Remembering

This weekend, Irvin Reich died when the Golden Arrow bus he was driving slammed into a flatbed truck that was carrying metal pipes. Irvin used to be the owner & operator of Brightwood Youth Ranch. I was sobered to hear of his death. While I really didn't know him, I do have several memories of him from my times at Brightwood camp. Many of my favorite retreat type memories are from Brightwood. The McKernan College and Career group went there several times for winter retreats. I remember Irvin from the orientation times to the camp, from the winter horse drawn hay ride, and bringing countless amounts of wood into the main lodge where they had an incredible wood burning style stove/fireplace.

Tonight I watched his wife on the 6 p.m. news and remembered her working away in the Brightwood kitchen, cooking many meals.

Even though I barely knew Irvin, there is something jarring about knowing a person who was killed in such a horrific accident.

So today has been a day of reflection and remembering. It was a good time in my life... those days when we went to Brightwood. Lots of prayer and conversations and RISK games and eating. We saw the Holy Spirit come in power and start a spiritual fire in many lives, the effects of which are still being felt today!

It's interesting to think back to the time when the Spirit came in power... since I've lately been thinking so much about the 'honey glory'!

I pray for the Reich family, and honor the work and life of Irvin Reich, who loved Jesus and now is able to see the One who he served for his entire life.

One for the Dogs

Today I woke up to a very cold, snowy day with wind gusts blowing snow everywhere. We've been told for a while that this week coming up would be brutally cold and it's here!

Today it's was about -23 outside and about -30 with the wind chill factored in.

But it's Sunday, so, you guessed it, I went for my weekend long run. I actually was pumped up about it, just because it was so cold out and it seemed like a badge of honor to be running in such conditions. (others would say it's a badge of insanity, but that 's another story!)

If the idea of running in -30 seems nutty to you, think of it this way: at least I was running, and thus keeping myself reasonably warm! I honestly didn't expect to see anyone else on the Mill Creek path today, but I did. Quite a few of them actually. DOG WALKERS. People out in -30 walking with their dog. Now that's hardcore! I even saw one couple walking where the woman had the dog and the man was reaching into a snow bank to retrieve the dog's poop! Believe you me...I appreciate pooper-scooper-uppers, but that's going above and beyond the call of duty!!! WOW.

Speaking of poop, there was an article in yesterday's paper about police finding a pipe bomb in the bottom of a port-a-potty. It happened in north Vancouver on Friday morning. How would you like to have been the poor sap who had to remove the bombs!! If they had gone off, it would have given new meaning to the phrase 'the &*^% hit the fan'!! Ha Ha.

One final thought on the topic:

Every so often I end up feeling like *&^% on a Sunday afternoon, having preached with energy but without much anointing. Or so it seemed today. It reminded me of the Canada Dry Ginger Ale that's been sitting in our fridge for a few weeks: FLAT!

Who knows, maybe everyone was so cold from the drive to church that the blood never really got flowing again. Who knows. The whole thing is, admittedly, subjective, given that I'm basing it primarily on how I read the congregation. Listening, but not much response. At least people were listening. That's got to count for something.

Tonight I'm staying in! We've got the wood fireplace going, for the first time this winter and it's great. I love real wood fireplaces. My grandmother had one in her lakeside house in Ontario, so I've been in love with them ever since.

So with hot chocolate in hand and a fire burning, I will bunker down and let the cold wind swirl away outside, while I stay warm on the inside!

Honey

"The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous.
They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.
By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward." Ps. 19:9-11

Things I Wonder About

It's been so long since I blogged that I wondered if I had forgotten my password! Evidently, I was able to remember it!

It's 9:30 p.m. and I'm watching the American Idol auditions with Pam. Given that I feel guilty about it, I thought I'd try to redeem the time by doing something productive and important (lol) like blogging! HA!

Right now there's an insane woman who wants her son to be the next American Idol and she actually said that American Idol is her biggest dream in life; that it's the reason for her entire life!! It was incredible.

Do these people actually think they can sing? Or are they trying to be so funny and so bad that they get on the auditions episodes? They can't be serious. Maybe it's scripted somehow.

A friend of mine commented to me once that American Idol is popular because it plays to the current young adult generation's obsession with themselves and with fantasies of fame.

So here are some things I'm wondering about lately:

a) Heath Ledger died today. Who would name their son 'Heath'?

b) Fred Thompson dropped out of his bid for the American Presidency today. I wonder if he'll go back to being on Law & Order? I hope so!

c) Bees have been dying in record numbers for the past several years and nobody knows why. I really like honey, so I hope they can discover what is happening. Here's to swirlin' in the honey!

d) I've been watching a lot of the U.S. Presidential primaries (much to the confusion of Pam, but she forgets that political science was my minor in University!) I love it. I'm not sure if Barak Obama or Hilary Clinton will win the nomination, but I do wonder if either of them like honey!

e) It's fascinating that for most Americans, the Iraq war has fallen way down their priority list. Right now the economy is most important to them. I understand why. Given the complexity of the Iraq conflict and the current U.S. economic crisis, I wonder why anybody would want to be President. It's the most brutal job around!

f) I wonder where I can get more honey.

So there you have it.

The Beginning of New Things

Last night I was at the fireworks downtown and was able to say so-long and good riddance to 2007, and here's hoping for 2008!

Some people have said that the number 8 in the Scriptures means or signals 'new beginnings'. I don't know of any evidence to prove that, but after 2007, I'm more than willing to "take it in faith"... I'm more than ready for some 'new beginnings'!

In many ways, 2007 was about as low a valley in ministry as I've experienced. In the midst of virtual continual turmoil I found God teaching me some hard lessons about myself, exposing and peeling away encrusted ideas and mindsets, along with certain paradigms and identity issues. It was a year where God brought some people into my life and then moved them out; many others were moved (or chose to leave) to different churches and/or places to live. In some ways, there was so much relational transition that I have gotten used to it and to a degree have numbed out to it. After a while you're so used to people 'moving on' that you just say 'well, here we go again' and you just keep on going.

In the midst of it all, I have experienced God sustaining me and somehow keeping a sense of hope about the future. I'm actually being serious about that; I'm not spewing pious Christian platitudes. I don't understand it and I certainly can't explain it, but in spite of all that 2007 threw my way, I feel closer to God and responsive to His Spirit. I don't feel particularly depressed; certainly there are times of significant discouragement, but they seem to pass reasonably quickly. I can't totally explain it.

As I said, I also recognize that God has been teaching me a lot and has been shaping me through all that has happened in 2007. James says that I should 'rejoice' in these trials and Paul says that such things are but 'momentary light afflictions' that can gain eternal weight in glory; I have focused a lot on those Scriptures.

So what now in 2008?

There are things happening in me that I can't articulate right now. I can sense it in my spirit, but my mind can't understand it. That's okay. God is working in me, and I'll just try to relax cooperate as best I can.

In some ways I'm not really thinking a lot about what God will do or may do in 2008. I just don't have energy for that right now. I need to focus on what God is saying to me and wanting me to do in the present moment, and let God do whatever He chooses in the bigger picture.

For January, I believe that God is inviting me to re-dig some old wells in my spiritual life. Not to go back to the past, but to rediscover some dimensions that have been covered over a bit. (sounds vague, but I'm intentionally not being specific... guess I'll have to discuss it more in the future! :)

2008 will not be a year to sit back and passively watch for what God will do. I don't know what He will do, but I do have energy to re-discover and re-engage in some ways in my own personal life.

I hope that I will be able to put some of the lessons of '07 into practice and see some fruit in '08.

At any rate, to all who read this, I wish you a Happy New Year and hope that 2008 will be a year of new beginnings for all of us!