What if ...

Today I went for a couple of long walks around town in the teeth of a bitter, biting cold ...The sun was shining, the sky was a vivid blue and despite the savagery of the cold air - it was a picture perfect prairie winter afternoon ...

My one regret was having NOT taken my camera with me ... I missed so many beautiful pictures that could have been taken ... a tree laden with berries attacked en masse by an enormous flock of waxwings !!! ... the shape and colour of the ice formations on the river shimmering in the bright sun light ... the wisps of smoke and steam that float out over town from buildings, businesses, and industry ... The list of magnificent scenes that are now just images in my minds' eye is lengthy ...

Next time I WILL take the camera ...

But having to entrust so many beautiful vistas to my imaginings got me thinking about the necessity of using our imagination ... Einstein once quipped that "imagination is more important than knowledge ..."
This weekend our cousins to the south are marking Martin Luther King Jr Day with a civic holiday on Monday ... of late I've been rereading many of his pieces ... and I've been thinking a lot about imagination and how central it is to the human experience.

As children we dream big ... we will grow up to be an astronaut, Prime Minister, a world famous athlete, or a rich and powerful leader ... as youth we still hold to those dreams as we set our goals - they may lack the breath-taking grandiosity of a 5 year old announcing with certainty that they WILL become an astronaut or an NHL goaltender - but they still possess the hopefulness that says "ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE."

ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE ... now there is the key to imagination !!!

I remember former United Church Moderator Peter Short telling a group of people that there was a time when he was a world famous explorer, a world class athlete, the world's best opera singer and the world's fastest runner ... he paused and said something to the effect of - "when I was five, I believed those truths in my heart because I KNEW they were true ..."

He then went on to muse about how we change our opinions about ourselves as we age and mature ... Somewhere along the line we begin to be defined by our limits and shortcomings rather than by the potentials and possibilities that exist all around us ...

As adults we confine ourselves to safe little boxes and squelch our dreams, instead contenting ourselves with the status quo ... we no longer dare to risk or take chances ...

The first question this raises for me is - WHY ?????

Why are we content with the status quo, when if we are really honest, the status quo isn't cutting it any more???

Why are we so reluctant to dream and hope for things to change???

BUT most compelling - WHY do we continue to tell our children to follow their dreams and to express their hopes - even the kids' programme The Magic School Bus underlines THIS lesson when Ms. Frizzle says in EACH episode: "Take Chances, make mistakes, get messy !!!"

If we don't want our children to USE THIER IMAGINATION, then why do we so actively encourage them to do JUST THAT????

I have come to believe that our imaginations are JUST WHAT MAKES US FULLY HUMAN.

Without an imagination, we would have NO way of envisioning a better way of doing something ...

Without an imagination, we would have none of the innovations and inventions that have so dramatically improved our lives and our world ...

Without an imaginations, humanity would still be poking in the mud around the marge of lakes and rivers and NONE of our accomplishments and achievements would have EVER happened ...

Without an imagination, we would simply cease to exist ...

Yet, too often we actively stifle imagination ... we silence the dreamers ... and we scoff at those who ask the big questions about how things can be made better ...

How many times do we hear - "OH, be realistic!" when someone speaks freely of a bold vision of what MIGHT be ...

This weekend we would do well to consider the RESPONSES that folks like Martin Luther King encountered as they shared a vision - A DREAM - of what Racial, Economic ad Social equality COULD look like ... using source documents like the words of the Hebrew Prophets, the Gospel teachings of Jesus, and the theories of Gandhi, King and countless others articulated, shared, and lived a dream of a better community - a better nation - and ultimately a better world.

Not content with waiting for things to improve ... they marched, they spoke, they wrote, they protested ... and THEY HELPED make it happen.

They en masse took their dream and boldy "took chances, made mistakes and GOT MESSY!!", and along the way they were the catalyst of enormous social change that continues to reverberate through out the world ...

BUT, too often we regard these moment - these events as something that happened "somewhere over there" by people who are some how different from us - somehow removed from us ... We forget that the people like King, Rosa Parks, Gandhi, Tutu, and the others who have lead the waves of social change, really ARE people just like us, who together with many other people JUST LIKE US, managed to do something absolutely breath-taking.

The key in ALL of this, is for us (YOU & I - ALL of us TOGETHER) to never lose sight of our imagination, and more importantly, to never give in to the nay-sayers who would mock us as dreamers and tell us to "get realistic."

The world needs more dreamers. (Please quote me on THAT statement!!)

The world needs people who are willing to take chances, make mistakes and get messy.

The world needs lots more of those kinds of people.

And the place to find THOSE people is right here ... in YOU and I.

WE ARE those people - those dreamers - those activists - those fools who honestly believe the world can become a better and different place if we only try ...

This is not some pollyanna plea to save the life of Tinkerbell by shouting - "I DO BELIEVE!! I DO BELIEVE!!!" Rather it is a call to faithful action by the dreamers and visionaries that live and move among us ...

It's simply an invitation to step outside the box, and leave the safety and security of our collective comfort zones and not only ask and face, but begin to answer the tough questions about whether we are capable of doing things differently.

What if ???? The substance of the quesiton is entirely up to each one of us ... the important gesture is to be open to the potential and possibilities that WILL arise when we begin to ask repeatedly - "What if ...??" as we move through our day ...

Today as I walked past empty store front after empty store front along our Main St here in Minnedosa, I wondered to my self: "What if, enough of us stopped accepting things the way they are, and started actively, aggressively and OPENLY agitating for change??? What if, enough citizens wrote letters, forwarded emails, and made phone calls to businesses about relocating here?? What if, enough of us said - "WE WANT A BETTER TOWN!!!!" and began promoting all the great things about Minnedosa rather than waiting for "someone" to do it??"

I realized today that there is much in Minnedosa to be proud of - and there are many worth while things that deserve to be boldly proclaimed promoted ... and ALL it takes is a some time, a few dreamers and some courage to say (and live) the question - "WHAT IF?????"

And all it requires is a imagination ... and WE ALL HAVE THAT !!!

Who's with me ?????

Make Tracks to See More of our Town:

With so many vacancies on our Main St, and rumours of more to come, it is easy to get disheartened about the state of our Valley home ... but thankfully there are many who have called Minnedosa home, who are refusing to throw in the towel ...

There is MUCH in Minnedosa to be proud of ... and there is much here to celebrate if you have some time check out some of the links below and learn MORE about our community ...

From the Ski Hill - Click here to visit Ski Valley

To the Minnedosa Golf & Country Club - Click here to visit Minnedosa Golf

Chipperfield Coffee Company,

Tilson Place B&B,

Laws Way B&B,

The Gateway Motel,

The Minnedosa Tribune,

The Valley Motor Lodge,

and on through businesses, service clubs and other community organizations, there is MUCH in Minnedosa to do, to go to, and to enhance living or visiting our fair valley community.

Other sites DEFINITELY worth visiting to find out more about Minnedosa include:

The Minnedosa Library,

Minnedosa Daily Photo Blog

The last sight is a place where someone is posting images from around Minnedosa (like the one at the top of the posting - I'm NOT above borrowing where necessary), that help to show us what a BEAUTIFUL place Minnedosa really is ...

What better way to spent a bitterly cold winter afternoon than checking out the valley from warmth of your computer terminal????

Have you Driven a Ford Lately ???

Somebody in the Ford Headquarters missed the ball on this one ...

In Friday's edition of the Winnipeg Free Press there were not one - BUT several stories about the result of car thefts in the Winnipeg area ... one story chronicled the death of a man who was run down by two idiots joy riding in a stolen SUV ... and now Ford, with the sub-title "Built for life in Manitoba" advertises in the SAME edition of the newspaper in the city that is fast becoming one of the car theft capitals of Canada with an featuring the words "Drive it like you STOLE IT !!!"

Have the ad execs for Ford LOST THIER FLIPPIN' MINDS ????

This is way beyond offensive ... it runs hard into just plain stupid !!

Nice one Ford!! Makes me kinda glad we traded our old Aerostar in on a Toyota ... atleast common sense prevailed in Oakville today and the ad has been pulled ... but not before the damage was done:

Click here to read the CBC Manitoba story.

Hmmm ... wisdom from unexpected places ...

I KNOW even admitting to having watched Benny Hill's tv programme is not regarded as politically correct ... but I have to admit to not only watching the show, but actually enjoying it. Now, before ASSUMING something - I will say it was never the appearance of bikini clad models in the skits that drew me to the programme - I loved the slap-stick comedy that Hill was so clearly a master of. The interchange between he and the little guy who appeared as his foil cracked me up ... and his spoken bits often left me laughing while also reflecting on the profound truth he offered through the comic shtick ... afterall, isn't that the strength of comedy???

But what I remember MOST of Benny Hill was the sketch that had him offer a profoundly TRUE musing on the danger of ASSUMING too much ...

Benny would, in character come out and announce - "one should NEVER ASSUME." He would then write the word A-S-S-U-M-E, on the black board behind him as he continued:

"For when one assumes, one makes an ASS out of U and of ME !!!" As he spoke he circled the "ASS" the "U" and the "ME" in turn ...

Over and over in life the truth of Hill's statement has rang true ...

The other night Ms H and I were talking about what happens when you ASSUME something and when you engage in GOSSIP, and we began talking about how those two concepts often fall hand in hand ... Ms H fell silent for a moment then observed:

"Do you realize both words have 'ss' in them?"

"Um, yeah ..." said I, "what does that mean?"

"ss ss ss ss is the sound snakes make ..." she said with a sly smile, "and people who ASSUME and gossip are snakes ..."

"Hhhhmmmm," was all I could offer ... there's some truth there too.

Sometimes wisdom breaks through from the most unlikely of places ...

A Creative Solution to Help a Young Woman ...

A judge in the US has perhaps come up with a very frank and creative way to offer a profound message to a young woman who seeminly needs some help making better choices ... Lindsay Lohan, age 21, who has grabbed headlines lately for running amock of the law through drinking and driving has NOW been sentenced to work in a Morgue and in a Hospital Emergency Ward!!

As I read the story today, I couldn't help but think - "what a cool response to the situation!"

It's a form of tough love akin to the "scared straight" phenomena that rolled through society a few years back - take young people and let them see where the path they are treading COULD lead if they don't make wiser choices ... I think the judge has the best interest of Ms. Lohan at heart in this - instead of letting her celebrity status and wealth coddle her, instead she will have
to confront a very brutal aspect of life and with help reflect on what she could do differently.

Perhaps this will help Ms. Lohan gain a different perspective on her life and help her get her drinking under control ... One can only hope ... I hope it works.

The Truth will ALWAYS win out ...

Remember back on Christmas Day the news broke that a tiger had broken free of its enclosure at the San Francisco Zoo and attacked three young men leaving two injured and one dead from the mauling??

The tiger was "destroyed" (KILLED) by zoo security staff almost immediately ...

As the story unfolded from headline to headline it was revealed that the enclosure was sub-standard, and the presentation was that the young men were simply there ...

Today a story on the web (I have to wonder WHERE the bold headlines are for THIS news item) reveals that the young men had been drinking and smoking pot prior to heading into the Zoo, AND witnesses have come forward with the contention that three young men were seen taunting the tiger just prior to the attack. (Click here to read the story)

This is not to deny the tragedy of this incident. A family is clearly left grieving and a young life has been cut short ... not too mention the destruction of a majestic animal that was simply acting on instinct ... and it in no way exonerates the Zoo for inadequate enclosures ... BUT somewhere along the line it has been forgotten that the TIGER was (as are ALL animals in Zoos) a WILD animal.

A tiger is designed by nature as an efficient hunter ... THEY eat meat, and human beings, despite our veneer of civility remain nothing more than a walking take out meal in the eyes of felines the size and scale of lions and tigers.

It is a tragedy that the young man died and his friends were grievously wounded ... but let's be willing to hold them to account for being stupid enough to taunt a tiger while we hold the zoo to account for not ensuring such tragedies CAN'T happen ... it's ALL about responsibility ... and these three young men were being tragically irresponsible with horrid consequences.

Check and Mate ...

Undeniably a genius ...

... world chess champ at 14 ...

... a troubled and tormented soul ...

... now dead at 64.

Let's remember Bobby Fischer for

his brilliance and his accomplishments,

and leave the other stuff in the dust bin of history

where it rightly belongs.

May Mr. Fischer finally find the peace that eluded him in life.

Rest in Peace Bobby.

A letter ...

It began with a letter sent from eight well intentioned, intelligent and no doubt caring clergy members who looked at events in their community and reacted with what can only be described as aprehension and fear ... They urged the minority members of thier community to reject the agitation of outsiders, and to wait as the issues causing concern were addressed in a timely and orderly fashion ...

I remember the first time I saw the picture above ... it struck me that any minister who ended up behind bars for taking a stand motivated by faith had to be radical and very cool ... THEN I began a journey of reading, reflecting over, and seeking to honour (by living their values) those words ... The first written piece of King's I ever read was his "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" that was, as the title indicates, written from a jail cell in reply to a letter written by eight fellow clergy people who had taken exception to Rev. King's acts of civil disobedience.

Today for the first time I read that original letter that prompted one of Rev. King's greatest offerings to humanity ... what stood out for me was the phrase: "we are convinced that these demonstrations are unwise and untimely."

I couldn't help but wonder how many times such a phrase has rolled from the lips of well intentioned church leaders who earnestly believe that one of the flock have begun to acted rashly, unwisely and out of turn ... But as I once again read Rev. King's letter I couldn't help but wonder how words written 45 years ago could remain so fresh and pertinent about the condition of the Church in the 21st Millenium ...

Today the words Rev. King has spoken reminds us ALL that there is MUCH work yet to be done ...

I invite you to either read the ENTIRE letter via the link above, or head over to Meditative Moments for some excerpts that speak to the Modern Church ... either way, it's a voice worth hearing and if we dare - HEEDING!!

Day by Day ...

Tonight as I was working on a bit of writing, I mis-clicked the tv remote and ended up on the Much Music Retro programme ... and the video below was playing ...

Beyond taking me back to my highschool days ... the words by Doug and the Slugs (admit it folks - YOU listened to them TOO !!!) spoke to the moment I find my self in ...

Bad news don't ruin my appetite,
Don"t let the papers tell me if it's wrong or right,
I just do what I do and I do it day by day by day by day ...

Day by day I'm feeling stronger ...
Day by day I'm lasting longer ...
Day by day ya help me make it ...
Day by day by day by day by day ...

Day by Day by Doug and the Slugs ... my theme song for the moment:

A Poet needs your Vote!!

The other day I got an email from my friend Indigo who is currently hanging out somewhere North of 60 doing her nursing vocation in amongst the good folks of the Arctic ... She invited me to head over to Nunavut Nonsense to vote in the Poetry Contest being held there.

Now, I won't ask my readers to vote for Indigo ... but after reading the poems posted there I would strongly HINT that my readers could vote for Indigo's fine poetic offerings ...

You have five days left to vote ... head over, read the postings and cast a vote ...

Nunavut Nonsense

oh yeah, and a hearty thanks to Indigo and congrats to ALL the poets ... it was a fun break in the mid-winter blahs ....

77...

Canadian Trooper Richard Renaud,

age 26,

from Alma, Que.,

a member of the 12e Regiment blinde du Canada
--------

LEST WE FORGET

Just for Fun ...

Robin Williams on Jesus and Gandhi ...


WARNING !!!!!


NOT for everyone ... the easily offended shouldn't bother clicking:

Where would YOU stand ???

It's funny ... the issue of hospitality and welcoming in the stranger has been one that has been front and centre in much of my reflections on life, ministry and the Church lately ... it may because I am vainly trying to stress not only the importance of living those concepts in the Church, but also trying to show and remind ALL of us that we have much room for improvement when it comes to embodying those ideals ...

I consciously chose to use the words "in vain" because my words are simply falling on deaf ears who have already determined the source of "the Problem" and aren't willing to entertain other options nor engage in a constructive conversation or dialogue about the crises gripping a variety of persons, places and things ...

It is also interesting to me, that when I reflect on such issues by using the source materials I am most familiar with - Scripture, Church Tradition, and Theology and cite the life examples of the GREAT Saints like Luther, King, Gandhi, Jim Wallis and others, I am accused of grandiosity and narcissistic actions that envision me and my life on a par with those greats ...

It all just leaves me shaking my head ... especially when I read the works of folks like Jim Wallis, Bishop Spong, Diana Butler Bass and others who see the urgent need for the Church to step beyond this moment and embrace some of the change that is swirling around us ... these writers offer a glimpse of WHAT IS POSSIBLE IF WE OPEN OURSELVES TO THE SPIRIT.

Instead though, too often the church confronts the changes around us by defending the status quo, insisting on conformity and seeing its way as THE ONLY WAY. Thanks be to God however - the Spirit has never been thwarted by such intransigence, and has continued to work through people who are NOT standing outside of The Body, but rather are taking note of the human limits and boundaries that too often constitute the definition of "The Body and that are NOT reflective of God's purpose or goal for the human faith community.

In short, those voices that are often dubbed "a problem" and asked to conform are not outside the body, but are pushing the envelope and challenging all of us to revision ourselves and our faith journey accordingly ...

Today as I stepped out of the shower, a thought occurred to me ... I have been recalling with some friends and colleagues a conversation I had many years ago in Prince Rupert BC over breakfast one morning ... the table companions that day included the First Nations gentleman who took the United Church to task for the physical, sexual, emotional, spiritual and mental abuse he had experienced at Residential School.

This day, he was reflecting on how much he had yearned to hear the simple words - "I'm sorry" as he journeyed through the Court Proceedings that ultimately found the perpetrator guilty of the abuse ... They were words that hadn't come because the lawyers had said they would render the church responsible financially, legally, morally and so on for the abuse ...

But what stood out for me even more than this failure of The Church to DO THE RIGHT THING, was the story this man told of how hard it was to get ANYONE to listen when he finally found the courage to speak out about the abuse he suffered ... He spoke quietly of minister after minister who dismissed what he courageously shared by saying - "That couldn't have happened..." or something similar. He talked about the conversations in Church Courts that never addressed the very things he was saying ... and most condemning of all, he talked about the number of times he and other First Nations people finally had the courage to say - "This happened to me ..." only to have their words fall on deaf ears ...

Thankfully, he NEVER gave up ... eventually people began to listen ... and we began to move through the process of confronting the history of Residential Schools and cultural assimilation that The Church, The Government and others were very much a part of ...

What occurred to me today was that this man's experience is really no different than the experience of countless others within The Church who speak up and stand up for something they believe in. From the earliest days of the Church, we have had voices that challenge us to move beyond the status quo and allow the Spirit to do her work ... in recent years it has been issues of inclusion by gender, race, sexuality ... and more recently it has been the issues of ecology, economics and political involvement that have moved to the fore. The Church is in a state of constant change ... the challenge is for the Institution to stop being a hindrances to that transformation ...

Looking back in our collective history we can see shining moments where the Church has ADAMANTLY stood in judgement, only to be proven WRONG later ... it is a lesson we in the Modern Church must heed and learn from ...

In the beginning days of the Church were the Gnostics who wanted to expand the way in which we spoke of our experience of God present and real in our world and lives ... much of what they said 19 Centuries ago has now become standard fare in the modern Christian Church (Augustine and the Early Church Fathers would be aghast!)

Later there was Luther and his 95 Theses that challenged the Status Quo and helped fuel a Reformation that created Protestantism. But Luther, condemned as a heretic would later help to radically altered the Holy Catholic Church as well.

Still later came The Witch Hunt of the Puritan American Colonies that saw countless women and some men perish in the zealousness to preserve something that was already in radical decline ... Like the Spanish Inquisition, this time in our collective history has been found wanting - yet, in the day the Institution that was The Church KNEW it was RIGHT ... do we dare consider the implications of THAT ??????

Over and over throughout Church History we find stoney faced people of faith passing judgement on those who don't fit the mould ... The image of the Witch Hunt craze of New England came to mind today as the question - "Where would you stand?" rolled through my brain ...

The bottom line of the witch trials was simply that ordinary women (and some men) died by a variety of means because they didn't conform to the perceived "norms" of the society, and were thus deemed "a witch". They were condemned, tortured and killed accordingly.

Is this really any different that what we witness again and again in the modern Church when we judge people to be OUTSIDE the Body because they're ways and approaches don't appeal to those of us within??? And we subsequently insist that our way prevails because "we're right"??

To pause - let's consider that the Church is a minority institution in our communities - yet, in any community urban or rural, there are countless people who still feel attached to a particular Church. They are the "spiritual not religious" folks who are showing up en masse on census forms and in surveys by folks like Reginald Bibby. They want to be part of the Church but for a variety of reasons have chosen to step away ... The question I ask repeatedly is - "Are these people part of the Body????"

Are they really welcome to come like the signs we proudly post proclaiming "All Welcome" would purport???

In theory, I fear they are welcome ... but practically, they are welcome ONLY if they are willing to conform to the narrow standards of the community. We don't want them coming back with the expectation of change.

These seekers are like the witches of 17th Century New England ... they are NOT interested in conforming to the narrow ideals of "The Church" as envisioned by the proverbial powers that be. Instead these modern seekers want to come home spiritually to a place where they are not only welcomed, but they are encouraged to be themselves ...

But instead of opening our arms fully and be the INCLUSIVE community we claim to be, these seekers encounter a modern witch hunt that demands conformity, and will not abide something that challenges the status quo...

The questions all of us in the Church must constantly ask needs to move beyond the passe "what would Jesus do?" and become more acute in their questioning ... Maybe asking ourselves where we would stand in the Salem Witch Trials would be a good start??

We would like to think that we would NOT be on the side of the stoney faced judges who condemned innocents to death for Non-Conformity ... but if we step back and really look at the HOW of being The Church in the modern era, we may find ourselves sitting at the table with these short sighted Church leaders who believed earnestly in what they were doing ...

Since that morning in Prince Rupert I have ALWAYS taken time to reflect on where I would stand if someone like that gentleman came to me and told me a story like he experienced ... would I listen and hear him, or would I like those he first encountered, condemn him for "spinning a fanciful tale that serves only to bring disharmony to The Body" (these are the EXACT words of a Minister responding to him)????

In a time and place of change, it is hard to let go of what we hold dear ... we want stability and security, so we fight to maintain what we know ... but if Church history has taught us NOTHING else, it has taught us that the only constant in our lives is GOD ... The Church is in constant flux and change ... some of us get a little too far ahead ...

I remember Herbert O'Driscoll once addressing a Conference in BC by saying - "if you moved someone 50 years forwards or backwards in The Church what they would find would be almost totally unrecognizable to them ..." I've always wondered why we are SO DAMNED adamant that we are RIGHT all the time instead of opening ourselves up to the will of the Spirit ???

The other piece that is forgotten in the Modern Church is that our founder was arrested, tried, convicted, sentenced AND KILLED for challenging the religious and political order of the day ... and yet in the Church we DEMAND conformity rather than living our faith as TRUE followers of Christ ...

Kind of spins "what would Jesus do?" in a radical direction doesn't it ???

Six Months Ago Today...

Are There ANY words we can even offer ??????

I can't even begin to write about the tragic accident outside of Bathurst New Brunswick that claimed the lives of 7 young men from the High School Basketball team, and the life of thier coach's wife, without tears forming in my eyes ...

.

The story is nothing short of horrible ... eight dead with four others were injured including the Coach and his daughter ... all from one small city ...

.

Thoughts and prayers for the injured ... for the grieving families ... for the class mates, teachers and staff ... and for a community that is gasping in sorrow ...

.

There are simply NO words that can fully express the grief of this ... and in that silence we call on the living Presence of God to be present ...

The First Appearance of The Count:

I've been spending WAY TOO MUCH time on YouTube ... today I found the first appearance of The Count (one of my favourite Sesame Street characters - after Oscar and Grover ...) along with the Cookie Monster ... and his first appearance COUNTing ??? Gee - what do you think Cookie would have to count???

Gotta Love the Count ...

The Count meets Kermit ... The Count is an elevator operator, Kermit wants to get to the SEVENTH Floor ... the Count finally comes up with a very "reasonable" solution ...

Enjoy !!!

Another YouTube Muppet selection ...

This is just for fun ... I LOVE the Swedish Chef, and meeting his "family" is over the top ...

A Classic from YouTube ...

I found this tonight, and it brought back a tonne of memories ... there are three different versions on YouTube of this song, but this one just cracked me up. I love the Mahna Mahna guy ... and the fact the muppet girls are so basic just takes me back ... ENJOY !! (and I DARE you NOT to sing along !!!)

Crank the volume !!!!!

Lessons from a Kids' Movie ...

When the movie Babe came out on Video, the tale of the little pig who thought he was a dog became an INSTANT hit in our home ... it has been watched over and over and over ...

I remember using it in sermons at the time - the theme of Babe becoming a shepherd fit nicely into reflections on the 23rd Psalm, The Lost Sheep and any where the ideal of Shepherd pops up ...

There was very little about the movie that wasn't delightful. Even the cynical Ferdinand the duck's running commentary provided a comic relief worth reflecting upon ...

Since seeing The Waterhorse this past week I've been thinking A LOT about Babe ... both stories roll from the same creative pen ... but more than that, both stories teach us and our children much about remaining open to the majesty and mystery of LIFE. In The Waterhorse, it is about being open to the possibility of mythic creatures inhabiting the world around us (something I DO believe in - but that's a tale for another day). While in Babe it is about being open to possibilities that lift us outside the box, and way, way, way outside our comfort zone ... I personally think that Babe is a good model for ministry - something I may reflect on later over at Meditative Moments ... but for now, I think the lesson of Babe is the one learned by the farmer - to keep our eyes, our ears, and our hearts open to the possibility of something amazing happening around us ...

So ... having said all of that ... I was going to post the clip from Babe (available on YouTube) of Farmer Hoggett (played by James Cromwell) singing and dancing the song "If I had words" for the little pig ... but in searching for the song I came across the original by Scott Fitzgerald and Yvonne Keely and decided to post it instead ... so tonight, for a little bit of encouragement on a grey winter day (around HERE anyway), I offer that video clip (I may still post the other one another day!!)

CBC Memories ...

As a long term and habitual listener of CBC radio I have found the recent retrospective programmes to be a refreshing break from a selection of programming that by and large has become tepid ... There are some notable exceptions to that mediocrity such as AfCanada, Q, Vinyl Cafe, Tapestry, and a few others, but regretably too many of the programmes have become self-indulgent tripe hardly worth the broadcasting band they occupy ...

But as the new year began some familiar voices echoed from the past and reminded me (and ALL of the listeners) what a gift CBC really is to the people of Canada.

Former CBC Host Vicki Gabereau once noted that folks listening to CBC in their vehicles are often left in a posture resembling someone who has just been shot in the head: mouth open, head tilted back against the head rest, and eyes closed in laughter (come on CBC listeners - we've all been there !!! Vicki is SOOOOO right !!!)

This past couple of weeks has taken us back to those moments when we linger in the parking lot or the driveway listening to that last two minutes ... or driving as we wipe tears of laughter from our eyes ...

Highlights this past week included hearing Barbara Frum struggling to interview a farmer about "the god-damned cabbage" ... Stuart McLean and Peter Gzowski discussing the "sleeping" cricket ... and of course the Christmas Eve tradition of Alan Maitland reading "The Shepherd."

This past couple of weeks have helped me appreciate how important CBC is to my life ... but it also made me realize how much I miss the voices of people like Barbara Frum, Alan Maitland, Vicki Gabereau, Arthur Black and of course the distinctive gravelly voice of the late GREAT Peter Gzowski ...

Thanks for the meander CBC ... it's been fun

A story ...

The story goes something like this:

A rabbi had a gem of great value that he kept tucked safely away in his basement wrapped in a rag. One day as he took it out to examine it, the gem fell from his hands and rattled away in the dark shadows of the basement ... He looked for it for a time, then with a shrug of his shoulders, he went up stairs and poured himself a cup of tea.

When he finished with his tea he walked out the front door of his house and bent down and began searching the grass and flower beds.

"What are you doing Rabbi?" asked a young boy walking past.

"I'm looking for something I've lost," replied the Rabbi on his hands and knees still searching.

"What did you lose?" asked the young boy, intrigued.

"I've lost a gem of enormous value," replied the Rabbi pausing to glance up at the young boy.

"I'll help you search," said the young man as he clambered over the fence.

Soon the young boy was joined by other youngsters from the neighbourhood. Each told in turn what they were searching for, and each climbing over the fence to pick through the grass and bushes.

Finally with a dozen or more children searching for the gem and finding no sign of it the young boy turned to the Rabbi and as he wiped sweat from his forehead looked in the Rabbi's face and asked: "Are you sure you lost your gem here?"

"Oh no," laughed the Rabbi glancing at the young faces gazing at him with a confused look, "I did't lose the gem here. I lost it in the cellar."

The young man stared at the rabbi for a moment before speaking, "BUT, if you lost it in the cellar, why are we looking for it out here?"

"Because it is much better light out here ..." said the Rabbi ...

When I first heard this story it was used to frame a conversation about the Church and our tendancy to stay only in the brightly lit places while avoiding the dark uncomfortable places ... we are searching for a lost gem, but we are searching in the wrong place ...

I'm tired ...

A long time ago a retired Evangelical United Brethren Minister shared some of the wisdom he had gleaned from close to 60 years of ministry, and almost 90 years of life ... what I remember vividly was his contention that our job as minister - our calling - was to promote the Kingdom of God. He went on to describe the Kingdom as the living presence of the Risen Christ, not "some namby pamby warm pink fuzzy social club that gives everyone a hug and says warmly "it's okay" and sends them out into the world. The Body of Christ that is the church is about putting our faith into action..."

He went on to reflect on his ministry and the calling to afflict the comfortable and comfort the affilicted ... and to remain true to our calling and our faith ... Every day since I have begun my day remembering that moment and beginning my day with the prayer:

"God, guide me in my calling to be part of the Church as the living presence of the Risen Christ..."

Tomorrow I'll say that prayer again and I will continue on my journey of ministry ... I'm just not sure where the trail I'm trying to discern before me is going ... maybe tomorrow I'll pray for better light ...

75 ... 76 ...

As our day draws to a close,

half a world away two more of our soldiers

have paid the ulitmate sacrifice

on a rain slick road in Afghanistan.

There are no words,

only sorrow and grief,

as we send our prayers to

their comrades,

to their families,

and to all of us,

They shall not grow old,

as we who remain grow old,

age shall not weary them,

nor the years condemn,

at the going down of the sun,

and in the morning

we will remember them.

Lest We Forget.

Things I'm thankful for ...

When I get sick with a cold I crave two things - pineapple juice and cranberrry juice cut with ginger ale ... This past week while I was shopping (before I was EVEN sick) I had a craving for cranberry juice ...

Today I woke up to a FULL BLOWN cold ... plugged nose, congested chest, a cough, sore throat, and just feeling crappy ... thank God I have a supply of necessities in the fridge ... today, the last day of Christmas Holidays has me crashed on the couch, and the kids off sledding ... I've been sipping my juice and reading ...

I suppose it could be worse ... it's the first time I've been sick since last winter ... too bad I can't hop on my bike for a spin or two around the lake ...

Merry Christmas - Slaveem Yoho !!!

Merry Christmas to our Eastern Cousins !!

(Today is Christmas for the Churches in the Eastern Rite)

,

Tonight around the world Ukranians and other Slavic families will be celebrating their Christmas. I found the following on the net:

..

"Sviata Vercheria" (Holy Supper) is the most important Family celebration. It consists of twelve lenten dishes to represent the twelve Apostles.

.

The table is set beforehand with a handful of hay placed underneath a linen embroidered tablecloth, representing the bed of hay upon which the Christ Child lay.
.

The centerpiece consists of Kalachi (a fancy braided bread) with candles on either side.The supper itself represents the produce grown on the land and obtained from the waters.

.

The supper ritual begins with the appearance of the first star. With an appropriate traditional greeting, the head of the household ushers in the Diduch (a sheaf of wheat) to the dining room.

.

After grace and the greeting "Chrystos Rodyvsia" (Christ is Born) to which everyone replies "Slaveem Yoho" (Let us Glorify Him).
.

The meal begins with the indispensable and traditional Kutya, made up of cooked whole wheat, sweetened with honey and flavoured with ground poppy seeds.

.

Everyone must partake of it.
.

This is followed by a Boracht (beet soup). It can be served as a clear consommé or with tiny mushroom dumplings called "Vushka". The various fish dishes are, jellied pike or carp, baked trout, stuffed salmon and fish cakes in jellied consommé.

.

There are two types of Holubtsi (cabbage rolls), with rice and buckwheat fillings. Varenyky (dumplings) with various fillings—potato, sauerkraut or prune; Hryby (mushrooms); vegetables; fruit compote; Pampushky (doughnuts); Mediwnyk (honey cake) and tortes, nuts and candies.

.

Families attend evening or midnight Church services.

Visitors from the East ...

Today is Epiphany,

the day the Church commerates

the arrival of the Magi in Bethlehem.

For many the Christmas story ends here

with a warm pink fuzzy feeling, but the story

doesn't end here with the mysterious visitors...

As they depart for home by another route,

King Herod demands the slaughter of the Innocents,

and the Holy Family become refugees.

Today in our modern world, that story gains

power when we consider how many

families live as refugees fleeing war and violence.

Today in the darkness of being far from home,

the refugees await the coming of the light ...

Light that WILL come.

Happy BIRTHDAY Mr. Bean !!!!

The creator of unforgettable characters like

Black Adder, Mr Bean,

Johnny English, Zazu from Lion King,

Inspector Raymond C. Fowler,

and a host of delightful clergy characters in several movies,

turns 53 today!!!

I wonder if former elementary schoolmate

Tony Blair

will be calling

Rowan Sebastian Atkinson

to wish him a Happy Birthday??!!??

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

In case he doesn't

we will:

Happy Birthday

Mr Atkinson,

and thanks for all the laughs

you continue to offer!!!

The Little Sister Grows Up ...

Back in October, my blogger-friend Blake over at The Laughing Pastor set the modest goal for himself to "Become the World's Pastor". My first reaction at the time was - "Damned, I wish I would have thought of that ..."

Since then I have been busy completing the Directed Study Programme laid out by the Presbytery where I serve, and I was looking forward to the end of my suspension so I could "get back to work" doing what I have been called to do ... but like Lennon says - "life is what happens when you're busy making other plans".

So as the new year unfolds I find myself in a place where I must as the old saying goes: "pee or get off the pot."

Today three things happened that lead me to a decision ... the first was reading Diane Butler Bass' book "Christianity for the Rest of Us," ... the second was receiving a comment on the blog (see below) that touched my heart, ... and the third was an experience akin to the call that lead me to ordained ministry - this time though it was not a call to something BEYOND ministry, but it was a call to use THIS form of communication as a MINISTRY to those who are out in cyber space looking for something ...

My calling would seem to be to those who are not only on the margins of the traditional church, but who are seekers (as defined by Butler Bass and others) who yearn for something more but haven't got a clue of where to look for it ... So tonight I finally found an answer to my struggle about what to do with the sister BLOG that is now known as "Meditative Moments".

It started as a Blog for the Congregation I formerly served - a means of communicating with the world, particularly following the fire of February 12th 2006 that destroyed not only their building, but so much more ... as my ministry with them was terminating, I didn't want to just hit delete and remove it from cyber-space ... nor could I just ignore it ... over the last couple of months I played around with its format and content, but nothing seemed right to me ... now as it approaches its SECOND birthday, like any great toddler it has finally found its distinctive personality!!!!

Tonight I found what I was looking for ... from here on, Meditative Moments will become a place where I reach out beyond the narrow stifling confines of a particular geographic location. Starting today Meditative Moments will endeavour to be a gathering place for the world ... Like Pastor Blake seeking to be a pastor to the world - I will make a similar commitment - to offer my reflections, learnings, readings and other lessons taught by life to the many seekers out there who want to see the Church transform itself into something NEW ...

So ... like the old Faberge commercial - the one where the model said - "I told two friends, and they told two friends, and they told two friends ... and so on ... and so on ... and so on ..." until the tv screen was FULL of little tiny digital heads touting the benefits of the shampoo ... like that I challenge EACH of you to invite two friends to head over to Meditative Moments and begin a new ministry to the seekers in the world ... and urge them to invite two friends ... and so on and so on and so on ...

The great changes that wash over our world begin because a couple of people begin to do something ... and soon they find out that not only are they NOT alone, but they are part of a reformation ... the reformation is already happening (read Butler Bass) ... I just want to ride the wave rather than be washed away by it ...

Come to Meditative Moments and join me ...

Words worth hearing

Tonight as I was playing around on my OTHER blog (Meditative Moments) and preparing my bold proclamation to begin to offer my ministry and my reflections to the world Beyond Minnedosa, I received the following comment on a previous posting ... As I read the words I smiled and I'll readily admit, a tear formed in my eyes, because after weeks of feeling the acute sting of rejection, - a rejection that has rocked me to the core - and having begun to doubt if what I believe is simply misguided ... the words of NurseMedusa, offered me a much needed, and much more appreciated, pat on the back ...

I don't do what I do for praise and adulation ... but a little appreciation once in awhile is nice ... and today from a stranger half a world away I recieved a beautiful note of encouragement and support for the work I've just committed myself to ...

well done, you are a fantastic person, and a shinging beacon of hope for religion,

i am a part of the gothic subculture, and have been given hastle by religous groups myself (even though i live in england a more tolarent country)

i am very sorry to hear about the burning of your church. i have to say that god hates goths is an ignorant site, i happen to wear all sorts of vibrant coulourse nd listen to dance music, as im a cyber goth.

i would really like to get in touch with u since u seem a fantastic person who is tolarant and respectful to others. i wish to raise some things to your attention. yes a lot of goths are dissatisfied with the church, i hav catholic parents and have moved on from the church simply because i dislike how it limits my thoughts, as a transvestite, a bi-sexual, and a friend of many homosexuals and transgender people, i frankly find catholic teachings non compatible with my life style, but your blog struck a cord in me, it reminds me of my parents, you see beyond the art of the goth image and see the person who is creative, and intelligent, and not a monster.

also one last thing, you may not be aware of, there have been murders of goths in england, and i think you'd agree with me the deaths of these people put this god hats goths sight even more into the innapropriate region in which it dwells.may you have peace and happyness in your life style.

Just because I can ...

Tonight just for fun, I brought out the good china, and set the kitchen table with place mats, wine glasses, the fine tea cups and all the necessities for an elegant dining experience ...

Beetle and Ms. H. settled in for a meal of tortolleni on the fancy plates, washed down with a sparkling cranberry cocktail followed for dessert with English Tea and biscotti ...

The occassion ??

There was none ... just decided to make the meal special because I can ...

A good time was had by all ... now we're settled in the living room, a cd of Coltrane and Monk is playing and the girls are busily playing a computer game ... moments like this can't be bought, they just have to be nurtured ... and enjoyed when they happen.

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree ...

The last few days Ms H has taken up residency in the kitchen as a chef whipping up culinary creations that were in a word: "DELICIOUS !!!"

A lemony cream cheese & whipped cream dip to go with a platter of fresh fruit, and a dilly sour cream veggie dip with a platter of fresh veggies were the initial offerings she placed before us, and now cook books have book marks for future cooking sessions ...

The funny thing for me was watching her and realizing she had picked up a habit of mine ... when I'm in the kitchen puttering around I toss a tea towel over my shoulder so I can wipe my fingers, clean up a mess and generally just have a tea towel at the ready ... I realized that Ms H. NOW does the same thing ... she was puttering around the kitchen with a tea towel over her shoulder ...

Kinda made me proud ... I hope she comes to enjoy the creativity of the culinary arts as much as I do ...

A sweet afternoon, with a sweet girl and a sweet film ...

Today Beetle and I headed to Brandon for a movie and dinner out ... She had decided on The Waterhorse as the movie and Sushi as the meal ... So mid-afternoon we headed off to catch a afternoon matinee and dinner to follow ...


We had a great time ... the time with just the two of us was a gift ... and the movie was wonderful.


I won't say it was a great film. But it was an absolutely sweet film ... there was obviously so much that could have been said and portrayed in the characters and the relationships and the happenings ... but it was nonetheless a delightful mix of fun, fantasy, pathos and story. It is a film well worth watching.


The characters have a depth that grows from the beginning of the film to the end. The unfolding of their stories adds layers to the overall story of a little boy who Crusoe the water horse is absolutely adorable as a baby, and the way he is portrayed is delightful, particularly when he and Angus, the boy who found the egg are getting to know each other.


As the movie ended I couldn't help but wonder how much of the written story was left unsaid in the cinematic version ... it was simply a delightful film that tells us that our world needs a little bit of magic, and that if we keep our hearts and minds open we just may see the mysterious water horse ... afterall, as we're told in the film there is only ever ONE water horse in the world at a time, and that when it grows old it lays an egg that will replace itself ...

Like Angus happening across a mysterious rock on the Scottish shore, perhaps one day another little boy will indeed find a mysterious egg ... and the world will whisper the possibility and potential that knowing magic and mystery still exists around us ...

The way I heard it ...

I was a student at McMaster University and our prof for the Gospel portion of the New Testament course was the brilliant scholar Dr Adele Reinhartz.

One afternoon she told the story of Hillel and the young man who came to him seeking wisdom and counsel ... the story as she told it went something like this:

A young man decided that he needed to learn more about the Torah, so he went to his Rabbi to ask. But the young man was impatient, and didn't want to waste much time on matters like the Torah, so he approached his Rabbi and said - "Sir, I would like you to teach me the whole of the Torah ..."

The Rabbi was pleased at his young charge's question and smiled as he listened.

"But Rabbi," the young man continued, "I would like you to teach me this lesson while I stand here on your door step on one foot."

"What??" shrieked the rabbi with rage, "to learn the Torah take years of study and devotion. I can't possibly teach you the Torah while you stand on my door step on oe foot ... it's impossible ..." With that he slammed the door and left the young man standing on his door step.

The young man then began wandering from town to town in search of an answer to his question ... in time he stood before many of the great and learned Rabbis across the world and each one in turn rejected the young man and his query ... some took their brooms and drove him away, some slammed doors in his face, some grew enraged, and some threw rocks at the young man as they drove him out of their town ... all of them spoke of a life time of devotion and study to begin to understand the Torah, some said that even after a life time of study you can only know a tiny portion of the Torah.

After many months of searching the young man found finally himself in the village of the great Rabbi Hillel. Rabbi Hillel was the last Rabbi left that the young man could ask ... the young man was battered, dirty, and very very tired. Nervously he knocked at the door of the great Rabbi ...

The door opened and Hillel stood before the young man, "Yes?" the old man said.

"Rabbi, I have come seeking your wisdom," said the young man, "they say you are among the wisest Rabbis, and that you will be able to answer my request ..."

The Rabbi nodded and said, "What is your request young man?"

The young man smiled weakly, "Rabbi, I would like you to teach me the whole of the Torah while I stand before you on one foot ..."

The Rabbi's face grew serious. His hand stoked his white beard, then he spoke, "Young man, this thing you ask of me is easy. But before I answer I would like you to make me the promise that when I answer your request you will devote your life to the study of the Torah."

The young man agreed as he lifted one foot and stood on the door step on the other.

"The whole of the Torah is simply this," said the wise Rabbi, "That which is hurtful to another, you do NOT do. Ever. ALL the rest is merely commentary ... NOW go and learn it ..."

This remains one of my favourite stories ... one I've ALWAYS tried to model my life after ...

Fascinating ...

For eleven years I have hung on the wall of my office space (wherever that may be) a poster that reads:

.

We can only see with open eyes.

We can only listen with open ears.

We can only think with open minds.

.

Anyone who stepped into my office passed that poster ... Yesterday it was one of the final thinks that I carried out to the van as I finished packing up my books, files, furniture and detritus from the last15 years of ministry ... As I've packed away box after box and confronted a bleak and uncertain future that would seem to no longer include active pulpit and parish ministry I couldn't help but think - "what a freakin' waste!!"

.

A waste of talent.

A waste of money.

A waste of resources.

A waste of time.

.

I've given my heart and soul to not only the ministry here in Minnedosa, but to the ministry of the United Church of Canada as an agent of faithful service, only to be cast out for misdeeds that truly pale in comparison to the vicious and manipulative actions of others ... my goal, even in my most misguided of moments has always been to help others ... usually at great cost to myself.

.

It is unfortunate that three years ago I foolishly tried to help a group of people who deserved only a listening ear rather than an impetutous champion who so readily ran off tilting at windmills and waging a battle for losers who were undeserving. But one can not change the past, and one can only bear the responsibility and consequences of one's own actions ... and that I do.

.

Today though as I survey that mass of material that has crowded our house, material I moved in February of 2006 with the sincere hope (and belief) that the next time I moved any of it would be to place it in a newly built structure, I couldn't help but weep at the tragedy that has unfolded in Minnedosa over the last few months ... This sense of sadness was deepened as I considered the "why?" of this ...

.

I've been accused of many things including:

Failing to maintain the peace of the Pastoral Charge ...

engaging in a ministry that took a "my way or the highway" stance ...

.

Looking back, I would dare to say there never was peace in this pastoral charge ... intead an uneasy truce existed from time to time between the old guard and those wanting more ... periodically it boiled over, but it was usually held in check by the paid accountable ministry heeding the Old Guard and not rocking the boat ... I guess as one who tends to rock the boat, push the envelope and openly try to welcome in the marginalized, I should have seen this coming ... mea culpa!!

.

It's funny though, ... lately in town I've watched as kudos were rightly bestowed on people who have independently taken the initiative to undertake a project, or to spearhead something on their own ... as words of praise were heaped upon those folks I couldn't help but feel a twinge of bitterness that the same community that would so savagely reject me for the self-same behaviour will tout others ... the irony was and remains sharp ...

.

But then as I glanced at the poster I realized that my failings were merely compounded by the inability of the leadership I was ministering among to open not only thier eyes, ears and minds, but also thier hearts ... There was and there is no openness at work here ... and as a result not only my ministry here ends with a broken heart, but the commitment of many others in Minnedosa ends with a similar broken heart ... two years after the fire many remain sitting amid the ashes weeping bitterly at the ever growing list of losses ...

.

Today the supposedly inclusive, warm, friendly and welcoming Church has become like the majestic emperor parading in front of the crowd with his extravagent new clothes ... too bad no one wants to listen to the voice that has been crying out: "He's naked !!"

..

All of it is, as Mr Spock would say - "Fascinating ..." too bad there isn't a desire to do anything about it ...

.

Maybe one day a new Church Structure will finally rise on Main St in Minnedosa, (I doubt it NOW - but that's another story) unfortunately recent events have shown that if it does, it will be similar to the whitewashed tombs Jesus once pointed to outside of Jerusalem ... beautiful and clean outside, but filled with rotting flesh and dried up old bones inside ...

.

The only hope now is for the Spirit to come and once again enflame Her people and bring a transformative resurrection into being ...

.

I for one pray constantly through the bitter tears that it will happen and that it will happen soon ...

Called to More than a comfortable pew:

This past week I read the posting and the subsequent comment over at the Blog "The Laughing Pastor" and found myself not only agreeing with Blake's reflections on the state of the modern church, but offering an enthusiastic "AMEN!!" to what he wrote ...

In musing about the role of the Church in modernity, he raises some important issues about the complacency and tepid nature of the modern Church. We are no longer a place that engages actively, or at all, in any form of struggle. Instead we've become a place where passion and enthusiasm is acceptable only if the rocking of the boat doesn't get any of us wet.

As I reflected on Blake's words and my own experiences of the last couple of years I had the painful realization that the Church too often takes the path of least resistence when a call to action would be more appropriate ... the status quo must be maintained even when the status quo is toxic and out of touch with the reality in which we live.

Too often we've created a church that tries to maintain a Mayberry like existence in a SOuth Park world ... the Church and its leadership needs to open their eyes, pull their heads out of the sand and have the courage to follow the call of the Spirit ...

This past week, in reading for my Thesis I found a quotation by Nelson Mandela reflecting back on his long arduous journey to freedom for himself and his people that resonated with me. Mandela writes:

The Freedom Struggle is not merely a question of making speeches, holding meetings, passing resolutions, and sending deputations, but of meticulous organization, militant mass action,

and above all the willingness to suffer and sacrifice.
- Nelson Mandela, “Long Walk to Freedom” as quoted in
Doing Justice: Congregations and Community Organizing by Dennis Jacobsen

As I read those words I couldn't help but see a parallel in the modern church. Rather than being engaged in a freedom struggle, in the modern church we've come to believe the we ARE actively engaging a freedom struggle while nothing is really happening. We've come to embody a risk-free life style of faith ... we make our speeches (sermons), we hold our meetings (worship services), we pass resolutions and sign petitions, and we send our letters of protest ... but we do very little that really engages any more than the surface level of an issue.

In the case of the United Church of Canada we will say openly and proudly "We welcome Gays and Lesbians," but when voices are raised questioning IF we are truly living that welcome, or sharing the tumultuous journey gay and lesbian ministry personnel may be having, we stop our ears, cover our eyes and say NOTHING ... In the modern Church complacity, niceties and expedience have come to rule the roost. We tolerate no prophetic challenges to the status quo, and even the institution that has been so active in their social justice commitments choses to side with the "majority" rather than listen to the many voices who have begun fleeing the cowardice that Congregations so eloquently display ...

One could call this exodus "rats from a sinking ship", but I have come to realize the rats are staying onboard the listing vessel, and the healthy folks are shaking their heads, thowing up thier hands and simply (and sadly) walking away. Those who want the church to be more than an over glorified social club where like minded people come together like a contented satiated Little Jack Horner patting himself on the back with the words "oh what a good boy am I", are LEAVING en mass.

The emerging spirit generation that the United Church and others are working diligently at attracting back are NOT INTERESTED in a rebranding of the same tired nonsense that drove them away in the first place. They want to see the Church ACTUALLY live its faith instead of wearing it like some gawdy bobble that is hauled out every week and displayed when it is convenient and expedient. The Church is NOT, nor has it ever been simply a social club - we have Rotary, Lions, Kinsmen, The Elks, and countless other groups that fill that gap. The CHURCH is and remains the BODY of CHRIST present in the world as a testament to the power of God's love as expressed, displayed and embodied in the resurrection.

The Church is about freeing (LIBERATING) ALL of God's people, not just the chose few.

The Church is about afflicting the comfortable and asking each other (and ourselves) CAN I be doing more to live my faith?

The Church is about comforting the afflicted and taking the quaint stories like the Good Samaritan and LIVING out the lessons of life, faith and LOVE that those words offer.

The Church is about taking risks and chances and living the values that we so easily sing about it ... we need to take the lessons we find opening scriptures and apply them to our lives ... it is more than the question - "what would Jesus do?" but that question is a great place to start ...

The church is about living our faith boldly and courageously while we hold ourselves and our neighbours up to standard that is based on the eternal and universal lesson: "do unto others as you would have them do unto you ..."

Like the story of Hillel challenges us - "that which is hurtful to another, you do NOT do - EVER!" we take a proactive stance wherein we live lives that render NO HARM to another ... in short - we live the values of our faith, not just for an hour a day, but EVERY MOMENT of every day ...

It's THAT damned simple .... we need to look in a mirror and ask ourselves if what we've just said, or done is something that is reflective of our faith and something that brings absolutely NO HARM to another person ... and if we find our actions lacking we have a responsibility to make amends ...

The scary thing is that for many people of faith that moment finds them in a place where they are lacking and their conscience condemns them accordingly ... the lesson of Grace though tells us that ALL are lacking and fall short ... and God's grace and forgiveness is extended accordingly.

In the modern social club church that has developed over the last 40 or so years, things like sacrifice, risk, grace and forgiveness are seldom spoken of unless the direction is personal and selfish.

We will speak openly and freely of forgiveness providing WE are are the recipients ...

we will speak openly and freely of Grace providing we are the ones experiencing it ...

we will speak openly and freely about the necessity of risk providing its not OUR personal risk ...

and we will speak openly and freely about sacrifice so long as it doesn't mean WE have to give anything meaningful up ...

The Church is NOT simply the social club we've become ... we're called to much more and it MUST begin with people of faith taking stands and saying - "enough is enough ..."

Who is with us ???

One of MY ABSOLUTE favourite winter songs:

I LOVED this song in the old Rankin and Bass tv special A Year without a Santa Claus ... the one night a couple of years ago I was sitting watching tv late at night when a band called Big Bad Voodoo Daddy appeared on Jay Leno ... Now to put it in context, I can count on fingers of ONE hand the number of times I've ACTUALLY watched even a portion of Leno's late show, and still have enough fingers left over to offer a few rude gestures ... SO, for whatever reason I cruised by Leno's The Tonight Show just as the boys in Big Bad Voodoo Daddy were getting ready to perform ...

They performed the number posted below ... and my admiration of them began ... I adore their Christmas Album featuring the cover of the Snow Miser - Heat Miser song ... and their rocky jazz big band sound is a favourite when we're driving in the van.

So, for your winter listening pleasure the incomprehable Big BAd Voodoo Daddy:

Welcoming a Wintery New Years (part 2)

Welcoming in a Wintery New Years...

Welcoming in the New Year ...

Welcome to a photo-diary for the waning of 2007, and the advent of 2008 ...

2007 ended with a gathering of friends:



A profusion of food was provided, including a platter of freshly baked challah bread and cheesy biscuits prepared by MOI!!:

New Year's Day began quietly with Ms H and Beetle staying for a sleep over ... the felines had the right idea to start the day:

Later in the afternoon Beetle became a lumber jack/carpenter as she began a craft project ... rumour is that she wants to build a tiny log cabin from sticks and twigs scavenged from the yard :

Then New Years Day ended much as it had begun ... quietly, with Sir Diesel continuing his winter nap ... day 12 and counting:

So ... from our sleepy house to yours: HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!!