Santa Shuffle

On Saturday, December 6, 2008, close to 10,000 Canadians will participate in The Salvation Army’s 18th annual Santa Shuffle.

In 35 cities across Canada, festively attired runners and shufflers will run/walk 5k or 1k to raise funds that assist those in need during the Christmas season.

Proceeds from this family-fun event will also benefit The Salvation Army’s vital services and programs as we help support vulnerable people year-round.

Find the run closest to you!

Who is Jesus to You?

"I think one of our problems is that we forget to ask ourselves this question when we set out to start churches. The consequence is weak churches. We speak more about our church "style" and "model" than about the Lord of lords who reigns within it. We tell people why our church is different from or better than other churches in town, thinking they will be attracted to it, but instead they are uninterested. If only we return to our first love and let Jesus be our focus, then many will be drawn in. They will be compelled to gain Christ rather than attend a religious service."

~Neil Cole

The Gift of the Present

I watched Kung Fu Panda with my kids last weekend. I love the movie (okay, I'm a huge Jack Black fan)!

This line from Oogway (cheesy but true) really grabbed me:

"Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift; that's why it's called the present."

How many of us truly live the gift of the moment that God has given to us?

Are you stuck in the "if onlys" & "should haves" of past pain and regret?

Are you salivating over the greener grass of a future mirage?

"Today the heart of God is an open wound of love. He aches over our distance and preoccupation... ..He weeps over our obsession with muchness and manyness. He longs for our presence." ~ Richard Foster

We can become so preoccupied with regrets of the past and fears of the future that our relationship with God in the present takes a back seat.

Who of us haven't wondered at times where God is, yet, Richard Foster reminds us that God is more present than we are - He longs for our presence with Him!

Relationship happens in the present moment - it's all we have.

If we don't seize the present moment relationships suffer. God seems distant and unapproachable. The fire of romance fades because we obsess over other things - our minds and ourselves are elsewhere. Our kid's grow up in a blink while our focus is stolen away by the less than important issues.

Let's not fool ourselves into thinking that it goes unoticed. God knows. Those around us and close to us notice. And yes, our kids are aware as well.

We must learn to live in the present moment - it truly is all we have!

The Lifebuilder's Creed

Today is the most important day of my life.
Yesterday with its successes and victories, struggles and failures
is gone forever.
The past is past.
Done.
Finished.
I cannot relive it. I cannot go back and change it.
but I will learn from it and improve my Today.
Today. This moment. NOW.
It is God's gift to me and it is all that I have.
Tomorrow with all its joys and sorrows, triumphs and
troubles isn't here yet.
Indeed, tomorrow may never come.
Therefore, I will not worry about tomorrow.
Today is what God has entrusted to me.
It is all that I have. I will do my best in it.
I will demomstrate the best of me in it--
My character, giftedness, and abilities--
to my family and friends, clients and associates.
I will identify those things that are most important
to do Today,
and those things I will do until they are done.
And when this day is done
I will look back with satisfaction at that
which I have accomplished.
Then, and only then, will I plan my tomorrow,
Looking to improve upon Today, with God's help.
Then I shall go to sleep in peace...content.

~ Dale Witherington

The Party

The beautiful birthday girl!

Leslie did a great job on Julia's cake & party - she is amazing!

The ceremonial lighting & blowing out of the candles!

Julia placed a bow on her head - she's the real gift!

The girls!

Seven Today!

Julia could hardly contain herself last night - she wanted to go to bed early so that she could wake up and be seven years old!

Happy Birthday sweetie pie! Have a great party tomorrow!

Intimacy is born of Struggle

M. Scott Peck in his book The Road Less Traveled opens with the words "Life is difficult."

So many of us expect, and want to believe, life is easy. It's not. When we discover it isn't easy we're tempted to toss in the towel. We buy into the myth that if something is difficult it is impossible and not worth the effort.

M. Scott Peck continues, "Most do not fully see this truth that life is difficult. Instead they moan more or less incessantly... ..about the enormity of their problems, their burdens, and their difficulites as if life were generally easy, as if life should be easy."

We often flip that belief to our spiritual life.

Brennan Manning in The Ragamuffin Gospel says, "There is a myth flousihing in the church today that has caused incalulable harm--once converted, fully converted. In other words, once I accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, an irreversible, sinless future beckons. Discipleship will be an untarnished success story; life will be an unbroken upward spiral toward holiness."

Life is difficult whether we have a spiritual faith and practice or not.

Personally, I struggle. I don't live in struggle as a constant but life has not always been, nor do I expect it to be, all roses for me. Some of the things I've struggled with all my life are still knocking on my back door. I've asked that they be taken away. Some things have been taken away. Others I remain with and I suspect I will til I draw my last breath. Thoughts. Temptations. All seeking to be born into action.

Can I say that I'm okay with the struggle?
Can I say that God's love & presence are enough for me?
Can you?

It may or may not get any easier than this.

Tim King and Frank Martin in their book Furious Pursuit say, "Struggle is what engages us in our relationship with God. He looks for our willingness to remain in the struggle, to continue walking with him, fighting to grasp him, resisting the temptation to give in to our human nature, refusing to give up no matter how hard life gets. It is only through struggle that God lifts us up into (His) larger Story."

Intimacy is born of struggle.

Shedding

I've been thinking about shedding lately.

Maybe it's because my black coat has a bunch of white hair from my black cat on it (go figure).

Or maybe the thought combo of Bruxy Cavey & Jim Palmer lines is floating around in my head. Mix that with my own thoughts and you have a triple shot of espresso in a short cup (no water).

Or maybe it has more to do with Robert Frost's line "You live by shedding."

To purge or not to purge?

I was asked recently what I thought of purging and/or purging services (sorry Pam, I realize I didn't get back to you on that - oops! - and this probably isn't what you're looking for).

"You live by shedding." Truly live, like abundant life living, as Jesus puts it?

Quite possibly if the shedding is about purging one's system of useless and binding systems, beliefs & rituals.

To purge or not to purge religion?
To purge or not to purge church (as systematic & constructed (constricting!))?
To purge or not to purge useless history?
To purge or not to purge this post!?!

Here's a thought I'm sharing with the guys tonight:

"Our history is not our destiny." There is freedom in that statement. Sure, our history can inform us but it doesn't need to handcuff us.

I'm aspiring to be someone more than who I presently am. I don't have it all together so I keep purging the crap. As Paul said, "forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead."

Jesus is calling me toward a heavenly prize that is a life free of the gunk.

Image of the Invisible

The more we let the events of Christ's life inform and form us, the more we will be able to connect our own daily stories with the great story of God's presence in our lives.

~Henri Nouwen

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

(Ephesians 5:1 & 2)

JESUS, I AM THE BELOVED

From the moment we claim the truth of being the Beloved, we are faced with the call to become who we are... ..Becoming the Beloved means letting the truth of our Belovedness become enfleshed in everything we think, say or do.

~Henri Nouwen

Good Night!

Just got back from a run in our first flurries of the season! Me & the kids have been waiting for this for a while. Julia asked if she'd be able to go sledding tomorrow - unfortunately there is barely enough to cover the grass. Hopefully we'll be sledding soon!

I came inside just in time to see Barack Obama's victory speech! I'm happy for his family & for our southern sister. Here's hoping he can right the wrongs of the Bush administration.

post:Week[end]Update

Went to the Saddledome last week to see the Flames shutout the Avs (sorry Berkley, it was a good time despite your teams loss - thanks for the tix!)!

Got my 'Assistant Coach' jacket from Joel's hockey team (I'm now official)!

After two months of collecting 700+ pairs of boots from Mark's Work Wearhouse, I spearheaded the boot giveaway this week. Along with a bunch of other agencies, we gave away more than 700 pairs of winter boots/work boots to those with low to no income. Thanks Mark's!

Picked up Black Ice (Kirk & Sheldon, it kicks ass)!

Halloween was a blast! I can't remember a Halloween night (going all the way back to my childhood) where it was as warm as it was here last Friday night. The whole neighbourhood was alive with kids & parents haunting about. Sidenote: A big boo to the TO school board & their attempt at political correctness & non offensiveness by renaming Halloween "black & orange day". Nothin' better to do guys? That's pathetic!

Joel & I got up at 6 am this morning to hit the ice before school. One of the parents of a teammate rents the ice on Monday mornings for his kid to get a little more skating time. He's been inviting us out; we've gone twice, just 5 of us on the ice - good times!

Both a busy & a big week for me - glad it's here, glad it's begun, looking forward to the end of the week without wishing away time!

Leslie & I rented SAW this weekend. I was really interested in seeing the series upon hearing about Koules charitable mask idea with the Bolts. I must say, neither of us was disappointed. I really liked the first movie (so much so that I couldn't wait to see part two & rented it last night).

Another sidenote: It was weird to look outside last night at 6:15 p.m. & see that it was dark. That kinda killed my mood. It was really weird.