lost & found

Centuries of Darkness

2009-11-04T08:28:00.000-08:00

Peter James and 4 other archaeologist's challenged the conventional dating of the early iron age in their book 'Centuries of Darkness' written in 1992. This is an excerpt from their website,

...in the following year [1993] the famous `House of David' stela was found at Tel Dan in northern Israel. As well as providing the first historical reference (outside the Bible) to David and his house, bolstering the case for the historicity of Solomon, it is also threatening to force a complete revision of Israelite archaeology. Carefully analyzing its original findspot, Rupert Chapman, Executive Secretary of the Palestine Excavation Fund, has concluded that the stela, which can be historically dated to 825-800BC, must have come from a level conventionally dated to the 10th or even 11th centuries BC. If Chapman is right, the dating of Israelite stratigaphy will have to be reduced by as much as two centuries.

taken from here

Housing Crunch

2009-10-23T14:04:00.000-07:00

For those of us visually orientated, this is helpful.

What was the cost of this bubble?

This pictogram does a good job of helping us visualize it. If this is right then the bailout has cost (to date) about 24 times as much as it cost to rebuild Europe after WW2 and 5 times as much as Roosevelt's entire New Deal.

What have we learned?

I don't know. See:

here
here
&
here

Did you know?

2009-10-10T23:43:00.000-07:00

Who says our PM doesn't have a sense of humor!

2009-10-05T21:29:00.000-07:00

A Tough Spot!

2009-09-27T21:39:00.000-07:00

The trail started out broad and well defined but as I climbed out of the trees, it began to narrow and finally disappeared in a jumble of rocks at the base of the mountain. I scanned the rocky slope in front of me and traced a path to the summit. The going was easy at first but as I climbed higher the terrain got a little steeper and I was forced to use an occasional hand hold. But the summit was closer now and I was pretty sure the worst was behind me.

I came to what appeared to be nothing more than a low rising bluff and being so intent on reaching the top, I immediately lodged my boot into a crack in the cliff face and began to climb. The hand holds were solid and so I climbed higher. Somewhere along the way I crossed a threshold where to turn around and go back became more risky than to continue on. Fear began to dampen my enthusiasm but it was too late now. I assured myself that the top could not be that far off. It was still easy rock to scale and so I continued to scramble higher until the ground fell away beneath my feet and there was no turning back!

The hard granite deteriorated into something less solid and the hand holds became increasingly smaller. I was beginning to feel that my place on this mountain was becoming more precarious. But I climbed on! And then a frightening prospect sent a new wave of adrenaline through my veins. I reached out with my hand, grasping for something, anything that would allow me to pull myself up a little higher only to find that the next hand hold was beyond my grasp. I hugged the cliff face and focused on that tiny hand grip and that small part of my boot that was my only purchase on the mountain; and on life.

I looked down. The cars at the trail head appeared smaller than matchbox cars and the landscape stretched out below me looked like a miniature train set. I shouldn't have looked down. My heart was racing now and so was my mind! My fingers started to cramp and the muscles in the back of my legs began to quiver under the strain. Sweat ran down my forehead and off the end of my nose. The world was silent except for the groan's of the wind as it eddied and swirled through the crevasses in the rock; mimicking my own as I struggled to hang on. The reality of my situation began to sink in. All I had to look forward too was a 10 second free fall and then; every bone in my body splintered into a hundred pieces. This was the law of Nature, and Nature was all I believed in.

I'd always prided myself on being self sufficient. I'd made my own way in life and forged my own path. I got myself into this fix and I would get myself out of it. Kipling had it right.

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew to serve their turn long after they are gone and so hold on when there is nothing in you except the will which says to them, Hold on!

But I couldn't hold on. I had been clinging to this rock for hours and my muscles where wasted. Finally, in utter desperation, I began to call for help. No, I am trying to sound stronger than I was. I cried for help.

Do you know what it is like to lose all hope? And do you know what it is like to find it again? Then you will understand how I felt in that moment when a rope came skittering down the rock face and a voice with a strong Swiss accent came echoing down the mountain, "Hold on, son! Hold on to the rope."

It was in that old mountain man's firm grip that I discovered that heart and nerve and sinew were not enough. I needed grace.

Others went out on the sea in ships; they were merchants on the mighty waters. They saw the works of the LORD, his wonderful deeds in the deep. For he spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted high the waves. They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths; in their peril their courage melted away. They reeled and staggered like drunken men; they were at their wits' end. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven. Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men.

Psalm 107:23-31

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

Ephesians 2:8-9

Abbots Pass - Mt. Victoria

2009-09-22T20:02:00.000-07:00

Jon Kontz, a good buddy from Philly, came up for a few days. We spent a couple nights up on Abbots Pass.

Lake Oessa

The AAC cabin where we stayed blends pretty well into the mountainside. It has got to be one the coolest places I have ever slept. Literally!

The night sky with the lights of Calgary in the distance. It was as though every star in the sky was visible that night.

Sunrise - Abbots Pass

Panorama taken on a ridge of Mt. Victoria.

Lake Louise

Part way up Mt. Victoria. It was so windy up there I thought it might take us right off the ridge.

Bit of snow on the way down. Thankfully it let up soon after this picture was taken.

Fishing in the Crowsnest

2009-08-30T23:19:00.000-07:00

A perfect evening on the Crowsnest River.

A Rainbow out of the Oldman River. It took around 30 minutes to bring it in!

A very respectable cutthroat taken on Lynx creek.

Couldn't ask for a better fishin partner!

Grandma and Grandpa Ratcliff

2009-06-29T08:38:00.000-07:00

RATCLIFF, Doris Clarice (nee Baker), November 18, 1917 ~ June 17, 2009 - The family announces with both sadness and joy her death at 91 years of age, in the comfort of Fairvern Nursing Home, Huntsville, ON. Sadly missed because she was such a loving and caring wife and mother; joy because she has left this world for a far better place and we know we will see her again some day. She is survived by her beloved husband of almost 69 years, Floyd, formerly of the family farm west of Stouffville, and three children, MaryLou (David) Hisey, of Huntsville, ON, Malcolm (Doris M.) of Timmins, ON, and Janice (John) Cross of Olds, AB. Doris is survived by sister-in-law, Helen Baker of Stouffville, ON; Shirley Baker of Chester, CT; brother- in-law, Howard (Helen) Ratcliff of Stouffville, ON; sister-in-law Pauline Ratcliff of Stouffville, ON; and sister-in-law Maureen Ratcliff of Huntsville,ON. Doris is predeceased by two brothers, Merlyn and Alan Baker, and sisters, Alma (and husband, Jim) Oldham and Mary (and husband, Keith) Hutchinson. Grandma is fondly remembered by seven grandchildren, Scott, Meredith, Brad, Stephanie, Julie, Andrew and Naomi as a kind and gentle grand- mother. She had six great-grand- children, Jasmine, Cody, Robyn, Ellie, Adelaine and Ethan. A private committal service will be held at graveside of Springvale Baptist Church cemetery on Monday, June 22 followed by a memorial service commencing at 3 PM in the church auditorium. Remembrance donations may be made to a mission of one's choice through the church office. Springvale Baptist Church is located 4 miles west of Stouffville on the family farm.

Ratcliff, Floyd Grenville: April 11, 1917 – July 11, 2009 - The family wishes to announce his peaceful departure in the comfort of Fairvern Nursing Home, Huntsville, ON at the age of 92 to join his wife, Doris (nee Baker) who passed away on June 17, 2009. They were faithful, loving companions for almost 69 years. Dad was such a kind and caring father who will be sadly missed but we are comforted by the thought that he is in a far better place. Formerly of the family farm west of Stouffville, he is survived by three children, MaryLou (David) Hisey, of Huntsville, ON, Malcolm (Doris M.) of Timmins, ON, and Janice (John) Cross of Olds, AB. Floyd is also survived by one brother, Howard (Helen) Ratcliff of Stouffville and sisters-in-law, Pauline Ratcliff of Stouffville, and Maureen Ratcliff of Huntsville. He is predeceased by two brothers, Donald and Charles. Grandpa is fondly remembered by seven grandchildren, Scott (Janice), Meredith (Dave), Brad, Stephanie, Julie, Andrew and Naomi (Troy) and six great-grandchildren, Jasmine, Cody, Robin, Ellie, Adelaine and Ethan. A committal service will be held at graveside at Springvale Baptist Church cemetery on Friday, July 17 at 2:30 PM followed by a memorial service commencing at 3 PM in the church auditorium. Remembrance donations may be made to a mission of one’s choice through the church office. Springvale Baptist Church is located 4 miles west of Stouffville.

memories
-----------------------------

Many of my memories of Grandpa revolve around a small but well equipped shop in his garage. Grandpa was an excellent carpenter and as a young boy of around 12, visiting for the summer, I was his eager apprentice. I think one of our most memorable projects was a live squirrel trap. Grandpa came up with a magnetic trigger that made it work really well. We eventually managed to trap a squirrel but our first catch was two black starlings. I was so excited I carried the whole box inside the house to show Grandma. In the process I released two unhappy starlings in the house. I will never forget Grandma chasing those two birds around the house with a broom! Grandpa's willingness to let me dull every blade and drill bit in his shop gave me an opportunity to discover something I loved and set me on a course for a future career. But more than that, Grandpa was an example of a man I want to follow.

Those who know Grandma, know that she kept a very clean and tidy house where everything had its place. Grandma was a gracious host and very hospitable. For Sunday dinner, Grandma would often put a roast in the oven, set the table with her fine china and invite guests over. Although she added very little spice to her meals, Grandma placed a mean horse radish on the table that instilled a new found respect in her grandson. Her meals were great.

Both Grandma and Grandpa lived during times of tremendous change. They watched the land surrounding their small dairy farm transformed from quiet countryside to suburbia. Once quiet country lanes were paved and then doubled. Their church went from being a small sanctuary that held 125 to one that seated 450 and then over 2000. The culture that they knew and loved changed, morals changed and so did technology. I remember Grandma speaking of some of the changes she saw and how it was sometimes a struggle to respond in the right way. That short conversation has always stuck with me. Grandma was a very astute and thoughtful women whose living faith in Christ constantly shaped her thinking.

Grandma and Grandpa have left us, their grandchildren, with a rich heritage, and I count it a great blessing to have had them as my Grandparents. They will be deeply missed.

A Paraphrase from 1 Peter 1:1-9

Grandma and Grandpa, strangers in this world, from a dairy farm outside Stouffville, Ontario, but at home now, chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: Grace and peace are theirs in abundance.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! It is because of his great mercy that we are assured that Grandma and Grandpa passed through death into life because of Jesus ressurection from the dead, and have received an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade that was kept in heaven for them. Through faith they were protected by God's power unto salvation. In this they rejoiced, for though for a little while they suffered grief in all kinds of trials, these have proven their faith genuine, a faith which is more precious even than gold which is not eternal though it is purified by fire, and has resulted in praise, glory and honor to our Lord Jesus Christ.

For him who they loved they now see and him who they believed in they see and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for they have received the goal of their faith, the salvation of their souls.

Harvard, 2009

2009-06-04T21:53:00.000-07:00

Harvard establishes chair in gay and lesbian studies

Professorship is being billed as a turning point in the prestigious university's history

Harvard University has taken a step towards shrugging off its image as a fusty straight-laced academic institution by endowing America's first named professorship of sexuality.

The chair in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender studies introduces a discipline still in its infancy into the heart of the country's academic establishment. Its supporters claim that the move by one of the world's most august universities will send a message to other institutions globally that "queer studies", as some call it, has finally arrived....

more here

Harvard, 1880

2009-06-04T21:41:00.000-07:00

I came across this the other day. It was written by George Pellew, the class poet at Harvard, 1880.

We ask but time to drift,
We deem it narrow-minded to excel.
We call the man fanatic who applies
His life to one grand purpose till he dies.
Enthusiasm sees one side, one fact;
We try to see all sides, but do not act.
...We long to sit with newspapers unfurled,
Indifferent spectators of the world.

'Mornings on Horseback' - David Mccullogh

Shoe

2009-05-27T19:58:00.000-07:00

Went for a little jaunt in Kan country the other day. It was great to get out!

The mountain won the day though as there was more snow up there than I thought.

On my way down, I stopped to take a break at the top of a small cliff. I took my shoe off to shake rocks out and ended up dropping it! It rolled down the hill towards the cliff and the only reason it did not go over was a small branch that was growing just at the edge! haha, I would have been in serious trouble if I had lost that shoe as there was a lot rock to walk through on the way down. Besides, that is my favorite pair of shoes.

(shoe in bottom of picture)

Some loose thoughts about Creation and Evolution

2009-03-22T21:01:00.000-07:00

I went to a lecture tonight on the creation / evolution debate at a church here in Calgary. The church was of the new variety with candles and round tables and carefully placed spotlights and projectors and LCD displays. The modern cathedral I guess.

The speaker was probably one of the most educated individuals I have met. He has three post doctorates in dentistry, Old Testament hermeneutics and evolutionary biology... (I think I have that right)

His essential argument, as I understand it, is that evolution is an indisputable fact; that it is right for Christianity to accommodate scientific theory and that to not do so is to set up an unnecessary stumbling block in the way of genuine seekers. Rather than interpret Genesis as historical literature, it should be interpreted as poetic literature. His main defence of this position is the pre-scientific three tier view of the universe that comes out in the writings of the Hebrew prophets.

I thought I would take this chance to think out loud while the ideas are still fresh and maybe things will become clearer as I write.

1. The classification of Genesis as poetic literature is fairly subjective. There is no doubt that the structure of the days of creation are arranged in a very structured way so that the environments are first created and then they are filled. So God created the world in a very structured way. But let’s say that Genesis is a poetic description of the creation of our world.
2. If Genesis 1-3 is an allegory of creation then probably one of the main ideas I would take from it is that death is a foreign intruder into what was an otherwise perfect world.
3. This does not correspond well with evolutionary theory.
4. Death is the vital mechanism necessary for evolutionary theory to operate.
5. Evolution requires that populations coexisted in the past in the same way they do now. One population is held in check by the predatory or competitive pressures of another species or by organisms within the same species.
6. Two observations:
7. This world is incredibly beautiful and complex.
8. Nature can be extremely cruel and at times even perverse.
9.. All of nature is adapted for either defence or attack.
10. Nature red in tooth and claw.
11. These realities make it virtually impossible for us to imagine a world without death.
12. Any account of origins that states that the world was created perfect and w/o death must give a reason for death's intrusion.
13. Genesis attributes death to sin.
14. It is interesting that every aspect of the curse of man and Satan involves a change in nature.
15. Women’s pain in childbirth required some kind of anatomical change.
16. Once useful plants became pests.
17. The serpent would slither.
18. Together these imply a much greater change so that the world we experience today is so different from the original world that we cannot begin to imagine what it was like or explain its dynamics based on our current understanding of biology.
19. Is it possible that the changes induced in the created world as a part of the curse were some form of adaptation? Species were given by God the ability to adapt and change in response to their environment as a matter of survival in a fallen world.
20. Adaptation, then becomes another astounding aspect to the design of life. God made life self replicating, self healing and able to adapt.
21. These characteristics all trace their roots to the genetic code and the truly marvellous way that individual characteristics are coded for by multiple genes.
22. Creation currently groans and is waiting to be redeemed. If it was never perfect and has slowly evolved to its current condition, then it has been groaning for 10-15 billion years. That is a long wait.
23. If massive adaptation is an aspect of the design of life, does it then follow that we should also believe in the descent with modification of all life from molecules?
24. Micro evolution lacks the explanatory power to explain the formation of the first cell.
25. To say that Christians use the ‘God in the gaps’ theory to explain everything that science has not is false.
26. The gaps in macro evolutionary theory are more like oceans. To argue that these ‘gaps’ must have a natural scientific explanation because this is the only kind of explanation that is acceptable is nothing more than methodological naturalism. It is a philosophical belief and is not necessary for good science.
27. All knowledge should lead us to understand how little we know and lead us to the conclusion that we are little children.
28. Knowledge can lead to idolatry.
29. It is possible for a great number of extremely intelligent and well educated people to be very badly mistaken. Much of our current economic crisis was created by very smart people with a thorough understanding of economic theory.
30. Truth is not found in the consensus or in doctorates.
31. The further science deviates from the present, the more arbitrary and uncertain it becomes. G.K Chesterton says it well,
32. An inventor can advance step by step in the construction of an airplane even if he is only experimenting with sticks and scraps of metal in his own backyard. But he cannot watch the Missing Link evolving in his own backyard. If he has made a mistake in his calculations, the airplane will correct it by crashing to the ground. But if he has made a mistake about the arboreal habitat of his ancestor, he cannot see his arboreal ancestor falling off the tree. He cannot keep a caveman like a cat in the backyard and watch him to see whether he does really practice cannibalism or carry off his mate on the principles of marriage by capture. He cannot keep a tribe of primitive men like a pack of hounds and notice how far they are influenced by the herd instinct... Thus while most science moves in a sort of curve, being constantly corrected by new evidence, this science flies off into space in a straight line uncorrected by anything. ‘The Eternal Man’
33. Was the Spirit of Christ evident in words that were spoken?
33. ...Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Colossians 2:2-3

The Coming Evangelical Collapse

2009-03-10T20:40:00.000-07:00

This article caught my eye and is worth a read.

I am not sure if I agree with everything here but it provides an interesting perspective.

The Coming Evangelical Collapse

The Prophetic Word

2009-03-09T22:02:00.000-07:00

This is from David Wilkerson's blog. I came across it on the Drudge Report under the headline "Christian Pastor Warns of Impending Doom" or something like that. I can't remember exactly. So here is the text from Wilkersons blog:

I am compelled by the Holy Spirit to send out an urgent message to all on our mailing list, and to friends and to bishops we have met all over the world. AN EARTH-SHATTERING CALAMITY IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN. IT IS GOING TO BE SO
FRIGHTENING, WE ARE ALL GOING TO TREMBLE - EVEN THE GODLIEST AMONG US.
For ten years I have been warning about a thousand fires coming to New York City. It will engulf the whole megaplex, including areas of New Jersey and Connecticut.
Major cities all across America will experience riots and
blazing fires—such as we saw in Watts, Los Angeles, years ago.There will be riots and fires in cities worldwide. There will be looting—including Times Square, New York City. What we
are experiencing now is not a recession, not even a depression. We are under God’s wrath. In Psalm 11 it is written,“If
the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (v. 3).God is judging the raging sins of America and the
nations. He is destroying the secular foundations.

It reminds me a little of some of the things said after Sept. 11. when several ministers (I can't remember who they were) said that Sept. 11 was Gods judgement on America. I guess I have been hearing more of this lately and it has me asking questions and thinking some about what it means to listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd and how that differs from prophetic words like the ones Wilkerson has spoken.

The prophets of the OT often began their message with "Thus says the LORD..." So, what do we do when we hear people today begin their statement with the same line? By what authority are they saying these things? Has God chosen again to speak through prophets like he did in the past? If so, then their words should be marked with the same power and wisdom that marked the minsitry of men like Jeremiah or Isaiah.

And it seems kind of propitious that these statements are made when things already seem pretty bleak and the whole world is talking about it... (another example is the multitude of books that came out about the millenium bug) Go on any financial blog today and you will find a lot scared people making much the same predictions David Wilkerson is... except without mention of God. What is the value of preaching doom when events are already in full swing and the media is having a heyday with it? Wilkerson says that he has been saying the same thing for 10 years... and in fairness, I haven't read his past remarks, however I remain skeptical, not so much of his predictions (maybe things will get that bad... although I choose to remain more optimistic) but the nature of his statement and authority he claims for his words.

Maybe if I get some time I will do a little more homework...

The Evolution of Flight

2009-02-27T14:37:00.001-08:00

This is amazing! These little critters are the fastest moving organism on earth... or at least their jaws are. Apparently they can wind up their jaws like a crossbow and release them with an incredible amount of force, which they sometimes use to propel themselves. It appears that they have yet to evolve stabilizers. lol

Francis Shaeffer - Idols of Peace and Affluence

2009-02-15T15:20:00.001-08:00

I stumbled across some old videos of Francis Shaeffer and thought this little review of recent history very interesting. It is a sober reminder of where we are at today and how empty life is when all we have to live for is ourselves.

So what was left? Apathy. Having been worn out trying to find meaning, forgiveness and love... and failed, all that was left was to go to sleep.

But there is cure for our disease! There is a Doctor.

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30

Capitalism, stimulus and the like

2009-02-06T17:59:00.000-08:00

I just finished watching the Senate debate over the 1 trillion dollar stimulus package. (I know, I need to get a life)

But it is a monumental decision that represents an additional 12,000 debt for every household in the U.S. (if I understand correctly) In Canada we have had our own debate and have similarly chosen to go the route of massive spending.

I guess I can understand the need to inject capital into the financial system in order to keep credit flowing but I lack faith in our govn's ability to spend money efficiently or effectively. At some point we have to take our medicine and the prescription is not more debt.

Robert Reich in his book 'Supercapitalism' points out some of the serious problems that exist with the relationship between the corporate world and the gov'n. He points out that our gov'n has to balance the demands of the 'consumer / investor' with that of the 'citizen'. Each one of us is both. For example, as a citizen, I want my town to have a dynamic downtown core. But as a consumer, I want to have the option of going to Walmart where I can buy things for dirt cheap and as an investor, I want my stock in Walmart to go up. The corporate world will always cater to us as a 'consumer / investor' but only our elected officials can act on our behalf as 'citizen'. But our government often doesn't and this represents a serious problem for democracy. Since the 1970's, corporate lobbying in the Washington has grown into a massive industry that has effectively drowned out the voice of citzen groups.

Ultimately this is a problem for the markets as well. We can no more have healthy free markets without an uncompromised regulator than we can have a good soccer match without a guy on the field with a loud whistle and yellow cards. As much as we might dislike refs as players, we need them and we don't want them hitting the pubs with the opposing team after the game.

While Obama is promising change, I wonder if he is willing to make the kind of change necessary? Putting a 500,000 cap on CEO salaries for U.S. financial institutions that have received bailout funds (which is nearly every major bank in the US) sounds like a good idea but I am not sure. We need the best people leading these corporations but how many CEO's will be willing to take on that kind of responsibility when the pay is no better than that of a lesser position? A CEO at the helm of a multi billion dollar company will get paid more than the rest of us and, hopefully, he will make use of his salary for philanthropy. The size of the salary is not the problem, it is the lack of integrity. I would rather see the gov'n put regulations in place that adjust CEO compensation so that long term success is rewarded rather than year end balance sheets.

At gut level, it doesn't seem right that some people should get paid so much while others struggle to get by. But what are the options in this flawed world corrupted by human nature? When I worked on a communal farm in Israel, I had a chance to see the effects of socialism on a community. When the idealism of the early days wore off, human nature took over and people got lazy. Many kibbutzim today are nearly insolvent. I read somewhere that socialism is misery equally shared whereas capitalism is wealth unequally distributed. That seems to be true.

But capitalism is only a system of economics. It has no heart. And this is where the church has a great role to play. Our society needs at least one institution (in the best sense of the word) that has a heart and that speaks a different language. That reminds its members to, "lay up treasure in heaven where neither rust or moth destroy" and that the true religion which the Lord our God finds acceptable is to "look after orphans and widows in their distress."

You're Already Dead

2009-02-04T06:09:00.000-08:00

I was watching Band of Brothers - 'Carretan' last night and had to write out this conversation that takes place between two soldiers.

Spears: What's your name trooper.

Blythe: Blythe sir, Albert Blythe.

Spears: Do you know why you hid in that ditch Blythe.

Blythe: I was scared.

Spears: We're all scared. You hid in that ditch because you think there is still hope. But Blythe, the only hope you have is to accept the fact that you are already dead. And the sooner you accept that, the sooner you will be able to function as a soldier's suppossed to function...

---------------

Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Matthew 10:39

door opener (very cool)

2009-02-01T16:06:00.000-08:00

This is Klassen's custom door opener made with an old hydrolic pump and assorted tractor parts. It is truly a piece of workship.

Yoko Bro's Fabrication Ltd.

The Pilgrims Progress

2009-01-29T19:34:00.000-08:00

I just read the Pilgrims Progress for the first time recently and understand now why it is such an enduring classic. Interestingly, at the time it was written, high churchmen put it down as simple and naiive. But I think that is beauty of it. This simple allegory contains more truth than volumes of philosophy because it speaks to joys and struggles of 'everyman'.

Here is my little summary:

An outcast in his own city, Christian seeks the narrow way that leads to the Beautiful Land. He gets off to a rough start when he speaks with Worldy Wise Guy and is led astray. He nearly walks off of a cliff on Mt. Sinai and gets stuck in the Slough of Despondency. Along the way Christian meets a friend and fellow pilgrim, Faithful. Together they face the temptations of Vanity Fair and are not at all sure if they will escape. Faithful is killed there but Hopeful joins Christian and together they climb a mountain where they can look across the valley of death which they had crossed and catch a glimpse of the Celestial City. Later, they take a well worn track that leads to Doubting Castle were they are beaten for days by the Giant Despair. Then, when Christian wants to die and put an end to it all, Hopeful reminds him that there is a key called Promise. It is the only key that can unlock the gates of iron. This Key of Promise can only be turned with Prayer. Later, they cross the enchanted ground that puts the unsuspecting to sleep and have to work at keeping each other awake.

At the end of the journey, the terror of death overwhelms Christian as he crosses the deep Jordan river and loses his footing. But he is helped across the river by Hopeful and together they arrive at the Celestial City, Mt. Zion, the City of the Great King where there is joy in His presence forever...

Well, that is selective and out of order but it is what stuck with me.

No doubt it is complete foolishness to many, but then as John Bunyan writes in his intro,

Art thou for something rare, and profitable?

Wouldest thou see a Truth within a Fable?
Art thou forgetful? wouldest thou remember
From new-years-day to the last of December?
Then read my fancies, they will stick like Burs,
And may be to the Helpless, Comforters.

Would'st thou be in a Dream, and yet not sleep? Or wouldest thou in a moment laugh, and weep?
Wouldest thou lose thyself withou a charm?
And find thyself again without a harm?
Would'st read thyself, and read thou know'st not what,
And yet know, whether thou art blest or not,
By reading the same lines? O then come hither,
And lay my Book, thy head, and heart together.

The New World

2008-12-17T17:45:00.000-08:00

I posted a news article a while ago about a group of Mennonites who were forced to leave their homes and province because their school's curriculum did not meet Quebec's standards...

I just came across another interesting piece in the National Post about a new curriculum being introduced into Quebec schools. It is very ambitious in scope and will be incorporated into students education throughout primary and secondary education.

Here is a link to a video that is basically Quebec gov'n propaganda supporting the curriculum.

I guess it has always been a struggle for me to understand the separation of church and state. If one of the key tasks of the state is to uphold justice and if justice is ultimately rooted in who God is then the idea of separation of church and state is not clear... I think its a legitimate distinction (Luke 20:25) but it's not black and white.

The church has already been pushed out of any meaningful contribution to public policy but now the gov'n is intruding into what has traditionally been the role of the church. Their message is relativism, the religion of secularism. And... attendance is mandatory. Maybe we could make church attendance mandatory as well!

Trudeau once said that the State has no business intruding into the bedrooms of its citizens... but apparently that is the only place that is off limits.

Anyway, read this article from the NP. I think the writer makes some good points.

Return to faith in what?

2008-12-07T17:39:00.000-08:00

People turn to faith in times of trouble but what does that mean exactly? Here is a little video clip and also a snippet from the article in the Washington Post.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/video/2008/12/04/VI2008120401214.html?sid=ST2008120301782

Dave is wary of shamans. Will demons be involved? "I'm a committed Christian," Dave says. "This is not my world."

He eyes the crystals, chimes, ostrich feather and beads laid out on a table like surgeon's tools. "Do I get a lollipop in the end?"

"If you're good," Larry says.

"Define good."

Larry begins by asking Dave to remove his belt, wallet and keys, and to stand, legs spread, prison-style, so that Larry can pass burning sage between Dave's legs. Dave looks down at Larry kneeling: "Talk about blowing smoke up your . . ."

Larry tells Dave to lie face-up on the bed, on a yellow spread printed with pink flowers. A church bell in the street below chimes 10 a.m. Larry says: "Visualize energy coming from God into your palms. Vibrancy." Gong. "Health." Gong. "Peace." Gong.

Fred sits watching, no longer wondering -- "Is this real?" -- as he did in the hot tub days. Since then, Fred's wife was diagnosed with leukemia. In the hospital, Larry performed a healing ritual on her. She went into remission. Now Fred is hoping that Dave will be blessed with remission. Last February, Dave, a father of three, lost a kidney to cancer.

Larry bends over Dave. "You've got a double challenge," he says, "the economic challenge and the health challenge." Dave has just completed chemotherapy. Shamanism grates against his nature, but if believing in it might cure him, he will try.

"Let your mind float, that this completely crazy wacko visualization could be something real, that it could help your body," Larry says, drawing Dave into a trance. "Fake it till you make it."

An hour and a half later, Dave sits up.

While in the trance, Dave had felt Larry brush his face with feathers. "What, did I have a duck on my head?"

Larry pats Dave on the back. "God and the angels, you had the whole gang here," Larry says. "Drink a lot of liquids today."

Dave says he's feeling both strong and shaky. "Back to work," Dave says, threading his belt through pant loops. "Back to reality."

Yamnuska

2008-11-30T08:41:00.000-08:00

Had a chance to take some friends from Iran up Yamnuska last weekend. They are petroleum engineers studying at the U of C for the semester on an exchange program.

Rezza and I with Yamnuska in the background.

A little coffee on the top!
It was a beautiful day... until a cruel wind picked up and nearly froze us in place.

Rhetoric

2008-11-17T17:59:00.000-08:00

rhetoric: emphasizing style at the expense of thought

We live in an age of rhetoric.

The media is full of rhetoric.

So is the church.

Anti-Semitism

2008-11-16T20:25:00.000-08:00

What is the explanation for anti-Semitism? That is the question powerfully asked in this little video.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/Page/VideoPlayer&cid=1194419829128&videoId=1226404742423

Why is it that anti semitism is alive and well today after all that has happened in the last 100 years? And it is not just Islamic nations. I caught just a small glimpse of this a while ago when a company in Austria refused to do some prototyping for me. I was told that they did not do 'religious items'... but I am pretty sure what they meant is that they would not do Jewish menorahs!

It is equally difficult to understand the continued preservation of the Jews apart from the promises of God.

Thus says the LORD, who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar-- the LORD of hosts is his name: "If this fixed order departs from before me, declares the LORD, then shall the offspring of Israel cease from being a nation before me forever." Thus says the LORD: "If the heavens above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth below can be explored, then I will cast off all the offspring of Israel for all that they have done, declares the LORD." Jeremiah 31:35-37 ESV