One of those BLESSED moments ...

My "Poverty and Justice Bible" (CEV edition) contains the following verse:

"The Spirit of the Lord God has taken hold of me !
The Lord God has chosen and sent me to tell the oppressed the good news,
to heal the broken hearted, and to announce freedom for prisoners and captives."
(Isaiah 61:1)

Tonight Tim Huff, a Youth For Christ worker based in Toronto, came and spoke at the Brandon Youth For Christ Gala. Tim authored a book entitled Bent Hope, that I have reflected on previously. (My Prairie Preacher entry from September of this year is here) (My Sermon from August of this year reflecting on his book is here)

Tim's message was simple, yet deeply profound.

He pointed out that there is a difference between being homeless and being houseless ... our house is the physical structure in which we live ... our home is the place where we are warm, loved, cared for, safe ... he spoke and noted that many people who are today houseless were truly HOME-less for a long time before they left the house ...

My mind couldn't help but wander to the stories that fill the news here in Manitoba about 5 yr old Phoenix Sinclair who was abused, neglected, beaten and murdered by her mother and step-father ... there was NO HOME for that little girl, even though she resided in a house ... her's is the extreme of the kinds of stories that lie as background in the lives of those we encounter on the streets of cities across this continent ... and tonight Tim Huff came to remind and challenge us about what we "know" about homelessness ...

He held up the work of Brandon's Youth For Christ and its breadth of programmes as a living example of faithful people taking the call of Isaiah seriously to bind up, or heal the broken hearted ...

Tim then went on to reflect on his journey and some of the moments in time where he stood in ministry, seeking to bind up the broken hearted ... his stories challenged all of us in the room to remember that there is a story behind the individual we may meet on the street. He didn't say it, but my heart whispered the old blessing - "may you see the face of Christ in everyone you meet, and may they see the face of Christ in you ..."

But the powerful exclamation point that Tim put on his conversation tonight was when he cited the place that Isaiah 43:18 & 19 played in his journey following a time of profound spiritual struggle and self-doubt.

The words of the prophet:

"The Lord said: 'Forget what happened long ago! Don't think about the past. I am creating something new. There it is !! Do you see it? I have put roads in the desert, streams in thirsty lands ...'"

Forget the past, urged Tim. "This is the hard stuff" he said - it's the point where we have to let go and let God take over - we have to be willing to be open to letting something new begin to happen in our midst ... we let go of the past, and look forward by celebrating the small victories. We mark the moments that shine with Grace ... as he spoke I looked back on the last 18 years of my life ... a journey in my life that saw me kneel in a stifling hot auditorium in Windsor Ontario and rise an ordained Minister in the Church ... a journey that has had more than its fair share of ups and downs ... a journey that has lead me out of a pulpit, but into the world ...

On Friday I went looking for the house-less individuals in Brandon to find out if they have shelter from the cold ... I found some of them ... as they are - on the street ... we talked ... the night before I had a one on one conversation with the Minister of Finance for the Province of Brandon and urged him to come to Brandon and see for himself the crises we are experiencing ... I gave him up-to-date statistics on how bad the housing crisis we're experiencing is, and how acute the needs are ... I couldn't help but wonder - IS THIS MINISTRY ??

Tonight, as I listened to Tim and reflected on his words, I had the realization that I am engaged in a ministry that is more rewarding, fulfilling and MORE meaningful than ANYTHING I have ever experienced within the bureaucratic nightmare that is Denominational Church ... my departure from the pulpit was NOT by my choice ... it was foisted upon me by small souled people who fail to see the fear they live within, and who hide behind "the way things are" trying in vain to maintain a status quo that is dying ... finding the shelter-less individuals and learning their names and their stories IS MINISTRY ... urging the Finance Minister of the Province to remember the people who are NOT at the meeting because they are too busy trying to survive IS MINISTRY ... and sitting with community, church and political leaders to share the information that is "out there" about poverty, homelessness, and food security, as they seek to shape a response IS MINISTRY !!!!

We live in a world that is changing very rapidly, and too many corners of the world and especially THE CHURCH are unwilling to face much less accept the change around them ... Tonight, the evening Gala began with a look back at the world 50 years ago when Youth For Christ came to Brandon, and contrasted that with the world today ... the opening words were - "Fifty years ago communities segregated black and white pupils in schools" ... "Today, the United States elected it's first Black President ..." and from there CHANGE was embraced rather than rejected. The Church as we know it WILL die if it doesn't embrace Change by opening its doors, its heart, and its pocket book to the WAY THINGS COULD AND SHOULD BE, rather than clinging desperately to the way things USED to be ...

Tonight I came away with the realization that I am called, anointed AND ORDAINED to ministry - I AM A REVEREND, and I am proud of that calling - that ROLE, and NOTHING that a human constructed organization that calls itself a Church can do will deny, nor remove that calling from me.

I AM A MINISTER.

I am CALLED to be in MINISTRY.

My ministry today is far greater than a truly small congregation that wants things to remain nice, and doesn't want its minister to rock the boat.

My ministry is in the community, among the leaders and the shelter-less, seeking to bind up the broken-hearted wherever they may be found ...

Tonight I am very mindful that when Jesus stood up in his home congregation and read from the scroll of Isaiah and shared the very words Tim cited tonight -

"The Spirit of the Lord God has taken control of me!
The Lord has chosen and sent me to tell the oppressed the good news,
to heal the broken hearted,
and to announce freedom for prisoners and captives."

When Jesus shared those words the response of HIS community of faith, was to drag him to the nearest cliff and try to fling him over ...

I have been chosen and sent by God to be in MINISTRY ... it shouldn't surprise me that voices of criticism would harshly call me down ... it shouldn't shock me that people would gossip and lie about me and tear my reputation asunder ... it should be expected that the Church - the human institution AND ALL OF THOSE who have a vested interest in maintaining the legalism, the dogma, and the status quo would harshly and loudly reject me for simply doing what God has called and ordained me to be ...

Tonight for the first time in a very long time, I feel blessed to be in ministry, and I know that my ministry is no longer about being in a particular denomination ... my ministry is about being true to the GOOD NEWS.

And all of this came because I was privileged to hear Tim Huff share a simple message about living our faith and actively healing the broken hearted ...

Thanks Tim !!!
I'm glad you stopped by, and I'm very glad you got a better reception sharing the words of Isaiah then Jesus did back in the day ...

Keep the faith brother, I'll do MY best to keep mine !!!

Radical Compassion ...

Author, evangelist, social worker and gentleman, Tim Huff spoke tonight about RADICAL COMPASSION ... he said if you go to your closet and pull out a coat that is in good shape, but that you haven't worn in a while and donate it to a clothing drive or a charity helping the homeless you have enacted compassion and caring ...

BUT, he said if you take your favourite coat and hand it to someone who has no coat and needs one THAT is RADICAL COMPASSION ...

As his words rolled over the hall and I watched the reactions of the people around me I noted that some nodded in agreement, some looked stony faced and others smiled uncomfortably ... as Tim challenged people to consider what radical compassion would look like everyone had a different reaction ... to me his words made sense ... compassion - radical compassion, is about LIVING our faith, and our faith is bound by some narrow dogmatic understanding of the Divine - faith is what lies in our heart and what motivates us ... Handing over your coat to someone who has none just makes sense to me ... and I realized it makes sense to the people who I have as friends ... and it makes sense to the people who resonate with my message and my ministry ... the others - those who can not nor will not understand radical compassion will respond to messages like Tim's (and mine) with anger ... with rejection ...and with stony silence that says - "that guy is crazy."

I'm glad I'm surrounded by the friends I have, and I'm very appreciative that I have had the privilege to work with people who hear messages like Tim's and react with one simple word - AMEN !!!

As I left the hall tonight, I thought of a story that Katie posted over at "at the half note" a year ago that shows that radical compassion is NOT limited only to those who sit in Church, but THANKFULLY is found among those who live with a sense of Holiness, whether they realize it or not ... (to read Katie's story click here)

A "Musical" interlude featuring a Flute Solo ...

The night she arrived in our lives ...


Just too adorable for her own good ...

Sleepy dog. Been playing too much??

In her favourite vantage point - watching and waiting:

Enjoying her favourite past time - SLEEPING.

Discovering a "new" food ... CHIPS !!! (but only in small quantities!!??)

These are a few of my favourite things ... ALL of them chewing toys !!

All but the first Photo are from Ms. H.

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Sometimes Truth TRULY is stranger than fiction ...

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"Wymer! This is for your benefit. Would you kindly wake up? I've no intention of going through this all again."
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I found a story on CBC.ca this morning that brought to mine the above quotation from the movie - "Monty Python's Meaning of Life." ... if you are familiar with the movie and click through and read the story you hopefully will understand why I thought of this quote ...
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I have to admit, the headline caught my attention and I had a passing thought about whether Brother Blake (aka The Laughing Pastor) was slipping off the deepend on us:
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Call to Action: Dallas pastor issuing 7 day sex challenge to congregants (cbc.ca)
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Faces of Hate ...

This morning on Facebook I noticed one of my friends had joined a group entitled "Gay women get battered at children's school."

Being a news junkie, I was surprised NOT to have encountered a story like this online yet, so I clicked and read ... what I read horrified me, so I googled for more information ... I found the following article sourced from The Toronto Star:

It was a sunny afternoon, school was out and children were gathering in the playground.
Jane Currie and her partner, Anji Dimitriou, both small, soft-spoken women, were waiting with other parents at Gordon B. Attersley public school in Oshawa, when, fists flying, a man attacked them, his blows as harmful as his words.

"Which one of you two 'men' spoke to my kid? F------ dyke. Lesbians," he said, spitting in Dimitriou's face. As she wiped her face, eyes closed, he punched her on the cheek and wound up again, slamming her backward into her truck. As Currie ran toward him, she remembers him shouting, "F------ dyke bitches," and punched her on the cheekbone so hard the skin burst apart, blood splattering.

What Currie remembers most, from the afternoon of Nov. 3, is the stillness of the schoolchildren, and the sound of her six-year-old son screaming. "It was a face of complete and utter horror," Currie said in an interview yesterday. "His mouth was wide open, and he just stood there, screaming."

I found additional links, and after some searching into the regional sites of the Mainstream media pages of CTV and CBC, found it there as well. It all served to broadened the story and add to the disgusting details ...

In my not so humble opinion, the man's actions are quite simply a hate crime, and should be prosecuted accordingly ...

To read more on this click the following links:

The Toronto Star Article

Xtra.ca Article

newsdurhamregion.com article

ctv Toronto's site's article

cbc Toronto's site's article

As a parting thought, I quote Ms Currie who said eloquently: “You try and explain that to your kids,” Indeed ... how do you explain to children why their motherS were beaten for simply being who they are ??

A Blast from the past ...

The problem with using sarcasm in a humorous way, or at least trying to be humorous with sarcasm, is that when people take it personally, they tend to retaliate and attack the one offering the sarcastic observation, even if the comment is 100% accurate.

Recently I quipped that anonymous posters here would benefit by re-reading, or perhaps reading for the first time the Gospel material on Jesus found in the Bible. I drew my observation from 18 years of work in the United Church, and countless studies that tell us that MOST people are Biblically Illiterate, and even regular Church attendees seldom, if ever read the Bible beyond what small doses they are fed in Worship.

I couched my comments with a sarcastic comment about the Bible being the big black leather bound book that is seldom or never read ... it clearly touched a nerve with some, and the response has been interesting. While I apologize for the format of the comment, I will not apologize for the implication that many are Biblically Illiterate.

I find it funny though, that over 25 years ago Amy Grant, offered the song "Fat Boy" that dripped with the same kind of sarcasm as I offered ... and I doubt many attacked her for her cutting and astute observation of what can happen when Faith is less than a lived and dynamic experience ... The words of her song follow ... but just before the written version there is a video version of the song for you to enjoy ... I can't help but think that one of the problems be-devilling the Church today, be it left or right in its orientation, is the proliferation of "Fat Babies" ... give a listen, and let me know what you think ... (remember - thinking and an open mind are good !!)



I know a man
Maybe you know him, too
You never can tell
He might even be you
He knelt at the altar
And that was the end
He's saved and that's all
That matters to him
His spiritual tummy
It can't take too much
One day a week
He gets his spiritual lunch
On Sunday he puts on
His spiritual best
And gives his language
A spiritual rest

[Chorus:]
(He's just a fat)
He's just a fat little baby

He wants his bottle
And he don't mean maybe
He's sampled solid food
Once or twice
But he says doctrine
Leaves him cold as ice

He's been baptized, sanctified
Redeemed by the blood
But his daily devotions
Are stuck in the mud
He knows the books of the Bible
And John 3:16
He's got the biggest King James
You've ever seen

I've always wondered
If he'll grow up someday
He's momma's boy
And he likes it that way
If you happen to see him
Tell him I said
He'll never grow
If he never gets fed

[Chorus]

REMEMBER: It's ALL about feeding our heart, our mind and our soul ...

Words on a page ...

On the wall in a quiet hallway in the Officers' Mess at CFB Shilo, hangs a simple wooden frame holding one of the most iconic pieces of poetry ever written by a Canadian ...

The words are familiar, their message timeless ...


In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
— Lt.-Col. John McCrae

Today we pause, or we should pause to REMEMBER ... places with strange names where Canadian boys who fell in battle lie in the cold ground ... if we don't remember - who will??

Today, I will remember ...

Today, at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month as we mark the 90th Anniversary of the Armistice that saw the Guns of August fall silent after four long years of muddy, bloody, horrid battlefield engagements that left hundreds of thousands dead and tens of thousands forever changed ... I will remember ...

My Grandfather who spent six years serving in the Royal Canadian Navy aboard tiny corvettes playing the vast icy grey waters of the North Atlantic ... tales that once left me giggling with delight now leave me wondrously bewildered as I consider what it was that he did, and realize that his maritime adventures were not mere tales from a story book, but were return visits to a time and place where death lurked beneath the waves ...

Poet and Solider Frank who served on the battle fields of Europe only to return home and find the spirit of war that had settled in on the domestic front to be repugnant and offensive. Turning his aggravation and revulsion into poetry that recalled the horrors, condemned the stupidity and yearned for peace he whispered an urgent message to a human family who wasn't able to listen ...

Vimy Ridge veteran Herb who entered my life at 105 as a friend who seemed 50 years younger and more interested in politics and current events than people EIGHT decades younger than himself ... with a tiny yellowed piece of paper signed by the King of England thanking him for his service at a place called Vimy, he told me HIS story and shared with me the horror of a battled field that stands a mythic place where Canada became a nation thanks to young men like Herb who stood, fought and died in the mud ... "It was more horrible than anyone could imagine ..." was how he would end each retelling ...

Landing Craft Pilot Frank, who quietly told me the story of having watched "too many good men die before my eyes ..." while we sat in the lobby of our apartment building. I was an idealistic student, and he a quiet retired gentleman who said the words - "thank you" when he saw the poppy on my coat collar.

"Thank me?" I asked, "did you serve?"

He nodded.

"Then I should thank YOU," I said, offering my hand, "and I REALLY MEAN IT."

In the coming days as Remembrance Day drew near he told me his story in bits and pieces, a story he admitted he had told NO ONE since returning home ... he has trained and served as a Landing Craft Pilot and navigated the lumbering green-grey vessel through the surf to beaches with names like Juno, Sicily, and Dieppe ... names etched in my memory as a student of history familiar with the times and places that Canadian Soldier served with valour.

But it was his story of Dieppe that is forever etched in my mind ... "I brought in a vessel with 52 men on board and I watched as 51 of them died ... only one (his thumb pointed to his chest) came home from that landing ... the rest fell as they stepped off the ship ..." His voice fell to a whisper, "even my co-pilot died, I didn't know it until I turned to him and screamed, "let's get out of here," and found him slumped over the controls with half his head blown away ..." He then told me of pulling up along side the support vessel in the Channel off Dieppe and being pushed back into the pilots' seat while a boat hook pulled his co-pilot's lifeless body out of the bridge, a bucket of water was tossed in to wash away the gore, and 50 MORE soldiers clamoured into the landing craft for their futile trip to the beach ... "most of them died too ..." he observed as he fell silent ...

Today I will observe the minute of silence and remember ...

I will remember those men and women I have met along the way who told me their story ... and I WILL REMEMBER those like the soldiers on Dieppe who fell in far away places far from home ... alone ...

They fell as heroes, and I WILL REMEMBER THEM !!


urgent matters of life and death

Portage and Main 50 Below ...

Randy Bachman, Neil Young and Margo Timmins from the Cowboy Junkies ... can you really go wrong ???

Jump For Joy ...

Today has been a fabulous day ... it was rushed but wonderful ... then I came home and found the following comment on one my postings:

"We need more churches like that, and more preachers like YOU."

How can you NOT feel good finding a comment that ends with that kind of sentiment ...??!!

Then I turned to my friend Blake's Blog and was delighted to find a posting wherein he mused on a communion and what was written on it ... The words 'This guy welcomes sinners and eats with them" seems about right to me ...

Check out the full posting by clicking here.

AND, check out the comments (both postive AND negative) that have been left on my blog posting from the other day by clicking here.

What would YOU do ???

So, the discussion around here between myself and some anonymous posters raises an interesting question for me ...

Laughing Pastor noted in a posting yesterday that some rather repulsive responses to Obama's election have arise - (click here to read his posting).

Given the tone of anonymous postings here lately, it would seem that the acceptable response to these occurances should be a shake of the head and nothing more.

I won't apologize for saying that such a response is complete BULLSHIT. Yet, often that response is the EXPECTED response of paid accountable clergy - "don't rock the boat" - "maintain the peace and calm" and so on ...

I've never accepted such a view, and I'm not about to now ... leadership, particularly in the Church demands a faith FILLED response, and that response calls us to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable.

The ONLY response of the Church to the incidents that Blake has noted is OUTRAGE, REJECTION and a passionate effort to create the INCLUSIVE, WELCOMING, OPEN MINDED and faithful community that IS the Kingdom of God in our midst ... and it begins by daring to speak the truth in the face of complacency, unfaithfulness and cowardice.

Anything else is UNFAITHFUL and unacceptable. But even in saying this, I know I am merely opening myself up to criticism from those who can not and will not open themselves up to this understandings ...

The world is changing ... we can stand in a place of fear, or we can, like I've noted previously here - lean into our fears and take the great leap of faith into the unknown ...
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Grandpa's reminder ...

Grandpa always warned us - "don't point a finger of judgement at another, lest the three fingers pointing back at you judge you ACCORDINGLY!!"

He was right ... the good Presbyterian he was knew well the warning from Jesus about focusing on the speck in our brother's eye, while we struggle with the log in our own ...

I never utter anything without reflecting on, and considering that possibility ...

What would Jesus Do ... you might be surprised ...

Yesterday, yet another anonymous reader left the following comment on one of my postings:

"It makes sense to me that people comment anonymously to your blog because you get so angry and nasty about most comments that raise any question about your vision of the world."

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As I read these words I thought about a couple of things. The first is that frequently, what I have said is regarded by others as angry, and as the writer has said - "nasty" because their point of view and mine are different. I grew up in a world milieu where critical thinking was not only accepted it was encouraged. From my home, to my home congregation, through all levels of schooling I was surrounded by people who were not only willing to offer critical reflection on events and happenings around them, they actively engaged in the process.

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So, yes dear reader, my words may be regarded by the insensitive and the thin-skinned as angry and nasty when they raise questions about my "vision of the world" particularly when they are questions based on what could be easily dismissed as ignorance.

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Having said that though, I think the anonymous commenter, and many who regard my reflections and musings as "angry and nasty" are missing a wide swath of Church tradition that is largely overlooked in the modern era.

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I would invite the anonymous posters (ALL OF THEM), and any one else to spend some time today with the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. They are, just to be clear - the first FOUR books of the New Testament. That's the piece at the BACK of the Bible ... You know, that's the big black leather bound book on the shelf that YOU likely NEVER READ!!

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Open the Bible today and READ - really read - the Gospel accounts of Jesus life and take note of HOW he deals with those who do not share, or who actively work against, or who our right OPPOSE his vision of the world ...

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There is NO "gentle Jesus meek and mild" in the Gospels.

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The Jesus you find there curses a fig tree for not having fruit - the fact it was the WRONG season is somewhat overlooked ...

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The Jesus of the Gospels calls those who oppose him a nest of vipers ...

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The Jesus of the Gospels calls down one of his closest friends, calling him "h'satan" for failing to grasp the message he is offering ...

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The Jesus of the Gospels calls the religious authorities of his day "white washed tombs that look clean on the outside but are filled with rotting stinking flesh ..."

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The Jesus of the Gospels rebuffs those who will not engage in active self-sacrifice to follow him ...

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The Jesus of the Gospel welcomes the children, placing them on his knees while offering a resounding verbal back hander to those who would question him ...

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The Jesus of the Gospels is the guy who was almost thrown over the cliff in his HOMETOWN for offering a sharp tongued commentary on the text of Isaiah one sabbath morning in temple ...

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The Jesus of the Gospels is the one who kicked over the tables in the Temple and proclaimed that the TEMPLE was not to be a market place filled with deception and deceit ...

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The Jesus of the Gospels is the guy who was anything BUT meek and mild ...

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Yet for some inexplicable reason, the radical transformative movement that he founded with a cluster of a dozen of so men and women who stood firmly on the out side margins of society has been transmuted into an flaccid, insipid social club that is more concerned with niceties and comfort than it is with dealing with the very concepts Jesus spoke about AND DIED FOR!!

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Let's NEVER lose sight of why Jesus died.

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He was a rabble rouser and a rebel.

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He was not killed because it was simply the "will of God that he died for our sins." He was KILLED by one of the most horrid means imaginable BECAUSE he pissed off the authorities of his day and the ONLY way they could deal with him was by beating him, mocking him, then hanging him on the cross as a warning to anyone else who might try to emulate him.

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He died a criminal - and his crime was insubordination against the RELIGIOUS AUTHORITIES of his day.

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The greatest sin of the modern Church is to have BECOME the very religious authorities that our founder once railed against !!!

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So, my dear reader, if my words are regarded as angry and nasty - GOOD !!!!

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Ask yourself - WHY ??? Why do these words strike you as angry and nasty??

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Ask yourself if you were in ancient Jerusalem when this wandering ascetic rabbi named Yeshua and his followers from Galilee were about - where would you stand???

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Would you stand with the outspoken, caustic Jesus? Or would you cast you lot in with the safety of the Sadducees, Pharisees and the others who were trying to maintain the status quo ???

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Let's be realistic ... no where in the Gospel material do you find Jesus responding to his opponents - those who do not share his "vision of the world" in a soft way that offers a warm pink fuzzy hug and a gentle - "there, there" pat on the head ... His words were sharp and harsh and the comfortable people of his day used anonymity to destroy him.

Seeing a parallel here???
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I'm not comparing myself to Jesus. I have no visions of grandeur that I am a modern Jesus. But I do see my ministry firmly in the tradition of the prophets who dared to share the Kingdom of God despite the opposition of the powers that be ... it's a LONG and honourable tradition ... one I'm proud to be CALLED by God to share in ...

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Remember that the final condemnation of Jesus did NOT come from his opponents standing in the full glare of scrutiny, but rather it was the MOB - the collective anonymity of a large group manipulated by a few key individuals - who chanted - "CRUCIFY HIM!! CRUCIFY HIM!!"

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Just because the MAJORITY said - "CRUCIFY HIM!!!" with passion, doesn't make the outcome justice nor right ... Mob rules leads only to anarchy and chaos ...

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Over the last three years the supposed "majority" within the United Church have had their opportunity to chant their cry "CRUCIFY HIM!! CRUCIFY HIM!!" ... and it doesn't make THEM right.

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The time for the Church to operate with warm pink fuzzy hugs has passed ... the people I talk to day in and day out are tired of empty hallow platitudes that are meaningless ... they are tired of Church leadership who are pale reflections of REAL people ... they are tired of the Institution of the Church ... They want something MORE ... They want TRUTH ... they want consistency between the words proclaimed from the pulpit and the actions engaged not only on the Street, but behind closed doors ...

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To be blunt and harsh - over and over, I have heard people not only in Minnedosa, but across Western Manitoba and indeed across the world saying clearly - "we want something MORE than the modern Church is offering ..." and regrettably, NO ONE in the Modern Church cares enough to listen ... instead we keep shuffling the deck chairs and kicking the ice aside while we watch the beautiful iceberg recede into the distance and think about what it will be like when the Titanic we're sitting on makes it to port ...

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We're closing our eyes to REALITY.

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So, yes, dear anonymous reader - MY WORDS can be regarded as angry and nasty when someone doesn't share my vision of the world ... but that interpretation is in the eye of the proverbial beholder ... Jesus and many who have followed in the prophetic tradition were just as "angry and nasty" - reread the writings of Gandhi, King, Mandela, Tutu ... go back and read (REALLY READ) the Old Testament Prophets (is 'fatted cows' a pleasant term to you???) AND THEN ask yourself - WHY ???? WHY are these words harsh to me ???

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The answer will likely surprise you ...

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I'm not saying I'm perfect, or that I'm always right - far from it ... but I am willing to raise the questions no one else dares to ask - and in the Modern Church, the true MAJORITY (those who have abandoned the ship to make it to the Carpathia) want those questions asked and they want the warm pink fuzzy BULLSHIT abandoned ...

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The United Church and it's leadership ignores this reality at its peril ... and the outcome of this ignorance is what is being felt in the pews across Canada today ...

and I for one refuse to tolerate it ...

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We're called to a better way ... and to some who are closed to the transformative vision of this way it is a harsh, angry and nasty place ...

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My latest colummn ...

Click here to find my latest column offering

through the Wheat City Journal, a weekly newspaper in Brandon.

Change we can believe in ...

a guy named Obama once said:

“Throughout my life, I have always looked to Mahatma Gandhi as an inspiration, because he embodies the kind of transformational change that can be made when ordinary people come together to do extraordinary things,”

It's funny, over and over I get stopped by people and told - "I read your blog and I think it's awesome ..." in one case a non-United Church person said - "Keep up the good work, I like what you have to say and I hope you won't let 'them' win ..."

A few weeks ago I had occassion to be in Minnedosa for an extended period of time and over and over and over I was given warm hugs, told how much I was missed and encouraged to "keep fighting" one person said it bluntly - "Don't let those BASTARDS win!!" and he then went on to NAME who the BASTARDS were - his list was a remarkably accurate inventory of those who manipulated the process to remove me from Ministry.

I've long struggled with the negative comments that frequently get left on my blog, and wrestled with whether I should post anonymous comments or not.

I will often post anonymous comments so that I can't be criticized for censoring comments. My one rule of thumb is "no abuse", otherwise I will post even negative comments ... this morning is no exception.

However, what I realized today as I reflected more upon the negative comment posted on today's earlier posting, is that the speaker is writing from FEAR and outright IGNORANCE ... they speak from fear, dubbing criticism of inaction, political machination and outright manipulation as "unkind" and ask - "what set you off?"

Nothing set me off. I have been reflecting on these things for a very long time ... as I've owned my personal responsibility in a toxic situation and been called to account for MY actions, I've watched as others have been set free to continue down the path they have trod for too long - a path that has consumed more than just me.

Criticism has a place.

Harsh and blunt words are needed in the face of injustice.

People like Gandhi, King, Tutu, and countless others INCLUDING Barack Obama have used respectful criticism to name injustice as they find it.

Jim Wallis once said - "hope is believing in spite of the evidence and watching the evidence change," as he spoke of the fight against Apartheid. I wonder if Mandela, Tutu and others who fought against systemic injustice would have achieved the end they did, had they bitten their tongue and NOT spoken unkind words about the injustice that was perpetuated by a system that was simply and utterly SINFUL and MISGUIDED.

Go back anonymous reader and review the words of ANY of the people I've cited this morning - Gandhi, King, Tutu, Mandela, Wallis and even Barack - hear the incredibly sharp criticism they've lobbed at their opponents ... what you dub unkind is simply stating a TRUTH. Minnedosa United Church would be worshipping in a NEW Sanctuary Building Today had they stayed to the Truth rather than wallowing in political machinations, gossip, slander and outright cowardice.

Minnedosa is a community that is deeply grieving, and instead of rendering care the powers that be are simply edifying their positions of prestige and privilege and letting those who are hurting continue to HURT ... I ask ALL of you - IS THAT A FAITHFUL RESPONSE ???

The legacy of the prophetic visionaries is to name injustice and to name injustice is to ruffle feathers of those who are NOT about justice for ALL ... the funny thing is - in Minnedosa the voices that CONTINUE to critique me are those who wouldn't know justice if they tripped over it. AND for that reason alone, I chose to listen to the voices of those who pat me on the back and with tears in their eyes say - "thank you for your words. Keep Blogging. Keep speaking the truth ... DON'T LET THE BASTARDS WIN !!!!"

To my critics - DEAL WITH IT !! You're either with us (the pursuit of justice) or you're against us - it's YOUR CHOICE.

What are we afraid of ???

"Yes we can !"

"Change we can believe in!"

It's a historic time ... one of those moments when we will look back and say - "I remember when ..."

And yet, over and over the whole experience of watching Barack Obama elected president comes down to three main issues ... the first is - "the FIRST African American elected president" ... the second is simple bold faced fear - fear of the unknown - fear of the "socialist" Obama - just simple fear born of ignorance ... and the third is "Obama was simply the best man for the job" with no reference to his ethnicity, skin colour or any other factor other than an intelligent, well spoken candidate ...

Today having listened to, and re-read his election night speech, I fall in the category of seeing Obama not as the "black" candidate, but as the BEST candidate who just happened to be black.

Looking at the polls though, and the break down of who voted what way, I am struck over and over by the simple undeniable fact that the election of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America is a clear signal that our world is changing and the young people are beginning to claim their place in the world. The stats I've read tell us that overwhelmingly the Black vote went to Obama, not that that should surprise us. But also the majority of young voters, that is people under 45, voted for him too.

This sends us one clear message:

The world is changing, and we can not, nor should we try to deny nor ignore that change.

Yet, in our world today too many organizations, agencies and institutions are dedicated not to the dynamism that allows them to ride this tide of change, but rather they are dedicated to the STATUS QUO and preserving the way things are into infinity ...

So terrified of what might be, they chose instead to cling tightly to what is, and in the process become not just out of step with the reality around them, they lose touch with the very world in which they live ...

If you doubt this for even a moment, step over to the Blog "The Laughing Pastor" and read the comments Blake has posted that were uttered in response to Obama's win ... he has chronicled the utterances of well intentioned and no doubt faithful people who have spoken words dripping with hate and ignorance ... words thankfully enlightened and faith-filled leadership like Blake can lovingly rebuff ... but words that betray a deep fear lying in the hearts of people who fill and ever shrinking church population census.

Closer to home in Western Manitoba, I have watched over the last 8 and half years as a wave of fear has washed over the rural United Church congregations and turned them into closed communities that are interested ONLY in surviving as social club cliques that purport to be warm and welcoming places that open their doors to the strangers and the outsiders, when in truth nothing could be further from the truth. They have become small minded institutions teetering on the brink of oblivion, lead by leadership that is terrified of taking a stand lest someone might get offended and leave.

It is easier to maintain the status quo and live wallowing in their fear than it is to courageously and boldly stand up in the midst of change and unfurl our collective sails and let the winds carry us where we might go ...

What is needed is a courageous act of leadership that says firstly - "ENOUGH!!! We will not be lackeys for the status quo. But we will bravely, courageously and boldly embrace the winds of change and discern the call of the Spirit in this time of upheaval and uncertainty." Rather than blithely appeasing the conservative, close minded agenda that wants nothing more than to preserve what has been, the leadership in community and in the Church MUST take a stand for CHANGE.

As a wise man once said - we have nothing to fear but fear its self.

Unfortunately in the Church today, to say nothing of rural communities across this land and this continent - and rural can include large metropolitan centres if the thinking and actions remain stuck in the gumbo mud of the past - in these rural centres the leadership too often remains firmly entrenched with 1950's values in a world that has left that mindset behind decades ago ... Rather than pandering to the fear and apprehension The Church - The United Church - must reclaim its mantle of leadership and stand up for Change.

Mere words are no longer enough. The veneer of inclusivity, liberalism and a warm welcome for all has been worn away in the rural centres of North America, and the shallow, closed and unwelcoming reality of these centres has been revealed. Unfortunately too many of my esteemed colleagues - and I use the term "esteemed" quite facetiously - are MORE concerned about their next pay cheque, their economic security and NOT offending ANYONE, then they are about being faithful.

The analogy of the Titanic comes strongly to mind today ... the band is boldly playing to comfort the passengers, the leadership is calmly wandering amongst us offering quiet meaningless platitudes of comfort and humour, and people are playing with chunks of the very ice berg that rendered a mortal wound in the vessel ... meanwhile below decks the ship is shuddering and sinking, and NO ONE wants to deal with THAT reality.

No one wants to acknowledge the steerage passengers who are perishing by the score ...

No one wants to acknowledge that the ship is in peril ...

No one wants to deal with reality ...

Instead the band plays on and we wrap ourselves in the comfort of the familiar ... the band ... the dining salon ... the opulence ... the comfort of the KNOWN ...

The cold water is washing around our ankles, but we will not acknowledge that the ship we are on is sinking ... so strong and great is our fear ... we will continue to deny the reality of what is around us ... and the most unforgivable thing in ALL of THIS is the simple fact that well intentioned, enlightened and well educated leadership such as the Clergy in the United Church of Canada do absolutely nothing to address that fear, but instead continue to pander to it ...

As a specific example, I will cite the community of Minnedosa as a place enveloped in great fear and a strong denial of reality ... There is a reason that the community is dying and a reason why the congregations that are Minnedosa United Church remains homeless after TWO AND HALF YEARS ... they could have their new building up in six months. Yes I did say congregations in the plural when referring to Minnedosa United Church - there are clearly no less than TWO congregations operating in that community - one that truly is warm and welcoming and inclusive and that embodies ALL of the things that the United Church is supposed to be about, and the other smaller, cluster is about fear, power, politics and prestige. The interest amongst this congregation is NOT welcoming in the stranger and being open to change - their interest in is preserving the status quo and preserving the perverted status and prestige they glean from associating with the social club they seek to be ... The greater church continues to deny the split in Minnedosa, and continues to allow the toxic co-dependency of a small faction of fear-filled individuals operating out of ignorance to dominate and bully the rest of the congregation ...

What is needed is in Minnedosa and in most rural communities today is a leadership with COURAGE, HONESTY, OPENNESS, AND MOST OF ALL, a leadership that has the where-with-all to live in reality and name the fact that fear will NOT prevail. It is not happening - at least not in the small rural towns ... and I weep for that ...

One day not only will the truth prevail ... but so will the values of justice, inclusion and FAITH ... my one prayer is that it happens before it is too late for places like Minnedosa ... there are good people in that town who are being abandoned by the Church they have grown up loving and being involved in, and the Leadership doesn't care ... they are more concerned with appearances, prestige and POWER, then they are FAITH ... and until that changes the Church will not only continue to die ... the communities around it will continue to die too ...

You can blame any number of factors for the downward spiral of rural communities, but at the end of the day the ONLY one to blame is the person who did NOTHING when action was required ... and right now, in the United Church of Canada fear has meant that just about EVERYONE is to blame, because few are willing to take a chance ...

Thank GOD that we NOW have the election of President Barack Obama to show us what CAN and WILL happen when people do something rather than complacently accept the way things are ... like the man said - "YES, we can !!"

Failing to embrace change means only one thing: DEATH ... change is what life is ... and for some reason the United Church of Canada in Western Manitoba, and indeed the very communities it serves have collectively forgotten that simple truth and until it is remembered it is destined to die ... and it promises to be a long and painful journey ...

And at the end of the day, I will NOT bite my tongue and refrain from saying - "I told you so!" I will take no joy in saying it - but IT WILL BE SAID, unless the leadership of Assiniboine Presbytery starts to act with courage and boldness and most of all FAITH ...

What are YOU afraid of ???

A Fortune for the Time ...

Today after lunch I was given a fortune cookie ... the slip of paper inside read simply:

"A bold and dashing adventure is in your future."

On so many levels it is a very apt fortune for TODAY!!!

Great days ...

There are certain days that stand out in my life, some are good, and some are not so good - but all of them are indelibly etched in my heart and mind as momentous moments, among them:

The afternoon of my ordination to a ministry of Word, Sacrament and Pastoral Care ...

The day Nelson Mandela became President of a New South Africa ...

The births of my three children ...

The day the Challenger exploded on take off ...

The day my grandmother died ...

The day the Berlin Wall fell ...

The day the twin towers in New York fell ...

The days I was fired from ministry in the United Church of Canada ...

The day John Lennon died ...

The day I started my current job ...

The day Nelson Mandela stepped out of a jail cell into a long awaited freedom ...

The day M & I married ...

AND now today a new day joins that calendar ... The day Barack Obama was elected President of the United States of America !!!

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The Grand Old Men speak:

In response to Barack Obama's victory, Ted Kennedy said:

"Today, Americans spoke loud and clear and demanded change by electing Barack Obama as our next President. They understood his vision of a fairer and more just America and embraced it. They heard his call for a new generation of Americans to participate in government and were inspired. They believed that change is possible and voted to be part of America’s future."

"Barack Obama is my friend and tonight, I’m very proud to call him my President. I look forward to working with him and Joe Biden on the many challenges facing our country here at home and around the world."

and former Democrat Presidential candidate John Kerry said:

"Tonight we elected a President who has inspired a majority of Americans with his vision and policies, a man who is principally a leader for these times who happens to also be African American; and because of America’s stunning ability to move on and transform, to write a new chapter of our history, Barack Obama will be President during the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights movement and the 150th anniversary of the Civil War."

"Tonight there are tears of joy and disbelief in small rural communities and inner cities, where for too long, some weren’t sure anything was really possible for them."

"Tonight new dreams are born and old truths are affirmed. Tonight we enter a new America, the best America, the America of our highest hopes."

YES!!!!!!

Just after 10 pm Central Time, CNN and other news agencies across the US have declared Obama the next President of the United States of America !!!
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Only one word comes to my lips right now: YES!!!!!!

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45 years ago Martin Luther King shared a dream ... today that dream came a little bit closer to reality !!!

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As King said so eloquently - "let Freedom ring !!!"

Hmmm ... it's a generational thing ...

It's interesting to watch the online coverage of the Obama/McCain election ... while the popular vote is split almost 50/50, the intriguing stat that has so far been over looked by the talking heads and the other commentary is the exit poll information being supplied on cnn.com.

When broken down by age it is almost consistent - the 19 to 44 age groups have voted strongly for Obama, while the older than 65 age group have voted consistently for McCain.

The divide in our southern neighbour is deeper than simply a Democrat-Republican divide ... it is a generational thing. The older generation opt for the known entity of a older white man, while women and the young (under 44) have opted for the chance of change with a young, left (by US standards anyway) leaning Black Senator!!

Change is in the wind ... hopefully the wind will strongly blow for awhile !!!!

Yes WE Can !!!

The polls are closing ...

The talking heads are pontificating ...

The votes are being counted ...

and the waiting begins.

The race for the 44th President of the United States of America

is drawing to a close ...

now we can only wait,

and pray for change.

An adorable picture ...

An adorable kid ... and lovely mother ... a great picture ...

Let's hope the little guy, now grown, is able to claim the title of the first African-American President of the United States of America!!!

In a few short hours the process will begin ... my one hope is that the Republicans don't steal yet another election, but this time the will of the people prevails, and we begin the long, slow and laborious crawl back from the brink the conservatives around the world have pushed us ...

Hopefully tomorrow is the beginning of a bold new era ... one that began four decades ago when a young mom held her beautiful baby boy and they BOTH smiled with unbridled joy !!!

May their smiles be shared by many more this time tomorrow !!!!!

YES!!!! (today's Horoscope)

From today's newspaper:

You're done with jumping through hoops to please the powers that be. No more scrambling or begging either. Everything you need will come to you because you are true to yourself.

And from Facebook's Chinese Horoscope offering:

It's a good day to be thinking about or looking forward to your next vacation, There could be unexpected bargains or opportunities for you to travel as you have been unable to do in the past. You may find yourself taking a short trip to an art gallery or store today.

I kinda like the newspaper horoscope ... after the last couple of years it brings a hearty - "YES!!" to my lips and soul on so many levels !!!!!

Looking back on the day ...

Flute is curled up fast asleep in her kennel ... she came home tonight a very tired little puppy ... Ms H is snuggled in her bad awash in dreams ... and I will shortly claim my bed and join the nocturnal slumber ...

But before I go ... I want to look back on my day and reflect aloud (so too speak) on how wonderful it was ...

The day started lazily with a 7 am wake up ... laundry, coffee, a walk of the dog and a perusal of yesterday's newspaper before waking Ms H up for the day ...

By the time I got to work I had been given home-made birthday cards by both girls, and got a phone message on my cell from another friend who just called to say - "Happy Birthday!"

I arrived in my office to find it filled with 20 black and orange helium balloons, a couple of cards from my co-workers and friends, and a special delivery from a friend that consisted of life savers and a beautifully iced cupcake with a MUMMY FACE of icing on top!!

Costumes and silliness were the rule of the day with visits from other City Hall departments who had joined in the spirit of the day ... then at lunch most of from our office walked over to a local eatery for a wonderful lunch that was capped off with an absolutely amazing cake created by one of my co-workers !!

The rest of the afternoon had a variety of little people trick or treat'ers stopping in the office ... Flute was visiting, so it added to the fun ... my Facebook wall filled with B-day greetings and near the end of the afternoon my cell rang and a cherished friend called to wish me a happy halloween, and "oh now what was that other thing I was supposed to say ..." I could hear the broad and beautiful smile in her voice !!! And a cheerful Birthday greeting was offered too !!

The evening was spent with Noahkila and Beetle ... Ms H was off with her friends ... At M's house we had a dinner of b-b-q'ed hamburgers followed by a round of trick or treating with Beetle and Flute (Flute was adorable in her costume!!), then when Beetle decided she had more than enough candy and Halloween crap, we headed back to M's for cake ... a beautifully decorated Wizard of Oz vista complete with special and unique touches left by Beetle's creativity and care ...

The day ended with a return home with a very very very exhausted puppy, a tired girl and a birthday boy, who has had an absolutely fabulous day !!! It was what I wanted and it was simply beautiful !!

As I hung up the phone from talking with a dear friend, I laughed out loud at the realization of how much my life has changed since last year when I turned 40 ... and how much better it has truly gotten !!!

ALL in all it was an amazing birthday, and a splendid start to my 41st Year.

Thanks to one and all.

This year's decorations ...

We decorated M's yard this year.

Scenes from Today ...

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Noahkila and a less than enthusiastic

costumed FLUTE.

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Noahkila and I with the cake Beetle helped create.

It was my second cake for the day ...

my co-workers shared one with me at a fabulous lunch out

that we took together.

A Close up of the cake:

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Flute looking like she's being eaten by a giant green lizard:

Today's Horoscopes ...

From the Facebook Chinese horoscope:

"You can be a powerful speaker right now, especially when you are pounding the table on political matters, or waxing eloquent about the latest adventures of your favorite movie stars. Try to put some of that energy to use in career-building projects."

From the Facebook Astrology Scorpio Horoscope:

"Your workplace is about to undergo a dramatic series of changes, likely due to some investment in communications or networking devices. If you work at home, you could be buying a new computer or signing up for a new Internet account. Regardless, you'll have much better connections when the day is done."

From today's newspaper horoscope:

"You're too wise to complain. Complaining is a waste of time, energy, and breath. This is your lot and you're going to make the best of it. Actually you're quite brilliant when you get down to it."

And from today's birthday in the newspaper:

"Your bright outlook makes it easier for you to see your way this year. Past trials are over and you look forward to handling whatever life brings. Before the new year begins there's a creative, though risky business endeavour to consider. Take the only path that's both fun and lucrative."

Today ...

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I turned 41

and

I am now officially older than my dad

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It might only be a number,

but to me it IS significant.

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Welcome to the Family ...

Today in the midst of a whirling flurry of puppy activity that would have left the Tasmanian Devil from Bugs Bunny cartoons breathless in exhaustion, there was a quiet knock at our door and one of the folks from Funds for Furry Friends dropped off the adoption package that made Flute an official member of our family ...

The cries of "FLUTE!!!" "FLUTE!!!!" "FLUTE!!!!!!" from Ms H that marked the morning cast the decision in momentary doubt, but with a sigh, a stretch and an unraised paw all was forgiven ...

Welcome HOME little Dog !!!

Sheesh ...

I haven't posted the comments about the "joke" I played on Noahkila on Sunday ... one calls me a Jerk ... one questions my maturity ... one questions my faith ... and ALL question the appropriateness of the "joke" played on the "boy" ...

Fair enough ... I can take criticism, and I will publically offer an apology to Noahkila, and to those who were offended by the posting ...

HOWEVER, for the record - Noahkila is a 14 year old Boy who can NOW look his 5' 11" father IN THE EYE, and is the SAME physical size as me, and is STILL GROWING ... I would NOT have played the joke on him if I didn't think he would appreciate it, and if there was any risk of harm to him ... it was for the shock factor ... and clearly some question the appropriateness of it ... and I'll accept that.

And I will again apologize to Noahkila for it ... and I hear the comment from one reader who suggests that I should now watch my back, something I do - payback's a bitch !!

Happy Halloween !!!!!

This is one of my favourite Halloween Songs, and thanks to Youtube, I found a version with Cary Grant doing the Mash ... can't go wrong ...

Born On October 31st ...

John Keats - 1795
Dale Evans - 1912
Dan Rather - October 31st
David Ogden Stiers - 1942
Jane Pauley - 1950
Peter Jackson - 1961
Rob Schneider - 1963

and of course:

John Candy - 1950

Now as a present to MYSELF, here is a John Candy sketch from Sesame Street
"I'm seeing and hearing, but BOY I'm NOT believing ...":

For ME ...

... and for Indigo too !!!

A blast from Halloweens past ...

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Back in the mid-80's my uncle grew MASSIVE pumpkins on the farm not far from Stratford ... one year he gave me one as a birthday present. We had to hollow it out BEFORE we could load it in the back of my car and drive it into town ... then I carved it into the BIGGEST Jack O'Lantern I've ever had:
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And just so you can see how BIG it was I've included the picture of a more youthful, hirsuite me kneeling beside it at the front of my mom's house:

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HAPPY HALLOWEEN !!!!

The amusement of small things ...

Yesterday Noahkila and I spent sometime moving boxes of books into the basement, and getting other books on the shelves in the Study/Noahkila's room at my little house ...

He lugged, with great difficulty a couple of VERY VERY heavy boxes down the stairs as I piled more at the top of the steps ... He complained about the weight of the boxes and commented that he could be crushed if he wasn't careful on the stairs ...

I stacked two very large and very heavy boxes of books at the top of the stairs, then found three very large and VERY EMPTY boxes which I then placed on top of the first two ... As Noahkila came up the stairs and saw the looming pile of boxes to be moved he said - "you can't be serious."

"Oh it won't be that bad ..." and as I spoke I knocked the top three boxes DOWN the stairs !!

I WISH I had a camera in town to record the look of absolute HORROR that washed over Noahkila's face as the three boxes tipped down the stairs towards him ... he shrieked - "Nnnnnooooo!!!!" and reached out to block the falling cardboard ...

The look of horror then changed quickly to surprise and relief as the EMPTY boxes bounced into his outstretched arms ... Looking up at me he tried to reclaim the cool teen persona as he said flatly - "YOU SUCK!!!!" ... for my part I was doubled over with laughter ...

Noahkila doesn't share my contention that it was an immensely hilarious practical joke ... although he does smile at the recollection, and methinks his "ha ha, it was hilarious," belies an enjoyment of a good practical joke, even if HE was the butt of it ...

That's why I love my boy ... he knows how to take a joke !!!!
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