I found this great app on The Simpsons Movie site that allows you to create Simpsons characters that resemble you. I did one for each of our family and put them together as one image – this is the picture I ended up with.
My Life: The Update
It has been a while since I have posted. I have some intelligent blog posts in the making but for now I thought I should just give you a quick update on my life:
- I’ve read a number of books that I have haven’t gotten around to doing any sort of blog
reviews for including: “Technopoly,” “Politics of Meaning,” “Good to Great,” “Courageous Leadership” and I’m sure I’ve forgotten some others. - I’ve watch some good and not so good movies. On the good side, I’ve seen “Live Free and
Die Hard” and “Transformers.” On the bad side, I’ve seen “The Contractor.” There are many in betweens but “The Contractor” (staring Wesley Snipes – yes, he is still making movies) is so bad that nothing in recent memory even comes close. - I’ve begun doing some prep work for a leadership class I’m taking in September and I’m now officially over my head in work for an “External Studies” class on the Theology of Martin Luther. It doesn’t seem right to be doing homework in the summer.
- I had the privilege of preaching at the Baptist church in town a couple of weeks ago. It was an honor, privilege and loads of fun to bring God’s Word to them. Incidentally, I am also preaching at Regency Christian Church in town in August.
- We had good friends over last week which brought a spark back into my life in a way that only good friendships can. Miss you guys:).
- I am pumped about a road trip planned with two of my best friends for a few days next week. I am pumped…did I say that already.
- I have been busy at church as I conclude my ministry…leaving is always a weird feeling full of mixed emotions.
- I am also excited to begin filming the next, and sadly, final promo/intro video to our church’s fall kick-off. We (RGB Productions) have some great ideas this time. They are always fun to make, even if no one else finds them amusing.
- It has been crazy hot lately and I don’t want to complain but it’s too hot…my office at the end of the day gets to 29 degrees with no air flow.
- My son Nathanial turns 7 this weekend…where has time gone???
Word of the Day: triskaidekaphobia
I came across the word “triskaidekaphobia” and though it would be fun to use it as many times as I could today given it is Friday the 13th. I don’t suffer from “triskaidekaphobia” and don’t really know of others who do, I just think it is a fun word and maybe for a day I’ll sound smart…
Inclusion To Life
Laurie (my wife) and I had the opportunity to attend a five-weekend leadership retreat centering on advocacy for children with disabilities. Although there is much to say about the experience, I wanted to share a thought expressed by one of our speakers that I am still working through and thinking on. It is an argument and discussion point that I hadn’t heard before but one I found extremely compelling.
We were discussing the growing acknowledgment in our society, on different levels, to the need, benefit and health of including people with disabilities into every aspect of our society. Although there are many different definitions of “inclusion” and what it means, the base principle applies to each: that each human being, regardless of their ability, potential or limitations, should be provided equal opportunity to be included in our society on every level. I am becoming more and more aware of how, as a society, and frankly even as the Church, we haven’t embraced this principle and in fact, by our words and actions, devalue people of different abilities – but that is a post for a different day.
The argument the speaker presented was kind of an aside in the presentation but struck home with me as an incongruent piece of a changing societal norm. In a culture that is, on the whole, positively progressing in how it treats people with disabilities and including them more and more areas of societal life, there is one aspect that seems strangely counter-progressive. In this increasingly inclusive world, we concomitantly see a health system and growing ethical system that has embraced the practice of encouraging and performing abortions for those families who, in their prenatal care, are discovered to be carrying a child with some diagnosed disability. The reason often presented is that having a child with a disability would be a to great a burden on the family, the person who has the disability and of course our economically struggling health system to carry the baby to term. However, if, as a culture, we are progressively embracing inclusion of people with disabilities in our schools, workplaces, community areas and churches, wouldn’t it seem like the place inclusion should begin is the equal right to be included in birth.
It is an unjust paradox that a culture would positively shift to the see people with disabilities through their potential, and concurrently not see their right to live or even suggest/lobby for/argue for their prenatal death.
As a parent of a child with a disability who is actively trying to change culture so that it sees our son for his potential rather than his limitations (as we would all like to see seen), the infuriating irony is that individuals, like our son, are increasingly welcomed in schools, community events but sadly and despairingly, not into life outside the womb as doctors and health care professionals encourage parents to abort their children because of their potential and perceived overwhelming burden.
This can’t be right and I, for one, am committed to changing our society.
Tagged
I was tagged by Mike to post the first 10 Songs that showed up in my Ipod shuffle list – I thought I would go one step further and post the top 20….here they are:
- “Holy Is The Lord” – Chris Tomlin
- “Send Your Mind” – Van Morrison
- “Elanor Rigby” – The Fray
- “Hello Again” – Dave Matthews Band
- “There Will Never Be Another Tonight” – Bryan Adams
- “We Will Bow” – Brian Doerksen
- “Walking Away” – Lifehouse
- “Free” – Delirious?
- “Cannot say enough” – Mercyme
- “Sky is Falling” – Lifehouse
- “Great Provider” – BNL
- “If God Will Send His Angels” – U2
- “How Great” – David Crowder Band
- “Trying to Throw Your Arms Around” – U2
- “Thank You for Hearing Me” – David Crowder Band
- “He is Yahweh” – Vineyard Canada
- “Lord, We Turn” – David Ruis
- “Stealing Time” – Delirious?
- “Mission” – Chris Cornell
- “This Love” – Maroon 5