Dwayne's Blog

Nothing to Say? How about Ukraine?

2009-07-02T06:48:00.003-04:00

It would seem that I have nothing to say, given that I haven't blogged since the day we left for Ukraine in May (also my birthday). The trip itself was successful. I was part of a teaching team - while the church team worked with the kids at the orphanage and school, my team offered education with a special needs topical emphasis to the staff. At each place the staff were hesitant, even though we had been invited, but once we began, they became sponges and wanted more. We've been invited back.

We parted ways with the church team for three days and visited Sergay and Natasha in Lutsk at Fimiam Church. We're hoping that if we are involved in any work in Ukraine in the future, it'll be with and through them. They are planning a visit to Toronto (in tandem with a trip to Pennsylvania and Seattle) in August. We're hopeful.

All of our pictures, and then some, are on our Flickr page. Yes, I went ahead and paid the subscription fee for the service. I also reduced my cable package to offset the new expense. I'm thinking that once I finish my contract with Rogers in the winter that I'll just get an antenna.

The bank also reimbursed the $500 that was stole the day after, on May 15. of course, I didn't now that until we got home at the end of May.

2009 has been busy for us so far. I think June was recuperation for me. Yesterday I spent the day experimenting with the computer - I ran the app 'Boot Camp' to partition the hard drive on my iMac, then installed the Windows 7 Release Candidate on the partition. Microsoft might have a winner with this OS.

Oh, back to Ukraine.

It went very well. Of course, what we planned and what we did were two different things. With few exceptions, the level of understanding of people (including those who work with kids with special needs) about special needs is, well, almost non-existent. That's not the assessment of an inflated Western ego, but actuality. We were surprised at how basic we had to get.

But I suppose its a systemic issue, because the staff have not had the opportunity to get any formal educational resources. Until the system changes, the country will have to change one person at a time. But a revolution can start with just one person - even a special needs revolution.

Let it be so.

Happy Birthday ..... To Me!

2009-05-14T13:35:00.005-04:00

I woke this morning to enjoy my birthday. It's a big day .... we're leaving for a working trip to Ukraine as part of two groups - one from my work and the other (and bigger) from church. We'll teach special needs workers and play with kids in orphanages.

My first chore - check the weather on line and finalize some banking. But my internet was down. I go to use the phone, but the phone is down.

I reboot all the various connective devices and call Rogers, and I'm back online.

Then I check my bank account (today is payday). Seems Karen went out in the middle of the night and withdrew $500. Wait a minute......

Someone stole 500 bucks from us!

I then call PCF who says my card was flagged, so we cancel the card and I go to the PCF pavilion to get a new one. All is well.

Then I get an email from Rogers saying they are no longer offering their Flickr service....... as of July 1, I'll have to pay for it on top of the $75 / month I currently pay to Rogers for internet. I think when I get back I'll check out Picasa.

We've packed. In about 10 minutes I'll call a cab and we'll head to the airport. The petty challenges of western life will stay here and we're off to try and make a difference for someone else.

Your Will Be Done

2009-05-11T07:00:00.002-04:00

A few years ago I had begun to read the Bible through in a different manner than I had done before. I remember getting to Chronicles and being struck by a thought that made me stop reading in order to process that thought. It's been the same with this whole Kingdom concept. I've had a hard time getting away from it or reading anything else.

Perhaps I applied Jesus' response to John the Baptizer a little too narrow. Perhaps the people he had spent his time with and the activities he engaged in are to be taken as representative of who we, as His followers, should spend our time with and the stuff we should be doing.

Perhaps these people represent the "off-the-beaten-path" folks, those in the margins of society. Because I work in developmental services, I am quick to apply most everything I read there first. However, there are many more people in need in the world.

Seems I've been pondering this notion for years.

Karen and I leave for Ukraine on Thursday - she as part of a church team, and me as part of a volunteer team from work. We'll spend most of our time in orphanages. I think that's the kind of stuff Jesus was getting at. Going to the ones who have no one, or who have much less than the rest of their society.

We're just trying to bring a little bot more of His Kingdom to those people we encounter.

Your Kingdom Come

2009-05-10T06:55:00.005-04:00

I think it started in January when we began rehearsing for Passion Play at church. As we were learning our parts, we'd also pick up other people's parts. I found myself humming one of Jesus' songs ...."The kingdom is coming, good news it is coming...." Every week, several times a week, I'd hear it or be thinking it.

Since Easter I began to read the Gospel of Matthew. Jesus talks about the Kingdom of God a lot in Matthew - what it's like, who is part of it.

But as I think about it, I recall that someone asked me what I thought "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you" meant. I thought briefly and responded in two parts: first, I've been taught that it meant that we seek after Jesus first and everything else will work out. Second, to seek after Jesus means we are following him actively....... and for me, to follow him actively means I would be doing what he would be doing, participating in the activities of the kingdom.

In retrospect, it might have been that conversation that caused me to pay closer attention to things about the Kingdom of God.

So what are Kingdom activities? If I'm seeking Jesus first in an active sense, what kinds of things should I be doing?

It hit me as I've been reading Matthew. John the Baptizer sent a question to Jesus, asking "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect another?" That would have been a big question for John, given that he recognized Jesus from the womb and he heard God speak after Jesus was baptized. Nonetheless, he wondered.

Matthew 11:4-5 gives Jesus response: "Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor."

Jesus didn't say "Tell John 'Yes, I am'". Had He said "I am", that would have cleared it up. Instead, he said to tell John what they saw, what Jesus had been doing.

In the midst of all the teaching about the Kingdom of God, Jesus stated that the evidence that he was "the one who was to come" was the things He had been doing.

Kingdom activities: helping those who are blind, lame, leprosy, deaf and dead, and sharing the Good News with the poor. This is easy and affirming for me to see, because I work with people with disabilities.

Could this be? Perhaps John the Baptizer expected Jesus to be doing different things, hence his doubt.

But what does it mean to be helping those who are blind, lame, leprous, deaf and dead, and sharing the Good News with the poor. For Jesus, it meant curing them, doing the miraculous. But for us, if we don't see the miraculous, does that mean we don't do the work?

Or perhaps I am to be the miracle? Leprosy and other skin diseases are now treatable. Braille, wheelchairs, hearing aids all help those who are blind, immobile or hearing impaired. These kinds of challenges do not have to be challenges today, with the technology available to us. In some respects a supernatural miracle is not necessary to help people not be limited by these, well, limitations.

Not sure to do with the dead coming back to life, though. Perhaps it can speak to spiritual life.

And the poor hear the good news. Should we be spending our time bringing the Good News of God's Love and His Kingdom (that's a lot of capitalization) to those with less means, not to those who have much?

So that's where I'm at. I'm thinking that as someone who is part of the Kingdom of God, who is praying "You're Kingdom come, your will be done on earth", that I need to be focusing my actions towards people with various disabilities, and focusing my conversation, the message of the Good News, towards those with less means.

So now my thoughts have moved. If I believe that, then it should be evidenced in all aspects of my life. Not just at work.

You gotta be kidding me......

2009-03-30T06:43:00.002-04:00

Mom and Dad arrive on April 5 and will be staying for three weeks. In preparation, Karen and I have moved downstairs so that they can use our bedroom. Ours is a small house, and I like to go to bed early, whereas Mom and Dad generally go to bed later, so us sleeping downstairs allows all that to happen that much easier.

Last fall I was made aware of a mouse in my house. Myrtle, our cat, seemed to be quite comfortable with sharing her space with guests, and left it to me to deal with its eviction. I tried all manners of traps, including those that electrocute, those that snap, those that entrap and those that glue. None worked.

The one that finally worked, as explained to me by Gord, was recently featured in Jay's Vlog here at Rob's Cooking. It involved a stick, a bucket and some peanut butter. Jay explained it in even more detail.

Then, a couple weeks ago, a mouse ran into the bathroom while I was in there. We danced, but only one of us came out alive.

So, back to sleeping downstairs. At about 3:30 this morning I woke. Myrtle was on the bed, and I was hearing some noises. I had heard the noises before on other nights, but simply assumed Myrtle was running around the house somewhere. But not now. It sounded like scurrying. At one point, Myrtle was sitting on my chest looking at the ceiling listening to the same noises as I squinted toward the ceiling wondering if there were hundreds of mice about to collapse a ceiling tile onto the bed.

Last week Karen and I cleaned out our entire pantry, on the chance that it was attracting our little guests. It wasn't, as there were no holes in any packaging. The only food that is now in our house is Myrtle's cat food, some items in the fridge, and the stuff in the compost container under the sink. I also bought some of those noise making deterrents, that emit a high frequency sound inaudible to us and Myrtle, but apparently audible to the mice.

It seems my mice are hearing impaired.

Which makes sense because I think I heard them talking to one another, which they would not have been doing if they could hear well, as they would realize that it had blown their cover.

Of course, it seems they don't care about being subtle, running back and forth above my head since 3:30. And I wasn't about to lift a ceiling tile to see what was going on, lest the thousands of mice in my basement decide to 'Thelma and Louise' it over the edge and have their falls broken by me and Myrtle as we gazed upward in hesitant expectation.

No. Instead, I will unplug the mouse deterrent emitter in the laundry room to make it a welcoming room. I'll then place some peanut butter at the base of an old recycling bin with a mop handle connecting the top edge to the floor. Let's hope they are hungry.

I suppose I'll need to examine the house on the outside as well and try to figure out where the heck these things are coming in.

So stay tuned. I'm going mouse hunting.

My only worry is that the mice are so numerous that some of them sacrifice themselves to be used as a mouse-bridge to get the others out of the blue bin.

My Crazy Brother

2009-03-14T19:03:00.002-04:00

..... but crazy in a good way.....

You see, David (my brother) and Andrew (his son, my nephew) just started out on a snowmobile marathon, endurance type race across the interior of Labrador. It's cold. There's snow. Hence, crazy.

But they love it, and they are extremely good at it, and I find myself caught up in it and cheering for them, even as I pine for the warm water, tropical temperature and the sandy beaches of Cuba.

If you're at all curious about people who like to be outside in the cold weather or want to check it out for other reasons, go to Cain's Quest and Team Maine. You can even track the race. David and Andrew are half of a two team effort (the other team is from Maine) and at last check they were in third place. Not bad at all.

Did I mention this will take a week? So for the next week, I'll set the furnace a little hotter and check in regularly.

Imagine my Surprise

2009-03-04T06:33:00.003-05:00

We have a big day at work today - a huge staff meeting where more than 50% of our staff (close to 300 people) will be in attendance. So I'm up early to get ready.

After getting a shower and getting dressed, Myrtle was meowing incessantly outside the bathroom door. I opened it and she came in..... then meowed again to get back out. As soon as she exited, a little mouse came around the corner into the bathroom -- I've had an experience with a mouse before.

So I quickly closed the door, and little mouse hid against the bathtub under the draping of the shower curtain.

I pull the shower curtain into the tub to reveal his hiding spot. looking for a tool or device of sorts to capture it. It runs behind the toilet - I toss the towel. It runs behind the toilet paper holder - I move it.

There are no more hiding spaces, and it is clearly to frightened to try and squeeze under the door. 210 pounds vs. an ounce - who will win?

This next bit is not for the faint of heart ...... I'm still trembling a little from the adrenaline rush.

I toss the towel over it and try to apply some sudden pressure (knocking the towel against the floor - by now I'm on my knees). It escapes. Could I have another 'super mouse' on my hands?

I toss the towel again, this time capturing it (and my underwear) within the towel's grasp. Again I apply sudden pressure. Rather than take chances, I open the towel over the toilet.

210 pounds wins.

Little mouse had met its demise in my bathroom, and was buried at sea, so t speak.

Now to go back to preparing for a big day at work.

Bless Me Indeed

2009-02-02T06:35:00.002-05:00

It seems I'm surrounded by Christians who simply want to be blessed; they spend their time trying to 'speak' that into existence, by 'speaking' blessing into their lives. They 'declare' that they are 'the head and not the tail', they say they've been created for great things.

And they tell the same to other Christians as well.

And many of them, I know, are very much the tail (I know their circumstances), and no amount denying that fact by declaring otherwise will change it.

Then there are those whose whose circumstances are far from ideal - marriage problems, illness, or perhaps getting hit badly by this recession. What do they do when denial by declaration doesn't work?

Perhaps instead we should spend our time living life with those whose circumstances could be better and try to ease their burden and offset the weight of their situation. Perhaps we should engage in the the practice of blessing rather than the declaration of the same --- doing instead of saying. It's the difference between telling a thirsty person that they don't have to be thirsty or pouring water and bringing it to them to quench their thirst.

It's helping others.

I think the latter is more relevant. Sure, we have access to all sorts of great things as Christians, even marvelous things. But the secret to seeing those marvelous things is actually to practice bringing the marvelous into others lives - but actually bringing it, doing it; not 'speaking' it. By giving it away.

That's the message of Christ. If we want to get life, we give it up. When we give away our money, God supplies our needs. It's like an upside-down kingdom, a bizarro world of existence.

In the words of Elvis - "A little less conversation and a little more action" (baby).

Glory

2008-12-30T15:18:00.017-05:00

Lately I've been whistling and singing along with "Don't Let Me Miss the Glory" as recorded by Gordon Mote. Mote was born blind and the song talks about wanting to not miss out on the glory of God as made known in creation (the mountains, oceans, thunder and lightning, etc - you know - 'the heavens declare the glory of God' ... and all that).

Reflecting on those lyrics has made me realize not only how much I take for granted but also how big of a spectacle something needs to be to impress me. Mind you, I was raised to expect to see God's glory manifested as 'signs and wonders', so it's partially ingrained in me. But I can also think for myself and am not the sum of the parts of my upbringing (though it was a good upbringing, I should add).

I know at a cognitive level that God is active and involved in the little things. I also experience God more in the subtleties of day to day life than in the large and grandiose spectacles. Yet, I often find myself in a place where I'm looking for the spectacles (the proverbial forest) and missing out on little things of the daily life (the trees to the previous and parenthetical forest).

But (and I know I shouldn't start a sentence with 'but', and I probably shouldn't put a bracketed statement in a sentence after the first word - yet, here it is) I've reflected some more. God's glory is made known in both the spectacular and the simple, but the 'spectacular' to one person might be the 'simple' to another.

This past year I visited Ethiopia and Ukraine. The ways of life for the people I met in each country are drastically different from each other and from my way of life in Canada. Things that I see as simple can be, to those folks, far beyond their wildest dreams. Blogging, for example, or sharing pictures on a website - I can create something in my own home on my own computer (a Mac, by the way) and distribute it to the entire world without standing up. Simple to me, spectacular to someone else for many reasons - I have my own computer, or a high speed internet connection, or a digital camera.

That thought has brought me some more insight to our visit with Serge and Natasha at Fimiam Church in Lutsk, Ukraine. My original intent in traveling to Ukraine was simply to accompany Karen - now I'm planning to go back in May as part of a team to help Serge and Natasha, and some other people as well. (My work has enabled me to be in a position and have the know-how to help them accomplish a goal that God planted in them.) To them, we might be an answer to prayer. To me it's not a big deal.

The simple has become the spectacular. The simple is the spectacular. One action, two experiences.

"Don't Let Me Miss the Glory" - my simple can be someone else's spectacular. I can be a spectacle. I can be the "glory".

Zechariah 4:10

Matthew 25:21

A Van for Harold - from CBC

2008-12-23T09:38:00.002-05:00

Check out this cool story that was featured on CBC last night.

Merry Christmas, Harold!

Snow / Fire

2008-12-20T09:09:00.003-05:00

Seems we had some snow.

And in the midst of the snowstorm, there was a fire at one of the homes I help to look after. It started in the dryer (even though the lint trap and dryer vent were both clear), and thanks to the quick action of the staff and the fairly elaborate fire suppression system on site, everyone 'got out safely' and the fire was 'put out' probably more quickly than it started.

Of course, to say the folks 'got out safely' is a mixed comment. They got out into the snow and had to drive to another site. So, everyone 'relocated safely' is probably a better way to phrase it.

And the fire being 'put out' quickly is an understatement - the home has an elaborate fire suppression system that emptied 900 or so gallons of water into the laundry room. Perhaps 'summarily quenched' is a better description -- the fire didn't stand a chance.

So last night, in the midst of the snow, people were on the move. The insurance contractors showed up to begin clean-up. I'm extremely grateful no one was hurt. Now we pray that they are able to get safely back into their home, and soon.

Perspective.

Holy Cow it's cold!

2008-12-07T15:12:00.005-05:00

Man it's cold outside. There was a time when I liked being outside in the cold, but that was decades ago. As a kid in Newfoundland cold weather meant snowmobiling, tobogganing, digging snow tunnels, skating on 'the bay' or playing road hockey.

Christmas was different then as well. Christmas rocked for me as a kid (especially as the baby in the family). We'd be up early, open the gifts presents, eat a big breakfast, visit the neighbours, eat a big lunch, visit more neighbours, and eat some not-quite-yet-cold turkey for supper. After supper someone would come to visit and we'd very likely eat some more and look at the presents and all that.

Christmas 2008 is not looking like that. But it will still rock! This year it's one event after the next, from work to church to family and friends. Then, after it's all done, we fly to Labrador City on New Year's Day to spend a couple days with more family (where it will be colder, I presume).

And I'm looking forward to all of it. It's the people.

Christmas is the one time of year where everyone (us included) makes the extra effort to see family and friends, even on top of all their (our) other responsibilities.

That's what I most liked about Christmas as a kid, and it's what I'm looking forward to most this year. I just wish I could eat like I could 30 years ago.

Merry Christmas! Let the caffeine flow.

Faith

2008-11-09T07:56:00.010-05:00

I doubt. Often. There, I said it. I mean, really, how can one not doubt? In God, in goodness, that there's more to this life and world.

This morning I read Psalm 89. It begins with a proclamation to the Lord "I will sing of the evidence of your mercy forever" (God's Word Translation) and ends with "Where is the evidence of your mercy?". And that's not the only Psalm where the writer expressed doubt.

This week a 6-month old baby died. Right now my friend is finishing day 7 of chemotherapy. Some days it's hard to see past it all.

Thinking along these very lines, I arrived at the office before anyone else so I began to listen to the new album from downhere, "Ending is Beginning". The first track, titled "Bleed for this Love" begins with these lyrics:

Out of solid rock I made a river,

To a desert drought I brought the rain

Did you doubt for a moment that I felt your pain?

It seems that I am not the only one who doubts.

Bill Maher has released a mockumentary called "Religulous" (It looks funny). Maher says he cannot accept anything that is not reasonable. He says that religious traditions and beliefs make no sense, so they are ridiculous.

But according to Hebrews 11:1, it seems faith is not equal to our own standards of reason. "Faith assures us of things we expect and convinces us of the existence of things we cannot see".

Are doubt and faith inextricably linked? Why do we need to be convinced of something if we didn't doubt it in the first place? If so, this is reassuring to me. I grew up thinking that doubt invalidated my faith. In fact, it seems that doubt strengthens my faith. I wouldn't be able to have faith if I didn't have doubt.

I think the Psalmists knew this. Reassuring indeed.

Ugh

2008-10-29T22:58:00.003-04:00

A close friend was informed today that he has leukemia. Tomorrow he will learn more about the specific type of leukemia and what treatment will be required.

There's nothing I can do for him except be present and pray. It doesn't seem like enough.

Technology Overload

2008-10-04T07:56:00.003-04:00

It's been about a month since I last posted. Life has been busy, both with work and church commitments, and also through my own doing.

A couple weeks ago I bought TiVo for my basement. Typically I've been buying TV series on DVD in order to watch while I exercise in the morning. TiVo is a nifty little Digital Video Recorder that I can set to record from the internet as well as locally. It also will pay attention to my viewing patterns and record stuff automatically (i.e., if I record all the CSIs, it'll also pick up other crime dramas) so there will always be something to watch when I go downstairs in the morning to exercise.

Last week I finally upgraded my home computer and bought a Mac Mini. I also decided to maintain our old PC so I picked up a switch that will let me use the same Keyboard, Mouse and Monitor between both the Mac and the PC. Right now I'm uninstalling stuff from the PC as I blog on the Mac.

Somewhere along the line I remembered I has a PS3 hooked up to my TV in the living room (for the Blu-Ray, not the gaming), as well as a HD PVR.

I think I may have enough technology.

I think I may sell the PS3. I bought it for the Blu-Ray, and I've watched one Blu-Ray movie on it (in 7 months).

But I really like the Mac.

Back Home

2008-09-07T09:06:00.006-04:00

We arrived home on Tuesday at about 4:30 pm. Ukraine was great. Karen was able to prepare for her missions trip in May 2009, and I am began to think of hosting a small group from work to help with education for orphanage staff.

One highlight of the trip was meeting Serge and Natasha at Fimiam church. A few years ago they were in a car accident and Natasha broke her neck. Today she has to use a wheelchair to be mobile, has no lower body movement and limited upper body movement.

In the midst of multiple surgeries, Serge and Natasha realized there were little to no rehabilitative services for people with spinal cord injuries. So they started something.

Once Natasha was able, they began to visit people who were recovering from such surgeries. They gave Christmas gifts. Eventually they started summer camps, and just finished their second camp. The camp reaches out to people with varying disabilities - spinal cord injuries, mobility limitations, developmental challenges and more.

Serge referenced Bill Hybels when he noted that this became his 'Holy Discontent'. Very cool.

Now their dream is to open a Rehabilitative Day Centre for people recovering from spinal cord surgery. It will also provide services for people with other disabilities. Then they hope to open a residence for those without family support to assist them.

Serge and Natasha did not wait for someone to start this work. They saw a need and did what they could to begin to meet it. Fimiam, thier church, fully supported their efforts by offering space and volunteers. People want to serve with Serge and Natasha because their passion is both infectious and magnetic.

It's possible that our path may cross again in the future. I hope so.

Our Ukraine Trip begins

2008-08-24T14:36:00.003-04:00

Tomorrow we leave for Ukraine. We fly into Kiev on Tuesday, spend some time in a couple of small towns over a couple of days, and end up in Lviv for the balance of the trip.

We haven't even packed. As a matter of fact, we're still at church ... Karen's working and I'm, well ..... not.

Last week we had a giant picnic ..... about 400 of us .... people I work with. I haven't posted the pics yet, but eventually they'll be here somewhere.

Currently I'm reading "Good News about Injustice" by Gary Haugen from International Justice Mission. I hope to read "True North" by Bill George while I'm away.

That's all for now.

Super Mouse!

2008-08-11T07:34:00.000-04:00

It seems we have a mouse.

A friend has been staying at our house and he gave us the unfortunate news that he saw what could have been a mouse run under the dryer. He also thought he heard it in the dropped ceiling in the basement.

Further investigation indicated evidence of mouse activity (i.e., turds).

So I bought a fancy mouse trap that was to instantly electrocute the mouse - a humane kill. I set it, and baited it with peanut butter (apparently they love peanut butter). Checked it in a couple days - the peanut butter was gone, and there was no mouse. Either the machine didn't work, or the mouse walked on the sides of the trap.

I then bought a live trap, one that had a door that would shut when the mouse entered. As a matter of fact, I bought two. Set both, baited with peanut butter. If I caught the mouse, I'd have to 'dispose' of it myself. Checked them the next day - both we're in the closed position, the peanut butter gone, and you guessed it, no mouse.

So I went and bought some glue traps. They smell like peanut butter. And I also re-set the live traps. This morning I checked all the traps. No mouse, and one of the live traps had moved about two feet. Oh, and the room is closed, so that cat did not play with the mouse trap.

And the peanut butter was gone.

When we questioned her, the cat said she had retired.

I think tonight I'll go buy some of the old fashioned mouse traps that snap and kill the mouse. Let's see if it can evade that! Besides, based on the skill set of this mouse (or team of mice), I don't want to be left with the task of 'disposing' of a live mouse. It may evade me.

Cause the Pause

2008-08-08T07:22:00.000-04:00

Yesterday we attended Day One of the Willow Creek Leadership Summit. I've been attending now for five or six years and wouldn't miss it. It helps me correct my compass, so to speak, to set my path straight again an help me focus on what really matters.

I started reading Fierce Conversations this week. The author suggests a definition for success which, in my mind, works. I say that because the notion of success is one that has evaded me somewhat. I know it's not about money, status, possessions or fame. I know it has something to do with what God and I can accomplish together. She says "I succeed when who I am and what I do are in alignment".

That's powerful. When who I am, my core values, the thing that drives me, and my day to day goings-on are lined up - that's when I am successful. It has nothing to do with money or stuff.

The Summit helps me to realign what I do with who I am.

Who am I? I'm a follower of Christ - I take direction from what I learn in the Bible. There are things that are very important to me. When my day to day activities are driven by that, then I'm getting it right.

I've been testing that notion of success and reflecting on the past few months and those times I've felt exhilarated, like I could fly, and the other times when it seemed like gravity was pulling extra hard on me. The times when I walked on air were those in which I was aligned, I was enmeshed in activities that were all about what is important to me.

The Summit helps correct that track. Vacations also help. And I think I know why -- I force myself to stop, listen, and learn. My perfect vacation includes a lot of reading. The Summit includes a lot of practical teaching. My compass is corrected because I pause, reflect, learn and realign. That's a good thing, and I suppose it would be better if I could cause the pause to happen more frequently - perhaps shorter pauses more often, and still continue the longer pauses of vacation and the annual Summit.

I'm going to try.

Bill George was one of the speakers yesterday. He talked about balance. (He also used the compass analogy). He suggests that the whole work / life balance thing may never be met by anyone (and I agree). Instead, he says we should seek an integrated life, which is living such that who we are is consistent wherever we are, whether it's work or home or wherever else.

So I think I've landed on the notion of success - it's about what I do staying in step with who I am, wherever I am. Now I just need to pay attention to my compass.

Newfoundland so far

2008-07-30T13:53:00.000-04:00

We're on our third day in Newfoundland. Our flight was late leaving Toronto on Sunday, so our transfer in Halifax was as long as it took to get one from plane to the next, and no more. We arrived in Campbellton at 3:00 am (Monday morning).

Today it's raining with thunder, though it has been hot and sunny up until today. We've eaten a lot, and both Karen and I have managed to get some reading done as well. I read "How to be Evangelical and not be Conservative" by Roger Olsen - it was given to me, so I read it based on that strong recommendation. I guess I'm fairly 'post-conservative' already (a word coined, I think, by the author) because I did not find the book at all controversial. Interesting nonetheless.

I also finished Juice, a book about intelligent energy and communication. I quite enjoyed it, both because of the content and the fact that it is a Canadian author.

Right now I'm reading Crucial Conversations, a book recommended by a Leadership Development coach.

I have to slow down my pace a little otherwise I'll have nothing to read on the ferry crossing from Newfoundland to Nova Scotia on Friday.

Tomorrow night there's a graduation celebration for Dustin. He finished grade 12 this year and since he was home schooled, he has yet to have a ceremony.

All in all, a relaxing trip. Tonight we eat fish and brewis.

It's raining........

2008-07-20T15:34:00.000-04:00

A couple weeks ago I had our dining room curtains dry-cleaned due to a stain. I figured someone had spilled something on it, somehow. Didn't make sense, but it was the only reasonable explanation.

This morning I noticed the stain again, in the same spot, but bigger. A closer examination showed water dripping from our window trim ....... an even closer look showed dampness on the ceiling.

Aw, crap.

We just had a flood in the dining room due to a roof leak last year. Now the same roof seems to be leaking in a different area. It's an old tar and gravel roof ........ it must have been annoyed with all the foot traffic it has faced since that incident.

I've been all afternoon looking for quotes. And there's no way to tell how much damage there is in the ceiling without opening the ceiling, which means drywall dust, then drywall repair (I have to cut!).

Home ownership rocks!

Burger King people

2008-06-30T07:25:00.000-04:00

Lately I've been driving to church with Karen on Sundays. The price of gas nowadays encourages us to drive together whenever possible. It also means I have time to kill between church services and such.

After dropping her off, I generally scoot up to Burger King for breakfast and to read the paper. Yesterday was no different - except I met two interesting people.

First, in the line up in front of me was a young woman who was very thin with a lot of make-up. After I ordered, she said hello and a brief conversation ensued. She was just on her way home from work - she's a dancer on the airport strip. When asked if I worked in the area, I quickly noted that my wife works at the church down the street.

The conversation continued. I imagine she was simply looking to connect with someone as another human being.

Then there was the man headed to work at Canadian Tire (I could tell by the logo on his shirt). The dancer had left, and the Canadian Tire man was sitting a couple tables from me. It seems the BK staff messed up his order, and he felt the need to shout it aloud in complaint for everyone in the restaurant to hear. Everyone was me.

He continued to mutter under his breath while they brought the new order, yammering on about customer service. I simply read the paper.

I probably should have done more than I did. I tried to be respectful and engaging with the nice dancer, and pretty much ignored the angry Canadian Tire man. It might have been my Behaviour Support training coming through - reinforce positive behaviour and ignore negative behaviour. Or it might have been the Christian example - treat people like Jesus did and not be quick to complain. I'd like to think it was more of the latter, but it was likely a bit of each.

But yeah, I probably should have done more.

I said thank you to the BK staff and went to church.

we saw Mike Harris

2008-06-26T19:55:00.000-04:00

That's right. Mr. Harris. Around 7:10 p.m., southbound on Yonge, headed towards Front Street. He had his right arm in the air, hailing a cab.

It took the sting out of the $60.00 parking ticket I received at 6:05 p.m.

Article - Ethiopia Trip

2008-06-03T19:58:00.000-04:00

I was asked to write an article reflecting on my recent trip to Africa. I'm not sure when and where exactly it will be used, so I figured I'd post it here in the meantime. (I've abbreviated the name of the organization).
----------------------------------------

I?ve heard it said that once you?ve been to Africa you leave a little bit of yourself there. That was true for me. I?m not sure if it was the history or the sheer size and diversity of the continent or the fact that humankind likely began there - or the people.

I think it was the people.

The people have an enviable connection with each other that was in no way exclusive. I was as welcome as someone who lived there. Of course, I was only in Ethiopia, and there is so much more of Africa than one country. But Ethiopia was a great start.

The purpose of my trip was simply to meet people impacted by CH in and around Assella, Ethiopia. We arrived on a Sunday and were welcomed by a couple hundred kids, all of whom were somehow connected with CH.

Over the course of the next few days we visited people who were connected to CH in one way or another: sponsorship, micro-credit finance loans, university -- all lives that were changed.

The most striking factor was the little amount, by Canadian standards, that it takes to change a life. Look at it this way: Child sponsorship costs $31 a month ($372/year). This helps with nutrition and health-care, clothing, school fees, supplies and uniforms, among other things. Because of this, a child who has been orphaned and is HIV positive can get shelter, nutrition, education and the anti-retroviral medications that will allow him or her to grow up healthy.

We also met some adults who had grown up within CH and are now employed and working or volunteering with CH, helping kids who are orphaned and HIV positive have hope.

This is all in the name of Christ, and all at very little cost to those who give. Think about it - $31 a month is less than $5000 over the course of a child?s life in school. $5000 can change a life and break a cycle of poverty and illness. The cost of the life is less than $5000. The value of the life is far beyond what money can buy.

A part of me stayed with the people.

In the face of much adversity, the people accept a little help from outside and use it to change the courses of their lives and in turn, they help change the lives of others.

'Healer' Planetshakers

2008-06-02T15:00:00.000-04:00

Last night at church I was part of the worship team. I led "Healer". Very cool song. (The video is not me - it's from a Planetshakers conference!)

And this marks my second attempt at embedding video. I deleted the first attempt, as I edited the text and in doing so made the video disappear.

Chore update

2008-05-10T23:41:00.000-04:00

Right now I'm installing Windows Vista Ultimate on my computer (as I blog on the laptop). Yes, I've heard all the warnings about Vista, but frankly, I don't care. If it flops, I'll just pop in my old hard drive and no one gets hurt!

Today I spent quite a bit of time in my attic. You see, we've been having trouble with the bathroom exhaust fan, in that it doesn't seem to get the moisture out of the air. In the midst of trying to fix it, I dropped the fan from about 7 feet high - fortunately, it didn't break. I think I may have made it better, even.

I dismantled the entire piping in the attic from the fan to the roof, checked to make sure there were no blockages, and installed it all again. Then I climbed on the roof while the fan was running and wouldn't you know it, there was air coming from the vent. I don't know what I did, but it seems to be working now.

We (Marguerite and I) checked out a new Lowe's store in Maple. It wasn't worth it. We bought a couple things because we were there, but the service wasn't great and it was just anti-climatic. I think I may have expected Gene Hackman to greet us or something.

I also repaired the vacuum cleaner power head. And it works! I was a little surprised.

Tomorrow, after church, and after the Mandarin, I have to paint the window frame in the bathroom. That will mark the end of my chores (assuming Vista installs correctly).

P.S., I haven't heard from Karen since Thursday.

What a week!

2008-05-09T11:12:00.000-04:00

So I got back from Africa on Sunday, April 20. Dean flew in on Friday, and Deborah, Dustin and Nina (a friend) the following Monday. They were her for a conference at TACF.

Karen then left on Sunday, May 4 with a team of women for their Short Term Missions trip to Ukraine. Dean and Nina left Monday, and Deborah and Dustin on Tuesday.

In the midst of all that, I've worked a lot. Every day this week has been 12 hours. Last week there were a couple really long days as well. We managed some family visit time here and there.

So now I'm a bachelor, and frankly, I'm enjoying it. I've heard from Karen three times. Things are well with the team. The first orphanage was a little more challenging than expected, but still good. They also anticipated a potential 'bump in the road' today (Friday), but she expected it wouldn't be that bad.

All in all, non-stop. It's nice to be home.

Ethiopia reflected

2008-04-23T16:05:00.000-04:00

I arrived home on Sunday afternoon at 5:30. Went to work on Monday at 6:00 am. Today the travels caught up to me and I've had to stay in - fever, sweating, dizziness - all the fun stuff.

During the trip we visited kids who are or have been connected to CH one way or another - sponsored children, recipients of micro-credit loans, university students. It is amazing how little intervention or assistance is required in order to help a child not be ruled by their circumstances (orphaned, poor, disabled) and grow up to be a well-balanced, educated, financially-stable adult.

It was heart-wrenching and tear inducing to meet pre-school kids with HIV in a single parent home where Dad, the surviving parent, has to leave them with the neighbour all day so he can go into town and try to sell some chickens and make a little money. Mom died due to AIDS.

Or the 15 year old girl left to care for her three younger siblings because Dad left years ago and Mom died last year. AIDS.

We get to help them.

Kids have hope because someone is helping.

Their resilience is astounding.

The pictures will be up soon - all 3 gigabytes.

Amsterdam

2008-04-20T06:00:00.000-04:00

We arrived in Amsterdam at 5:30 am this morning, and our flight to Toronto leaves at 2:55 (right now it's noon, local time).

we should arrive in Toronto around 4:00 pm (Toronto time, of course). In all, we will have been on the go for 24 hours by the time we arrive home.

KLM is a good airline, with personal TVs at for every seat. I watched two movies coming from Ethiopia (Hair Spray and The Butterfly and the Wheel).

It has been a great trip - informative, encouraging and gut-wrenching. That's all for now.

back and going again

2008-04-11T07:07:00.000-04:00

We arrived back from Mexico on Monday. The pictures are here.

Today I leave for Ethiopia (flight leaves at 6:00 pm). I'm travelling with two other men, and we'll arrive there tomorrow around 6:00 pm local time (8 hours ahead of Toronto's time).

Must go pack now.

Mexico

2008-03-30T19:06:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow morning we rise at 3:00 am to make a 6:15 flight from Toronto to Cancun. We'll arrive in Cancun by 8:30 am, and should be at the Grand Sirenis on the Mayan by lunch time.

Tomorrow evening this time we should be in the midst of a buffet supper after a long day of travel and tropical relaxation.

Adios!

here comes the rain.......

2008-03-11T20:06:00.000-04:00

This may not seem like a lot of snow to you, but for Toronto, it's almost record setting. I started clearing it Saturday night and came into the house looking like a living snowman. I finished the job Sunday afternoon in much more favourable conditions.

On Thursday it's supposed to rain. And maybe again on Friday. Most of this will melt, thankfully, but the street drain in front of our house is under a metre of snow, so we'll likely have a wading pool for a few days. Nice.

To celebrate the last snowfall and the fact that it will disappear soon (and that we'll be sunning it up in Mexico three weeks from now), I bought some Brie cheese. We're not even having any company. Brie cheese. A great snack as I watch "Buck Rogers in the 25h Century".

Speaking of Brie .......... I gotta go.

Vaccinations

2008-02-20T07:06:00.000-05:00

Last night I went to the Travel Clinic to prepare for an upcoming trip to Ethiopia. There are many vaccines one needs, it seems, when travelling there. I'm already covered with Hep A & B, so I didn't need those. I couldn't remember the last time I had a Tetanus shot, so it was necessary. It's offered as part of a cocktail - tetanis, diphtheria and polio. I also needed a Typhoid vaccination, so it was also on the menu.

The most important one is Yellow Fever. Upon arrival in Ethiopia, I need to prove I've been vaccinated against it, so it became part of my meal as well. But yellow fever is an interesting one. First, the nurse said it was a 'live vaccine'. In response to my query as to what that meant, she said "I'll tell you after I give it to you'. Then, 'and I need to give you that one first, because you need to stay 30 minutes after you get it, to be safe'.

"Live vaccine' means they actually put a little of the virus in me. Turns out a possible side effect of the yellow fever shot is ......... yellow fever. And the 30 minute thing? Seems that it could trigger anaphylactic shock, so I needed to stay so they could help me if I stopped breathing.

Comforting.

So this morning my arm is sore, but I don't feel the fever coming on, and I'm still breathing, so I think I'll be fine.

There are other vaccines that are available but not strongly recommended for that area of the world - rabies and meningitis. The rabies shot is over $700, and meningitis is in the hundreds. Where I will be is slightly out of the main meningitis area, so that's not a problem (which I will confirm) and as long as I don't get bitten by an animal, I should be fine without the rabies shot.

After all that, I also need to fill a prescription for malaria and diarrhea. Good times.

I think I picked the wrong week to quit caffeine.

I can't imagine ......

2008-01-31T07:06:00.000-05:00

A friend of ours is from Kenya, the Kikuyu tribe. That's the tribe against which all the violence is taking place. The media is only now starting to represent it for what it truly is - the beginning of genocide.

Last week Friday she heard from her parents. They had no expection that they would make it through the weekend. How do you deal with that? Your parents are on the other side of the world, hiding in the bush, the electricity has been turned off, the authorities in a nearby city have informed the people that if they come outside they will be shot, but the smaller towns and villages have no protection.

So they hid. They left their house and hid.

Imagine that those of us in Southern Ontario, in the GTA, were informed that we should not leave our homes, that if we were seen outside we would be shot. Imagine if we heard news reports that the people who live in Orillia, or other smaller towns further north, were killing each other.

In the midst of that horror God is there. People all over the world are praying for her parents. They've made it this far. Electricity has been partially restored. Their home is one of the few that was not burned, though they still will not spend the night there.

Her dad snuck out one day this week to take a couple of pictures on his phone. The photos show the death that had taken place over the weekend. I can't post them here as they warrant a 'viewer discretion disclaimer'. One shows children looking at the victims in a building that had been burned; the second has a child looking at (presumably) his mother laying dead in front of him.

Now I don't have to imagine.

God has kept them this far. I'm sure he must have seemed absent on Friday when they expected to die. Maybe even now. But from afar we can see his intervention, his protection. Now we're praying for continued protection for them, for peace and strength for their children who are in safe in other parts of the world, and that somehow the violence stops.

People - a country - should not have to live like this.

What snow?

2008-01-12T07:56:00.000-05:00

My grass is green. It was only a couple of weeks ago that there was two feet of snow all over our property, and now not only is it all gone, the grass is still green. As a matter of fact, it's as green as it's been all year (think about that for a second).

We were late sending out Christmas cards this (last) year. I didn't send some until Dec 28. We received quite a few cards with annual letters included, as well as many personalized cards (photos of kids or families). All were very nice, and it's great to hear from people, but it got us thinking - perhaps we should send out a personalized card next year, perhaps a picture of us, or the cat. Or, maybe we should write a letter. I initially thought that no one would want to read our letter, but then, I blog, so what do I care? Also, I post almost every picture I take to Flickr, so clearly it matters not to me if people read it or look at it - I'm going to do it anyway. =)

So, given that I've already bought Christmas cards for this (next) year (and funny ones at that), I think I'll be writing a letter. We may include a paragraph or two on "here's what you've missed if you're just joining us" to bring people up to speed on the events of our lives pre-2008. Postage may be a problem.

We've already got big plans for this year:

- next week - Dean arrives from Lima
- April - Mexico, Hitesh turns 40, family visiting from Newfoundland, I may go to Ethiopia
- May - Dean comes back from Newfoundland and heads to Lima, Karen goes to Ukraine
-June or July - David and Elaine are coming from Labrador for a few days, I may go to Ethiopia (it's a toss up between here and April)
- July - we are going to Newfoundland for Dustin's graduation ceremony
- August - Trout Lake, maybe
- October - our 15 anniversary, Karen goes to Calcutta
- November - I've got to start a Christmas letter, which will be no simply task.

Maybe I'll just send a link to the blog. =/

354!

2008-01-07T19:09:00.000-05:00

........... That's how many days are left until Christmas.

I was at work on New Year's Eve at 6:30 am - cleaned out my inbox (which means filling up someone else's) and uncluttered my office. No one else even showed up until 10:00. I left the office around 11:30 am to meet someone for lunch downtown. Then, I stopped at Yorkdale and saw a movie. What a way to end the year - get caught up at work, lunch at the King Eddy then Nicolas Cage in wide screen and surround sound.

I was glad to get back to work on Wednesday and have the holidays behind me. I enjoyed the time off, getting together with friends, eating, resting ........ but it was good to get back into the swing of things.

Today, many other people got back into the swing of things and cleaned out their inboxes. I figured this out when I got back to the office at 4:30 pm (after being out for various appointments) - over 60 emails. I tackled a couple, then shut it all down to come home. This blog entry serves as a short break before I crack open the laptop once again and bring the number back down 90%.

I'm looking forward to Christmas! =)

Merry Christmas

2007-12-25T09:23:00.000-05:00

It's Christmas! Soon we'll be headed next door for breakfast, spend the day with family, and eat turkey for dinner. But first, I'll call family in Newfoundland.

Dean is in Peru, and he hosted a mammoth meal at mid-night last night (in keeping with their tradition), so he'll be in bed and / or dealing with indigestion all day. I'll call him later.

Oral is somewhere off the coast of Africa on an oil ship - he celebrated Christmas earlier this month in Newfoundland. It's also his birthday today.

I have to admit, I envy the warm weather Oral and Dean are in, even though they are away.

Merry Christmas (or Happy Birthday), wherever you are!

mortgage free in ten years

2007-12-07T07:21:00.000-05:00

We negotiated our mortgage renewal this week. Based on our current amortization we would own the house in a little over eleven years. So, I locked us in to a ten year term, ten year amortization, fixed rate (5.75). In December, 2017, we'll be making our last payment.

WOO!

HOO!

Weekend Update

2007-11-26T07:09:00.000-05:00

Well, it happened. On Saturday morning at around 10:45 I received the first 'nick' on my car. Unfortunately, it's much more than a nick, and will cost $820 to repair. The person that hit me has already paid for the repair, which will happen this coming Friday at Downsview Chrysler.

Then, last night in church I actually led one of the songs, from start to finish, which included a solo on the first verse. This is the first time I've lead, but the second time I did a solo in a song. The first solo was "God of Wonders" in a key slightly higher than my range. Last night "Awesome in this Place" was within my range, and I didn't do that bad (if I had to say so myself!).

Friday night (yes, I know I'm reporting out of chronological order) we had the final event for a fund-raising project at work - "Christmas at the Castle" (Casa Loma). We've been raising money to build a home in a little town in Ethiopia for kids who are living with and/or orphaned by AIDS. We committed to raise $11,000; with the attendance at the event, the silent auction, and various initiatives since March, we've raised in excess of $16,000. Now we'll not only build the house, but we'll furnish it and perhaps even buy some livestock or something to help sustain it.

And today I'm off to Orillia for a leadership conference at work. It involves me picking up Carson Pue (author of "Mentoring Leaders") at the airport on Wednesday.

All in all, an eventful few days.

No place like home!

2007-11-22T06:09:00.000-05:00

We arrived home on Tuesday at about 5:00 p.m. Our luggage clearly did not get enough of Europe, as it opted to spend an extra night in Frankfurt. It arrived last night around 8:30 p.m. It was a great trip all around, except, of course, for the travel time and jet lag, which as combined ingredients became a recipe for a sore throat and some nasal congestion.

Karen preached in Lutsk on Sunday evening, with an interpreter (I was asked to bring greetings Sunday morning, also through an interpreter). After Karen preached, they had another person preach; apparently he was the bishop or a 'higher up' for that region. It seems that two sermons in a church service in Ukraine is not uncommon.

On Monday, before we left Lviv, we had dinner at the home of the contractor in charge of the building project at the orphanage. He and his family were very hospitable, and the director of the orphanage was also there. However, we didn't have a formal interpreter. For the most part, Karen and I sat there watching other people talk in another language, eating what was put in front of us, and whispering conversations among ourselves. It was only when we heard "Dema" (the closest Ukranian name for Dwayne) or "Karena" did we look in the direction from where we heard it, then look at someone who might interpret it for us. We were lost.

I've sometimes felt like that in church.

But as we travelled home yesterday, I reflected on it a little more. I wonder of that is how a person with a cognitive impairment lives? Does it seem like everyone around them is speaking a foreign language, and they rely on familiar cues or prompts in order to know what to do next? Several things for us that night were instinctual - what and when to drink, what and when to eat, smile and nod. But many things were difficult. How could I explain to the hosts that I simply couldn't tolerate the taste of 'borscht' without appearing downright rude and ungrateful?

So we sat there, looking straight ahead, and occasionally at each other, talking to each other in our own language, well behaved but uninvolved. It was a nice evening, the food was great, and our hosts were very welcoming.

It was a very good trip. Karen was able to fact find in preparation for her upcoming trip to Ukraine in May. I was able to connect with a school about specialized educational opportunities for their students who worked at orphanages with kids with special needs. And I may have gotten a glimpse into what it is like to live with a cognitive impairment or special needs.

my day - a punch line

2007-11-17T12:27:00.000-05:00

Did you hear about the Newfie who ate dinner at an orphanage with a group of people who only spoke Ukranian? Well, it happened to me, and if you can think of a punch line, let me know.

I've learned enough words so that it was not a total disaster, and one of the ladies could get by in english, but the humour of the moment did hit me.

After the ceremony to open the new gym today, we ate, and ate, and ate. Then Karen met with the director to discuss her trip next May, leaving me in the room knowing a half dozen words. It was fun.

It's been a great trip so far. Still cold, but we've at least figured out the heating system in the apartment. Tomorrow we're off to Lutsk for two church services and more food. Karen will do a radio show there on Monday, and we'll head back to Lviv where we'll visit with Irena, the orphanage pastor. On Tuesday morning we leave to head home.

All in all a great week.

5:30 a.m. in Lviv

2007-11-14T22:59:00.000-05:00

Thursday, Nov. 15. It's still yesterday in Toronto. Weird.

We arrived in Kiev on Tuesday at around 3:00 p.m. local time. There was one man unloading the plane, so it took us a while to get our luggage and leave. We were picked up and brought to Pastor Valerie where we visited for about 90 minutes before leaving for Korosten.

Stan, Karen & I each have slightly different purposes: Stan is maintaining & building on partnerships, Karen is preparing for a church trip in May, 2008, and I'm on vacation (and fact finding a little about possible future involvement targeting education and workshops for those who work with people with special needs.

We arrived in Korosten around 9:30. Our driver said the roads were very slippery (they had 30 cm of snow last week), but you'd never tell by his speed and his large amount of time spent in the other lane (passing).

On Wednesday morning we visited a girls orphanage outside of town. Karen is taking a team there. Ivan is the director and doing great work. Their facilities & services have become an example to other sites throughout Ukraine.

After lunch with Tetania (Stan's contact in Korosten), we left for Lviv. Our driver got us here in 4.5 hours. We arrived and met (another) Valerie, he helped us find our apartments, then went for supper. Our apartments are a couple minutes walk from each other, Karen & me on the main downtown street (and up 4 flights of stairs), and Stan just off the main street.

This morning we're headed to the Seminary where I'll meet with the director & the person in charge of the work they do in local orphanages, and this afternoon we do a preparation visit to another orphanage (Livchessi?), where we'll be back on Saturday for an opening and dedication ceremony.

So that's our trip so far. It's quite cold, but our apartment is very warm and cozy. Shopping for long underwear is in my future for sure.

Missions work is tough. =)

yellow shirts

2007-11-11T19:28:00.000-05:00

Remember in the old Star Trek series when a new character showed up in a red shirt? Before the end of the show, he or she would be a token, yet dramatic, fatality.

Yesterday I volunteered at Promise Keepers. I was given a yellow shirt to where. In Star Trek terms, we were below the red shirt. Yellow shirts were at the bottomed of the totem pole. In an org chart there's the main grid wth a bunch of offshoots from one head positon, spreading out in a triangle - yellow shirts would be a single shoot out of the bottom corner of the triangle, and on the other page - you'd not see us unless you flipped the page.

Above the yellow shirt was the yellow shirt, orange vest (aka, ushers). Above that were red shirts with pre-printed (fancy) name tags - generally the were related to someone higher up the food chain. Then there were blue golf shirts with fancy name tags. Above that was blue shirt, fancy tags, and branded jackets or fleece vests.

But I have to say, I enjoyed it. I was not high enough up the food chain to add a dramatic element, but I enjoyed being a distraction. This week was very full, very dramatic. Frankly it was a pleasure to be somewhere where no one cared what I thought. That was much more therapeutic than if I took in in the actual event.

Tomorrow we leave for Ukraine. Now I'm rested. Yesterday helped. The yellow shirt was beyond ugly. If I ever wear it again, it'll be under something. =)

Daylight Savings Time - to the rescue!

2007-11-04T09:43:00.000-05:00

Holy Cow! I can't believe how long it's been since my last post. Work has been non-stop these past couple of weeks, and it seems I'm barely out of bed when I'm out the door, and barely in the house before I'm in bed and fast asleep.

But this morning there was small mercy - daylight savings time! I woke at 5:20 am, my body thinking it was 6:20. I managed to toss and turn and sleep a little more until 7:40 (aka 8:40). I slept in, but still got up early.

Then I did some work, got ready for church, checked email (and learned that Dean is all over youtube), uploaded some photos to my Flickr page, ate a sandwich and took the dog for a walk. And still have time to blog.

All the while, I'm having to cope with the stress of a stubborn cold sore on my lip that just won't leave. Oh the humanity!

On a different, and perhaps less trivial note, I've been hearing / reading about forgiveness recently. I just finished Hosea this morning. An odd book. God tells Hosea to go marry a prostitute as an expression of how he (God) feels toward his people, Israel. They've been unfaithful and throughout the book God explains how they've been unfaithful and how he will judge them.

At the end of the book, God says simply - but if you return to me, I'll take you back. It doesn't matter how many other people you've 'slept with' or how you've been unfaithful with other gods. You're mine - I'll take you back.

At work someone asked what the difference was between grace and mercy. I thought for a while, having accepted them as synonyms for the most part. Someone else spoke up and said "Grace is getting want you don't deserve; mercy is not getting what you deserve." Synonyms or not, God showed both grace and mercy to his people, and continues to show it to us.

We were at a funeral yesterday. In one eulogy the person quoted Ephesians 4:23 (NIV) "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you". That verse, Hosea, and a couple of other experiences this week, made me wonder a little. As Christians, we're called to be holy, set apart from the world, to do good works. Yet, throughout the Bible we see stories and hear instruction that we need to forgive as we have been forgiven. It's as if that there's an expectation that though the bar of 'performance' has been set, it's expected that we won't perform at that level, and others around us won't perform at that level. We will disappoint, and we will be disappointed.

I suppose that doesn't mean we shouldn't try, which Paul was getting at when he said "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means!" (Romans 6:1-2 NIV).

It does mean that when we do miss the mark, or when others miss the mark, we should be quick to forgive and not hold on to whatever it was that disappointed us, whether in ourselves or in others.

All that deep thought and 30 minutes to spare before church! I must go and de-lint!

Final Calcutta Update

2007-10-14T08:32:00.000-04:00

Karen and her Calcutta team arrived home Friday evening. No one's luggage arrived with them. Seems their change in London was so short that they barely made it to the next plane, let alone their bags.

One of the team members did not have a pleasant flying experience and went straight to the hospital upon landing. She's fine now. It was nothing that an IV and an anti-biotics prescription couldn't tackle.

Karen's suitcase arrived at our house last night, just in time for me to start some laundry.

All in all, everyone is home safe and the trip went well. The challenges they had were only minor compared to the positive impact they had on those they went to help.

Tales from an Urban Juror: The story of Lisa, Roy and Dwayne

2007-10-13T08:26:00.000-04:00

In early September I received notice that I should present myself for Jury Duty at 361 University Avenue on October 9 at 8:30. I wasn't sure what to expect.

300 of us clamored into the room and at 8:45 Phil, the man that runs the jury duty office, showed us a video from the 80s and then talked to us. He asked if there was anyone that absolutely could not stay for the week. Lisa, who was at the same table as me, and four weeks away from giving birth, approached him. Meanwhile, Roy, a middle-aged guy also at the same table as me, explained that he was here 6 months ago, and was back because he couldn't stay at that time. If we were to be excused then, we'd have to come back in April, 2008.

Lisa learned that she'd have to come back to jury duty, and since she would have a new baby in April next year, opted to stay. I hedged my bets that I would not get called onto a jury and also stayed.

And so the 300 became 250.

The 250 of us were divided into 4 groups of about 60 people: green, purple, red and blue. Those were labels, not our particular skin tone or how we were dressed. Roy was red, Lisa and I were blue.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the courthouse, someone who was accused of a criminal offence was beginning a trial. At that point, he pleads not guilty or guilty. He also decides if he wants to be tried by a judge or jury. The system itself assumes everyone will choose 'trial by jury', hence the 250 of us who were waiting in the jury pool.

He chooses jury, so one of the groups get chosen to go to that court room. Lisa and I were chosen once. We head off to the courtroom, where we sit at the back and get a briefing on the trial. If any of us know the accused, or a witness, or the lawyers, we need to make that public and ask to be excused.

Then, 20 names are drawn from a bucket at random. Each lawyer has to say 'content' for a person to get on the jury. If either one says 'challenge' the person goes back to their seat. Each lawyer gets 12 challenges. When blue was there, they didn't get the 12 jurors from the first 20, so they called 10 more names. Lisa and I both were chosen in the set of 10. The 12 jurors were picked early in the 10, so we went back to our seats, and then the 60 of us, minus 12, went back to the jury pool waiting room.

That was Tuesday.

On Wednesday Bob joined Lisa, Roy and me at the table. Bob told of tales of how he had been for jury duty twice before but had never been chosen (they can call once every three years). He was in the red group with Roy. The red group were called Wednesday morning. Roy and Bob left us; only Roy came back. Bob had become juror number 12. Third time's a charm, Bob. Roy said Bob gave him a thumbs up as he left the courtroom.

And we waited.

Thursday I was excused for the morning for a work appointment. Lisa was also excused for the whole day as she had an ultrasound scheduled. The blue group was called, but we weren't there. Rats.

Friday found Lisa, Roy and me at a table with Nadia, a chemical engineer. She was smart enough to bring her laptop and purchase some Internet time from a Toronto Hydro wifi hotspot. Us, not so much. We caught up on Wednesday's events, the election, and the case on which Lisa and I almost became jurors. (The accused on our 'almost' case plead guilty on Wednesday. We would have been done by this point, had we been on that jury.)

Oh, and Lisa's ultrasound? It's a girl.

And we waited. And no one was called. And Phil informed us at 12:30 that we were no longer needed, our civic duty was completed, and we could go home.

No more waiting.

At first I thought the week would be a total waste. But it wasn't. I was reminded Friday morning that there can be purpose in everything. Had I realized that earlier, I might have been a little more deliberate each day.

But I did learn from Roy (who works for a financial institution) about a mortgage that acts like a bank account but is actually a line of credit. You get your pay deposited into this line of credit, then withdraw from it (only up to the amount of your pay less your typical mortgage payment). Apparently, the interest implications of having your entire pay applied to that amount, even for a few days, is much greater than what you'd make on it in a bank account. It's like earning 6% on your money, but in reverse. I think. There's calculators on a website, so I'll have to investigate further.

I also almost finished "Mentoring Leaders" by Carson Pue. A very good book.

And I met some very nice people.

And I ran into people I know on the subway. Small world.

And I learned about the court system. Now I'll be better equipped if I get called again in three years.
Oh, and good luck Bob.

Happy Thanksgiving

2007-10-08T09:01:00.000-04:00

Well, the day that we've waited for for so long has arrived. Thanksgiving? No. Deep fried turkey? You bet.

Last night went to Raymond's where he fried a 13 pound turkey. There's not much to be said - it was all we expected and so much more. In our excitement, Hitesh and I ran to the grocery store and bought some wings and cheese sticks to fry after the bird was cooked. Again, our expectations were not disappointed.

On Saturday night, Scott, Sue and I drove to Copps Coliseum in Hamilton to enjoy an evening with the Gaither Vocal Band (GVB) and Friends. Copps is a much smaller venue than Air Canada Centre, which is where they have been in recent years, so there were fewer performers.

The two featured performers were the GVB themselves, and a second quartet known as Signature Sound. If you like straight up rock and roll, Copps was not the place for you on Saturday. But if you like Southern Style Gospel with some bluegrass or country flavour thrown in for good measure, you would have had a great time.

Now, Gaither sells these little lighter sized lights, so that people can hold them in the air and wave them during sentimental songs. For some reason unknown to me, and surely at the chagrin of the people sitting near me, Scott decided to buy one of those lights and give it to me. See, I don't have the internal capacity to reserve the light usage to slower, sentimental songs. I had my own little light show going on during every song. The people in front of us in the first half were no longer there after the intermission. The fellow to the left of us used his right hand to shield his eyes, I was told, during many of the songs.

I had a great time. A highlight of the night was Gordon Mote, the pianist. Blind from birth, Gordon plays the piano like he had 7 or 8 senses, not at all like he was short by one. And if it isn't enough that he can play, he can also sing. And he's funny. The whole package. I was so impressed that I bought his new CD Don't Let Me Miss the Glory (He performed it at the concert) and downloaded one of his instrumental albums, If you Could Hear What I See, from iTunes when I got home.

Then, I got an email from Karen this morning. They were headed to KFC in Calcutta for lunch. I'm excited for her. Their trip is going well. They've had many opportunities to help people. But there's no Diet Coke - that's a cross she only has to bear until Friday!

ever feel like this?

2007-10-06T14:14:00.000-04:00

.... it's from a cool website with lots more.......

Kolkata update

2007-09-30T09:26:00.000-04:00

I heard from Karen about 25 minutes ago. It was past 6:30 pm Kolkata time, Sunday. They've arrived safely. One person's luggage didn't make it, and two people have colds.

They're staying at a hotel, so they'll sleep well each night and hopefully get the colds out of their systems.

I'm off to an "environmental waste day" for Toronto to get rip of an old computer, monitor and some paint, then to church.

a new temp blog title

2007-09-29T12:10:00.000-04:00

Yesterday evening Karen, as part of a team of 6 women, left Toronto on a mission. Literally. They are headed to Calcutta (which, I learned, is properly spelled 'Kolkata') for a 12-day short-term missions trip.

Their travels took them to London this morning, and now they are on a flight from London to Kolkata, where they will arrive tomorrow morning (local time) before dawn. They don't get home until October 28, so for the next two weeks I'm a bachelor due to missions.

With the events of last week behind, and understood, I'm at work today (just taking a short break as a reward for an newly-emptied inbox) to finish some stuff and get a head start on next week. And Karen's away, so why stay home?

I have moved my elliptical upstairs and planted it in front of the TV. For the next two weeks, I'll faithfully and rigorously 'elliptic' and enjoy the new television season. Last night I was entertained by Heroes, the new Bionic Woman and CSI:Miami.

But that is, as they say, that. I must get back to work.

Refreshing

2007-09-23T08:16:00.000-04:00

This past week has possibly been the toughest of my career. I'm not sure why... I mean, I have an idea, but I'm not sure why the events of the week have affected me the way they did. But that's not important now.

What's important is that on Friday night a group of people we support performed as a choir at a small gathering, singing and signing hymns and worship songs.

One gentlemen, who frankly is as deaf as a post, did a solo of "The Lord's Prayer". He did it very well, and for the most part in tune.

Another fellow led the first verse of "Amazing Grace".

One lady signed "Shout to the Lord" as the rest of the choir sang it.

And they all rocked out on "Oh Happy Day".

The joy on each person's face as they sang, as we cheered, was both exhilarating and humbling. The choir, comprised of people with disabilities, had an opportunity to touch the souls of those who listened and sang along. Especially me. Everyone deserves the chance to be able to do the same. To be able to help someone at their very core.

And they get to do it again at Christmas. I think I'll pop in on some of the rehearsals. =)

Jury Duty

2007-09-18T07:21:00.000-04:00

I've been summoned.

On October 9, I must present myself downtown at The Superior Court of Justice on University Ave. Not just any court, the Superior Court. How about that?

It is interesting how the system works. As I understand it from the documents I received, as of October 9, I may have to wait for up to 5 days just to be screened. Then, if selected, I will need to be available for 2 to 3 days anytime during the next 4 or 5 weeks to serve as a juror.

I need to call them about one thing -we're scheduled to be out of the country from October 25 to November 2, which may prevent me from being available. I have to say, it's slightly disappointing -- think of all reading I can do while I wait!

September 13

2007-09-13T19:48:00.000-04:00

Me

2007-09-07T07:13:00.000-04:00

Yeah, a little self absorbed I know, but hear me out.

A couple years ago when I started blogging it was more of a cathartic exercise to sort out some thoughts as I read through the Bible. When I was done that, I started to journal personally, as some thoughts were frankly a little too much to tell the world. But I found I missed blogging - so I started this one, with the idea that I'd write about stuff that I was excited or passionate about, hence the title 'Soapbox'. See for yourself at my first post (Now I'm quoting myself). Turns out I'm often excited about trivial things - but if you know me, you'll know that I'm an easily excitable person, and my excitement gets expressed in the number of words that come out of my mouth (or fingers, and especially when there's caffeine involved).

With that in mind, last night Karen and I visited some long time friends in their new home. As we toured the house, they apologized because it was small, but that it was 'them'. Our house is as small, if not smaller, but it's us. We talked only briefly about the fact that we felt the need to apologize for being in a house that we liked, that suited us, but did not measure up to the standards of many people we know.

See where I'm going with this?

Why is it we apologize for being us? There's only one me, and I'm trying to be the best me I can be. Usually the times I get annoyed or short fused or am ineffective are the same times when I'm trying to be or please someone else. That's just silly.

This morning I started to read Jeremiah (I'm not a big fan of the major prophets, but it's an exercise in discipline for me, and I know I'll learn something). God told Jeremiah he knew him before he was born, and he had a job for him to do. If he wanted someone else to do it, wouldn't he have asked someone else. He wanted Jeremiah.

Wouldn't the same go for us? Only I can do what I do the way I do it. I'm me, and if that means I want to live in a small house (ahhhh, there's the connection), then I'll live in a small house - I'm not a big house kind of guy!

But I'm not really talking about houses.

My "Holy Discontent" - take two

2007-08-23T13:21:00.000-04:00

Don't you hate it when you put something out there, think about it some more, then decide that you didn't articulate it correctly? I think that's what I did yesterday. So I deleted the post.

I had tried to articulate my Holy Discontent, as Hybels explained it in his book of the same title -- For me, I think it is "That everyone has something to offer, that everyone has purpose."

I'm not talking about 'a' purpose, nor am I referring to potential; nor is it about one's 'calling'. I wholeheartedly believe that regardless of a person's situation, gifting, education or family background, they have something to offer. When a person diminishes his or her capacity to make a difference, to effect change, that bothers me, and I'm compelled to try and help them.

I'm privileged to work in a Christian Ministry that exists to serve people with exceptional needs. I get to help people make a contribution, regardless (or because of?) the particular challenges they live with.

Someone recently sent me a chain email: The next time you feel like God can't use you, just remember... Noah was a drunk, Abraham was too old, Isaac was a daydreamer, Jacob was a liar, Leah was ugly, Joseph was abused, Moses had a stuttering problem, Gideon was afraid, Samson had long hair and was a womanizer, Rahab was a prostitute, Jeremiah and Timothy were too young, David had an affair and was a murderer, Elijah was suicidal, Isaiah preached naked, Jonah ran from God, Naomi was a widow, Job went bankrupt, John the Baptist ate bugs, Peter denied Christ, The Disciples fell asleep while praying, Martha worried about everything, The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once, Zaccheus was too small, Paul was too religious, Timothy had an ulcer, and Lazarus was dead.

If you can get past the cliche of a mass email, and illustrations only from the Bible, then you'll see what I'm trying to articulate. It disagrees with much of what gets messaged out of many churches; thankfully, not all.

So, I think that's it. At least this time. For now. =)

Trout Lake

2007-08-19T15:28:00.000-04:00

We arrived at the cottage on Trout Lake yesterday. I've been off work since Friday. The cottage has Internet service, but it's not allowing me to upload a picture of the lake. This is rough.

Since I've been off, I've read three books: Sex God by Rob Bell, The One Minute Manager Builds High Performing Teams by Ken Blanchard (& a couple other people), and Holy Discontent by Bill Hybels. Oh, and I made my way through the August edition of Wired Magazine. Not sure yet what I'll start tomorrow.

Right now I'm researching how to hard-wire an auxiliary input for Karen's Civic for her iPod.

Now this is a vacation.

Project Gemini

2007-08-12T08:53:00.000-04:00

That was the codename that Hitesh and I used for the last 5 or 6 weeks to plan yesterday's surprise birthday party for Karen and Kim. It was a success. We managed to get them to show up at the same time, thanks to much deception from each of us.

There was easily more than 100 people in the backyard, and several people contributed in such a way that the day could not have been a success without them. Thanks so much!

But, not a lot of time right now, so here are two pictures courtesy of Ariel.

37.6%

2007-08-04T19:24:00.000-04:00

I haven't posted for a couple of weeks. That's a story for another day. For now, I have a sad story.

I was at one of our sites just yesterday, and was making some small talk with one of the staff. The conversation lead to exercising, gym memberships and personal trainers, and before I knew it, I was barefoot on a scale that not only weighs me but tells me my percentage of body fat. That's right, 37.6 % of me is fat, which based on my overall weight, equals about 84 pounds. I'm sure I need some fat, but I'm confident 84 pounds might be a bit much.

My problem is I like to eat. I take regular ice cream and chocolate bar breaks. Many days begin with a sausage and egg mcmuffin (and yes, I'd like the extra hash brown!). If I eat lunch, there is more often than not cheese involved.

And I haven't used the elliptical in the basement since the beginning of February (yes, this year).

So this morning I went into the basement, with appropriate exercise attire, and watched the pilot episode of Harsh Realm, a Matrix-esque style television series that lasted nine episodes in 2000 (I think).

I also did not have any ice cream today (can't say that for the chocolate and cheese, but hey, it's Day One).

So there you have it. I'm going to lose weight. My goal is to get down to 200 pounds, hopefully before I retire in 2035. I may refine the goal in a week or two to reach my target by the time we own our house (around 2019).

Wish me luck!

I should have stayed in bed

2007-07-23T17:24:00.000-04:00

I like the police and all. But I have to say it was more of a choice this morning than a predisposition.

On Lawrence Ave, just east of Allen Road, there are several south bound streets. I was headed east, and merged into the right turning lane. I looked up, and saw that there was a no turning allowed between 7 & 9 am - it was 8:20. I looked over my left shoulder and there was heavy traffic. Not thinking that I could wait, I decided it was safer to turn right on this street than merge back out into traffic.

There he was. Fresh out of police school. Pointed at me. "Thought you could get away with it, eh?" he asked. Not really. It just seemed like a good idea at the time.

So, he writes the ticket ($110 & two points), doesn't accept my explanation, and sends me on my way. He tells me that I can simply pay it, which, he adds, few people do. What's that about? Why even give the ticket if he knows that? Or, I can appeal it and end up in court 6 or 8 months from now. Then he bids me to drive safe - that's what got me the ticket!

On a side note, I think the turning restriction is so people don't take shortcuts through the residential neighbourhood during rush hour. My appointment was in that neighbourhood.

After my appointment, I head off to Keele and Eglington to formally indicate my decision to oppose the ticket. I arrive a little after 10:00, buy parking for one hour, chat with the ticket fighting guy parked in the lot, and then head inside. I fill out the form and get a number - #455. At 10:45, after serving #452, the fellow pulls a blind down on his window and walks away. No indication is made when he will return. I may have uttered a word or two of complaint.

So head out to the parking lot to buy more parking. The meter breaks. I go back inside. They're on #457. I go get a new number - #465. I go outside to another parking meter - it works. I buy time until 12:30. I go back inside. I get to the Kiosk at 11:15.

The fellow (same guy) tells me I'll get a notice in the mail in three to six months. I won't have court date until 2008.

If they know that people will fight it and end up paying a reduced charge, why don't they simply hear the explanation, write a smaller ticket and avoid the points? If so, I wouldn't contest it, the courts would not be as busy, my insurance provider wouldn't have another reason to grab my money, the kiosk man could have taken a longer break, and those ticket fighting people would be put out of business.

Maybe they're all in cahoots - the courts, the ticket fighting companies, and the insurance companies.

I'll still support Toronto's finest. Maybe my ticket will help train that new graduate to take down bigger criminals in years to come. I can only hope.

Leadership Lessons

2007-07-12T20:51:00.000-04:00

"Live Free or Die Hard" - great movie. Yesterday I tried to share a leadership lesson from it. I wasn't taken seriously. Bruce Willis goes through unspeakable (but 'filmable') chaos, all sorts of stuff happens, he's almost killed....... and he walks away from it, smiles, and says "Huh"! That's positive thinking.

Huh.

But then there's real life stuff -- David Onley to be the next Lieutenant Governor. A Christian man with a disability who works for City TV will be the Queen's representative. How cool is that?

As for me, on Sunday I overcame my jitters and sang with the worship team at church. Both services ("Live Free..." was not a prerequisite, though inspiring). It wasn't as bad as I figured it would be. I focused hard and kept the twitching at a minimum.

And, (can you put a comma after 'and'?) it's been a great, refreshing couple of weeks at work. I think I'll go eat some cheese.........

Scrutility

2007-06-30T07:12:00.000-04:00

That's right, scrutility. It's not really a word, but I learned it this week. Here's the context. We're playing euchre, someone plays a hand that very likely could have been lost, but wins it. It was played with a great deal of scrutility. It was used by the mother of one of my euchre opponents. In the end, we won, so no amount of scrutility was able to help them.

I've been back to work for a week. It merits showing the picture above which was the view from the front window while I was in Newfoundland. Not bad, eh?

Now, back at work is another story. One of my co-workers showed up at work with a new hairdo, or, should I say, hair piece. Well, imagine her surprise when she was dared to allow me to wear it. She did. You might say it took both of us some scrutility to do so (okay, not really for me), but she did, and I did, and there's the proof.

And I finally picked up my car this week. Very exciting. While in Newfoundland, I decided to get the windows tinted. The dealer gave it to me for 28 bucks above their cost, so it wasn't a bad deal. I've driven it all week and it's a really nice ride. I now need to figure out where the front of it ends.

Confessions of a busy vacationer

2007-06-21T07:08:00.000-04:00

So, I'm on my 10th day in Newfoundland. Karen's been here since Sunday. Since arriving last Tuesday, I've installed a surround sound audio system, repaired a computer, set up a new laptop and transferred files, transferred the Bible in mp3 to Oral's iPod, cut blinds, helped to install an LCD projector at church, visited family, drove to St. John's and back, and ate a lot through it all.

All that to say, in the midst of the drive home and the busyness since, I failed to blog anniversary wishes to David & Elaine on June 10, birthday wishes to Andrew on June 11 and birthday wishes to David on June 18. Of course, in anticipation of the busyness, I had mailed all the cards early, so it's not all that bad.

Today I'm to cut some more blinds, install a kitchen faucet (including shut-offs) and go shopping for groceries in preparation for lobster and steak for supper. One thing's for sure, I won't leave the island hungry.

aaahhhhh highspeed, i mean ... Pilgrimage to Newfoundland, Day Three (& beyond)

2007-06-17T19:04:00.000-04:00

It's been a couple days since my last entry. My hometown only has dial-up, so it's a serious chore to get online. Knowing I was to be here in St. John's today, I opted to wait to make an posting for my trip across the island.

The boat docked on Tuesday, June 12 a little before 7:30 am. I was on the Trans Canada Highway at 7:30. Here's the music:

16 km - Marty Nystrom, In Christ Alone
85 km - Sawyer Brown, Mission Temple Fireworks Stand
158 km - Sarah Masen, All Fall Down
227 km - Blissed, Corrosive. All of it, Jeff.
303 km - Guardian, Bottlerocket
395 km - Guardian, Buzz
477 km - Bryan Duncan, most of Holy Rollin'
517 km - miscellaneous stuff

The trip ended at 554 km. All said, I travelled 2577 km in three days. Not bad.

Right now I'm in St John's waiting for Karen. Her flight arrives at midnight. She will leave Toronto in a few minutes. My trip in consisted of some Hillsongs, Shania and Steven Curtis Chapman.

Now I wait. I expect to hear from a cousin to get together. If not, I'll grab a movie or something. Tomorrow I have another cousin arriving from Thailand where she and her husband have adopted a new baby. We're going to be at the airport to welcome her, with dozens more, I'm sure.

Pilgrimage to Newfoundland, Day Two

2007-06-11T17:06:00.000-04:00

I woke at 4:30 local time (3:30 am EST). There was tossing and turning, and finally a decision at 5:00 am to get out of bed. I read Ezra, made some notes, showered, packed (what little there was), checked out, ate some complimentary cereal and a hard boiled egg, and put the car in first at 6:14 am, again, local time.

I had made arrangements to stop in New Glasgow for lunch and see some old friends from college (Hey Keith and Vonda!). I ended up seeing them earlier than anticipated, given I left 75 minutes before my intended time. Now it's just after 6:00 pm and I'm already at the ferry terminal (I got here a little after 5:00). We don't have to board until 10:00, so I bought a day pass for the Internet. I can type for hours.........

The music:
- 0 km - Newsong, Rescue
- 128 km - Russ Taff, Under Their Influence, Vol 1 (I didn't ask him about Volume 2, though he was in my car two years ago, the very same car I'm leaving in Newfoundland. Am I making the right decision? Can I put the passenger seat in my new car?)
- 202 km - Russ Taff, The Way Home
- 280 km - stopped, figured I'd need a bio-break sooner or later. Then, started Jonathan Stockill, Let the Church Rise
- 409 km - WhiteHeart, Don't Wait for the Movie. I crossed into Nova Scotia as it ended.
- 496 km - WhiteHeart, Freedom
- 584 km - took another break, Then, started Micheal Neale, Bigger Than Life
- 660 km - stopped for lunch for two hours. That's right, two hours. Total driving time to the ferry, minus the stop = 9 hours, 914 km
- 691 km - back to the music - (I was on the phone from 660 km to 690 km) - Israel Houghton, Live from South Africa. This took me almost all the way to the ferry.
- 901 - Big & Rich - just three songs.

Now, honestly, I scrolled past Blissed and opted not to listen. It was a conscious decision, given I'll need something to give me a start tomorrow morning at 6:30 am when we dock in Port-aux-Basques. I need to be alert because da moose are some tick dat hurley in da marnin......

That's it. I took a couple of pictures of signs and flags as I drove. They were very artistic - through the windshield at 115 km / hour. The mission was not to sight see, but to get to the ferry. In retrospect, maybe I should have stopped.

Now I get to look forward to the dorm room bunk that I booked for the overnight boat ride. And Blissed in the morning.

=)

Pilgrimage to Newfoundland, Day One

2007-06-10T19:36:00.000-04:00

I left Toronto this morning at 7:20 am, and pulled in to the Days Inn, Edmundston at 6:00 (EST, 7:00 pm local time) - 10 hours, 40 minutes. But I'll get there in a second.....

Karen and her team arrived home on Friday afternoon. While we were waiting in the airport, there was a huge rain, wind and lightning storm in Toronto. Flights were delayed from both taking off and landing because it was so bad. Karen was already in, so we got back to the house a little after 5:00. The power was out. Seems there was a lightning bolt that hit the transformer outside the houses, and our whole corner was out.

A little while after, we saw that there was a huge tree branch tangled in the wires over the street. There was also a place on our maple where a branch used to be. There hasn't been any forensic testing, so we can't say for sure it was our branch.

Toronto Hydro had to replace the transformer, as well as remount the top wire for a few consecutive hydro poles.

Now, back to the pilgrimage. How does one pass almost 11 hours and 1100 kilometres in the car? Thank goodness Steve Jobs came up with the iPod! This was my music selection, by kilometre:

- 0 km - Eoghan Heaslip, Grace

- 126 km - Great Big Sea, Play

- 222 - Kent Henry, The Secret Place (I stopped for gas and a bio break at 323 km; there was a dead skunk at 331 km)

- 345 km - Third Day, Wherever You Are (and another bio-break at 400 km - shouldn't have had that diet coke!)

- 455 km - Jeff Foxworthy, You might be a redneck (crossed the Quebec border during this at 471 km)

- 538 km - Evanescence, The Open Door (going through Montreal and the tunnel; thought I was lost, so I stopped, turns out I wasn't! Karen called a little after I got back on 20 East (labelled as Trans Canada on Google Maps))

- 639 km - Imperials, Priority, then This Year's Model (stopped for McDonalds and poutine just at the end)

- 790 km - Craig Smith, Your Kingdom Come

- 940 km - Lindell Cooley, Revival at Brownsville

- 1049 km - Lionel Petersen, Rejoice Africa (I crossed into New Brunswick during this at 1072 & arrived at Days Inn a little before this album ended, at 1099 km)

That's the trip. Tomorrow I have a little less than 1000 km, but the highways may not be as quick as Ontario and Quebec, so it'll still take 10 hours for sure.

and so I wait

2007-06-07T19:57:00.000-04:00

The bathroom is clean (for the most part), the house is tidy (generally speaking), the dishes are ....... oh, no, I still have to do those ...... and the bedroom has been converted to the 'summer' coverings (almost). Looks like I'm ready. Just one more sleep, one more day at work .......... and the weekend's here.

.......... which means Karen will be home.

=)

no news is good news

2007-06-02T23:18:00.000-04:00

That's how the saying goes, so since I haven't heard from Karen, I'm taking it as good news.

In the meantime, I'm at home cleaning, washing cars and planning a trip. Karen gets home next Friday, then I leave Sunday. Tonight I booked a hotel in Edmundston, New Brunswick for June 10 - that's how far I have to make it in one day. According to Google Maps, it's 1096 kilometres - if I did it non stop, maybe 11 hours. My time, with expected bio breaks, 12.5 hours.

On Monday, I only need to drive 911 kilometres to North Sydney, Nova Scotia. From there, I swim or take the ferry to Port-Aux-Basques, Newfoundland. Then, Tuesday morning, there's another 552 kilometres from there to Campbellton.

I imagine that I won't be interested in driving again for a little while after that!

Ukraine update

2007-06-01T11:29:00.000-04:00

One of the ladies had to get her appendix removed last night. Wow! She's doing well now.

They've arrived

2007-05-31T08:04:00.000-04:00

At 12:37 this morning, which I assume was 7:37 am in Ukraine, Karen and her team were off to work at an orphanage in Lopatin. They had a bit of a tough time with their luggage in Kiev airport, both in getting it and then paying extra to get it through to L'Viv.

It took them two days, but they finally arrived safe and sound.

A Dodge Caliber and a trip to Ukraine

2007-05-28T20:17:00.000-04:00

After 17 test drives and many emails to my insurance broker, the papers have been signed. On June 25, I'll take ownership of this Dodge Caliber.

That's right, your computer screen is not playing tricks on you. It is indeed orange, Sunburst Orange, as a matter of fact. It also has orange on the dashboard and seats.

Why June 25? Because I don't need it until then. On June 10 I leave for Newfoundland in the 2001 Oldsmobile Alero. Karen will fly down on June 17. That week, the Olds will change owners, and we will fly back on June 23, leaving it behind.

In the meantime, Karen went to the airport today for her 5:30 flight with eight other women from the church to Frankfurt, Germany. There, they will connect to another flight which will taker them into L'Viv, Ukraine. Only thing is, the flight to Germany was delayed. They haven't even left yet - it leaves tonight at 9:30. From the time I left Karen with her team at the airport to now, I bought a car. She hasn't even left the country.

Now we're hoping they make their connecting flight. That's the prayer request! In the midst of that, though, the lady at the check in counter let all their bags go through without charging extra for the weight and gave them vouchers for supper. I imagine at Pearson that the party has begun!

I got tagged????????

2007-05-23T19:56:00.000-04:00

The rules: Each person starts with 8 random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged need to write their eight things and post the rules. At the end of your blog, tag eight people and list their names. Don't forget to leave them a comment telling them they're tagged, and to read your blog.

1. Upon getting tagged, I went to wikipedia to learn about tagging.
2. I don't know anyone else to tag.
3. As a kid, I usually was 'it' as I could not run very fast. Still can't.
4. I think I might be a 'maven' or at least have the tendencies. A self observation based on recently reading "Blink" and my ongoing search for a new car.
5. I twitch. A lot.
6. My first kiss? None mattered before Karen.
7. I'm not really a romantic.
8. I'm buying a Dodge Caliber. Maybe.

=)

Consider yourself warned

2007-05-22T21:40:00.000-04:00

I test drove a Ford Focus tonight. Now it has become a compulsion. With each test drive, an email follows to my insurance broker. I'm starting to think he may ask me to find a new insurance provider. I've become needy.

Surprisingly, nice car. Handles well and roomy. And a good price to boot. Could we have a new contender for first place?

Oh, and since yesterday, I've gone back to the Cobalt, and a Caliber.......

Our Dining Room

2007-05-21T08:15:00.000-04:00

In the busyness of vacation and car shopping, I forgot to post a picture of our completed dining room. When we left for Mexico in April, Mom and Dad were still here and they were facilitating access for the insurance contractors into the house.

When we returned home on April 30, the dining room was complete but for the light fixtures, as they were not part of the insurance' scope of work. Our dining room never had ceiling lights, so when the ceiling got opened up after the flood, we had an electrician come in and run some wires.

So, the first Sunday in May, I went to Rona and picked up three lights - two were like what we had on the wall previously, and the third is what you see in the picture above the table.

I never realized how much I missed the dining room. Since this picture, I've read almost every morning in there and the table has rarely been clear of stuff - right now Karen has some files there as she prepares for Ukraine and my laptop is on the other side. I don't think we've eaten there yet, though!

By the way, today it's the Optra 5 door.

Obsession

2007-05-19T16:08:00.000-04:00

Just when I thought I had finished car shopping, I decided to test some more.

Karen was at the hairdresser, so I visited a Smart Car dealer, then drove a Honda Fit, and then two Chevs, the Optra Sedan and the Cobalt Coupe. Now I'm leaning toward the Cobalt, subject to insurance rates.

More to follow, I'm sure.

More Car Shopping

2007-05-16T07:35:00.000-04:00

Monday was my Birthday! Happy Birthday to Me! After supper I test drove a Volkswagen City Golf. I think that might be the car! I've already heard back from my insurance broker, and the City Golf is one of the least expensive in my long list for insurance.

Car Shopping

2007-05-12T22:12:00.000-04:00

Next month I am driving to Newfoundland in the Oldsmobile Alero and I'll be leaving it there for Dustin. So, I'm car shopping.

So far I've looked at and test driven (get ready for it) a Mitsubishi Lancer, Dodge Caliber, Hinda Civic, Kia RIo 5, Kia Spectra, Hyundai Accent, Toyota Matrix, Pontiac Vibe, Toyota Yaris, Suzuki SX4 and a Mini Cooper. Yes, I know the Mini Cooper is way out of the price range of the rest of the cars, and I know that it's a lot of money to spend on a car, but it's a Mini Cooper. The Cooper S is even more expensive. But what a ride. could easily be swayed.

I don't have a long commute to work, but I do have to drive to west to Kitchener once or twice a month and possibly as far east as Bowmanville a few times a month. Other than that it's 3.6 kilometres to the office and about 10 kilometres to church.

I still intend to test a VW Rabbit and Golf, and a Smart Car, for the heck of it.

My hope is to take ownership in early July but I'm in no rush. Any thoughts?

What Happens in Mexico, Stays in Mexico

2007-05-01T10:45:00.000-04:00

..... a true statement if I didn't talk so much ......

We had a great trip. Karen got a cold, and my back went wonky, but our plans required us to sit around and lay around beside the pool or on the beach, so it wasn't all that bad.

I read three books: The Tipping Point and Blink by Malcolm Gladwell, and Letters to a Young Evangelical by Tony Campolo. Of Gladwell's two books, I liked Blink much more. As for Letters, Campolo is treading some controversial waters, which made me enjoy it all the more. I also made my way through three Wired magazines - some really cool articles in them as well that I'll follow up later.

Grant did amazingly on both the flight to and from Cancun, as well as the bus ride to our hotel. I'd recommend the Grand Sirenis to anyone. A great facility with great amenities.

While we were gone, Mom and Dad took care of the house and facilitated the insurance repairs. We came home to a finished renovation. Mom and Dad even cleaned the kitchen, the dishes and everything in the dining room as they put it back together.

I've made an appointment to see the doctor for this afternoon. My Mexican prescription runs out in a day or two so I'll need more painkillers until I get to see a specialist. Before then, though, I'm off to pick up Deborah, Oral and Dustin who got stranded in Toronto. They were on a flight from Edmonton to St. John's but could land there due to fog (which of course is a rarity for St. John's - I think that's why they moved the main airport from Gander to St. John's, because of the consistently favourable weather conditions there, on a peninsula that sticks out in the middle of the Atlantic - genius!) so now they are here until Thursday because Air Canada can't get them out until then. Did I mention we flew Westjet to Mexico? That's a great airline!

That's about that. Real life began today for Karen, tomorrow for me.

It's been a while .....

2007-04-18T07:58:00.000-04:00

This past Monday was Deborah and Oral's wedding anniversary. Tomorrow is Deborah's birthday. Happy Birthday, Deborah. They're off to Edmonton for a couple of weeks.

Mom and Dad have been here for two weeks now. Dad has picked up, in total, 11 bags and 6 green bins of stuff from the lawn. We had a wind storm a couple months back, so there was quite a bit of stuff on both my and Marguerite's lawn. Mom has been busy baking buns (what's funny is Elaine emailed me because I had typed 'baking nuns' initially) and bread, and cleaning.

Yesterday the contractors finally showed up to start work on the house. They insulated (so I've had a busy week - here I initially typed 'insulted') and drywalled the dining room ceiling. Today they will be back to plaster. it's about time. We've had a cold March and April, and my gas bill has been $200 and $175 given that we had no insulation in the dining room. We were heating up the airspace above our backyard.

Next week we head to Mexico. Mom and Dad will take care of the house while we're away. Hopefully the contractors will be done by then. Fingers, arms, toes and legs are crossed.

Happy Easter

2007-04-06T07:48:00.000-04:00

It's already April, and the weather is still cold. My parents arrived from Newfoundland on Wednesday night. They had asked me what kind of clothes to bring. Of course, being April, I suggested they leave their warm winter stuff behind. Apparently it's cold and snowy until Monday. Who knew?

While we were waiting at Pearson for them to arrive, some familiar faces walked through security and were met by a guy with a sign. He was in front of us, so we couldn't see the sign. I stood trying to figure out where I knew them from, when it occurred to me they were on TV. Turns out they were the "Trailer Park Boys". I'm pleased that I didn't immediately recognize them, given their show is very rude.

Today Mom and Dad will see the Toronto Passion Play for the first, and maybe second, time. Should be fun.

Pictures

2007-03-24T21:11:00.000-04:00

It was a chore, but the pictures are done. I had to reduce the size of more than 600 in order to upload them in this lifetime to my Yahoo Photo Page (which has now been moved to flickr). If anyone knows of an easy way to do it, please let me know.

I 'simply' selected all 600+ and instructed them to be sent via email, so that Windows could reduce the size in the email. Then, once I had them in the 'attached' section of the email, I saved them all into a new file folder - bringing almost 2 gigs of pictures down to 45 megs.

I have to admit, it didn't go as simply as the above paragraph suggests. You see, Outlook Express kept trying to 'send' the email, and my computer was having a hard time processing so much information, so there were a few hiccups.

But alas, there was success, and success means pictures. If you do not have the energy to click on the links above and look at the pictures, here is one (though I feel a little bad in contributing to your laziness, but I shouldn't judge, as I don't know what kind of day you've had).

Jerk Lobster Tail. It was tough trip, really!

Jamaica Video

2007-03-22T22:10:00.000-04:00

So I was the designated photographer and videographer on our trip to Jamaica. That lasted for a couple hours. I got bored, and another fellow picked it up. 600 pictures and three hours of footage later, well, it turned out okay.

Right now I'm pulling the last video off the DV tape onto my computer, listening to the last church service on that machine while I do this on another machine. Using two computers at the same time - how the heck did I live in Jamaica with no Internet?

What's funny, though, is I held the camera for the portion that is playing back right now. I fidget a lot the best of times. During this talk, the pews were uncomfortable and I had a cough and was on my last Halls. It's like 'extreme testimony'.

Today we booked our vacation. We're headed to the Grand Sirenis on the Mayan in Mexico. Very excited. And Mom and Dad are headed to Toronto on April 4, and will be here until May 3. They'll take care of our house and Myrtle while we're away at the end of April. Cool.

Still no update on the insurance claim. My adjustor is not the quickest person in the world. I emailed and called him earlier today, and still have not had a response. Ours should be a straightforward claim - come in and renovate - no furniture or other contents to be replaced - just construction. We'll see.

Electrical

2007-03-20T21:33:00.000-04:00

Whenever a previous owner decided to build on the dining room about 40 years ago, he never wired in any lights in the ceiling. Since the ceiling is open right now, I had an electrician friend come by on Sunday and run some wiring. Now we have lights on switches. Very exciting.

Tomorrow I'll call the insurance people and arrange for the repairs. Hopefully by the end of April we'll have moved back into the dining room, and enjoy our new lights in style. Good times!

I'm Back

2007-03-14T08:02:00.000-04:00

It's good to be home. We had a great time in Jamaica, accomplished what we set out to do and then some, but there's no place like home.

Here's a quick rundown (also the name of one of the meals we ate - 'rundown'):

- Saturday - orientation to the area, visited the school, visited Mandeville (the nearby town) in the back of a pick-up truck
- Sunday - church in Tweedside in the morning, church (finale of a crusade) in Wisbeach in the evening
- Monday - worked all day, church in Sanguenetti in the evening. I shared a testimony.
- Tuesday - worked all day, church in Bullocks in the evening. We learned the hymn "I'm a Glad Pilgrim" (aka "I'm going through")
- Wednesday - worked all day, church in Dykes Hill in the evening
- Thursday - worked all day, church in Sanguenetti again in the evening. I lead the hymn "I'm a Glad Pilgrim"
- Friday - a day off - visited Little Ochi (Alligator Pond) for lunch, and Kingston for a 'pantomime' in the evening. Got home on Saturday at 2:00 a.m.
- Saturday - another day off - visited Dunn's River Falls in Ocho Rios. Got a sunburn.
- Sunday - awake at 2:30 a.m., to Kingston by 5:30, in the air by 8:00 and at home before 1:00 p.m.

We helped with cement blocks, cement mixing, scaffold building, plywood laying, rebar (steal) cutting, re bar laying, rebar tying, more mixing, cement pouring and other labour. We also helped with some computer stuff in another area of the school. With our contribution, they are now able to build walls and a roof around the elevated floor and create some new rooms in the schools.

As well, it seems we accomplished more than expected in the local church visits we did. Very exciting. And the 25 degree and above weather didn't hurt anyone!

That's it in a nutshell. The first half of the week we travelled in the back of a pick-up. The last half we were using a local church's bus, a Toyota Hiace.

And it's good to be home.

Jamaica

2007-03-02T07:58:00.000-05:00

This is our dining room. Two Sundays ago I came home to a leaking roof. The following Monday the Insurance Contractors came and removed all the wet drywall and insulation and brought giant drying machines. On Tuesday All Tight Roofing repaired the roof on the outside.

Yesterday, almost two weeks later, the Insurance Contractor returned to remove the drying machines and take the specs so they could give the Insurance Company a quote to make the repairs.

Yesterday we also had an outrageous snowstorm that left a foot or more of snow in places (including the roof). Then it turned to freezing rain, and now it's raining. The dining room is still dry, so kudos to All Tight.

On a side note, I took out the snow blower for the first time this winter last night. It was just too much snow to shovel.

And today I leave for Jamaica. I just checked online, and it's 30 degrees (Celsius) or above there for the next four days. A group of men from church are headed down there to help build a section of a school and also help out at some local churches. Physical labour is a small price to pay to be in 30 degree weather!

Happy Birthday, Elaine (two days late)

2007-02-25T16:17:00.000-05:00

It's not like she reads this blog very much, but Happy Birthday Elaine, nonetheless!

I had intended to bring a card to Quebec so she would get it hand-delivered by David before her birthday. I forgot to take it with me. Then, with the 'incident' at the house upon our return, I failed to get it in the mail before Thursday.

Hope your day was great!

Welcome Home

2007-02-19T09:56:00.000-05:00

This is the site that welcomed us when we walked through the door, after our drive from Granby (minus the green pail - I put that in place before I had sense to take a picture).

Water had somehow converted from the snow and ice on the flat roof above & made it's way through supposed water-tight construction, through the paint, and onto the floor below. Global warming, I guess. Is this what I get for looking longingly at a couple of Dodge Magnums on the road, and not having the same warm feelings towards the many Prius' we passed? And how do you pluralize 'Prius'?

So I'm now sitting at home waiting for a roofer. Seems the insurance will cover the damages on the inside, but I have to fix the problem itself. You know, if we had already moved from global warming to 'global warmed', there would not have been any snow and ice on my roof, and this would not have happened. Ah, if it only were so.

At the Races

2007-02-18T07:19:00.000-05:00

Well, we did it. Dean and I went to Valcourt, we bought tickets and we watched the races. Of course, not being really sure what to expect, we almost ended up watching a parade in the town of Valcourt, thinking it was the races. Turns out Grand Prix Valcourt happens outside of Valcourt.

But we did eat - poutine, onion rings, hot dogs, hamburgers, Kit Kats and home made potato chips. The only thing that set us apart from other spectators, other than the visible lack of snowmobile branded clothing on our backs, was the lack of a beer can in our hands.

And we got to visit with David and Andrew at supper at La Cage Aux Sports, a fine dining experience, made even better by giant and countless television screens decorating the walls.

They, along with some other folks from Labrador (Dwight, Kelly, Josh and Peter - also our dining companions) will spend another day at the races, while Dean and I head back to Toronto. I could be convinced to do this again next year.

A day in Valcourt

2007-02-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

Even in the title of this entry, I've begun a little too late in the story. I need to back up to Thursday, when we got an email from Deborah saying Oral missed a flight in London, so he would having a short stopover in Toronto. Dean and I picked him up at around 5:00 and dropped him back at Pearson around 9:00. During that time, we went Montana's and ate.

And by eat, I mean there were wings, shrimp, steak, pork ribs, beef ribs, chili, french fries, apple crumble and cheese cake. It was enough to embarrass a fat man!

Then, yesterday, Dean and I left at around 1:00 to drive to Granby, QC. We met David and Andrew here last night. They were a bit late, so Dean and I went for Chinese food at around 8:00. We were finally hungry after Thursday's fatfest. We saw a Chinese food place and seemed to like the idea, though we would have preferred Wendy's. We should have held out for Wendy's. Wasn't that great, and it cost 15 bucks each. Then we met David and Andrew and some others and went to St Hubert's.

Which brings us to today - a day in Valcourt. We haven't even left the hotel room yet, but David and Andrew are likely already in Valcourt, about 40 kms east of Granby. There are snowmobile races and competitions. There'll be people flying through the air doing crazy flips on their 'sleds', as they call them. We came to see David and Andrew, not the sled thing. We'll go to Valcourt, but not before I Google Granby and Valcourt to see what other amenities they offer. We may end up in a mall, eating snacks, reading a book, and surfing the internet.

Or we may watch the races. I forgot my boots, so whatever we do, we won't be outside for long.

Vacation Update

2007-02-05T19:59:00.000-05:00

Last week I learned that there's a difference between using vacation time and being on vacation. I was merely taking time. My goals were lofty - take four days off, read and watch tv and movies. Some wacky stuff happened at work and pulled me back in - two days off - back to work on Wednesday. But that's okay. In that time, I finished "Soul Cravings," went to a movie, and watched some tv. Besides, I was still responding to email, so even though I was away from work physically, I was still there mentally. It was inevitable that I'd be back early.

While I was off I managed to spend money - I ordered a subscription to Relevant Magazine (the link was down when I typed this, so I hope it works). It's not your typical Christian magazine. I like it.

I also love iTunes (even if I'm a PC user). I downloaded 'Wide Eyed and Mystified" by a group named 'downhere' (that's right, no caps). Great album. Some songs sound like U2 meets Queen meets Jesus. One song, titled 'Little is Much" starts with the question, 'What is the measure of a life well lived?'

..... This is a song for the broken, the beat-up and so-called losers. Little is much when God's in it - no one can fathom the plans he holds .....

vacation - what to do?

2007-01-28T12:41:00.000-05:00

I woke up one morning in December absolutely exhausted. I peeled myself off the bed, and began my day with the words - "Man, I need a vacation." That was about six weeks ago.

Tomorrow marks the first of three days off - vacation. I had planned to begin a minor renovation at my house, opening up the kitchen to the living room by putting in (or knocking out) a six foot opening. I wish I could simply paint a black hole on the wall like they did in Bugs Bunny and it would be done. Not so. There will be dust and garbage. So I've decided to postpone it, maybe even pay someone else to do it, at least the messy part.

So instead of starting a renovation project, I'm going to wait for the Enbridge guy to clean my furnace, read, and visit a friend and her new baby (I still have to schedule that) in the afternoon.

Tuesday also involves big plans - a trip to the dentist. Wednesday will find me in Oshawa watching movies on a 42 inch HD pane with a friend. I'm sure there will be food. Then reality again on Thursday, as I toddle back to work. Between now and then, I'll finish McManus' new book "Soul Cravings", which has been great so far.

Dreams

2007-01-16T07:01:00.000-05:00

Three nights ago I woke at around 5:00 a.m. to the sound of Myrtle growling. She was fast asleep, and growling up a storm. Must have been quite the dream.

Two nights ago I woke again, but this time I was preaching in my sleep. I was dreaming that I was in a church service, and I remember feeling so passionate about something that I stood to my feet in the middle of the service and started explaining it.

What was I passionate about? That each on of us is created in God's image, and as a result, should expect the same respect and dignity from others. A person's skills or lack thereof, his or her abilities or disabilities, does not change God's stamp on them. Everyone - God's image.

I've been part of a few conversations and interactions in the last week or two where that has been questioned. I'd like to think that the three cheese pizza I had the night before helped to prepare me for the dream, as I woke up suddenly, but excited about what was in store that day.

Everyone, in God's image. I wonder what Myrtle was dreaming?

Verse of the Day =)

2007-01-10T07:09:00.000-05:00

Deuteronomy 1:17a (God's Word Translation): "Be impartial in your decisions. Listen to the least important people the same way you listen to the most important people."

Happy Birthday & Merry Christmas

2006-12-25T07:36:00.000-05:00

Today is not just Christmas - it's Oral's Birthday (pictured with Grant). Happy Birthday, Oral.
I had to share my birthday this year with all the mothers, as mine was on Mother's Day. I can appreciate a little bit how you might feel.

It was 11 years ago yesterday that Karen brought home Myrtle, probably one of the best Christmas gifts I've ever received. Here is a picture of her from this summer. I think she's still in bed, even as I type this.

I was at church twice yesterday. There was a one our service last night. Then, we ordered pizza when we got home and opened gifts from Newfoundland and our workplaces. We're blessed. Someone gave me the French version of a Seinfeld season, which is funny since we were just in Montreal last week. I don't think it was intentional on their part though.

Then, we watched a cheesy, television Christmas movie. All in all, a good day. Today is turkey day next door.

And then tomorrow gets to the true meaning of Christmas in today's Western World - Boxing Day sales. I'm shopping with someone else, on the hunt for one or two televisions and a printer.

Merry Christmas!

Orthodoxy

2006-12-09T08:31:00.000-05:00

I just finished reading Orthodoxy by G. K. Chesterton. What a great book. I didn't realize it, but I had already been impressed by a statement of his contained within this book, but quoted by Steven Sample in The Contrarian's Guide to Leadership.

On page 119 of the Orthodoxy edition that I read:

But all conservatism is based upon the idea that if you leave things alone you leave them as they are. But you do not. If you leave a thing alone you leave it to a torrent of change. If you leave a white post alone it will soon become a black post. If you particularly want it to be white you must be always painting it again; that is, you must be always having a revolution. Briefly, if you want the old white post you must have a new white post.

Wow.

That has implications everywhere - at work, personally, church (especially at church). We so desperately hold on to the way things are that we lose grip of those very things. It think that's what The Bible means by iron sharpening iron.

Then there's a terribly profound statement that comes after a huge comment on the merit and trustworthiness of the rich as political leaders. Simply, If our faith comments on government at all, its comment must be this - that the man should rule who does not think that he can rule.

Another notable comment, that I would have highlighted, had I not borrowed the book:

The primary paradox of Christianity is that the ordinary condition of man is not his sane or sensible condition; that the normal itself is an abnormality. That is the inmost philosophy of the Fall.

And finally:

Man is more himself, man is more manlike, when joy is the fundamental thing in him, and grief the superficial. Melancholy should be an innocent interlude, a tender and fugitive frame of mind; praise should be the permanent pulsation of the soul. Pessimism is at best an emotional half-holiday; joy is the uproarious labour by which all things live..................

Joy, which is the small publicity of the pagan, is the gigantic secret of the Christian.

UTGC

2006-12-03T08:45:00.000-05:00

Last night I had reason to go see the University of Toronto Gospel Choir (UTGC). What a great show! It may be that I haven't been exposed to so much soul in music for a while, but the music was great (great also = loud, but the volume was warranted), and the choir both performed and ministered.

I can't believe I hadn't heard them before. They've been in existence for 12 years, and are working on an album, which should be out in the Spring. I will buy it.

A great evening. They also advertised the Soweto Gospel Choir's concert at Hummingbird in February. I think I'll be there.

The Imperials

2006-12-01T16:47:00.000-05:00

I've been a big fan of The Imperials for almost ever. I own almost every album since "Sail On." Thay've just sent me their new copy in the mail, and for a 50 year old group with as many past members as I have socks, the album is really good. I don't have the urge to skip songs. Very exciting.

On another note, I also downloaded the Eva Avila album from iTunes. Also a great album, but a slightly different style than The Imperials.

eaves, leaves and Christmas lights

2006-11-26T08:11:00.000-05:00

That was the appointment I had written in my planner yesterday. Has sort of a ring to it. And it's very literal. Yesterday, one month before Christmas, I cleaned out our eaves troughs, put up the lights, and finished picking up the leaves.

Between the two yards, we have two humongous maple trees. A huge windstorm about five weeks ago cleaned off our lawns from what would have been 7 or 8 mulched bags of leaves. Instead, since then, I've only has to pick up about 20.

We have a tree with some sort of berry on it at the side. For nature lovers, they'd enjoy the fact that it attracts lots of birds. For utilitarian folks, it's not as enjoyable, as the birds take the berries, then pack them in my eaves troughs, so that I can get up on a ten foot ladder in the fall and 'reflect' on those same birds as I scoop the decaying berries into a bucket. At the same time, I have to admire the birds for being such work horses.

Yesterday, as I was on the ladder, there was a lone grey squirrel running back and forth from the berry tree (you'd think I'd know the name), along the fence, up the evergreen. I couldn't see what he was doing with the stuff he was carrying, but he was booting it.

Once the chores were done, I made a visit to the barber. A flu last week prevented me from doing it myself, so I had to get the help of a professional. The day got capped with "Casino Royale," the new 007 movie. All in all, productive, and enjoyable.

But man, are my legs sore.

blogs

2006-11-01T15:27:00.000-05:00

I think it's funny what people will blog about. I read one that is helping the rest of us catch up on what we missed on TV. The blogger feels it's his responsibility to watch everything and tell everyone about it. Somehow, for me, watching "Heroes" is a much more enjoyable experience than reading about it.

I read another one which is by a person who clearly enjoys writing and using images. Stuff like:

my head rose at the clap of the door closing in the wind,
the sun bends through the glass, and hits my eye.
I squint.
Silence.

Instead, I just think "I thought I shut the door. Crap, I'd better clean the glass."

I guess people will blog about almost anything. =)

happy times

2006-10-21T08:03:00.000-04:00

Yesterday we were in Hamilton at the wedding for two of our friends. We were the emcees. They had a great wedding and reception. The guests were also a lot of fun.

Then, at home, there were two Blissed CDs waiting in my door, along with a copy of "Orthodoxy" by G.K. Chesterton. My friend's a rock star.

And today is Dean's birthday! He's 40! Happy Birthday Dean! Enjoy today!

bye, bye, ego

2006-10-19T08:24:00.000-04:00

If you ever want to be rid of your ego, simply arrange to speak in front of a large group of peers, be videotaped, and be ready to have an immediate critique following your talk. Then, expect a second critique after the video of your talk is viewed, in the same session.

Woohoo!

We had a workshop on Tuesday on "How Leaders Speak." It was high level learning, with immediate, practical application and feedback. A very effective way to learn and improve one's speaking abilities.

I've heard hundreds of talks, many of which were sermons. While I wish a lot of those speakers would heed some of the insights we learned (like, it's disrespectful to the audience to exceed your alloted time), I don't think I'd ever want to make a living by public speaking.

Friends of our who were visiting on Monday told me I'd do fine. If by 'fine' they meant uncomfortable, humbled, and wishing I called in sick, then I guess it was fine. Ah, I'm better for it.