the last while. Our car is finally fixed (who knew transmissions were so important). Work is okay, although I still feel like a fish out of water a lot fo the time. (You can read more here.We are in the middle of Christmas parties, birthday parties, crazy work schedules, and trying to find time in the middle of all that to be together as a family. Not the easiest thing to do. That's all I've got for now. Just so you know I'm still alive and kickin'.

2005-12-06T12:50:00.000-06:00

Psalm 34:18

18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Big Easy Launches Free Wireless System

2005-12-01T01:10:00.000-06:00

Big Easy Launches Free Wireless System - Yahoo! News

Free citywide wireless...COOL!! And N.O. needs all the encouragement it can get.

Soldiers in the Army of God

2005-11-29T22:19:00.000-06:00

Just watching a documentary on a group that calls for the murder of abortion doctors and others they deem are responsible for the deaths of unborn babies. The abortion issue aside, these people have some very strange ideas about who God is and what he asks of his followers. They quote the OT in regards to what should happen to those who perform/support abortions, and yet there is no call for grace and love, which I believe is central to the heart of who God is. There is a lot of confusion and misleading happening. Paul Hill is a hero to them, and he was convicted of killing an abortion doctor in 1994.

If you google "army of god", you'll easily find their website. I don't want to link to it, as there are very graphic images on it.

What I don't understand is how they are blind to their own predicament. They kill in order to stop killing. I know that this has been an ongoing debate for years, but this film strikes be as unbelievably sad.

Clarion Journal - The Misguided Quest for Relevance

2005-11-28T15:33:00.000-06:00

I found this article very interesting. It echoes a quote I read in one of Henri Nouwen's books that basically said that we do not need to strive for relevance. Jesus is already far ahead of us in this respect. He knows what people actually need; he's not guessing and trying to be "Buddy Jesus" to the masses.

One of the Best Grey Cup games ever.

2005-11-27T20:58:00.000-06:00

Awesome ending to a wild wierd season for the Edmonton Eskimoes. I was an Eskie fan for a lot of years, so this is exciting.