Spreading a little cheer!

You know what really grinds my gears? (ha ha! a little Family Guy humour for everyone)
Officially my first rant on this blog, but it has merit.
I was talking with a friend today about how people can be rather rude to customer service people during the holidays. Here i'm talking about tellers, waiters and waitresses, gas station attendants, etc. You get the picture. People are so mean to customer service people.
IT MAKES ME SICK!
Who do people think they are, and where do they get off treating tellers etc. like crap?
Theses are the people that look down on the customer service people because of the job they hold.
The customer service personel get yelled at, and treated like dirt, when 9 times out of ten the things they are getting yelled at for are completely out of their own control.
Take for example the gas station attendant who gets yelled at because the price of gas is what it is. The attendant can't do anything about the price of gas, but they're the ones pumping it so they get dumped on.
These idiots, you know the ones i'm talking about, decide that because they had a bad day and spilled coffee on their tie, they have the right to treat another human being like absolute garbage.
I've had just about enough of these people. So here's what i propose.
It is generally quite easy to tell which of the customer service people you or i encounter have had a bad day. Even if you feel as though you think you should complain about something, instead try to encourage that person and make their day. You will feel a whole lot better, and you may have saved the day for that person. They work so hard, and still have to treat people nice because it's their job, when they are the ones that have a right to yell at the customer. Give them a high five or even a hug. Do something to show your support for their work and the effort they put forth.
It's all about spreading a little cheer, but not just during the holidays, do it all year round.

Christmas Holiday's

With the last youth event of the year having been held last night, i find myself, at least for the next two weeks, on a semi-holiday. Classes at Prov. don't start until January 11, but the youth program kicks in again by the 6th, so technically i only have two weeks off. Of course, once a semester is over, i take time to reflect a bit on what i've learned over the last few months. While i have the opportunity to take a course over the Christmas break, which i will, the work involved should not be that much, so i will plod through that. But that for most is just pointless rambling. What follows is a short list of some of the things i learned over the last few months, in no particular order:

1. The Jewish people are cool. I spent a few Shabbat (Saturday mornings) worshipping with them in one of the synagogues in Winnipeg. The first time i went i realized that what i thought growing up might have been wrong. I was always taught that anyone who is not a Christian needs to become one; they need to be converted. I don't think that anymore. Jews are God's chosen people, and he never breaks a promise, so the covenant he made with Abraham will be held up until the end-of-the-age, when he calls his people, the Jews, and his children, the Christians, into a life of eternity with him.
2. Romans 8 is probably the best portion of scripture in the Bible. Here's the problem. People read Romans 8 and it's good, but they don't read the chapters before that. What i suggest is that when you read Romans, read it all in one sitting, or at the very least two. Read chapters 1-8, then chapters 9-16. Chapters 1-7 talk a lot about the relationship between Jews and Gentiles, and how it doesn't matter what nationality you are, everyone should just get along with everyone. These chapters talk a lot about the law, and about sin. There is almost no reference to Jesus or the Holy Spirit (aside from 1 or 2 references of each). Then Paul writes chapter 8. Can you hear the Angelic Choir singing yet. This is a masterpiece of scripture that can only be followed with the word: Amen! It's stunning. Read Romans like i suggest and see if you can disagree. Chapters 9-16 deal with other relational issues between Jews and Gentiles, and Paul ends in chapter 16 with a long shout out to all the people that have helped him in his ministry up to that point (remember, Romans wasn't the first letter Paul wrote, just the longest, that's why it's at the beginning of his writings). This chapter is a reminder to us that Christianity is not a faith that we live out alone, but rather one of teamwork, togetherness, and community.
3. The third lesson i learnt this semester is that not all writing has to be "Christian" or theological in scope in order for it to be meaningful. I was subjected to some poetry and other writings spanning the last 300-400 years and there is a lot of value in understanding Christianity from these writings. Poets and writers were influenced a lot in their day by the ideas of Christianity floating around. A great example of this is the novel Robinson Crusoe. The author, Daniel Defoe, wrote a wonderful classic, but peppered all throughout are allusions to, and also outright influences of, Christianity. It makes someone think when Defoe writes so openly about slavery, even though today we frown upon such a concept. Remembering the colonial upbringing that Defoe was raised in, it is easy to see the influence of that in his writing of Crusoe. Read, enjoy, and see if your thinking is not challenged by these old writings.
4. Finally, I learned this semester how important it is to have all areas of life balanced spiritually in order to maintain a healthy Christian lifestyle. There is always an importance of reading scriptures and praying, or going to church and worshipping. But, at least in my upbringing, the use of rituals and liturgical readings and how they influence spiritual direction and formation was never stressed. Sure we take part in the Eucharist, and sometimes read The Apostle's Creed, or other such things, but why not more often, or why not different liturgical prayers etc. There are many aspects of Christian living that are not stressed enough (fasting, social justice concerns, mentoring, etc). Over recent years i have begun to see how these are all important aspects of Christian life, but this semester showed me one or two things i had never considered, and certainly clarified many things that i did not have enough information about.

All in all it was an awesome semester, and i look forward to going back again in the new year, to learn, to grow, to be stretched in my thinking. Until then, i'll just have to keep reading other books. First up: Gods and Guitars: Seeking the Sacred in Post 1960's Popular Music, by Michael J. Gilmour, one of my profs.

Braveheart!

Remember at the end of the movie Braveheart, where William Wallace is lying on the slab of wood and the dude is torturing him, he gets asked if he would like to say something. It is at this point that he musters up all the strength that he can and yells FREEDOM.

I feel like William Wallace today, because i finished my exams for the semester yesterday, and with a loud voice, at least for the next three weeks i can yell out loud,

FREEEEEEEEDOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!

Just thought i'd throw that out there, because i know there are others who feels a similar way.

Wonderful Weather!

For all those who thought the summer weather sucked...

Enjoy this beautiful weather while you can!

Just thought i'd throw that out there.

In Remembrance!

Well, it has been some time since i last posted. The coffee has been on the burner for a while and was starting to bake on to the pot, so i thought i should brew another pot. With school and the youth work this semester is going by so quick, with hardly any time to look after the coffee shop here.

As i have reflected over the last few months something has occurred to me: I love being a student! I know that sounds horrific for most people, but i truly do. I know that i would not have liked it if i had gone to school when i was younger, but i'm telling you, being a student is awesome. Especially now that i'm a second-year. Seeing all the first year students floundering like i did last year is hilarious, not to mention the panic attacks from everyone as their work piles up. I'm having a blast, and the courses i'm taking are great too, especially Judaic Studies. In my professional, personal opinion, I would say that everyone should have to go to a synagogue at some point in their life just to sit with Jews in their world for a little while. But that's just my opinion. Anyway, Christmas is fast approaching and there is still no snow on the ground. We had that scare a few weeks ago, but now that it's getting to the middle of November, it's time to start thinking about snow, and with that then Christmas. While i absolutely abhor snow, it never really does feel like Christmas without it, although i'm sure i could get used to it (think palm trees and sunny skies, plus 25 with a light breeze on Christmas morning).

But i'm getting ahead of myself. Besides Christmas, Easter, Pentecost, and D-Day, i don't generally celebrate other holidays on the Calendar Year (I know D-Day is not a holiday but it should be, and i celebrate it as such), Remembrance Day marks a special day on the calendar.

Think of the freedom you have, to walk down the street, to celebrate your heritage, to vote, to gather in churches and praise God wherever you go, all because of the sacrifice of brave soldiers who protect our nation. WWI, WWII, the Korean War, Vietnam War, Cold War, the War in Boznia, Desert Storm (remember the first G. Bush war?), and of course the war in Afghanistan right now. So much War, and our guys fight so we can continue to be free.

This post is for all the soldiers who have sacrificed so much for our freedom, those who have bled and died, and for their families who lost someone so dear to them. Thank-you.

Thank-you so very much.

In Remembrance!

More Brilliance

This wisdom comes from C.S. Lewis once again.

"All sorts of people are fond of repeating the Christian statement that 'God is love'. But they seem not to notice that the words 'God is love' have no real meaning unless God contains at least two Persons. Love is something that one person has for another person. If God was a single person, then before the world was made, he was not love. Of course, what these people mean when they say that God is love is often something quite different: they really mean 'Love is God'. They really mean that our feelings of love, however and wherever they arise, and whatever results they produce, are to be treated with great respect. Perhaps they are: but that is something quite different from what Christians mean by the statement 'God is love'. They believe that the living, dynamic activity of love has been going on in God forever and has created everything else." (Mere Christianity, 174-75)

I read this after a few interesting challenges that occurred over the last week. The first was reading a friend's comments on the will of God. He reminded us, "We should not be asking, 'What is God's will for my life?' Rather we should ask the question, 'What is God's will?'" The second challenge came during a short devo in which the leader challenged the group to remember that the H.S. (God) has called us each to our individual ministries, whatever they are. It is not the nominations committee or some other person from within the church that has called us, IT IS GOD that called us to our ministry.

Lewis has a wonderful observation about who God is. Three in One, Father, Son, Spirit. All Love. If you need a better understanding of God's love, meditate on the passage found in John 1:1, 3:16; 1 John 4:7-21.

Yep. That's my Bombers

I think the title says it all.

55-10 loss against the Sask. Roughriders.

I have no comment.

(Although to the Byggdin family, i say "Congratulations!")

The Brilliant Mind of C.S. Lewis

Ephesians 2:8 "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God"

James 2:14 "What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?"

In Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis has a few chapters that deal with Faith. The following is a short excerpt from the second of those two chapters.

"Christians have often disputed as to whether what leads the Christian home is good actions, or Faith in Christ. I have no right really to speak on such a difficult question, but it does seem to me like asking which blade in a pair of scissors is most necessary. A serious moral effort is the only thing that will bring you to the point where you throw up the sponge. Faith in Christ is the only thing to save you from despair at that point: and out of that Faith in Him good actions must inevitably come.

There are two parodies of the truth which different sets of Christians have, in the past, been accused by other Christians of beieving: perhaps they may make the truth clearer. One set were accused of saying, "Good actions are all that matters. The best good action is charity. The best kind of charity is giving money. The best thing to give money to is the church. So hand us over $10, 000 and we will see you through." The answer to that nonsense, of course, would be that good actions done for that motive, done with the idea that Heaven can be bought, would not be good actions at all, but only commercial speculations.

The other set were accused of saying, "Faith is all that matters. Consequently, if you have faith, it doesn't matter what you do. Sin away, my lad, and have a good time and Christ will see that it makes no difference in the end." The answer to that nonsense is that, if what you call your "faith" in Christ does not involve taking the slightest notice of what He says, then it is not Faith at all - not faith or trust in Him, but only intellectual acceptance of some theory about Him."

Philippians 2:12-13 "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure."

For a more thorough understanding of the basics of Christian faith might i suggest reading "Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis

Wisdom.

The pastor we currently have at church is old. 73. Don't tell me that's not old. It is. This morning the sermon was entitled "Moses: The Reluctant Prophet", and after the service, i (remember now that i'm 32) went up to him and told him that he had done a good job. I felt weird saying that to him, but at the same time, i know that he knows what i meant. I have learnt so much from him. The wisdom that he has, which he has past down, sometimes without even his knowing, is a remarkable thing to be a part of. Some people go their entire lives without a mentor like that to steer them in the right direction.

And so the reason for this post. 

As the school year looms, with only 1 day until classes start, i find myself questioning things that i have no control over, as well as things that i do have control over. 

I thoroughly enjoy school, and expect that until the day i see my Lord face to face i will continue to be involved in educating myself to some degree, and maybe passing some of that wisdom onto others. I only hope that God will grant me wisdom such as that of my pastor and mentor. 

The Awesome Afternoon Nap!

Today i helped a friend pour a 3000 square foot concrete basement. For anyone who's ever worked with concrete, you know it's a tough job. No i didn't help him with the finishing (which involves a lot more back breaking labour), but raking concrete and moving around the line pump all the time takes great effort. Not to mention the fact that we started at 6:00 a.m! Six! Who starts work at six in the morning? That meant getting up just after 4:00 so i had time to get ready and get to the job site.

Which brings me to the point of this post. I like afternoon naps. Especially after hard work like today. Not only do i like the naps, i like when my body tells me i need to sleep longer than i wanted to. Sure i set my alarm. Sure i hear the alarm. I acknowledge the alarm long enough to turn it off, roll over, and fall right back to sleep.

The Awesome Afternoon Nap. One of the little pleasures in life.

One thing Everyone should own...

I was asked the other day why it is young people are attending church less and less now-a-days. It appears as though the growing trend is that people who graduate, and those who move out of the 'rents place attend church less. The issue seems to be that these young adults, who have lived under their parents roof all their life, and have gone to church simply because their parents did, simply don't have the faith that their parents do. 

Let me explain. When i was younger, i went to church in large part because my parents wanted me to go. When i was about twelve i made the choice to go simply because i didn't want my parents mad at me, and it was easier going to church on Sunday morning than it was having a fight with them. When i was sixteen, something changed in my life. I chose to go to church because i wanted to. I enjoyed the messages, and it got to where i wasn't getting enough out of Sunday School and the sermon had more of an impact in my life. 

So what changed? I suppose the easiest way to say it was that i was no longer living out my parents' faith. Instead i had embraced faith as my own. I became a Christian when i was 4. I remember it clearly. But the Bible teaches that not my parents, or anyone else, can give an account for me in Heaven. And so i had to make that choice. I had to own up to my faith.

One of the greatest tragedies i see is that young people do not embrace faith as their own until after they leave their parents house. Why is it a tragedy? Because if someone does not own their faith before they leave the 'rents, they are quickly going to be swallowed up by the things of this world. Partying, drinking, drugs, going to bars all the time, and the list goes on. Once a young, impressionable person gets lured into this lifestyle, it can take years for them to see that it is not a rewarding life. Once they realize this, they often realize the faith that was their parents is now a faith that they must again get to know.

Another thing that can have this impact is a long trip away from home. If a university student travels overseas to work, perhaps to teach English or something, the same effect can happen. The person no longer has the comfort of home, or their home church, or their friends, or any of the other things that made church worth attending. Upon return from the overseas, the young adult can seem somewhat lost, drifting into church but no longer sure of what they believe.

I'm not saying that the faith of these young adults is not real. However, it may (and i stress the word may) be that their faith is only as strong as it is because they've always lived mom and dad's faith. It is a difficult challenge owning Christianity, but no person should have to live this life alone. We should all lift each other up in our faith, and support each other.

My prayer is that young people will own their faith sooner rather than later, preferably before they leave their parents' home. My other prayer is that, for those who have lost touch with their faith in God due to situations described above, that you would "recapture" your faith as quickly as possible.

A Cup of Decaf lite!!!

Don't you just love nature. This is God doing what he does best. 

Some people may say, "Stop and smell the roses", but that's hard to do when 

you have images like this to look at!

Nature at it's greatest!!

This is a wave in Antarctica that froze when it surfaced. It was so cold it froze in place.

The stripes are from pure water entering cracks in the ice. It is so cold the oxygen doesn't have time to enter the water before it freezes.

The different colors are from algae and sediment that has frozen onto a glacier as it breaks off and freezes as it hits the water.

Take a moment to enjoy your surroundings. They are just as beautiful as these.

Of Laws and Lessons...

One of the things that has been on my mind a lot lately is a subject that has been in the local news a lot. It appears that the Chief of Police in Winnipeg has decided that the police will be cracking down on more minor traffic offenses, while continuing to apprehend "more serious criminals". This has many locals upset, because who after all deserves a ticket for running a stop sign in a rural area? 

What surprises me is not that the police are now doing their jobs, and issuing tickets for traffic offenses, but rather, the public outcry surrounding this issue. People are upset because they are now going to be ticketed for breaking the law when they were not ticketed before. The local people in Winnipeg believe that the police should be cracking down on car thieves and gangs, and let the general public get away with breaking the law with traffic crimes. I don't speed. The government that i trust to set the rules to provide my safety has deemed that a certain speed is enough and so there is no reason for me to go above that. There are others that think that driving 10 km over the limit is still not speeding, when in fact they are breaking the law, just as a car thief, someone in a gang, or a person who sells drugs.

Allow me this illustration to make my point...

God gave us the 10 Commandments to live by, and while we look at "Thou shalt not murder" as a more serious crime, God sees it as equal to "Thou shalt not lie". Here's how it works.

The reason God gave us the 10 Commandments was not so that there would rules that we can't live up to. The reason God gave the commandments is (not was, as in the past tense, but is, as in the present, and still relevant today) because they describe the character of God in a way that we might not ever think. Here's my example...God did not give the commandment "Thou shalt not lie" because we are supposed to try to be honest in our everyday life. God gave us this commandment because it is a character that he possesses. God cannot lie, and because we are his children, and we have the Holy Spirit living in us, that is, his very being, it goes against everything that we are when we lie. And for those who will try to argue, that includes even the 'little white lies'.

So, getting back to things here, when the government sets a law that says the speed limit is 100 km, an individual driving 101 is breaking the law and should be therefore ticketed. I know if i was going 101 and got ticketed it would upset me, but i understand that i broke the law, and therefore must accept the consequences.

P.S. Thanks to all the law enforcement officials who work tirelessly enforcing all the laws. Your dedication and commitment to your job, and the fact that you put your lives in danger every shift so i can sleep a little more comfortable at night is greatly appreciated. I could never do what you do. Thank-you.

Summer!

One of the things i really like about this summer is that it is not so hot. I know people will not like me for posting this, but it's true. We've had below normal temps pretty much all summer, and i love it. My job requires working outside most of the time, and usually i'm doing some type of heavy lifting, or using a cutting torch, but the main area of work that i do is welding. When i'm welding, the temperature under the mask rises about 10 degrees (if not more), so if it's 20 degrees, i will experience 30 degree heat.

But here's the thing people don't want to hear...

One of the things that bothers me is hearing people complain about how the weather is so cold right now. No, it's not -40, but it's "supposed to be" hotter because it's summer. I like to ask the people that complain about how cold it is what they had for supper the night before. It usually throws them off because now they don't know where the conversation is going. Then i ask them if they slept in their own bed the night before. This usually clues them in to what i'm asking.

I have absolutely no reason to complain that the weather is 5 degrees colder than i would like, while millions and millions of people went to bed hungry last night, and just as many slept on a cold concrete slab somewhere. I have been blessed with friends and family, a job, a roof over my head and a bed to sleep on, and food. I cannot in good conscience complain because i had to put a sweater on for a few minutes in the morning while the sun started to warm up.

A Great Man of God!

This past few weeks has been both trying and rewarding.

I had the opportunity to speak during the Sunday service this past weekend. Some time ago I was asked if i would like to do the sermon, and this was the first service we completely changed things up. We had a potluck breakfast, followed by what some would call a different type of way of doing things. Our pastor, Sieg, has been doing a "Heroes of the Faith" series, and i was able to lead one of those services, doing a sermon on Stephen: The First Martyr of the Church.

One of the greatest testaments to our faith is Stephen, a man who is barely mentioned in scripture, but had a profound impact in the life of Saul/Paul, and who set the stage of what a Christian may end up being, which is a witness and a martyr. This story has captivated me from a young age. One of the best parts of what we know about Stephen is how he "schools" the religious leaders of his time. I don't generally use the term "school" except to illustrate how God reacts to Job's attitude in Job 41 & 42, and few other circumstances. Regardless, Stephen schools his accusers with authority, and pays the ultimate sacrifice, just as Jesus did.

What a great man of God. And one of the most intriguing parts is that he was doing "great signs and wonders" among the people. It was not just the apostles that were doing these signs, there were everyday people healing the sick, and tending to the needy. What degree of faith does it take to lay hands on someone to heal them? And what degree of faith does it take to be the person being healed? I want to be able to do that kind of thing. If you have the time, i suggest looking at the life of Stephen, on of the Great men of Faith.

On a note of concern: Another Great Man of Faith, Peter Loeppky, has been hospitalized as of late. He had surgery 2 1/2 weeks ago, but last Friday posed a few problems the doctors did not suspect would take place. Peter had a stroke last Friday, and at this point only God knows how fully he will recover. Our prayers are with you Pete. Be strong, and to his family, Frieda his wife, Paul his son, and wife Jenn and children, Paul and Melissa his daughter, and their children, Tammy his daughter, and his brothers and sisters, our prayers are with you and Pete. Remember, you are not alone, and God (and we) are there with you, and we'll get lost together, till the light comes pouring through. Cause when you feel like you're done, and the darkness has won, you're not lost. When your world is crashing down, and you cannot bear the thought, you're not lost. Galatians 6:2 says, "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ," (NKJV). And so to that end, we carry your burdens so you are able to deal with the situation you are facing with God's grace, and we ask for mercy on yours and Pete's, another great man of faith, on his behalf.

What is Love?

In an attempt to understand the great mystery that is Love, over the last week i have been studying and listening to certain teaching series. One area is an ongoing project dealing with the book of Revelation, one area is Walking in the Spirit, and the third is studying the Song of Solomon, or the Song of Songs, as some translations would have it.

There is a lot that i have studied that has "shaken" (if i can use the term) some of the things that i was taught growing up, and have believed for a great portion of my life. There are some things that i have believed for quite a while now, but with a fresh perspective.

Which brings me to the heart of this post. What does Walking in the Spirit have to do with the Song of Solomon? And perhaps more importantly, what do the two together have to do with understanding Revelation, and the end times?

What, you may ask, does this all have to do with Love? In a nutshell, God is love. Because of his love for us, he gave us the Spirit, that we might walk pleasing to him, and in fellowship with him. Understanding the Song of Solomon means understanding that Solomon was writing with God in mind as the King, and the church, or each and everyone Christian as the Bride. As the Bride, Christians must transform the thinking in their minds so that, just as a someone who is engaged to be married displays their love for their fiancee, we as the Bride of Christ are to display our love for him. But it doesn't stop there. We are called in scripture to pursue him, to seek after him, and to lay our crown of love at his feet, in ultimate surrender to his lordship over us. I probably don't need to go into detail about how this relates to Revelation and the end of this age, however, i encourage all to seek these areas out in their personal lives.

One final thought before i sign off. 

It seems as though most Christians are waiting for the return of Christ to Rapture the church and usher in the Tribulation.

If we as Christians stop to reflect for just a moment, maybe the issue is not that the church is waiting for Jesus return.

MAYBE JESUS IS WAITING FOR US TO CALL HIM BACK.

Not Just Me?

First, Is it just me, or does the end of the school year bring about a feeling of relief, and a reckless abandon to not wanting to do anything of any value?

Second, what has happened to me? I get excited about picking up new books, and just yesterday I grabbed another (yes, I said another) seven books from the theology profs that they didn't want anymore. I have so much to read over summer, it's crazy.

Momentary Light Affliction

This post is for anyone who is experiencing any affliction, whether emotional, spiritual, physical, or otherwise. My thoughts were directed to affliction because of a song by Justin Rizzo called Momentary Light Affliction. My prayers any sympathies go out to you. And if you think of someone dealing with affliction while reading this, remember them in your prayers as well.

Momentary Light Affliction--Justin Rizzo

I set my eyes on what I cannot see,

I set my eyes on the Eternal,

I set my eyes on what I cannot see,

I set my heart on the Eternal,

But You are my great reward,

Forever I will be with you, Yeah,

You are my great reward,

Forever I will be with you.

I know that,

This Momentary Light Affliction

Is working in me,

An Eternal weight of Glory, an Eternal weight of Glory,

I know that,

This Momentary Light Affliction

Is working in me,

An Eternal weight of Glory, an Eternal weight of Glory.

For You are God and You know what You want,

And You know how You'll get it the fastest way,

And You give and take away,

The only initiator of seasons of change.

For You are God and You know what You want,

And You know how You'll get it the fastest way,

With the least amount of pain,

But there will be pain,

It's guaranteed.

This Momentary Light Affliction

Is working in me,

An Eternal weight of Glory, an Eternal weight of Glory.

Know that God is working in you, for Eternal Glory. Set your face on Him, and gain strength in His love for you. Blessings.

Knowledge

What is Knowledge?

This week is reading week, and for those of you who know me, I am unable to sit around and do nothing or go on some sort of vacation, when the opportunity arises to ensure that I can make serious headway in the world of reading and schoolwork.

Alas, I have read so much this week (although Pastor Sieg will argue that's a good thing, precisely what a serious student would do) that even I am having a hard time organizing all my notes and books. For those interested in some light reading (I took Wednesday off and read stuff with no relation to any of my courses) I would suggest the book entitled Tangled up in the Bible: Bob Dylan & Scripture. Quite a fascinating read.

And so with that, I must get back to the task at hand. Happy Reading Everyone.

Politically Incorrect

As some people may know, I am the sort of person who likes to "step on toes." This sort of thing usually causes a bit of trouble for me, but if i can get someone thinking in a different mind set by being crass, then I have done my job. I'm not talking about being vulgar or obscene, but challenging people to think about why they have certain opinions on certain topics. An example of this would be:

Why do people in media, and "famous" people continually press for gay rights? Gays have rights, just like the rest of us. The problem arises when gay people start pressing for marriage rights, or adoption rights. God instituted marriage, and the union was to be between a man and woman, not a man and man, or woman and woman.

This is where I will step on (your) toes. God calls us to love the people committing the sin, but hating the sin itself. So, going back to our example above, I am to love gay people, but hate the sin that they are caught up in. Yes, that's right. You heard me. Homosexuality is a sin. We are to hate it.

This of course is only one example, but the way of thinking can be applied to all areas of life. Pornography, alcoholism, gambling, etc. These are all vices, sins, that the devil uses to distract us from having a right relationship with God. But what about shopping, or watching movies? Are these things sin as well? People are addicted to watching movies and shopping as well. 

It is time to start thinking about the things in our/your lives which distract us from walking wholly with God. It is time to step out of our comfortable rut, and bring awareness to issues that need dealing with. This can all be done in a loving, caring way, showing the Grace of God, and the healing that only he can bring.

P.S. I know that posting this type of article will raise flags. People will respond by saying that I am simply a Homophobe. I will respond right now by telling you this: I am not a homophobe, but WE MUST BEGIN TO SEPARATE THE ISSUE OF THE SIN FROM THE PERSON WHO IS COMMITTING THE SIN. We must show love. God loves the unbeliever who is caught up in sin just as much as he loves the believer who is caught up in sin.

Tragedy!!

The worst thing that could happen to me occurred this week.

I MISSED THE DAYTONA 500.

The greatest event in sports, and I missed it.

For shame.

I did a hard thing!

I thank God daily in my prayers for the strength that he gives me, for the grace and mercy i do not deserve, and for the forgiveness i did not, or could never earn. I thank God for the wisdom he gave me to carry out his will in my life, and i thank God for always being with me, guiding me through his spirit, guiding me in thought, in word, and in deed. 

Yesterday i "did a hard thing." As you may know i am a youth leader, but as yet i had not given a sermon in church. It is almost intimidating having everyone look at you, expecting you to challenge them, and still make it fun. 

I recall about a year ago a friend named Ben MacMichael did his first sermon as well. He mentioned when he first started that  he was happy the pulpit was there, so that we couldn't see his shaking knees. Now i know how he felt.

Anyway, the sermon topic was "Do Hard Things." It was based in part by a book of the same name written by Alex & Brett Harris. I thought i would give a rough outline of the sermon here without illustrations. I'm sure when you think in your own life, you can come up with enough of your own.

1. The First Scary Step: How to do hard things that take you outside your comfort zone.
2. Raising the Bar: How to do hard things that go beyond what's expected or required.
3. The Power of Collaboration: How to do hard things that are too big for you to do alone.
4. Small Hard Things: How to do hard things that don't pay off immediately.
5. Taking a Stand: How to do hard things that go against the crowd.

These were the 5 areas of hard things that i spoke on. Then i gave a quick guide to start doing those hard things.

1. Read the Word of God. Get into the Bible (Rev. 10:8).
2. Meditate on the Word of God (Rev. 10:9).
3. Pray (1 Thess. 5:16-17).
4. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:2; see also Matt. 26:36-46, Jesus prays in the Garden of Gethsemane, asking that if the cup cannot be passed over him, that his will would conform to the Father's).

That was it in a nutshell. I was slightly nervous, which is to be expected, but God gave me the strength to get through.

The First Cup

Alas, I have finally succumbed to the advance in technology. Much like that first cup of coffee in the morning, this is the start of something grand! (at least maybe) 

As the past  few years have whirled by at an alarming rate, I find that I am increasingly more adaptive to the advancement of technology. I suppose not all things that advance now a days are not that bad. As I entered a new field, namely youth leadership, having to use computers took on a whole new meaning. Then I decided that I should go back to school. Realizing that the world does not sit still, I was still rather surprised when, upon entering school, was informed that all assignments were to be handed in on printed paper, Times New Roman, 12 point font. WHAT? Back when I was in school, ah the good old days, we would get in trouble for handing in any assignment that was not hand written. If it came off a computer, we would get grades docked, and still have to redo the assignment, in writing.

I decided when I went back to school to bite the bullet, and get a computer, which until this time I did not have. I did not want a PC however, as the many different versions of windows ticked me off. So I went with the Mac. What a wonderful machine. Personally, I find the Mac a far superior machine. Much more manageable. 

And so with that, here I am. Inviting you into a little bit of my world for what I am sure will be the adventure of a lifetime. I must admit, I did struggle with starting a blog. First, what name do I give it? What will be the intent of the blog? Will it be just another aimless site with not much to say? As I contemplated these questions, the one eventually answered the other and so on. I ended up starting with what type of content I would be putting on the blog. I realized that I want to post things that may be preachy at times, and perhaps even a short devo or Bible study. But I also wanted to be able to talk about the lesser things in life, like why the Canadian NHL teams are all doing poorly, or the crazy skating rink that was southern Manitoba last week. When I realized that the scope of my writing might be rather grand, I likened it to having a chat with a friend in a coffee shop. If you have ever chatted in a coffee shop, I do not need to tell you that the conversation can quickly go from one thing to another. Serious to the best joke you have ever heard. So with that...Over a Hot Cup of Coffee was born.

I hope you will join me for another cup real soon. I shall retreat, and finish all my last minute prep for my first ever sermon tomorrow. Until then, keep...Doing Hard Things.