The Middle

Heard Jimmy Eat World on the radio today. What a great song!

Live right now.
Yeah, just be yourself.
It doesn't matter if it's good enough for someone else.

True dat! True dat!

Doing December Differently

Here is a free downloadable sample of the book which includes this fresh take on some old words:

Genealogy by Nicola Slee

Matthew 1:1–17

He came from a dysfunctional family.

And I’m not just talking about his mum and dad

(thepregnancy out of wedlock,

the pronounced age difference)

No, it went back much further than that.

There were more than a few skeletons in his cupboard.

Take great King David,

the one they all wrote and sang about, eulogised in the histories,

the family’s pride and joy.

He wasn’t all he was cracked up to be, believe you me.

He might have been Jesse’s golden-haired youngest,

but later, he was conniving and horny,

spying on his officer’s comely wife from the palace balcony

and taking her for his own,

sending soldiers to do away with unsuspecting Uriah

returning victorious from battle. Some victory!

Prostitutes and foreigners aplenty scatter the litter:

women you’d not want your daughters taking after,

even if you can’t help admiring that plucky Rahab.

Some came to a very sorry end.

That poor Tamar! It makes me shudder to even think of her.

Don’t let your children read her story,

it’ll keep them awake for nights on end.

Best not to ask about the ones

whose names have sunk into obscurity,

for fear of what you might uncover:

what unimaginable sleights of hand, sexual perversions,

brutal slayings or tortures.

Who now thinks of Nashon or Asa,

Uzziah, Joham or Jeconiah,

Matthan, Azar or Eliud?

Don’t disturb their memories with your inquisitive fingers.

Keep going back and you end up at Abraham,

another one no better than he ought to be and a whole heap worse.

Right bastard, if you’ll pardon my English.

Played off his wife as his sister, he did,

had it away with his slave girl to get himself a son

and then didn’t lift a finger in her defence

when Sarah sent her packing into the desert

in a fit of jealousy and rage.

Worse of all, he was ready to kill his own precious Isaac

on some highfalutin whim of the Almighty.

That story has been causing trouble for generations

down the family line,

still keeps the menfolk and their offspring fighting.

No, not what you’d call a promising pedigree.

Not surprising he didn’t turn out a happy family man.

Little wonder he stayed single.

Sally Ann sees what most don't

The Salvation Army sees the heartbreaking effects of poverty, homelessness, abuse and addiction every day. And most importantly, they see the people who desperately need support and compassion. It's impossible for The Salvation Army to turn a blind eye to suffering. Last year in Canada The Salvation Army served 2.5 million meals to the hungry, helped 10,000 people with addictions and provided one third of all shelter beds each night. This Christmas why not open your eyes and your heart. And give.

Redeeming Christmas Decorations

I love Christmas! I love the symbolism, the traditions, the family & friendly gatherings, the food, the music, the spirit, the extra concern for the poor - need I go on!

Many people say, "Christmas is becoming too commercial... too many decorations." In some ways I agree with this statement. But when it comes to decorating I like what Jack Hayford says in Come & Behold Him. One of the chapters is entitled "We'll Dress the House." In it he gives three suggestions when decorating:

1. Be assured, this is righteous - Decoration of the house at Christmas is neither a surrender to pagan traditions nor a capitulation to commercialism.

• if God commissioned angels to roll back the night and fill it with blazing light,
• if God provided a mighty celestial choir to serenade a few startled shepherds,
  
• if God graced the heavens with a miracle star,
• if God arranged such a memorable entry point as a feeding trough in a stable,
• if God went to all this trouble to open our eyes to His entry into our world, then we needn't apologize for festooning our home with a few seasonal reminders!

Since the Light of the World has come, lights strung across the roof only "shout it from the housetop". Candles and candelabra, stars and starlight, gifts and giving, songs and sonnets, lights and light-heartedness, angel cookies and wisemen ornaments - all are consistent with what transpired on our little planet two thousand years ago.

2. Since it is right, sanctify it - Present your decorating and decorations to the Lord as a tribute to Him.

• Pray before you decorate.
• Worship as you decorate.
• Give thanks after you decorate.
• As Paul writes it, "Do everything heartily and freely to God's glory."

3. Invite others to share it with you - When you "dress up", you usually "go out". But since our homes are fixed locations, the only alternative is to invite others in. It is a witness to our neighbours when they see a believer actually happy about life! So many in the world think us uptight and sour - incapable of genuine gladness. But when these neighbours and relatives encounter a home filled with true happiness, a light-hearted spirit of fun, and a warm, generous welcome, it can be utterly disarming. It paints a whole new portrait of the "Jesus life."

**Adapted from a long ago edition of "The Calling" & originally written by Sue-Ann Hicks

Dino Town

I headed out of town today to help my buddy prepare for some of the Christmas rush that is a big part of Salvation Army Xmas ministry.

For lunch he took me to Bernie's for the hamburger experience of a lifetime - it was awesome!

I can't imagine scoffin' down the mammoth burger - enough to feed a family & costing $20!

The record time is 13 mins & 52 seconds!

The Road To Life

I came across this site after seeing a billboard on my drive this morning:

Allow us to direct you to a place offering an unmatched work life balance. A place where you will feel at home, safe and secure. A place filled with opportunities. This place is Nova Scotia. Nova Scotia Come to life launched an ad campaign this week in Toronto and Calgary to help point expatriate Nova Scotians in the RIGHT direction. We want to remind expatriate Nova Scotians about their home and what they left behind: the ocean, family and friends, a less hectic life and yes - donairs.

That last line got me - and yes, even donairs!

Do you ever look at life and wonder where it went and what you have to show for it? I do.

Coming soon...

Minimalize

Been doing a lot of thinking around simple church. There is a book of the same title but I don't own it & haven't read it (maybe someday).

Ironically the concept of simple church really goes against the institutionalized church culture we've come to embrace - even to the point of being willing to fight to the death for it. Ironic because in the beginning...it was so simple, it was real & it was invaluable. Why wouldn't we want to get back to that?

At times last week while listening at Imagine, there were sometimes contradictory messages between Church Growth & Kingdom Growth, depending on which session & who the speaker was.

We've been seduced by the church growth movement to think that the church is the end instead of the true end being Kingdom growth. We measure success by attraction instead of the biblical measurement of giving ourselves away (true evangelism Jesus style).

I like what I heard one speaker say: Every person given the opportunity to experience the good news through a trust relationship.

I like that because it makes Jesus' life about everybody & not just the church. Who knew!?! Also, because it's about relationship, process, time, and going out.

That missional statement reminded me of when I heard Brian Mclaren state the mission of his church: To be and make disciples in authentic community for the good of the world.

I like that because it gives validation, perspective & a good kick in the pants for what the church does "in here" is for the greater purpose of what's happening "out there".

Every flavour of church (even the trendy emergent versions) are being pushed to re-evalute the "why" questions of mission.

I believe a missional move forward will see the return to a time of:

• minimal reliance on buildings
• minimal reliance on programs
• minimal reliance on staff

The above big three have become huge contributors to the church we know & have come to affectionately embrace. What could a church minimalizing the emphasis on these three look like?

Simple Message

Got this simple message smokin' me between the eyes recently:

OBEDIENCE - obey God & leave the consequences to Him
CALLING - where God calls - He equips
PROMISES - there will be bumps & challenges along the way, embrace God's promises

i.e. Matthew 16:18 NLT "upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it."

..and... ..

Hebrews 13:8 NLT "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever."

Anger Burns

Been looking at the book of James, in particular chapter 4.

Verse one asks the questions: What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you?

What happens on the outside is a picture of something deeper that's happening on the inside.

We so easily get offended & upset over the trivial. If we could only learn to get angry over the true injustices of the world as God does..

...few of us do. Round and round we go taking shots at each other with our venomous words that attempt to assassinate character.

"Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned." ~Buddha

60th

My 60th post is my first in a long time.

I've so much to say & these are interesting days for me & mine.

I've just gotten back from a week away at a conference.

I'll hook you up when the weekend is through!