Rearview Mirror

With the new year only hours away, here are some highlights (in no particular order) from the presently fading 2008:

• Going to the movies with Leslie & the kids.
• Taking our annual trip to Banff for my mom's birthday. This time, in addition to sitting in the hot springs, we rode the Gondola.
• Retreat at Kananaskis. Great time with the Pearce's & Sabourin's & playing hockey on the outdoor rink.
• Me & the kids skated several afternoons in January & February on a little frozen pond a couple of neighbourhoods over.
• Monster Jam with the fam.
• My six month Partner stint with Starbucks.
• A trek to Hamilton & spending some time with the Goodyear clan.
• Watching Jake play soccer and seeing him score!
• A life changing weekend spent with new friends at Foundations.
• As I Lay Dying w/Berk & Eric at Mac Hall.
• Camping in Kananaskis on the May long weekend (first time we've gotten to camp on that date).
• Spending the weekend with Jason, Sarah & Abigail - love these guys & their friendship!
• Phil & Amanda's wedding. It's that much more sweet when Leslie & I get to do the ceremony of people we know & love.
• We got to a few Stamps games - Jake, Joel, Berk, Graham, Darcy & moi.
• Stamps win the Grey Cup!
• Jake, Joel, Berkley, Graham & myself become proud 08-09 Stamps season ticket holders - that means, we're going to the Grey Cup!
• Camping in Kananaskis with our buds, the Sheas! Gotta plan to do it again this summer!
• Camping in Montana, USA - good time of exploring across the border!
• Milllarville Market with the kids - both in the summer & during Christmas season.
• Seeing Joel receive Most Dedicated Player Award for his work last season in hockey.
• Seeing Joel receive Hardest Worker Award following his week at Dinos Hockey Camp. That award earned him a composite stick from Dinos Hockey. Not too shabby!
• Annual trek to the tat show with Berkley & Jake.
• Spending a few days catching up with Mike during his visit to cowtown.
• Metallica at the dome - unbefreakinglievable!
• Turkey Bowl '08 - had a good game & reconnected with some old friends.
• Avs vs. Flames w/Berkley - I love the atmosphere at Flames games.
• Advent activities with Les & the kids.
• Seeing Cinderella with the fam at Storybook Theatre.
• Watching Julia perform her speaking part during the school Christmas/Winter Concert.
• Getting our puppy - Brutus ("the barber" Beefcake), affectionately known as "Brunacious B"
• Leslie's mom getting married & Grandpa Max becoming part of our family. We had a great visit with them in the spring.

Our family cultivated deeper relationships this past year as we began a smaller, more intimate faith journey with good (becoming greater) friends. You guys have been a blessing to our family and we are extremely grateful for your love & friendship - back at you! I love watching our kids play together like adopted siblings. The birth of Sydney Bell into our group is a highlight all on its own!

Movies I saw & enjoyed:

• Bee Movie
• Be Kind, Rewind
• The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
• Kung Fu Panda
• Bedtime Stories
• Saw series (though not all released this past year)
• Horton Hears a Who!
• 21
• Iron Man
• Indiana Jones & The Kingdom of the Skull
• Forgetting Sarah Marshall
• The Incredible Hulk
• Get Smart
• Hellboy 2: The Golden Army
• You Don't Mess with The Zohan
• Drillbit Taylor
• Tropic Thunder

Fav downloads of 2008:

• Metallica - Death Magnetic
• AC/DC - Black Ice
• Guns N' Roses - Chinese Democracy
• Disturbed - Indestructible
• Brian "Head" Welch - Save Me From Myself
• Scars On Broadway
• P.O.D. - When Angels & Serpents Dance
• The Black Crowes - Warpaint

Fav books read in 2008:

• This Beautiful Mess - Rick Mckinley
• The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian - C.S. Lewis
• Save Me From Myself - Brian "Head" Welch
• Wide Open Spaces - Jim Palmer
• Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows - J.K. Rowling
• Pagan Christianity - Frank Viola & George Barna
• The Shack - William Young

Thanks God for all the blessings of 2008 - the ones named, the ones unnamed & the ones I misunderstood at the time as a pain in the ass. Parts of 2008 I wished away. Forgive me for not living in the moment as I should have. I want to live more heartily the moments of 2009 that you give me.

Merry Christmas!

I'm working today, on Christmas day, for the first time since I was 17 years old. Back then it was 1989, I was a young pup in love, about to leave home & washing dishes at an Irving Big Stop Restaurant.

Times have changed. I really didn't want to leave the fam to come downtown to work today. I feel like I'm hungover. Joel said he'd get up early. We sent him back to bed at 4 am. They did well to wait until 6 am.

We had a great advent time together this season. We decided to look forward to the celebrated birth of Jesus by way of a daily family activity.

We were in a pinch for time, so Leslie picked up an advent calendar from Starbucks. I put together a list of family activities that Leslie & the kids each chose 5 things to do & I chose the reamaining 4. Our 24 activities from the list are as follows (beginning on December 1 & wrapping up last night on Christmas Eve):

1. Color a Christmas picture
2. Make sugar cookies
3. Walk the dog together
4. Have a bubble bath (individually of course)
5. Make a gingerbread house
6. Paint wooden ornaments for the Christmas tree
7. Go bowling
8. Make hot chocolate with all the fixins'
9. Have a chocolate fondue night
10. Put candy canes on the Christmas tree
11. Volunteer at the Toy Warehouse (The Salvation Army)
12. Campout around the Christmas tree
13. Fancy dress up for dinner
14. Dollar store gift exchange (each person given $5 to spend on the other four family members, then we go home & exchange gifts)
15. Make it snow in the house by making snowflakes and hanging them from the ceiling
16. Paint each other's fingernails & toenails in Christmas colors
17. Go out for ice cream
18. Make a Christmas ornament
19. Make a hideout and hangout with flashlights
20. Have a picnic at Elbow Falls
21. Give each other crazy hairstyles
22. Tell a round robin story
23. Put together a Christmas or winter scene puzzle
24. Read "Twas The Night Before Christmas" & put out egg nog & cookies

We truly had a blast together!

We did everything on the list with the exception of three things that were put on hold because of the weather. On the day of our snow storm we had to postpone going bowling; our dog didn't get walked & our picnic at Elbow Falls were both put on hold because of the negative temperature lately.

Next year I hope to put each of the activities in a decorated matchbox, each individually wrapped like a small gift (that is, if we can find the small matchboxes - otherwise, I better get crackin' on consuming Altoids!).

My Lady

It was Leslie's birthday this weekend too - yesterday!

Me & the kids got her greeting up on the board at the Hitmen game that we attended with Joel's team. I was slow on the draw and missed her name but got the rest of the message before it scrolled away.

I love you Les - you're a beauty!

I love your smile, laugh & sincerity.

Jake's 11th Birthday

The J-man, Jake-ola is 11 today! Happy Birthday big guy!

We had a sleepover party with his friends last Friday. Tonight we are camping out around the Christmas tree and watching his baby videos (while drinking hot choco with all the fixins'!).

Shuffle

Music is a big part of my life. My kids, especially Jake, has this same love within him.

I have the coolest kids! Jake had a birthday party/sleepover on Friday. When his mom asked him to go pick out a CD for background music he came back with Nirvana - Nevermind. Julia was sitting in the kitchen with me. When the second song came on she looked at me and said, "I know what this song is." I said, "What?" She said, "In Bloom." That's my girl!

Today, I'm at the office and shuffling my ipod. It's good to hit shuffle when you just cannot decide what to listen to. I've heard some goodies I haven't heard in a while:

Always There For You - Michael Sweet
New York, New York - Frank Sinatra
My Promise - Tourniquet
Lickin' - The Black Crowes
A Little Sleep - Deliverance
Lay it Down - Ratt
The Best is Yet to Come - Frank Sinatra
Out Tonight - Rent Soundtrack (Sorry Les, couldn't take this one and had to skip it - not a fan)
Walking on the Moom - The Police
Dare You to Move - Switchfoot
Friend of a Friend - Foo Fighters
Narrow Daylight - Diana Krall
Goin' Home Tonight - White Lion

What music has been ringing in your ears lately?

Metallica Setlist - Calgary, Dec. 4th,'08

Metallica is unbelievable! Their live sound is amazing! I was blown away & am speechless!

1. That Was Just Your Life
2. The End Of The Line
3. Creeping Death
4. Harvester of Sorrow
5. One
6. Broken, Beat and Scarred
7. Cyanide
8. Sad But True
9. ...And Justice For All
10. Wherever I May Roam
11. The Day That Never Comes
12. Master Of Puppets
13. Fight Fire With Fire
14. Nothing Else Matters
15. Enter Sandman

Encore:
16. Last Caress/Green Hell (Misfits cover)
17. Breadfan (Budgie cover)
18. Seek and Destroy

Life is worth the effort

I came across this prayer today:

Dear Lord,

So far today, I am doing all right. I have not gossiped, lost my temper, been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish, or self-indulgent. I have not whined, cursed, or eaten any chocolate.

However, I am going to get out of bed in a few minutes, and I will need a lot more help after that. Amen.

Alive

I was reading Jim's blog the other day & he asked the following question:

When is it that you feel most alive-most free, most at peace, most connected, most content, most alive? Please don’t look upon your answer with judgment. It doesn’t have to be any sort of “religious” or “spiritual” answer. Describe a recent moment or experience when you truly felt alive. You don’t even have to understand why it is these deep feelings were stimulated within you. Don’t analyze it. Just tell when you felt it deep inside.

This week there have been several moments:

• watching from the bench & getting to coach Joel at his game this week - I usually coach the defense but this time I was with the forwards
• coloring Xmas pics & decorating sugar cookies with Leslie & the kids
• chatting with Leslie while she made spicy peanut brittle
• spending some time at my kid's bedside tucking them in - rustling my fingers in their hair & kissing their forehead
• having dinner with my friends, watching our kids play and sharing advent together
• a good cup of coffee

God is in those moments - more than feeling it, I know it deep in my heart & it brings me great joy & contentment.

And you... ..when do you feel most alive?

Indestructible

Really wish I were going tonite but...

..I get METALLICA tomorrow night!!!

Larry, Curly & Moe

The Stooges plan to take down the Conservative government. Morons!

Where is the democracy?
What does that say to young voters who can't be bothered because they don't think it means anything?

Cello - if this mutiny happens it will be sealed in the minds of all voters that there is no point in voting because politicians will do what they want anyway.

Truth is, I didn't vote Conservative and am ashamed this morning that the party I voted for is acting in this way.

On another note, you will soon try to visit this site and it will not be available. I had toyed with Nov. 30/08 (2 years from this present blogs start date) but find myself with a little more time to play with.

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.