So we recently got back from holidays, thus the reason I haven’t been blogging (you couldn’t even get cell coverage where we were at in the mountains). Anyway…the day before we left, while my wife was shopping, our van was stolen from the SuperStore parking lot. That’s right…out of all the vehicles they could have stolen they chose ours…we feel pretty special…not really…in fact it is probably because they were drunk when they choose our van over the countless other options in the lot. Regardless of why, we are victims of crime and although an initial hassle, the insurance company rented us a brand new van for holidays and we have it until our van is back in action. Well onto the van…it was subsequently found the next day when the police arrested the guys in it (I’m waiting to see it on COPS). I guess the van has seen better days as has a bit of damage and they spilt beer all over it. So we just wait now to see if they can get it in tip-top shape but until then we have the brand new van to drive around (that should get the rumor and gossip wheel turning in Devon).
As for my help/training/counseling as a victim of crime…a friend of mine told me about the askaninja.com website. I am currently seeking counsel from a ninja now. I have learned various things about the art of being a ninja and its applicability to life.
I came across this story about a prayer ministry in the US having some prominent Christian leaders gather around gas pumps and praying for lower gas prices. I’m not making this up!!!! And the saddest part for me is that I wasn’t surprised. I am not going to say anything about whether we should or shouldn’t pray for things like lower gas prices; that would take too long to explore. Instead, I want to talk about what it says about the nature and even health of the church in North America. What I find so troubling about this story, is that is a great example of the often sheer self-centeredness of our prayers. Why, with so much turmoil in the world (War on Terror, genocide in Darfur, the mistreatment of women around our globe, domestic and international poverty, etc), would we spend so much time praying for twenty cents off a litre of gas rather than pray for domestic and international peace and justice. Maybe it tells us something about our human nature, or at least about our North American Christian priorities? Maybe it’s even a symptom of a greater disease?
I was reminded today at a combined evangelical church service, that our local church was a part of, that the body of Christ is so diverse. Often times I think I get use to worshipping with people much like myself and in many ways get caught up in the comfort or normalcy of doing things a certain way. It is good to gather together with others of different denominations, worship styles, theological bents, etc. It is good to see different expressions of worship, the music done a certain way, the sermon preached and scripture applied a particular way, etc. It isn’t that I would adopt all those things or that I even agree with them, but I think in many ways there is an important discipline of tolerance being practiced. I need to be reminded that my way of seeing and doing things isn’t the only way, or perhaps not even the right way. For these reasons, along with others, I think those times are good experiences for the body of Christ and in many ways necessary for its growth and health.
This summer I am fulfilling my Internship requirements for my Master’s Degree. Basically it means I will be doing my current job/ministry while reflecting and being evaluated on it. Although it seems like a pain, it is a hoop I have to jump through. I just hope that the jump will be as positive as possible and not just for jumping sake.
So…in under a month I will be officially/technically an intern again (weird but true).
So we recently got back from holidays, thus the reason I haven’t been blogging (you couldn’t even get cell coverage where we were at in the mountains). Anyway…the day before we left, while my wife was shopping, our van was stolen from the SuperStore parking lot. That’s right…out of all the vehicles they could have stolen they chose ours…we feel pretty special…not really…in fact it is probably because they were drunk when they choose our van over the countless other options in the lot. Regardless of why, we are victims of crime and although an initial hassle, the insurance company rented us a brand new van for holidays and we have it until our van is back in action. Well onto the van…it was subsequently found the next day when the police arrested the guys in it (I’m waiting to see it on COPS). I guess the van has seen better days as has a bit of damage and they spilt beer all over it. So we just wait now to see if they can get it in tip-top shape but until then we have the brand new van to drive around (that should get the rumor and gossip wheel turning in Devon).
