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