THey say you always preach the sermon you need to hear. I really don't believe that to be true, but I do think that it happens from time to time. As I plan out what I will preach this Sunday (title BUsy-ness and Prayer). I know that this is one of those times.
The sermon is shaping up to be about the need to get out of the trap of needing to always be doing, to always be productive, and take time to simply be. The need to take time working on relationghip with GOd. THe need to recharge, in essence the need for Sabbath time.
Now I never claim to always be productive (seldom productive on some days) but I know that I don't do a great job of the relationship building, on the recharging, on the Sabbath stuff. I fill my time. THat is why I like the need to walk the dog. For that 30 minutes (on average) I am not doing anything. My mind is free to go whither it will--I got a good start on at least one devotional on a walk. I may not formally pray but it is Sabbath time. It is time when I can stop and breathe the clear air, or look at the fresh snow, or pause to watch the river. It is a chore that needs doing but I am also learning that it is a gift.
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Monday, January 30, 2006
Fun Times!!!
Latelly Sarah has decided that she needs to take her diaper off during "nap time" (understand that no actual napping takes place 9 out of 10 days). Generally not a problem.
Today mom went to let her out of bed and found that we had pooped. Now the throw rug and bedding (from both beds) is being washed and mom got to wash poop off the hard wood floor. Please tell me toilet training is just around the corner?????
Today mom went to let her out of bed and found that we had pooped. Now the throw rug and bedding (from both beds) is being washed and mom got to wash poop off the hard wood floor. Please tell me toilet training is just around the corner?????
New Blog
I have now started a blog for the church. IT will be a plce to post news, coming events, previews of upcoming services. Pictures of the church should show up there too (once some are taken on the digital).
Check it out Riverview Rolls On
Check it out Riverview Rolls On
Sunday, January 29, 2006
Emerging Spirit
Partly as a response to our Annual Meeting today I went looking at some stuff on the UCCan web site. The UCCan has launched an initiative called Emerging Spirit to help reach people in the age range of 30-45.
There is some interesting ideas and information on the web link above. But I am wondering how much it will help. Unless we in the church get better at describing why we go all the bells and whistles in the world won't be enough. Unless the church can do more to invite people to come they won't be there to see what is new. Unless the church is ready to let go of older ways of doing and being then new ways will never have room to catch hold.
It remains to see how effective Emerging Spirit will be. Will it take root and grow or will it be consigned to the pile of "good ideas that went nowhere"? But there is wisdom in trying to find out what will make the church relevant in people's lives. As one person said this morning during a discussion about vision and change "the wrong people are having this discussion. We need to hear from the people who aren't here about what might need to be changed."
There is some interesting ideas and information on the web link above. But I am wondering how much it will help. Unless we in the church get better at describing why we go all the bells and whistles in the world won't be enough. Unless the church can do more to invite people to come they won't be there to see what is new. Unless the church is ready to let go of older ways of doing and being then new ways will never have room to catch hold.
It remains to see how effective Emerging Spirit will be. Will it take root and grow or will it be consigned to the pile of "good ideas that went nowhere"? But there is wisdom in trying to find out what will make the church relevant in people's lives. As one person said this morning during a discussion about vision and change "the wrong people are having this discussion. We need to hear from the people who aren't here about what might need to be changed."
Saturday, January 28, 2006
Time for A Change?
This part of Canada is heavily reliant on the forestry industries as an economic base. THese industries use massive amounts of power to operate. Currently they are suffering what some have called a "perfect storm". A high Canadian dollar makes their product more expensive in the US, electricity costs in this province are higher than in other jurisdictions, fibre costs are high, transport costs (both of logs and of finished product) are increasing, and (in the case of lumber mills) there is a trade dispute around duties in the largest market.
Daily in the regional news there is a story about one or another mill that is announcing lay offs, or announcing the possibility of lay offs, or threatening to close altogether. Inherent in all these stories and announcements is the feeling that the government has to step in. The government has to lower operating cost, the government needs to lower electricity rates, or resolve the softwood lumber dispute, or pay a share of road construction costs, or lower stumpage fees. Or better yet, the government has to do all these things. Either the government acts yesterday or the industry will die.
Now make no mistake, there is a problem here. Despite my suspicions that the companies are milking this for all the poilitcal hay they can (to totally mix my imagery) I have no doubt that the economics are not good. And the lay offs/slow downs/closures make a real impact on the life of our communities. But still I wonder, maybe it is time for a change? Maybe it is time to rethink things.
THere comes a time when we need to make hard choices. Maybe the hard choice to be made involves deciding to keep on keeping on or to take a hard look at what is sustainable economically and environmentally in both the short and the long term. MAybe the short term choice needs to be to shore up forestry for a limited period and pour more and more resources into finding a new economic foundation, or a way to do forestry using far less power. This will cause upset and turmoil but maybe in the long term it is needed.
In last Monday's paper there was a letter asking why this town continues to look mainly to resource-based industries as its economic base (in conjunction with discussions around "mitigating" the planned closure of the generating station). Why not look elsewhere, at other industries? Maybe it is time the whole region asked itself that question. After all, what happens when the forests no longer provide enough trees or the rocks enough ore? That day will come at the rate we are going. That day will come. Lets start planning for a change now, before it is too late.
Daily in the regional news there is a story about one or another mill that is announcing lay offs, or announcing the possibility of lay offs, or threatening to close altogether. Inherent in all these stories and announcements is the feeling that the government has to step in. The government has to lower operating cost, the government needs to lower electricity rates, or resolve the softwood lumber dispute, or pay a share of road construction costs, or lower stumpage fees. Or better yet, the government has to do all these things. Either the government acts yesterday or the industry will die.
Now make no mistake, there is a problem here. Despite my suspicions that the companies are milking this for all the poilitcal hay they can (to totally mix my imagery) I have no doubt that the economics are not good. And the lay offs/slow downs/closures make a real impact on the life of our communities. But still I wonder, maybe it is time for a change? Maybe it is time to rethink things.
THere comes a time when we need to make hard choices. Maybe the hard choice to be made involves deciding to keep on keeping on or to take a hard look at what is sustainable economically and environmentally in both the short and the long term. MAybe the short term choice needs to be to shore up forestry for a limited period and pour more and more resources into finding a new economic foundation, or a way to do forestry using far less power. This will cause upset and turmoil but maybe in the long term it is needed.
In last Monday's paper there was a letter asking why this town continues to look mainly to resource-based industries as its economic base (in conjunction with discussions around "mitigating" the planned closure of the generating station). Why not look elsewhere, at other industries? Maybe it is time the whole region asked itself that question. After all, what happens when the forests no longer provide enough trees or the rocks enough ore? That day will come at the rate we are going. That day will come. Lets start planning for a change now, before it is too late.
Thursday, January 26, 2006
I'm not here
If anyone asks that is. I am actually writing my last devotional for Ordinary Time (or rewriting actually).. Who knew that a simple little devotional would lead me to reflect on guilt, shame, inadequacy and atonement -- all on the same day. Oh yeah it needs a rewrite.
Or of course I could be figuring out what my introductory comments for Sundy's sermon discussion will be (Scripture is the new heaven and earth from Rev 21 and the houses on rock and sand in Matthew 7. Discussion questions are:
Or of course I could be figuring out what my introductory comments for Sundy's sermon discussion will be (Scripture is the new heaven and earth from Rev 21 and the houses on rock and sand in Matthew 7. Discussion questions are:
- What are RUC’s greatest strengths?
- What is your hope for RUC?
- Where do you see the need to change? To stay the same?
Mind you I think option c sounds good--veg out watching an ER rerun and pass all the other stuff to my "day off" tomorrow. Yeah, that fits. Night all.
Oh and an update on my celebrity reader gig. THey ran late and I was cancelled--or as the newspaper editior (who read first) put it "they made sure the real celebrities got to read." Hey with friends like that... (Update Feb 2: Or words to that effect--maybe not those exact ones but the same intent was heard)
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Weather now...
| You Are Rain |
 You can be warm and sexy. Or cold and unwelcoming. Either way, you slowly bring out the beauty around you. You are best known for: your touch Your dominant state: changing |
ALthough truth be told I wanted to have multiple answers on most, if not all of the questions. This seems pretty close though...
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
E-mail Humour
HI GORD: Ithought there might be something in this you could use for your Mother's Day service. I laughed right out loud at some of it. Kids never fail to come up with an answer
-----
Why God made moms" answers given by elementary school age children to the following questions:
Why did God make mothers?
1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.
How did God make mothers?
1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my Mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts.
What ingredients are mothers made of?
1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.
Why did God give you your mother and not some other Mom?
1. We're related.
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's moms like me.
What kind of little girl was your Mom?
1. My Mom has always been my Mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.
What did Mom need to know about dad before she married him?
1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?
Why did your Mom marry your dad?
1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my Mom eats a lot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that Mom didn't have her thinking cap on.
Who's the boss at your house?
1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's such a goof ball.
2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
3. I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.
What's the difference between moms and dads?
1. Moms work at work & work at home, & dads just go to work at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dads are taller & stronger, but moms have all the real power 'cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.
4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.
What does your Mom do in her spare time?
1. Mothers don't do spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.
What would it take to make your Mom perfect?
1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd diet, maybe blue.
If you could change one thing about your Mom, what would it be?
1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.
2. I'd make my Mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it and not me.
3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on her back.
=============================
THE MOMMY TEST
I was out walking with my 4 year old daughter. She picked up something off the ground and started to put it in her mouth. I took the item away from her and I asked her not to do that. "Why?" my daughter asked.
"Because it's been laying outside, you don't know where it's been, it's dirty and probably has germs" I replied.
At this point, my daughter looked at me with total admiration and asked, "Wow! How do you know all this stuff?" "Uh," ...I was thinking quickly, " All moms know this stuff. It's on the Mommy Test. You have to know it, or they don't let you be a Mommy."
We walked along in silence for 2 or 3 minutes, but she was evidently pondering this new information.
"OH...I get it!" she beamed, "So if you don't pass the test you have to be the daddy."
"Exactly" I replied back with a big smile on my face and joy in my heart.
====================
"Dear Lord," the preacher began with arms extended and a rapturous look on his upturned face, "without you we are but dust..."
He would have continued, but at that moment one very obedient little girl (who was listening carefully) leaned over to her mother and asked quite audibly in her shrill little girl voice, "Mommy, WHAT is butt dust?"
Church was pretty much over at that point
-----
Why God made moms" answers given by elementary school age children to the following questions:
Why did God make mothers?
1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.
How did God make mothers?
1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my Mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts.
What ingredients are mothers made of?
1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.
Why did God give you your mother and not some other Mom?
1. We're related.
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's moms like me.
What kind of little girl was your Mom?
1. My Mom has always been my Mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.
What did Mom need to know about dad before she married him?
1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?
Why did your Mom marry your dad?
1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my Mom eats a lot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that Mom didn't have her thinking cap on.
Who's the boss at your house?
1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's such a goof ball.
2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
3. I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.
What's the difference between moms and dads?
1. Moms work at work & work at home, & dads just go to work at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dads are taller & stronger, but moms have all the real power 'cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.
4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.
What does your Mom do in her spare time?
1. Mothers don't do spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.
What would it take to make your Mom perfect?
1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd diet, maybe blue.
If you could change one thing about your Mom, what would it be?
1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.
2. I'd make my Mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it and not me.
3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on her back.
=============================
THE MOMMY TEST
I was out walking with my 4 year old daughter. She picked up something off the ground and started to put it in her mouth. I took the item away from her and I asked her not to do that. "Why?" my daughter asked.
"Because it's been laying outside, you don't know where it's been, it's dirty and probably has germs" I replied.
At this point, my daughter looked at me with total admiration and asked, "Wow! How do you know all this stuff?" "Uh," ...I was thinking quickly, " All moms know this stuff. It's on the Mommy Test. You have to know it, or they don't let you be a Mommy."
We walked along in silence for 2 or 3 minutes, but she was evidently pondering this new information.
"OH...I get it!" she beamed, "So if you don't pass the test you have to be the daddy."
"Exactly" I replied back with a big smile on my face and joy in my heart.
====================
"Dear Lord," the preacher began with arms extended and a rapturous look on his upturned face, "without you we are but dust..."
He would have continued, but at that moment one very obedient little girl (who was listening carefully) leaned over to her mother and asked quite audibly in her shrill little girl voice, "Mommy, WHAT is butt dust?"
Church was pretty much over at that point
Monday, January 23, 2006
Say WHAT??!?!?!?!
THere are dozens of things I should be doing so of course I am reading blogs. Over at Adam's World I found this post that made me sit up and blink.
NOw actualy to be honest I had heard this news item on the radio. But I have to wonder. The only way one would feel the need to make it explicit that eating a ballot is illegal is if someone, somewhere has done it. Some sort of statement about the candidates? WOnder if the ballot was then vomited up? And how would it be counted?
NOw actualy to be honest I had heard this news item on the radio. But I have to wonder. The only way one would feel the need to make it explicit that eating a ballot is illegal is if someone, somewhere has done it. Some sort of statement about the candidates? WOnder if the ballot was then vomited up? And how would it be counted?
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