Reminiscing

We moved from a great community a year ago.  We didn't just like this place a little bit, we adored it.  We all had great friends, great stories, and envisioned a long and happy future there.... As we are considering and weighing and praying about WHAT THE HECK we are going to do come summer, I just found myself reminiscing....

so, instead of the powerpoint I'm supposed to be working on for this Sunday, or the exegesis I should complete for Sam, I am flipping through old photos and being more than a little weepy...

Here are a few of the best shots....

enjoy!!!

The BAND  -   notice;

a) my son is not wearing skinny jeans

b) the t-shirts in winter

c) how crazy young the boys look!!

after students had left campus for Christmas break, the staff had a fun potluck!

I loved, loved, loved my job!!!

I forgot sheryl and I met when we worked together!

(Sheryl, I wear that sweater all the time, it was in a bag of hand me downs from you. 

 It must be time for more soon?!)

these two shots are from a youth banquet.

notice:

a) the glittery wigs that are present at so many church functions ?!??!

b) the talented group of musicians that were hired for entertainment...

This is quite likely the first group photo of the praying ladies...

how could this be less than three years ago?  These girls went from 10 to 16 overnight.

again, look how young!!!

i don't know if I've ever publicly admitted that I cried the first time my son wore a jersey that was blue and not black, that had a dog instead of a hawk... i think i loved the team sports in our old school MORE than our kids did ... maybe.

so many suppers with friends.. We loved every minute!

:)

One thing we don't miss .... saying goodbye to our awesome family.

This group shot was taken post-Christmas at Cora's as we pulled out of town one year. 

This was a fun stroll down memory lane.  Thanks for joining me!

A memory is what is left when something happens and does not completely unhappen.

~Edward de Bono

Life is a rough biography. Memories smooth out the edges.

~Terri Guillemets

city wide service

Back in January, a whole schwack of Winnipeg churches got together and we had our first (hopefully of many!) city wide service.  I can't remember the exact #'s but I think there was about 1000 more people than were anticipated - total of about 7000 people, I think?  I am so glad we were there!  It was a moving and beautiful morning.  It was held at the MTS Centre, and the music and message were broadcast from speakers right onto the street downtown.

There were some familiar faces.. like this beautiful blonde lady that sat right near us!  And Margaret and Christina from WCV were among the worship dancers, it was great to see familiar faces.


The flags were my favorite part, it was really touching as each nation brought their flag forward.
... more familiar faces - Kilcona ushers (including my brother-in-law!) were serving that day.Bruce, our beloved pastor, has had a heart for expressions of unity in the larger church of Winnipeg ever since he moved to Winnipeg.   He was part of orchestrating this service, and I was proud of him!  It felt like a celebration.



hey... this wasn't taken at the city wide service.  but its a nice pic of two sweet boys!

new look

i thought i might find the time to make some blog changes this week.... no family around and all the quiet that I don't know what to do with!

The new look reflects spring, hope, and new beginnings.

I've added 'pages', so check for more of those to be added as inspiration comes
The whole blog is simplified; I deleted a lot of content.
As always, love to hear your feedback!

study break

here I sit, in the Briercrest library, long into the evening, STUDYING.  I took the photo above for proof, those are the actual books in my carol.  If I lived in Caronport, I could rent a carol and make it my own, with personal trinkets and pictures.. but I live at Flatlanders and did that to the whole office instead.  Anyway, I digress.  Here is the quote I wanted to share.. I am reading Thomas Aquinas' commentary on Ephesians.  He is a cool guy, that Thomas.  (Or the little I know about him so far...)

Listen to this description of him...written by Matthew Lamb...

'Saint Thomas Aquinas is a paradox... a mystic and a rigorously scientific theologian.  His commitment to Judaeo-Christianity was enough for him to appreciate and appropriate pagan truths.  An Aristotelian, he never ceased utilizing Platonic insights.  In him, a deep reverence for the Church Fathers was coupled with an astonishing zest for novelty"

.... He was neither or both on lots of topics.... he defies categorization.  Was he postmodern before we knew that it was called that?! Or maybe he was 'emerging/emergent/energetic' or whatever.  But probably not, seeing as he was born in the 1200's, a little old for that label, I guess.

Here is the part I would have highlighted and underlined if this wasn't a library book...

"(St. Thomas did not advocate Sola Scriptura) - he could not abstract the Book from its living environment within ecclesial tradition.  The generations of Christians stretching from Apostolic times down to their own were not viewed by the medieval mind as seperating them from the integral Christian message but far more as uniting them to it.  The Church Fathers were incomparable guides in this positive task of assimilating Christ and His meaning.  They could never be rejected in and authentically Christian hermeneutic." (emphasis mine)

huh.  good thoughts about the casserole called "orthodoxy AND orthopraxy", I think. 

I read this quote and then glanced over at this text from my stack of books ...

now, I know I'm not supposed to judge a book by its cover...

... and I admit that i haven't cracked it open yet... but I do admit that this is quite disturbing imagery of Scripture.  I wonder if anyone would have ever imagined Sola Scriptura would end up pictured like this?!

the narrow way...

I am working on an Exegesis of the second half of Ephesians 5.  It's fun, and I really enjoy being intimately connected to a passage for a while so that the meaning can sink in and you can hold it up to the light of daily life, other reading, other scripture.  It gets under your skin. .... I think this must be what its like to be a pastor getting ready for a Sunday sermon.  I like it!

the passage itself is a challenging one, having been misinterpreted and misquoted and misunderstood a lot.  Its the one about wives and husbands and submission and love.  It's about a lot more, but that's the basic premise. 

Anyway, I got to thinking about another passage that is often misrepresented - the one about the narrow gate leading to life and the broad road leading to destruction. (Matthew 7:13-14)  Lots of times, people confuse this verse as having something to do with heaven and hell.  It's actually part of the Sermon on the Mount, and its about how we live here on earth - its about belonging to the kingdom of the real king, and not being fooled by other kings/kingdoms.

I internalized the narrow gate verses this way...        'there are at least 894,150 ways to miss the point.  We will exercise all of them, because they look easy and painless. But it'll be painful and costly. Those few who truly get it will have a different kind of experience (not an easier one) -  but they're the minority.'      This is just amateur babbling.... and a prayer that I can stop missing the point.

encouraged...

I almost posted an entry earlier this week about being discouraged. Not that it would be bad to share that, but it felt a little whiny and victim-y and not really what I want to sow. 

See, we have been in transition mode for a while.  And all the beautiful signs of spring weren't inspiring me and making my whole being sing like usually happens when weather starts to turn and snow starts to melt and birdsong is in the air.  Our family really believed that we'd have some stuff about our future figured out by spring and it's just not all that clear yet.  And I am sick of it, and mad about all sorts of things that led to us not being where we thought we'd be....The lessons of the last couple of years have been very costly in so many ways.

I've spent the week trying to be in a place of listening and praying amid the busyness and noise of daily life. Trying to let go of the negativity that can overwhelm.  Trying to become re-centred.  The response has been the same as it always is... 'Here I am, right here with you.... I am your Hope.  I am your confidence. The things that concern you are my concerns too.  Abide in Me.'

Here are some other moments that have provided encouragement...

• My husband.  He has this amazing way of being great, and when I feel the least connected to him is often when I remember all over again that this whole 'being one' concept is more than a feeling.  It's profound and one of the most hopeful and hope-filled experiences in life.  We've carved out a lot of time together lately, and even our ordinary chats and brief exchanges have been soothing and perfectly timed.
• A great visit with some members of a new intentional community that is forming in Winnipeg.  It was great to hear their stories and inspiration, and to share about Flatlanders daily life and origins.  These folks are being faithful and its inspiring to see God moving and working in this way.  I'm reminded that its really God that is calling these worship expressions into being.  These folks had a trust that was so encouraging, as was their commitment to relationships and service.  They are interested in a different kind of success, and it was refreshing.
• A family meeting we had on Monday night.  Even though our kids balk at things like 'family meetings', especially when I refer to our 'family mission statement' - they engage.  They know that their thoughts and voices and observations matter.  They laugh at their cheesy mom for saving worn out papers that we wrote on years ago, but then they remember that they really did contribute to identifying what we value, and that the things we determined were a genuine representation of who we are together, not any one of us individually.  My kids are quirky and unique and strong minded, and event though those same qualities drive me crazy sometimes, its also incredibly encouraging.
• We are slowly getting a picture of what might be around the corner for us. I am so thankful for this, and so ready!
• thinking about doing a thesis instead of the major project that is necessary for my program... part of me wonders if it is healthy to seek out the most challenging option, and part of me is excited (encouraged!) about the possibilities.

"May the God of green hope fill you up with joy, fill you up with peace, so that your believing lives, filled with the life-giving energy of the Holy Spirit, will brim over with hope!" from Romans 15, the message

The Bean Gallery

Flatlanders and the Winnipeg Centre Vineyard are working together to put together a series of house concerts called 'the bean gallery'. 

We had our first event tonight, and it was a great success!  We had lots of fun, a great exploration of the arts, and even raised a little bit of money.

If you live in Winnipeg, we really hope you'll come to one of our events this year. 

check out http://www.thebeangallery.blogspot.com/ for lots more info...

Hope to see you out!