In Thought of the Social Justice Movement
A few days ago Bonnie and I sat in our living room with our coffee in hand as we watched the Inauguration of Barack Obama into the 44th Presidential office. I must admit that even as a Canadian I may not have always agreed with Obama’s policies but, my heart leapt at the thought of the American people electing an African American into office for the first time. What a huge step of honesty, integrity, and commitment for the social justice movement which started sixty years ago!
In the same breath and moment I felt convicted as a follower of Jesus while listening to Rick Warren’s Invocation and prayer. I have always been inspired by the stories and lives of people like Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, and Malcolm X. People who stood for social rights, justice, freedom, and the strength of integrity through social integration and diversity. But, here is where my conviction came. Where is our Social Justice Movement today? What are the oppressive natures which create division and segregation within our nation’s society and communities? Who are our leaders in such movements and why do they not stand out as strongly as they once seemed to back in the 50′s and 60′s?
I’m not trying to say that the Social Justice Movement does not exist today. I still hear echoes from musicians like Lenny Kravitz ‘s “We’re Back in Vietnam” and John Cougar Melloncamp’s “Nooses in Tree’s” as a symbolism to artistic freedoms along with people like Rick Warren and his wife who take the needs of addressing such issues as AIDS, Abortion, Orphans, Religious Persecution, and Human Trafficking through interviews and articles like that as the one in last February’s issue of Reader’s Digest. But, are we as individuals willing to still march the streets for such causes? Are we as holistic beings created with spiritual, psychological, and physical integrity free and willing to accept the possibility of imprisonment, oppression, and even death for such radical needs for social transformation?
I end up asking myself the question, “As a follower of Jesus; what bus am I willing to sit on in the hopes of Jesus showing up?” In part, I think I began trying to answer this question while sitting in an office last Wednesday afternoon with my friends Tim Schmidt and Ron Fraser. Tim who lives with Cerebral Palsy; myself who lives with a spinal cord injury; and Ron who with his brother has been involved with the disabled community for several years began to ask the question of, “What are the ways in which the city of Calgary has reached out to the individuals who face disabilities with the hopes of offering a sense of belonging and support?” Perhaps in a secondary sense we were also asking as individuals who follow Jesus; “In what ways does the Church offer support and belonging to those who face challenges in life?”
We spent the next hour and a half mapping out just how we might approach these issues and what our major focuses might be over the coming few months. I’m not sure where this might take us and in truth I am continuing to push myself as to how committed I am and if Jesus might be calling us to something more within this movement. That said I realize that sometimes God takes the momentum of such journeys and catapults them into the stratosphere. Who am I to deny my creator a Lord? Perhaps we just might find ourselves saying, “I have a Dream…”
“When we feel lonely we keep looking for a person or persons who can take our loneliness away. Our lonely hearts cry out, ‘Please hold me, touch me, speak to me, pay attention to me.’ But soon we discover that the person we expect to take our loneliness away cannot give us what we ask for. Often that person feels oppressed by our demands and runs away, leaving us in despair. As long as we approach another person from our loneliness, no mature human relationship can develop. Clinging to one another in loneliness is suffocating and eventually becomes destructive. For love to be possible we need the courage to create space between us and to trust that this space allows us to dance together.”
Thus says the Lord:
“Keep justice, and do righteousness,
for soon my salvation will come,
and my deliverance be revealed.
Blessed is the man who does this,
and the son of man who holds it fast,
who keeps the Sabbath, not profaning it,
and keeps his hand from doing any evil.”Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord say,
“The Lord will surely separate me from his people”;
and let not the eunuch say,
“Behold, I am a dry tree.”
For thus says the Lord:
“To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths,
who choose the things that please me
and hold fast my covenant,
I will give in my house and within my walls
a monument and a name
better than sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name
that shall not be cut off.“And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord,
to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord,
and to be his servants,
everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it,
and holds fast my covenant—
these I will bring to my holy mountain,
and make them joyful in my house of prayer;
their burnt offerings and their sacrifices
will be accepted on my altar;
for my house shall be called a house of prayer
for all peoples.”
The Lord God,
who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares,
“I will gather yet others to him
besides those already gathered.”
Memorable Thoughts of 2008
It’s been a little difficult as of late to find time and perhaps motivation to sit and write. I’m not sure if it is a loss of direction or the presence of possible burn out. I suppose it is something which I will have to explore over the coming months.
2008 was a busy year for sure and there have been many memorable moments. I have been going through some of my old posts over the last year and taking some time to reflect on the meaningful events which have stood out in my mind. These are perhaps some of them.
- Bonnie’s and my 9th Anniversary in May. It seems thematic that we have been focusing our thoughts to next may when we will celebrate being married for 10 years. I know I have to come up with something BIG for this one! Any suggestions of how we might celebrate?
- This past summers coffee markets have been a great way to engage with our community and I have loved and appreciate everyone who came to be a part of these projects with us.
- The Body, Soul, and Spirit Expo – This was an amazing experience and I am so thankful to everyone who was involved. No matter whether you were a follower of Jesus who was involved in volunteering or a person who attended the expo out of exploration; we were all touched by the Spirit of Jesus and our faith grew because of it!
- Norm and Rys’s resignation from the staff at MTC – Whether for good reasons or bad this was a feeling of shock which I will never forget as I sat in church that Sunday and watched as they both stood before the congregation and stepped down from their ministry roles at MTC. I pray and hold faith for them both that God will bless them wherever he might lead them.
- A growing friendship with Brad, Aaron, Lori, and Janet at MTC – I will be the first to admit that my relationship with the corporate structures of MTC has not always been on steady ground. All said, the staff at MTC have been very good friends and I am glad that together we have been able to collaborate on many things both in ministry and in the sharing of our personal stories over coffee at Starbucks. I look forward to what we might accomplish together over the next year and more importantly how are friendships might grow as we encounter the Kingdom of God in the midst of our community.
- New Work at Home Depot – To be honest, I don’t know the slightest thing about power tools, home hardware, or the business of home construction. I simply love people. For that reason I am so thankful to the people at Home Depot as they have shown me great graces while there and given me great opportunities to grow and work with the people in their staff and those who would come into the store.
- Christmas celebration – I have always loved the Christmas time of year. It is so full of the Spirit of Emmanuel and I always enjoy sing carols, and celebrating the birth of Jesus with friends, family, and the new people we meet. Who can forget the 12 Days of Christmas at the MTC Banquet and Christmas at Expressions was beautiful with all the laughter and fun.
Hopes for the New Year
- I hope that in the New Year there might be an eldership which will give Expressions a bracket in which to function as a recognized non-profit and future church plant.
- I hope that we might raise enough funds to be a part of the next Body, Soul, and Spirit Expo either in April or September or both.
- I am looking forward to our Re:Genesis project and hope that the word spreads to others in our community who might find support within it.
- I hope Expressions will continue to grow particularly our worship times Sunday night. I also pray that other leadership will come to be a part of Expressions and its development.
- I hope to find a more supportive and meaningful way in which to provide for Bonnie’s and my physical and financial needs. – Perhaps a more permanent position.
Just some thoughts…
MTC Christmas Banquet
Last Sunday was a lot of fun and Bonnie and I enjoyed the time we had with our friends at MTC’s Christmas Banquet. I am no professional photographer but I think I captured some of the magical moments and I hope it keeps the Christmas Spirit high. I found Rodd’s story of the power of Christmas being found in the missional value of Emmanuel to be very moving and I couldn’t help but reflect on a story of my own when I encountered a stranger on the road to Vancouver a year and a half ago (Click Here for that Post).
Well anyways, here is some of the video and I must pass along my sincerest congratulations to Sean and his family at their reengagment!
It’s a Snow Day Here in Calgary!!!
Just some pic’s to which Bonnie and I woke up to this morning! Happy Snow Day Everyone!!!
Everything is amazing and nobody is happy…
O.K. So Bonnie and I watched this video last week on my friend Steve’s blog and it was hilarious. Bonnie would not leave me alone about it saying, “You need to post this on your blog too.” So… here it is:
Things I’m Thankful For…
Things I’m Thankful For…
- A beautiful wife who loves and cares for me despite my looniness!
- The provisions and home which God has provided for us and the future to which he holds for us.
- Friends who support our hopes and dreams while traveling the journey of life with us.
- Faith which supports and guides us as we take on life’s ups and downs.
- Jesus’ leadership and authority in and over my life as he speaks through his truth in scripture, context, and community.
- The small moments in life where I get to experience and encounter the many inspirational and radical people who help make and build God’s Kingdom in extraordinary ways. These are truly the greatest of friends whether known or not yet known!
- A Church Family who accepts me despite my many fallacies.
- A God who continues to reach out to me with love despite my assumptions and prejudgments.
- Close family for prayers, care, advice, inspiration, and everything unsaid!
What are you thankful for?
Possessive Vs. Submissive: Random Thoughts of Life and Immortality
Immortality. I can’t help feel as though most people, if not all, subconsciously believe that they possess some sort of immortality. Or at least they desire it and feel they can obtain it through some sort of great work. Even in the personal sense I would agree that immortality or eternal life is deeply engrained within my own faith and has a great roll in the lifestyle and beliefs to which I live. I suppose in many ways you might say it can become more about who we are rather then what we do.
That’s why I seem to puzzle over two questions which seem to point at the way we view this immortality and the how in viewing it this way it seems to have more of an effect to paralyze it then to catalyze it.
- Why is it that we always view immortality as being more of a suspension to the way things are here and now in the present rather then in the mystery of the unknown?
- Why do we always seem to look for that immortality in something we can possess as though it was materialistic, gnostic, understandable, or objective in reality?
In short I’m not sure I am able to answer those questions in the here and now. I think they are more something which we each can wrestle with over conversation and friendship. I might say though that I think immortality has less to do with a possessive nature and more to be about a relational submission (Luke 9:24-25).
In truth, this thought stream has all stemmed from an experience I had in the local Cyclepath which I went to this past week to pick up some new gloves for wheeling. I confessed to the gentleman behind the counter that I was extremely hard on my wheelchair with regards to the distances to which I pushed it. Upon questioning me as to why I didn’t buy another more “suitable” wheelchair I blurted out in a spontaneous remark:
“What is the point in living if you can’t out-live the wheelchair you’re in while doing it?!”
I suppose it wasn’t until later that I realized the effect the remark may have had on those who do not live in the same lifestyle that I am accustomed too. In brief, I have been finding great inspiration from the current Olympics and as my conversation with the gentlemen in the store was centered on the anticipation for the upcoming Paralympics I give great due to those athletes who are competing this year. But… let’s give great due to the source of all original inspiration as I thank my heavenly Father for giving me the opportunity to live that statement out while looking forward to a future immortality which only he can define and I can submit to through my relationship with him.
“We would rather be ruined than changed.”
W.H. Auden
“The whole law of human existence lies in this: that man be able to bow down before the infinitely great.”
Fydor Dostoevski
Expressions Movie Night: Music Within
Richard Pimentel (Ron Livingston) begins his life as a fighter, and his life’s work becomes a process of fighting for the rights of others.
Rising up from a childhood in a dysfunctional family, armed with a talent for public speaking and a winning personality, the young man makes his way to a Northwestern college, confident that he will ace his try-out for his idol Dr. Ben Padrow (Hector Elizondo), the coach of the winningest team in the history of the College Bowl.
But Dr. Padrow shatters his dream when he rejects him. Richard’s immediate reaction is to enlist in the army for a tour of duty in Vietnam. During combat, the young recruit loses his hearing to a bomb blast, and has to deal with this newfound disability on his return to civilian life in Oregon.
Richard discovers that his disability and the struggle to transcend it is a defining moment in his fight for what he believes in. When he tries to help his friends, vets like himself and others with disabilities, to get work in an environment that treats them with pity at best and disdain as a matter of course, he realizes that he can make a difference. The friends who make up his close-knit clique are: Art Honneyman (Michael Sheen), a student wheel chair user with cerebral palsy who uses his rapier wit to deflect the prejudice that greets his disturbing appearance; Mike Stoltz (Yul Vázquez), a fellow veteran with a lot of rage and nowhere to put it; and then there is Christine (Melissa George), the passionate libertine who strokes Richard’s ego and initiates him into the world of free love.
Together, the friends experience the currents of those turbulent times, and the wild, joyful energy of winning through confrontation and humor. Without his hearing Richard is all the more prepared to listen to the message deep within himself, and to carry that message to the thousands of people whose lives are improved by the movement he helps to organize.
Expressions will be hosting a screening of the movie ‘Music Within’ upon invitation due to the limited amount of space. Thank you for your interest.
When: Saturday, May 31st, 2008
Time: 6:30 pm – 9:30 pm
For more information on the movie please visit: http://www.musicwithinmovie.com/
Simple Acts of Kindness
This has quit possible been one of the most difficult weeks of my life. I feel completely and absolutely exhausted; not only physically but emotionally too. My wife Bonnie has dealt for several years with chronic infections and has been treated with so many antibiotics that her body now can no longer respond to these treatments. As such the doctors pursued surgery on Tuesday with the hopes of stopping the constant attacks of infection.
The follow up was appalling as she was discharged that day with the instructions that we were to contact Home Care for assistance. On the other side was Home Care stating that the hospital can only make the contact. And so the political burocratic circle begins. “No, it’s not our responsibility. It is their’s!” “No, I’m really sorry but, it’s not our responsibility either. It’s theirs!” Why does political paper work take more concern over the health and welfare of the human being? Does no one care for others anymore? Does no one care about my wife and I?!
It was a difficult moment and in truthfulness I was prepared to remove some heads. That is when some close friends of ours responded to our call. Geraldine is what I would call a 70 + year old marathon runner. No word of a lie she showed up on our door step with a box of freshly baked breads, home made soups, and a tin of cookies which were still warm from the oven. With tears coming down her checks she hugged us and said she was praying and felt a calling from Jesus to contact Anne who was a Home Care nurse in our church. Anne would be visiting us that afternoon (Thursday). Following Anne’s visit, Bonnie felt waves of relief as she promised to return this coming Sunday. It was the greatest news and blessing we could ever have received this past week!
The week has yet to finish out and Bonnie and I are still waiting to hear the results of some biopsies which they took during the procedure. However, I can honestly say that I have felt Jesus with us throughout this week. At times it has been extremely difficult but it is then that we have felt the simple acts of kindness which only faith could have provided us. The many emails we’ve been sent – Jesus wrote. The many phone calls we’ve answered – Jesus spoke. The simple acts of kindness which we have received – Jesus was there!!!
“Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name;
make known his deeds among the peoples!
Sing to him, sing praises to him;
tell of all his wondrous works!
Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice!
Seek the LORD and his strength;
seek his presence continually!
Remember the wondrous works that he has done,
his miracles, and the judgments he uttered,
O offspring of Abraham, his servant,
children of Jacob, his chosen ones!”
What’s Eating You?
This afternoon I walked… opps!… wheeled into my good friend and chiropractor’s office and was blown away by an article which he had written and handed to me. Jeff’s faith and devotion to God, his family, and his patients are always an inspiration to me which is why I asked if he would share his story with Expressions next month.
All that said, I thought I would give a short taste into that faith by sharing this weeks message from The Good Doctor:
We all know that what you eat has a direct impact on your health. It is true that you are what you eat! The food that is made by God (fresh whole food in its original form) is what we were meant to eat. The processed, refined, chemical-laden food that is made by man will actually cause illness and disease. Unfortunately, we in North America, are over-fed (we get plenty of calories) BUT extremely under-nourished (processed food lacks the nutrients needed for good health). This is one reason why we are getting sicker and sicker as a society.
But the fact of the matter is that, when it comes to a healthy lifestyle, what you are eating is less important than WHAT’S EATING YOU! That is, how much stress you have in your life has an enormous affect on your health. Stress can literally kill you. If you are under a lot of stress, your body tends to shut down its healing and restorative abilities just so that it can cope with the stress. Let me explain. When an animal is faced with a stressful situation or a stressor (a deer comes face to face with a cougar), it reacts in a very predictable manner. Its blood pressure rises pushing the blood away from the internal organs and towards the peripheral limb muscles. These help the animal move fast and have the power necessary to either fight or flee. This is why the stress response is called the fight or flight response. Less blood to the organs means that digestion, detoxification, and normal organ activity stops, immune organs are less efficient, and healing is almost non-existent. For the moment, this response can save the animals life. But as soon as the stressor is gone (i.e. the cougar leaves), the deer quickly returns to a normal state and its body resumes normal function and healing.
We too have this fight or flight response. Any time that we are stressed or worry about something, the same exact reactions take place in our body. Our blood pressure rises, blood flows away from our organs, our immune system slows, digestion stops, and normal organ function stops (to name a few). So you get into your car to go to work and…it won’t start! You have an important meeting to get to and you only have 15 minutes to get there. STRESS!!! Enter fight or flight response. You manage to catch a ride to work with your neighbor and arrive at the meeting a half hour late. Your boss is not happy. STRESS!!! Now in the animal world, when the stressor is gone (your car is fixed and your meeting is over), your body should resume normal function. But humans tend to “hold on to” their stress; we worry. We have big brains that can remember and rehash stressful situations. And as soon as we rehash the stressor in our mind, our body reacts as if it is the real thing. The result is that most of us are in a constant state of fight or flight! Our digestion, our healing, our normal organ function are affected on a massive scale. Blood pressure is through the roof, immunity is low, digestion is slow and painful, sleep is interrupted, irritability is common, and we tend to store energy in the form of fat (stress makes you fat)! No wonder there are so many sick and depressed people (it is estimated that 1/3 of North American adults are on antidepressants).
So the question is: WHAT’S EATING YOU? More importantly, how are you dealing with it? Chiropractic will absolutely help you deal with your stress better by allowing the nerve system (the system that was designed to help you manage stress in your body) to function properly. Chiropractic will also allow your organs to function more effectively. However, we must all make an effort to create more peace in our lives. Set your priorities; take control of your time; spend time with loved ones; do what you love and love what you do. It is not always how much stress we have but how we react to the stress that leads to ill health. A very wise man once said:
“…do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” – Matthew 6:25-27
So less worry and more peace, Dr. Jeff
40 Years Ago Today
For many years I have found great inspiration to the life and words of Martin Luther King. Today my friend Steve posted his reflections to the events of April 4th, 1968 and I thought that I would share them here also:
Last night I watched Citizen King, a documentary on Martin Luther King Jr. 40 years ago today at 6:10 PM he was shot and killed in Memphis. Here is how Wikipedia describes the events,
King was booked in room 306 at the Lorraine Motel, owned by Walter Bailey, in Memphis. The Reverend Ralph Abernathy, King’s close friend and colleague who was present at the assassination, swore under oath to the HSCA that King and his entourage stayed at room 306 at the Lorraine Motel so often it was known as the ‘King-Abernathy suite.’ While King was standing on the motel’s 2nd floor balcony, James Earl Ray shot him at 6:01 p.m. April 4, 1968. The bullet entered through his right cheek smashing his jaw and then traveling down his spinal cord before lodging in his shoulder. According to biographer Taylor Branch, King’s last words on the balcony were to musician Ben Branch (no relation to Taylor Branch) who was scheduled to perform that night at an event King was attending: “Ben, make sure you play Take My Hand, Precious Lord in the meeting tonight. Play it real pretty.” Abernathy was inside the motel room heard the shot and ran to the balcony to find King on the floor. Local Rev. Samuel “Billy” Kyles, whose house King was on his way to visit, remembers that upon seeing King go down he ran into a hotel room to call an ambulance. Nobody was on the switchboard, so Kyles ran back out and yelled to the police to get one on their radios. It was later revealed that the hotel switchboard operator, upon seeing King shot, had had a fatal heart attack and could not operate the phones. King was pronounced dead at St. Joseph’s Hospital at 7:05 p.m. The assassination led to a nationwide wave of riots in more than 100 cities.
As part of the documentary they showed a troubled, sick and stressed out man delivering his final speech. I got shivers listening to him speak these words the night before he was murdered:
“I left Atlanta this morning, and as we got started on the plane, there were six of us, the pilot said over the public address system, “We are sorry for the delay, but we have Dr. Martin Luther King on the plane. And to be sure that all of the bags were checked, and to be sure that nothing would be wrong with the plane, we had to check out everything carefully. And we’ve had the plane protected and guarded all night.”
And then I got into Memphis. And some began to say that threats, or talk about the threats that were out. What would happen to me from some of our sick white brothers?
Well, I don’t know what will happen now. We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn’t matter with me now. Because I’ve been to the mountaintop. And I don’t mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people will get to the promised land. And I’m happy, tonight. I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.”
Sojourners has some reflections on his life as well as an opportunity to encourage major news networks to focus on his legacy rather than demean the prophetic tradition of the black church. I signed up.
Shaw TV Interview with the Calgary Aikikai Dojo
A couple of days ago my friend Todd contacted me about an interview which he was setting up at the dojo with Shaw TV. Of course I agreed to be part of it despite dealing with an on going shoulder injury making it difficult to use my right arm. To tell you the truth, with little time to practice I felt as though I did pretty poorly. I gave it a go though and thankfully the TV crew did not spend too much time focusing in on my techniques. As a slight correction to the commentary however I might say that prior to being in a wheelchair I spent 3 years studying Karate. Following my car accident in 1994 I studied 9 years of Kung Fu and for the last 2 years I have been involved here at Calgary Aikikai Dojo with Aikido.
Anyways, take a look and let me know what you think of the video!
My Apologies as the video has now been taken down by Shaw and I was unable to attain a copy!
You Can Really Find the Cross Anywhere: You Just Have to Look!
My friend Steve posted this video a few weeks ago after he and a friend took an adventure to downtown Calgary. It is amazing that we can find Jesus all around us if we are just willing to open our eyes to his presence!
A Voyage Through Space
Recently while trying to recover from surgery I spent some time on NASA’s Website looking at the many pictures in there archives. I was blown away by there beauty as I strayed off in my own day dreams. I have always been fascinated by the idea of space travel and seeing all of the wonders of God’s creation! Anyway, I thought I would share some of those beautiful pictures with you.
Praying Through Psalm 77
I cry aloud to God,
aloud to God, and he will hear me.
In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord;
in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying;
my soul refuses to be comforted.
When I remember God, I moan;
when I meditate, my spirit faints. Selah
I take this time to focus my thoughts on your presence with in this very moment Father. I cry out to you to fill me with the presence of your Spirit as I draw to you in meditation. I open my heart just as I do my hands that it might be soft spoken in the aweness of your taking notice of me; your faithful and loving servant.
You hold my eyelids open;
I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
I consider the days of old,
the years long ago.
I said, “Let me remember my song in the night;
let me meditate in my heart.”
Then my spirit made a diligent search:
I am thankful Father for your delivery through this past Tuesday’s surgery but, I seek after you in the pain I am experiencing now. I feel guilty in asking this of you and am hesitant to speak but in lack of sleep I cry out to you for mercy that you might hear my pains. My head is pounding like a ticking time bomb and my body screams within the agony of my joints. The cutting of flesh is done Father however, my heart continues to bleed. I am exhausted Father and feel the emotional settlement of feeling defeated.
Yet I am alert and look for the excitement of your guidance as I examine myself in spirit. Yes, I am in pain however I am alive! I bleed yet remember that you bled also and resurrection is soon to follow. My emotions may be squelching and yet I am surrounded by the blessings of family and a wife who loves me.
“Will the Lord spurn forever,
and never again be favorable?
Of course not! I hold to your unending faith and your desire to be with me both in my times of need and in my times of great joy and celebration!
Has his steadfast love forever ceased?
Are his promises at an end for all time?
Has God forgotten to be gracious?
Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Selah
I know that the answer is simple and straight forward… “No!” I must confess in my own struggle to see this whole heartedly though Father. Perhaps it is within my own blindness but, why would you love me? Why would you bring compassion and graciousness to my existence as I am yet a small puppet within this glorious creation of yours?
This has no bearing however as I acknowledge all these within my life. You are truly a merciful, kind, and loving God who enriches my life with your graceful presence!
Then I said, “I will appeal to this,
to the years of the right hand of the Most High.”
I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
I will ponder all your work,
and meditate on your mighty deeds.
Your way, O God, is holy.
What god is great like our God?
You are the God who works wonders;
you have made known your might among the peoples.
You with your arm redeemed your people,
the children of Jacob and Joseph. Selah
I am once again reminded of you words to Job that “You are God” and we have little understanding yet of that. You are God and you have been at work since the dawn of creation. As you are the creator of the foundations of this world I can find new roots within your promises. My faith is renewed as I reflect on the times you have brought me through so much already!
I remember laying in an ICU bed in 1994 and you made a promise to me through the words of my mother that, “You and your father will be just fine.” I know even now with this pain that that promise is still true. You have great plans for the future and much work for me as your humble servant. Your seeds of fruit are great and nothing will hold them back!
When the waters saw you, O God,
when the waters saw you, they were afraid;
indeed, the deep trembled.
The clouds poured out water;
the skies gave forth thunder;
your arrows flashed on every side.
The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind;
your lightnings lighted up the world;
the earth trembled and shook.
Your way was through the sea,
your path through the great waters;
yet your footprints were unseen.
You led your people like a flock
by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
There is a fluidity to your creation Father. It rises and falls in crashing waves of love, kindness, goodness, mercy, and great blessing. It speaks of your ways both in the softness of beauty and the loud clashing of spiritual fire. I praise you Jesus for the glories you so richly disserve and I continue to seek after you in all my ways. I pray that you hear my words and bring me quick healing that I might bless you more through serving your people. Amen. Amen.
Six Word Memoirs: What’s Yours?
My Memoir: Wheels Help Make Life Roll Along!!!
Erik Freiburger
What would be your six word memoir?
Shake Hands with the Devil: Movie Night
Expressions of Courage
“How many lives can be saved in a fight against indifference when your only weapon is the courage to stand alone.”
You are not alone in the search for global justice! Tonight is a time to gather and find inspiration as we watch the film ‘Shake Hands with the Devil’; a true story about the Canadian Lieutenant General Romeo A. Dallaire and his experiences in Rwanda, Africa. Following the film will be a short presentation from Ricot Leon regarding his ‘Heart for Home’ and the dream he has to bring hope to the nation of Haiti. Popcorn and refreshments will be provided.
There is no official cost however; we ask that you might make a donation of any amount to ‘Heart for Home’ in the effort of supporting there work in building the hopes and dreams of the Haitian people. Together we can all find courage, strength, hope, and the ability to take a stand and make a difference in the world today!
Place: Oak Park Church – #11263 Oakfield Drive S.W. Calgary, Alberta
Day & Time: Saturday, March 8th, 2008 @ 6:30 pm – 10 pm
For more about the film visit: www.shakehandswiththedevilthemovie.com/.
For more about Ricot Leon and ‘Heart for Home’ visit: www.heartforhome.wordpress.com/
Thank you for your interest and support. If you would like any more information please email erik@ecfcommunity.org.
Christmas at Expressions: Better Late then Never!
O.K. I know it is a little late. Between a new camera and my not knowing how to use it; it took a bit for me to figure out how to do this. Anyways, hope you enjoy the Christmas video!
In Proximity to Spirituality: Where Do You Find Yourself Gravitating Too?
Proximity. In the greatest sense proximity is a word we use to describe and measure the closeness or distance between us and someone else; the space between two groups or objects; the liberty or time between two naturally existing identities. In Aikido we call it maai which is often used to describe the proper distance between the uke and the nage or the first and second mover. The practice of maai is however far deeper then that and considered a philosophy which encompasses not only the physical acts we commit but the thought patterns and spiritual constructs to which we engage in.
John Minford articulates a case for proximity which has really engaged my thoughts over the passed few days after I was reading his commentary on Sun Tzu’s ‘The Art of War’ at the outrages hour of 3 am one night after being unable to find sleep. He writes:
This fragile equilibrium between action and nonaction, between sensitivity to the signs of what is and the will to engage it, expresses a fundamental dichotomy that underlies so much of early Chinese thinking about the management of human affairs in general, be they military, civil, or personal, be the philosophical standpoint Taoist, Confucian, or some other “nondenominational” strand in Chinese philosophy. It finds its earliest expression in that monumental repository of early Chinese thought ‘The Book of Changes’, whose entire premise is that it is possible to see into potential changes before they occur, to grasp the subtle configurations of Yin and Yang and thus attune oneself to the energy at work in the world around us…
Marcel Granet adds, “They lived in a state of constant revolutionary expectancy. They were preparing themselves to occupy the seat of the Son of Heaven, that is to say, to impose a new order on a civilization. And so the slightest change could mean total change; and seizing the slightest sign of change was tantamount to seizing the opportunity of bringing about total change.”
John Minford – Potential Energy in ‘The Art of War’ 2003 (Page 161)
It seems to me then that the perfection of proximity is not so much in the quantifiable facts of its existence but rather in the acknowledgement and practice of the potentiality of movement within each and every moment or instance in which we find ourselves in proximity or relationship to that of another identity or perception. How close or how far we find ourselves from any one person, place, or time is not as important as how we engage the possibility of movement towards or further away from them.
What does this say then about the proximity in which we find ourselves engaged with God’s voice in our life? How do we treat the potentiality of movement between us and his presence within the daily time frames? Is our proximity to spirituality gravitating towards the following and lordship of Jesus Christ? Do we find our potentiality in movement becoming closer and more personal to the nature and likeness of the Jesus we claim to be following?
Last night my friends Myles, Doug, George, and myself piled into my van as we headed north to the small City of Airdrie. We were going to hear Rik Emmett and Dave Dunlop play live at the Bert Church Theater. In honesty, I first thought it was going to be a church but in actuality it was a small little amphitheater seating 100 people at most. It was diminutive, intimate, and created an atmosphere which fostered a closeness to everyone that was there. This proximity in the moment electrified the air, charging it with such energy that the music became more then just simple talent. It was transformative and introduced a kinship of appeal which the four of us could share in. In essence it was a proximity to spirituality to which each of us was a part of and experienced.
In Luke 5:27-32 there is a story of when Jesus called the tax collector Levi (or Mathew if you prefer) to be his disciple. Jesus walked over to a small tax booth, looked Levi in the eyes and said, “Follow me.” This was a personal call that Jesus had for Levi and he meant it within an intimate context. It was a context which generated an electrifying atmosphere which compelled Levi to move and transform his whole life; to reconstitute and bring a new order to his understanding of civilization and existence. It wasn’t Mathew’s character that drew Jesus to him. It wasn’t anything about who he was then in that moment; his physical or social stature; his mental thoughts, beliefs, or philosophies; or even how righteous or spiritually holy he considered himself to be. It was the potentiality for movement that brought his proximity to Jesus!
Where do you find yourself in proximity to Jesus? What potentialities exist in your life which can bring you closer intimacy and personal connection with his existence in reality? How do you express and communicate movement towards your spirituality?
The Strungout Troubadours with ‘Three Clouds Across the Moon’
Mouth Painting Expressions
A good friend of Bonnie’s and mine has recently taken up the practice of mouth painting. No… it is not painting pictures with your mouth nor is it pictures of peoples mouths. Ha, ha! Katie deals with the effects of having Multiple Sclerosis (MS for short) and as a result has for a couple years now been unable to use her arms and hands as effectively. That does not stop her from expressing the “Artist” (French ascent intended now!!!) that she is becoming!
“Fun in the Sun”
“Little Black Dress”
“Little Black Purse”
Expressions
A Million Miles in a Thousand Years By Donald Miller
Follow Me to Freedom By Shane Claiborne & John Perkins
Journey to Significance By Neil Cole
Organic Leadership By Niel Cole
Sacrilege By Hugh Halter
Forge Canada
Friend of Missional
Missional Apologetics
The Missional Network
Verge Network
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