Dads UnLimited

2012-01-29T15:36:00.000-05:00

There are a few things which may come along to interrupt the flow of Dads UnLimited and our quest to find the better Dad inside all of us. One of those things is April's A-Z Blog Challenge. This challenge is to post every day (except Sunday after the 1st)beginning with A and carrying on to Z. The fun is in the visiting, commenting, and having visitors comment on your blog. I intend to follow the theme of Dads UnLimited through the month while at the same time play along by the Challenge's rules.

Today is the first day you can sign up for it and so I did. Last year there were over 1300 people signed up for it. It was a great way to meet fellow bloggers, challenge myself to write more consistently, study blogging strategies, think a little more clearly about what I want to do with this site. In fact, last April was the seed for the tiny sapling this blog is today.

May I suggest to you that you would also find great fun doing this challenge? Head over to the main site, read a few of the latest posts, especially the tabs at the top of the page and sign up!

We have seen the enemy and he is us

2012-01-27T06:00:00.000-05:00

Today's idea is to pay attention to yourself. It sounds selfish, but read on. When a situation begins to escalate (and though I'm talking about at home, this is true of everywhere else also), you need to be aware of yourself enough to step on your own brakes and bring that situation to a stop.

As a dad, my role is not to win arguments but to train up my child in the way they should go. To help them work through the difficulties they are experiencing.

Too many times, I am the cause of the problems of my child's bad reaction. If I spoke to them or treated them the way I am trying to train them to speak and treat others, I would not receive the negative reaction I get. I would say that in all my years of teaching, in a vast majority of situations where a child got in trouble for disrespecting a teacher, the teacher was guilty of disrespecting the child first. Sometimes that was me. It wasn't until I came to realize that I had to be in control of myself before I could be in control of my classroom, that this became less of an issue. It sounds like an obvious thing to say, and it makes sense, but I had never really thought of it in that way before.

So, here's an idea, pay attention to yourself. We have seen the enemy and he is us.

Immortality's what we're buying?

2012-01-25T06:00:00.000-05:00

One of the saddest trend going in our world today is the onethat pushes us toward our fifteen minutes of fame. Ever since Marshall McLuhan came up with thatprediction, the world has been marching toward fulfilling it like it was acommand, not an assumption. From thepopularity of Survivor (over ten years ago now!) rose the monolith of realitytelevision. The belief now is that mybig break into the celebrity world is just a submission-tape away, or withYouTube, a viral video. If I am asomebody on tv, I am somebody.

The blurring of what is real and what is not is evident intv shows like The Hills for young people and also The Daily Show and TheColbert Report for slightly older. Is itreal or acting? Do I have to be someoneI am not, sell myself out, ignore my conscience to be popular?

It sure doesn’t take much to become popular today. It may be as easy as singing really badly,behaving poorly, staging a phonynews event, wearing something in public that should have at leasttwo layers over it, tweeting something insensitive or rude… doesn’t taketalent, it takes a plan.

When I used to ask students ( I taught Grade 8 for thirteenyears) what their dreams were for their future, the trend was toward beingfamous. “I want to be a famousfill-in-the-blank.” I rarely (likelynever, truth be told) heard, “I want to be a really good fill-in-the-blank.” For some it was because they thought thefamous musicians, dancers, athletes, actors, lawyers, or doctors must begood. For many though, it is the fameitself that they really wanted.

If I am not “somebody”, that doesn’t mean I am“nobody”. Tell it to your babies. What is right is not always popular, what is popular is notalways right.

Welcome to the club

2012-01-23T06:00:00.000-05:00

So today’s big news is that we’ve added a page here to Dads UnLimited.

Look up at the top and you will see it there- the one that says Join Our Community. It has been there off and on for a while but now it actually has some content. The point of that page is to engage each other. Lets ask, add, imagine and inquire into what it may take to become better dads.

Maybe you have a pop culture question.
Maybe you have a problem with one of your children or your role as dad.
Maybe you have an inspiring or funny story to tell.
Pop in, join the community, introduce yourself and lets make this thing work!

Hit the floor

2012-01-20T06:00:00.000-05:00

First off, stay tuned for a fun bit of news coming on Monday. I am hoping to make this place a little more interactive and Monday will be the beginning of that.

Its Friday so here’s an idea for you...Get on the floor (not now, after you’ve finished reading this…).

From this perspective things look different. You see that sock under the chair that someone was just missing, yes. But, you also see the world of the little people in your home. While you are down there, wait a few seconds… unless your children are in bed or are immobile, within that few seconds, they may just come to you. How often does that happen when you sit on the couch reading or watching tv? How often does that happen when you are texting or surfing blog posts? You have arrived in their space. Be careful, fun may just ensue.

Now, get off that chair and get on the floor!

Get it now!

2012-01-18T06:00:00.000-05:00

Why wait? Our society’s credit cards, drive-thrus, highspeeds, fastpass, express lanes, instant meals, and pvr/tivo is backing us even further into a sad place. We can’t wait for anything and we can’t miss anything.

I always remember my mother saying to me, “Life goes on,” when I would complain that while I was off doing one thing I wanted to do, the family was doing something else of similar fun. She was reminding me, that while I was free to make my choice of what I was pursuing that moment, the family was also free to do the same.

I wonder if we really respect that today? We can’t stand in line making small talk with the elderly lady ahead of us because we are too frustrated with someone else in the aisle with one too many items for the express lane. We run and run but never catch up.

We need to help our children to slow down, to enjoy not just the event but the anticipation. Try to do this by demonstrating some self-control yourself. Talk about what you are waiting for. Talk about how easy it would be to take the shortcut, but take “the sweetest way home” as my dad used to put it.

Have you noticed this in your own life or in the life of your child? How do you slow down and enjoy life?

My Dad

2012-01-16T06:00:00.000-05:00

Nearly two years ago, I wrote a very quick post about my dad. He’s the last of a great generation. The day I posted that, he was heading for triple bypass surgery. Since then, he’s struggled back to his old self. Though, maybe they should have fixed those knees when you were out of commission too, Dad!

As I ~~grew-up~~ ~~matured~~ aged, I realized that everyone else thought their dad was from a different age as well, if not a different planet. However, when I hear Tom Brokaw speak of “The Greatest Generation”, I think of my dad. Though technically he wasn't born for several years after the generation Brokaw speaks of, to me he always seemed to be from a different time period from everyone else. He wore fedora hats, when everyone else’s dad didn’t. He had conservative rules, that even my conservative friends’ dads didn’t seem to have. He was never out of control. He was never domineering. He was never lazy. He was never afraid to say what he believed.In short, he was everything kids resist, but everything that we as adults strive to be.

I know my dad's not perfect, but that doesn't matter to me. He does his best, and that does matter to me.

So, what did I learn from my dad about being a dad?
You have to be consistent.
You can be firm without being domineering.
You can be respectful and respected at the same time.
Yelling isn’t necessary.
Working never hurt anyone.
Family holidays are important.
When it comes to matters of faith, live what you believe.

I am sure there is more to be said about my dad as the months roll by, but for now, off the top of my head, that’s some of what I learned from the best man I know.

What did you learn from your dad?

Friday's Ideas first ever post!

2012-01-13T06:00:00.001-05:00

Ironically, as I type this,three of my own children are running around the house doing their ownthing. That, in and of itself, is notbad. At the same time, one of those dearchildren needs lots of direction. Another finds nothing better to do than annoying his siblings (andparents, and neighbours, and the planet!). The third is only with us for now. We do not know how long we will have the joy of raising this littlegem. He is our foster-son.

The irony stems from the factthat as a dad, I could be taking the time to pour into these little boys’lives. I could be teaching, talking,playing, interacting with them. I could beshowing them new ideas, modeling proper behaviors, perfecting their spiral throwingor coloring skills. But I am not.

At the same time, I can beintentionally parenting. I must be a dadbefore I am a blogger. With this in mind, I must keep an ear to their play andinteractions, I must allow them to play, but must allow them to be childrenwithin a family setting at the same time. I must not allow myself to become detached from the world they arein. Oh, how difficult that is toachieve!

Come back and visit often. Let's live and learn together!

Welcome to our first ever Wednesday's Trendsday post

2012-01-11T06:00:00.000-05:00

First off…Happy Birthday to the first person who ever calledme “Dad”. Our princess is 16 today! I will talk more about our relationship astime goes on in this site, but please allow a brief history. She was eight whenI became her “dad”. That was not easyfor her, but from the day her mom and I were married she called me “Dad”(lately it has often been, “Daddy” in a funny, airy, British accent!). So, happy birthday kiddo, I am so very proudof the young woman you have become.

Secondly, if you've come over here from A-to-Z or Tossing it Out, look at yesterday's post please!

Wednesdays are Trendsdays here at Dads UnLimited. Consider the clever (pseudo) rhyming scheme there- T.S. Eliot, watch your back…

Some of the many topics we will cover here will be thingslike homework, movies, gaming, technology, attitudes, new toys andgadgets…anything that affects our children’s lives and how we as dads can helpthem through it.

If you read these words and have anything to offer in regardto this topic, whether you’d be interested in guest posting, or just throwingout a suggested topic, please leave a comment here. Don’t be shy, the internet can’t bite but youhave to face this reality -your words are out there for many to read, so have alittle restraint! One of the themes thisblog will uphold is that you are a dad 24 hours a day, even when commentingonline, type something your child would be proud to read someday.

Video Challenge

2012-01-10T06:00:00.000-05:00

At the risk of grinding momentum for Dads UnLimited to a halt, I break out of routine after only one day! We will get back on track, but due to timing, holidays, other people's schedules, etc, I am posting this today.

So, one video begot another.

The first one, the one from Saturday was my attempt to join the reflections postings parade over at A-to-Zchallenge.com . When Lee, one of the intrepid and untiring leaders of the challenge, and chief cook and blogger-washer at both A-Z and his personal blog , saw my first attempt, he did what Lee always does. He encouraged me. You just shouldn't feed the seagulls, though Lee, those things become pests!

What followed then was a dozen emails back and forth and then this second video

So, what? Well, I'm done.

But you're not.

Maybe you can do something bigger better or bolder than mine. Maybe you just want to try. Ask a twelve year old, they can do something like I did in just an hour or two. They can do something better than I did in twenty minutes or less too, if they have the right program. They can likely find the right program, pirate it off the internet onto their smartphone (paid for with your money), figure it out and create something inside of that twenty minutes.

But it doesn't have to be about better. It does have to be about fun, and creative and inspiring and new and just go-ahead-and-try-it-you-don't-know-what-you've-got-till-you've-tried!

Check out A-to-ZChallenge.com for all the details of what's in it for you! Promote your video. Put it on Youtube, link to it in your emails, post it on your blog, link to it on Facebook, you'll think of something, you always do!

Please, please leave me a comment. 32 people showed up here on Saturday and only six left a comment, oh, there was that one spammer too...

Sorry if this sounds like a sales pitch... nothings being sold, just promoting a really great way to write, meet, network and enjoy the blogging community!

I am my kids' Dad

2012-01-09T06:00:00.000-05:00

Anyone can be a father, you haveto work hard to become dad. There are somany great things that come about from the moment you are labeled as“Dad”. One day, you’re you, the nextday, you’re so much more.

With the re-launching of InsideOut as Dads Unlimited, I hope to plumb some of the depths of meaning of the word "dad"- the joys, hopes, fears, responsibilities, aids, opportunities, and so muchmore that is necessary and helpful to us as dads.

For too long, popular culture hasportrayed dads as bumbling, insensitive, selfish boors. Some of us actually believethat is who we are to be. Its time we makethe name “Dad” into something hard to achieve, not easy. Let’s re-take the title.

Over the next few months, I hopeto see this blog turn into a place where dads can congregate, celebrate,cogitate and even castigate if need be. “Press a button and tune back in three-four-five times a week,” are thewords of Toronto’s all news radio station. I encourage the same here. Saveto Favorites and come back often. Thisblog is a work-in-progress, then again, aren’t we all?

Monday’s are planned forInspirational days- days when Dads Unlimited brings encouragement andmotivation to keep striving to become who we want so much to be. Wednesday’s are for Trends- current topicsand how we can possibly face what is going on in the world around us in lightof who we are.

Friday’s are for Ideas- things todo with our kids, or how to handle situations that may arise.

Tomorrow there will be a post aswell…not a regularly scheduled one, a diversion. There will be a second video uploadedregarding the A-to-Z Blog Challenge coming up this April. Stay tuned. Also, stay tuned over at the official A-to-Z Challenge website forexciting details of what is ahead!

Please, come back and see us. As always, comments, even just a friendlyhello, are welcomed. Suggestions evenmore so.
Oh, and we are adding a baby to our home today too...stay tuned!

2012-01-06T20:00:00.000-05:00

Well, my wife will love that it is her smiling face looking at you...but this post is a little aside along the way to the many upcoming changes to this blog. Arlee Bird at Tossing it Out and the A-to-Z Blog Challenge has been kind enough to link over here to see this wee, amateurish video I put together as a reflection from last April's Blog Challenge. I hope you like it!

Please tune back in here next week when I hope to begin a few strategic changes to the place, its been a fixer upper for a while, time to get to work!

Upcoming Changes

2011-12-14T22:54:00.000-05:00

Anyone standing by with bated breath, at this point, deserves a medal or something. Anyone holding their breath waiting for the next post has sadly passed away.

I do want you to know though that there are serious plans in the works for a renewed effort on this blog. Beginning in the new year of 2012 a new theme will be developed. You will have to wait to see what that theme is, but those waiting for just about anything will be pleased. There will be new people coming around here...hopefully... and they too should be pleased. People hoping for more snarky comments about what's going on in the world, not so much.

The first of these new posts should come about on January 9th. Stay tuned. I've already got April all planned out too...A-to-ZChallenge.com . Blog titles written, even a few rough notes written in. It will all be centred around the new theme.

If this falls apart, I will have to stop pretending I am a blogger and stick to what I do better...not blogging.

So...April 30th was the last post...

2011-12-02T01:00:00.001-05:00

...and now its December 1th. We are slogging along here. Our foray into fostering has been very enjoyable and still looks like the end date is nowhere in sight. Not that we mind. Work has been a source of soul-searching. What to do, what to do? No real publishable answer as of this date.

Florida is rapidly approaching, and it can not arrive soon enough.

Stay tuned.

I will return.

By the way, the ramping up has begun for next April's A to Z blogging challenge. Consider it and join in the fun.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzz's

2011-04-30T13:19:00.003-04:00

So, again (see my "M" post) my wife is away for the weekend... maybe I need to live better to get her to stay home (really, she rarely goes away, this is basically the only weekend a year she goes away, to a retreat, the other weekend was for a friend in need).

Anyway, now I'm home with three toddlers, well, six and younger, running two teenagers around last evening, trying to finish this blog thing, washing my hair (I have ten seconds to do that), trying to keep the house semi-clean, the police from being called and the wolf from the door. I need to sleep!

Thanks for the fun in the A to Z challenge. Its been good to do this, though I must admit, some days it was posting for posting's sake, like some of today's. Sorry that those of you who kept looking in were forced to read some of these! Maybe it will begin a creative process of thinking about saying something though, not just sitting idly by with my brain in a bucket. Out.

Y not? A New Blogging Challenge, only one day this time!

2011-04-30T10:09:00.002-04:00

X's and O's

2011-04-30T10:07:00.001-04:00

Technology, sophistication, messy hand-writing, generation gaps, too little time...

Who doesn't still love to play at least one game of Tic Tac Toe?

Whining

2011-04-30T10:06:00.000-04:00

I love whiny blog posts... they make me click "next blog".

Voting for Veterans

2011-04-30T10:00:00.002-04:00

Canada has an election on Monday. How many is that now in so few years? That's the joy of a multi-party system, minority governments and special interest groups in Quebec.

I wish we weren't heading to the polls on Monday.

However, I'm glad we get to vote, and I will if the river don't rise.

We seem to have gotten the idea that Remembrance Day/Veterans Day is an important day, finally. However, until we have a better turn out on election day, its like showing up to church on Easter or Christmas. Its better than nothing, but it looks more like duty than a true understanding of the bigger issues. Why did we fight? Why do we need to vote? It couldn't happen again, right?

Vote, left-wing, right-wing, I don't care who for. I just care that you exercise the right.

Unknown

2011-04-30T09:43:00.002-04:00

We've entered a time of unknowns.

Personally and as a planet.

How long will this little guy stay with us? Who's next? Can families be saved in an age that doesn't support them except as ideals and back-window stickers on our minivans?

Will our economic system survive?

Does anyone care about democratic process?

Is there hope when earthquakes and tornadoes and terrorists threaten every day?

We don't even know the questions, let alone the answers.

We don't, but someone does!

"Why don't you look into Jesus, He's got the answers"-Larry Norman

Time

2011-04-30T09:20:00.002-04:00

The more time passes me by, the less I understand it. The more I put the seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, and decades into their neat little boxes and tuck them out of sight, the less I understand what they have actually accomplished and how to take advantage of the moment I am actually living in. Maybe thinking about it actually makes it worse- fretting and not living.

Its a human struggle though. One that's been happening since people had more years to live. Vanity of vanities.

Here are a few brilliant quotes from Annie Dillard on time and a life well lived:

"How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives."

"We are here on the planet only once, and might as well get a feel for the place."

"Spend the afternoon, you can't take it with you."

"There is no shortage of good days. It is good lives that are hard to come by. A life of good days lived in the senses is not enough. The life of sensation is the life of greed; it requires more and more. The life of the spirit requires less and less; time is ample and its passage sweet. Who would call a day spent reading a good day? But a life spent reading -- that is a good life."

"A schedule defends from chaos and whim. A net for catching days."

Reasonable Service

2011-04-25T22:17:00.000-04:00

from the album "Green Room Serenade, Part One"
by the Lost Dogs
(Terry Taylor)

In every soul an altar stands
There on dwells all in the heart of man
Oh consuming fire lay waste the dross
Upon this table purge us
Though the sacrifice we'll fear
Forsake us not Lord draw us near
For we never fail to find you here
In our reasonable service

Now the least that we can do
Is the least that you require
Living sacrifices on
The sacrificial fire
Cleanse these earthen vessels Lord
Of every false desire
And when we fail the do the least
Help us in our unbelief

Chorus

And in the measure of our faith
Let our minds keep on renewing
Not conforming to this world
Until this worlds undoing
And by your tender mercies Lord
Your perfect will pursuing
We become an offering
Made holy through your suffering

In the servitude of love
Drifts a fragrant scent well pleasing
As the strength of grace compels us on
To a worship without ceasing
To count as loss all we hold dear
Is Christ in us increasing
And through the fire gold will remain
To live is Christ to die is gain

Quinzy

2011-04-25T18:50:00.003-04:00

One of the unique experiences those of have who grow up with lots of snow in the winter is the experience of building snow sculptures, forts, tunnels, etc.
I remember visiting a quinzy, a snow tent built into a snow bank. This was during my teacher training days in Three Hills, Alberta. One of the junior high teachers (I think, though he may have taught high school) there would build one every year and people would go to this very large snowbank with several tunnels leading into a large inner room that was about five feet high and ten feet across. They iced the ceiling in the inner chamber so that it would be more sturdy.

Olivia Dunham and Peter Bishop

2011-04-25T18:49:00.000-04:00

O and P, one fell swoop...
are the two main characters from Fringe. We have been watching season two of Fringe, the Hitchcock-like thriller of a television show that takes you to very strange places, then twists things up till it is stranger still. Dunham and Bishop are two very effective characters because of the human struggle that the writers work very hard to incorporate into who they are.

The show itself revolves around trying to line up known science with scientific anomalies, things that are rumoured, but not provable, things like spontaneous human combustion, astral projection, and telekinesis. It also introduces alternate universes and moving back and forth between them. Quite intriguing if you like that kind of show! And we do.

Novels

2011-04-25T18:46:00.001-04:00

Very late, been writing a bit, but having a hard time getting things posted, dial up and kids and life, you know....

What would I write, if I could write a novel?
What I would write is what I like to read. My favourite books lately have been ones that involve complex growing characters more than anything else.

Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, Annie Dillards's The Maytrees, any of David Adams Richards works, Tolkiens' Lord of the Rings, To Kill a Mockingbird, anything by Dickens, and most of the rest of my favourites all entail characters growing, maturing, overcoming their weaknesses, etc.
Even the most popular of modern works which we tend to think as revolving around suspense, medical intrigue, international terrorism or espionage are usually more tightly wound around the main characters' struggles.
I even have a part of a story rattling around in my head, involves strange human behaviours and overcoming the past, redemption, the human struggle. Just a few pages though and that's taken over a year... no hurry!

Missing My Wife

2011-04-15T23:30:00.002-04:00

We had to split up this weekend. She had to take our daughter two hours west. I chose to take our two boys two hours east. Now we're far apart. Distance.

Tomorrow is a new day and by the end of it, we shall be together! I love you, Sabrina.

Oh yeah, she's doing the A-Z challenge too. Check out her site!

LOST

2011-04-14T23:15:00.003-04:00

Anyone remember the old tv show from the mid to late 2000's called Lost? Me too. It was great. It changed television... forever. You know how some things turn you into a snob? You eat one type of cheese, all other types just don't cut it for you anymore? (get it? cheese - cut it...nevermind) You listen to Daniel Amos, all other music just fades into the background? Lost was that television show, I know its been gone for nearly a year now, but seriously, how can anyone watch tv now that you know what a good show looks like?

When does "Lost, They Go Back" start?

King!

2011-04-14T22:49:00.004-04:00

The following is not my post... I copied it from here

"That's My King"

The late Dr. S. M. Lockeridge, a pastor from San Diego, California
said these words in a sermon in Detroit in 1976:

My King was born King. The Bible says He's a Seven Way King. He's the King of the Jews - that's an Ethnic King. He's the King of Israel - that's a National King. He's the King of righteousness. He's the King of the ages. He's the King of Heaven. He's the King of glory. He's the King of kings and He is the Lord of lords. Now that's my King.

Well, I wonder if you know Him. Do you know Him? Don't try to mislead me. Do you know my King? David said the Heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork. My King is the only one of whom there are no means of measure that can define His limitless love. No far seeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of the shore of His supplies. No barriers can hinder Him from pouring out His blessing.

He's enduringly strong. He's entirely sincere. He's eternally steadfast. He's immortally graceful. He's imperially powerful. He's impartially merciful. That's my King. He's God's Son. He's the sinner's saviour. He's the centerpiece of civilization. He stands alone in Himself. He's honest. He's unique. He's unparalleled. He's unprecedented. He's supreme. He's pre-eminent. He's the grandest idea in literature. He's the highest personality in philosophy. He's the supreme problem in higher criticism. He's the fundamental doctrine of historic theology. He's the carnal necessity of spiritual religion. That's my King.

He's the miracle of the age. He's the superlative of everything good that you choose to call Him. He's the only one able to supply all our needs simultaneously. He supplies strength for the weak. He's available for the tempted and the tried. He sympathizes and He saves. He's the Almighty God who guides and keeps all his people. He heals the sick. He cleanses the lepers. He forgives sinners. He discharged debtors. He delivers the captives. He defends the feeble. He blesses the young. He serves the unfortunate. He regards the aged. He rewards the diligent and He beautifies the meek. That's my King.

Do you know Him? Well, my King is a King of knowledge. He's the wellspring of wisdom. He's the doorway of deliverance. He's the pathway of peace. He's the roadway of righteousness. He's the highway of holiness. He's the gateway of glory. He's the master of the mighty. He's the captain of the conquerors. He's the head of the heroes. He's the leader of the legislatures. He's the overseer of the overcomers. He's the governor of governors. He's the prince of princes. He's the King of kings and He's the Lord of lords. That's my King.

His office is manifold. His promise is sure. His light is matchless. His goodness is limitless. His mercy is everlasting. His love never changes. His Word is enough. His grace is sufficient. His reign is righteous. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. I wish I could describe Him to you . . . but He's indescribable. That's my King. He's incomprehensible, He's invincible, and He is irresistible.

I'm coming to tell you this, that the heavens of heavens can't contain Him, let alone some man explain Him. You can't get Him out of your mind. You can't get Him off of your hands. You can't outlive Him and you can't live without Him. The Pharisees couldn't stand Him, but they found out they couldn't stop Him. Pilate couldn't find any fault in Him. The witnesses couldn't get their testimonies to agree about Him. Herod couldn't kill Him. Death couldn't handle Him and the grave couldn't hold Him. That's my King.

He always has been and He always will be. I'm talking about the fact that He had no predecessor and He'll have no successor. There's nobody before Him and there'll be nobody after Him. You can't impeach Him and He's not going to resign. That's my King! That's my King!

Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory. Well, all the power belongs to my King. We're around here talking about black power and white power and green power, but in the end all that matters is God's power. Thine is the power. Yeah. And the glory. We try to get prestige and honor and glory for ourselves, but the glory is all His. Yes. Thine is the Kingdom and the power and glory, forever and ever and ever and ever. How long is that? Forever and ever and ever and ever. . . And when you get through with all of the ever's, then . . .Amen!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To hear this 6:30 minute audio message by this amazing AfricanAmerican preacher, use the following link:
http://www.theiowaharvest.com/harvestholler/archives/000085.html

Jesus Christ

2011-04-14T11:20:00.000-04:00

Can I offer Him as not the word for the day, but the Word for all time?

John 1:1

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.

You see, when God wanted to communicate to humanity, he came himself, in the person of the one we call Jesus Christ today. He showed us love, showed us grace, showed us holiness. Then he died. Easter is coming soon. Please consider looking into the Christian meaning of the season, not the story, but what the story tells us. His love and death was for a reason. He didn't die to write a good tragic story for us. The resurrection didn't happen just so we could have a cool ending to the story.

Sacrifice.
Justice.
Penalty.
Redemption.

The Twist
from the album "Zoom Daddy"
Words by Terry Taylor, Music by Terry Taylor, David Raven, Jerry Chamberlain and Tim Chander
©1988 Broken Songs

hang on, believe
there's nothing up my sleeve
i've got no magic tricks to save the day
put down the gun
you're not helping anyone
and i'm not about to run or back away

don't walk the fence
then come to my defense
i don't need fair weather kinds of friends around
so watch and pray
as a traitor's kiss betrays
and rest your feet of clay on shaky ground

chorus
and look me in the face, at least what's left of it
tell me you still love me just a little bit
or nail me down, break the skin
hard enough to do me in
but don't leave me hanging
dying and dangling
twisting in the wind

here, touch my side
let doubt be crucified
nailed with your wounded pride
to love's grim altar
here, taste my flesh
my bloody humanness
i am no phantom guest
no skinless martyr

so taste and feel
there's nothing to conceal
you always knew the deal
was sacrifice
stand up, be strong
when all you've got is gone
i left the light turned on in paradise

chorus

and when the walls cave in
and the curtain's torn asunder
you'll know we're near the end
you'll hear me in the thunder
and when the sun grows dim
this will be your sign and wonder
that soon we'll meet again
just like we did last summer

Ice Crashing!

2011-04-12T00:19:00.002-04:00

We have a family tradition to hit go "ice crashing" every spring.
Ice crashing gets its name from the event. We jump into canoes and crash into, through and sometimes onto the ice of Lake Couchiching.

Do not be alarmed. The water is less than five feet deep. The ice is usually thin enough that with some hard and steady paddling, a canoe can keep some forward motion.

The tradition comes from the coureurs de bois, the French-Canadian or Metis furtraders. They would hit the ice as early as possible to get their furs through to Quebec first, and thereby get the best price for their wares.

Everyone in our family looks forward to it. Here is a picture of us out just yesterday, though the ice was too hard yet and will have to be attacked again tomorrow!

Happy Anniversary to us!

2011-04-09T01:33:00.003-04:00

I love you my dear wife! Seven good years followed by seven even gooder ones, kinda like Pharoah's dream, only different.

Giga, Gaga, Google, and Go-Gos

2011-04-08T19:42:00.004-04:00

Remember when a gigabyte was huge? What is that now? A good sized program or so?

Remember when Lady Gaga was a blip on the radar? Now she's a full fledged storm. Will she be Boy George (weird mis-step on the historical scale) or Dennis Rodman(hard working future hall of famer)?

Google. Its a noun, a verb, an economic powerhouse, an enabler, and a dictator. Its ubiquitous and its only 13 years old!

Want to get my little boys jumping for joy? A package of Go-Gos will do it. Why? I'm not sure, except that they are so simple and fun that you can make them be whatever you want them to be

49ers

2011-04-06T23:54:00.002-04:00

I could have, should have, would have written about my truly favourite sports team yesterday, however, I thought of my grandfather and didn't. You can find out more information about that team here.

So I thought I'd go with the Forty Niners today instead.

Favourite hockey teams for me have included, Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Ottawa Senators. Many of those teams are fierce rivals and yet for me that didn't matter. Today? I know the Rangers goaltender. I know about five Red Wings, likely five Senators, and likely half the Leaf's roster, since I listen to the sports radio station that broadcasts out of Toronto, a station that would not exist if it were not for the Leafs...Why are they Leafs and not Leaves? Never did get that. The main reason I can't pick a team in hockey as that I am really not that big of a hockey fan. Well, I am getting bigger, but I was talking about as a fan, not girth, density and spatial exuberance.

I digress.

My favourite baseball team has always been the Expos, but since they moved to DC, I have to cheer for the Nationals. I have to, win or lose, that will not change unless the team just disappears.

Grade 7 or 8. I first discovered football. I didn't know the difference between the CFL and the NFL before then, but at that time I had the opportunity to interact with a few CFL players who traveled with a Christian ministry, Athletes in Action and came to our school. The 49ers were just reaching their peak at that time in the NFL. Bill Walsh was the coach, they had a shrewd (was it illegal?) grasp of the salary cap, Joe Montana was quarterbacking, there was Roger Craig, Jerry Rice, so many more...but most importantly, they had Ronnie Lott. Same first name as me! Of course you have to cheer for a guy with the same name as you! It also helped that Global Television carried one game a week then, middle 1980's this is, long before NFL network, etc. They usually carried the 49ers because the 49ers were a huge draw. Then the won the Super Bowl (and proceeded to do so several more times over the next ten years), and I was hooked.

Its not quite the same as my fanaticism for the Expos/Nationals. But the 49ers haven't made the playoffs in 7 years now and still, loyal to the end.

What about you? Any fan stories to relate? Who have you remained loyal to? Sporting or otherwise.

Easton

2011-04-06T18:16:00.005-04:00

Its a city in Pennsylvania. Its the name of a pirate, an 80's singer, a hockey stick or baseball bat, and the middle name of a writer. Its also the name of a street in my hometown...and the one I've had to live up to my whole life.

The farther back our family tree you go, the more George's, David, James, and Roberts you find. Not many others once you go back more than 80 years. We have a family tree that takes us back to the 1700's and it appears that George Foreman got his childrens' names from my family tree.

The name means "One's from the East", so nothing too dynamic there, but I have come to think that the name means, "do the right thing". I just made that up. I think it fits though. I am thinking of my dear Grandpa right now. He was always "old", as most grandpas are to their grandkids I guess, but he always had energy to work and help and to keep us busy and to be excited about what he had videotaped on tv, or to take another trip somewhere and relive that by showing us the videotape he'd record while driving his home-built motorhome down the road. How we thought those movies would never end...how we love reviewing them now, just to hear their voices!

Does anyone care for Charlie Sheen?

2011-04-05T00:03:00.000-04:00

It is sad to think that a fellow human, who has made terrible choices and lives with the consequences, is being exploited as news. It is also terrible that someone is exploiting him by booking him to tour so people can sit and watch while he crashes and burns.

This man has human children. Does anyone care about them? Who will be there for them as they watch the man they call "Daddy" is paraded before them day after day.

Does anyone care?

Comments

2011-04-04T00:51:00.003-04:00

I have been enjoying going around to some of the other blogs doing the A-Z challenge. I don't usually check out other blogs. I am not sure why, but I guess its something to do with our painful dial-up internet service but also that time is quite a hard-to-come-by commodity. Anyway, I've been commenting on people's blogs and I must say, it gives me a boost to comment on some of these other posts that some have put so much thought into. Not me. I have not put too much foresight or whatnot into mine. In fact, since its 12:53am as I type this, I'm not even putting much thought into this post.

I digress again.

Comments are like little birds at the feeder. They don't have to come, but when they show up, they always bring a smile. Come now my little chickadees...

Behaviour

2011-04-02T15:26:00.002-04:00

Behaviour with a "u"...a perfectly acceptable spelling of the word for those of us unafraid to embrace our British roots/routes.

We took in a class on discipline and behaviour today. Funny how you go in thinking its going to be about children and you come out thinking about yourself... "Why do I?", "Why don't I?", all the questions come flooding in. I had to re-address my long held belief that self-awareness is the key to good discipline. I must admit that I have not really thought about that for a while, however, I reaffirmed it today as a necessity. I must be self-aware to discipline my self, and I must be self-aware in my disciplining of my children. Great to be reminded of. For me that is.

Adam Again

2011-04-01T17:57:00.003-04:00

Going for bonus points with the Double A today. I don't really know what this month's pattern will be, but I'm starting out with a band I like but haven't talked about on here.

Adam Again rose from the underground in the mid 1980's out of Southern California. Their first concert at Cornerstone Festival created a good amount of buzz and by the time their second album came out shortly thereafter, they had a lot of anticipation built.

That first record... yeah record, was a funky intelligent, fun album. The first time I heard of Adam Again was on a promotional release from Word Records. The two or three clips from that tape were enough to make me know that this was a band I was going to like. Their words were earthy and filled with longing, but the shadows point to the fact that there is still a light.

Gene Eugene, the driving force behind the band, passed away from a brain aneurysm at the age of 39...my current age, eleven years ago. You can find some of their music on iTunes.

Tossing It Out: Sign up for A to Z Challenge

2011-03-31T00:06:00.002-04:00

Tossing It Out: Sign up for A to Z Challenge: "Add your name to the list to be officially included in the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge"

If you want to join this huge blogathon... sign up at the link above. Go to the bottom of the list of names (I am at number 823 I think) and sign in. Should be fun. Now to plan something!

So... I have to start posting in two days anyway...

2011-03-30T23:14:00.006-04:00

so I thought I would go way back first...Nobel Prize posting from 2009

Now that the dogs of war are barking on the White House lawn... any thoughts? Wondering where my anonymous commenter stands two years later?

2010-09-28T18:27:00.002-04:00

A vote for Ryan Zimmerman is a vote for forward thinking!

2010-07-06T21:07:00.008-04:00

If you go and vote for Ryan Zimmerman, can you leave me a comment? Just curious...
vote early and often just like a real election...!
Click here to vote for Zimmerman to make the Major League Baseball All Star team

G8/G20 thoughts

2010-06-28T22:37:00.004-04:00

So, we've passed by the G8/G20 week.

How much do you suppose it should cost to host 20 world leaders? Apparently 1 billion is too much. I wonder how much it is supposed to cost? Headline writers who called it a "boondoggle" must know how much it should cost... Today I heard an irresponsible broadcaster say that the "police had a billion dollars at their disposal, why did things get out of hand?" Apparently that whole billion went to the police...!!!

I'm pretty glad I don't live in a country where police are not too well practiced at breaking up mobs of rampaging vandals.

Why do the police carefully say things like, "It is just a few making the majority look bad."? Meanwhile, the rhetoricians at protestor headquarters say things like, "The police are showing lack of restraint."

What exactly were the protests about?

What did they accomplish?

Why does the act of protest get more attention than the point of protest, and more than the good that may or may not have been accomplished by the gathered leaders?

The best of the rest, as promised and only a few days late...

2010-06-25T00:25:00.003-04:00

I said on Monday that I'd post this list Tuesday... is this Tuesday still?

Monday's list was most inspirational to me.

This list is just plain favourites.

The Matrix
Monty Python Quest for the Holy Grail
The Philadelphia Story
All About Eve
Vertigo
The Princess Bride
The Royal Tennenbaums
O Brother Where Art Thou
Citizen Kane
2001: A Space Odyssey
The Two Towers
The Return of the King
In the Heat of the Night
The Grapes of Wrath
Toy Story
Wall-E
Up

That list will do for now... we still have about 40 or so from our list of 100 to watch so far, so likely that list will grow over time.

Dirty Dozen Movie List

2010-06-21T22:51:00.003-04:00

Five or six years ago, this list would have been a lot different. I don’t even know if I could have come up with 12 movies for this category at that point. I have not been watching a lot of inspiring new movies. I am sure they still make those (I just saw The Blindside a few days ago and really enjoyed it.) The reality has been that I have been exposed to many old movies through the wonders of the modern library and the joys of the Best Buy shelf.

Several years ago my dear wife and I decided to watch the American Film Institute’s list of top 100 movies. Since then they’ve come out with an updated list and we pick off of that list too. I also decided back then that I wasn’t going to just watch, I was going to engage- pay attention to what was being said. I must admit that that doesn’t always happen, sometimes I just sit and watch. Sometimes I’m waiting to see why this movie could possibly have made the list (see Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf… no wait, don’t see it!). Suffice it to say then, that while I have not seen that many movies in my life, I’ve seen lots of acclaimed ones covering a wide variety of time periods. If you’ve not visited some of these older movies, you’re missing out, if you’re a literature/movie fan.

The Power of One. That seems to be the trend for my movie selections. I don’t know why that seems to be at the top of my list of inspirational things. I thought about adding A Beautiful Mind since it has an inspiring personal story and an even more inspiring love story, but it didn’t quite make it. For some reason, those stories are not quite as powerful to me as these which tend to follow that thought- The Power of One.
The Weakness of the Whole. The opposite of the power of one is also true. We live in a world where as a whole we are sick. We fail, we are weak. We tend toward protection of those like us. We do not hold up those in need. We do kick each other when we fall (see Tiger Woods, Britney Spears, et al.) We hate, we avoid, we ignore, we kill, we rage, we over simplify or over complicate, we compete, we conquer, we divide.

It seems to be the one who has to fix the whole. Jesus is my strongest example of this.

Here they be then, top 12, no particular order.

It’s a Wonderful LifeFor one thing, you get to watch Jimmy Stewart in almost every scene. That’s worth the price of admission. Frank Capra’s movies have been given the knock of being “Capra”-corn. You can see that with this movie. However, that doesn’t mean the idea portrayed- that everyone’s life is important and, potentially, wonderfully important to others- isn’t worth reflecting on.
Mr. Holland’s OpusWhy this obscure one? Well, partly because of when it came out. Right as I was in my last year of teacher training , this Richard Dreyfuss movie came out and made it okay for me to believe that, like George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life, it was possible for me to make a real impact on the life of others. And, it was more than a flash in the pan, it was his whole career. It gave great perspective for a guy just starting out.
Dead Poets SocietyAnother teacher movie. This one helped me to get a glimpse into what it takes to inspire kids to pursue their dreams. Even to dream if they’ve never dreamed before. I think it even helped me to dream dreams I had never dreamed before. A great, sad, wonderful movie.
Schindler’s ListSee, there’s inspirational, compelling you to pulling up your socks. Then there’s inspirational, compelling you to help other people pull up their socks. Then there’s inspirational where you are forced to come to grips with doing something about people actually losing their life. Schindler’s List.
City LightsCharlie Chaplin stars as the little tramp who does his best to do his best, even when he doesn’t know what is right. His redemptive actions toward his love are inspiring in light of his outcast roll in society.
On the Waterfront
Will you do what is right even when it means you’ll lose? When it could cost you your life? When it means the people who are close to you won’t appreciate you? Will I?
Mr. Smith Goes to WashingtonTrying to sneak another Jimmy Stewart movie in here…Small town hero becomes a national hero. The machine of big government can not stand against one man who knows he is right. What difference can one man make? What a difference!
The Fellowship of the Rings
For Sam alone, I love this movie. Loyalty is not a word heard round these parts these days (thanks, Bill Mallonee).
The Shawshank RedemptionHope in the midst of darkness. You can lock up a man’s body, but not his spirit.
Here are two men who I need to learn from.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0044706/
What wins out, your beliefs or your friends? Are some things I hold to be true not really true? Could it be possible to stand for what is right even when no one else does? No one, only you?
Field of Dreams
I must say that as much as I love this movie, I loved the book even more. Read it, Shoeless Joe, by W.P. Kinsella. The movie reminds us of the power of dreams and the eternal impact we can have on others. This movie portrays it as a love of baseball, we all know there are more things too. But I love baseball and this movie has inspiring and baseball. Plus I went to college just outside of Davenport, Iowa and worked in a classroom with a girl who was Kevin Costner’s “baby”.
Life is Beautiful
I think this movie may be number one. If you haven’t seen this one, you haven’t seen an inspirational movie yet. A man, his son, the darkest hour, the brightest heart. You’ve got to watch this one and weep and laugh and mourn and rejoice. And sigh for our cynical world.
12 Angry Men
What would happen if one man stood up against what everyone else sees as being opposite to him? What if he was right? What would you do? How would you get other people to see things your way?

I put in thirteen, but the last one has 12 in the title, so it fits the rules.

Top 12 movies next!

2010-06-01T16:24:00.004-04:00

Similar to the Desert island discs post, this one is your top twelve most impactful movies. Sign up, leave a comment if you need help getting in!

Top Ten Country Albums

2010-05-31T11:23:00.000-04:00

Well, here are my country discs. I'm not a great country fan, meaning I wish I knew more of the older classics (Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Petula Clark, etc.) I didn't go with the really old stuff (Arlo Guthrie, et al) either because its hard for me to draw a line between folk, Americana and older country. I also tried to avoid bluegrass since its a totally separate genre at our house. Of course, like all good music, the lines are blurred even within any given song. Most of these discs are "new country" because that's mostly what we have, thanks to my dear wife. I must admit, like all styles of music, if its well done, its good. What I most like about country is that the lyrics have to be done well (or cheesy, but even then, they have to be clever covered with cheese) and usually there is good instrumentation in there too.

Travis Tritt- Down the Road I Go
A sentimental favourite for me, Great Day to be Alive, Love of a Woman for the two women in my house.

Garth Brooks- Ropin’ the Wind
Just a lot of good songs on there. The River...Burning Bridges, Shameless

Diamond Rio- The Reason Probably my favourite one of all these, and the newest too. God is There...click here for the bigger picture.

Dixie Chicks- Fly
Ready to Run, Cowboy Take Me Away, and of course, Goodbye Earl. I always liked that they said what they said about the war too. Its too bad that country music wasn't able to hear a different side of things, especially when they got blamed for saying something that they didn't really say...

Shotgun Angel- Daniel Amos
Just have to give a nod of the head to Daniel Amos' early days as an Eagles-infused country group. Oh yeah, what a meal!

Cash – Ultimate Gospel
A lot of wonderful songs, this is what all gospel should be like, I think.

Johnny Cash- The Essential Johnny Cash
This one made my top 15 desert island list... I don't think I saw Johnny on anyone else's list? Why is that?

Randy Travis- Always and Forever
A sentimental favourite as its the first country album I ever heard from beginning to end and it was several times one summer at camp in Quebec... 1988?

Once Upon a Christmas- Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton
Its Kenny and Dolly... come on!

Statler Brothers- Random Burned cd of Christmas Songs, must be burned because I can’t find any record of this being an official disc, but on our iTunes, they’re all together. And they’re fun.

Country Music this way cometh!

2010-05-28T22:59:00.002-04:00

On Monday May 31st I will be posting my COUNTRY TOP TEN FAVORITES, a listing of country albums that are some of my favorites. If you enjoy country, feel free to join me in this listing. You call the shots as to how you define your country music. How do you define country music? Tell us about it.

I dare you to join in my dear wife!

Humble yourself or be humbled

2010-05-25T23:12:00.003-04:00

I've wondered several times why I really did start this blog. I know what I first wrote out, that I felt I had to get out what was in, that transparency was something I thought I needed to develop. I wonder though. Do I really want transparency or publicity?

There are many people padding statistics and trying to get people to notice them. Too many with nothing to say or offer. I wonder if I just want to attract flies, as I put it before.

I've been forced to think a lot about humility lately. I wrote that sentence like that on purpose. I think I have to be forced to think about humility. I don't really want to. I need to.

We've been talking a lot at our local church about humility and the need to humble ourselves. How we risk killing ourselves off if we are so certain we are right that we ignore or criticize others. We have to have beliefs, but we have to submit to others as well. Not to change our beliefs, but to challenge ourselves and others in their beliefs. If they're true, they'll stand up to the challenge. If they're not true, they need to be toppled anyway.

We have certain things we hold on to as followers of Jesus Christ. If we give those up, we cease to follow him. All roads do not lead to Him. He doesn't give us that option. John 14:6.

We have certain things that we believe to be true, things that we believe the Bible teaches us to be true. Things that we know others disagree on, based on the Bible. Those things we need to humble ourselves on.

Sadly, the third category tends to be the one that causes the majority of tension, simple preferences. These are not based on Scripture, just pure tradition, likes/dislikes, or comfort level. These we must submit to one another on. We do not have to exercise our freedom. We have the freedom to not cause problems. We have the freedom to live out love. We have the freedom to ignore our own rights. We have the freedom to enjoy our liberty and the liberty of others.

We have to humble ourselves. We don't want to wait until He has to do it for us.

The best of the rest

2010-05-18T21:45:00.000-04:00

A bunch I wanted to take but couldn’t. Who came up with the number 15 anyway? Isn’t the desert island the reason the iPod was invented?

Aaron Neville’s Soulful Christmas I really like Aaron Neville and I need a few Christmas albums. This one’s a great one.
Avocado Faultline-Terry Scott Taylor for so many reasons
The Best of Bob Dylan- just because he’s Bob
The Best of Sting and the Police- Different from everything else I’m taking and I just like Sting
Best of Van Morrison- Lots of good reasons on this one too, especially Brown Eyed Girl, to remind me of mine.
Blender-Collective Soul- A couple good reasons, mostly “Speak My Language”
Circle Slide-the choir This one just says “home” and that’s what I’d be thinking of every waking minute if I was on a desert island.
Dig- Adam Again- funky sadness. Kind of an oxymoron, but works beautifully.
Doppelganger- Daniel Amos One of the most significant albums I own because it got me into a lot of great books, then great writers, then just opened my eyes to lots of things I never really paid attention to before. But. I can’t take it with me because then it would make me miss the hundreds of books I can’t take with me.
Grace Shaker-LSU Like every LSU release, edgy and real. This one also seasoned with grace.
Eighty Eight-77’s Just because it’s a fun fun listen.
Eye of the Storm-Mark Heard… Someone else (Glen?) had this on their list yesterday and I had to go back and add it, another one I only have on tape. Wonderful gentle songs, Well Worn Pages being one of my favourites.
Fly-Dixie Chicks Just because every once in a while you want to drawl “Goodbye Earl”.
The Jesus Record- Rich Mullins I just love “My Deliverer”
Knowledge and Innocence- Terry Scott Taylor Again, this album reminds me of home and church and family and the sad, good things of life.
The Lost Cabin and the Mystery Trees- The Lost Dogs “Only one Bum in Corona Del Mar”
Perfumed Letter- Bill Mallonee Great memories.
Shaded Pain- LSU Artsy angst. Weird sad strange wild songs.
Simon and Garfunkel’s Greatest Hits : Simply for Sounds of Silence, since its what I’ll be experiencing, though not how they meant it.
Songs-Rich Mullins: Simply for “If I Stand”. What a song.
Space Oddity- David Bowie Simply for Space Oddity. I feel a parallel with Major Tom and me on my little sodden lump of sand.
Star Bright- Vanessa Williams Christmas comes even on deserted islands
Sunday’s Child- Phil Keaggy What a great album, 25 years after the British invasion, this was the last one I scratched from my list.
V.O.L- Vigilantes of Love- I don’t even know why I want this one specifically, but sometimes Bill and the Vigilantes just suit the mood.
We All Gonna Face the Rising Sun- Michael Roe ‘Cause I haven’t had time to fully digest it and I love it anyway.
Wide Eyed Wonder- the choir This one would make me cry and I couldn’t work on my own personal survival. I just can’t take it. “Listen to how fast my little girl’s heart beats” Plus its got a bunch of weird wonderful sad songs. That puts it at the top of any of my lists.
Zoom Daddy- Swirling Eddies Simply for “The Twist” But it might be fun to put “Some Friendly Advice” to the test.

I must admit that there are lots of other songs I’d really miss, but mostly for the lyrics and you can always sing them yourself, especially if no one else is around. Is that you, Friday?

Desert Island "Albums"

2010-05-17T23:39:00.000-04:00

Obviously choosing 15 albums out of the hundreds of thousands produced is pretty daunting. I’ve decided to go simply with ones we own, since I know these cds pretty well and even though I’d like to add albums by the Beach Boys or Beatles or maybe Pete Seger or Blind Willie Johnson or Ray Charles to the list or maybe something by Beethoven or Mozart. I don’t know truly know anything about a full album of them to add them to the list. Songs yes, albums no. If I don’t know what I’m missing it means I can leave them off the list.
When it came down to it, I had to decide which album would I not want to never hear again. This was very difficult. On our iTunes list we have over 4000 songs, 170 days plus worth of music. That’s a long list to narrow down. As soon as I publish this, there’s going to be 10 more I realize I’d rather have than some of these. Part of the fun of lists like these is in the second-guessing.
I wanted to make number 15 a burned disc of all the songs I wouldn’t be taking that I wanted to take, but that seemed like another post for another day.

Without further ado, here’s my list, alphabetical order.

Chagall Guevara
by Chagall Guevara

What an album. This one is so sad and raw and angry and hopeful all at once. What a great disc. Chagall Guevara was Steve Taylor, David Perkins, Lynn Nichols, Mike Mead and Wade Jaynes. A great lineup of players and too many personalities for one band. Apparently. They only recorded this one disc, but it remains a top of the list favourite for many people. This cd will sear your heart. If you will let it. Let the lyrics grip you.

Lyrical snippets from Chagall Guevara:
"Every other week on visiting day, I get tolerated by his new wife, I swear, if he ever really held me, They'd have to pry me off with the jaws of life" "My agenda was hidden well, Now I don't know where I left it" "All of us Neros fanning ourselves
Damp with the sweat of regret, Just killing time with our eyes to the skies, Waiting on science our savior" "Hey, don't I know you from some other life? You were wide-eyed and green, And a little bit taller, And you didn't look away, When spoken to"

Chase the Kangaroo-
by the choir ( no capitals is their fault, not mine)

I had to have something by the choir. Many of their fans find their earliest phase to be their favourite and this album is their fourth in the 6 album first phase. Its full of fantastic writing by Steve “Skinny” Hindalong and interesting sound combinations of keyboard, saxophone, lyricon, jangling guitars, musical bass and varied percussion. Over all this is Derri Daugherty’s shockingly sweet voice. The liner notes are worth the price of admission alone, for the lyrics, but also for the side bar comments explaining where some of the more obscure lyrics come from and glimpses into the recording process.

There are songs about love here. Songs of worship based on the Psalms. There are songs of life and spirituality and loss and the awesomeness of God. There are songs about the struggle to make art and balancing that with financial concerns. It also has one of my favourite songs, “Chase the Kangaroo” which has always been a mysterious, fun song because you know there’s a depth there that goes beyond the silly “Bugs Bunny dug to China, I guess I’ll go down under” line.

A bonus to taking this cd is that it also includes the CD Shades of Gray a 5 song ep released after their first cd, well, record/cassette back then. It has another of my favourite choir songs, “Fifteen Doors” since it reminds me of the only time I’ve seen the choir live back in 1990 in Toronto.

The first song is simply called “Consider” and that sets the tone for the whole disk. So much to think about and to mull over, still mulling over it 22 years later, well I guess I only heard it 20 years ago for the first time.

Lyrical snippets from Chase the Kangaroo:
“The cosmonauts were first in space/ to search for God and find no trace/ with a killer cloud of reason for rhyme/ the devil enlightens the children of time.”
Other standout songs include “So Far Away”, “Cain”, and “Sad Face”

Collective Soul
by Collective Soul

Collective Soul leapt to prominence with “Shine” from Hints, Allegations and Things Left Unsaid, well, I guess it came earlier than that, but got re-released on that CD. I’m only saying this so no one will post and try to correct me. Anyway.

“Shine”. It’s why I love Collective Soul. Not their song, though I do like it too. It’s what they do, as far as I can tell. Either they’ve got some clever gimmick going to draw a wider audience or they’ve got some very spiritual message to deliver. Shine is what they do. They’ve been signed to major labels throughout the years, got lots of play on regular radio and MTV/MuchMusic, and yet, hidden in front of your eyes, or there in your ears, is the message of love and hope and redemption and mercy and grace and God, that is nearly the whole Christian message. I say nearly, because they don’t refer to Jesus very often and certainly not very plainly. Yet, they shout, sometimes scream his acts, his heart to a world in despairing need of that message. I always remember someone telling me they first came to Christianity through the questions being asked by the Moody Blues back in the 70’s. Similarly, Collective Soul asks and sometimes answers the questions that we all need to ask.

I chose “Collective Soul” as a desert island disc because it has a few more songs on it that I love than any other, especially, “The World I Know” (please follow the link to see a music video of this song, this was the video that first got me listening to Collective Soul.)
I know that music snobs sometimes look down their noses at Collective Soul as being pretty much the same thing all the time and pretty straightforward musically, but I like it. Don’t know why really, but I’m not alone.

Lyrical snippets from Collective Soul
“Cleansing out your tarnished heart/ its simple”. “Confine me in walls of truth/cause love does what love should do/No more sentence all of my pain has been freed/ Why should this end when your mercy is all I need.” “She gathers rain/ To wash away all her guilt and pain/ she gathers rain/she gathers rain/To wash and cleanse and make her whole again.” “Resonate tones of saving grace/Separate from the gods of hate/Alleviate all our doubting ways.”

Essential Johnny Cash
by Johnny Cash

Who doesn’t like Johnny?
“Blistered”, “Busted”, “ Cisco Clifton’s Fillin’ Station”, “Daddy Sang Bass”,
“Dirty old Egg-Sucking Dog, “Don’t Take Your Guns to Town”, “I got Stripes”, “Jackson”, “Ring of Fire”, “The Legend of John Henry’s Hammer”, “The Rebel-Johnny Yuma”, Something for every minute of every day.

Furthermore: From the Stage and From the Studio
by Jars of Clay

Only one, no, two reasons why this one makes the list… “Love Song for a Savior”. My dear wife gave me this song before we were married, okay before we were engaged, okay, before I even knew I loved her to let me know where she was. I guess it helped me to confirm where I was. Makes us stop and listen every time it comes through the speakers.
Furthermore also has “Dig” on it, and though I prefer the original by the late great and much missed Gene Eugene, and his band Adam Again, I just appreciate that the Jars of Clay boys recorded it and let it reach a far broader audience than Adam Again had.

Lyrical snippets from Furthermore:
“Though the pain is an ocean/Tossing us around, around, around/ You have calmed greater waters/ Higher mountains have come down.” “The earth is hard, but the treasure is fine/ at the sea, I’ll wait on my knees”

Good Monsters
by Jars of Clay

I don’t know why I really like this album so well. Its hard to nail it down. Maybe it’s the combination of things, sum of the parts in this case adding up to something greater than something or other…
First its risky. There are lyrical things here that are risk taking. To make your first single have as its most memorable line “I’m just a dead man/lying on the carpet/Can’t find a heartbeat” is pretty risky. People seemed to get that one though since the song got lots of radio airplay. It also has the song “Oh My God” which could be taken in the wrong way through careless listening. There are risky musical things too. There’s a little more aggression here than on most Jars releases. Not that I know all their cds at this point. So maybe I’m wrong, it just comes across pretty bold.
Second its honest. There are so many good thoughts and honest self assessments, awareness of human frailty and our times. This is not really new or unique for Jars of Clay, but it’s a strong point in this recording.
Third, its gentle. This is a part of what makes Jars unique I think, that in the boldness and raw honesty, there is a gentleness available near the surface. See the stellar Julie Miller tune they cover for a good example, “All My Tears”.
Fourth, it’s the best Jars of Clay have ever sounded instrumentally, well, again, best from what I know of them. They’ve got so many good songs in their history, but so many of them sound so similar and wear out their welcome to me after a few listens. Not on this disc. These are really good songs, musically.
Fifth, we got to see them do lots of these songs live and so that adds a lot to the experience of listening to it on CD.

Lyrical snippets from Good Monsters:
“I have no fear of drowning/it’s the breathing that’s taking all the work”

Graceland
by Paul Simon

Well, what’s not to love about this cd? I added it to the list because it has so many great songs, You Can Call Me Al’s music video always brings a smile and just the reminder of it would be worth it to have along. Then again, the reality is, the longer you sit alone on a desert island the more isolated from the rest of the world you’d feel…listen to me, sounds like I have actually been stranded on a desert island before…is anyone actually reading this? Am I typing up my longest post ever only to have people skim through and read which discs are on my list and not reading my stirring prose?... skill testing question… 4 + 4 =___ post answer in comments and I’ll send you a bonus link!
Where was I?
Isolation brings forgetfulness and Graceland will bring back that I’m part of a far bigger world. What great music on this disc infused with South African musicians like those from Ladysmith Black Mombazo. Simon has a great time experimenting and making something new and old all at once.

Lyrical snippets from Graceland:
“These are the days of miracles and wonders, This is a long distance call, The way the camera follows us in slo-mo, The way we look to us all.” “Why am I soft in the middle, The rest of my life is so hard.” “He sees angels in the architecture, Spinning in infinity, And he says ‘Amen’ and ‘Hallelujah’.” “You sure are the burden of my generation, I sure do love you, But let’s get that straight.”

The Joshua Tree
by U2

Okay, so is it a cop out to take what is likely one of the best selling and best known albums of all time on a desert island with you? I thought so. But. I’m not taking any other U2 and this one is just plain great. I love singing with Bono, sometimes it makes me cry, or feel like it. You can’t sing some of their words with his voice and not weep for the world, yourself, and sometimes for the very joy of life.
Lyrical snippets from The Joshua Tree:
“You got to cry without weeping, Talk without speaking, Scream without raising your voice.”

The Master and the Musician
by Phil Keaggy

Phil Keaggy has said that, based on awards he’s won, people are trying to tell him to close his mouth and play. Its his guitar work that has won him a great following, that and his gentle lyrics and simple, everyman persona.

On The Master and the Musician, Keaggy offers his guitar as a gift to the Master. The songs are soft yet complex, a real Medieval sound. I’m not a real classical or instrumental fan. I don’t claim to know how to appreciate instrumental music that well. One song sounds great to me. Two are great. A whole album and they start to blend together. The Master and the Musician doesn’t do that, to me. Every song is unique. It can just be in the background or you can close your eyes and soak in it. A beautiful offering from a master musician to the Master Creator.

Mr. Buechner’s Dream
by Daniel Amos

Where to begin. The album title I suppose. It directs us to the idea of the album but also the content if you know anything of Frederick Buechner. Terry Taylor, the lyricist for Daniel Amos takes us on his interpretation of what some of Mr. Buechner’s dreams must be like. He writes creative songs based on several characters from the Bible most of the rest explore the mystery of God being everywhere around us, leaving “Fingerprints around us and on our lives.

I got through one paragraph without mentioning that there are two discs and 33 songs! Many bands wouldn’t be able to do that in 3 albums. Oh, and mine is signed, number 87 for anyone who cares and who maybe has this classic at home.
The music holds quite a Beatles/British invasion era feel to it, though recorded in 2001.
The only time I ever met Terry Taylor I told him that I was inspired by his lyric writing to read a lot of books I’d never paid any attention to before. That was about all I said. I often wondered after if that was insulting, that it wasn’t his writing or even the Spirit that inspired me, it was other people’s writing. Maybe I’ll get another chance at the end of the week when I see him with The Lost Dogs in Detroit! Let it suffice to say here that I’d like to print out all the lyrics here from this disc but leave you with this link so you can look them up yourself if you want, and leave you with these few:
Lyrical snippets from Mr. Buechner’s Dream:
“It’s a miracle we ever had faith, enough to have a laugh in that face” (Sarah’s perspective), “They’re unaware they moved a mountain with fumbled prayers and bloodied knees”, “Who’s softly slipping down the stairs? Is someone sitting in that empty chair? Who’s moving the air and brushing my hair with their fingertips?”, “My beautiful Martyr in your crown of thorns, in your robe of fire, in your gown of scorn, you’re so beautiful, my beautiful martyr.” “And there may not ever be anything here new to say, but I’m fond of finding words that say it in a different way.” “Some wounds will never mend says The Author of the Story.”

Motorcycle
by Daniel Amos

So, I’ve just gone on and on about Terry Scott Taylor’s lyric writing when alphabetically I have to go into it again? (And next is another disc written mostly by him also…) Well, I won’t except to point out the difference between Mr. Buechner’s and Motorcycle. Motorcycle was released in 1993. The album cover is four panels of a fantastic painting incorporating the songs into one floating island at the edge of the world, or at the “World’s End” It’s mostly about the time when time will be no more. There are a few lyrics about hypocritical Christians and personal guilt, along with a couple of fantastical songs about his son and daughter. Motorcycle is a more glitzy production than Mr. Buechner’s Dream so it comes out more layered, complex and fun. The music is again Beatles influenced but has lots of other sounds going on too, Flaming Lips, Beach Boys, Wilco, have all been mentioned as influences or favourites for Taylor. The combination of Spirit, flesh, imagination, wordsmithing, parables and bluntness make this an absolute joy to listen to.

Lyrical snippets from Motorcycle:
“Couldn’t face the wrong in myself, so I condemned somebody else”, “The lunatic fringe by the Quackery, Miracle Sludge from the factory, Come to trouble the water, Angels and otters, Psychosomatics cleaning their attics-they learn, Grace is the smell of rain”, “She gets her just desserts, ‘cause the sky is in the pie, she wants her cake, she eats that too as the meringue clouds roll by”, “The truth would set them free, but no one there can see, the greatest enemy is the exclusivity of Wise Acres”

Nazarene Crying Towel
by The Lost Dogs

The liner notes tell a sad funny story of Terry Taylor grandmother who lived her days full of joy and sadness. When guilt or burdens hit her she would go into loud crying out sessions waving a towel over her head, unburdening her soul to her Saviour. This obviously made a lasting impression on a young Taylor. Years brought him from fear of these outbursts to tolerance to quiet laughter, but its from the heart’s longing for resolution of our pain and guilt and sadness and longing that Nazarene Crying Towel is drawn.
Many of these songs read like Psalms, quoting from the liner notes they, “they speak of the peaks and valleys indigenous to the temporarily earthbound, spiritual landscape we occupy in Christ.”
My favourite song from this cd (and I believe my dear wife’s too?) is Crushing Hand. It summarizes the disc in my mind.
Thy will move me
Thy will use me
You lay your crushing hand
Your mighty hand on me gently
You know my name
Wound me
You know my frame
Heal me…
These are folk-spiritual songs for regular folk. The songs are quiet (give or take Cry Out Loud) and thoughtful and gentle and deep in their simplicity.

Lyrical snippets from Nazarene Crying Towel:
“Like Moses in the desert, I have a stuttering tongue, But my friends were blinded by another god , the Lord said tell them, They will hear you, you’re my chosen one”, “Can’t take the fire but I’ll take a spark, if You come down here we can chase that dark”, “If shame haunts you look to Jesus He will pardon your every sin, How He loves us”

Play
by Moby

One of these discs is not like the other. Moby’s Play is just great music and fun lyrics mixed with depth and sadness and a tip of the hat to gospel and blues songs of the first part of last century. Sampling has been done for quite a while now, but rarely as well or consistently from as far back in recorded music history as Moby does with Play. What a sentence that was… I hope it works! Techno blues gospel. Great mix. I love Honey, Why Does my Heart, South Side, Natural Blues, Run On.

Lyrical snippets from Play:
This album is all about the music, but the lyrics are pretty great in some places. The best snippets though are Moby’s random musings in the liner notes, which, though I don’t agree with some of what he has to say there, give pause.

Sticks and Stones
By The 77’s

I almost forgot about this one as I was making my list because I don’t have it on cd, only cassette, well I do have it on a burned cd somewhere, but it hasn’t made it onto iTunes yet. Thankfully, I remembered before it was too late (its currently Saturday afternoon as I type this, still time to make revisions).

I have to have something by The 77’s first off, and I’m sure going to miss not having their classic song, The Lust, The Flesh, The Eyes and the Pride of Life, but pound for pound, Sticks and Stones is my favourite by far.

When this was originally released it was a bunch of unreleased songs from their catalogue, songs that didn’t seem to fit any of their previous three releases. Album four turned out to be the 77’s at the top of their game. Mike Roe as a lyricist often comes across as a man dealing with love and regret. That is never more apparent so consistently as on Sticks and Stones. Standout songs include God Sends Quails, my personal favourite and Don’t This Way which many people say is the best 7’s song of all. The liner notes say Don’t This Way is the saddest song they’ve ever heard. They might just be right.

Lyrical snippets from Sticks and Stones:
“You failed, you picked the right time to fail, got your past behind you, got your future in front of you, one foot drags behind you, one foot tripping in front of you.” “You can’t have love without dreams and you’ve got to have some dreams this side of paradise”,

We Like to Have Christmas
by The Lost Dogs

Again, you can never have enough Christmas music and this one has a few classics around our house, including “Fruitcake” and "Little Babe in the Straw". Adding to the history of this album is that my dear wife and I saw The Lost Dogs at Christmas a couple of times and enjoyed their banter as a lead up to that season. Of all seasons of the year, The Lost Dogs are best suited to Christmas because of the wonder and depth they bring to their lyrics and it comes out well on this disc. That and good old-fashioned fun on some songs. Oh, my dear wife can listen to Derri Daugherty sing Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas over and over too.

Lyrical snippets from We Like to have Christmas:
“Here’s a song, here’s a sigh for the day after Christmas” “The wisemen aren’t so smart all they can do is hibernate and dream there in the dark of the countless trips to Bethlehem and one they’ll make again, but most time they’ll spend in boxes where the starlight can’t get in” “Little babe in the straw, save us all” “ oh what in the world’s that green thing there, is that some kind of gel, a ginsu knife can’t cut through that…like a chain letter from the devil hisself”

I guess there was no mistake after all.

2010-05-13T19:52:00.002-04:00

I thought God made a mistake. I was mistaken. See, I thought he was supposed to be looking after our family, making everything wonderful and blessed and fullfilled and joyful and well, I started thinking it was supposed to be the American Dream. I even forgot I wasn't American for a minute! Then I realized that that wasn't his job. Well, not completely. I forgot I was in a process of growth that began at birth and will end at sanctification, in heaven. I'm likely only half way through that process, though I may be 90% done, who knows, oh, yeah, other than God... I digress.

Then it happened.

I realized the truth. He loves me. He wants me to grow in faith. I have to go through trials to do that. If I don't go through stuff, I won't grow. I've begun to imagine Him watching me. Smiling as I fall off my bike, gently breaking the fall even. He smiles as I mispronounce my words. Laughs at the things I know to be true but are based on something I saw on a cartoon. Laughs again as I put my shirt on backward for the fourth time this week.

He's not laughing at me though.

He smiles because last year I only rode a tricycle. Two years ago I couldn't talk at all. Laughs because even though I don't remember my facts correctly, at least I'm remembering things and getting a chance to learn it for real. Last week, I put my shirt on backward 7 days in a row. I think I'm failing. He sees me grow. I don't see where I'm going, that there are motorcycles, speeches, books, tuxedo's all in the future. He does. And He smiles. And He lets me try again.

Desert Island Albums

2010-05-07T20:48:00.003-04:00

May 17th a growing group of bloggers will be posting their list of "Desert Island" albums, those they would take with them if they knew they'd be stranded on that proverbial deserted island. 15 in all, post as creatively as you'd like. Join the fun!

When words and actions don't line up

2010-05-05T07:26:00.001-04:00

We’re in a stupor.
We lose our passion. We stop thinking realistically, not in the moment at all. Then we stop thinking. Period. We don’t address our own spiritual desires and failures because we don’t address anything. We sit in the pew, the same one we sat in last week. The perfectly contoured rut in the padded seat is a fitting symbol of the rut in our spiritual life. We barely listen. We make brief mental assent to the thought provoking points but soon shut down our brains again.
Here’s an example. We say we believe in gravity, that we’ll die if we step off a high place and that we don’t want to die. Then we step off. Why? Are we lying? Insane?
We say we believe God’s Word is true. We say we don’t want to sin, that we love him enough to sacrifice for him. We say we expect consequences to be bad for us if we rebel against his word, but still we rebel. Why? Are we lying or insane? I think it’s neither. We’re disconnected from reality. We’re in a stupor. Which is bad enough but worse, we don’t know how to get it back.
Until Dad had a heart attack, I would say things like, “I need to eat better,” or, “I need to lose twenty pounds.” But, that was only lip-service, my way of saying, “Since I acknowledge the truth, I now am given a grace period to do nothing about it.” Saying it makes me think that other people now think I’m doing something about it.
Romans 11 says its unbelief that does it.
We don’t believe in -the power of God
-the Word as Truth
-our gifting
-spiritual life
-God’s existence
So, believe. It’s a mental process. But it also includes actions, actions speak louder than words, they back up what we say we believe. James tells us that over and over again.

David Adams Richards' "God is"

2010-04-24T17:38:00.005-04:00

Well as I mentioned a couple of posts ago, I've been looking forward to reading this book and I finally got to do just that.

Let me say this first because it must be said and I want to get it out of the way. I found the writing to be quite unclear and repetitive at times.

There, enough about that.

Otherwise, I think Richards did a great thing here. In a culture that is increasingly breaking down the barriers between audience and performer, Richards has let us into his life like a memoir focused on his spiritual life.

I thought his tactic of focusing on God's existence because we see that there are things wrong in the world to be an intriguing way of looking at things.

The first part of his book deals with how the academic elite he's had the opportunity, or more often challege, to deal with are as closed minded as the religion they condemn in their classrooms. (I kept thinking how ironic it was that I was introduced to David Adams Richards at the University of Ottawa). He made a very good point that refusing to talk about things does not make them go away.

He also talked a lot about violence. He really challenges us to think about how violent we are even though we don't actively participate. Mob mentality, violent speech, etc., are addressed in the book and I don't ever remember reading anything like it anywhere, even in more obviously spiritual books (anything from Zondervan or Tyndale, I mean.)

The main thing I get from the book is that Richards really is passionate about both his own spirituality and vitriolic against people's lack of respect for those who dare to have faith.

All in all, its a good background to Richards fiction, giving insight as to where he's coming from with some of his more complex characters he's written over the years but also a good addition to the "Is he or isn't he" debate that's going on in Canada over the past few years.

Help me find out who this is!

2010-04-03T20:09:00.005-04:00

This guys been at our feeder the last couple of days... any ideas anyone? Almost like a small cowbird!

God is There

2010-03-12T22:38:00.004-05:00

I'm eagerly anticipating reading a book by one of my favourite... make that my only favourite, Canadian author. David Adams Richards writes from north-eastern New Brunswick but writes about humanity. He has recently published a book called "God is". Simple but thought provoking and I've only read the front cover so far. I'm in the queue at the library and getting to the top of the list. Apparently there are more David Adams Richards fans out there than I knew. This is not a post about that book.

Its more about country music.

Yesterday I got some unexpected news affecting our future. Not bad, just unexpected. It got me wondering. I do that now and then. Wondering what was next, mostly.

Post-haste from that point to a free concert with Diamond Rio. We walked in a couple of minutes late, just in time to hear "Beautiful Mess" begin, and Sabrina and I both had to acknowledge that the song was written about our lives. From there they soon launched into a song reminding us that "God is there". Now sadly at this same time a woman right behind us collapsed and was taken out by a nurse in a wheelchair and the juxtaposition of that situation with the words of the song literally made me cry. I had to close my eyes and soak in the wonder of God. He was there when a woman faced a medical crisis and He was there as I faced the struggle of what next fall should look like. Through it all, God is. God is there. Don't forget it. I'm talking to me.

My Dad

2010-01-27T23:22:00.003-05:00

In honour of your upcoming bypass surgery, I thought I'd tell the whole world.

You're the best man I know.

I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas

2009-12-02T01:06:00.001-05:00

from the bottom of my heart.

May not get a chance to post here before then, but I do want to acknowledge the day.

Christ first in all things.

Oddibe Young-Again McDowell

2009-12-01T01:22:00.004-05:00

If you know Chris Berman you know he's got these great nicknames for athletes he throws into his sportscasts. One of my favourites has always been... Oddibe young-again Mcdowell. How he thinks of them, I don't know, but he's got lots.

Anyway, I thought of Oddibe Mcdowell and his nickname again this morning (Mcdowell's been retired for fifteen years now. We had the joy of watching our three children open their gifts and the pure joy over something like a pencil case, a colouring book, a.... brought wonder and joy back to my old calloused heart. I mean, knees to the chest leaping... those who know our kids probably know who would be that intense over something like, say, a wallet.

Anyway, here's to youth not being wasted on the young. And here's to us 'olds' who get to enjoy it!

Have a tremendous Christmas season everyone!

Human Conscience through the eyes of a dog.

2009-11-25T19:03:00.003-05:00

So, we got a dog. Some of you know this. This is not the point.

This dear pup, Gabi, likes to run free. So do I. No restraints would be ideal. Right? Can I get a witness? She always has come back so far. So have I. So far.

Usually she pulls her whole restraint system right out of the ground and makes a break for it. Often that means she's soon entangled by the nearby trees. Me too.

The other day though, I saw me in her for the first time. I let down my guard for just a second and she broke free. This does not mean take off in a straight line for the horizon, it means begin making ever larger arcs while sniffing every leaf, rock and stick. So in her first ten seconds of freedom she moved about twenty feet, not far. Now, this has happened before and so, I begin my ever-so-subtle trap. Crouch, smile, speak softly, "Here, Gabi." She immediately looks at me over her shoulder, or whatever you call that part of the dog...and now she has a choice and I see my reflection for the first time.

"Do I stay or do I go now?"

She goes.

And doesn't look back.

And there I am. I see what I have to do to avoid the sin I so easily fall into. When I catch the Father's eye, when I know that I'm about to step outside of his will, I must obey then, or I crush my conscience. I can't play, I simply won't look back.

Not only will I not, look back, I can't look back.

And that is guilt. Its needed, because it reminds me I have broken something and it needs immediate attention. Reminds me of the new Switchfoot song...lyrics below.

(Though I do wish there was mention of the word sin, not just sickness. The analogy is good, but its overplayed in Christianity to the point we forget its not illness, its a choice!)

Mess of Me

I am my own affliction
I am my own disease
There ain´t no drug that they could sell
Ah there ain´t no drugs to make me well

There ain´t no drug
It´s not enough
There ain´t no drug
The sickness is myself

- Chorus -
I made a mess of me I wanna get back the rest of me
I´ve made a mess of me I wanna spend the rest of my life alive
I´ve made a mess of me I wanna reverse this tragedy
I´ve made a mess of me I wanna spend the rest of my live alive
The rest of my life alive!

We lock our souls in cages
We hide inside our shells
It´s hard to free to the ones you love
Oh when you can´t forgive yourself
Yeah forgive yourself!

There ain´t no drug
There ain´t no drug
There ain´t no drug
The sickness is myself

- Chorus -
I made a mess of me I wanna get back the rest of me
I´ve made a mess of me I wanna spend the rest of my life alive
I´ve made a mess of me I wanna reverse this tragedy
I´ve made a mess of me I wanna spend the rest of my live alive
The rest of my life alive!

AHHHHHHOOOOO! Right

There ain´t no drug
There ain´t no drug
There ain´t no drug
No drugs to make me well
There ain´t no drug
It´s not enough
I´m breaking up
The sickness is myself
The sickness is myself

- Chorus -
I made a mess of me I wanna get back the rest of me
I´ve made a mess of me I wanna spend the rest of my life alive
I´ve made a mess of me I wanna reverse this tragedy
I´ve made a mess of me I wanna spend the rest of my live alive
The rest of my life alive!!

We will remember

2009-11-11T18:41:00.002-05:00

Today was another important celebration of Remembrance Day.

I couldn't help but come to grips today with the reality of a soldier's life. For the first time I told myself I'd be okay with one of our boys joining the army. I'm not going to tuck them into bed with dreams of army life, but I do see a bigger picture now than I have been able to before.

Every time the veterans parade by, I have to hold back the tears. People clap and say thank you to them as they pass by. There is real appreciation, everyone stops for that two minutes of silence, even small children seem to know.

And I wonder, wonder how I respect the one who I'm called to remember? Do I have to hold back the tears? Do I not understand? Why can we get a (too) small crowd to the cenotaph, but a scattered few to remember Jesus?

When we grow up, I'll be dead!

2009-10-24T00:16:00.002-04:00

1 Corinthians 2:6
However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.
1 Corinthians 14:20
Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature.
Philippians 3:15
Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.
Matthew 13:30
Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”
Ephesians 2:21
in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord,
Ephesians 4:15
but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ
Ephesians 4:16
from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
Colossians 2:19
and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.
2 Thessalonians 1:3
We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each others
2 Thessalonians 3:13
But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good.
1 Peter 2:2
as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,
2 Peter 1:5
But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,
2 Peter 3:18
but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

Trying to Write More

2009-10-20T00:16:00.003-04:00

I'm trying to write more, and I read this evening that when you want to write, write. If you don't have anything to say, write. You'll soon have something to say, the muse, as they say, will strike. Why I was reading about writing and not writing, well, its the story of many a life. We don't want to do, so we read about it... or watch Youtube. We pretend to be something, but its more dreaming that we are that, then the reality of who we are. Sad way to live. Life offers more to us than the option to read about living.

I've been thinking a little over the past few months, since I've left my comfortable job, of what I would do differently to end up in a different place today, well, same place but with a different job. But, I can't go back. I don't really want to. I need to have some joy in this time, this day, this moment! I can make plans for tomorrow, but not for yesterday. Why do we "what if" about the past? Because then we get to make up a life we don't have now, generate excuses for why we're not doing something (anything?)now. Its safer to fly if you keep at least one foot on the ground, right? Same for life. Grasp it firmly by the horns, as long as the horns are made of paper and don't have 2000 pounds of risk attached to the other end of them.

Get a life! Stop dreaming, the morning has come.

Life Lessons from For Whom the Bell Tolls

2009-10-18T14:40:00.002-04:00

So we watched a classic not on "our list" Saturday evening... For Whom the Bell Tolls. The movie is based on a Hemingway novel which gets its name from a John Donne poem... confused yet?

I couldn't help but follow the similarities between Gary Cooper's character, Robert Jordan, and Jesus. Jordan comes in from a foreign country (America of course!)to help a people not his own because it is something he believes in. A line from the movie hints at the reason, "A man will only fight for something he believes in". In Jesus situation he not only fought, he died, as did Robert Jordan.

Now, Gary Cooper's not Jesus, but as I've stated before, I believe we can find "the best" story hidden in all these other ones. Here's an earthy reminder to us of sacrifice and counting the cost.

Look what I got in the mail yesterday!

2009-10-11T01:00:00.000-04:00

Why did Nobel go this way?

2009-10-10T13:46:00.001-04:00

Some possible reasons why Barack Obama won the Nobel Prize:

a) Voting was done last December or January, it was a popularity thing.
b) Nobel was hoping to hear their name in the news and the easiest way to do that was to attach Obama to themselves.
c) Nobel Inc. hope that this makes Obama do something, feel guilty about doing almost nothing about peace.

Of course, I don’t really know what I’m talking about here, but, come on. Really, the Nobel Peace Prize means something doesn’t it? What could be a greater honour? Why would they feel they need to cheapen their award to give to someone who is more popular than busy? A bigger splash could be made by giving it to someone no one has ever heard of. Suddenly the Peace Prize means almost nothing, unless there is some major unheralded peace agreement that Obama has arranged. And there isn’t. Diplomacy is not something to award a prize for.

"The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009 is to be awarded to President Barack Obama for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples. The Committee has attached special importance to Obama's vision of and work for a world without nuclear weapons...”

Doesn’t diplomacy imply talk, not action- kind of like a blog, except with people actually listening? Mr. President has had the opportunity for lots of talk, where are the results? I don’t knock him, he’s a made for tv politician. Rhetoric and charm. I just figured that Nobel prizes were outside the bounds of public opinion and trying to win favour.

The View From Here... sorry TVO

2009-10-03T08:19:00.010-04:00

Here's the view we had on our recent baseball tour.

Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park:

Our first time to Nationals' Park, Washington DC:

Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore

Back to Washington... back row of the upper deck!

And finally, CitiField in New York City

A few thoughts that are cluttering my mind

2009-08-13T00:15:00.002-04:00

Just going to type some random musings..,

Is our Canadian health care system broken? Do the elderly get pushed out? Do we lose out on treatment options? I don't really think so, but that's because it doesn't seem to affect me and I'm ignorant of what other options are out there. Our system is being bad-mouthed many places on the internet, especially by Americans opposed to their system going public. Is it that bad?

Is it okay to tell people we're upset with things? Online people sure feel free to vent, but why do we tend to hold back face to face, why not say, "Hey, that is upsetting"? Are negative people bad?

Does the television make me less inteligent? What would happen if I didn't know everything I think I want to know about Hermes handbags? About who makes how much or who's off to prison? Don't I now have enough knowledge to take the edge off my naivete? Wouldn't it be safe to take the training wheels off the bike, turn off the tv and start applying what I know?

And how does that apply to Church? Do we get too wrapped up in doing church and not get wrapped up enough in being The Church?

Notes from the Top of the Ladder

2009-08-02T14:39:00.002-04:00

-There is no pink ceiling.

-There is no glass ceiling.

-Paint doesn't fall straight down, it heads straight for that little wrinkle in the drop cloth.

-You always put the ladder away, or wash the brush just before you'll discover you need it again.

When do summer holidays start?

Song for the Day after Father's Day

2009-06-21T16:59:00.002-04:00

The Rub Of Love
Chagal Guevara

Dad said he wanted a boy

Held me like a bundle of joy

These days, don't even smile

Like I'm cramping his style

Son, it's not true

Of course I love you

But the pressure keeps building again

Dad's gone AWOL

Absent without leave, and

The rub of love

Dad's not talking at all

Everything's making him mad

Used to come running to him

Now I'm learning to crawl

Son, get used to the cold

You'll soon have to face it alone

Please stop holding my hand

You're getting too old

Heard him last night

Say, "The boy's all right

But the father thing still doesn't fit

Gotta get away for awhile

Gotta find out who I am"

The rub of love

What was that vow you made?

What about the girl you wed?

Worked double shifts to keep us fed

Dad says he sorted it out

Got himself a better career

Had himself a new baby boy

Another bundle of joy

Every other week, on visiting day

I get tolerated by his new wife

I swear if you ever really held me

They'd have to pry me off with the jaws of life

The rub of love

What was that vow you made?

Was that too much to bear?

Dad, do you really even care?

That isn't love

Stepping through

2009-06-19T23:47:00.002-04:00

Well... its been another typically busy June, as anyone who has checked back here regularly likely can guess.

Too many things to clog up the internet with... but... report cards are now done. Graduation is four days away. Last week of gainful employment is upon me and, well, I feel fine! Just thought some of you may want to know that we made it through another June, semi-unscathed. I think we're getting good at it, must be time to quit!

Waterboarding for beginners...

2009-05-26T13:15:00.003-04:00

The following is a quote from several members of America's legal "elite", to the Attorney General of the US.

"Waterboarding is torture. It causes severe physical suffering in the form of reflexive choking, gagging, and the feeling of suffocation. It may cause severe pain in some cases. If uninterrupted, waterboarding will cause death by suffocation. It is also foreseeable that waterboarding, by producing an experience of drowning, will cause severe mental pain and suffering. The technique is a form of mock execution by suffocation with water. The process incapacitates the victim from drawing breath, and causes panic, distress, and terror of imminent death. Many victims of waterboarding suffer prolonged mental harm for years and even decades afterward.

Waterboarding, when used against people captured in the context of war, may also amount to a war crime as defined under the federal war crimes statute 18 U.S.C. § 2441, which criminalizes grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions (in international armed conflicts), and violations of Article 3 common to the four Geneva Conventions (in non-international armed conflicts). Waterboarding is also an assault, and thus violates the federal assault statute, 18 U.S.C. § 113, when it occurs in the “special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States,” a jurisdictional area which includes government installations overseas. In cases involving the U.S. armed forces, waterboarding also amounts to assault, and cruelty and maltreatment under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

Under the laws of the land, U.S. personnel who order or take part in waterboading are committing criminal acts—torture, assault, and war crimes—which are punishable as felony offenses. The Department of Justice should clarify this to all U.S. personnel, and prosecute violations of the law.

We have no doubt that if a captured American were subjected to waterboarding, the U.S. government would condemn this as torture and demand or seek prosecution.

We also urge you to clarify the legality of other abusive interrogation techniques, such as subjection to extreme temperatures, forced standing, binding in stress positions, and severe sleep deprivation. These techniques, like waterboarding, cause physical and mental suffering and are illegal under domestic and international law. At minimum, these techniques amount to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment, categorically prohibited under the 2006 Defense Authorization Act; and they violate U.S. obligations under international human rights and humanitarian laws, including the Convention Against Torture and the Geneva Conventions. Depending on how they are used, these and other abusive techniques can amount to torture, potentially prosecutable under the U.S. torture and war crimes statutes. The U.S. State Department has condemned numerous other countries for utilizing these techniques, in many cases stating that the techniques amount to torture.

As the Attorney General, you have the responsibility to speak clearly on matters of the legal standards for detention and interrogation of prisoners, and as the executive branch's chief legal officer, you are obliged to enforce U.S. laws.

Moreover, you owe it to U.S. military and security personnel, including those who authorize and conduct interrogations, to specify accurately that the techniques described above are not legal. This is vitally important because personnel who rely on advice to the contrary place themselves in legal peril.

We sincerely hope that you will uphold the legal standards discussed above, and make efforts to articulate them clearly and publicly.
Signed,
Richard Abel, UCLA School of Law
Bruce Ackerman, Yale University
Catherine Adcock Admay, Duke University
Madelaine Adelman, Arizona State University
Jose E. Alvarez, Columbia Law School (former attorney-adviser, Department of State)
Paul Amar, University of California-Santa Barbara
Fran Ansley, University of Tennessee College of Law
Michael Avery, Suffolk Law School
Amy Bartholomew, Carleton University
Katherine Beckett, University of Washington
George Bisharat, Hastings College of the Law
Christopher L. Blakesley, William S. Boyd School of Law (UNLV)
Gary Blasi, Professor of Law, UCLA School of Law
John Charles Boger, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
David Bowker, adjunct, Cardozo Law School (former attorney-adviser, Department of State)Alice C. Briggs, Franklin Pierce Law Center
John Brigham, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Peter Brooks, University of Virginia
Rosa Brooks, University of Virginia
William T. Burke, University of Washington School of Law
William Burke-White, University of Pennsylvania School of Law
Kitty Calavita, University of California-Irvine
Henry (Chip) Carey, Georgia State University
Anupam Chander, University of California-Davis
Oscar G. Chase, New York University Law School
Kathleen Clark, Washington University
Cornell W. Clayton, Washington State University
Marjorie Cohn, Thomas Jefferson School of Law
David Cole, Georgetown University Law Center
John Comaroff, University of Chicago
Michael Comiskey, Pennsylvania State University
Marianne Constable, University of California- Berkeley
Don Crowley, University of Idaho
Scott Cummings, UCLA School of Law
Eve Darian-Smith, University of Massachusetts-Amherst
Benjamin Davis, University of Toledo College of Law
Stephen F. Diamond, Santa Clara University School of Law
Hilal Elver, University of California-Santa Barbara
Richard Falk, Princeton University and University of California-Santa Barbara
Thomas G. Field, Jr. Franklin Pierce Law Center
Gregory H. Fox, Wayne State University Law School
Lawrence M. Friedman, Stanford University
Michael Froomkin, University of Miami School of Law
David R. Ginsburg, UCLA School of Law
Angelina Snodgrass Godoy, University of Washington
Leslie F.Goldstein, University of Delaware
Kenneth W. Graham, Jr., UCLA Law School
David Greenberg, New York University
Lisa Hajjar, University of California-Santa Barbara
Joel F. Handler, UCLA School of Law
Hendrik Hartog, Princeton University
Lynne Henderson, University of Nevada-Las Vegas
William O. Hennessey, Franklin Pierce Law Center
Richard A. Hesse, Franklin Pierce Law Center
Elisabeth Hilbink, University of Minnesota
Jennifer L. Hochschild, Harvard University
Scott Horton, Adjunct, Columbia Law School
Derek Jinks, University of Texas School of Law
Jerry Kang, UCLA School of Law
Lisa A. Kelly, University of Washington School of Law
Heinz Klug, University of Wisconsin
Itzchak E. Kornfeld, Drexel University
Ariana R. Levinson, UCLA School of Law
Sanford Levinson, University of Texas Law School
Robert Justin Lipkin, Widener University School of Law
Lynn M. LoPucki, UCLA School of Law
David Luban, Georgetown University Law Center
Deborah Maranville, University of Washington School of Law
Ann Elizabeth Mayer, University of Pennsylvania
Jamie Mayerfeld, University of Washington
Joel Migdal, University of Washington
Martha Minow, Harvard Law School
William W. Monning, Monterrey College of Law
Kathleen M. Moore, University of California-Santa Barbara
Forrest S. Mosten, UCLA School of Law
Ken Mott, Gettysburg College
Stephen R. Munzer, UCLA School of Law
Jyoti Nanda, UCLA School of Law
Smita Narula, New York University School of Law
Julie Novkov, University of Oregon
Frances Olsen, UCLA School of Law
John Orcutt, Franklin Pierce Law Center
Arzoo Osanloo, University of Washington
Jordan J. Paust, University of Houston
William P. Quigley, Loyola University, New Orleans
Christopher J. Peters, Wayne State University Law School
Judith Resnik, Yale Law School
Sandra L. Rierson, Thomas Jefferson School of Law
Brad R. Roth, Wayne State University
Gary Rowe, UCLA School of Law
Austin Sarat, Amherst College
Margaret L. Satterthwaite, New York University School of Law
Stuart A. Scheingold, University of Washington
Kim Lane Scheppele, Woodrow Wilson School and Princeton University
Benjamin N. Schiff, Oberlin College
David Schultz, Hamline University
Robert A. Sedler, Wayne State University
Barry Shanks, Franklin Pierce Law Center
Anne-Marie Slaughter, Dean, Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University
Charles Anthony Smith, University of Miami
Eunice Son, UCLA School of Law
Susan Sterett, University of Denver
Jacqueline Stevens, University of California-Santa Barbara
Katherine Stone, UCLA School of Law
Steven Tauber, University of South Florida
Samuel. C. Thompson, Jr, UCLA School of Law
Beth Van Schaack, Santa Clara University School of Law
Andrew Strauss, Widener University School of Law
Stephen I. Vladeck, University of Miami School of Law
Richard Weisberg, Cardozo Law School
Deborah M. Weissman, University of North Carolina School of Law
Burns H. Weston, University of Iowa and Vermont Law School
Adam Winkler, UCLA School of LawMaryann Zavez, Vermont Law School
Richard O. Zerbe Jr., University of Washington

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/08/AR2007110802150.html

http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2005/11/20/cia-whitewashing-torture

On May 22, 2009, conservative radio talk show host Erich "Mancow" Muller subjected himself to waterboarding to prove that it is not torture. Mancow was able to endure the technique for six seconds, a few moments after which he declared, "It is way worse than I thought it would be, and that's no joke." Mancow likened it to a time when he nearly drowned as a child and had to be revived. Mancow said, "It is such an odd feeling to have water poured down your nose with your head back...It was instantaneous...and I don't want to say this: absolutely torture."

Anyone tell me why the end justifies the means? Does stopping someone from killing others mean we can stoop to similar levels?

Dinosaurs, Part 2

2009-05-25T08:43:00.002-04:00

Well, apparently I'm more of a dinosaur than I thought. I posted somewhere else that supporting torture was "idiotic". Apparently that is not a good idea, and, apparently there are lots of people who believe there are good reasons for supporting torture. I can barely fathom coming to that conclusion, but I won't make the mistake of saying its idiotic to do so again! I just might be way behind the times!

Dinosaurs become extinct?

2009-05-19T08:30:00.000-04:00

For the first time that I can recall, I felt like a dinosaur yesterday. I bought plastic bags at the grocery store. And I felt so pathetic.

Poor dinosaur guy, doesn't even know that plastic has gone the way of the pterodactyl. No wonder he's lost most of his hair, he uses plastic. That guy doesn't care about children, he uses plastic. Plastic is for evil people, should I call the police on him? People who use plastic should be shipped to an island in the arctic. Burn him!

Those last few lines were what was in my own head. No one actually said anything. It was just that they all looked at me so pathetically. I felt like a moron.

Okay, I made that part up too, but I still felt like times were passing me by. When you can't go prepared to the grocery store, can you do anything else productive?

I admit it, I'm a dinosaur! I'm trying to deal with it.

How to get things done in a democracy

2009-05-15T08:28:00.001-04:00

Apparently some are under the misguided idea that to get things done in a democracy you just block traffic, make people mad, get some media attention and suddenly the province or country are supposed to drop everything and deal with your issue. It doesn't matter whether people sympathize or not, there is no such thing as bad publicity.

Wrong.

Start a facebook group.

That's how you get things done in a democracy.

Can We Fix it?

2009-04-29T14:26:00.005-04:00

It has been said before, but it bears repeating. I wish I'd said the following, but I'm glad someone did.

The last line makes the rest worth the trip.

God Sends Quails
The 77's
(from the album Sticks and Stones)

You fail
You try half-hearted and fail
One foot drags behind you
One foot tripping in front of you

You fail
You spit out manna,
God sends quails
Dry bones pile up behind you
More wet mirages in front of you

You can't go back
You can't go back

You failed
You sunk like Jonah to the whale
Big mouths follow behind you
Still small voice swallowed by you

You failed
You picked the right time to fail
Got your past behind you
Got your future in front of you

You can't go back
You can go on

The Thick Grey Line

2009-04-24T08:41:00.006-04:00

or,

why does my box only have one colour?

See the box? It says "Bright and Vivid Colors".

Why is the only colour in my box grey then?
The world is in colour, but I only get to colour with one...

Fear Only You
from the album "Shades of Grey"
Youth Choir... (aka the choir)

I dream in living color
But I see in shades of gray
At the dawn of understanding
Praying for the full of day
And when the San Onofre sun goes down
On concrete power domes
I may shudder for a moment
But this world is not my home

I'm not afraid of the thunder in the sky
All I fear is the lightning in Your eyes
For I love only You
And I fear only You

When the reverend waves his sword and cries
"Go save the golden dream"
From the terrace of his mansion
He won't hear the children scream
No, I won't fight the war he wages
Flesh and blood won't conquer me
But the demons know my enemy
Is my idolatry

I'm not afraid of the thunder in the sky
All I fear is the lightning in Your eyes
I'm not afraid of the rulers in this land
All I fear is the power in Your hand
For I love only You
And I fear only You
For I love only You
And I fear only You

You gotta have Faith

2009-04-21T09:45:00.004-04:00

So if its right when things are going well, if I know it is right when all is sunny and bright, or even when I can plan a bright future, doesn't that mean I have to believe it is still right when the end seems less certain?

I've been really challenged by my own fickle faith. I can see how God can get something done, so I allow Him to work by making choices for Him. Then, when things look darker, when I don't know how He's going to do it, I at very least begin to doubt.

I've thought a little lately about the verse that says, "Don't worry about tomorrow, each day has enough trouble of its own." When I live and react and trust, I'm dealing with today's trouble. When I worry, I'm taking on tomorrow's and therefore throwing away today's opportunities and responsibilities, adding things to this day that I just I don't need, things I can do nothing about!

Anyway, the word of the day, of every day, is now, not hope, but FAITH

I'm sorry, Hillary!

2009-04-19T10:57:00.002-04:00

You know how it goes.

You're so smart.

After all, you're 16 or 22, or 37 (or maybe even older, I'll get back to you in a few years...).

Then, years later, you find yourself saying things you never thought would come out of your mouth, and here I go again.

I'm sorry Hillary Clinton.

I'm not doing research to go back and get Ms. Clinton's quote in context, but quite frankly, when she came out with "It takes a village to raise a child", ten years ago or more, I took great umbrage. After all, it took parents to raise a child. I assumed she meant, "give us your kid, we'll give you back a humanistic clone in a few short years." And maybe she did. But... she was right, it does take a village. It takes a whole lot of people all making mistakes in unison to help any of us to raise our kids into anything you might call civilized. It might be teachers, it might be neighbours, relatives or friends, but it also takes in a more general way, a culture, the neighbourhood, "the village".

We're reading a book right now at school called "I Heard the Owl Call My Name." Margaret Craven, in case you're wondering. Its a wonderful, quiet little book. Not typical adolescent fare, but a great life book. I read it years ago and it remains with me as a favourite. Anyway, one thoughtful section talks about "everything is the village." The mountain, the people, the language, the salmon, everything. Aren't we all products of that village? The more we grow up, a process we are all involved in, the more we see that we are made up mostly of parents/genetics, but partly heritage, partly cultural, partly friends, partly randomly interactions. Likely others, but my main point is not to list ingredients, but to see the bigger picture that we need a village of goodness to make us and now, more urgently, for our children.

Help out, or get out of town!

Man Bites Snake

2009-04-17T13:13:00.003-04:00

Please, know that this re-post in no way endorses animal cruelty, it also does not not endorse not allowing yourself to not be not eaten by a giant scavenging snake.

NAIROBI (Reuters) - A Kenyan man bit a python who wrapped him in its coils and hauled him up a tree in a struggle that lasted hours, local media said Wednesday.

Farm manager Ben Nyaumbe was working at the weekend when the serpent, apparently hunting for livestock, struck in the Malindi area of Kenya's Indian Ocean coast.
"I stepped on a spongy thing on the ground and suddenly my leg was entangled with the body of a huge python," he told the Daily Nation newspaper.
When the snake coiled itself round his upper body, Nyaumbe resorted to desperate measures: "I had to bite it."
The python dragged him up a tree, but when it eased its grip, Nyaumbe said he was able to take a mobile phone out of his pocket and phone for help.
When his supervisor came with a policeman, Nyaumbe smothered the snake's head with his shirt, while the rescuers tied it with a rope and pulled.
"We both came down, landing with a thud," said Nyaumbe, who survived with damaged lips and bruising.
The snake escaped from the three sacks it was bundled into.
(Writing by Andrew Cawthorne; Editing by Jack Kimball)

No offense...

2009-04-09T13:58:00.002-04:00

...to everyone from 1971-2004 in my life, but today marks the fifth anniversary of the best part of my life.

I love you.

"God's not Dead, and Neither are We"

2009-04-08T12:29:00.006-04:00

This post will not interest 90 percent of you. You can stop reading. For the very few of you who are interested in the history of Christian alternative music say 70s-early 90s, this post is for you.

You may have noticed Jerry Wilson's name on the right side of my blog, let your eye wander over to the right and down a bit and you'll see.... yeah, there. Anyway, Jerry's a good guy who writes an interesting, sometimes funny, always thoughtful, right-wingish blog about various issues, usually political, but other things too. At the same time, he's been writing a book for a couple of years called "God's Not Dead and Neither Are We". It chronicles the histories of some of the alternative Christian artists some of us have grown to appreciate, people from, Undercover, the choir, Daniel Amos, Altar Boys, basically my old "record" collection. He's tried to unearth some of the vision, the hurt, the growth, the joys of their stories and some of you may be very interested to read this. You can buy it right here for only $15.99. Anyway, I look forward very much to reading this some day soon. If you do, consider this information. If you don't, why didn't you quit reading when I told you to?

Life Lessons from 12 Angry Men

2009-04-07T08:28:00.004-04:00

We finally got back to watching another movie on our list . This time with another Henry Fonda classic from the '50's, 12 Angry Men.

I found this movie to be really, well, I was going to say "smart". But I think it was more that they didn't play their viewers as "dumb". I really find it insulting when imagination and thought are taken out of art so that it is "dumbed-down" for those enjoying it. It is insulting in poetry, music, art, movies and tv... I don't know about dance, I don't understand that!

The only thing black and white in the movie was the celuloid it was first imprinted on. I found that its touching portrayal of human nature, of prejudice and of misconceptions was very modern. It touches on prejudice, justice, social pressure, selfishness, hatred, anger and meaning in life. How can it go wrong. The logic of the arguing and why the jury seems to be arguing out what you'd think would have been all determined in the courtroom doesn't really matter, what you're seeing is twelve interesting people (Fonda's character is the only one who doesn't really develop) all showing remarkable parts of humanity. You'll see yourself and others you have known. And hopefully, you'll think and not get angry.

Florida, or bust.

2009-03-13T07:59:00.005-04:00

Grapes of Wrath have nothing on us!

New Sight

2009-03-04T13:52:00.005-05:00

We were challenged to think about the miracles of Jesus involving sight. Specifically the two where Jesus makes clay and puts them on the eyes of the blind man.

I'm wondering about the one where the man only partially sees when Jesus heals him. That part has often bothered me because it kind of flies in the face of my main objection to "faith" healers. So often they blame partial healings or reoccurences on something else, lack of faith in the healed for instance, but here, Jesus doesn't fully heal the man in the first place. I hope I haven't been thinking that Jesus messed up... I wonder if that was my flawed thinking, without really thinking it through.

Anyway, upon looking up the actual story, I see that it is sandwiched between two other interesting parts of Jesus' life. Right before, Jesus is questioning why people don't see that Jesus is more than a meal ticket, noting that they are only after another "feeding of the 5000" experience. Immediately after, is Peter's confession that Jesus is "the Christ". Here is an example how people, given the same opportunities, can respond to Jesus in such different ways. One sees, the other only dimly.

John reminds us that Jesus' miracles are more than that, they are in fact "signs". They show us a little of who He is, of the kingdom, of His work. Is this not part of what Jesus brought? Light to some and a veil of secrecy to others?

While I'm posting on this subject. Can anyone tell me if people born blind are born without eyes(or part of their eyes)? I've heard that, but I thought, rather than look it up, I'd see if anyone else has that piece of information tucked away. For now. I'll look it up soon... I guess I just thought it was interesting that perhaps Jesus is replicating the creation of man by taking more dirt and re-forming eyes for these men.

As always, comments are appreciated :)

Holy The Firm

2009-03-03T21:10:00.003-05:00

Holy The Firm was a great book by Annie Dillard. I thought of it today though unrelated to the book or Ms Dillard.
I was thinking of our current state. The economy is quivering, some are losing work, many more are disheartened.
Politicians are selling out. I guess even they are worrying about losing their jobs in this climate.
It got really cold this week again. Really cold.
Its too busy. Everywhere.
Its too fake.
Its too plastic.
Its too much debt.
Its not enough credit.
Its who knows what to do?

Our governments can't save us. What does this new guy, what's his name, Obarack, what does he know? Warren Buffet can't save us. Bill Gates has left the building. Tiger Woods has gone back to golf, he must not be the messiah. Donald Trump doesn't have the cash. Bernard Getz is out shopping for new screwdrivers. The Wonder Pets only take calls from baby animals, not people acting like babies. Lawrence of Arabia (sorry to break it to you) is dead. Alexander the Great is crying in his tonic water. Nero is fiddling, and WE'RE BURNING HERE!

But The Holy, is firm. He isn't shaken by this. He is in control.

I was pondering little Jesus today. Jesus of the 3 or 4 year old variety. Imagine him, learning vowel sounds. Or jots and tittles. Imagine him trying to fasten his sandal correctly. Why doesn't he just do it? Why is he wasting his time "growing in wisdom and stature"? Why doesn't he just show up and settle the matter once and for all? I've already scarred my 2 and 4 year old enough in their short lives, that likely they're twitching in their sleep right now. Isn't Jesus worried about Joseph and Mary setting him off on some Himalayan search for purpose (only to find Rick Warren) through their sheer ineptitude? Isn't he afraid that a passing chariot will knock him over and derail the whole plan? Isn't he worried that people will recognize him as the Messiah and decide not to kill him? Isn't he afraid that as a little baby his mother will offer him an unwashed stone (quiet nod to Mom here) and end up with some fatal disease? How come he lets all these unknowns just happen to him? Why, he practically lets fate lead him around with a blindfold on...
God lets go of what He can. He's big enough that nothing gets out of control. He can drop all kinds of things we'd worry about and not even bat an eye. He has the end result. He is in this moment. The one that has you right now staring at the period. He is firm.

When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.

Free Coffee for a Year?

2009-03-03T08:09:00.002-05:00

Did you know you can win free coffee for a year? Forget the cars, laptops and cash... you can win free coffee for a year!

http://www.rolluptherimtowin.com/en/fun.php?showcontest

Tim Hortons... roll up the rim to win... shameless plug for a daily stop in life's journey.

Build a better mouse trap, PLEASE!

2009-02-25T11:40:00.003-05:00

The person who comes up with a way to eliminate report cards can instantly retire and become honourary head of every teachers' union in the world.
I'm not complainin'...
I'm just sayin'.

Blog-spionage

2009-02-20T09:36:00.003-05:00

I didn't feel right posting these pictures on my blog... as they are really my dearest husband's interests... So i did what any dear loving supportive wife would do.. I hacked into my husbands blog to post these picturesfor him:) !

Here we are walking the boardwalk on family day..aren't we cute!

Here are the real pictures! Owls!

We were driving home from karate, and we saw him sitting on the side of the road.
He was beautiful.
And Big!
Maybe my Ron will add what kind of owl it is when he reads this!

We lost

2009-02-19T14:32:00.003-05:00

and then people say, "we always win." Isn't it amazing how a one year winning streak makes us "always winners?" (Basketball I'm talking here, folks)

Thankfully, there were no 100-0 games, but the winning team sure was awesome!

Congratulations

Hope, Springs, Eternal, Part 2

2009-02-17T10:16:00.006-05:00

Siince "hope" is the word of the year, and since baseball is back for 2009, I thought it is only appropriate to appropriate (consider the witty word play) the two into one post today...

Last year I predicted better things for the Nationals. Sadly, though some of my "predictions" were right on, others, were way way off.
"Healthy Nick Johnson" is one of those lines like... "why did the chicken" now... meant to be a joke, but its going to be painful.
This year we have Adam Dunn, who I expect less from than he's delivered in the past, which is less homeruns, strikeouts, lower on base percentage and disappointment. Perhaps compared to the anticipation of getting Mark Texeira anybody else was going to be a let down.
Catching is still an issue, forget what I said last year...
The outfield only looks good when you compare it to the infield. It is only adequate.
Sadly the pitching last year was slightly adequate and the offense went south. This year, I expect the offense to improve, the pitching to disappear. What does that mean? I expect we'll win the division! Hope springs eternal, remember!?

On a very important note, we're heading to Florida this March, and we'll get to see some of the young talent at a spring training games between the Nats and the Orioles. Should be fun.

Juxtaposition, Part 2

2009-01-27T00:37:00.003-05:00

Here is another link...

There are some games in which cheering for the other side feels better than winning.
by Rick Reilly

They played the oddest game in high school football history last month down in Grapevine, Texas.

It was Grapevine Faith vs. Gainesville State School and everything about it was upside down. For instance, when Gainesville came out to take the field, the Faith fans made a 40-yard spirit line for them to run through.

Did you hear that? The other team's fans?

They even made a banner for players to crash through at the end. It said, "Go Tornadoes!" Which is also weird, because Faith is the Lions.

"I WOULDN'T EXPECT ANOTHER PARENT TO TELL SOMEBODY TO HIT THEIR KIDS. BUT THEY WANTED US TO!"

It was rivers running uphill and cats petting dogs. More than 200 Faith fans sat on the Gainesville side and kept cheering the Gainesville players on—by name.

"I never in my life thought I'd hear people cheering for us to hit their kids," recalls Gainesville's QB and middle linebacker, Isaiah. "I wouldn't expect another parent to tell somebody to hit their kids. But they wanted us to!"

And even though Faith walloped them 33-14, the Gainesville kids were so happy that after the game they gave head coach Mark Williams a sideline squirt-bottle shower like he'd just won state. Gotta be the first Gatorade bath in history for an 0-9 coach.

But then you saw the 12 uniformed officers escorting the 14 Gainesville players off the field and two and two started to make four. They lined the players up in groups of five—handcuffs ready in their back pockets—and marched them to the team bus. That's because Gainesville is a maximum-security correctional facility 75 miles north of Dallas. Every game it plays is on the road.

This all started when Faith's head coach, Kris Hogan, wanted to do something kind for the Gainesville team. Faith had never played Gainesville, but he already knew the score. After all, Faith was 7-2 going into the game, Gainesville 0-8 with 2 TDs all year. Faith has 70 kids, 11 coaches, the latest equipment and involved parents. Gainesville has a lot of kids with convictions for drugs, assault and robbery—many of whose families had disowned them—wearing seven-year-old shoulder pads and ancient helmets.

So Hogan had this idea. What if half of our fans—for one night only—cheered for the other team? He sent out an email asking the Faithful to do just that. "Here's the message I want you to send:" Hogan wrote. "You are just as valuable as any other person on planet Earth."

Some people were naturally confused. One Faith player walked into Hogan's office and asked, "Coach, why are we doing this?"

And Hogan said, "Imagine if you didn't have a home life. Imagine if everybody had pretty much given up on you. Now imagine what it would mean for hundreds of people to suddenly believe in you."

Next thing you know, the Gainesville Tornadoes were turning around on their bench to see something they never had before. Hundreds of fans. And actual cheerleaders!

"I thought maybe they were confused," said Alex, a Gainesville lineman (only first names are released by the prison). "They started yelling 'DEE-fense!' when their team had the ball. I said, 'What? Why they cheerin' for us?'"

It was a strange experience for boys who most people cross the street to avoid. "We can tell people are a little afraid of us when we come to the games," says Gerald, a lineman who will wind up doing more than three years. "You can see it in their eyes. They're lookin' at us like we're criminals. But these people, they were yellin' for us! By our names!"

Maybe it figures that Gainesville played better than it had all season, scoring the game's last two touchdowns. Of course, this might be because Hogan put his third-string nose guard at safety and his third-string cornerback at defensive end. Still.

After the game, both teams gathered in the middle of the field to pray and that's when Isaiah surprised everybody by asking to lead. "We had no idea what the kid was going to say," remembers Coach Hogan. But Isaiah said this: "Lord, I don't know how this happened, so I don't know how to say thank You, but I never would've known there was so many people in the world that cared about us."

And it was a good thing everybody's heads were bowed because they might've seen Hogan wiping away tears.

As the Tornadoes walked back to their bus under guard, they each were handed a bag for the ride home—a burger, some fries, a soda, some candy, a Bible and an encouraging letter from a Faith player.

The Gainesville coach saw Hogan, grabbed him hard by the shoulders and said, "You'll never know what your people did for these kids tonight. You'll never, ever know."

And as the bus pulled away, all the Gainesville players crammed to one side and pressed their hands to the window, staring at these people they'd never met before, watching their waves and smiles disappearing into the night.

Anyway, with the economy six feet under and Christmas running on about three and a half reindeer, it's nice to know that one of the best presents you can give is still absolutely free.

Hope.

Juxtaposition, Part 1

2009-01-27T00:31:00.002-05:00

Here's a link to the following story, but I'm putting it here too...
Juxtaposition implies at least two, I know, but the second will be tomorrow.
A Texas high school girls basketball team on the winning end of a 100-0 game has a case of blowout remorse.

Now officials from The Covenant School say they are trying to do the right thing by seeking a forfeit and apologizing for the margin of victory.

"It is shameful and an embarrassment that this happened," Kyle Queal, the head of the school, said in a statement, adding the forfeit was requested because "a victory without honor is a great loss."

The private Christian school defeated Dallas Academy last week. Covenant was up 59-0 at halftime.

A parent who attended the game told The Associated Press that Covenant continued to make 3-pointers -- even in the fourth quarter. She praised the Covenant players but said spectators and an assistant coach were cheering wildly as their team edged closer to 100 points.

"I think the bad judgment was in the full-court press and the 3-point shots," said Renee Peloza, whose daughter plays for Dallas Academy. "At some point, they should have backed off."

Dallas Academy coach Jeremy Civello told The Dallas Morning News that the game turned into a "layup drill," with the opposing team's guards waiting to steal the ball and drive to the basket. Covenant scored 12 points in the fourth quarter and "finally eased up when they got to 100 with about four minutes left," he said.

Dallas Academy has eight girls on its varsity team and about 20 girls in its high school. It is winless over the last four seasons. The academy boasts of its small class sizes and specializes in teaching students struggling with "learning differences," such as short attention spans or dyslexia.

There is no mercy rule in girls basketball that shortens the game or permits the clock to continue running when scores become lopsided. There is, however, "a golden rule" that should have applied in this contest, said Edd Burleson, the director of the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools. Both schools are members of this association, which oversees private school athletics in Texas.

"On a personal note, I told the coach of the losing team how much I admire their girls for continuing to compete against all odds," Burleson said. "They showed much more character than the coach that allowed that score to get out of hand. It's up to the coach to control the outcome."

In the statement on the Covenant Web site, Queal said the game "does not reflect a Christ-like and honorable approach to competition. We humbly apologize for our actions and seek the forgiveness of Dallas Academy, TAPPS and our community."

Covenant coach Micah Grimes did not immediately respond to a message left by The Associated Press on Thursday.

Queal said school officials met with Dallas Academy officials to apologize and praised "each member of the Dallas Academy Varsity Girls Basketball team for their strength, composure and fortitude in a game in which they clearly emerged the winner."

Civello said he appreciated the gesture and has accepted the apology "with no ill feelings."

At a shootaround Thursday, several Dallas Academy players said they were frustrated during the game but felt it was a learning opportunity. They also said they are excited about some of the attention they are receiving from the loss, including an invitation from Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban to see an NBA game from his suite.

"Even if you are losing, you might as well keep playing," said Shelby Hyatt, a freshman on the team. "Keep trying, and it's going to be OK."

Peloza said the coach and other parents praised the Dallas Academy girls afterward for limiting Covenant to 12 points in the fourth quarter. She added that neither her daughter nor her teammates seemed to dwell on the loss.

"Somewhere during that game they got caught up in the moment," Peloza said of the Covenant players, fans and coaches. "Our girls just moved on. That's the happy part of the story."

Lost, Season 5

2009-01-22T12:32:00.003-05:00

It began last night.
2 episodes
Because you Left
and
The Lie

It was worth the wait. I hope its also worth the anticipation. There are going to be huge moments this year.

My favourite moment to chew on from last night is that John Locke has to die to save the island and the people on it.

This and reasons like that are why I continue to be enthralled by Lost. The possibilities and reasons are endless but the redemption story is so strong all through the show that it makes my little brain spin. Call me what you will. I see a parable for our times. I see a glimpse into the heart of the true story, the one all other stories have their best fulfillment in.

A brighter day shines for all of us now!

2009-01-20T21:22:00.003-05:00

Its only the first day of Mr Obama's presidency, but already things are looking up.

The sun rose a few minutes earlier today!

Thank you Mr. Obama.

Hope, Springs, Eternal.

2009-01-20T10:22:00.005-05:00

I'm watching the hype leading up to Barack Obama's inauguration as I type this. The common person on the street can not help but feel hope. Things can't get worse. "This guy can't do worse than the last guy did". "He has a huge job ahead of him, but he can do it." "History in the Making" the CNN screen says. This is a hopeful statement in itself. Do they know that things will be better under Obama? No. Does everyone want it to be better though? Of course. "It's going to be overwhelming." Oprah Winfrey has already called him America's best President... that was before the inauguration even!

The tremendous timing of this, the day after Martin Luther King Jr. Day can't be overlooked. They reality of the animosity, the alienation, the sadness, the hope, the joy that lives in the hearts of many Americans, of all colours, can not be overlooked. In about 25 minutes, I'm going to play the inauguration for a group of 11-14 year olds, some of whom won't care. Some who will be curious. Some will be overwhelmed by the political speak, some by the celebrity. Some will not understand that this is about hope, about dreams, about history and the future.

There are a few times in your life that you have to remember. Many recall the assassination of JFK. Many more recall the horror of space shuttle tragedies or September 11th. Not too many have the hype ahead of time that this event has. How many million showed up in Washington this day? Why? Can the man live up to the hype? Not likely.

However, the immensity of our times, of the heart of the people around us is reflected in the human response, even worship, at this time. People need a saviour, a leader. Many facebook postings today called Mr. Obama something along the lines of "President of the World". We all need hope. Sometimes the hype shows our desperation.

Hope is the word of the year, as far as I can tell. Maybe the word of our lives?

Happy New Year

2009-01-01T12:58:00.002-05:00

May Peace, Joy and Love (of the Father) follow you through this year.

I hope you noticed it with you last year too, but that's another post.

Now that the bloom is off the poinsettia

2008-12-29T11:50:00.002-05:00

Song for the Day After Christmas
Terry S Taylor
Fa la la la Fa la la la
Here's a song, here's a gift for the day after Christmas
When the presents have been opened and your spirit has crashed
When all the colored lights are turned off and the yule log is an ember
and you've returned that crap to KMart and the tree is in the trash

You've got to hold on hold on to the season's inspiration
More than a sweet memory, more than yuletide cheer
He's the Son, He's the one, He's the wondrous incarnation
Makes each day a little holiday, makes holy each New Year
Fa la la la Fa la la la

Now the Christmas snow is melting and the mundane days they roll by
and the silent night's been silenced and the angel choir is gone
You'll still hear them singing if you will only listen
they sing every day it's Christmas, it's Christmas all year long

You've got to hold on hold on to the season's inspiration
More than a sweet memory, more than yuletide cheer
He's the Son, He's the one, He's the wondrous incarnation
Makes each day a little holiday, makes holy each New Year
Fa la la la Fa la la la

Baby Jesus is now boxed up and the wise men not so smart
All they can do is hibernate and dream there in the dark
of the countless trips to Bethlehem and one they'll make again
But most time they spend in boxes where the starlight can't get in

Here's a song, here's a gift for the day after Christmas
When the credit card's been maxed out and the bills are piling high
When the children are less grateful and the wife is tired and worried
Nat King Cole's worn out his welcome and you're fat on pumpkin pie

You've got to hold on hold on to the season's inspiration
More than a sweet memory, more than yuletide cheer
He's the Son, He's the one, He's the wondrous incarnation
Makes each day a little holiday, makes holy each New Year
Makes each day a little holiday, makes holy each New Year
Fa la la la Fa la la la

First Coming

2008-12-18T10:28:00.001-05:00

I;ve been following Charlie Lowell's (Jars of Clay)blog of Advent Poetry lately. I saw this one on there a few days ago and since I've always been intrigued with Madeleine L'Engle, and the words here are really great, I thought I'd pass it along to the few who are here.

First Coming
by Madeleine L’Engle

He did not wait till the world was ready,
till men and nations were at peace.
He came when the Heavens were unsteady,
and prisoners cried out for release.

He did not wait for the perfect time.
He came when the need was deep and great.
He dined with sinners in all their grime,
turned water into wine. He did not wait

till hearts were pure. In joy he came
to a tarnished world of sin and doubt.
To a world like ours, of anguished shame
he came, and his Light would not go out.

He came to a world which did not mesh,
to heal its tangles, shield its scorn.
In the mystery of the Word made Flesh
the Maker of the stars was born.

We cannot wait till the world is sane
to raise our songs with joyful voice,
for to share our grief, to touch our pain,
He came with Love: Rejoice! Rejoice!