Growing old is mandatory,
Growing up is a choice.
~Unknown
a light through the noise
5 days ago
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
Life is full
I thought I'd squeeze in a post or two in what has been a very full few days (with little breathing room on the horizon).
sup?
sup?
- Early 4:41 am starts (the last 2 months, this early rise has been a big deal for me)
- A second ministry proposal due for Toronto
- An article due early May (which is taking time now)
- Speaking at a buddy's church this weekend
- Volunteering at the Y tonight
- A conference call tomorrow night
- Jake's first soccer game on Tuesday night
- A network of house church planters in Red Deer on Wednesday lunch
- Dinner with an old pal on Wednesday night
- As I Lay Dying with Berkley & a new bud on Thursday night
- My part in a prayer manifesto is due on Friday
- Social w/hockey parents on Saturday night
- Two years ago I contributed to a book I wasn't sure would ever come to be - I found out today (as I was sent a copy to look over) that it will be going to print very soon!
- Of course, watching my Flyers get in the heads of the Habs
- Just finished Head's book - what an incredible man & story
Good times - please forgive my lack of posting!
Jesus of Suburbia - Jamie's comment
Jamie made a comment on my previous post - his comment is worthy of a stand alone post especially if there may be those that skip comments and could miss it...
As someone who lives and serves in an inner city community, I couldn't agree with you more. I am a very strong advocate for increased Christian involvement in the inner city, but only because that it the context to which I am called and can see the need. However, I am not blind the broader needs.
I have said it many times before, but it is worth saying again: Suburbia is a far more challenging context in which to be truly missional than the inner city in so many ways. While the problems in the inner city are many, they are also largely out in the open for many to see. Further, because so few Christians genuinely engage the community missionally, there is a freedom to explore and experiment with creative ways of serving God and our neighbours.
In suburbia the culture of respectability and privacy means that the very real problems are often hidden behind a veneer of manicured lawns and smiling faces. Further, the culture is less forgiving about innovation in ministry. All this to say that, while many people pat me on the back for living and working in the inner city, my heroes are those who genuinely contend with the culture of suburbia for Christ without abandoning it or compromising within it.
Great comment Jamie!
As someone who lives and serves in an inner city community, I couldn't agree with you more. I am a very strong advocate for increased Christian involvement in the inner city, but only because that it the context to which I am called and can see the need. However, I am not blind the broader needs.
I have said it many times before, but it is worth saying again: Suburbia is a far more challenging context in which to be truly missional than the inner city in so many ways. While the problems in the inner city are many, they are also largely out in the open for many to see. Further, because so few Christians genuinely engage the community missionally, there is a freedom to explore and experiment with creative ways of serving God and our neighbours.
In suburbia the culture of respectability and privacy means that the very real problems are often hidden behind a veneer of manicured lawns and smiling faces. Further, the culture is less forgiving about innovation in ministry. All this to say that, while many people pat me on the back for living and working in the inner city, my heroes are those who genuinely contend with the culture of suburbia for Christ without abandoning it or compromising within it.
Great comment Jamie!
Friday, April 25, 2008
Jesus of Suburbia
If you haven't heard, our community found out early yesterday evening that someone was found dead in their home between 4 & 6 p.m. that same day. The home is literally a hop, skip & jump from where I live.
As details unfolded today the woman found dead was strangled to death and it's a good possibility it was her husband who did it. It's sketchy but it sounds as though following the killing of his wife he drove out on the highway and took his own life as he drove into oncoming traffic.
Sad but not surprising. Prior to watching the 11 p.m. news last night I joked that people would be saying, "I can't believe it!" "I'm shocked." "Not in our quiet community, others but not ours." "They were good people, quiet, kept to themselves."
Sometimes in the church we're led to believe that real problems & real ministry happens where the obvious, visible issues are - downtown, inner city among the down & out ("that's where Jesus would be"). I don't dispute that there are some real needs among the homeless & the substance addicted, those people are close to Jesus' heart & He would be found among those marginalized. I know too that the greater church community has far too long been much too comfortable, complacent and neglectful of the less fortunate.
That said, there are issues in suburbia. Issues of: substance abuse and addiction, pornography addiction, debt, uncontrolled rage, many kinds of abuse, not the least of which is domestic violence - and the list continues. Add to that single parents, both male & female (but mostly single moms), attempting to raise healthy children without support. Plus the overwhelming sense of loneliness & isolation that many feel especially in a city like Calgary where many have left the comfort of close family support in other parts of the country to seek employment in a city & province bursting with opportunity.
Suburbia has issues that are close to Jesus' heart too. I believe you'd also find him here pulling up a chair at the table in the home of someone in Bridlewood.
The church isn't doing so well in Suburbia either. We live next door to people we don't even bother getting to know. Church is something we do on Sunday & we drive to get to it - away from real life in our immediate community and into the little 'once a week' compartment we've reserved for God, church & something we refer to as ministry.
There's a bigger world out there people. Someone in your neighbourhood needs a friend as much as you do - give it a whirl!
As details unfolded today the woman found dead was strangled to death and it's a good possibility it was her husband who did it. It's sketchy but it sounds as though following the killing of his wife he drove out on the highway and took his own life as he drove into oncoming traffic.
Sad but not surprising. Prior to watching the 11 p.m. news last night I joked that people would be saying, "I can't believe it!" "I'm shocked." "Not in our quiet community, others but not ours." "They were good people, quiet, kept to themselves."
Sometimes in the church we're led to believe that real problems & real ministry happens where the obvious, visible issues are - downtown, inner city among the down & out ("that's where Jesus would be"). I don't dispute that there are some real needs among the homeless & the substance addicted, those people are close to Jesus' heart & He would be found among those marginalized. I know too that the greater church community has far too long been much too comfortable, complacent and neglectful of the less fortunate.
That said, there are issues in suburbia. Issues of: substance abuse and addiction, pornography addiction, debt, uncontrolled rage, many kinds of abuse, not the least of which is domestic violence - and the list continues. Add to that single parents, both male & female (but mostly single moms), attempting to raise healthy children without support. Plus the overwhelming sense of loneliness & isolation that many feel especially in a city like Calgary where many have left the comfort of close family support in other parts of the country to seek employment in a city & province bursting with opportunity.
Suburbia has issues that are close to Jesus' heart too. I believe you'd also find him here pulling up a chair at the table in the home of someone in Bridlewood.
The church isn't doing so well in Suburbia either. We live next door to people we don't even bother getting to know. Church is something we do on Sunday & we drive to get to it - away from real life in our immediate community and into the little 'once a week' compartment we've reserved for God, church & something we refer to as ministry.
There's a bigger world out there people. Someone in your neighbourhood needs a friend as much as you do - give it a whirl!
Thursday, April 24, 2008
As I call it...
The Flyers owned Montreal tonight, playing very well and providing every assurance that they can win this series.
What happened?
Here's what I saw:
1) an obvious high stick on a goal that the refs chose to count instead of calling it truthfully as a high stick (probably for fear of not getting out of Montreal in one piece).
2) a bogus call with 1:05 left in the third period that put Montreal on the power play (six on four) in the dying seconds. It was neither a kneeing infraction nor a tripping infraction (as was called). Richards put his shoulder into the Montreal player, there was no kneeing motion. And, who calls a penalty in the last minute of a playoff game?
On another note, Bell Centre fans are rude, disrespectful & ignorant. They boo during the U.S. anthem, they boo opposing team super stars, they boo the home team when they are displeased and what's with showering the opposing team with beer when he's helplessly in the penalty box?
What a bunch of clowns!
What happened?
Here's what I saw:
1) an obvious high stick on a goal that the refs chose to count instead of calling it truthfully as a high stick (probably for fear of not getting out of Montreal in one piece).
2) a bogus call with 1:05 left in the third period that put Montreal on the power play (six on four) in the dying seconds. It was neither a kneeing infraction nor a tripping infraction (as was called). Richards put his shoulder into the Montreal player, there was no kneeing motion. And, who calls a penalty in the last minute of a playoff game?
On another note, Bell Centre fans are rude, disrespectful & ignorant. They boo during the U.S. anthem, they boo opposing team super stars, they boo the home team when they are displeased and what's with showering the opposing team with beer when he's helplessly in the penalty box?
What a bunch of clowns!
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
On the iPod
I have 3500 songs on my iPod, 1 book, a dozen podcasts, 20 talks, pics - and still, it's not even 25% full! Amazing, I love it!Getting lots of play in the buds lately is SOAD's "Mezmerize" - it has to be one of the best recordings of all time. P.O.D.'s new album is delish as well with the return of original guitarist Marcus Curiel.
I'm getting really stoked about heading to the As I Lay Dying show next week. I saw them a couple of years back at the dome & they were awesome. This time around it will be a smaller venue which always makes for a better show with this kinda band. All of their stuff is getting it's fair share of play also. Good stuff - yeah!
Monday, April 21, 2008
Most Dedicated Player
Joel's hockey team had a wind up party over the weekend that I missed. Joel received highest honors on his team, the "most dedicated player" award! I'm so proud of him for working so hard every game. He had great hockey sense for his age - he seems to know where his teammates are and is very unselfish with the puck as he is a great passer. He skates hard, plays his best and comes off the ice every time with wet hockey hair - the sign of a hard worker!
Congrats Joel - bring on Atom!
In action!
Check out the practice jersey (unfortunately he's switched to Penguins).
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
What's important?
Sylvan's Request
"Will you color with me?" asked Sylvan.
"Not right now, I'm going to go do..."
something important.
I went to do something I needed to do, didn't I?
Oh no.
What a glorious invitation I passed on today.
I could have colored!
I never color anymore.
I saw I wasn't good at coloring, so I stopped.
Growing up is dangerous like that.
It's so easy to forget that playing isn't competing,
so easy to confuse the serious with the important
or the skillful with the valuable.
Sylvan wanted to color while Leo played in a cardboard box
and Violette carefully balanced a pillow on her head.
How silly they are.
How wonderfully, worshipfully, beautifully silly!
But me?
Well, I had to do something important.
~Nathan Bubna
I almost passed on an opportunity to play ping pong with a kid while volunteering on Monday night. I had already played ping pong with this kid and he left the family center for what I thought was the night. I picked up a book and started reading and then he showed up again about fifteen minutes later wanted to play again. I said, "I'm going to read for a bit." Then I took a look across the room at the kid having to sit there and watch the kids on the ddr. I felt bad and decided to take him up on the game. I kicked his butt!
Kids are worth putting time into. Sometimes we may think we have better things to do. More often than not that may even be true. But when we consider the privilege of being invited while they are still interested in playing with us...that's priceless.
Monday, April 07, 2008
4 & 0!!!
We were in Edmonton this weekend for Joel's final hockey tournament of the season. The team played unbelievably winning all four of their games: 11-7; 9-1; 7-1; 9-1!
Congrats Bullets!
After a slow start in the early part of the season the team began playing as a team - working together, communicating, passing the puck, great defense (puck off the boards & out), great goaltending - and it was obvious in the results.
Great job coaches!
Joel got the hard hat in the first game with 3 goals 2 assissts! He had 9 goals & 8 assissts in four games for the tournament! He also had a penalty for his Gordie Howe hat trick in the third game!
Booya Joel!
(Pics to follow)
Congrats Bullets!
After a slow start in the early part of the season the team began playing as a team - working together, communicating, passing the puck, great defense (puck off the boards & out), great goaltending - and it was obvious in the results.
Great job coaches!
Joel got the hard hat in the first game with 3 goals 2 assissts! He had 9 goals & 8 assissts in four games for the tournament! He also had a penalty for his Gordie Howe hat trick in the third game!
Booya Joel!
(Pics to follow)
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