I love Christmas! I love celebrating our Savior with those around me. I love Jesus more now than I did earlier and I love the call on my life to give up everything to Him, our Creator, our Lover, my free will given to my Master and Lord. I long to see Him more in this world. I long to be with Him both now and in the fullness of eternity.
But at the present my heart is heavy. I continue to be bombarded with the pain of this life and the tragedy of the effects of sin in this world. Pain, sorrow, brokenness, loneliness and the like. I know these are realities at all times of the year but personally those around me have had abundant sorrows in them. Through sickness, death, distress in marriage, unknown circumstances. The tears of those around me have been continually flowing and the end seems distant.
And although I love the time of Christmas the pain seems magnified as a time of celebration seems to have some of the joy stolen from it with the circumstances and realities of life on this side of Heaven.
For those of you who I have in mind in the lists above my heart pours out for you. My tears flow for you. My late nights are spent with you. My prayers continue to be spoken over you. My Savior continues to be available for you.
May Christ be given the highest praise through everything! For the One who gave up His own life will He not also raise those who trust in Him to the bountiful life that He lives now with His Father.
Through all that life may be giving you at this moment, may you find the joy that can still be found in this season of celebrating the divine made human for the benefit of all. Jesus be glorified!
Wednesday 12 December 2012
Wednesday 31 October 2012
Opportunity Knocks
I used to hide under a rock when Halloween came around. That's what we were trained to do by our parents. And so we'd either hide away in our basement and watch a movie and turn all the lights off or we would go to our church that would have the classic 'alternative' option of some kind of festival and games night.
But as I've grown in Christ I've learned that although I don't agree with much or any of what Halloween offers I see it as a great opportunity that is rare in our culture and that only comes around once a year. It's the opportunity to engage with our community in a very personal way. It's the one time of year that people expect you to knock on their door and it's also the one time a year when people feel more than comfortable to knock on yours.
So instead of running and hiding from this event why can we not embrace what could come out of it.
I think that as Christians we are inspired by scripture to be bold about who we are and who our God is. I'm pretty sick of having a passive Christianity that many of us were raised with. I think that just handing out candy is giving into the culture and doesn't show Christ's love at all. I think that hiding in the basement is really just hiding from what we might consider evil. I know of something that is stronger than evil and that is Jesus! I know of someone that is greater than death and hatred and sin and disgust and that is Jesus!
So this year I have challenged those around me to take up this opportunity to be a blessing in their neighbourhood and to be actively looking for places to shine the light of Jesus into what is so often a dark event. Do you think by chance that this could be an opportunity like no other all year long? Why should we run from it. Shine the light into the dark places!
John says, The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
So then we are more than conquerors!
Romans 8!
In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
So then let us not stand timid and shy of evil but to claim the truth of Jesus in the face of it! Resist the devil and he will flee from you through the power of Jesus Christ.
So what does your Halloween look like?
But as I've grown in Christ I've learned that although I don't agree with much or any of what Halloween offers I see it as a great opportunity that is rare in our culture and that only comes around once a year. It's the opportunity to engage with our community in a very personal way. It's the one time of year that people expect you to knock on their door and it's also the one time a year when people feel more than comfortable to knock on yours.
So instead of running and hiding from this event why can we not embrace what could come out of it.
I think that as Christians we are inspired by scripture to be bold about who we are and who our God is. I'm pretty sick of having a passive Christianity that many of us were raised with. I think that just handing out candy is giving into the culture and doesn't show Christ's love at all. I think that hiding in the basement is really just hiding from what we might consider evil. I know of something that is stronger than evil and that is Jesus! I know of someone that is greater than death and hatred and sin and disgust and that is Jesus!
So this year I have challenged those around me to take up this opportunity to be a blessing in their neighbourhood and to be actively looking for places to shine the light of Jesus into what is so often a dark event. Do you think by chance that this could be an opportunity like no other all year long? Why should we run from it. Shine the light into the dark places!
John says, The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
So then we are more than conquerors!
Romans 8!
In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
So then let us not stand timid and shy of evil but to claim the truth of Jesus in the face of it! Resist the devil and he will flee from you through the power of Jesus Christ.
So what does your Halloween look like?
Impossible Task
So I am officially a coach for Isaac's hockey team although this year that is a pretty limited and overstated title. More than anything I am the stats guy and I have the credentials to go onto the ice for the practices so I get the title of being coach without really doing much at all.
Anyways, each player, and coach, on the team was given the opportunity to put forth two songs that they wanted to have as music that would be played in the dressing room before games. This is where the title "Impossible Task" comes into play. How does one go about suggesting only two songs? I have a whole playlist that could take a few hours of music to suggest but I had to limit it to just two and so I'll share with you my logic.
First, I wanted the songs to be lyrically clean and not enjoying the vanities of life such as sex, money, drinking and the like that so many songs revolve around today. I also wanted the lyrics to have no need for bleeps or pauses for when the multiple swears would be blanked out cause I don't think this really detracts from the whole enjoyment experience.
Second, for warm up music you want something that will get your blood pumping! You don't need any love songs or any slow intro's or anything, the song has to get going and quick! There are some great songs that fit into those sleeper categories but save them for a hot date or to fall asleep to, not for the hockey dressing room.
Thirdly, I guess I wanted something that was something new that you didn't always listen to but that still fit especially with my second point. I'm pretty sick of what's on the radio and I think the kids need to know there is something better out there than Rhianna! (I'm not sorry if I offended you by that statement!)
Lastly, I know that the whole team sees me as "the minister" and so I wondered how my music choices would reflect that. Did I want to be surprising to them and pick something they didn't predict or did I want to stick with the remixed version of Kumbaya?
Well here are the two songs that I chose along with the write up of what I gave to our hockey team organizer as descriptions of my choices.
Anyways, each player, and coach, on the team was given the opportunity to put forth two songs that they wanted to have as music that would be played in the dressing room before games. This is where the title "Impossible Task" comes into play. How does one go about suggesting only two songs? I have a whole playlist that could take a few hours of music to suggest but I had to limit it to just two and so I'll share with you my logic.
First, I wanted the songs to be lyrically clean and not enjoying the vanities of life such as sex, money, drinking and the like that so many songs revolve around today. I also wanted the lyrics to have no need for bleeps or pauses for when the multiple swears would be blanked out cause I don't think this really detracts from the whole enjoyment experience.
Second, for warm up music you want something that will get your blood pumping! You don't need any love songs or any slow intro's or anything, the song has to get going and quick! There are some great songs that fit into those sleeper categories but save them for a hot date or to fall asleep to, not for the hockey dressing room.
Thirdly, I guess I wanted something that was something new that you didn't always listen to but that still fit especially with my second point. I'm pretty sick of what's on the radio and I think the kids need to know there is something better out there than Rhianna! (I'm not sorry if I offended you by that statement!)
Lastly, I know that the whole team sees me as "the minister" and so I wondered how my music choices would reflect that. Did I want to be surprising to them and pick something they didn't predict or did I want to stick with the remixed version of Kumbaya?
Well here are the two songs that I chose along with the write up of what I gave to our hockey team organizer as descriptions of my choices.
Ok,
so here are my two songs that I get to pick. This was tough to narrow it down to 2 songs
but here she goes:
- From the sweet era of the 70’s comes a great victory song. I hope the kids will love to jam out to something that doesn’t make the radio anymore but that should go down as a forever loved classic. I won’t name it for you but I’ll let you watch this vid with some awesome horn instrumentals in it!
- I saw another player have a song by POD and it brought back some great songs that they had. I’ll send you the video of a song called BOOM and with a top comment on a different video of the same song reading, “Played ping pong to this song.... the game became a fist fight” how can you not love the song that follows. I’ll send you the video that you have to watch to appreciate the last comment. I think this is a great pump up song that at least gets me fired up! “Is that all you got? I’ll take your best shot!” Enjoy!!
So there's what I chose. What would your songs have been? Do you think I met my 4 criteria well? I trust that I did and I really can't wait to hear these songs in the room while I'm tying Isaac's skates at the next game! Cause that's the way I like it!
Wednesday 24 October 2012
Something Beats Nothing
So I know it's been a while. I know that I've been slacking. Well, maybe not slacking. In all honesty my life has been very busy and for the first month or two of my blogging absence I was just actually really busy and couldn't take the 15 minutes to sit down and journal out my public thoughts. But if I were honest I would say that this past month I've had the time, I've had the desire but I've been struck with fear.
Will I remember how to do this?
Will anyone care anyways?
This one will have to be great after going so long not blogging...
What if it's not perfect.
Just a week or two I re-listened to a speaker that I saw back in March named Jon Acuff. He said a lot of really good stuff in his presentation but the thing that stuck out most to me was that 90% perfect and shared is better than 100% perfect and in your head.
His message reinforced that life is about a conversation to be had in community and that trying to perfect life by ourselves is a fleeting task.
Accepting that we are not perfect is not easy but it is so true! So here's my first blog after my hiatus. It might not be perfect. It might not be the shocker I wanted. But it's me and it's the start of something bigger than I could ever be alone.
Check out Jon Acuff's blog! His Oct 24th post talks about the exact same things as I'm writing here today.
Will I remember how to do this?
Will anyone care anyways?
This one will have to be great after going so long not blogging...
What if it's not perfect.
Just a week or two I re-listened to a speaker that I saw back in March named Jon Acuff. He said a lot of really good stuff in his presentation but the thing that stuck out most to me was that 90% perfect and shared is better than 100% perfect and in your head.
His message reinforced that life is about a conversation to be had in community and that trying to perfect life by ourselves is a fleeting task.
Accepting that we are not perfect is not easy but it is so true! So here's my first blog after my hiatus. It might not be perfect. It might not be the shocker I wanted. But it's me and it's the start of something bigger than I could ever be alone.
Check out Jon Acuff's blog! His Oct 24th post talks about the exact same things as I'm writing here today.
Tuesday 11 September 2012
Where did the summer go?
Well, if I learned one thing about myself this summer it is that I don't blog in August. I didn't really envision that being a rule of my blogging life but it has seemed to just happen. Where did August go?
Between vacation,
weddings,
work,
prep for fall both personally
and professionally
and enjoying the last few days on the beach
August is all done.
So that's it for now but I'll be back before the next month is over, it's a new rule of mine too!
Between vacation,
weddings,
work,
prep for fall both personally
and professionally
and enjoying the last few days on the beach
August is all done.
So that's it for now but I'll be back before the next month is over, it's a new rule of mine too!
Saturday 14 July 2012
Echo Lake Bible Camp 2012
K, so it's been a while since I last posted but that's because I was at our youth bible camp last week. The camp is called Echo Lake Bible Camp and is about 45 minutes north east of Regina, Saskatchewan. It is in a beautiful valley oasis in the middle of flat, flat Saskatchewan.
We had an awesome time because at camp there is always awesome times! It helps when you go with people that are so open to experiencing all the things around them;
Personally I learned another amazing lesson about my life that I have given to Christ. I learned once again and maybe more deeply than ever before what it means to put faith in God through prayer. I think that so often through my life I have tried to be too much the answer to my own prayers. For example maybe I would pray that God would comfort somebody and then I would see it as my part to make sure that person was comforted. Or as another example I might have prayed for someone to understand God's love to a greater depth but then council them to understand how I have previously experienced greater spiritual depth. Well, this week I laid it all out to God and fully trusted in him. I prayed with some people and more importantly I helped others understand that they needed to be the ones to pray to God rather than me praying on their behalf and being the spiritual hero. I prayed prayers that I couldn't answer because they were prayers that were so much more bold than maybe I have ever prayed before.
One night after I had prayed with a handful of youth I was walking back to my cabin and I had a good chat with God. I told him that he had better come through because if he didn't then I looked like a big flake and that all of this was for nothing. It was a situation that I couldn't handle by myself and I needed God to come through on what he had showed me that night and on what he has faithfully proven in the past. After each prayer that I was a part of that night I told the other person that I was authentically excited to see how God was going to answer their prayer.
And I'm still excited! Some of those prayers have been answered already and needed a more immediate response and some of them were more long term prayers that are more character transforming but I am still excited that last week God did come through and I trust that he will continue to come through as we trust in him. God will not let his name be tarnished by breaking any of his promises and I can't wait to better understand his promises and to seek them fulfilled in my life and the lives of many around me.
On the lighter side here is a video that some youth and I made throughout the week. It was a ton of fun and I'm thankful to Mike who was our video and editing guru for this project. Hope you enjoy watching it because we sure enjoyed making it!
 |
| This was the best shot I could get of what the valley looked like and some awesome people!!! |
We had an awesome time because at camp there is always awesome times! It helps when you go with people that are so open to experiencing all the things around them;
Camp environment with hills, lake and silence,
Great friends from all across the prairies,
Fun times soaking in the sun and slowing down the pace of life and
Taking time to focus on building relationship with their Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer!
 |
| The group of us from Albright Church that went out. |
One night after I had prayed with a handful of youth I was walking back to my cabin and I had a good chat with God. I told him that he had better come through because if he didn't then I looked like a big flake and that all of this was for nothing. It was a situation that I couldn't handle by myself and I needed God to come through on what he had showed me that night and on what he has faithfully proven in the past. After each prayer that I was a part of that night I told the other person that I was authentically excited to see how God was going to answer their prayer.
And I'm still excited! Some of those prayers have been answered already and needed a more immediate response and some of them were more long term prayers that are more character transforming but I am still excited that last week God did come through and I trust that he will continue to come through as we trust in him. God will not let his name be tarnished by breaking any of his promises and I can't wait to better understand his promises and to seek them fulfilled in my life and the lives of many around me.
On the lighter side here is a video that some youth and I made throughout the week. It was a ton of fun and I'm thankful to Mike who was our video and editing guru for this project. Hope you enjoy watching it because we sure enjoyed making it!
So now is the countdown to Echo Lake 2013! About 354 days to go...
Tuesday 26 June 2012
Success
3 years of planning
3 weeks preparation (not enough)
family cheering me on
leaky swimming goggles
750 meters of water
passed by Todd
sand in my socks (I hate that)
$125 bike
some nice tight cycling shorts
10 kms downhill, with wind, full tires of biking
passed by Bryan
10 kms uphill (as hilly as it gets in the prairies), against the wind, flat rear tire
1 pair of court shoes
5 kms of pure determination
passed by Mark
passed by some girl in pink (I tried to keep up)
2 blisters
pure exhaustion
i think i should probably stretch
never stopped. never quite.
water please
EQUALS
__________________________________
First completed triathlon!
Time of 1 hour 36 minutes
Came in forth of the three friends and I!
Three better friends
The time of my life
The time of my life
Can't wait to do another one!
Tuesday 19 June 2012
Super Cool!!
My birthday is on October 27.
I was born in 1980.
If you do the quick math that makes me:
31
This past year I ran into a charity that drills clean water rigs for people specifically in Ethiopia. As other charities have also done this one gives the idea to give up your birthday and to ask people to instead of giving you a gift that they could make a donation to this charity. I set up my campaign and I asked specific people to donate. I threw it up on facebook and asked people to partner with me. And the response... not a single person donated. Why? I don't know. Maybe I went about it wrong. Maybe it was too impersonal. Maybe I don't have any friends, I'm not certain. But I did sponsored my own campaign so it wasn't a total loss.
I made a donation back in October for my birthday and the money went to purchase a new drilling rig so that this charity could do more than what they were doing already. What is neat about the charity is that they said that when the rig was bought that they would notify me of it's location through GPS and I could see what it was doing and where it was going. So I thought it was cool, donated and then it slipped my mind for a while. But today I got an email telling me about the rig called Yellow Thunder that I helped sponsor.
I helped bring in part of the $1,224,902 that came in for this specific project. I was one of the 1,142 campaigns that were started. I was one of the 13,107 donors that made this possible. Sure my $50 may not seem like much but I am now and forever part of making the success of Yellow Thunder happen. And with many donations it made this project possible.
I watched the video of this rig drilling its first well. It happened back in February, 3 months or so ahead of schedule. It got me pretty excited to know that I could help make this difference. If you want to see what this rig is doing and find out more about this charity click HERE!!
The charity I'm talking about is charity:water. 100% of all donations go straight to the project. Ya, 100%.
Whether it's this project that you get excited for or it's something else it's amazing how you can make a difference, even if nobody else joins you and even if it's only $50. Go get involved in something bigger than yourself. Take care of your neighbour. Love conquers all. Jesus is my hero!
Wednesday 6 June 2012
Friday 1 June 2012
Prayer of Augustine
This is a prayer by St. Augustine in his book entitled, 'Confessions.' It is a prayer that I have translated and memorized, with actions I should say, with my son Isaac. I pray that he will know the meaning of this prayer more and more in his life as he matures with age.
Here is the prayer in it's old English:
This is our translation (I may have heard it somewhere but I don't remember):
Upon reflection I realize that we have missed the part where we invite the Cleaner in. The only One that can clean up the mess of life that all of us find ourselves in. Any ideas as to how I could include that well? And remember that it needs an action!
May your life's desires also reflect this prayer!
Here is the prayer in it's old English:
"Narrow is the mansion of my soul; enlarge Thou it, that Thou mayest enter in.
It is ruinous; repair Thou it.
It has that within which must offend Thine eyes; I confess and know it.
But who shall cleanse it? Or to whom should I cry, save Thee?
Lord, cleanse me from my secret faults, and spare Thy servant from the power of the enemy.
I believe, and therefore do I speak. Lord, Thou knowest."
This is our translation (I may have heard it somewhere but I don't remember):
"My life house is narrow, will you please make it wider.
It is going to collapse, will you please rebuild it.
Inside it is messy, this I know and I admit."
Upon reflection I realize that we have missed the part where we invite the Cleaner in. The only One that can clean up the mess of life that all of us find ourselves in. Any ideas as to how I could include that well? And remember that it needs an action!
May your life's desires also reflect this prayer!
Friday 25 May 2012
Gardening Revelations
I love to garden and during the summer I plan to update you about my garden and give you some of the thoughts of gardening that I have as the season goes on. I'll probably take some pictures sometimes and it can seem like you are maybe gardening with me. Yeah! I won't be alone anymore.
Anyways early in the season I have been busy picking weeds so that I have some clear ground to work with. If you've ever picked weeds you've been able to curse with me the day that Adam and Eve ate of the fruit and turned from God's plan for them and in turn God gave mankind the constant reminder that life was supposed to be better by giving us weeks! Really God, weeds? Well I guess it has worked because every time I pick a weed I hate my humanity and I look forward to the day that I will be restored to my original purpose to enjoy God's unmistaken glory forever.
But weeds remind me of sin. You know those pesky dandelions that give your lawn such beautiful color for but a brief moment and how if you pick the heads off they are still there. You also know that if you take the time to get the root of the plant that it so often breaks off and it just kills you to know that another one will soon grow from that root that is now out of reach without the redecoration of your lawn. It never fails to remind me, with dandelions as well as many other weeds, that their purpose is to grow faster than anything else can and to choke anything around it that competes for it's sunlight and soil. That's why we don't like them! That's why weeds are such a bad thing to have around. It's amazing that the same purpose lies in sin. The purpose of sin, in all it's types, is to grow faster than anything else around it and to choke out anything that competes for more attention than what it gets! And sin so often does choke out the things around it. Joy. Delight. Pleasure. Love. Faithfulness. Freedom. Shalom.
It's the weeds in my life that choke out God's glory revealed in me.
Sometimes we've been able to pluck off the head of this sin in our lives or have even taken the time to dig out most of the root but if there is anything left of that weed be sure that it will come back to the surface over time. So true. Among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people (Eph 5:3). Be sure that your sin will find you out (Num 32:23)!
There have been times that I have only weeded my garden from the surface and haven't bothered going to the root and it looks good for the time, but soon it is all infested once again. It's when we take the time to dig up the whole problem, stick it in a place where it cannot thrive and throw it away that the problem is truly gone. I dig up my weeds, stick them on my cement pad in the sun for a little while and then throw them in the trash to get rid of them, sweep up what's left and think of them no more.
If we confess to God that we have sin in our life that is choking Him out then He will overpower them in us that will rid them from our lives and He will purify us from anything and everything unholy (1 John 1:9) So give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you (1 Peter 5:7).
God never created me to have weeds in my garden but he did give me the constant reminder that there will be a day when all the weeds will be gone and I will be with Him forever. In some kind of strange way I thank God for the weeds in my garden. I thank him for the reminder that a new day is coming and in that day there will be great rejoicing for there will be no more tears, no more pain and no more weeds!
Anyways early in the season I have been busy picking weeds so that I have some clear ground to work with. If you've ever picked weeds you've been able to curse with me the day that Adam and Eve ate of the fruit and turned from God's plan for them and in turn God gave mankind the constant reminder that life was supposed to be better by giving us weeks! Really God, weeds? Well I guess it has worked because every time I pick a weed I hate my humanity and I look forward to the day that I will be restored to my original purpose to enjoy God's unmistaken glory forever.
But weeds remind me of sin. You know those pesky dandelions that give your lawn such beautiful color for but a brief moment and how if you pick the heads off they are still there. You also know that if you take the time to get the root of the plant that it so often breaks off and it just kills you to know that another one will soon grow from that root that is now out of reach without the redecoration of your lawn. It never fails to remind me, with dandelions as well as many other weeds, that their purpose is to grow faster than anything else can and to choke anything around it that competes for it's sunlight and soil. That's why we don't like them! That's why weeds are such a bad thing to have around. It's amazing that the same purpose lies in sin. The purpose of sin, in all it's types, is to grow faster than anything else around it and to choke out anything that competes for more attention than what it gets! And sin so often does choke out the things around it. Joy. Delight. Pleasure. Love. Faithfulness. Freedom. Shalom. It's the weeds in my life that choke out God's glory revealed in me.
Sometimes we've been able to pluck off the head of this sin in our lives or have even taken the time to dig out most of the root but if there is anything left of that weed be sure that it will come back to the surface over time. So true. Among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people (Eph 5:3). Be sure that your sin will find you out (Num 32:23)!
There have been times that I have only weeded my garden from the surface and haven't bothered going to the root and it looks good for the time, but soon it is all infested once again. It's when we take the time to dig up the whole problem, stick it in a place where it cannot thrive and throw it away that the problem is truly gone. I dig up my weeds, stick them on my cement pad in the sun for a little while and then throw them in the trash to get rid of them, sweep up what's left and think of them no more.
If we confess to God that we have sin in our life that is choking Him out then He will overpower them in us that will rid them from our lives and He will purify us from anything and everything unholy (1 John 1:9) So give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you (1 Peter 5:7). God never created me to have weeds in my garden but he did give me the constant reminder that there will be a day when all the weeds will be gone and I will be with Him forever. In some kind of strange way I thank God for the weeds in my garden. I thank him for the reminder that a new day is coming and in that day there will be great rejoicing for there will be no more tears, no more pain and no more weeds!
Wednesday 16 May 2012
Why Can't We Be Friends
This post includes an array of music videos. Some old, some new and all on purpose that have found meaning in my life at different times. Enjoy!
This song is my post's thesis! Great song! My favorite part is where dude elbows the keyboard! Classic.
Churches seldom work together well! It is more human nature, and sadly has been in large part of church culture as well, to separate when we don't agree on an issue. But I'm sensing a shift if not on a larger scale at least on a local scale. I'm sensing that people want to start working together again. I'm sensing that past differences mean less and that people are seeking a true and authentic relationship with Jesus without all the baggage that comes with past hurts. I think what young people are screaming is, "Church, don't give me any sob stories just show me Jesus!" And I think it's coming!
This is something to get excited about! Because myself and those around me believe that God wants to do something great in not only our churches but in our communities, in our city. I'm a part of a network of youth workers that gather monthly to worship, learn, listen, teach, pray and more but the general rule of the gathering is, "Come to uplift others or be lifted." That's it! Just come as you are in your celebrations of what God is doing in your life and in the places where you need help to stay in His presence. If the conversation of what our specific beliefs are and how we think the proper age and process of baptism should be we would probably differ but we don't go there. We just gather and worship God and lift up His people all together and pray that God's light would shine through us all! It is the best time of my month because I love to meet with the wider church and work together.
And so I'm seeing that individuals desperately want Jesus without all the baggage (after all Jesus did come to set us free!) and I'm seeing leaders who work with young people striving to praise God together and I think that the next obvious progression would be to have young people meeting together to worship, learn, listen, teach, pray and more but really coming together to "Lift and be lifted." And I'm not talking about a rally. I'm talking about something where relationship is fostered and where the vision of God is celebrated in a grass roots, youth embraced and Jesus centric way. But there is a problem.
The problem is that while our desires are transforming, and in my opinion coming to a closer representation of what God has planned for us, our programming still hasn't changed. So we have new hopes and are trying to get there with the old ideas. Or you could look at it this way. Our GPS has been set to go to Chicago from LA but we've heard the call that it is now time to go to Miami but we haven't turned the wheel. I think that many of us have heard that call to change our direction but we haven't come to the point where we have actually turned the wheel.
I think it will be hard to make that change. Change is always hard, but it's worth it if that is what we are called by God to do!
If you haven't listened to either of these songs yet you can pause and do that. You don't have to listen to both of them. I gave you a country option and a rap option for the diversities among you. My personal time while listening to either of these songs brings me to confession. May you be blessed.
I would like to try something but I can't do it on my own. It's risky and my local church might just hate it and I don't really know what it will look like but I think it's time to turn the wheel.
I want to gather with different christian groups often. I want the young people that I directly work with to get to know the young people in the city who claim Christ as Lord. I want the people of Albright Church to not only know those outside these walls but to appreciate them, to pray for their churches, to speak highly of what other places are doing and together to do what we can't do alone. I want this city to see the hope that Jesus offers and I want to see it done not church by church but by Christians united together through the bond of peace and celebration.
But what we're doing now isn't going to get us there! It's not going to get our groups there. I feel the need to change. To change what we are doing alone and to turn into something that we can do all together not just once a year at Love Winnipeg, not just to see it at the annual One Heart worship gathering but on a continual basis with divine intent. I want the young people in our ministry to love Jesus, to love others and to share his heart for many together with all the saints.
Let's start! Let's start critically looking at our schedules in the months to come. Let's start critically looking at how we spend our days. Let's start communicating more often at unscheduled times. Let's start turning that wheel! It won't happen overnight but imagine what it could look like in 2 years, in 5 years, in a new generation. Imagine the testimony to the world if churches started working together and didn't fight so much for territory but for the Kingdom of God to be revealed?
I don't have all the answers. In fact I think that as I continue down the road I continue to have more questions, but they are more informed and inspired questions that I trust through prayer and community will lead us into a greater realization of what God has planned for where I am, for where we are, to where He wants us.
Why can't we be friends? If I can play the background and Jesus can take the wheel then truly it call all be about YOU, Jesus!
I'd welcome your thoughts on this and your prayers also.
This song is my post's thesis! Great song! My favorite part is where dude elbows the keyboard! Classic.
Churches seldom work together well! It is more human nature, and sadly has been in large part of church culture as well, to separate when we don't agree on an issue. But I'm sensing a shift if not on a larger scale at least on a local scale. I'm sensing that people want to start working together again. I'm sensing that past differences mean less and that people are seeking a true and authentic relationship with Jesus without all the baggage that comes with past hurts. I think what young people are screaming is, "Church, don't give me any sob stories just show me Jesus!" And I think it's coming!
This is something to get excited about! Because myself and those around me believe that God wants to do something great in not only our churches but in our communities, in our city. I'm a part of a network of youth workers that gather monthly to worship, learn, listen, teach, pray and more but the general rule of the gathering is, "Come to uplift others or be lifted." That's it! Just come as you are in your celebrations of what God is doing in your life and in the places where you need help to stay in His presence. If the conversation of what our specific beliefs are and how we think the proper age and process of baptism should be we would probably differ but we don't go there. We just gather and worship God and lift up His people all together and pray that God's light would shine through us all! It is the best time of my month because I love to meet with the wider church and work together.
And so I'm seeing that individuals desperately want Jesus without all the baggage (after all Jesus did come to set us free!) and I'm seeing leaders who work with young people striving to praise God together and I think that the next obvious progression would be to have young people meeting together to worship, learn, listen, teach, pray and more but really coming together to "Lift and be lifted." And I'm not talking about a rally. I'm talking about something where relationship is fostered and where the vision of God is celebrated in a grass roots, youth embraced and Jesus centric way. But there is a problem.
I think it will be hard to make that change. Change is always hard, but it's worth it if that is what we are called by God to do!
As much as I think that I've given the driving duties to Jesus,
I often find myself reclaiming the wheel.
I would like to try something but I can't do it on my own. It's risky and my local church might just hate it and I don't really know what it will look like but I think it's time to turn the wheel.
I want to gather with different christian groups often. I want the young people that I directly work with to get to know the young people in the city who claim Christ as Lord. I want the people of Albright Church to not only know those outside these walls but to appreciate them, to pray for their churches, to speak highly of what other places are doing and together to do what we can't do alone. I want this city to see the hope that Jesus offers and I want to see it done not church by church but by Christians united together through the bond of peace and celebration.
But what we're doing now isn't going to get us there! It's not going to get our groups there. I feel the need to change. To change what we are doing alone and to turn into something that we can do all together not just once a year at Love Winnipeg, not just to see it at the annual One Heart worship gathering but on a continual basis with divine intent. I want the young people in our ministry to love Jesus, to love others and to share his heart for many together with all the saints.
Let's start! Let's start critically looking at our schedules in the months to come. Let's start critically looking at how we spend our days. Let's start communicating more often at unscheduled times. Let's start turning that wheel! It won't happen overnight but imagine what it could look like in 2 years, in 5 years, in a new generation. Imagine the testimony to the world if churches started working together and didn't fight so much for territory but for the Kingdom of God to be revealed?
I don't have all the answers. In fact I think that as I continue down the road I continue to have more questions, but they are more informed and inspired questions that I trust through prayer and community will lead us into a greater realization of what God has planned for where I am, for where we are, to where He wants us.
Why can't we be friends? If I can play the background and Jesus can take the wheel then truly it call all be about YOU, Jesus!
I'd welcome your thoughts on this and your prayers also.
Monday 14 May 2012
A Bug's Life
No deep thoughts today. Just musings of a boy.
As a boy I was always been intrigued by bugs. I think that's what guys are blessed with.
As I have so matured into a beautiful man I have enjoyed having a nice lawn, grow some sweet veggies and at least take care of the rest of what I've been given on my plot of earth. And as I have two young boys I have been able to relive my youth with them as they have also been blessed with the intrigue of looking for, capturing and squishing bugs.
Recently I have been able to combine three things that I love; bugs, boys and a beautiful garden. I have discovered, as have many others, that there is a new bug on the market. It is called the Lily Beetle but I call it the spawn of Satan! They come to seek, kill and destroy and they prowl like a roaring lion and yet are as quiet as a wolf on the prowl. They are tough to kill and seem to never go away. There is no known pesticide that will kill them.
So the only proven line of attack is to pick them off one by one by hand and squish them under foot. This isn't bad for the first 20 or so but once you get close to the triple digits then it gets tiresome. So I usually include the boys who get to squish them and I pick them. Lately I have found some bugs that have coupled up and seemingly are giving one another a piggy back but I think we all know what is really going on! I feel a little bit rude disturbing their dance but in another sense it brings me great joy to get two preoccupied bugs with comparative ease.
So anyways, I thought I'd share with you my recent joy of killing bugs, hanging out with my boys and hopefully giving my garden, specifically my lilies, a great chance to be as beautiful as they were created to be.
I hope you enjoyed reading this just even half the amount that I loved writing it!
As a boy I was always been intrigued by bugs. I think that's what guys are blessed with.
As I have so matured into a beautiful man I have enjoyed having a nice lawn, grow some sweet veggies and at least take care of the rest of what I've been given on my plot of earth. And as I have two young boys I have been able to relive my youth with them as they have also been blessed with the intrigue of looking for, capturing and squishing bugs.
Recently I have been able to combine three things that I love; bugs, boys and a beautiful garden. I have discovered, as have many others, that there is a new bug on the market. It is called the Lily Beetle but I call it the spawn of Satan! They come to seek, kill and destroy and they prowl like a roaring lion and yet are as quiet as a wolf on the prowl. They are tough to kill and seem to never go away. There is no known pesticide that will kill them.
 |
| Piggy Backing Lily Beetles! |
So anyways, I thought I'd share with you my recent joy of killing bugs, hanging out with my boys and hopefully giving my garden, specifically my lilies, a great chance to be as beautiful as they were created to be.
I hope you enjoyed reading this just even half the amount that I loved writing it!
Friday 4 May 2012
Worship is...
“Missions is not the ultimate goal of the Church. Worship is.
Missions exists because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not
missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and
the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the
throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity.
But worship abides forever.
Worship, therefore, is the fuel and goal of missions. It’s the goal of missions because in missions we simply aim to bring the nations into the white hot enjoyment of God’s glory. The goal of missions is the gladness of the peoples in the greatness of God. “The Lord reigns; let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad!” (Ps 97:1). “Let the peoples praise thee, O God; let all the peoples praise thee! Let the nations be glad and sing for joy!” (Ps 67:3-4).
But worship is also the fuel of missions. Passion for God in worship precedes the offer of God in preaching. You can’t commend what you don’t cherish. Missionaries will never call out, “Let the nations be glad!” who cannot say from the heart, “I rejoice in the Lord…I will be glad and exult in thee, I will sing praise to thy name, O Most High” (Ps 104:34, 9:2). Missions begins and ends in worship.”
–John Piper, Let the Nations Be Glad! The Supremacy of God in Missions
Worship, therefore, is the fuel and goal of missions. It’s the goal of missions because in missions we simply aim to bring the nations into the white hot enjoyment of God’s glory. The goal of missions is the gladness of the peoples in the greatness of God. “The Lord reigns; let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad!” (Ps 97:1). “Let the peoples praise thee, O God; let all the peoples praise thee! Let the nations be glad and sing for joy!” (Ps 67:3-4).
But worship is also the fuel of missions. Passion for God in worship precedes the offer of God in preaching. You can’t commend what you don’t cherish. Missionaries will never call out, “Let the nations be glad!” who cannot say from the heart, “I rejoice in the Lord…I will be glad and exult in thee, I will sing praise to thy name, O Most High” (Ps 104:34, 9:2). Missions begins and ends in worship.”
–John Piper, Let the Nations Be Glad! The Supremacy of God in Missions
Thursday 3 May 2012
Cry Baby
You know when a little child asks for something that is completely absurd? Let's think of some examples:
- Hey dad, can I have this bag of cotton candy right before I go to bed?
- Mom, can I help you fry the oil spitting bacon?
- Yo folks, can I stay up all night and play video games?
These are pretty innocent questions to a mind that really is quite focused on what it wants at the time and as a parent of an 8 year old and two 3 year olds these are the types of questions I could imagine. But these questions in their minds are of vital importance and can only have one answer, YES! But wouldn't that in the end be harmful for that child if any of these questions were answered with a yes? These types of situations will possibly end up with a responded "No" and a chaotic tantrum by the young child.
Aren't we often the same even though we have matured so greatly and have lived through so much life experience, sorry my tongue was in my cheek there! Have you ever sounded like this?
- Hey God, could I have lots of money so that I wouldn't have to budget very strictly and still go out on the town every night?
- Hey God, I want to have sex anytime I want because it seems fun!
- Hey God, could you show that person your justice a little early so that they wouldn't bother me any longer?
Don't we so often think that we have the right plan and we will only accept one answer, YES! Well, I think quite often we must seem like that little child that is so sure that they have the right plan for their life but what they really want would really be so harmful to them. There is a better plan! It's trusting those that are above us and we know that God is above all. Try trusting God who holds the whole world in his hands. Try not throwing a fit when something doesn't work out the way you wanted. Try depending completely on God in all that you do. It's a life worth living and I keep striving for it! Join me.
- Hey dad, can I have this bag of cotton candy right before I go to bed?
- Mom, can I help you fry the oil spitting bacon?
- Yo folks, can I stay up all night and play video games?
These are pretty innocent questions to a mind that really is quite focused on what it wants at the time and as a parent of an 8 year old and two 3 year olds these are the types of questions I could imagine. But these questions in their minds are of vital importance and can only have one answer, YES! But wouldn't that in the end be harmful for that child if any of these questions were answered with a yes? These types of situations will possibly end up with a responded "No" and a chaotic tantrum by the young child.Aren't we often the same even though we have matured so greatly and have lived through so much life experience, sorry my tongue was in my cheek there! Have you ever sounded like this?
- Hey God, could I have lots of money so that I wouldn't have to budget very strictly and still go out on the town every night?
- Hey God, I want to have sex anytime I want because it seems fun!
- Hey God, could you show that person your justice a little early so that they wouldn't bother me any longer?
Don't we so often think that we have the right plan and we will only accept one answer, YES! Well, I think quite often we must seem like that little child that is so sure that they have the right plan for their life but what they really want would really be so harmful to them. There is a better plan! It's trusting those that are above us and we know that God is above all. Try trusting God who holds the whole world in his hands. Try not throwing a fit when something doesn't work out the way you wanted. Try depending completely on God in all that you do. It's a life worth living and I keep striving for it! Join me.
Thanks to Augustine for this teaching, slightly adapted.
Tuesday 1 May 2012
Jesus greater than Religion Response
This video is in response to a video I posted earlier that poetically insisted "Why I hate religion but love Jesus". Well, this video is the Catholic response to that video. I don't totally absorb everything said in this video but I thought I'd at least share the other side of the story.
Boom! That just happened. Augustine said that, "There is no salvation outside the church." And by Cyprian in 250 AD, "He cannot have God for his Father who does not have the church for his Mother."
I love Jesus and have devoted my life to him. I love that the church can be the greatest force to share life to the World. I think we need to pray more for our local and global churches.
OK, so I found two!
I love Jesus and have devoted my life to him. I love that the church can be the greatest force to share life to the World. I think we need to pray more for our local and global churches.
The New Green
I love spring! It brings with it a new colour of green that can't be imitated. It's the colour of growth, of new life and of future brilliance.
This morning the rain comes down, now gently, to encourage this newness and the first flowers have just recently bloomed. The apple trees promise a harvest with their explosion of life. The raspberry bushes are starting to sprout reminding us of their juicy goodness. The grass is decreasing in brown and increasing in the extravagant hues that will soon be used for many hours of joyful playing and simply resting in it's unappreciated splendor.
We take so many things for granted as we pass them by with seldom any thought. Spring is my most favorite season. It reminds me that death does not have a lasting sting but that even through times of death and slumber there will be times to follow of joy and delight promised to us.
This morning the rain comes down, now gently, to encourage this newness and the first flowers have just recently bloomed. The apple trees promise a harvest with their explosion of life. The raspberry bushes are starting to sprout reminding us of their juicy goodness. The grass is decreasing in brown and increasing in the extravagant hues that will soon be used for many hours of joyful playing and simply resting in it's unappreciated splendor.
We take so many things for granted as we pass them by with seldom any thought. Spring is my most favorite season. It reminds me that death does not have a lasting sting but that even through times of death and slumber there will be times to follow of joy and delight promised to us.
Take the time to find new hope in creation
around you today and praise your Creator for the many blessings that new life brings!
Friday 27 April 2012
10 Years
If you have ever been one of those people that have wondered if things could ever change with time then I'm here to tell you that so much can happen in a time that seems so short! Sharing my life with my wife has changed me forever. These are some of my reflections.
Today is the day that my beautiful wife and I are celebrating 10 years of marriage. We compiled of list of "accomplishments" that we've had in that time and it was pretty wild. We didn't only go over the good but we also reflected on how we have overcome much of the adversity to success that life has tried to throw at us, but you can't keep a good thing down!Even throughout the bad times it's easy to take what we have for granted. I think that's one of the biggest temptations in marriage is to just accept that what you have is what you were given and that's just how life is. But the challenge in marriage and any relationship that you truly honour is that you have to not accept mediocre as ok but to really strive for better, whatever that better might look at the time.
There have been times in our marriage that better wouldn't take too much. There have been times that throwing in the towel would have been the easier thing to do. And then there have been times that better was unimaginable. What could be better than this? And so we enjoy those moments and soak it all in. But no matter what life has given us through our own choices or sometimes just our circumstances we have remembered our vows to one another to stick it all out, together!
That means being honest when it's hard. That means showing love when you don't feel it. That means talking it out when you'd rather just head out the door. That means having oatmeal for breakfast every morning because it was the cheapest thing to fill your stomach. I still hate oatmeal! It means day in and day out remembering that you chose to commit to each other. We have not always shared the feelings of love over the past 10 years but have always shared the choice of love and that has trumped the day.
I'm thankful beyond words of the many people that have shown us that marriage can last the test of time and many couples have given us standards that we strive for. My parents and my grandparents are two examples that are close to me but there have been many others. So to those of you who have been an example to me thank you!
We often wonder what life will be like on our 20th anniversary. And although many things will have changed I hope that there is two constants.
1. That what God has unified that no one will be able to break that apart!
2. That we will be able to look back and reflect of the many times that we chose to love rather than to walk and that we will always strive to enjoy the moment but never settle for second best.
Still to this day we have our vows framed and hanging in our room. I haven't looked at them for a while but from time to time over the past 10 years I have stopped by those framed words and reminded myself of the promise I made on that day, April 27, 2002. I have wept over those words because sometimes they seem too hard.
Thank you God that you have given me strength beyond compare and that we can truly celebrate how you have shaped our relationship into a beautiful dance that will carry on!
To my wife, I love you still. I love you more. I love you forever! Thank you for never giving up on us, on me!
Wednesday 18 April 2012
Sexualization of Women
How is it that some guy puts on a suit, gets his voice remixed with thousands of dollars of equipment, thinks he's all that because he gets to choose his woman for the night and has money that most people only dream of can talk about women for one thing and one things only? If I had that would I talk about women like that too? Would I get tarnished and love the luxury of free flowing sex, fame and all that often goes with it?
Thank you to Chris Brown and Pitbull for their song International Love that comes on the radio far too often. Yeah I usually flip through the radio when in the car and sometimes get caught listening to this crap. It's obviously popular or else it wouldn't be played and yes it has a catchy beat but listen the the crap that is coming out from the mic. I thought that women were fighting for a better reputation than that of a creature used for sex but so often I get the other message. Our world is so sexualized and it does nothing but tears people apart both the ones who see women as objects and the women that allow themselves to be seen as objects and toys used for pleasure. It is killing most societies in different ways all over the world. It leads to the epidemic of pornography, prostitution, strip clubs and abuse with men who want to be pleasured how they want and when they want. It's one thing that leads to another that leads to another.
I heard a sad story of a man not so long ago that was a father, a husband and a well respected man in his church and community who started to get hooked on porn but after a while that wasn't enough. Over a process of events he ended up hiring a prostitute to fulfill his urges but believe me when I say that a few years earlier I'm sure that had never crossed his mind as something he would have even dreamed of.
But it's from crap like this song, like all the American Pie movies, like everything MTV puts on it's screen, like the stupid ads of the side bar that are advertising simple everyday necessities but get people to click the ad because it has a beautiful woman on it.
I have been caught up in lots of this myself to different levels and at different times. I meet with a group every week to hold ourselves accountable for the ways in which we've viewed women and how we can be counter cultural and not get trapped. There are computer programs to help as well and the one we've chosen to use is called www.xxxchurch.com. They have a lot of great material that can help people with their addiction but people seldom if ever get over these things by themselves so find a group that can support you.
To all the women in my life, some who have allowed themselves to be sexualized and the others that have been effected less so, I pray that you will know your worth and your beauty that goes far beyond what is seen in the mirror. Esther is a great example of someone who must have obviously been beautiful to be chosen by the king to be his wife but she didn't lean on her looks to get her through an easy life but stood up for something so much more. My friend Tara Teng has won pageants that don't focus on beauty but I'm sure it's reflected somehow and yet she puts her looks aside and is fighting the global fight against human trafficking and human slavery. I have many friends who will never make the cover of a magazine that have hearts of gold and change the people around them to find hope, love and meaning far beyond what Hollywood, MTV or Chris Brown could ever promise.
To the woman that I've chosen to spend the rest of my life with in faithfulness and out of choice I pray that you would know your beauty beyond the numbers of a scale and beyond your facial complexion and beyond the multitude of comparisons around you but because you were made 'very good' our of a God that loves you uncontrollably and unconditionally. Because you have a husband that is madly in love with you for the ways in which you are a great mother and for someone with the persistence to get through all that life has handed you and that you still fight for more. I love you more and more...
I hope Chris Browns lyrics, and the like, get blocked out from your life. I hope that the words of a loving God would ring in your ears that say, "I have come to give you life and have it to the full."
Thank you to Chris Brown and Pitbull for their song International Love that comes on the radio far too often. Yeah I usually flip through the radio when in the car and sometimes get caught listening to this crap. It's obviously popular or else it wouldn't be played and yes it has a catchy beat but listen the the crap that is coming out from the mic. I thought that women were fighting for a better reputation than that of a creature used for sex but so often I get the other message. Our world is so sexualized and it does nothing but tears people apart both the ones who see women as objects and the women that allow themselves to be seen as objects and toys used for pleasure. It is killing most societies in different ways all over the world. It leads to the epidemic of pornography, prostitution, strip clubs and abuse with men who want to be pleasured how they want and when they want. It's one thing that leads to another that leads to another.
I heard a sad story of a man not so long ago that was a father, a husband and a well respected man in his church and community who started to get hooked on porn but after a while that wasn't enough. Over a process of events he ended up hiring a prostitute to fulfill his urges but believe me when I say that a few years earlier I'm sure that had never crossed his mind as something he would have even dreamed of.
But it's from crap like this song, like all the American Pie movies, like everything MTV puts on it's screen, like the stupid ads of the side bar that are advertising simple everyday necessities but get people to click the ad because it has a beautiful woman on it.
I have been caught up in lots of this myself to different levels and at different times. I meet with a group every week to hold ourselves accountable for the ways in which we've viewed women and how we can be counter cultural and not get trapped. There are computer programs to help as well and the one we've chosen to use is called www.xxxchurch.com. They have a lot of great material that can help people with their addiction but people seldom if ever get over these things by themselves so find a group that can support you.
To all the women in my life, some who have allowed themselves to be sexualized and the others that have been effected less so, I pray that you will know your worth and your beauty that goes far beyond what is seen in the mirror. Esther is a great example of someone who must have obviously been beautiful to be chosen by the king to be his wife but she didn't lean on her looks to get her through an easy life but stood up for something so much more. My friend Tara Teng has won pageants that don't focus on beauty but I'm sure it's reflected somehow and yet she puts her looks aside and is fighting the global fight against human trafficking and human slavery. I have many friends who will never make the cover of a magazine that have hearts of gold and change the people around them to find hope, love and meaning far beyond what Hollywood, MTV or Chris Brown could ever promise.
To the woman that I've chosen to spend the rest of my life with in faithfulness and out of choice I pray that you would know your beauty beyond the numbers of a scale and beyond your facial complexion and beyond the multitude of comparisons around you but because you were made 'very good' our of a God that loves you uncontrollably and unconditionally. Because you have a husband that is madly in love with you for the ways in which you are a great mother and for someone with the persistence to get through all that life has handed you and that you still fight for more. I love you more and more...
I hope Chris Browns lyrics, and the like, get blocked out from your life. I hope that the words of a loving God would ring in your ears that say, "I have come to give you life and have it to the full."
Wednesday 11 April 2012
Words You Think You'd Be Happy To Hear
"You don't have cancer."
I heard those words from my doctor about a month ago.
Of course I don't have cancer!
I take decent care of my body.
There isn't much history in my family.
And by the way, it should stand for something that I'm a pretty good person!
Doesn't that count for something?
What?
You thought I might have had cancer?
Or are you just reassuring me in case I thought of it?
But I never did until you uttered those words.
Now I've thought about it.
To those who have heard the other side of these words I can't imagine your story.
I'm sorry...
It can happen to anyone.
It has happened to many who don't "deserve" it.
It has happened to a few that I know that never deserved it, but it happened.
Karma is bunk!
And I didn't even hear the words that I have "it".
Just imagine the wreck I'd be if I were on the other end.
Life isn't fair.
And for that I am often grateful
Because if life was fair then I deserve a life of separation
from my God who can have nothing to do with transgression.
Thank God He is not fair but that He is just.
For then I can be justified so that I can have that which is not fair.
And so I can live with whatever this life gives me
With unending peace and joy
Even through heartache.
But Karma still seems nice at times.
It has happened to a few that I know that never deserved it, but it happened.
Karma is bunk!
And I didn't even hear the words that I have "it".
Just imagine the wreck I'd be if I were on the other end.
Life isn't fair.
And for that I am often grateful
Because if life was fair then I deserve a life of separation
from my God who can have nothing to do with transgression.
Thank God He is not fair but that He is just.
For then I can be justified so that I can have that which is not fair.
And so I can live with whatever this life gives me
With unending peace and joy
Even through heartache.
But Karma still seems nice at times.
Tuesday 10 April 2012
Comments
My main purpose for this blog is for personal reflection and if you read it then I pray that it might resonate with you but if you read this regularly I'd love to interact with you. So if you really like something then please comment on it. If you disagree then let me know what's up. If you would like to have me write about something specific then let me know. And if you just like spectating then tell me that too.
Thanks for tuning in!
Russ
Thanks for tuning in!
Russ
Monday 9 April 2012
All Things New
OK, so it's been a while since I've blogged but through the business and the lack of need to really regurgitate and process anything that I was thinking I didn't want to write something just to write. Whenever I open my mouth and whenever I process on here I want it to be of value driven by the Spirit of God himself working in and through my being that He says that has unlimited purpose and potential as I accept Him.
Thanks you Jesus! You have everything that I am right now! I pray that I can say that in the next moments of my life with better consistency. Thank you for not ignoring my sin but for taking it head on and overpowering its darkness with your light. Let me accept your light. My life is a thanksgiving offering to you. And only you!
I ran across a song that I've been looping on my computer and listen to as I write this. Here it is for you to look at. It's an old story put into a new song and the truth in it continues to blow me away that Christ Jesus was sent to make all things new!
2 Corinthians 5:17-20
17 If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
Here is a comment from the YouTube sight that resonates with myself and a lot of other. It reads:
I can almost hear Jesus just screaming: "I have made you NEW! You are PERFECT in My eyes! I have accepted YOU! You are WANTED! You are LOVED! You are MINE! You are PRECIOUS! You are BEAUTIFUL! There is NOTHING you could ever do to make me stop loving YOU!"
In a society that has recognized that meaning can't be found in riches, the economy, security, sex, escape, indulgence, relationships, stuff, fame and all the like Jesus offers us ACCEPTANCE with no strings attached. Jesus says, "All you who are heavy with burden come to me and I will give you rest." Ahhh, rest. Jesus says, "Don't worry about what you will eat, drink or wear. If I can take care of the birds I'll take care of you." Ahhh, not to worry. Jesus says, "I have not come to condemn you but to give you life so that you can have it to the full." Ahhh, life. I could go for each one of those. Rest. No Worries. Life. Out of this offer that I have accepted then I live my life out of thankfulness. I do nothing out of having to do it! I do it because I am so thankful of what God has done for me.
So THANK YOU! Out of my choice and my free will I give my life as a bond slave to you, Jesus Christ, and all that you stand for. Let it be know.
If you would like to know the background of the song above then clink it! May you find the new life that God is offering to you. If you don't know what it is then ask.
"Peace be with you. My peace I give to you."
Thanks you Jesus! You have everything that I am right now! I pray that I can say that in the next moments of my life with better consistency. Thank you for not ignoring my sin but for taking it head on and overpowering its darkness with your light. Let me accept your light. My life is a thanksgiving offering to you. And only you!
I ran across a song that I've been looping on my computer and listen to as I write this. Here it is for you to look at. It's an old story put into a new song and the truth in it continues to blow me away that Christ Jesus was sent to make all things new!
2 Corinthians 5:17-20
17 If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
Here is a comment from the YouTube sight that resonates with myself and a lot of other. It reads:
I can almost hear Jesus just screaming: "I have made you NEW! You are PERFECT in My eyes! I have accepted YOU! You are WANTED! You are LOVED! You are MINE! You are PRECIOUS! You are BEAUTIFUL! There is NOTHING you could ever do to make me stop loving YOU!"
In a society that has recognized that meaning can't be found in riches, the economy, security, sex, escape, indulgence, relationships, stuff, fame and all the like Jesus offers us ACCEPTANCE with no strings attached. Jesus says, "All you who are heavy with burden come to me and I will give you rest." Ahhh, rest. Jesus says, "Don't worry about what you will eat, drink or wear. If I can take care of the birds I'll take care of you." Ahhh, not to worry. Jesus says, "I have not come to condemn you but to give you life so that you can have it to the full." Ahhh, life. I could go for each one of those. Rest. No Worries. Life. Out of this offer that I have accepted then I live my life out of thankfulness. I do nothing out of having to do it! I do it because I am so thankful of what God has done for me.
So THANK YOU! Out of my choice and my free will I give my life as a bond slave to you, Jesus Christ, and all that you stand for. Let it be know.
If you would like to know the background of the song above then clink it! May you find the new life that God is offering to you. If you don't know what it is then ask.
"Peace be with you. My peace I give to you."
Tuesday 6 March 2012
SYMC Conference - Part 2
Breathe! Just breathe. Breathe in all that is good. Taste and see that the Lord is good.
Breathe in Life. Breathe the life that your Creator breathed into lifeless dust at the beginning of time (Genesis 2:7). Breathe the life the Spirit gave to the valley of dry bones that gave lifeless being sustenance (Ezekiel 37). Breathe in the Holy Spirit that was given to the disciples by Jesus and is equally offered to us (John 20:22). Breathe the way you were created to.
In the midst of pain, breathe.
In the midst of business, breathe.
In the midst of trial, breathe.
In the midst of joy, breathe.
Breathe and find delight in knowing that all the chaos of life is already overpowered by the peace and harmony of God. Thank you God that today we can breathe.
praise him in his mighty heavens.
2 Praise him for his acts of power;
praise him for his surpassing greatness.
3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre,
4 praise him with timbrel and dancing,
praise him with the strings and pipe,
5 praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with resounding cymbals.
6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD.
Breathe in Life. Breathe the life that your Creator breathed into lifeless dust at the beginning of time (Genesis 2:7). Breathe the life the Spirit gave to the valley of dry bones that gave lifeless being sustenance (Ezekiel 37). Breathe in the Holy Spirit that was given to the disciples by Jesus and is equally offered to us (John 20:22). Breathe the way you were created to.
In the midst of pain, breathe.
In the midst of business, breathe.
In the midst of trial, breathe.
In the midst of joy, breathe.
Breathe and find delight in knowing that all the chaos of life is already overpowered by the peace and harmony of God. Thank you God that today we can breathe.
Psalm 150
1 Praise the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary;praise him in his mighty heavens.
2 Praise him for his acts of power;
praise him for his surpassing greatness.
3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre,
4 praise him with timbrel and dancing,
praise him with the strings and pipe,
5 praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with resounding cymbals.
6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD.
Saturday 3 March 2012
SYMC Conference - Part 1
I'm exhausted already. I told myself not to get overwhelmed by these conferences but to my dismay it has happened again. It wasn't really my fault though. It was the session that I chose to go to that drained me most of all emotionally. The course was on how to help kids that are hurting and it had some great content to it. It was taught by two guys of which one i know much better in Marv Penner. He has such a heart to help kids think through all that life can throw at us and to direct them to Jesus it's great! But his experiences are insane.
He told many stories of letters that he's received from people who have self abused, people who had taken their own lives, people who on the outside may have looked destitute but also of many who looked to have it all together and then divulged the pain that they were feeling inside. It's scary how pain can lead to hopelessness even when Hope is always available. It's amazing what we can convince ourselves of when it's most often the furthest thing from reality. It's amazing the amount of people who have been victims in their past who internalize their emotions and take it out on themselves. It's really sad.
If any of you know me you know that it doesn't take much to bring me to tears but this day, Thursday, as we were talking about these issues for about 6 hours straight I was on the brink of tears almost the entire day. It's horrible what goes on. There needs to be someone who will lead these people to hope. Their needs to be an army that will stand to fight the injustice that happens right around us as well as the mental agony that has little room for release.
I'll continue to think about this later. It's too overwhelming right now.
For now I'm physically tired and am going to have a nap. The conference is, as always, amazing but it started off a little heavy for me. I trust my nap will help me to focus and Breathe in a way that I can encounter the everlasting God in an amazing way this weekend. Please pray for us as we continue to learn, evaluate and translate this whole weekend into what God wants to lead us into back home.
I look forward to the snow covered roads of the Canadian prairies! Home sweet home will come soon enough.
Peace!
He told many stories of letters that he's received from people who have self abused, people who had taken their own lives, people who on the outside may have looked destitute but also of many who looked to have it all together and then divulged the pain that they were feeling inside. It's scary how pain can lead to hopelessness even when Hope is always available. It's amazing what we can convince ourselves of when it's most often the furthest thing from reality. It's amazing the amount of people who have been victims in their past who internalize their emotions and take it out on themselves. It's really sad.
If any of you know me you know that it doesn't take much to bring me to tears but this day, Thursday, as we were talking about these issues for about 6 hours straight I was on the brink of tears almost the entire day. It's horrible what goes on. There needs to be someone who will lead these people to hope. Their needs to be an army that will stand to fight the injustice that happens right around us as well as the mental agony that has little room for release.
I'll continue to think about this later. It's too overwhelming right now.
For now I'm physically tired and am going to have a nap. The conference is, as always, amazing but it started off a little heavy for me. I trust my nap will help me to focus and Breathe in a way that I can encounter the everlasting God in an amazing way this weekend. Please pray for us as we continue to learn, evaluate and translate this whole weekend into what God wants to lead us into back home.
I look forward to the snow covered roads of the Canadian prairies! Home sweet home will come soon enough.
Peace!
Tuesday 14 February 2012
Asking for the Specifics
When we go to a restaurant we take time to study the menu and then we order informatively as to what we feel our pallet would appreciate and then we order it to the specifics asking for extra toppings here or hold those onions, for instance. Even when the meal comes you may not trust the cooks in the back and without thinking add the salt and/or pepper without even a taste, I know there are some of your out there! We take the time to look at what we want and we get it. Some people are more picky than others and though I have not dined with this person to my knowledge I have heard that the most specific, or some may suggest confused people to order may go by the name Brad. Brad likes to ask many questions about each dish and then just when it might seem like he will come to a decision starts asking questions about another dish. Brad, i know that everyone wants to be known for something and this may just possibly have become your alma mater, the anthem to which others know you!
So I want to ask if you have recently studied the menu of your own life? If you have looked at the different hats that you wear and the various ways that you are connected to others and even how your own heart and mind have been processing things around you. Have you recently taken stock of how your life is going and if it is going in the way that you have hoped it would.
As a devoted Christ follower whenever I look at my life I also analyze my relationship with God and how it is being played out in my life. I've done that recently and here are some questions that I have asked myself:
- Have I taken time to spend in committed prayer? (refer to my first post titled Resolutions)
- Have I shared my faith with someone recently? Like really?
- When was the last time I was uncomfortable for God?
- Have I been studying the Bible?
- Have I been memorizing scripture?
- How would others know that I am a Christ follower and an alien and stranger of this world?
- Do I commit to die to myself daily?
- Is there hardness(bitterness, rage, slander, jealousy) in my heart?
- What does my prayer life look like? Is it all about me or do I lift others up to God?
- Have I been faithful with what God has called me to do?
I think that if we took time to study how God is working in our lives that we could really hone in on the things that He desires for us. I think that we could then with confidence start to talk with God about all that life entails. I think that we could give the pallet of our lives that which will truly give us life and last.
Many people wonder why they should give their lives to Christ and the disciples asked similar questions at the beginning of the book of John. A number of times they asked Jesus, "Where are you going?" to which Jesus responded, "Come and see." The disciples wanted to know Jesus and they weren't given the answer up front but they were invited to join Jesus in the discovery of who He was.
I want to keep discovering the truth of Jesus and I want to ask for that specifically. I want my family to have this foundation in their life before anything and for that I want to ask Jesus specifically into each individual in my family. I want others to know the invitation and story of Jesus and I want to ask for the opportunities to share that and a life that reflects that truth and I want to ask for the specifically through many times of each day. I want to work diligently for God out of thankfulness for what He has done for me and I want to reflect this specifically.
Jesus says to ask and keep asking and your will receive. Seek and keep seeking and you will find. As you do this I urge you to ask and to seek the specific things of God that you might know them and that you might share them in everything that you do. He invites you to follow him and to reflect him with definition.
I ask that as you read this that you might be encouraged to ask God for those specifics that he wants to see in you so that the Lord might be forever praised. May this continue to be your alma mater!
Wednesday 8 February 2012
Monday 6 February 2012
Moral Failure and Super Bowl Antics
Props to Jim Jones of Power 97.5 http://www.power97.com/DJsAndShows/Jim.aspx for calling out an organization that is outraged at the Super Bowl halftime performance by Madonna. The reason they are outraged is because supposedly Madonna (since I wrote this I have now realized that it was one of the performers on stage with her and not Madonna herself) flipped the bird (yeah, that's the middle finger and not a dead pigeon) either to the fans, the camera or both during her short halftime concert. Now I watched the entire halftime show and didn't even notice this gesture. I guess I was too entranced in all the other performances on stage that I didn't notice a little finger go up for a slight moment. And now this organization demands a repentant action to take place by either the NBC network who aired it or by the NFL who organized it because 100 million American viewers saw something that is unacceptable.
Meanwhile right after the Super Bowl was finished we thought we'd catch up on the world news and the top story was of Syrian locals pleading for foreign intervention on the atrocities that are happening to innocent civilians time and time again of which have recently become even more harsh. The National News showed only part of the videos that were taken because they didn't want the public being overly horrified by pictures of one guys leg that was completely blown off who looked to be a teenager and another guy who's lower jaw and throat had been severely, and I mean severely, damaged.
But no, we have an entire organization that is concerned with the middle finger! Like we've never heard or seen it before! Like a bleep on the TV for a swear replacement really takes away from it.
Side note: We were watching a cooking show the other day when one participant said, "What the bleep..." and yeah Isaac, my 8 year old son, responded, "I know what he said!" and snickered to himself. Great job not letting the public know what's going on! Great job! (THICK SARCASM INTENDED!!)
So I just turned to Power 97 for a brief moment and heard Jim Jones call these exact two instances out as a moral failure and I totally agree! I took the time to call him up and tell him that I totally supported what he said on air. I told him that I work at a church and that so often collectively as a people we don't hear the horrific cries screaming for our attention and we take time to notice the tiny hiccups instead. The mole hill so often becomes the mountain in our small and secluded lives. Oh God forgive us!
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