The Joyful Christian Wife

YOUR Favorite Time-Saving Tip or Tool?

2009-11-09T09:18:00.004-06:00

I LOVE time saving tips and tools. I also love to delegate :) My life has been in transition for the past year and as things change I constantly need to evaluate my priorities and how I spend my time. I have implemented a number of strategies to help balance home life and career. I hired a house cleaner to come weekly and help with the big cleaning duties. Important stuff that definitely needs to get done, but I decided that *I* don't have to be the one to do it.

Another time-saving tool I use from time to time is online grocery shopping. I can get up early with a cup of coffee and shop from my laptop. I order everything I need from a locally owned store and they deliver it the following day. It only costs $10 to deliver. When you think about gas money, the value of one's time, and the hassles of shopping, I will gladly pay $10 to have it show up at my door. I can't say I have been in love with the produce that I get through online ordering so I will continue to do that myself, but for grocery items and dairy it is an amazing way to save a TON of time and hassle.

Although I do most of my work from home, I DO have meetings to attend, and also need some quiet time to get my class work done. So the third strategy I've recently implemented is some part time child care. For 2 mornings a week, my 2 younger kids go for a play date and I take care of work that I cannot do well when I work alongside my kids.

So my top 3 time-savers are:
1. house cleaner
2. online grocery shopping
3. part time daycare/play dates

What are YOUR favorite time-saver tips or organization tools? Leave them in the comments section below. I'm always looking for new ways to help streamline a busy life.

Marlo Boux
Host and Producer of The GODTALK Radio Show
CJOB 680 AM // www.cjob.com
www.godtalkradioshow.com

Saving Grace: Honoring an Urban Saint

2009-11-05T07:51:00.007-06:00

Three years ago on November 11th, Winnipeg lost an urban saint. Reverend Harry Lehotsky died of cancer leaving behind his family and community to mourn his loss. Harry took his church to the streets of Winnipeg, focusing his ministry on the troubled areas in the west end. He was dedicated to practical, real solutions for real problems that the inner city population faced.
As a former drug addict himself, he had a real understanding of what these people faced. Not only was Harry big on helping people, but he was big on having people accept accountability and responsibility for making positive change in their lives.

You can see a six minute video produced by Global called 'Saving Grace' here.

Tonight, November 5th, Winnipeg will gather once again to celebrate his life and remember him through the launch of the new book 'The Urban Saint: The Harry Lehotsky Story". Greg and I are emcee'ing the evening event. There will be refreshments, a panel discussion, and a book signing by Urban Saint author, Paul Boge.

This book launch celebration is open to the general public and you can grab all the event information here.

Join us as we celebrate the life of Reverend Harry Lehotsky and shine a light on the issues of social justice here in Winnipeg.

Marlo Boux
Co-Host and Producer
GODTALK Radio Show on CJOB 68 / www.cjob.com
www.godtalkradioshow.com

H1N1: Will you vaccinate?

2009-10-28T09:41:00.006-05:00

Let's talk mom to mom. Parent to parent. With the second wave of H1N1 upon us, how do YOU feel about the vaccine? Do you feel confused about all the information floating around out there?

On the one hand, we have cases where H1N1 has hit a patient swiftly, with deadly consequences which seems to make the idea of getting vaccinated a 'no brainer'. Earlier this week, a 13 year old boy, completely healthy prior to H1N1, died within 48 hours. On the other hand we have seen cases where the one in one million chance that something goes wrong - does. So what do we, as parents do when faced with this kind of decision? We can be left feeling worried, scared, confused, and conflicted.

Personally, for our family, vaccinating was the decision that seemed right for us. All five of us got in line at a local flu shot clinic in south Winnipeg last night. We weighed the pros and cons, researched the issue for months, and spoke with our doctor. It is day 2 and so far, we all have sore arms but that's about it. I guess we will take a wait and see approach, but overall I am happy with our decision.

How about you? Will you get vaccinated? Will you have your children vaccinated? I would love to hear from you. Kindly leave your opinion in the comments section below.

A concerned momma,

Marlo Boux
Co-Host and Producer of GODTALK
CJOB 68 // www.cjob.com
www.godtalkradioshow.com

Grace & Truth

2009-10-17T08:29:00.011-05:00

"In our pursuit to understand others and the world we live in we may try to categorize things as 'black' or 'white'. Oftentimes the perfect mix of Grace and Truth is found in a glorious shade of grey."

U of Winnipeg Theology Certificate Class: Emerging Church One

2009-10-11T06:40:00.009-05:00

GODTALK gets even MORE interactive! Greg and I are teaching a class on the emerging church movement through the Faculty of Theology at the University of Winnipeg.

Here is an excerpt from the course sheet:

Denominations are dying, churches are closing, but more people believe in God than ever before. What kind of church will emerge to meet their needs for spiritual engagement?

The University of Winnipeg’s Faculty of Theology is offering Emerging Church One to explore the answers to that question. Led by Greg Glatz and Marlo Boux, hosts of the long-running GODTALK Radio Show on CJOB 68, the course consists of readings, discussions, and activities that immerse participants in the church emerging around them.

Eight 3-hour sessions over 8 weeks. First session: Wednesday, January 13, 2010. This course counts for 1 credit hour in the Certificate in Theology program. For more info, see the promo sheet.

Register today! For more info, contact Chris Wells, Director of Studies at the Faculty of Theology, at (204) 786-9857 or ch.wells@uwinnipeg.ca.

Emerging Church One
University of Winnipeg, Faculty of Theology
515 Portage Ave.
Winnipeg, MB R3B 2E9
theology.uwinnipeg.ca

Chris Wells: (204) 786-9857 or ch.wells@uwinnipeg.ca

Sessions Include

*The great emergence: an EPIC church appears in the midst of a perfect storm.

*The end of religion. What is the real offense of the Gospel in a postmodern world?

*Are there any GOOD churches out there? Reclaiming the original beauty of the church.

*Third-culture churches and liquid leadership: using social intelligence to understand what people really need.

*A churchless faith? Creating community with Christ in a postmodern world.

*Jesus in the margins and God in the alley: how “God walk” changes “God talk”.

*A generous orthodoxy: how the church can “re-Jesus” in order to become simply Christian.

*Making room: new cathedrals for the 21st century.

Sessions include readings, discussions, audio/video clips, and an occasional excursion to local coffee/food establishments!

Registration is already filling up! Hope to see you in class,

Marlo Boux
Co-host and Producer of The GODTALK Radio Show
CJOB 680 AM // www.cjob.com
www.godtalkradioshow.com

Should a registered sex offender be ordained?

2009-10-05T14:22:00.015-05:00

Greg Glatz and I were part of a very interesting discussion yesterday. It started on CJOB's nationally syndicated show Crime and Punishment with Mike McIntyre and continued on GODTALK. The news topic? A convicted sex offender was ordained in a Louisville Kentucky church last month.

A man who plead guilty to sodomy and sexual abuse of an 11 year old boy is now a minister. A person in an implied position of trust and spiritual authority in the community. I am ALL for forgiveness and second chances. But I think this church got this very WRONG - even with the best intentions.

Yes this man served his 5 year sentence. Yes he completed his parole and technically this makes him a free man. But what on EARTH is a church doing ordaining this man? Most research on recidivism (reoffending) rates of pedophiles show that 52% REOFFEND in 25 years.

What is very interesting is that in the first five years from their initial sex offense, research shows that 13% of pedophiles reoffend. The number QUADRUPLES by year 25. So in this case things do NOT get better with time.

In fact, the risk goes up.

So let's do the math. This man committed the crime around age 26 according to court records. So, by the age of 49 there will be more than a 50% chance that he turns predatory on another child. Is this a risk the church wants to take?

This is unfair to the community and quite frankly it's unfair to this man. Would you take a recovering alcoholic to a club night after night and tell him not to drink? Would you take a gambling addict to a casino every day and tell him not to play the slots? How long would they be able to resist temptation?

And if this minister cracks under his triggers and sexually abuses another child the consequences are way more dire than my prior examples. We're not talking about someone blowing their pay cheque at the BlackJack tables. We're not talking about someone falling off the wagon here.

We are talking about an absolutely devastating loss of innocence of a child. The ultimate horror and all of the fall out that entails - often haunting the victim and their families for a lifetime.

I am all for forgiveness. But forgiveness does NOT equal a complete LOSS of COMMON SENSE and WISDOM. I believe this man could truly minister to other adult sex offenders. I am glad the church recognizes his gift of ministry and I am so glad they accept him with open arms.

But it is because they love him that they should have said "Because we love you we cannot ordain you as a minister and give you carte blanche access into people's lives. It's not fair to you, and it's not fair to the church or the community." (Thank you Reverend Greg Glatz for making this point so eloquently on Crime and Punishment).

We had a lot more to say about it on GODTALK, including the discussion of divine healing. Mike McIntyre joined us on our show after he wrapped up on his program. You can listen to the audio excerpt from the show below to hear the entire story and commentary.

What's your take on this story? Listen to the CJOB radio show excerpt and then leave your comments below.

Until next time,

Marlo Boux
Co-host and Producer
The GODTALK Radio Show on CJOB 68
www.godtalkradioshow.com

BTW: Blogger Mike calls me out on this topic - a great discussion on his blog. Check it out.

Epicure Selections Thanksgiving Winners!

2009-10-01T07:43:00.009-05:00

Congratulations to our winners listed below. For those interested in purchasing Epicure Spices and Dips, contact Sarah at 204-783-3662. She delivers across Canada.

One Grand Prize Valued at $125.00

* Epicure Canadian Maple Brining Collection: VE Mulling Spices / VE Black Pepper / VE Maple Spice Dip Mix / VE Turkey Rub / VE Brining Bags. Bring the flavours of Canadian winter to your table! A delicious combination of savoury pepper, sweet maple and a hint of orange and cinnamon.

* Epicure Hot Spinach Dip

* Epicure Hot Crab Dip

* Epicure Hot Nacho Cheese Dip

* Epicure Hot Dip Baker

* Epicure Indulgence Hot Chocolate

WINNER IS Maria of Edmonton, AB

Three Runner-Up Prizes Valued at $75.00 each

* Epicure Indulgence Hot Chocolate

* Epicure Hot Spinach Dip

* Epicure Hot Nacho Cheese Dip

* Epicure Hot Crab Dip

* Epicure Hot Dip Baker

WINNER #1 is Bernadette of Winnipeg, MB

WINNER #2 is Ann of Whytewold, MB

WINNER #3 is Will of Winnipeg, MB

Speaking at Women's Aglow in Winnipeg

2009-09-17T09:38:00.006-05:00

A Few Quick Announcements...

I started my first Masters of Divinity class at the University of Winnipeg this past week. Very exciting stuff! I appreciate your prayers :) Some days I can't keep my three kids' names straight never mind course terminology LOL!

A big thanks to my biz partner, Greg Glatz, for getting marloboux.ca live

This Monday, September 21st, I will be the guest speaker at Women's Aglow ministry here in Winnipeg. I was very honoured when I was invited some months ago to share my testimony with some fabulous Winnipeg women. I do solo speaking engagements as well as GodTalk events with GodTalk host, Greg Glatz, across Canada and the United States. You can learn more here.

REMINDER: Don't forget to enter the Thanksgiving Epicure Spices Giveaway right here on my blog. Go here to enter once per day until September 30th!

Finally, Greg and I are looking for Winnipeg schools, youth sports teams, and other community youth groups to become part of a Winnipeg Servolution. We will be talking about it on the air again this Sunday night. In the meantime, you can download the Winnipeg Servolution FAQ sheet.

MarloBoux
Co-host and Producer
The GodTalk Radio Show on CJOB 68
www.godtalkradioshow.com

Epicure Selections Thanksgiving Giveaway!

2009-09-08T14:39:00.024-05:00

I have been a fan of Epicure Selections spices, dip mixes, and more for about three years now. They allow me to give my meals the flavor my family craves without the extra fillers and sodium. What I also love about the Epicure company is their charitable giving, strong sense of social responsibility, and community involvement.

I am excited to share with you that Epicure has generously offered to sponsor a fantastic Thanksgiving giveaway here on my blog for GodTalk listeners and my blog readers.

Watch the one minute video below to find out how to enter the Epicure Selections Thanksgiving Giveaway

One Grand Prize Valued at $125.00

* Epicure Canadian Maple Brining Collection: VE Mulling Spices / VE Black Pepper / VE Maple Spice Dip Mix / VE Turkey Rub / VE Brining Bags. Bring the flavours of Canadian winter to your table! A delicious combination of savoury pepper, sweet maple and a hint of orange and cinnamon.

* Epicure Hot Spinach Dip

* Epicure Hot Crab Dip

* Epicure Hot Nacho Cheese Dip

* Epicure Hot Dip Baker

* Epicure Indulgence Hot Chocolate

Three Runner-Up Prizes Valued at $75.00 each

* Epicure Indulgence Hot Chocolate

* Epicure Hot Spinach Dip

* Epicure Hot Nacho Cheese Dip

* Epicure Hot Crab Dip

* Epicure Hot Dip Baker

TO ENTER: Scroll to the bottom of this blog entry and click the 'comment here' link (found just below 'labels'). Enter your full name, email address, and phone number with area code.

Rules and Regulations:
Contest open to Canadian residents only. Contest opens September 9th, 2009 and closes September 30th, 2009 at midnight. Immediate family members of GodTalk hosts and CJOB employees are ineligible. One (1) Grand prize winner, and three (3) runner-up prize winners will be randomly selected from all entries received. One blog comment entry counts as one giveaway entry. Winners will be contacted by phone or email. One entry, per household, per day please.

Good luck!

Marlo Boux
Co-Host and Producer
The GodTalk Radio Show
CJOB 680 am // www.cjob.com

TIP: Enter your email address 'unlinked'.
Eg) name [@] domainname.com

Earl's Style Warm Potato Salad

2009-08-31T10:50:00.009-05:00

My husband and I recently had a dinner & movie date night. We went to Earl's Restaurant near our home and I ordered the ribs with warm potato salad. It got me wondering if I could recreate the recipe at home. So, I tried it out last week and it turned out really well - yummmm.

Bear with me as I give you this recipe - it's all from memory and I did it on the fly soooo here it goes.

Earl's Restaurant - Style Warm Potato Salad
Chop a bag of small new red potatoes into quarters (chunks). Place them in a glass pyrex 9 x 13 dish and drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Lower the oven rack nearer to the bottom of the oven and place on Lo Broil.

Topping
(sorry these are not precise measurements - I just eyeballed it)

In a mixing bowl combine:

Three large dollops of real mayonnaise (I like Hellman's)
Approx 1 Cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
About 1 Tbsp of Cheese, Chive and Bacon seasoning from Epicure Selections
About 1 Tbsp of Three Onion Seasoning from Epicure Selections
About 1/2 Tbsp of Lemon Dilly Seasoning from Epicure Selections
1/8 C fresh corn
A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

Fold all the ingredients together and put it in the microwave for about 90 seconds on power level 7 or 8 - of course this will vary depending on the strength of your microwave. You just want to get it the cheese melted and warmed through.

*Keep an eye on your potatoes - remove them from the oven once they are nice and brown and a bit soft when pierced with a fork*

In a frying pan on the stove top - brown up some turkey bacon according to package instructions. I love 'LilyDale Daystarters'. Chop it up and mix into your warmed cheesy topping.

Remove your potatoes from the oven and pour your cheesy bacon mixture on top of the potatoes and fold it together. Serve immediately - careful it's hot :). Prep time took me about 15 minutes and this was mostly waiting for the potatoes to be roasted under the broiler.

Finding the Joy and Blessing in Everyday Life,

Marlo Boux
Co-Host and Producer
The GodTalk Radio Show
CJOB 680 AM // www.cjob.com

Forgiving your Abuser

2009-08-24T12:10:00.009-05:00

The bible calls us to forgive. This is made clear. Forgiveness can allow us to release anger and hurt and begin to move forward. The other side of this issue is that we may be coerced into forgiving before we are ready. This sometimes can happen in religious communities. On GodTalk we covered two similar news stories of sexual abuse and how, as a community, we can sometimes do more harm than good.

This past Thursday a Manitoba man plead guilty to one count of sexual assault in relation to years of abuse of his now 17-year-old daughter. The victim said her dad sexually assaulted her on numerous occasions between the ages of 12 and 14. The man was also charged with sexually assaulting his other daughter as well. He was given a conditional sentence and will not serve any time in prison - in part because one of his daughters wrote a letter of forgiveness which was read aloud in court.

Earlier last week a 19 year old man was arrested and charged with 60 counts including 21 counts of sexual assault, 19 counts of sexual interference and 11 counts of invitation to sexual touching - all offenses allegedly perpetrated against boys ranging in age from eight to 14 and over a seven year period.

The calls that came in were heart-wrenching - callers sharing personal stories about their own abuse. You can listen to the 19 minute excerpt from the show below on the media player.

What do you think? Was this situation handled properly in the courts and the community? Was the right message conveyed to the victim and the convicted? Have you experienced abuse? How did you walk through the process of forgiveness? If you care to share your insights or personal story, you can comment below. You can comment anonymously, if you wish.

Marlo Boux
Co-Host and Producer
The GodTalk Radio Show
CJOB 68 // www.cjob.com

Pastor and Author Dave Gibbons and the Pain Principle

2009-08-17T09:04:00.012-05:00

If you have followed my blog for any length of time or if you have read the occasional post here and there, it won't be any surprise to you that I have a messed up past. God has really used it to move me forward and I hope it helps other people. He has given me the ability to talk about my pain and my huge mistakes without feeling embarrassed or self conscious about it. I always wondered why that was.

Unfortunately, I have experienced situations in Christian circles where people have not been okay or comfortable with my sharing of my past in order to learn and move forward. I attended a small group in Calgary and remember sharing about a past experience that related to the study we were working on.

I remember one of the women praying for me afterward that I have "discernment" in what I share. In this situation, that was 'Christianese' for 'shut up'.

I remember how I felt so crushed in my spirit. I was really angry because I knew what she was *really* getting at. I did not appreciate her using 'prayer' as a cover for an alternate agenda. Hello?

For years I questioned my frank and honest approach. I was relieved to discover preacher/teacher Joyce Meyer some years ago. She is very honest about her past and present mistakes and I LOVE that. I connected to her pain and mistakes. But yet, there were times when I could sense the "tisk-tisk" glare from Christians who didn't want to hear the realness. It really annoyed me *smile*.

I recently had the opportunity to delve into "The Monkey and the Fish". It's a book by NewSong Church's pastor, Dave Gibbons. In that book he talked about many cool concepts. But the hugest blessing I received from his book was something he called "The Pain Principle". He talks about how a new breed of leader is emerging. Leaders who connect with people through their own painful experiences. Gibbons argues that people are much more connected to pain of a leader then they are a leader's accomplishments and kudos. This is what I have felt on the inside of me for so long. So I was completely jazzed when I read about this concept in Dave's book.

I encourage you to connect with people through your pain. I believe others appreciate the transparency and honesty. I also believe that connecting through our pain and making it our platform to reach out is good stewardship of our past.

We had the distinct pleasure of speaking with Dave Gibbons about his book and what the church is doing to move forward. He called us from Bangkok on Skype and spoke with us live on GodTalk. Our interview with Dave was 2 segments and you can listen to it commercial-free below.

Many Will Be Offended

2009-08-11T08:29:00.009-05:00

And then many will be offended and repelled and will begin to distrust and desert [Him Whom they ought to trust and obey] and will stumble and fall away and betray one another and pursue one another with hatred.

Matthew 24:10 (Amplified)

Jesus talked about how many people will become offended by Him and His message. I see it happening. Unfortunately, what I have also seen happening from time to time are Christians who use this scripture as an excuse to act insensitively and without any social intelligence when dealing with people.

I think this has become more and more the case with the advent of blogs, Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites. Now more then ever the power of ONE voice to reach hundreds and thousands of people has never been greater. In the past month alone I have encountered various 'status updates' that called being accepting of homosexuals "scary". I have seen updates of those boldly telling others who they have never met that they are 'going to hell'.

Listen, I know that many will truly be offended by Jesus. Let's just make sure that WE are not the cause of offense, instead of His message. I will put myself out there and say there are times when we are acting in a very soulish way when we quote scripture to people. It can somehow satisfy our own flesh to say "we proclaimed the truth and that's too bad if they don't accept it." Let's not use Matthew 24:10 as a crutch to take a verbal AK-47 and shoot people down.

I know I have said this here before and I don't mean to sound like a broken record, but I feel strongly about it and will say it again...

As Christians, we need to be more careful than ever because of the sheer reach of our thoughts and opinions. Before we post things online or have conversations with people can we make a better effort to look at what we are about to say and ask: "Is this what Jesus would say?" "Will this statement get people curious and drawn to the idea of checking out Jesus, or will this push them away feeling condemned, ashamed and rejected?"

I would be devastated if, when I got to heaven, Jesus and I were chatting and He said "Marlo, there were a number of people that never gave me a chance because of things you said and did. Your methods of relating to people in these situations were offensive and therefore, they completely shut down on the possibility of knowing ME because YOU added to their pain and hurt."

I need to wrap my head around this and do a better job.

The Spirit leads us into all truth with gentle conviction. WE have a tendency to heap condemnation and guilt on people sometimes. There are a lot of hurting people out there. Many people feel anger, rejection and confusion and have lost respect for our faith - Lord have mercy on me when I add to their hurt. Thank GOD for His grace. I believe we need to validate, accept and genuinely care about people before anything else can take place. Before I was ready to move forward with God, there was healing that needed to occur. I don't believe I am alone in this.

You can't leave out steps or ingredients in a recipe and expect the bread to turn out right!

"People don't care WHAT you know (for the purposes of this post - the gospel) until they KNOW you genuinely CARE."

So to those who criticize me for, what they think, amounts to me not "being Christian enough" and not 'correcting' and sermonizing to people at every opportunity - I will take it on the chin.

I will take it on the chin if it means people experience some healing and restoration from other people around them FIRST. I believe if they FIRST experience this from people who say they represent Jesus, they may be more willing to investigate the FULLY restorative, healing, and life-giving power of Jesus Himself.

Taking one (or several *smile*) for the Team,

Ditching Plastic

2009-08-04T08:09:00.012-05:00

As you may know, I LOVE to read. Business, leadership, Christian topics, parenting, techie material, and health books too. I read Jillian Michael's latest book Master Your Metabolismin July and I was pleasantly surprised by the content. It is not (yet another) how-to diet book or exercise book. The book takes a more holistic approach to health and wellness and addresses issues such as toxins in our food and in our home.

There is a lot of suggestions in the book and admittedly they can be overwhelming. So I have decided to tackle them a few at a time. Right now I am ditching plastic. The kids have always had plastic plates, cups and utensils. We have a cupboard over flowing with plastic storage containers. I was already aware that I should not be reheating or cooking food in plastic containers but there can be issues with even storing food and drinks in plastic. Michaels suggests switching to glass storage containers and non-plastic plates. If you want to read about this in detail, pick up a copy of the book :)

Making the switch can be costly so I have been picking up one or two items at the grocery store each week and then getting rid of some plastic (recycling it if possible) in return. We have linoleum and carpeting in our home so risk of breakage and injury is lower. If you have ceramic tile, for example, you may have to weigh the risks and benefits of switching from plastic to glass.

Here are some finds that you might like as well:

1. The Foogo stainless steel sippy cup by THERMOS - I have had no issues with leaking with this particular brand. It's vacuum insulated and keeps drinks cold and fresh for 6 hours. A 7 oz/200 ml cup costs about $20 CAD. It's recommended for ages 9 mths +. This has been a BIG hit with my 22 month old boy.

2. Glass storage containers by Pyrex or Anchor - these come in various sizes and are made of heavy-duty shatter resistant glass.

3. Corelle Dinnerware by CorningWare - these plates, cups, and bowls are shatter and chip resistant, microwaveable, dishwasher safe, and lightweight.

That's it for now! It's my 35th birthday tomorrow and my husband is taking me out for dinner and a movie. Looking forward to it - BUT that means I have a lot of work to get done in the meantime :) So back at it!

Finding the JOY and BLESSING in Everyday Life,

Marlo Boux
Co-Host of the GodTalk Radio Show
CJOB 68 // www.cjob.com

Was Jesus an Irreligious Agitator? Bruxy Cavey talks about 'The End of Religion'

2009-07-27T08:30:00.010-05:00

I think one of my favorite parts about co-hosting a radio show on CJOB is that I have the opportunity to interview authors. I am a big fan of reading and challenging myself to grow and think outside the box. 'The End of Religion' by author/pastor Bruxy Cavey is a book that will do just that.

The back cover of Bruxy Cavey's book reads:

Sick of religion? So was Jesus. Was Jesus of Nazareth an irreligious agitator? Was His message more radical than we've been led to believe? Has the Christian religion missed the point?

Greg and I were jazzed to have Bruxy on the show. When our interview with Bruxy wrapped up, the calls came flooding in from listeners who wanted to get a copy of the book - believers and athiests alike said it was a "breath of fresh air". We gave away 2 copies of the book courtesy of Leland Morris and the folks at The Light Christian Store.

If you are interested in hearing some podcasts derived from chapters in the book you can go to theendofreligion.org. You can also join the discussion of the book on Facebook.

On a sillier note, last night Greg and I tested out the GodTalk Twitter Cam aka 'Twit Cam'. Ohhh the name seems so fitting :) After we work out some logistical bugs - like how to get both of our big heads in the shot - we will try video streaming live while we do the show from CJOB studios.

We also had a great time doing a photo shoot this past week with photographer extraordinaire, Patty Boge. We headed out to very scenic St. Francis Xavier in rural Manitoba for the shoot. Check it out here. We plan on using these photos for our website and some upcoming marketing campaigns we are cooking up.

Without further adieu....the interview with pastor/author Bruxy Cavey in the media player below:

Thoughts on our interview with Bruxy? Leave them in the comments section below.

Why Buy Fair Trade?

2009-07-20T07:27:00.018-05:00

This past weekend my daughter and I visited a local store in South Winnipeg called Ten Thousand Villages. This store is run by the Mennonite Central Committee(MCC). Ten Thousand Villages began in 1946 when an MCC worker named Ruth visited volunteers in Puerto Rico who were teaching sewing classes. This, in an effort to help improve the lives of women living in poverty. Ruth brought back pieces of embroidery to sell to neighbors and friends. The demand for the products grew and the operation moved from her basement and became an official project of MCC in the 1970s. You can read more here.

So why buy fair trade? Fair trade builds sustainable local economies. It gives artisans and farmers control over their future by allowing them to stay in their communities and to build their own businesses. A few months ago, I blogged about microloans and had interviewed a friend going on a mission trip with Five Talents to Africa. The reason I am such a fan of microloans is the same reason I am a fan of fair trade. It gives people the tools they need and the opportunities necessary to become self-sufficient and provide for their families through small business ownership. That is win/win in my books.

Here are TEN reasons to support fair trade where you live:

1. Fair trade is trade that people can count on

2. Fair trade empowers women

3. Fair trade products protect the environment

4. Fair trade means fair pay and safe working conditions

5. Fair trade connects us with other cultures

6. Fair trade builds sustainable local economies

7. Fair trade supports capacity building

8. Fair trade supports community development

9. Fair trade means high quality and unique goods for buyers

10. Fair trade gives consumers a choice and a voice.

My daughter and I purchased coffee beans and olive oil on our shopping excursion. We grabbed a bag of Cafe Mbeya, an organic Tanzanian coffee, grown by small-scale farmers near the village of Ilege. The second bag was Cafe la Paz which is an organic Bolivian coffee gorown by small-scale farmers near the town of Caranavi in Los Yungas. Zatoun fair trade extra virgin olive oil from Palestine rounded out our bag of goodies.

There are 49 Ten Thousand Villages stores across Canada. You can locate one near you here. For my Canadian readers who do not have a store in their area, the great news is you can shop securely onlineby collection, product, or price point. US customers can buy fair trade from Ten Thousand Villages here.

By the way, visiting a fair trade shop like Ten Thousand Villages would make for a really fun class field trip for a small group or home schoolers.

Finding the JOY and BLESSING in everyday life,

P.S Catch me co-hosting GodTalk every Sunday night 9-11 CENTRAL on CJOB 68 in Winnipeg and Manitoba. You can stream it live from anywhere around the world on CJOB.com

Social Intelligence and What People REALLY Need

2009-07-07T14:30:00.006-05:00

Sometimes I think we really lack social intelligence when it comes to dealing with people in our everyday lives. I also truly believe there is one thing that people need from us that they often don't get. Are you giving it to people or are you missing it? Listen to the 19 minute podcast below and tell me what you think. Am I on the money or off base? Leave your thoughts and opinion in the comments section or send me an email.

*I'm trying out new audio editing software. Thanks for your patience as I work with the application to get maximum sound quality :)

Answering Kid's Questions about Sickness and Death

2009-07-05T12:26:00.007-05:00

I received some sad news this morning. A local pastor in Oakbank, Manitoba lost his battle with H1N1 flu. He was a young man in the prime of his life - in his 40s, I believe. So I began thinking about how Christians handle these tragedies with our kids and the inevitable questions that come along with it.

What do you say at a time like this? I guess the first thing I remind my kids of is that under the New Covenant, God is not the author of sickness and disease. I also remind them that God is not god of this world (see 2 Corinthians 4:4). I let my children know that God does not CAUSE sickness etc but He can USE these things for good (Genesis 50:20), sometimes in ways that we don't understand.

When my kids ask me WHY God would allow a tragedy to happen - I am honest with them - "I don't know." I don't get it. I don't know why a 40-something man died and left behind a bereaved family. I don't know why he passed on and left his congregation to regroup and make sense of it all. The bigger plan and the bigger picture is FAR beyond what I know, perceive, or understand. We will be talking more about this tonight on GodTalk 9-11 central.

Moms and dads, how do you help your children understand sickness and death? Share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section below. I would love to hear your opinion on this.

I can be Joyful but I can also be a Kvetch

2009-06-23T07:05:00.011-05:00

How's that for an honest blog post title? If you are not familiar with the Yiddish term kvetch, here it is. Being joyful is a choice in attitude. Being joyful is something you choose to walk out - when times are good and when they suck.

However if I want to be completely transparent and honest, sometimes I choose to be a total kvetch. I choose to act badly toward my husband and kids. You know how it is....chronic sleep deprivation, feeling unwell, a perpetually messy house that no one seems to want to help me clean.

You know, I am so serious about owning my kvetchiness (did I just make up a new word again?) that I registered a new domain name: www.kvetchingchristianwife.com. Yup, I sure did. No, I am not creating a new blog - it will just redirect here. You see I can be both joyful AND a kvetch. I am kind of complicated (and highly flawed) like that.

Sometimes it is hard to choose the right attitude in marriage. I even struggle with it sometimes when things are rosy and running smoothly. Sometimes it is hard to choose a joyful attitude as a parent....you know when you are cleaning up vomit at 3 am off the carpet. Or maybe it's after listening to them whine continuously for four hours straight. Or maybe the kids haven't really done anything wrong per se, but you are just cranky.

Hello?

Don't get me wrong. I STRIVE to be joyful in attitude. My heart is to be in that space all the time. But that is not my reality. Is anyone else feeling me on this? I just had a conversation last week with GodTalk host Greg Glatz and we were talking about what integrity means to us. We both had very similar definitions. Integrity isn't about having it all together - or even presenting ourselves as if we do - because then their is incongruence which is the opposite of integrity.

Integrity to me is being really honest about all parts of who I am. The things I do well with AND the things I fail miserably at. There is something freeing to both myself and hopefully other people when they can see other people being honest about their shortcomings. "*Phew* she isn't perfect." In fact if you are looking for a book that talks about how important transparency is, I recommend Quinn's "Building the Bridge as you Walk on It". Great book - convicting and empowering.

I digress...sorry for the rabbit trail.

This post brings me to some recent and sad news that perhaps comes as no surprise. That is the demise of Jon and Kate Gosselin's marriage. We all know divorce stinks. I was married at 21 and went through the humiliation of my first husband's adultery and divorce followed. I am also a child of divorce so I know it stinks from every angle. I have read with keen interest the variety of posts and comments about the news that broke last night.

Some people were highly compassionate and merciful in their responses. Others were not. Listen, the divorce rate is about 50% and sadly it is NO different when it comes to Christian marriage. So out of the persons responding judgmentally and scornfully about Jon and Kate's behavior toward one another over the past seasons I am left wondering. How many of those people are having similar issues in their marriages? I would hazard a guess and say a lot.

I would hate to see how I would come across on television. 'Reality TV is NOT reality' as one smart cookie said on Facebook. It is edited for entertainment. Drama and controversy are entertaining. So what we have seen of this couple and of this family is not balanced, right? I have three kids and I can get pretty cranky. Sometimes, I don't act respectful to my husband. I would love to say that I always INTEND to act respectful toward him but, alas, that would be a big fat lie.

Sometimes he ticks me off. Sometimes my 'flesh' gets in the way and I don't FEEL like turning the other cheek and being joyful, okay?

Sometimes I am a big jerk on purpose.

Sometimes I feel like I am standing outside myself watching me act like a big jerk yet I can't seem to stop it. I see myself, at times, being disrespectful to my husband, or barking orders at my kids, yet I can't (or won't?) stop.

Back to Jon and Kate. I believe their intentions starting out were good. I believe, like every couple, that they felt like they would beat the divorce statistics. Apparently, the divorce rate for parents of multiples is three times higher. I don't think they looked into one another's eyes at the altar, standing before God, and said "Honey, one day I am going to treat you like total crap and quit our marriage." Come on, seriously.

I am not making any excuses for their behavior. The cameras have clearly captured some poor choices and poor behaviors. But hey, if I was on camera and under public scrutiny I wonder how much better I would look? I think some other people should seriously consider the same question. It's so easy to knock down and criticize other people but lets take an honest look. Statistics was never my strong suit in university. However even *I* can quickly calculate that at least a fair number of individuals throwing stones at Jon and Kate also live in a glass house. And, yes, if you have read my blog before you KNOW I point the finger right back at myself.

So this is me being honest. I am a Christian wife. Sometimes I am joyful. Sometimes I am a complete kvetch. On purpose. So seeing that I am such a highly flawed creature, albeit with the best of intentions, I will extend mercy and withhold judgment on their hearts and intentions and instead I will keep them in prayer. May wisdom and peace prevail.

As I have mentioned in past posts, I NEED mercy big time...and well, you reap what you sow.

Just Keeping it Real,

I Interviewed my Ten year-old

2009-06-21T10:04:00.002-05:00

2009 Manitoba Marathon Starting Line @ 6am

My alarm went off at 5:10 this morning. I rolled out of bed, got dressed, and my ten year old and I got in the van and headed to the University of Manitoba campus. Dru participated in his third Super Run as part of the Manitoba Marathon this morning. It was total chaos inside the stadium and it took me over 20 minutes to find Dru (thanks to one of the dads who finally tracked him down for me).

Once we finally connected after his run I interviewed him. You can watch the 45 second video:

I did this for fun, primarily. But I also did it because I think it is so cool how anyone can step into the shoes of freelance "reporter" and share their content on facebook, twitter or some other social media platform. Technology sure has come a long way since I was a kid :)

Happy Father's Day to all you dad's and positive male role models out there,

A Game of Telephone, Anyone?

2009-06-07T08:55:00.012-05:00

Did you ever play the game of telephone as a kid? You know the one - a kid in class starts off with a sentence and whispers it to the child next to him, and then child #2 whispers what they heard to child #3 and so on and so on. The child at the end of the line repeats the sentence they heard out loud to the class. Then the kids compare the original sentence with the end result - after the story has been recycled, misunderstood, misheard, or perhaps purposefully distorted along the way.

Well if you recall last week I told you the story of how my ten year old son had gone missing for a few hours. I also said there was a part 2 to the story and this is it.

It came to my attention after our harrowing experience that a rumor had started in our community. You see, a few kids heard that D was missing and they began to speculate about what could have happened. They wondered out loud if he was being abused at home and had run away. Then a few kids in the group took that and began telling others - except it was no longer speculation but a true account of what was happening.

Before you knew it, the entire school was abuzz about the horrible treatment D was subjected to at home. It seemed the entire student body was talking about it and the story, just like a game of telephone, got more and more incredible and distorted as the days went on.

Parents were calling the school and asking Child and Family Services to be called and that we should be investigated. It had gotten completely out of hand. If you read my last post about him going missing, it turned out he was at a school friend's house the entire time and had forgotten to call....this rumor was baseless and insane.

James 3:3-6 (The Message)

A bit in the mouth of a horse controls the whole horse. A small rudder on a huge ship in the hands of a skilled captain sets a course in the face of the strongest winds. A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything—or destroy it!

It only takes a spark, remember, to set off a forest fire. A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that. By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it, smoke right from the pit of hell.

We were shocked and mortified.

I certainly understand as a parent that if your child comes home with a story about a child being hurt that you would feel the need to take action of some sort. I completely get that. However there were a small number of adults who were talking about it not to help but to simply perpetuate what they had heard. The rumors got worse and worse. I understand that children don't really understand the implications of spreading gossip, but the few adults involved really should have known better.

In the end I had to meet with the vice-principal to address the issue. The school did a great job putting an end to the rumor at school and in the community. They spoke with all the parents who called in to report the abuse. I also had a few friends in the community who addressed the rumors as they came up.

The most frustrating part for my husband and I is that we really could do nothing to defend ourselves. Anything we would have said would have come off as defensive and suspicious. It was truly awful. Not to mention that I own a small private home daycare and am in radio! Talk about damage to the reputation that could directly impact my business!

Unfortunately these kinds of rumors have a way of cropping up again and again. This is something we may have to contend with again.

To end on a positive note, I would like to once again thank my son's school, our friends in the community, and the parents who were genuinely concerned for our son's well being. I would also like to thank Springs Church for praying with us and for showing care and concern for this situation. You are all appreciated and your kindness did not go unnoticed.

Finding the JOY and Blessing in Everyday Life,

P.S Join us on The GodTalk Radio Show TONIGHT 9-11pm Central. You can stream it live anywhere around the world at www.cjob.com. If you are in Manitoba you can tune in on CJOB 68 AM.

A Parent's Worst Nightmare

2009-05-31T17:26:00.008-05:00

I don't know if what I am about to say is YOUR worst nightmare as a mom or dad but it ranks right up there with mine. Last Tuesday my oldest son (age 10) had early dismissal at 2:30 pm.

He didn't come home.

D can be a bit of a lollygagger and he typically moseys in about 15 minutes after school ends. By 3:00 pm I was checking my watch and starting to peer out the front window. I have a small home daycare and no vehicle at my disposal during the day time so there was no way I could retrace D's regular path from school myself.

I sent one of his friends with my blackberry back to the school to search the playground and ask the school staff if they had seen him. He was nowhere to be found. By 3:30 pm we had the school secretary, his teacher, and the vice-principal all looking for him. I was really trying not to panic.

His teacher was driving around the neighborhood and calling me every few minutes to update me. I was on the phone calling every one of his friends I could think of. No answer anywhere. His teacher called and you could hear controlled worry in her voice - telling me she could not find him.

By 4:00 pm I was on the phone with Winnipeg Police Service filing a missing person's report. Due to his age D was considered 'endangered' and they radio'd out his description to all cars in the area. It was surreal. I realized when the officer asked for his description that I could not even remember what he was wearing that morning when he took off to track practice.

My mind started racing. Did he go down to the pond and fall in? Did he go somewhere with a stranger? Did he get hit by a car? Some of the neighborhood moms were driving around looking for Dru. Some children thought they saw him riding his bike around the area. I felt relieved...and really angry with him.

I opened the garage and to my dismay his bike was sitting there. He wasn't seen afterall. I think that is when I hit the wall. The calmness left and complete panic overcame me. I sent my husband a message and he left work early to come home.

It was as though D had disappeared without a trace.

It was 5:00pm and I tried calling all his friends homes again. One of the neighborhood moms picked up and said "Oh we are sending D home for dinner."

Shock, confusion, relief, and anger all at the same time.

As it turned out, D was at his friends and picked up the phone to call but there was a problem with the phone line. Instead of getting some help he just forgot about it and went on playing. They had all been outside in the backyard and could not hear the phone.

I was so relieved when I saw him. I was also really upset with him for what he had put everyone through for over 2 1/2 hours. Ever experienced that strange mix or emotions? I had them all :)

I am so thankful that he came home safe and sound....but there is a part two to this story that is so unbelievable it will leave your jaw on the ground. BUT, you will have to wait until next time. Dinner is cooking and the clock is ticking - I need to get down to the radio station shortly.

Finding the JOY and BLESSING in Everyday Life,

P.S A BIG thank you to my son's school who went above and beyond helping me locate him. BTW: GodTalk host, Greg Glatz, and I were featured on author James Cheetham's "Unconventional Interviews" blog. You can check out the interview here.

Finding Mercy in the "why"

2009-05-22T08:20:00.012-05:00

Two Sundays ago we covered the Miss California Carrie Prejean story on GodTalk. We did not take the approach that, perhaps, some assumed we would take. I will be frank and tell you that I was absolutely astounded at how the Christian body treated Ms. Prejean.

One week she was the poster child for Christianity when she answered the same sex marriage question posed by Perez Hilton. As an aside, I think we put her in a role model and leadership role unfairly. Being in the spotlight alone does not qualify a person. Nor do I believe she asked for the role either.

The next week? She was dumped on and scorned by some members of the church when modelling photos of Prejean from a surfing magazine photo shoot were released. I won't rehash the commentary. If you like, you can grab the May 17th radio show in podcast format.

In one group this was said about Prejean:

"...can you just keep your clothes on long enough to finish the sentence..."

"...as a Christian she should never have "posed" for those pics...my 12 year old knows better...."

This is just an example of what I read many, many times in Googleville in varying degrees. My intent is not to call out any individual, name any names, or humiliate anyone. I have attempted to keep it very generic simply for the purposes of illustrating an attitude that we ALL are prone to.

ME included.

I completely acknowledge that we are to assess (judge) situations. I think it is out of balance when people say you cannot judge anything if you are a Christian. Pastors need to assess behaviors of church members and offer guidance or correction. Parents need to evaluate their kid's behaviors and discipline them accordingly. Business owners and managers need to conduct reviews of their staff and make assessments - to get a raise or to be reprimanded, for example.

I am not going to say we should never judge another because there is a proper way to do it. However I recognize the word judge has implicit negative and hypocritical connotations. I prefer to use evaluate and assess - these words are a bit more neutral for me.

We should never assume God's role in terms of eternal judgment, of course, but this is not what I am referring to here.

In order to make a proper assessment we need to look at the WHAT of a behavior. But when we stay stuck on the WHAT of a behavior, we can become scornful and sarcastic. The Holy Spirit has revealed it to me when I have done this plenty of times in the past. I know that I had been on the receiving end of a lot of scorn, negative judgment and rejection and that is what I knew how to dish out. I was very hardened and not very merciful much of the time.

I have endeavored in the past years to focus more on the potential WHY's of someone's behavior. I have found this moves me to a place of empathy, acceptance and mercy. This doesn't mean I condone behavior that needs correction! But when we offer correction wrapped in mercy, empathy and acceptance, the receiver is much more likely to receive the correction and take steps to turn things around. Isn't the idea behind (godly) judgment to encourage remediation and positive change?

In my early 20s I made some very poor decisions that required correction. I was a seeker at the time. I was given (needed) correction by a Christian but it was delivered in an ugly package of scorn and rejection and the relationship was shallow. The correction was bang on, but I couldn't receive it! Instead, I turned my back on God and stopped seeking for a few more years. Very hurtful and very damaging.

What was Prejean's "why"? Perhaps she feels that objectification is okay. Perhaps she has some hurts in her past. Perhaps she was simply trying to boost her modelling career. Perhaps as a 20 yr old girl she was governed by 20 yr old thinking. I thought I had it going on at 20. I look back now and realize I didn't have a clue. Nor did I have the foresight to look at longer term impact of my actions. I was an "in the moment" kind of girl. Miss California or not, I don't believe Prejean is much different than any other person that age.

What was the "why" of the persons I quoted who were acting scornful and sarcastic? Perhaps they truly felt this was damaging the faith and because they love Jesus they felt it necessary to defend Him strongly. Perhaps they have been dished out plenty of scorn or have past hurts that partly flavor their reactions.

I don't really know the WHY's. But, in trying to discern and understand - I develop empathy and a softer stance - for Prejean and for the person's throwing condemnation at her.

John 8:2-7
Early in the morning (at dawn), He came back into the temple [[a]court], and the people came to Him in crowds. He sat down and was teaching them,When the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery. They made her stand in the middle of the court and put the case before Him.

Teacher, they said, This woman has been caught in the very act of adultery. Now Moses in the Law commanded us that such [women--offenders] shall be stoned to death. But what do You say [to do with her--what is Your sentence]? This they said to try (test) Him, hoping they might find a charge on which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger.

However, when they persisted with their question, He raised Himself up and said, Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her. (emphasis mine)

John 8:2-7 is not about judgment. This woman was found guilty - caught in the very act of adultery. This is about sentencing. Jesus questioned if these people had the RIGHT to sentence her to death by stoning.

As a church, have we stoned Carrie Prejean (or anyone else) with our words? Are we justified in doing so? No, we are not. Ironically, Jesus was the only one who WAS justified in stoning her based on His teachings but instead He turned away and rebuked her accusers. He corrected her and said "go and sin no more" but He extended mercy to her. He said He would not condemn her.

Yes, we can make assessments in order to come to a conclusion about something and then offer a way for the person's remediation. But are we justified in verbal stoning? I know the Holy Spirit brought many incidents in my past where I stoned someone with my words. I felt sorrowful.

I am so thankful for the humbling experience of the Prejean story. I have learned to be more merciful over the years because I had people come alongside me who extended mercy to me.

I really strive to test my assessment/evaluation and correction of another on a few points:

1) Do I have a relationship that goes deep enough to be the one who offers the correction? I can assess on the inside, but am I the one to approach the person? Will they accept it (and act on it) because our relationship is strong and true?

2) Have I tried to discern the person's WHY? Or am I perseverating on the WHAT?

3) Is my intention to offer a place of remediation? Or am I masking my real intention to tear down with my words - even if the assessment is correct?

4) If a seeker of God were to overhear my conversation or read what I have written would it make them more earnest to seek out a relationship with God, or would they high tail it in the other direction for fear of humilation for the skeletons they hide in their closet?

I sometimes think that persons who want to know God or know Him better are LESS afraid of how God will view and treat them and MORE concerned with how Christians will treat them!

I wonder what actions do more damage to the Christian faith. A girl who says she is Christian and takes an alleged misstep? Or the Christians who rise up and stone her to death with their words?

Again, please know that I point the finger right back at myself and ask the same questions of me! I can do better. We all can do better.

Finding the JOY and BLESSING in Everyday Life,

Interview with Servolution Author Pastor Dino Rizzo

2009-05-14T11:00:00.005-05:00

On Good Friday I had the pleasure of interviewing Pastor Dino Rizzo on The GodTalk Radio show on CJOB. He is the author of Servolution and Pastor of Healing Place Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Our interview is now available here at JCW which is wonderful, because the book is now available for purchase too ;)

This book has been inspiring to me personally. The sandwich servolution we do each and every Wednesday for GodTalk came directly from me reading this book. I have since shared it with a number of others and the servant spirit is really catching on.

The Pastor Dino Rizzo Good Friday interview:

Finding the JOY and Blessing in Everyday life,

Human Trafficking in Canada

2009-05-11T08:30:00.010-05:00

Last night on The GodTalk Radio Show I did a double feature on the plight of human trafficking and sexual slavery. It isn't just a problem happening overseas. It is happening right here within our borders. Jason Parks is the National Director of Exodus Cry Canada. Listen to his 7 minute interview with me below.

Here is a compelling and shocking video created by Exodus Cry about human trafficking. Startling and heart-wrenching statistics.

Exodus Cry:The Mission Briefing from Exodus Cry on Vimeo.

The second half of our double header featured an interview with Winnipeg chaplain and therapist Daly de Gagne. He brought this issue close to home. He worked as a chaplain for over ten years in a local Winnipeg hospital. Quite often, he counseled patients who were victims of sexual slavery. You can connect with Daly on twitter and facebook You can hear our 7 minute interview from CJOB right here on JCW.

Questions, comments, thoughts? Kindly leave me a comment!