I kinda miss that car ...

It was a 1974 metallic green, two door, sports back, blue slant six, Plymouth Duster ... I bought it from the original owner ... He was a friend of the family, who bought it brand new in 1973 and drove it for a whooping 26 000 MILES over the 12 years he owned it ... I drove it for 8 more years before selling it and buying the Aerostar that a few weeks ago passed from our lives ...

I went many places in my Duster ... I really liked that car ... it even carried me from Kingston Ontario to Port Hardy British Columbia ... somewhere I have pictures of it at EACH provincial boundary ... I was told by my fellow residents in Harkness Hall at Queens' University that it wouldn't make it out of Ontario ... I did and then some ...

I'm reading a book tonight wherein one of the characters is driving a midnight blue Plymouth Duster ... Got me thinking ...

I DO miss that car ... it was a classic ...

Today ...

It was a sunny day in Minnedosa ...

... that's all for now !!

Old Family Photo ...

Grandma A's Birthday ... I'm about 5 (in a hideous plaid vest), and

my brother (in the Robin Hood shirt) is about 11 ...

Check out the vintage B&W tv in the background!!??

Oops ... a Belated HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BRO!

He doesn't surf the net ... so he won't know I've done this ...

But Happy Birthday Big Brother ... I know it's a day late, but better late then never ...

We've had our ups and downs, and there have been moments - but all things considered, he's a pretty good Big Brother all. and I kinda like him ...

So Happy Birthday from the Minnedosa branch of your family tree ...

I hope he had a happy one ... (he was a cute kid though eh?)

Farewell to a Legend ...

Highlights include:

M*A*S*H 1970
Nashville 1975
The Player 1992
Grosford Park 2001
The Company 2003
The Prairie Home Companion 2006
(plus dozens of others)
It was quite a career ... He was quite a filmaker ...

Robert Altman 1925 - 2006

Give to Us Laughter ...

Sue Monk Kidd writes of her quest for a new understanding of the Divine Feminine in her life:

"Elizabeth A. Johnson expresses the dynamic succinctly: "The symbol of God functions." By this she means that the symbol gives rise to ways of thought and pattersn of behaviour. The core symbols we use for God represent what we take to be the highest good. They become the ultimate point of reference for understanding experience, life and the world. These symbols or images shape our world view, our ethical system, and our social practise - how we live and relate to one another.

For instance, Johnson suggests that if a religion speaks about God as warrior, using militaristic language such as how "he crushes his enemies" and summoning people to become soldiers in God's army, then the people tend to become militaristic and aggressive ..."

It makes me wonder what kind of faith comes from holding the likes of The Dalai Lama and Bishop Tutu (both men who have the most beautiful smiles and laughter) in high regards ... and envisioning God as a source of joy and laughter??

How warped a world view can arise from asking God to give to us laughter?

Do we dare find out??

Who Do You Say That I Am ...

Many months ago I remember standing in the shadow of small caves dedicated to the Roman god Pan on the toe of Mt Hermon in northern Israel ... One of our leaders shared the story of Jesus and his disciples journeying to this place and on their return, Jesus quizzing them with the question - "who do you say that I am?"

It was a trick question ... it remains a tricky question ...

Today I was reading a book entitled "The Dance of the Dissident Daughter" by Sue Monk Kidd. In the book Ms Monk Kidd abandons her Baptist roots and moves to the Episcopalian Church ... In the process she struggles with the awakening within her of a new understanding of God beyond the traditional Imagery offered by the Church. Imagery that is predominantly Male.

She outlines the revisioning of a Feminine Diety for her personal spirituality ... It is a fascinating and enlightening read ... But as I read her words today, I began to consider how I envision and experience the Holy ... The question of gender and the Holy Presence has never been an issue for me. I've believed that God (as I envision and experience God is beyond gender and embodies all gender). But it is the nature of the Holy that caused me pause.

Today I began to think about what I believe when it comes to God and how I celebrate, experience and proclaim God's presence in my life, ministry and world ... And so I began with a broad concept:

Great Spirit ... the words borrowed, or loaned from the First Nations' Traditions. The force of creation and the Creator ...

Then I moved to the images of the Holy I surround myself with in my office ... The West Coast First Nations design by Tony Hunt of The Baptism of Jesus - The Great Spirit is the Sun, The Christ figure of Jesus is the Shaman Initiate and the spirit descending at his Baptism is an eagle ... a radical revisioning of a traditional Christian story.

Along the wall there is a sand cast of a dancing Ganesh, the elephant headed god of the Hindu faith. Ganesh, the joyous playful god, who dances and plays ... an image of the holy that is welcoming, radical and inspiring ...

On my desk sits a wooden carving of a very fat, laughing Buddha ... hands outstretched to a world in desperate need of joy ... He sits, perhaps exhausted from his play and laughter ... he invites us to join him, to laugh with him, to celebrate the fullness of life ...

Beside the Buddha stands a plastic Jesus, a cartoonish figure with a broad smile and hidden silent glide wheels ... a figure of whimsy and silliness ... His outstretched hinged arms beckoning the visitor to pick him up and turn him over in their hands - challenging you NOT to smile as you do so ...

I sit at my desk surrounded by images that whisper to me the simple word: "Holy."
There is nothing orthodox about them ... there is nothing reverent about them ... there is nothing traditional about them ... They are what they are ... in some they evoke laughter ... in some they evoke anger ... in some they bring a smile, while in others a dismissive shake of the head ...

I envision the Holy as a place of laughter and joy ... I see in Ganesh, the Laughing Buddha, the First Nations' Shaman, and the wheeled Jesus, the gift of Holy Laughter ...

Today I realized that when I envision the Holy within me there is great joy and cause for celebration ... and the faith I live eminates from there ...

Taking the Plunge ...

Today at Worship, I broached the issue of the Emerging Spirit/Wonder Cafe ad campaign that has captured the attention of the media across our country ...

I'm proud of the United Church. I always have been. I'm also a guy who has a little plastic Jesus complete with silent glide wheels sitting on his desk ... I'm about as irreverent as you can get ...

BUT, today I'm proud of the United Church for having the courage and the boldness to try something different. I may not agree with everything found at Wonder Cafe (click on the title of this entry to visit the site) and the ads may not all be to my liking - BUT, they are getting people talking. And like one member of my congregation said quietly on the way out - "if it gets even one person interested in our congregation, it's worthwhile !!"

To that I say - "AMEN !!"

So, today - hop over to the Minnedosa United Blog ( http://minnedosaunited.blogspot.com/) and give my sermon a read, then head over to Wonder Cafe and check out EZ-Answer Squirrel and all the ads, and the conversation and let me know what you think ...

For me, this is ALL about the conversation and dialogue about things spiritual ... and inviting people to realize what an incredible place the United Church of Canada really is ...

Peace,

Just that kind of a day ...

Though, I haven't done a "Peanut Mood Meter" for awhile ... this image, taken this morning will have to do ...

It was just that kind of a day ... The sun was shining, the air was warm, but it still felt like winter, so it was a good day to just cuddle up with a good book ...

Our eldest pets (Diesel (l) and Chloe (r)) took the day in stride by cuddling up on the bed and spent the time snoozing ... a great way to spend a day ...

A time to LIVE ... a time to DIE ???

Today I presided at a funeral in one of the little "towns" that dot the countryside around Minnedosa ... With names like Bethany, Cadurcis, Clanwilliam, Basswood and so on, these little "towns" continue to survive despite the loss of elevators, stores, churches, schools and most of the people who once lived there ... Some of them have their moments of triumph and revival when someone opens a business, and despite all the odds stacked against them continue to survive and prosper.

By and large though, these little towns have a strong sense of spirit for what once was, an attachment to the heritage that made them more then a point on the map, but they no longer have what one could identify as a town ... Today they have abandoned houses, overgrown hards, forgotten playgrounds and school yards, and cemeteries that have more residents than the town themselves ...

And that seems to be a problem ...

I've been to little Prairie "towns" that have hundreds of residents in the cemetery, and fewer living, breathing residents than there are fingers on my hand ... it could be said that when a "town" has more residents in its cemetery on the hill, than it has in its homes the town is in serious trouble ...

Don't get me wrong - I love visiting places like Basswood, Bethany, Clanwilliam, Cadurcis. I've enjoyed every moment I've spent hearing about what a fabulous place it was to live and grow up and visit on a Friday night ... My only fear is simply this:

How Long before we're saying the same thing of Minnedosa???

How long before we stand on the hill top cemetery and find more residents there, than there are living, breathing residents in the town itself?

With more and more openings appearing on Main St, and then to drive down Main St at 10:37am on a Saturday morning and to find ONLY FOUR cars parked on the ENTIRE length of Main St, causes me some worry ...

I like this town, and I would like to see it thrive and prosper ... I want to come back in 50 years and be able to find a town to show my grandkids and great grandkids, rather than a nice cemetery on the hill and a sign that says "Minnedosa" and little else ...

As they say - those who fail to heed and learn from history are doomed to repeat it ...

One day not so long ago the little rural towns were bustling places ... and today that bustle is nothing more than a memory ... Today I felt a shudder ... I hope it was just the chill of fall, not a foreboding ...

From Today's Headlines ...

Life is NOT measured by

the breaths that you take,

but by the moments

that take your

breath away ...

- Rebbecca Gagne

(mother of Shelby Gagne who died this summer at 3 yrs of age from Cancer)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In Today's Globe and Mail there is a section dedicated to those who

have battled, and in come cases succumb to Cancer. The Headline leading it

on the Front Page of the Paper are the words written by Rebecca Gagne ...

The mother of a beautiful three year old girl who died of cancer.

Shelby's story is presented in a slide show with audio at

www.globeandmail.com

My name is 'Bond, James Bond' ...

When I was six or seven, I became a little brother through the Big Brothers Agency of Stratford Ontario. I was matched up with a Big Brother who in addition to many things, enjoyed taking me to movies ... Perhaps he was stuck for ideas of how to entertain a 7 year old kid ... but whatever Bill's motivation, he exposed me to the joys of the cinema.

We went to many good films ... many bad films ... and many mediocre films ... It seemed like every Friday night we would go to the Vogue Theatre that once stood on Ontario St in Stratford, and we would take in whatever film was showing ... Bill even took me to the very first Star Wars (I remember sitting in the very front row watching the words scroll UP the screen - it was awesome) ...

But tonight I recalled my first experience with the James Bond franchise. Bill took me to see the mediocre "The Spy Who Loved Me," starring Roger Moore as James Bond. The movie impressed me, and in time I would watch ALL of the James Bond films save the most recent ones ... I was hooked ... On TV, Video or even the BIG screen - I have watched Sean, Roger, George, Timothy and Pierce as Bond, and I've enjoyed every episode ... Tonight, 12 year old Noahkila began his own journey with Bond ... He went to the Library and took out Dr No and Diamonds are Forever (good choices) and we have camped out in front of the tv enjoying the Premier Bond - Sean Connery.

Now Noahkila is dropping NOT so subtle hints that he would really like to see the latest Bond flick at the theatre ... and he is quoting Bond, James Bond:

"Shaken, not stirrred ..."
"No Mr. Bond, I expect you to die !!"
and "Good bye Mr Bond."

There are moments in time I stand amazed at how straight that apple dropped when it fell out of the tree ... tonight is one of them ...

A Prairie Moment - Times 3 ...

Today I was driving south on Hwy 21 from Shoal Lake to the Trans Canada.

The sun was setting to the west and as I drove I stopped periodically

to take pictures of the sunset, the clouds and the colours ...

It was a series of beautiful moments ... the camera doesn't do them justice,

but they do hint at the glory of a prairie sunset ... and the rich colours,

and the glorious play of light as the sun dips below the horizon.

The sunset made the long drive from Rossburn to Brandon

a delightful trip ... ending with meeting up with the kids

for a family outing to a movie.

An Impromptu Art Show ...

Using toothpaste to express her self following a hissy fit directed at her mother, Ms H turned the sink in the bathroom into a tableau of her feelings ... The words, if you can make them out read - "you suck" ... Her choice of colours is inspiring, though limited by the available tubes of oral hygiene products ... her technique shows potential, but could use some refinement ... and her choice of subjects is limited only by her emotions ... Clearly we have an artist with great potential ...

For the record, she did clean up her own mess after it was discovered ...

A Tale of Two x Two Dogs ...

Our house is a home of pets ... we currently have two dogs, three cats, two rats and a guinea pig ... over the last decade or more we have had four dogs, three cats, three guinea pigs, two rats and a rabbit ... very few of the pets were "purchased" many just happened our way and were welcomed into the family.

Our first dog MIndy, whom we lost in 2004 came into our lives in 1992 and lived in Kingston, Bella Coola, Langley and Minnedosa. Along the way she travelled and visited more of the country than some people ... in 1993, she invited our second dog Angus to stop in for a visit ... he never left ... He was a reserve stray who decided life with us was better than life on the streets ... so long as we fed him he was happy ...

The late summer of 2004 was a tough time for us - Mindy's health crashed and we had to put her down, then days later Angus was diagnosed with a cancer in the throat and within weeks he too was put down ... Fortunately, in between we welcomed into our lives two new canines who will never replace Mindy and Angus, but who have won our hearts and become part of the family too ...

Journey (the small dog at the top) is a hyperactive bolt of canine lightning. She quivers with excitement ALL the time. She loves to dance on her hind legs with the girls. And she is the consummate escape artist - many is the day that I've come up the hill in front of our house only to see her sitting out on the road in front of the house. She sees me coming (assuming that I didn't notice her) then bolts back into the backyard by leaping the fence in a single bound, where she assumes a "sleeping" posture. When I come into view she does an elaborate stretch as though she is saying - "oh, I didn't hear you coming, I was sleeping ..." Liar !!! Though if there was an Oscar for canines - she'd be in the running ...

Journey is a little dog of BIG action - literally.

Callie, the collie is the Queen. She came to us from a rescue shelter in Brandon called Funds for Furry Friends, and was timid and fearful when she arrived. She was terrified of men (Me), and had come issues with bladder control ... In the two years she's been with us she has blossomed into a beautiful dog. She is friendly, affectionate and lovable. When she came, I couldn't go near her - now she rubs her muzzle against my cheek and "cuddles" by pushing her head into my shoulder ... She is a wonderful dog ...

The photos were taken tonight in our living room ... just because ...
The dogs were luxuriating on the couch (Callie more so than Journey), and they looked so comfortable, I couldn't resist the photo op ... Callie earns the title Queen in these pictures - don't you agree??

All of our dogs - Mindy, Angus, Journey and Callie are testament to what love and affection can do ... Love is a transformative element in this life - if you can watch a scared timid dog blossom into a beautiful outgoing creature, think how much more a person can experience with a little love ...

Slip Sliding Away ...

We were on our way to the Co-op Convenience Store on Saturday night when suddenly my feet when out from under me one the ice ... I went down with a helluva "WHUMP" ... fortunately I landed on my side, not my head, and it would appear I didn't break anything ...

But three days later, I'm still nursing a sore side ... I have to move gingerly at times ... getting up and down in chairs can be more difficult than expected ... and everything aches ... but what hurts most of all is my pride ... my loving children have seen to that:

When I fell they laughed - I would expect nothing less - but when it became apparent I was in pain they grew concerned (within reason) - Noahkila asked where my phone was ... "Why I replied?" still lying on the ice getting my breath and my bearings ...

"In case we need to phone for help ..."

"We don't need to phone for help," I replied starting to sit up, "It's' okay ..." My son, my beloved eldest child then gave his hand away:

"Oh don't worry Dad," he said with a smirk, "I'll take your picture on the ice AFTER we call for help ..."

NICE !!! And I wonder why his littlest sister comes up and pokes me on my sore side periodically and asks "Does that hurt?" with a devilish grin ...

For the record - I'm recovering slowly ... it's still sore ... but I got off lucky ...

Such are the perils of winter in Manitoba !!

Feeding Time at the Zoo ??

Last night I bumped into a friend at Chipperfields, the conversation went kind of like this:

Me: I was going to invite you to supper tonight, but the kids started acting like Baboons, so I thought better of it, and decided to wait for another night.

Friend: Really? I've never had supper with Baboons, it might have been kind of fun ...

Noahkila: At least we're not like real Baboons.

Friend: How's that?

Noahkila: Well, we might act like Baboons, but we don't fling our feces at each other ...

Speechless doesn't do justice to the moment ...

Just Finished ...

I just finished the book Gilead by Marilynne Robinson. It is the journal of an old man writing to his very young son ... The man, a Congregationalist Preacher married a young woman many years his junior and together they had a son.

Now his life is waning, his health is failing and he is struggling to leave his son some gleanings and wisdom, perhaps to make up for his lack of involvement in a real way in the young child's life. The book is brilliant. The reflections on faith, the church and the futility of it all are chillingly accurate. The struggles the man endures in his relationship with his son, his friends, his community and those closest to him are frighteningly familiar. I enjoyed the book, though it did disturb me ... (I never feel that's a bad thing) ... I would heartily recommend it to anyone looking for a really good read.

But I would offer an enchating description of the prairies from the book ... one that resonated within me when I read it:

I love the prairie! So often I have seen the dawn come and the light flood over the land and everything turn radiant at once, that word "good" so profoundly affirmed in my soul that I am amazed I should be allowed to witness such a thing. There may have been a more wonderful first moment "when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy," but for all I know to the contrary, they still do sing and shout, and they certainly might well. Here on the prairie there is nothing to distract attention from the evening and the morning, nothing on the horizon to abbreviate or to delay. Mountains would seem an impertinence from that point of view.

To this I say - Amen !!

People Trust This Guy - WHY ???

It's kind of like shooting fish in a barrel, but I recently came across a book of Bush-isms that has left me shaking my head ...

I'm not sure if I'm distressed because this man is the most powerful man on the planet, or because there are people who continue to believe he and his cronies (like the now departed DR) are intelligent men doing a good job ...

Either way, these quotations should convince thinking people that President Bush is not the sharpest shovel in the shed ...

One of the great things about books is that sometimes there are fantastic pictures.
- January 3rd 2000

If you're sick and tired of the politics of cynicism and polls and principles, come and join this campaign.
- February 16th 2000

It's clearly a budget. It's got a lot of numbers in it.
- May 5th 2000

Well, I think if you say you're going to do something and don't do it, that's trustworthiness.
- August 30 2000

Does the man listen to himself?
Does he not get it ??
I guess the upside is that this past week our American cousins began to get it ... we can always hope anyway ...

God bless America - and everyone else too !!!

Dare We Listen ???

There is nothing but a lack
of social vision to prevent
us from paying an adequate
waged to every American
citizen whether he (she) be
a hospital worker,
laundry worker, maid, or
day labourer ...

- Martin Luther King Jr.
Where Do We Go From Here