Mumby Starts Here

Would You?

2007-08-08T13:16:00.003-06:00

If I never prayed quite right
If I never sang it strong
If I never let you close
Would you save my soul?

If I never shared my secrets
If I never listened to your whispers
If I just lived for me
Would you make me whole?

If I never gave another dime
If I never tried to get to church
If I never hung out with brothers
Would you still draw near?

Yes.

Racing

2007-08-04T12:48:00.000-06:00

Here's a racing pic of some of the guys and gals before the crit race. Note my partner in crime with the yellow helmet and same club colors.

Breakfast

2007-08-04T12:42:00.000-06:00

Here is breakfast at the cabin. There is no better place to start the day. This one involved pancakes, which is one of my favourite foods. And Terry, who is my favourite person.

Life

2007-08-03T14:28:00.000-06:00

Bike racing is a microcosm of life. Last night was our criterium championship race and I lined up with at least 4 other guys in our group who could, and most likely would, beat me. Not a problem, I enjoy racing, win or lose.

But, just like life, things happen. The top two contenders got in a fight mid race and that allowed the rest of us to get away. That's two down. That changed everything and myself and a teammate then took control of the race which I won in the end. I would not have been anyone's pick as the winner but through changing circumstance I was able to come out on top.

Did I deserve the win? Who cares, you get a lot of things you don't deserve in life and the rule in cycling is the first guy across the line is the winner. Did the others deserve to lose? Who cares, sometimes things happen you just can't control or couldn't forsee happening.

Life just comes at you. What you do with it is what counts. You can't control it anymore than you can control all the variables in a bike race. Accept the unknown and use every variation to your advantage to get across the finish line. Keep alert and look for opportunities. Team up with somebody, maybe Jesus. Don't start fighting with each other. And if the win presents itself, go for it and don't look back.

Brain cooked

2007-08-01T14:29:00.000-06:00

It's 2.30 pm and my brain is cooked already. A bike ride looms, after which I will be able to function again.

Did you know I made a super excessive effort (for me) last night to load some teaching CD's into itunes and then burn disks only to find out that they loaded backwards? The first track says, "Thank you for listening to this life changing message....." and then it's all in reverse from there. I have yet to make itunes work for me.

Did you know there are 2211farms in Canada that earn over $2 million in revenue every year? And 3700 that earn over a million? Not bad coin. I'm doing my analysis of the farm industry this week and I know lots of neat stuff now. Pays to know the size of your market. I think I qualify as a business apostle for being such a student of the industry.

Which reminds me. Someone told me that I suffer from spiritual slumber in the summer and that all my brothers and sisters do to. A bunch of pastors got together and figured it out. Told me to wake up and be alert because God was going to do something big and I might miss it. Rubbish, pure fiction made up in the minds of men. I'm awake and so are my compatriots.

However, my brain is cooked so I guess they have a point of sorts. To the bike!

Jesus is wrecking things

2007-07-31T12:57:00.000-06:00

Aaron and Bobbie gave me the third book in NT Wright's series on Christian origins and the Question of God called 'Jesus and the victory of God'. It's a serious threat to many of my cherished notions about Jesus, the church, Israel and my faith. So serious that I find it hard to stomach some of the things I hear coming out of the mouths of Christian leaders and teachers right now. So serious that I find it hard to stomach what's coming out of my own brain and heart right now. So serious that I wonder if I took a wrong turn somewhere because what I do is so pretend. I suppose that's the usual over-reaction and that I will settle back into a more balanced viewpoint soon.

There is something I really like about learning that what I believe is mostly made up by the church and not something Jesus meant at all. Or that my carefully thought out theology on an issue forgot to include Israel and what Jesus really was saying to them. Or that a concept like 'the kingdom of God' means something quite different to me than it did to Jesus. There is something raw about the facts, something that just blows to pieces all the smokescreens of false notions and reveals that you're not anywhere as smart as you think you are.

I like it

Do I care?

2007-07-30T10:50:00.000-06:00

What's it mean when you're going through life and stuff happens and you don't really feel like you care? It's not that I feel it's all meaningless it's just that I look at the issues that crop up day to day and feel like most aren't worth caring about. They're just too small somehow, too irrelevant.

I don't really care if I meet people's expectations. I don't really care if we have a healing room next year or not. I don't care if the Elijah breaker anointing is calling for a national consecration fast and that we all better get ready because something is about to happen in the heavenlies (that's an amalgam of various strident voices at present). I don't care if there is a new anti-oxidant chocolate bar that will clean up my arteries. I don't care if people don't understand why Terry and I make certain decisions that they don't agree with.

Maybe I am tired of caring. Maybe the Lord is showing me I care about the wrong things. Maybe I'm a fool. We shall see.

But for now, I don't really care.

The Fragrance

2007-04-17T08:17:00.000-06:00

Just back from a trip to the US and, therefore, an absence at the hospital to pray miraculous healing over Andrew (why think less?). So I went up yesterday and Andrew's Mom immediately started talking about the last week and how hard it was for all of them. I could smell a fragrance, a purity, a beauty as she talked. I was drawn to her words and her eyes and I could feel the heart of God as I listened to the heart of this Mother.

I do not understand it, but there is something beautiful in the crushing, the breaking, the suffering of the saints. It releases a fragrance that, once breathed, begins to heal all that is inside us. Suffering crushes the flesh, the self-will, the independence, the unbelief and faithlessness. It moves us from a place of "I will" to "God will".

I told Andrew's Mom that she would never be the same after this. You know how we sometimes say in a radical Holy Spirit service that we will never be the same again? Same goes for this kind of radical Holy Spirit service. I told her she had the beauty and attractiveness of Christ. His gentleness, peace and quiet determined faith.

Don't let me mislead you, she was not talking about suffering and defeat. She was talking about suffering and victory. About overcoming the impossible, the evident, the natural. About overcoming her own fear and faithlessness. But she wasn't braggadocio about it, she was fragrant, soft, crushed, releasing pure words of life. Just matter of fact: despite all the suffering God was going to heal her son.

When I told her she was Christlike she said that a lot of people were telling her that lately. A lot of non-believers, doctors, nurses. One even told her she released a fragrance, not knowing he was speaking the words of God. And then she said a surprising thing. She said it was Christ people were seeing and smelling, not her. That's what we always say, isn't it? It's Christ in me.

So I told her she was wrong. I told her it was her that people were seeing. Sure it was Christ but it was her becoming more Christ-like. That's what being transformed means. We're not just dirty vessels with a clean Jesus in us, we're increasingly clean vessels with the nature of Christ replacing ours. We're who we were meant to be, at long last.

She seemed to have some trouble with that but it's OK. Anyone who smells that good doesn't need my help with semantics. Maybe it's better that she doesn't know she looks, smells and feels a whole lot like Jesus and that day by day she's being transformed into his likeness.

What a wonderful God.

Pa

winter wonderland?

2007-04-02T13:06:00.000-06:00

hey it is supposed to be Spring! this sucks. But when we return from California and Texas I expect things will have changed. ummmm, I guess I don't have much to say.

Dream Killers

2007-03-22T09:07:00.000-06:00

This is from a business motivational eletter I get. It's for all you business people and others who need to hear it:

Avoid the dream killers. To bring your dreams to life, don't put them in jeopardy. Guard them carefully against things like your own and other people's negativity, plus fear and mediocrity, Jolley says. "The number one thing that can kill your dreams is you," he asserts. "We all sell ourselves out of our best ideas, but one good idea that is implemented and put to use can change the world. "You must stop using negative words and start using positive, affirming words. We must overcome the enemies within ourselves, then overcome the negative people around us who suffer from possibility blindness."

Pray in Faith

2007-03-20T08:10:00.000-06:00

Andrew had another surgery last night and we stayed to pray through the procedure.
After it was over we were talking to his Dad and Mom about the effect that prayer has had on Andrew's condition over the years. In simple terms, when people pray he does well, when people stop he does poorly. And it seems clear that if there has been times when prayer has kept him alive.

As we were talking I realized it wasn't prayer that had the effect, it was faith. Faith was exercised through prayer. It's the 'prayer of faith' (James 5) that has the effect on Andrew's body. James also points out in chapter 1 that when we ask we must believe and not doubt and if we pray in doubt we should expect nothing in return. Only faith generates a return.

So I see it isn't about prayer. It's about faith. Prayer is the vehicle to approach God in faith, without doubting. God always responds to faith. Always. No matter how much faith, he responds.

This has helped me understand that when I pray I must pray in faith. If I have doubts I must talk to God and get those corrected first. Or, I must ignore them and pray with the tiny bit of faith I might have.

In the context of faith it is very important to know what the Word says, in this case about healing. I have studied the healing word over and over and have it fixed in my thinking so that I don't think doubt when I pray for healing, I think the truth of the Word. This helps me pray in faith.

Pa

Ma has left me and Dan might too

2007-03-15T08:43:00.000-06:00

I have been abandoned. Ma has gone to MySpace and has lots of friends. Her photo is there, her identity is written, her information listed. I think Blogger.com is on the endangered species list. Old timers like me are on the same list.

I don't think I'll make the jump to MySpace. I did set up an account and used it to read a few blogs but can't find it anymore, don't know where I put it or how to access it. Even Blogger has me befuddled, I tried to set up on the 'new' Blogger, failed twice, lost a couple of top notch blog rants and have created a three step process to log on that won't remember any of my passwords. I am also blocked from making comments on anyone's blog because my password always comes back as an error. Not sure how I created that monster but I don't need another over on MySpace.

In fact, I was so pissed at not being able to comment on Aaron's clip of Bono and Dan Wilt's comment that I almost sent a group email. At least I can make that technology work. And now that I'm on it and my blood is rising again.....You know what really bugged me about Dan's comments? His blab about the church re-imaging and that sort of talk. What the hell does that mean Dan? Re-imaging? From what? To what? That kind of talk is wordsmithing blab. The church re-imaging. What a concept. It just seemed to be weakling blab flying in the face of Bono smashing idols. I wanted to see the smashing continued.

OK, I better stop. Sorry Dan, I just had to get it out. We're both after the same thing, I'm just cheering you on. Sort of. You can cheer me on too.

Pa

Monday, starting work

2007-03-12T08:33:00.000-06:00

I will not approach this day as a day to be conquered. I will not consider it like a city to be taken, a mountain to be climbed, an enemy to be defeated. I will not strive to impose my will on it, my talents, my organization, my strength. I will not consider it a time to be survived, overcome, subdued or endured.

I will believe in its promise. I will have faith in its blessing. I will be ready for its potential. I will see it as a day of destiny.

This day is all I have. I will meet God in it. I will feel the Spirit moving. I will be His and He will be mine. Today.

It is a day of adventure.

Pa

Ma's Laughing

2007-03-07T09:55:00.000-07:00

At the healing room last night we ministered to a man devastated by divorce. As soon as he left the room Ma broke out laughing. Next in was a woman who has been sick for 6 weeks and in complete misery. Ma's response when I asked her if she was hearing anything from God was to bust out laughing.

Jeff said it was God. The Word says God sits in the heavens and laughs at the devil. Jeff felt Ma was doing exactly what God was doing in the face of this suffering. He was laughing. Not at the people, but at the god of this world who thinks he's got us on the run. Laughing in his face because Jesus was destroying the works of the devil in both these people.

It was an interesting thing to experience and I bless Ma for being true to what God was doing.

God sits in the heavens and laughs. Hope you can hear him laughing over you today.

Pa

The Sentence of Death

2007-03-06T10:37:00.000-07:00

While Paul was in Ephesus he reached the brink of death in his efforts to spread the gospel of Christ. So close that, in his heart, he felt the sentence of death in his body. Not just him but those with him felt the same thing. 2Cor 1.8-11

This is how we feel as we pray for Andrew. This is beyond his ability to endure and beyond the ability of his Mom and Dad to endure. We feel it too as we stand with them and believe for healing.

Last night we prayed for the dissolving of a blood clot, sitting outside the operating room where they were injecting Andrew with a fluid to dissolve the clot. We believed, declared and commanded, only to find out the procedure was a failure. No options left, death at the door, faith vanishing, hope struck down...............we felt the sentence of death. I'm not sure Mom is going to make it, let alone Andrew.

In the face of death we declare our unyielding faith in God. He is our only hope.

As for the sentence being flung in our face by satan, we declare the resurrection.

We have no other answer.

Pa

Please Invade

2007-03-01T18:58:00.000-07:00

The world doesn't have a whole lot to offer unless its offered in the context of faith in God. It's a very unsatisfying place without Him. A job is just a job without some bits of faith involved, some sense that God is in it with you. Friendship without God? Marriage? Too watered down to mean much at all.

I lived the first 29 years of my life without Him and coped. But I did not flourish. I have now lived 25 years with Him and about half of that being alive in the Spirit and when I think of living life without God, I can't. I wouldn't want to go back to that meaningless option of living.

God has mysteriously invaded every area of my life with his Presence, to the point that I likely don't spend more than a couple of hours without thinking about Him and knowing He is with me. What will it be like in heaven when I know Him fully and am fully known?

Invade my life deeper, wider, more fully Lord. Let my whole life be worship to you.

Pa

home again

2007-02-09T17:59:00.000-07:00

The conference in Ottawa was awesome... "God showed up" and that is really all that matters. We even saw a gem-stone on the Sunday night. It looked like a diamond. I had been hoping to see one and wow! Kayle took a picture ... I didn't even think to.
It was fun hanging out with Ian and Stacy, walking to and fro in FREEZING temperatures, and trying new kinds of food.
Toronto was fun too. I had a chance to rest and reflect on stuff from the conference. Kayle however did not and was pretty much exhausted when we left on Wednesday. His schedule is packed until he returns home so if you could pray for him I know it would be much appreciated.
I went to the healing rooms at TACF and also to the prayer chapel where I just thanked God for his goodness ...

Tomorrow I am taking a willow-chair making course. That is something I have wanted to do for a long time and I am very excited. Maybe I will post a picture of it if it turns out okay.

Love Ma.

2007

2007-01-28T16:15:00.000-07:00

I believe God is telling me to go all the way with love. Where I have held back or witheld in the past to go all the way. It is scarey because I fear being hurt or rejected. But I feel like he is saying that it's time for this and not to be afraid. He went all the way, held nothing back. I'm not sure what this will look like for me but I already feel my heart expanding and I know somehow that things are happening in the Spirit. I feel like I am ready to give it a try.
"Love like you've never been hurt". That is my motto for 2007, remembering that I can love because he loved me first.

goin to Ottawa

2007-01-16T08:58:00.000-07:00

We just booked our tickets to go to the 4myCanada conference in Ottawa. I had been wanting to go but waffling about it for a while. We had a travel coupon from air canada that had to be used by Feb. and I wondered if we should go someplace warm. That sounded good given the cold and long winter this year but the coupon would not have taken us too far... Then Tom found out that he needs to be in Toronto on business Feb. 5 ! So he will just make a stop in Ottawa for the conference before that, he will be able to put the Toronto flight on his expense account and I use the coupon. So anyway now that it is done I am excited. We are not going someplace warm but somewhere HOT!

Happy Holidays

2007-01-07T21:16:00.000-07:00

I (Ma) have tried to post a new blog a few times in the past couple of days but have had to cancel because of interuptions. I will just make this short so as to get it done.
We had a wonderful Christmas holiday with the highlights being my whole family was together and we had others join us from near and far. I laughed long and hard on Christmas day while playing Cranium. I will never be able to hear the word "cleptomaniac" without smiling again! On boxing day Tom and I went to the cabin and Kayle, Bryan and Anthony joined us for a while and Anthony got caught in the sleepy chair! Trisha arrived from Redding that night and we got to meet Simeon who arrived just hours after her. It was a blessing to welcome Trisha back although it was odd having her stay blocks away at Aaron and Bobbie's but I hear she was warm and cozy over there! Such fun to have Simeon with us but so sad he did not catch a fish, although he tried. Kay joined us too and she just left today to return to Scotland. We brought in the New year with a bang and a fireworks display courtesy of Kayle who prophesied regarding each explosion. This was after some amazing rounds of stock ticker where Geordie learned the value of diversification ... or not. Jon, Kayle and Simeon slept out in the trailer and managed to stay warmer than we in the cabin then got up bright and early to meet a crew from Red Deer for toboganning. We opted to stay at the cabin and had such a cool time praying for Trisha. Another definite highlight was that she got to weld a few days later. God is so good. Okay so this is getting long and rambling so I will give the remaining highlight in point form
-Geordie catching a big rainbow trout and teaching Jonah how to gut it.
-spending a day with the Tanasiuk kids and Stef praying that they would all catch a fish and they did.
-praying for Simeon and feeling the fire in his heart.
-having coffee with Geord and Stef and hearing of the desire in their hearts to follow hard after God... and just having them home with us.
-getting more acquainted with Kay and hearing "Terry, would you like a cuppa tea?" and just having her around.
-shopping in St. Albert mall with Bobbie and Kay and coming home with bags of stuff and oohing and aahing over our purchases after ( with a cuppa tea).
-seeing Aaron overcome computer repair disaster!
-cross country skiing and seeing a weasel and some deer and then in the evening watching 9 deer feed at a cabin near ours.
-watching Kayle become a master waffle maker with Simeon and Jon as his willing waffle eaters.
-taking pictures and laughing.
-having my best friend Tom here every day and tasting of his new bread making skills, not to mention muffins and scones.
-Wow there is more but I will close for now and go to bed with a full and thankful heart.

Happy New Year and God Bless your 2007.

Doctrine of demons

2006-12-06T08:34:00.000-07:00

Let's get one thing straight. If you come to the healing room like three people did last night and tell me you are demonized, under demonic attack, a high level target, dangerous to pray for or anything else associated with satan, listen carefully - I do not care.

I do not care that some church or some book or someone has told you a pack of lies about the demonic and forgot the truth about God. I do not care that you think your afflicting demons can't be kicked out or that you are always under the power of their attack which keeps you from getting well. I do not care if you think they have legal ground to stay, even though you don't know what that is, and therefore you have to live with them and your sickness.

What I do care about is that you listen to God speak from his word and think about how Christ would handle your situation if he were on earth (which he is) and if he were the one praying for your healing (which he is). Let me give only one scripture: Acts 10.38 which says God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit and power and that Jesus went around healing all who were under the power of the devil. Note the word all. Think about the rest of his healing ministry to crowds of thousands and whole towns where he drove demons out and healed all kinds of diseases. Do you see any indication that he is limited by legal ground or demonic attack or sinful lives or anything else? Did he ever stop to interview the demonized to see if he had power to do something about it? Did he ask every sick person for a short history to see if he had legal grounds to heal?

The truth about the healer is when he shows up, when his Kingdom invades - the demons gotta go. Never mind legal rights, never mind that you're a demoniac living naked in the tombs totally out of your mind. Only mind Christ. Get your eyes off that other guy. Get them on your healer. You can be healed.

I am angry today at this doctrine of demons that sweeps aside the truth about God's power and desire to heal all who come in favour of the lie that God is overpowered by demonic activity. It's a lie from hell.

So.....if you come to the healing room you might want to review the gospel accounts of Jesus' healings, just so you're in tune with the truth and we don't have to spend a bunch of time deprogramming you.

Or don't. Come with all your pet theories about how you can't be healed. I don't care. God will heal you anyway.

Pa

Way back when....

2006-12-04T16:26:00.000-07:00

Way back over 30 years ago Ma and I bought some cross country skis that cost a fortune ($100) back then. That was back when our tuition costs at University were $700 so this was a big sacrifice.

We strapped those very skis on our feet last Saturday and went for a zip out at our cabin and Ma mentioned how long we've had those boards and how many miles they've gone. For anyone that knows skis they are Bonna 2400 wood skis, with steel edges and are about twice as wide as those little fiberglass things you buy today. You can ski over anything with them and on any conditions. They are also great for mountaineering, although we've never done any of that. Mine have gone through a couple sets of boots and three sets of bindings. Still going strong with chips out of the side, big scars on the bottom and the usual wear after over 30 years.

They are also fairly light and I have used them once or twice in a race. They are not speedsters but they get along fine as long as the engine holds out. I don't think either of us has a desire to take up with a younger set of skis just yet, there's plenty of life left in the Bonna's.

Also, way back over 20 years ago Ma used to bake bread all the time, making a dozen loaves at a time. That ended a number of years back and more recently we bought a bread machine to bake again, with varying results. Today Ma helped me resurrect the bread baking blessing and I put together my first whole wheat loaves. I did it wrong but she rescued me and we managed to put something that looks not bad as it went into the oven just now. I don't know why I got the urge but I'd like to keep it up.

Pa

Holy, Holy, Holy

2006-11-26T20:14:00.000-07:00

Holy crap is it ever cold here. Snowing, blowing, minus 25 C type of cold. Avec le vent c'est tres froid. Look out Stefanie, this is going to be a shock to your system. Bring your woolies home.

Holy smokes is Christmas coming fast. And all I seem to be doing is travelling. But I see it coming and I'm going to not make it a North American stress fest. I am not.

Holy is his name, like it or not. The United Church is running this ad with Jesus sitting in Santa's chair with a kid on his knee and a caption along the line of "Would you let your kid sit here?". It makes the point that like it or not CHRISTmas is all about CHRIST. That's reasonable theology.

Which reminds me - I saw a really lame door flag on a car the other day. You know, the kind you stick in your window for the Oilers or the Twins or whatever sports team you like that flutter in the wind as you drive around and advertise your team. Well, this one said JESUS in big green letters on a yellow background and under that said 'Our champion never loses' or some such drivel. No wonder people don't like us.

Pa

I love our Kinship

2006-11-23T19:49:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don't know, a kinship is a home group. We meet once a week to worship, pray and encounter God. I just have to say how much I love our kinship. We are a bunch of hungry people, a little bit crazy at times ... but we love Jesus, and we love each other. The following are the highlights for me of this week's meeting.
-Kristi led worship. It was so sweet. A touch of heaven.
-Sparrow. (She is a highlight every week though)
-Kirsten who is two. Each time Tom would read from the Bible or say something with passion while he was teaching she would "read" from her book or talk loudly like Tom but in a language only she could understand!
-Jeryn ( a 3 year old boy) coming in during a moment of sweet silence and announcing "Daddy, I have to Poo!"
-Praying for everyone in a prayer circle. Two or three people walked around inside a circle of others who blessed them and asked for more of the Spirit to manifest in their lives. He did in a variety of ways. ( I wonder what the neighbours thought).
-A fire in the bathroom! Thank goodness for smoke alarms and that Aaron still has eyebrows!
-Amy feeding me chocolate cake. ( I was holding Sparrow you see).
-Suzette holding me and loving me. I needed that.
-Everyone signed up for the Christmas hamper and we get to bless a needy family, richly.
-Larah ( grade four) cutting and passing out cake. She just saw what needed to be done and did it with such a serving heart and kindness
These and the others in my kinship are my brothers and sisters in Christ and they are so beautiful.

I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. Ephesians 1: 17-18.

The Root of all false religions

2006-11-06T16:35:00.000-07:00

In a comprehensive research study done by myself on myself with Tylenol Cold medication I found that whatever is in that stuff spins me into an alternate reality and opens me up to all sorts of spiritual events. This has happened repeatedly and I don't know why I take the stuff.

When I was sharing the results of my study with another person she exclaimed that NyQuil does the exact same thing to her, and, with further discussion we agreed that NyQuil is the root of all false religions. It essentially delivers the whole basis for starting your own gig in one spoonful, complete with revelation, experiencing your diety and a brief set of notes hardwired into your brain.

From there all you have to do is nurse the thing a bit until it gets a life of it's own and, hey, you're the new spiritual leader of your very own self created movement.

Looking back in history it is clear that others have used NyQuil to this effect and that it has been around far longer than any of us imagine. In fact, mentions of this liquid appear in all spiritual writings of the past, although it is always called by some sort of code name like 'water' or something innocuous like that. It slips right past you but you're reading about NyQuil.

It has been around since time began and I think it was in Cain's stew and maybe some of those wells of Abraham's time. I think Pharoh was on it for sure.

As for me and my house, we don't serve it. We've got enough religion around this place already.

Pa

Amy the Chainsaw

2006-10-23T14:53:00.000-06:00

Amy has arrived. A bunch of us shingled the neighbour's cabin and he gave us some money for the job, which we all agreed under torture to put towards a new chainsaw. All except Amy Basilli, who being absent from the conversation agreed because we all decided for her and didn't want to have to torture her too.

Amy heard about the chainsaw decision and teased me a bit about not including her in the discussion of what to do with the money but said (sort of) that she might as well go along with the gang. I did offer her the option I offered everyone else, which was $50, but who is going to say Yes I want the $50 when I've obviously got the saw purchase as the leading option. Nobody is going to be the first to break ranks and go for the cash. We all want a saw, yes we do, thanks Dad for the opportunity to say Yes.

Amy, however, had that Amy twinkle and wry smile breaking out when I gave her the option and I thought, "This girl might just go for it and lead the rest of the group into the cash option, destroying my chance to buy a saw". So I quickly came up with a compromise, which was to name the saw after her. Before she could say she wanted the money I inserted the naming rights opportunity, which she simply smiled at and agreed to. She is such a lovely person.

So I went out and bought a nice, new Stihl 290 and it will be named Amy.

Amy the chainsaw. How sweet it is. Thanks everybody.

Pa

Marketplace Apostles

2006-10-16T08:32:00.000-06:00

I've been thinking about this whole direction the church is taking up regarding business and think it's a good thing. In fact, maybe a great thing since the church (by which I mean the organizational church) for many years taught that the business realm was 'in the world' and surely tarnished by the things of the devil. To work 'in the church' was to be in the stream of God, to work 'in the world' you had to watch out.

Now the OGC (organizational church) has decided it is interested in the marketplace and has suddenly found all sorts of wisdom to share from its deep experience with that part of the world and has even named marketplace apostles to help business people find their way. Just take a look at all the business stuff springing up and all the self named leaders of the movement.

Sorry for my cynical outlook but I'm saying, Wait just a minute OGC before you get another one wrong. Real marketplace apostles already exist, they're called business people, men and women of God who have been sent to the marketplace to work out the mission of God. We don't need any self appointed ones from the OGC. If you like you can certainly walk this out with us and give us Godly counsel and wisdom, prophetic words and warnings, but don't try to take this thing over and make it part of the OGC.

The OGC is always trying to take a move of God that starts outside the church and drag it back into the church. Stop it. Let it happen outside the church where it is supposed to happen. Go out into the world for once in your life and leave the organization behind. If you want to have a Marketplace conference that's fine and good, but get as your keynote speakers business people who live on that mission field. Let them set the agenda. Let them lead. Pastor it. Speak into it. Build it up with prophetic words. Intercede for it. Go with it. But don't take it over. You're not the leader, sorry to tell you.

I think this whole modern day 'apostle' thing is goofy on one hand and seriously correct on another. I can name a few marketplace apostles for you and I think if we called them that they might see their destiny more clearly. They have most assuredly 'gone out' and most certainly 'seen Jesus' and worked with him on this mission field. They deserve the title (which is how you get one).

Currently, I am invloved as an intercessor for three businesses with Kayle at the helm leading the prayer teams. I think it's a good blueprint. The business people do the business, hear from God, dream the dreams and slog it out day to day in the place God has sent them. Kayle leads the prayer teams to listen to God for insight, encouragement and direction which is then submitted to the business people. They can take it or leave it but they at least have a Godly team walking with them in their mission. That works. That's the church in action, without trying to walk in and grab apostolic authority. The authority remain clearly with the business people.

I started this out by saying I thought it was good the OGC was involved in this marketplace movement. I'll stick by that, even if a few want to own it and drag it back inside the church. We'll get this thing right, even if we're messy up front with it. Self appointed apostles won't last long and, if anything, business people are going to get a shot of destiny and the encouragement of a church that cares about them and is finally willing to walk with them. Go out church, Go out. Go out into all the world.

Pa

Riding is over, new job is starting

2006-10-13T10:27:00.000-06:00

Well, that's it for the riding and racing season. I rode 5,800 km and spent 180 hours in the saddle. No wonder my ass is sore. Now I switch to riding indoors on the rollers, outdoors on the mountain bike and working on core strength at the gym. None of this will interest you if you are a couch potato.

After a year of stirring and feeling a new job was coming I agreed to a new role yesterday in my company. It was neat to see it take place over a year, to find that I had it totally wrong for most of the time (thinking I was going to start my own business or leave my company), to have it happen at one of the lowest ebbs of job enthusiasm I have gone through and to really feel God's presence in it. It's sort of like I stepped into my destiny in the very place I thought it couldn't ever exist. But why couldn't it? It exists in Him, not in a job. If that makes sense.

In other news, I have a good cycling buddy who is finding God the hard way. Last week he was going to commit suicide (really) because his life was so bad and this week things got worse. I asked if I could stop by yesterday but he told me to stay away then sent me an email this morning about how God is angry with him and punishing him. I feel for the guy. I'm glad God isn't angry and punishing me because I know what happend to Jesus and I ain't ready for it. So I'm hiding in Jesus so he can't find me.

I guess I'll have to talk with my friend by email and hope God talks to him in person. That's probably a better idea anyway.

Pa

The Father honors the son

2006-10-02T08:22:00.000-06:00

Ma and I went to Red Deer to Living Streams (or is it just Streams?) church for a prophetic training conference that Kayle was leading and I give the experience a 10 out of 10. Here's why:

I was greatly impacted by the Lord once again, awakened and refreshed
Revelation started to flow easily with dreams and words and visions and I realized how much that pipeline was clogged up
I got into touch with my hunger for the things of God, how I want that pipeline wide open
I felt God's love. Really felt it for the people God was giving me words and visions about, which tells me it was Him and he left his stamp on me (love)
I was encouraged again to use prophecy in the workplace
I realized I was called to my workplace, that it's my mission field. That was big for me.
I got to connect spiritually with some people of God from Red Deer, including the people who head up the Healing Rooms
Got to pray for a person with addictions and it was one of the sweetest prayer times I've had with a person as all I could feel was Daddy's love. Out of that love flowed revelation and ministry. I think we both could have gone on for hours

That's it in brief but I thank Yeshua for what he did in me, in the others at the conference and in Red Deer.

But here is what was really cool for me. I got to sit and watch my son teach the things of God as he led the conference. I honor him for his Godly wisdom, his zeal, his passion and his determination. He taught well and conducted himself well while at the same time letting the real Kayle out and making the whole time fun. I got a whole new vision of his ministry and his potential and got to see those years of training with Randy Clark and Redding bearing fruit. But he isn't just a knock off of those ministries, Kayle has his own 'edge' and you can't help but be challenged as he teaches. He's got his own poke in the ribs to deliver. I honor my son.

I also honor the church that brought him to Red Deer to teach. I love it when the church is prepared to invest in young people. May that house be blessed.

The Big Race

2006-09-11T08:15:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was the big race of the year, the Provincial Road Race, and the race I sort of had my eye on all year. I wanted to race it and I wanted to do well. I finished in fourth position which was a great result for me and I was very happy. Even better, the 4 of us from Edmonton decided to win the thing and rode as a team, coming across the line 1,2,3,4.

I remember when the cycling season started I blogged something about wondering what I'd learn this year, what lessons racing would teach me. I learned one lesson yesterday: when you ride very little for 3 weeks then go in a very tough race you suffer. Badly. I was a hurtin' unit when that race was over.

One more race that counts to come, our club championship race. Then the year is over except for mountain biking in the fall.

Pa

2006-09-08T08:19:00.000-06:00

Since starting in the healing room I have been reading all the accounts of Jesus over and over again so that I get what it really says rather than what I think it says. One thing I have noticed that I didn't before was that many crowds followed Jesus because of the miraculous signs he performed, such as healing. I've come to understand they followed him for the miracles and for not much else. In John 6 Jesus said they followed him because he produced food and they had their fill.

The challenge to me within these accounts is that me/you/we pursue Jesus for the miraculous signs and not much else. We're always looking for miraculous provision in finances or a miraculous solution such as healing or a miracle in our marriage or work, maybe a new car or house, maybe that job, maybe the fulfillment of a promise He made to us long ago.

I've noticed that when Jesus does not perform the miraculous in our lives our faith tends to weaken and doubts creep in. No healing - we doubt. No provision - we doubt. No promise fulfilled - we doubt. I think we have to admit that we follow Him for miraculous signs.

I have this growing resolve inside of me, which I think is Spiritus Sanctus, to learn how to pursue him despite the miraculous signs. Somehow I want to learn how to seek and find him just for who he is, not for what he does. We were singing "Holy is the Lord" in Kinship the other night, just that phrase over and over, and I tried to sing it like I would in heaven. I saw myself in the Age to Come where there is no sickness, no pain, where every question is answered and I tried to sing Holy is Lord like I was there. I meant Holy is the Lord because he is Holy, not because he does Holy things.

None of this is to say I don't value or want or think He's going to stop with the miraculous signs. I think they are going to increase and I'm going full bore after healing miracles. Jesus didn't stop the miracles when he was with us and I don't think he's about to change. But I do want to grab hold of them and go past them deeper into the heart of Jesus. I want to follow him for other reasons other than all the miracles he does in my life. I wonder what those might be?

Pa

Sad and Happy

2006-09-05T11:54:00.000-06:00

Sadly, I have not ridden my bike much at all these last few weeks. Way too many things happening. Happily, it is going to be nice for the next while and I am going to ride as much as I can. I entered the Masters Provincial Road Race and hope to be back in shape for it.

Sadly, very sadly, Geordie and Stef are packing to head out to Redding on Sunday. I can feel them slipping away already. Happily, very happily, this is a new chapter in their walk with that mysterious God. It's a walk of faith for them.

Sadly, I am back to work, having used up almost all my vacation days. Happily, I have a new job designation to look forward to, which is good because I need a change.

Sadly, all the expectations fall on us again to start the Healing Room and Kinship. Happily these are the types of things I enjoy and give me life and I look forward to them starting again.

Sadly, this is likely a continuation of intermittent blogging. Happily, you'll know I'm out riding or doing something else outside before l'hiver finds us again.

Speaking of l'hiver I am interested to watch our new adopted son Daniel adjust to l'autumn, which precedes l'hiver and is but a taste of what's to come. Luckily for him he's outta here before the real thing arrives.

Pa

I forgot how to Blog but Kayle reminded me!

2006-08-14T19:17:00.000-06:00

It has been so long since I blogged because I could not remember how and then we went on holidays for about 18 days. So i don't know if anyone checks this any more but here goes.
We had a wonderful time at the cabin. We fished, ate, read, visited, made stuff out of willow branches ( a fence, a chair... the chair holds a plant pot because it is too wobbley to sit on). We had beautiful clear blue days with the Lake looking like a mirror. I spent every morning on the deck drinking coffee, watching the birds and reading my Bible. Tom and I enjoyed each others company so much. Often having good talks but mostly just silently being side by side, just comfortable in each others presence. ( We started our holidays off celebrating our 32nd year of marriage, I guess we have learned how to be friends!) Highlights included the above and also spending time with our family who came out from time to time ... hiking to the geographical centre of Alberta! playing horseshoes, seeing 5yr. old Sasha baptized in the river, floating on an air mattress, laughing at Nacho Libre the movie we went to see at the Roxie an ancient theatre in the small town near our cabin and eating way too many smokies.
We are going back in a few days because we are having a septic tank put in! We will soon say goodbye to the old pit toilet( yippee) even though a little 9 year old visitor came out of it yesterday proclaiming that it smelled like flowers in there!
I was disappointed to miss a visit from Devon, Kristi and Sparrow but hope to see lots of them when they move here soon.
Visitors start to arrive tomorrow when Daniel from Redding arrives and then next week Trevor and Ryan from Toronto. Bryan too but he will be in the overflow area ( Aaron and Bobbie's).
I have a couple of days to get my yard fixed up and stock cupboards etc (Kosher? I will do my best).
Thats all.
I am sure Tom will post something more profound soon.
Hey this does not have spell check.

Really Good News

2006-07-10T14:53:00.000-06:00

I'm not willing to interrupt my bike riding for just any sort of news to put on this blog but this is important. The herbicide 2,4 D has been named as one of the 75 most important inventions of modern time and, after an extensive 17 year review, has been re-registered for use throughout the world.

Discovered in 1943 2,4D is easily the most important aid to food production in the world. In the 17 year review over 700 studies were conducted to assess environmental and toxicological impact and the old timer passed with flying colors. New pesticides only require 150 studies so the old boy did pretty good.

The fact that all of this was real science hasn't impressed the likes of environmental groups who vow death to the product but, as far as the scientific community can figure, the stuff is safe.

So there you have it, 15 more years of use of a very effective and very safe aid to food production. There's still some who figure you can grow all the food you need without fertilizer and pest control products but they are neither producers or retailers of food. Nor are they hungry or short of money.

I hope you take the time to give a tip o the cap to good old 2,4D.

Just to show you I'm not totally sold out to the dark side of food production via chemicals I will cite an interesting use for dandelions. A cattle producer who writes for us said he considers dandelions to be the best news ever in his field. While many producers use good old 2,4D to eradicate them he uses cows, claiming there's more protein in a dandelion than in a lot of grass nearby. The cows love the big leaves and this guy's opinion is that you should let them grow until they are big then turn the cows in on them. You get good salad for the cows and control the weedy nature of the plant at the same time. And it's organic, so that has to be a 5 star advantage to the beef somehow.

We should all pay attention. Let your dandelions grow to about a foot tall, until the leaves are big. Then harvest them for organic salads you can enjoy every day. Dig the roots up, dry them and use them as a coffee substitute. I have done both, believe it or not. I have also killed many with good old 2,4D. Either way works.

Pa

Prophets of Beef

2006-06-21T08:23:00.000-06:00

There are prophets in every area of life, some real, some false. The latest prophetic announcement out of Great Britian is that world beef supply will not be able to meet demand within 5 years. They have advised their country to source and secure supplies of beef before the shortages start. Essentially the picture is that Asian and Indian countries will demand more beef than beef production countries (Canada, US, Brazil and Argentina) can supply. As income goes up in any country beef is one of the first things that's added to the menu and, as we know, income is going up in Asian and Indian countries.

If you live in ultra rich North America you do not have to worry. You can outbuy anybody in the world and the only people who are going to go without are the people going without now. Unless we decide to share.

Which brings me to another thought. I have been trying to be led by the Spirit in the giving of money, feeling that if I do that then I'm doing what He's doing and not doing what I want to do or what an institution tells me to do. It's kind of a learning thing with me right now. I wait for what I feel is the leading then I act. Not that I have to have the leading every time, I know you should do your part in support of ministries, it's just that I'm trying to learn this other part of it.

My experience so far is that the Lord will tell me when to start giving money away but I find it hard to wait for him. This Sunday Ma and I were talking to a couple of people and afterwards Ma started telling me about one of them. That leading that I had been looking for landed on me very distinctly and I began remembering all the scriptures about the poor and knowing that the Lord was telling me to give money to this person. It was clear, it was distinct, it was solid with no second guessing, it was backed up by the Word. It was exactly what I had been waiting for.

Now I am wondering how much. Part of the practise is to conform to the "give all, sell all, leave all" outline that I see in the gospels. Only God knows how much this person needs and that's the question I'm asking now. If it's a big number I'm asking for faith to be obedient.

Pa

Riders in the rain

2006-06-20T11:55:00.000-06:00

Here we are, after a 110km ride in the rain. I don't mind riding in the rain as long as it is warm and if you have a good riding buddy like Darin, in the red.

Lots of calories burned so let's eat high fat, let's drink sugar drinks, let's eat chips and whatever else we want.

Tom's secret diet: burn more calories than you consume. Not hard on a bike.

Organic has a cost

2006-06-16T08:09:00.000-06:00

We've got a few people on a runaway organic trip and I figured I might as well get in my licks as well. I realize the power of belief that drives what we eat so I don't plan on trying to dispel the bad science contained in books like The Maker's Diet or Trudeau's two books on how the Gov't is covering up all sorts of healthy foods (whatever that means) to protect big biz. Go ahead and believe.

What I want to do is note why organic is a questionable alternative. First off, and no one converted to Trudeau or the Maker's Diet is going to buy this, there is no advantage to organic food. It isn't superior, it isn't safer and it isn't healthier than conventional food. These are the conclusions from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the USDA and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. I know, I know, they are all bought, all corrupt, all hiding the facts. But let's at least consider this: their findings are based on good science while those of the Maker and Trudeau are junk science at best. I'm going with the good science. My point is that there is no advantage to organic food. But go ahead and pay 40% more if you must.

A more serious consideration is that organic production is not zero impact on the environment, a fact the organic community has kept covered up and hidden because to let it out would cost their big distributors financial loss, and we all know it's about money not food (just kidding).

The pitfalls in organic production are best seen in areas of the world that practise it, such as Africa, Indonesia, Malaysia, and formerly Canada and much of Europe. The big problem in organic production is tillage because you cannot produce organically without it. The system requires a system of composting, which means constantly growing a green manure crop then plowing it down for nutrients. The green manure crop provides the chemicals necessary to grow crops - nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, etc.

The organic system uses intensive tillage (note the word intensive) for soil preparation and weed control. This increases the potential for runoff and soil erosion and leads to the breakdown of soil organic matter and soil aggregation (clodding). It is also harmful to most soil organisms incuding earthworms.

It was organic production that turned the southern prairies into a dust bowl in the 1930's. Intensive tillage was the problem. That was a lesson learned for Canadian agriculture and since that period we have marched consistently towards zero or minimum tillage. Soil health across the prairies is at an all time high, erosion is at an all time low and aggregation is back to normal. The one exception to this bill of health is the return of about 3% of acres to organic farming methods which reverses all the gains.

Africa is maybe the best example of how organic farming can affect the land base from which we grow food. Since 1980, 75% of the soils of sub Saharan Africa have experienced severe degradation through the loss of soil nutrients to grow crops. The degradation has been through organic farming methods that have removed crop residues year after year, leading to the breakdown of soil until it was susceptible to erosion from wind and water and leaching of nutrients due to lack of tilth and aggregation. This is called nutrient mining and it is the exact same process as done in slash and burn agriculture (organic).

Yields in Africa are about 400kg per acre, compared to 1,200 kg per acre in the rest of the world. As their infertile, organically farmed fields cease to produce crops African farmers just keep pushing further into the bush as they slash and burn to release nutrients and access new soils to mine. About 70% of deforestation in Africa is the result of clearing land for cultivation.

Have a look at Africa, especially the sub Saharan area where millions are starving to see the long term effects of organic farming. It's a system with serious problems.

78% of the increase in food production in the world was due to increased production per acre of land. This has allowed the world population to increase but food to remain widely available and relatively cheap. Organic production reverses this since it requires more and more land and yields are significantly lower. It would also need to solve the problem of intensive tillage to be sustainable long term.

It's really only in resource rich North America that we can go on an organic food trip. Nobody in China can afford to since it is a land poor (agricultural land) country, feeding 21% of the world's population on 9% of the world's arable land. There is not enough land available for them to even think of organic production practices.

Ogranic production in Canada is still trying to find a way around the intensive tillage problem it creates. To date we have isolated pieces of land that have been deemed organic but the system is so damaging to land it remains to be seen if it can be maintained. As long as consumers are willing to pay 40% more the returns may be high enough to keep an organic farmer in business but all will face declining yields over time requiring an expansion of their land base, something the organic business model may not support.

When you buy organic food think about the cost to you and to the land. All food requires chemicals to grow and pest control to protect yield and deliver an acceptable product to the marketplace. Organic production does not produce superior food and it has a direct environmental cost. Think about the whole system when you buy organic. Enjoy the trip, but understand the cost.

One last thing - organic milk. I'd just like everyone to know that any milk you buy is organic milk. In Canada you cannot use lactation hormones in dairy cattle and any cow under antibiotic treatment for disease cannot be milked for human consumption. So what you have is milk from a cow eating grass and forage, just like the organic cow. However, if you want to pay 40% more for organic milk I encourage you to do so, it helps keeps farmers in business.

Pa

Snapshots

2006-06-15T17:16:00.000-06:00

A synopsis of recent events:

# of days on the road doing my job: 4
# of days riding my bike: no comment
longest Provincial road race so far: 120km
how long I stuck with my group before they dropped me: 50km
how long it took me to finish: 3hr, 30mins
average speed: 35km/hr
calories burned: many thousands
# of people invited to Aaron's birthday at our cabin: 30
# who showed up: 40+
amount of food available: enough for 30
# who ate: everybody
# of games the Edmonton Oilers are away from Stanley Cup victory: 2
# of people in this house who care about the soccer world cup: none
# of bithdays in our family this month: 3
# in our kinship: 7
# of times it has not rained in the last 3 weeks: not many
# of people from the community that have come to our Healing Room: 1, first of many

The other news on our front is that Pastor Don has had a heart attack while on vacation. We are praying for his healing, believing God's arm is not too short.
Pa

What???

2006-06-02T08:19:00.000-06:00

I grabbed a few new songs from our worship team's binder so I could learn them and I have had one stuck in my head for about two weeks. It's 'Unfailing Love' and although I love the concept and the song I keep tripping over the line, "Everything, you hold in your hand. Yet you make time for me, I can't understand".

What's a stupid line like that doing in a good song? It bugs me, even though I learned a while back not to take your theology out of so called worship songs. In fact, it bugs me a lot. I always get irate about words that lead us the wrong way, like "more of you and less of me" and "yet you make time for me, I can't understand."

He made time for me the instant Adam bit into that apple. He altered all of time for me, he changed all of time, he worked the fullness of time in my favour, he invaded time with his Son with me in mind..........

He's not too busy to make time for me. Holding the universe in his hand isn't a problem for him, it doesn't create a time problem or get him off focus. He has nothing but time for me.

We have to understand that we are his desire, his heart is passionate towards us, he has given up everything to be with us, to spend time with us. We are never a distraction, never a bother, never second on his To Do list.

That we would sing a song that tells him we think it's a surprise He'd make time for us must make him cringe. I can see him snapping to attention, smoke shooting out of his nostrils, lightnings and thunders crashing around his throne, angels and seraphim scattering everywhere as he leaps to his feet and bellows, "What????"

Not sure what he'd do next and I don't plan on finding out. I ain't singing that line. And I ain't singing 'more of you and less of me' either.

Here's to the First and the Last,
Pa

They call me Mr Guilty

2006-05-26T11:50:00.000-06:00

I am guilty of not blogging.

They call me Mr Guilty
Mr. Guilty that's my name
I'm the one
The no good bum
I am the one to blame.

I am so guilty,
I am as guilty as can be
I am so sorry
This is my apology......

If any of you are old enough to know Loudon Wainwright, that's one of his songs, one I memorized because it fits the Christian mindset so well.

Why have I been a slacker? Sing with me: I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride my bike, I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride it where I like. Bicycle! Bicycle! Brriiing, brrriiing. That's a Queen song, by the way.

All good songs are about cycling and guilt. I feel guilty if I don't train. I feel guilty if I train and don't blog. I feel guilty when I ride or race on Sunday. I feel guilty when I go to church and miss the races.

So how am I doing in the races? How kind of you to ask! Placed 2nd in a criterium (fast, twisty turn race) and 2nd in a road race the past couple of weeks. Getting ready for a big Provincial road race next Sunday, hope the guilt of missing church does not hold me back. The hills are getting easier and the body has stopped telling me it is dying. One should never sit on their ass all winter and not train.

That's it, I have now blogged and the guilt is gone. It's all about performance. You now love me again. See you soon.

Go Oilers,
Pa

Mr Rejection

2006-05-11T10:09:00.000-06:00

Part of the excitement of being in leadership is dealing with the people you are leading. Last night I had a go around with Mr. Rejection Syndrome, a bitter root, I have learned, that defiles many.

I really wonder why these people, who are rejected by everyone, keep coming back. When I tell someone they don't matter and don't count you'd think they'd get the drift. When I refuse to communicate with them and make sure I'm unavialable you'd think they'd give up. I don't know what more I can do to let them know they aren't wanted and nobody likes them.

Every rejection event is well catalouged in their minds, the list stretching back for at least a year. Every inclusion event is conveniently erased. I find they are full of new information too, such as the fact that an email contact does not count as a real contact. The phone still rates but in person appearances conquer all.

The interesting thing about Mr Rejection was that we found out it was his birthday (he wasn't telling because we are supposed to know these things and would if we cared at all) and had a little birthday party for him. He said he hadn't blown out candles since he was 9 years old.

But don't let the party fool you, we don't like him. We wish he'd go away. If he did no one would call him or care.

I'm glad for blogs. I don't have to be Mr Nice Guy, I can just rant away and know people can read it and think what they want. Despite my rant I do understand rejection syndrome and know how to work with it. There is nothing more common in the body of Christ and every leader better be prepared to deal with it.

And, get this, I love Mr Rejection and I don't really care what he says about me and the Body, we will assimilate him in the end. Love conquers all.

Pa

Life

2006-05-10T09:00:00.000-06:00

Having someone in our Kinship group go through a miscarriage lately I felt the burden that came upon her during and after the painful event. As Job said, that which she feared came upon her and that which she dreaded happened to her. As Job asked, why show the light to people living in misery? Why speak of the greatness of God to people whose normal, happy lives have become an intolerable burden?

There is much pain to bear at times in our lives when things go badly wrong. We know it's not supposed to happen like this, yet it does and it can seem like life is out of control. I see this as a sort of rythym of life, up and down, happy and sad, joy and pain. I don't think it's the proper rythym but it's what I see. I also don't think we have to go with the ups and downs, there is a possibility of sleeping peacefully through the storms.

It is apparent to me that the burdens and pain of life can easily erase the goodness and joy of life if we let them. Every person, believer in God or not, has an incredible resistance to buckling under the pain of life and survival depends on not getting swept under the waves.

One of the reasons God puts us in groups is so we can hold each other afloat. When intolerable pain hits us we need someone to come and hold our heads above the water because we are on that thin edge of admitting it would be easier just to sink. At least the pain would end. But together we get through the pain and move on. In the incredible economy of God the pain is redeemed and life breaks forth again.

If you are in pain today I assure you that God cares and is doing something about it. Christ, who intercedes before His throne, is praying for you and he has instructed his angels concerning you. Even now they are rousing people to pray, to call, to care. God is not far off and his arm is not too short to save.

Pa

Sweet ride

2006-05-05T10:39:00.000-06:00

Well, I survived the race last night. Rode quite well but had nothing left for the sprint, which means I should have done some training in the winter. My bike is incredible, surges on the hills are easy to follow and it corners like an F1 race car. Well worth the price of my last born...........or maybe you didn't know I had to sell Kayle into slavery in order to buy it. I figured since Kayle was a slave anyway he wouldn't mind.

Now that I wrote that I feel like I shouldn't make it sound like I paid some dear price for this bike. The truth is God served up the money with no effort on my part and I didn't have to pinch pennies, sell anything or anyone or dig into savings. I need to declare that this was a gift from Him, not through anything I did. Thank you Father.

Pa

Still ridin'

2006-05-04T08:38:00.000-06:00

Wow, that was a long bike ride. Just got back now and am able to blog again. In the contest between blogging time and riding time you know who loses.

My new bike is fairer than ten thousand and we will find out tonight how fast she is because it's my first race. I've increased my racing a bit this year and plan on doing the Provincial road races as well as local club races, something that will put me to the test. The first Provincial race is a couple of weeks away and is a 3 stage race over two days, a real test for an old-timer. Old fossils normally get stuck in Category 5, the beginners category, where they are out of the way and won't get run over by all the young gearheads. But due to the fact that I have raced a bit I was put in Category 4 where the gearheads let old buzzards do all the work then spit them out the back of the pack when the race really starts, never to care about them again.

I do have a plan though. Quite a number of my team members ride in Cat 4, some of whom are young gearheads. Our coach also rides Cat 4. With a team in a race you can do a lot of things and everyone gets to play a part. I plan on being part of the exciting drama of team racing and making sure the young'uns get to the finish on time (i.e. 1st).

Ma said she was going to pick up the blogging slack but she's off greenhouse hopping today and once she gets her hands in the dirt look out - you won't hear from her except on rainy days.

We had a neat experience at Kinship last night, Kayle brought home a dvd of a church service and we listened to the worship segment with Suzy Wills. The Spirit hit our group very deeply and many of us made a course correction to get back in the flow of the Spirit. For me it was profound and deep and I realized that the Lord has always called me to follow the Spirit in our group, no matter what it looks like or what people think. When I lead in the Spirit there is life, when I lead on my own it's just another meeting.

We had a deep time of ministry over one another, laying hands on each other and saying only, "Come Holy Spirit". May everything I do be worship to Him.

Pa

Raisins

2006-04-17T19:21:00.000-06:00

I am baking muffins tonight and realized that the only fruit with a different name when dried is a grape. If you dry a cranberry it's a dried cranberry. An apricot is a dried apricot. Same for a banana, or an apple or a currant. But not a grape. When dried it's called a raisin. Doesn't give any clue why in the dictionary, maybe you know.

On the muffin menu tonight are cranberry/raisin bran muffins and oatmeal raisin muffins. I baked carrot/pineapple/rhubarb bran muffins a day or so ago. I hate sweet muffins so I drop the sugar, or most of it, and add fruit and molasses.

By the way if you ever have a muffin at Tim Hortons notice how they all taste the same, no matter what type you get. None of that nonsense at Tommy's where the muffins are always tasty.

Pa

The sound of victory

2006-04-12T16:57:00.000-06:00

At the Healing Room last night Geordie and I prayed for a person and got to a point where he said he had self hatred and a temptation to hate others. We thought that had better go and, while I'm usually cautious to wait on the Spirit when telling things to go felt I could proceed directly and remove this spirit from his life.

I command the spirit of self hatred to leave and the person started jerking then farted fairly significantly. I felt the spirit had been expelled and right then the Spirit of Joy hit and he started laughing with more freedom and joy than I had ever heard him laugh with. I knew the Lord was pouring the Spirit into him at that moment. This lasted for a while then we moved on, him swearing me to secrecy about telling anyone of this event.

I said I wouldn't tell a soul.

We've had all sorts of fun at the Healing Room and have experienced lots of things. Above all we have experienced the power of God and the victory we have in Jesus.

Pa

The increase of his government will never end...

2006-04-11T11:52:00.000-06:00

I'm still mad about a testimony at church where the devil got the nod. The person had been healed and waited three months to see if it was real then testified that it had been three months but they weren't sure it would last.

Despite what I write here I really do have compassion for people and I fully understand where this person is coming from. But my blood boils when I hear the liar speaking. Used to be I could just shrug it off but it's making me more and more angry. Mad at the lies, mad at the father of lies, mad at the doubting theology, mad that my God gets that kind of a rap.

When we get healed why don't we believe it? Do we really think that when Jesus healed people in the Bible that their healing only lasted a little while and that this is the norm for us?

Like I said to this person after the testimony the only way to have your healing leave your body is to start doubting and start telling people it could come back at any time. Doubt is the ultimate faith destroyer, that's why Satan uses it all the time.

When we get healed the enemy sneaks in and whispers, "you just never know, this may not last, don't get all excited just yet", then when you stay healed for a while he says, "yeah, but what about Bob who said he was healed only to die of his disease, you don't want to mislead people now do you?".

So we say, "Did God really say...?" and agree that the devil just might be right. It certainly looks right.

But we forget to look into the Word of God to see what it looks like in there. Healing in there looks a whole lot different than healing out here for the most part. I don't see anywhere in there where Jesus or one of his followers says, "Glad to see that knee healed but don't count on it lasting." All I see is Christ bearing the curse for us (which includes sickness), destroying the works of the devil (emphasis on destroying) and declaring the Kingdom of God has come upon us (which excludes the work of Satan).

Let's all agree on this - When God does something in your life get happy and tell everybody what he's done, even if it is only 10% of what you need done. Never say it's going to stop. His arm isn't too short.

Pa

Water

2006-04-09T20:37:00.000-06:00

I rode my new bike to the cabin this weekend which is a really nice thing to do but creates a problem on arrival. We have no running water so when I arrive after 3 hrs in the saddle I stink and Ma wants me to stay outside.

My solution was to heat about 4 litres/1 gallon of water, head to the little bath tub in the trailer and have whatever kind of bath it was I had. As I was shampooing my hair and washing the sweat off I remembered that book City of Joy where the guy says people in Calcutta wash with about a litre/quart of water a day and are considered some of the cleanest people on earth.

My little bath was entirely adequate although I'm not sure if I'd want to repeat it everyday. It did give me pause to consider that I probably use more water in a day than people in Calcutta use in 6 months. I know we in North America use more water than anyone on earth and the earth conscious side of me thought it would be a good idea to conserve a bit.

I ran into this in Winnipeg too when I went over to a friends house that was small, old, furnished with old stuff, had the oldest fridge I have ever seen, etc, etc - on purpose. Instead of heading to the burbs for the big house with two shower heads in the shower he's headed the other way. I like that.

I think I want to try and cut back on things that I consume, likely in reaction to the 'must have better' impulse I feel and am not so sure is right. When I went to University I was interested in saving the whales and Greenpeace, belonged to the whole food co-op, had a 'Boycott Kraft' sticker right across the front of my fridge and had no interest in more, more, more. Except for booze, but that's a tale for another day.

My little bath connected me with the fact that I'd like to be totally off grid at the cabin and really like the cabin because it's not a house and demands one live differently and think about things like water supply. The pit toilet, well, that's another story.

Pa

One for Andy!!

2006-04-07T09:37:00.000-06:00

Thor Hushovd, the mighty cyclist from Norway and green jersey winner at the Tour de France 2005 won the Gent-Wevelgem race this week, outsprinting the likes of Petacchi and winning by inches.

I see the Norse flag waving in Montana and know Andy is wild with pride for his countryman. After extensive language training by Andy I can actually say Thor's name about half right but on a happy day like this it doesn't matter, I can just call him the winner.

It is quite a feat to win a spring classic race, the best in the world line up and nobody knows who's going to be at the pointy end of the race at the finish. Thor isn't the best sprinter in the world and for him to beat Petacchi is a real feat of racing.

Here's to Norway! Here's to Andy!

May you too finish the race you are running well.

Pa

Rest Day

2006-04-05T10:33:00.000-06:00

Today is a rest day off the bike and my body is thanking me. Spring training is always tiring and painful and when you've not trained much over the winter it's all the harder. If you want to race you need to be in shape and getting there takes military discipline.

Part of the discipline is to rest (hear me now all you overworked for Jesus types), which means to not get on the bike and ride. If you dare get on the bike your brain goes psycho and tells you that you must ride hard because you are so out of shape. So one daren't swing a leg over the top tube or even look at his cycling helmet lest the brain take over.

You then listen to your body tell you when to ride again, at which point you are far stronger and all your training benefits are all captured.

This has nothing to do with serving the Lord because in that sport rest isn't considered profitable, even though we do talk about entering into his rest. But to take a day or two off because your body told you too? People are more important than that aren't they?

Our Pastor says he's always worked 70 hours a week, a feat I can only feel sad about but which most Pastors equal him in. I'm not interested enough in anything to do it for 70 hours a week, except maybe sleeping.

If you are reading this and are in the red zone for fatigue, stress or health I declare this to be a day of rest for you. Yes you can. Yes you will.

Take the risk. See if one day of rest doesn't result in a far more productive and profitable day following. The hard work, combined with a day of rest, results in a better You.

See you on the couch,
Pa

Back in the Saddle

2006-03-28T14:34:00.000-07:00

Through the long winter I waited,
Spilling sweat on the carpet
Gasping for air
Overheated
As I rode my trainer indoors.

The winter teased with warm temperature
And no snow
Roads ready to go
Calling, Beckoning.........
Only to cover themselves over with snow
Once I decided to go outside and ride

Snow is not the master
The sun is the master
And soon the snow moved off the road
Leaving only puddles, salt and gravel behind

And so I ventured out on my old bike
Puddles getting me wet
Gravel trying to puncture my tires
Cold wind cutting through my clothing
But ride I did, the firstfruits of the year

Where will my bike take me this year?
What will it teach about suffering and victory?
I don't know,
It doesn't matter
Only riding does

Glory to God

2006-03-26T18:52:00.000-07:00

God, who loves me too much to leave me as I am has been working, working, working in me just like he is in you and I am being pushed, shoved, dragged, wooed, loved and scared into embracing the real Him.

I'll give you the short menu: fear, criticalness and comparing. All in the fire with me. Only me coming out of the fire - please God. One neat experience last week was a real conversation with God. It was so real I could almost hear him talking out loud and it was so real that I knew it was real. That's a wierd statment of proof isn't it? Anyways, it was a conversation that went something along the lines of, "God, what's with this fear thing?" to which he replied, "You do seem rather occupied with that don't you?", and away we went. I actually laughed out loud at one point.

I just cannot get enough of the fact that God loves me so much that he makes my problems his problems, my issues his issues, my pain his pain, my sickness his sickness AND his joy my joy, his safety my safety, his love my love....I'm just flat out swimming in the facts of grace.

Ma and I have been praying together because we're both living the normal Christian life and our short menus (see above) are the same. And because we love each other and love walking this thing out together. Ma rocks.

Turning to the subject of healing detached tendons may I tell you that a man came for prayer today at church, had an MRI done on his arm that showed a detached tendon, could not lift or extend his arm and was headed for surgery next week. God told him to go get prayer, that he needed His glory in that arm. So Ma and Kayle and I prayed for him and after a while he could lift and extend his arm. You can't do that with a detached tendon. Yahoo! Glory to God!

One last thing. I have been thinking and praying for Devon, Christie and Sparrow and I want to declare that Sparrow is fully healed. She will bring much glory to God. Just like her Dad and Mom.

Pa

Spam goes organic

2006-03-23T15:43:00.000-07:00

The makers of Spam have found a way to get some of their food products into organic and natural food retailers that shunned the company in the past. They have created a new line of Spam with a different name 'Natural Choice' and retailers are suddenly interested.

Organic Spam sounds like a tough sell to me but I have noticed that if you put the word 'organic' or 'natural' or 'free range' on something and charge twice the price it makes certain people happy.

The word 'natural' has no meaning at present in North America and governments are trying to get rid of it. Natural beef, for example, simply means there was no use of antiboitics or growth hormones but ignores the fact that the same cow got dewormed and deloused with chemicals and ate whatever it got fed. Or it could mean it was fed on natural products like grass and lived on the range but still got antibiotics and hormones. It's a word out of control.

The word 'free range' means that the available space for a chicken or turkey must be twice as much as the minimum allowed in 'factory farms', which means 22 square inches for chickens. As a matter of note, chickens left to free range inside a barn mass together and use up way less than the mandatory 22 inches and even less than the 11 inches, meaning that free range farms are actually worse than factory farms for chicken comfort and health. But at least they're out of those awful cages and doing what chickens like to do.

The word 'organic', unlike the rest, actually has some teeth. Governments are trying to enforce the meaning to encompass non use of anything synthetic in the production of food, which is close to what people are looking for.

This makes it easy to manufacture organic Spam. It comes from animals (not sure what kinds) considered organically rasied. Then it is manufactured, processed and extruded to death until it is Spam. Maybe a little less wholesome than the organic folk might want but it's organic. And worth twice the price I'm sure.

Natural Choice Spam.......coming soon to a grocer near you.

Pa

Victory has swallowed Death

2006-03-17T07:52:00.000-07:00

If I was to ask you if you were saved by Jesus' death on the cross what would you say? Would you say, "Yes, all my sins were taken away when Jesus died on the cross"?

If so, you're wrong. Consider these verses, "And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile: you are still in your sins" 1Cor 15.17; "And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith" 1Cor 15.14.

So much of the church has its focus on the cross, on the dying side of the business. Die to sin, die to self, find forgiveness, repent, carry your cross, suffer......the list goes on. We create a salvation mentality that has the cross as the focus and forgets about the resurrection.

The cross is the central event in all history, make no mistake, but, as Paul says, it's the resurrection that changes everything. When you live out of the resurrection your outlook changes - live to Christ, filled with the Spirit, empowered by God, able to enter sufferings with victory, power to run the race, filled with love, embraced by Jesus.....the list goes on.

Why would Paul take the time to correct the Corinthians on this point? Apparently because some were teaching there was no resurrection. So he gives the lowdown on why you can't consider the Christian faith by stopping at the cross. He tells them to stand firm on the reality of the resurrection.

There are five aspects to Christ's finished work: His death, burial, resurrection, ascension and session. Together they constitue salvation. When we focus on one part and make it the major emphasis our practise begins to look like that part. Too much cross and you're always on about dying and repenting, too much resurrection and you're always on about power and victory. None of these things are bad, they just need to work together. If we are to put an emphasis anywhere it should be living out of the resurrection. As Paul says - "Death has been swallowed up in victory".

Pa

Just thinkin'

2006-03-16T10:46:00.000-07:00

Last night at kinship I made a case for the fact that we will not continue to sin as Christians and it resulted in some good discussion. I like it when we think about God topics and hold up what we think to what others think to what the Bible thinks. There's generally no resolve but it's fun to chew on this stuff.

People often respond to topics like Grace, Forgiveness, Repentance and Sin by holding fast to the idea that when we sin there is a separation or a wall between us and God until we do something about it (which we call repentance).

How much of my sin did Jesus die for? When I say I am forgiven by the blood of Christ do I mean only for those sins I have repented of? If repentance is the key then we certainly don't need the cross do we? We can keep with the old system, it fully provided for that.

Is the blood that covers my sin only activated by my repentance? Or does the cross provide for more than that?

The law says I must do something about my sin, grace says Jesus has done everthing about my sin. The law condemns and says I am separated until I do something about it, grace enables and says nothing can separate me and there's nothing for me to do but accept the grace of God.

That's too easy for us, the news is too good to believe. So we bring grace down to our level of reasoning. We must repent.

I'm wondering if our preoccupation with sin and separation from God is a key reason why many of us do not embrace freedom in Christ and do not grow in victory. I see it the same as doubt in healing; we doubt God can heal us and so we don't get fully healed. We doubt the cross can fully save us so we don't get fully saved.

You don't have to agree, I'm just thinkin'
Pa

My 17.5 pound baby

2006-03-14T14:19:00.000-07:00

For those of us in the frozen north dry roads, green grass and warm winds are still a dream but getting closer. My first bike race is in 34 days and looking at the snow outside I wonder how that's going to happen.

Historically I am on the road around Geordie's birthday, March 22. There is still snow and still more on the way during spring storms but I'm out there riding on what dry roads there are.

This year I have the enjoyment of riding a new bike, a picture of which I'd include if I wasn't so lazy. So you'll have to image sleek black carbon fiber lines, rich red Velomax wheels, ultralight carbon pedals and FSA wingpro handlebars. Doesn't that make you shiver with delight? It's a beauty, make no mistake.

Weighing in at 17.5 lbs I expect to ride this bike with fastest of the fast this year and kick some ass. I've ridden my old steel bike to within inches of beating guys half my age and will enjoy finishing them off in style as I sail past them on my new cruiser. If that sounds like braggadocio, it is.

Right now I am riding on the rollers indoors, waiting for the roads to clear. Soon, very soon......

Pa

You are worth $12.53

2006-03-13T13:42:00.000-07:00

Many of you blog on MySpace and I have news for you - You have just been sold. A large media company just bought MySpace for $580 million. That's $12.53 per user.

MySpace generates $20 million in ad revenue per year and thanks to your use of the site it is growing steadily. So steadily that the site could be sold for nearly half a billion dollars.

You might feel good about helping Big Biz get rich but I'm sure you won't get a thank you card with a couple of grand in it for your devotion to your blog. In fact, I think all you'll get is more advertising on the site and new ways to tempt you to click through. Like I said in blogs gone by, this is a Capitalistic country and the whole system runs on captial.

I don't think many of us consider the fact that when we congregate in places like MySpace we become valuable to the likes of Pepsi and General Motors. Today you're only worth $12.53 but don't be discouraged. In the future I'm sure your value will increase and you will be worth much more. You'll never see any of it, mind you, it's all for Mr. Big Biz.

Here's to Capitalism.
Pa

Tall tales

2006-03-06T08:09:00.000-07:00

While at the cabin this weekend I managed to get out onto the lake to fish for the every elusive esox lucus, otherwise known as northern pike. Not a bite, not a nibble, not a sighting of the top predator of this aquatic realm. Marcel, who lives at the lake year round, said that pike don't bite this time of year because their mouths are sore, other claim it's because they lose all their teeth.

What curious ills befall the mighty pike that soreness should overtake them and their teeth suddenly unhinge. Doubly strange since fish physiology doesn't allow for teeth to be lost and regrown on a yearly basis nor does it allow for soreness in the mouth. I think it's a tall tale, birthed by someone somewhere and alive until laid to rest on some distant day, if ever.

It reminds me of the high priest tall tale, the one where they tied a rope around the high priest's ankle before he went into the holy of holies just in case he farted or did something wrong in there and got knocked on the head by the Lord. There being no one willing to go in to rescue him the rope could then be used to drag him out. What they did with him after that the tale does not go on to tell but I suggest they would deposit him outside the camp lest he contaminate the whole works.

That would be a tough year, wouldn't it, if the high priest never made it out of the holy of holies to pronounce blessing and forgiveness upon the people. A year under unforgiveness and no blessing because Levi messed up. Gotta find somebody a little more careful next year.

Like sore mouths in pike the rope around the leg story is a tall tale with no basis in fact and not requiring anything more but to be passed on without thought. Unlike the pike theory though there is no evidence the rope tale is true. The pike tale at least has the inability to catch pike during this time of year as evidence whereas the rope tale has no evidence at all. But who cares, we all love a tall tale.

Pa

Cabin Fever

2006-03-03T08:44:00.000-07:00

Either Ma or I have been on the road every week since the first week of Feb and we have decided to extend the streak this weekend to go to our cabin. Once there we are going to start a fire and stare at it for 24 hours, only moving to eat, sleep and run to the outhouse.

God is going to talk to me about being content with what I have, who I am, where I am, how I am, who he is, who you are, what the church is, etc. I have ears to hear. Not sure what He has on the agenda for Ma.

Geordie and Stef arrive on Saturday and we are looking forward to having them at home for a few months. Have I ever told you about my sons and their love for God? Their Godly wives? It says in a few places in the Bible that a man with righteous sons is blessed beyond measure and I'm here to tell you that it is 100% true. There is a profound blessing when your sons walk with God and I'm living it. More contentment....it's everywhere I turn.

Pa

Great Gain

2006-03-02T20:29:00.000-07:00

On January 2 I wrote in my journal, 'Godliness with contentment is great gain - have to study that". If I would have studied that as the Spirit was telling me to I would have found some truth ahead of getting burned in the fire. Not that it would have penetrated but it might have helped a bit.

I have come through the fire and for all of you currently inside the flames I will say it burns like hell. Or it burns up hell. That burning you are feeling is awful and the stench of burning flesh is awful. Just in case you weren't clear on how much pain you were in. Sometimes it is good to declare how bad it hurts.

Moving on to being outside the fire I can tell you that you will exit and the real you will be just fine, better than before actually, and the old you will be burned to death. That's the good news, part of you gets burned to death and has to conform with the truth of the cross and who you are in Christ. You can't keep it alive anymore because you don't want that kind of pain again and have made up your mind it can bloody well die. Mark my words - you will not emerge with the old self alive. You will emerge in victory.

Truth, real truth, not the made up stuff, will then flood your mind as the Spirit teaches you all things. For me it's: Godliness with contentment is great gain.

I am Godly but I am not content. Or I should say I was not content. After the fire I am learning what content means and I can say I understand that I can be content with what I have, what I don't have and what might happen. In all circumstances I can be content.

Great gain is mine, all it took was a blast of fire to get me to understand and believe it. I really wish there was another way but that's what it took for me.

If you're in the fire right now I pray for you: "God, keep them in your hand as they go through the fire, draw so close they can feel you walk with them through the valley of the shadow of death. They need you Papa, be real and hustle them through the fire as fast as possible".

Pa

You're strong when you feel weak

2006-02-27T19:21:00.000-07:00

I am not going to give you all the details but Mr Perfect here is having serious fear problems, coupled with anxiety and whatever else comes with those behaviours. I am not one to admit to weakness and I see that I need to. I am very weak right now.

My basic fear centers on money and it's something that has always been a problem for me. In a nutshell, I fall into fear when I feel my money is at risk. Sorry to look so together but it's true and I have to be open about my weakness.

I cannot believe how deep into fear I have gone - out of control - and what a battle this is for me. It isn't that I don't have money, I happen to have quite a bit; it's more that I am in a risk situation in one area of my life where money is concerned and my only reaction is fear. It's a sin nature reaction fuelled by the demonic. If we open the door to fear it will come in with its buddies and wreck the place.

I don't really know how to get the door shut and in some ways don't want to until God has laid his fire on this area of my life. This is not a reaction born of God. I don't know what the root is for sure but I guess I'll get there.

Right now I'm bouncing in and out of slamming the door in victory, only to yank it open an hour later. Why won't this tape stop? Why can I not believe? Why do I accept fear and not faith?

So that's me. It's been going on for some time and I need to confess this to people. I need to admit weakness. Praise God, a good friend is coming over tonight to talk. Thank God for the Body of Christ.

Love,
Pa

He is Wonderful

2006-02-22T18:38:00.000-07:00

Ma and I are back from our trip and I have been considering what to do at Kinship tonight. It's good to listen and see what the Lord wants to do and forget my own ideas about the evening. I'm hearing a number of things all related to approaching God in wonder. I know that's a bit nebulous and I do have some leading on how to make it applicable and pratical - but not before we approach Him in wonder.

Too often our big bad problems are too much for the God of our understanding. Circumstances crush us, fear diverts us. It is so important to get into the wonder of God and know he can be trusted and depended on. We need to be amazed by God and have utter belief that all he claims about us is true.

We need to know He loves us. And we need to wonder why and how that could ever be. Then we need to simply agree that it is and that nothing can change it. From there we live and move and have our beings.

That's what I'm hearing the Lord say to me for my life and to our kinship group. We will let Him lead.

Pa

I will not obey

2006-02-17T08:08:00.000-07:00

Since our kinship group is rather large, rather fun and rather bonding we regularly get told we're doing it wrong. On Monday the leaders who we have partnered with had to endure a time of getting told we were leading poorly. This wasn't based on any revelation from God but on a book from Texas. Books, of course, are the truth and should be applicable everywhere, anytime. So, when the formula and program in the book was compared to our kinship we were found badly out of order.

I'll make sure I get that fixed right away. According to the book if I would just multiply all the leaders in our group (and we have several) into their own groups our church would begin massive growth and absorb many new thousands of lost souls and become a mega church within a precisely planned period of time. Plan the work and work the plan, that'll get 'er done.

I've been noticing these many lost souls trying to pry their way into churches in Edmonton and was wondering why they couldn't get in. Now I know it's because they don't have small groups to go to. What a simple answer I've been missing: if you create it they will come. I always thought it was the Spirit that drew them but now I know He can't draw without available groups.

Not to say we have been short of available groups through the years. We've had plenty, most with a lifespan of a few years. Somehow the Spirit missed them. We still have plenty, some fairly small but soon to bloom under our new program.

One should never ask God about such things but should read and follow the book written by someone else who asked God and got an answer. That person's answer is obviously our answer too, no need to check with the Boss. There's also no need to ask the leaders of our kinship group why we are so successful and so happy to be together and how we might create other groups that are similar. It's all in the book, no need to ask anybody.

I could see this coming over a year ago and wrote a treatise to our pastors called "A New Kinship Paradigm" wherein I laid out what I thought the Spirit was saying to the church and how leadership, growth and multiplication should work in a kinship setting. That book was not read because it wasn't from Texas.

Do I sound bitter and therefore sinful? You be the judge if you want. I can tell you one thing, if I am told to multiply my kinship I will not obey. Who should I obey, God or men?

Pa

Ma liked the floor

2006-02-13T12:07:00.000-07:00

Ma and Kayle got back from Kelowna last night and Ma liked the floor. Yippie! I don't have to rip it out and start over! It was a whole lot of work for my friend Rob and I but we had a good time together. Now all the trim and stairs and baseboards and paint and never ending remodeling to come. It's fun fixing up the shack.

I was praying at church yesterday for a lady who had exzema that is partly healed. I felt the Lord say to lay my hands on her eyelids and lips and neck so I did (after asking her of course), feeling a little goofy but also knowing it was the Lord. Later I was reading some of Steve Long's stuff and he points out the importance of touch in healing. I understood what I was doing after reading Steve's stuff, I was laying hands on in faith that the anointing flowing through my hands would overcome the disease on the skin. I had a deeper revelation of the importance of the laying on of hands for healing. Get you hands on the sickness believing nothing can stand against God's power. You don't have to touch the exact spot but in this case the Lord had me do just that.

There is an aggressiveness needed in healing be it in touch or command. This stuff doesn't go unless it's told to and we need to be open to what God is telling us to do - touch, command, declare, act.

Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. I am willing, he said, Be clean.

Pa

Healing or flooring?

2006-02-10T11:45:00.000-07:00

Since Ma and Kayle are in Kelowna at the eyes and wings conference I am putting in new flooring in the kicthen and living room. This is a rather complicated project due to all the corners and angles and is going to take some time. Got the 32.7 degree angle cut out of the rug properly - nice straight line - hope the rest goes as smooth.

Of course who rolls into town but Cal Pierce from the Spokane Healing Rooms and I find out yesterday that he wants to pray in every healing room in Edmonton and have a lunch with healing room people. So I call only to find out I am too late for the lunch and Cal might not be willing to pray in our healing room since it's not affiliated.

This leaves the possibility of going to an evening session, as long as the flooring is going well. I'll see what happens.

Bought a great resource at TACF, 30 Principles for your Healing by Steve Long. Two CD's which contain pdf's to print. One is for the person receiving, the other for the person ministering. There is good stuff in it and it's practical so I am happy to find it. One thing that caught my eye this morning was that Jesus did what he SAW the Father doing. I hadn' t thought about it much but this is often how I pray when ministering - I see the person healed. I am going to pay more attention to what God is showing me through seeing. My hearing is generally pretty good but I know I can pay more attention to and grow in the seeing department.

Pa

here today and gone tomorrow

2006-02-08T18:42:00.000-07:00

We had an awesome time in Toronto... Wonderful spending time with Geordie and Stef, getting a taste of what their life in the big city is full of. We met some of their friends who phrophesized us and then we prayed for them. That was fun. We went to both of their cell groups ( the one they lead and the one they attend). At the latter one we all wrote songs ... I think we should do a Gaither type thing ... or maybe not. The Toronto airport church rocked as usual and we bought some new healing resources. Geordie bought the new Delirious c.d. which promptly got jammed in the rental cars player. After a day of poking buttons and praying it was finally released! We had some fine meals together and awesome talks. It was not too too hard leaving knowing that they will be home in a few short weeks as they prepare to attend the SOM in Redding! Quite the adventure.
I am now in the process of washing clothes and repacking for the conference in Kelowna. Sadly I am going to miss kinship tonight as I have airplane head and have been up since 4:30 a.m. Tom is going but he stays home tomorrow.
Woa, I am blithering on
See you next week A and B, sorry I didn't get to see you.
Hi! Trisha, I do not know how to post a comment to you so this will have to do : I love you. I wish I could meet your Valentine!
I'm sure Tom will post something a little deeper in a day or so.
Ma.

travels

2006-02-03T15:20:00.000-07:00

Pa and I are leaving for Toronto in the morning. ( we leave our house at about 5 a.m.) Tom has business there and I am tagging along so I can visit with Geordie and Stef. I am so excited. I am pretty proud of myself. I only started packing today rather than several days ahead of time! It was hard but I'm doing okay! Speaking of anal... Tom had a nasty little procedure yesterday where the sun don't shine! I have computer time because he is still unable to sit for very long. He is hoping with a few more baths and lots of ibuprofen that he will be able to make the 3.5 hour trip to Toronto in relative comfort. I should not joke, the poor guy was is serious pain. He went to the doc hoping for some cream or something and came home having had surgery. He may blog about it in due time.
I get back from Toronto on Wednesday afternoon only to leave again on Thursday morning to attend a conference in Kelowna with Kayle. Bill Johnson and Kris Valloton are speaking. Woo Hoo!
I will be home from that for four days and then I head to Phoenix with Tom for 3 nights at a resort. It is a reward trip through his company with all expenses paid plus they are giving us 200 U. S. dollars to spend on spa treatments of our choice!
So there you have it.
I just looked up the weather for Toronto and there is a winter storm watch. Rain, turning to snow and high winds. I am a little "nerved up" as one of the ladies in Eagles Club says!
Catchya later.
LOVE Ma.

mourn with those who mourn

2006-02-01T10:48:00.000-07:00

I (Ma) just talked to Remi's Mom, Huguette. She is in the depths of grief. She says some days are better than others, but she is doing a lot of crying. She said its so hard to be reminded daily that he is gone and so quickly gone. She saw his toothbrush the other day and thought oh he forgot his toothbrush. Then she laughed and said," he did pull some strings for me up there." A few days before Remi died Huguette started seeing double and results of tests showed she had had a mini stroke. She was so worried about the funeral because of that because she knew she would have to be seeing so many people and she was afraid it would make her sick to her stomach. Then at the funeral right after communion there was a slide show of Remi's life and she realized as she watched it that her vision was back to normal. God had healed her. She kept the Doctors appointment she had just to tell him but he would not believe her and insisted on examining her. She said he just kept shaking his head and saying this does not happen. I am so glad she was blessed this way.
She says she knows that people grieve in different ways and for some it is longer than for others. She says for me I think it will be a long, long time. She is grateful for prayers.

He will comfort all who mourn,
and provide for those who grieve in Zion-
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.

let it be.

Your Attention Please

2006-01-29T15:54:00.000-07:00

I have a few miracles to announce, I'll keep it short since I don't want to go on and on and bore you with such elementary things.

We've had our second healing of exczema. The first was a severe case on large areas of the body as well as the face and lips. After healing prayer it skeddadled leaving no scars behind. The second was, according to the doctors, a natural extension of allergies and only to be expected except that the only thing we expected was it would be healed and healed it was after prayer and some rather energetic manifestations in a person who seldom has them (arm waving, bending over and unable to straighten, etc). I think we're on an exczema roll, it's amazing how one's faith for healing leaps when you see it happen.

We've also had a healing of hips which have been painful for the person's lifetime and now do not flare up in pain at all. I also had a healing which I forgot about until I was thinking of these. After the healing room my shoulder hurt like crazy and shooting pain kept running through it the next day, about 3 minutes between the shots. I prayed a bunch and nothing happened so I got stern and determined and told it to leave. It never bothered me after that.

My final miracle is that 6 months ago we shared our miracle requests with each other and the Lord in our kinship group. Then we believed they would happen. I asked for the miracle of a new bike and someone in the group prophesied that it would be red. This Friday I bought a new bike and it was red.

Go ahead and ask, He's waiting....

Pa

Mathematics

2006-01-23T08:28:00.000-07:00

It's been 28 years since I graduated from University yet I still have a recurring dream about missing all my Mathematics lectures, knowing there's a final test looming and knowing I'm not going to get my degree because math is going to take me down. 28 years of that.

I am not strong in math and I think anyone who can prove the existence of stars and black holes simply by the use of numbers and formulae is astonishing. I also admire carpenters who know how to use a tape measure and people who can do math in their head on the spot. I still don't know how to do a 15% tip on a meal bill. I flunked math in high school and had to take it again and then avoided it in University. I did take a statistics course and passed it with flying colors, but only because it was applied and meant something.

Since I didn't take math at University and have my degree and have 28 years of space between that event and now, why do I still have this dream? My theory is that there is still some part of me that is insecure or scared or fearful or something like that and this dream signifies it. It feels like insecurity, like I've blown it all because I was too lazy/slothful/stupid to go to math lectures. It feels like I've been totally foolish, like I've failed. What are you telling me Lord?

I think I am a candidate for Sozo/Theophositic ministry. My guess is that I still feel like a failure in some part of me and that I also feel inadequate. I don't really feel like that on the outside but I'm guessing there's still some tape on the inside that's still playing that message over and over again. For 28 years to be exact.

Pa

Catholic Mass

2006-01-21T20:40:00.000-07:00

The funeral for Remi was today and during the Catholic service Mass was held. I was blessed to hear the priest declare over the bread that it was for healing. I believe he ended his liturgy over the bread with something like 'Lord, if you are willing, heal me'.

I remembered that the Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches still hold firmly to the fact that healing is in the atonement (body and blood) and it's only the Protestant church that has tossed out the idea. In fact we have tossed it out so far we think it's heresy.

I've decided that I am going study 'this is my body' more carefully.

Ma and I got the laminate down. She had to whip me pretty hard but I hung in there with her. It wasn't a real easy job since it was narrow laminate of three different lengths and you had to think fairly hard to get it down properly. Thank goodness she was there laying out the pattern or I'd still be on the first row.

We got 'er done.

Pa

No luggage

2006-01-20T10:11:00.000-07:00

I forgot to tell a story about my recent trip to Calgary. I get to the airport and suddenly realize I had left my luggage at home. That's a hoot, I'm usually totally prepared a day ahead of time for all my trips and have never left my luggage behind.

My solution was to wash all my stuff in the shower using shampoo, hang it for the night then iron it in the morning. Problem was it was still wet. So I just wore the hotel robe to my meetings.

Naw, that's a lie. My solution was to go to a clothing store and buy a new set of clothes to wear. I submit this as an idea for any of you ladies wanting new clothes. Next time you travel, just forget all your luggage at home.

Pa

I repeat.....

2006-01-19T14:40:00.000-07:00

I wrote possibly the best blog ever and it was so hot that the blog machine took a notion to tautologize it, meaning it kept circling round and round endlessly within the blog maker machine and not posting. If I hadn't stopped the spin cycle it might well have wrecked the whole machine and then where would we be? I can't afford to pay for a new blog maker.

So let me repeat but only in summary fashion since a hot blog is only fun to write once, not twice.

I said Ma and I were going to roll up our sleeves and lay some laminate flooring this weekend, starting tonight. I also said we were going to 'get 'er' done because I wanted to use that phrase which is finding currency among rednecks and the unwashed, a constituency I consider myself part of.

Then I moved on to say that I had an opportunity to preach again and was considering talking about what the body mean in the Lord's supper. Any of you know? I got the blood figured out, but the body? If we eat his body then...........................happens. I think the Romans had a point, how could any credible religion claim to drink the blood and eat the body of its God. A rather wierd concept and obviously a barrier to entry for those shying away from cannibalism.

Even in Paul's day it had been watered down to mean not much at all, to which he responded by pointing out that people got sick and even died when they 'esteemed not' the true meaning of the body in communion.

Current themes are that it symbolizes that we are all of one body, the little pieces of the loaf all going into our tummies and making us one. Nice concept but I think even the Corinthians could have managed that one and avoided dying. Or that the bread is a symbol. Of? Or that the bread is the actual body of Christ. And?

Here's what I think. I think that if you eat the bread there is healing in it. Actual healing power. I reference King Hezekiah who had the people eat the passover lamb and noticed that all were healed when they did so. I also reference the passover event for the same outcome (not readily apparent but concluded by way of other texts).

My new cry is, "There's power in the body!" Think that will sell when I preach or should I just stick to the one loaf-one body theory and keep everybody happy?

Disclaimer: if my first blog appears somewhere near this one I am not responsible. It's the blog making machine finally spitting the original out.

Pa

It's my turn

2006-01-19T12:41:00.000-07:00

Hey, that's the title of an old Bruce Cockburn song, something about how everything changes when you know it's your turn, meaning, of course, that when you know God is actually for you and wants you to accomplish the impossible you get this sudden glimpse of destiny and how things could really be and start living in the light.

Which leads me to a radical verse in Proverbs, "The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day". Say Amen, it's the Lord speaking. That's the path I'm on: strength to strength, glory to glory. Say Amen, that's good preaching.

None of this has anything to do with what I want to say, which is that it's my turn for new laminate flooring. The destruction starts tonight! Ma and I are rolling up our sleeves (old term based on days when people needed to do that) and getting down to business (old term based on getting something accomplished) and we're going to get 'er done (current term among cowboys and rednecks that mean we're going to finish what we start).

Another opportunity to preach has come my way, shall I take it or not? I'm thinking of some sort of totally esoteric theological musings that mean nothing but do make you think. Maybe something along the lines of pointing out that when Paul said many had taken sick and some had died because they didn't esteem the Lord's body rightly in the Lord's supper that what he was saying is that some didn't know that in the eating of the Lamb there is healing of the body, they just thought it was a hunk of bread or a mere symbol or a nice way to remember Jesus.

Just ask yourself what you think when you eat the bread. The blood is easy, we got that one down and there are a million songs to confirm the blood thing. But the body? What's with that? No wonder the Romans said the Christians were cannibals, they (the Christians) claiming to eat the body of their Lord.

"Take, eat, this is my body broken for you". So if I eat the body, what happens Lord? Answer me that if you will. I'm laying flooring and have lots of time to listen.

Pa

It is appointed......

2006-01-16T19:04:00.000-07:00

It seems like the Book of Life has a beginning and an end to each of our lives. It is appointed when we should die, although many of us go before that time for various reasons and the Bible contains at least one story of a King who went later than God said he would.

Our neighbour's son, who was a good friend of our sons, died in a car accident two days ago. His Mom saw him out the door of the house just before it happened and said she knew it was the last time she would see him. She even had a dream of an accident and wanted to phone her son. Less than an hour later the police were at the door with the very worst news a Mother could ever hear.

How did she know it was the appointed time? The pagan world sacrificed to Fate, or the Fates, but we think it is a personal God who has written a personal book of life for each of us. Could she have altered the appointed time? Such questions surround death.

Ma, being the sensitive intercessor and burden bearer she is, feels the loss on a deep level. "Mourn with those who mourn" isn't something she has to try to do. Mothers understand mothers.

I was riding with a group the other day and one, who is a Doctor in ICU, said he's seen more people die than he can count or remember and he never ever heard one say he wished he'd worked more. He said it's always about family or God or smelling the roses. Or riding bikes, which is why he's committed to it. The bike-to-work ratio has to balance before the appointed time.
Pa

Just wondering

2006-01-12T12:38:00.000-07:00

I am wondering about two things:

1. If the wages of sin are death and disease is incipient death and Jesus has paid for all sin then why should I ever be sick? Another like it, but more problematic: If the wages of sin are death and Jesus paid for all sin then why do I have to die? Should I not be free of death if I am free of sin?

2. Is it correct to say that Jesus' death on the cross has purchased my salvation? If Jesus died on the cross and they took him down and that was it, would I be saved? I don't think so but I think a whole lot of the Body of Christ thinks so.

Pa

Someone else's blues

2006-01-11T10:39:00.000-07:00

When I woke up this morning I had someone else's blues.

That's an old blues song but it was also a fact for me this morning. The more spiritual among us call it intercession or burden bearing but, fact is, what I was feeling this morning belonged to someone else.

Just like the old blues song I really feel pretty good. Got God, got joy, got peace, got money...got a lot of things that have nothing to do with the blues. In fact, on waking I felt joyful and started thinking joyful thoughts but suddenly noticed this other feeling of depression and heaviness. It actually wanted me to say Yes to it, "Yes, that's how I am feeling". It wanted agreement. Instead I just sang a verse of the old song,

"Got more food than I can eat,
Got more money than I can use,
But when I woke up this morning,
I had someone else's blues."

Now tell me how it is that someone else's blues get to find me and see if I'll agree with what they have to say? I'm not interested thank you. How did they get past my God filter? Through the hedge of protection?

Anyway, I did what the other person should have done, I told them to bugger off. Then I laid claim to all the positive aspects of my awesome life, listing them one buy one. Thought the blues might be interested.

Which took me to another line in the song where the guy is listing all the great things about his life, "Pull my hand out of my pocket too fast and I might lose a couple of 50 dollar bills". Yeah, that's life in Christ.

Pa

Miracles on the way

2006-01-10T08:38:00.000-07:00

In our leaders meeting last night it seemed apparent that the Lord was going to begin to release miracles in our Body. I've felt this coming for a long time and especially since opening the healing room have I known that we're incomplete without miracles.

1Cor12 is the chapter to find the mention of miraculous powers and the working of miracles and it seems evident they are to be a part of the normal function of the Body. I was wondering what comes first, those who work miracles or the miracles. Are those with miraculous powers in our midst now, only latent, or does the Lord send a miracle and someone suddenly become a miracle worker? And if it's a gift why isn't it as apparent as other gifts we easily identify?

I don't really need to know these things but I will confess that I want to be a worker of miracles and I want the gifts of healings. I eagerly desire them and thus I think about how it happens.

One thing I more and more reject is the soverignty (sp?) of God theory that attributes healings and miracles to God's soverign nature, meaning He heals when he wants and does miracles when he wants and nobody can break the code of when he will and when he won't. He's God and it just happens as he sees fit. I don't buy it since it doesn't fit with the picture of Christ redeeming man to do his works on the earth. Somehow we are involved with this whole thing, right up to our ears.

Pa

I need a bike ride

2006-01-06T13:17:00.000-07:00

I've been at work 4 days in 2006 and am already looking forward to vacation time. It promises to be an interesting year. I looked at my daytimer and it said "bike ride at 3pm" so that's where I'm headed later on. It's wierd to be able to ride my bike outside in January.

I don't fully understand what's going on with TW, can somebody give me the details? I feel love in the air but is there more than that??

Got a book I ordered from Amazon about the life of Alexander the Great. Tough to read with all those Greek names but very interesting. Certainly interesting to see how Greek thought and ideas have stretched across the centuries to our own time. Also interesting to see what kind of world Paul (much later) walked into. To say it would be totally bereft of Christian thought would be accurate and to say that Christian thought was the opposite to Greek ideas would also be accurate. Homosexuality, for example, was commonplace and accepted, as was murder, theft and the total subjection of people.

Anyway, no more time to type, back to work.

Pa

What I liked best about the Christmas holidays

2006-01-02T11:04:00.000-07:00

1. Thinking about how the whole deal is about the Christ and how I get to live in a time when not only the Christ is present but the Holy Spirit has been poured out on all flesh too. Like anybody with a sense of Kingdom theology I sense the end is at hand.

2. Spending time with Ma; just being with her and doing stuff together. You won't know what I'm talking about until you've been married 30 + years too.

3. Having Andy here.

4. Listening to some of Bryan's songs he laid down when he went to Ohio. I got a whole new revelation about that young feller.

5. Having missionaries we know stay at our place a whole day so we could talk and pray with them.

6. Being surprised by how much I don't like the organizational church.

7. Being surprised as I walked down the hall of a low income apartment building delivering a Christmas hamper and hearing, "This is real church, don't ever get it mixed up with the event on Sunday".

8. Ice fishing in my new tent, the "ice cube".

9. Skating around the whole perimeter of Lac la Nonne. 18km, 1.5 hours. The skate adds to the bike around I did last year, just before it snowed. Next up is to ski it.

10. Listening to a stressed out, over-worked, exhausted Bobbie laugh one night after supper. It was pure joy.

The Lord gave me a number of words over Christmas and today I'm mulling over this one: "Godliness with contentment is great gain". I think it's sort of a backwards New Years resolution, finding contentment rather than making all sorts of resolutions.

Here's to being content, no matter what, and finding God in it.

Pa

happy snappy

2005-12-30T09:11:00.000-07:00

Pa just left for a moutain bike ride with some buddies. It has been a while since he has ridden with them so he is happy. There is no snow but the trails will likely be slick. It was weird having a brown Christmas! but I love the mild weather and the fact that our lake is one huge skating rink. We had some friends out on Tuesday and most everyone skated all the way to the other side of the lake and touched the other shore. Kayle and Andy and another friend then proceeded to do that again in the dark. It is freaky skating on a lake in the dark. you can see nothing but blackness unless you happen to look up and see the stars. You can't even see your own feet! much less the person next to you. Tom and I are headed back to the cabin later today. Kayle and co. and Aaron and Bobbie will come for New Year's Eve. Sadly, Andy will be leaving on New Year's Day. It has been awesome having him here.
Well I should make a move. i have to pack for the cabin and exchange some clothes i got for Christmas.
Happy New Year!

Say to the daughter of Zion,
"See, your Saviour comes!
See his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him."
They will be called the Holy People,
the Redeemed of the Lord;
and you will be called Sought After, the City No Longer Deserted.
Isaiah 62:11-13.

Picture 4

2005-12-22T13:29:00.000-07:00

This painting was exactly what I wanted to do, even though it doesn't look like much. I wanted to get the wash technique to do what I wanted and I was successful. I want to continue to bring it down and fill in the bottom of the painting, but at the time I was painting it I was satisfied that it was finished. This is on really cheap paper and I want to get the wash thing down so I can do it on a real canvas. If I can ever figure out how to make color vibrant I'd like to make these sorts of plain paintings simple but vibrant.

Picture 3

2005-12-22T13:24:00.000-07:00

I don't have a title for this one yet. I was trying to create upward movement with the yellow lines and a sort of convergence at the top. I liked how the paint moved around on this one, I used lots of water.

Picture 2

2005-12-22T13:17:00.000-07:00

This picture is called, "After Uzzah". It is a picture of the ark of the covenant after Uzzah had touched it and died. The poles for carrying it properly are not yet affixed but will soon be, and it will then be carried by the priests. The view is from the top and I feel like you can see right into the ark and right into the seething holiness of the Lord. The blue outer shell is simply a shell that contains the presence of the Lord.

This was a fluke picture that just happened and I find that I get the title immediately in those cases.

Painting

2005-12-22T13:09:00.000-07:00

This picture is standing on end, but no matter. The title is "The Serpent". The black lines are the serpent invading the garden of eden. I have never thought of the serpent as plural but after painting this it seems obvious that 'the' serpent, if singular in form, was certainly plural in effect.

Pa

Faith isn't from us

2005-12-22T09:03:00.000-07:00

Last night a person on our healing team told me how little faith she had for healing right now. This was spurred by the fact that her kids are sick and her clients are dying (she is a palliative care nurse). I've been noticing that when people say those sorts of things there is something in me that goes 'wonk' or 'tilt' and I know that what we are saying is somehow wrong.

It's sort of like if we kept going from full love to little love with the people around us, or from loving our jobs to not being able to stand them, or from joy to despair, bouncing up and down all the time. None of us can ride broncs like that and stay on very long. Sooner or later we just loose our grip and end up with a mouth full of dirt.

Back to the faith thing. I notice that Paul says that faith is "not from yourselves, it is the gift of God", which tells me why I go 'tilt' when I hear people saying they have such little faith. Seems to me that if it is God giving the faith then it's probably not weak or little. It's likely adequate and sufficient and not an empty gift.

So I am going to try and change my vocabulary. I am going to assume I have all the faith I need at all times and that it is "not by works, so no one can boast" and is not from me but is a gift from God. I am going to assume God is right and knows what he is doing. And I am not going to label this gift of faith as 'weak' or 'little'. I'll assume it's strong.

Sometimes we just have to make our minds up about this stuff.

Pa

BGO

2005-12-21T13:34:00.000-07:00

Trying to keep up to Aaron I have single handedly (yes, it is difficult for me even though riding my mountain bike on ice isn't) loaded my ipod with nothing but brain food. I have the Book of Luke, two sermons from Bad Boy Bill Johnson and the third teaching on the Song of Solomon from Mike Bickle.

This is all I have since I can't stand trying to figure out where on my idpod shuffle resides such and such a teaching. So I keep it to five or so and don't have to look long.

If you thought I was smart before, look out now, this is the equivalent to mainlining dope. The effect is similar too, since your brain expands to new levels of glory, only to forget most of it within a day. But I'm going with the 'volume' theory, just like the one that says if you listen to tapes when you sleep your subconcious actually learns and retains. I figure if I ram enough volume brainward some will surely catch on the odd neural protrusion.

Last night was the Healing Room and I had another of my BGO's. That stand for 'blinding glimpse of the obvious'. We were praying for a person with diabetes and I suddenly saw/felt all the ways the enemy had used to steal from this person via this affliction. Everything from stealing years of life to stealing hopes for marriage and children, hopes for normal physcial existence and hopes for joyfulness again. I saw how sickness truly steals, kills and destroys at all levels, not just the physical.

It was a BGO, but it enlarged my awareness of sickness and the roots of it. I think it clarified the fact that sickness just isn't OK in the life of the believer and that my response to it couldn't be nonchalant. One thing about the devil is that he is true to form - lies, stealing, destroying, killing, and one thing about God is that he is true to form too - truth, restoring, redeeming, giving life.

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow.
Pa

Capital

2005-12-19T19:42:00.000-07:00

I must admit I have been wondering about becoming as sick as I did. I know this is getting boring and everybody gets sick but I don't get sick like that and I've been turning it over in my mind. A couple of people have said it's due to my stepping out in the healing room, or preaching like I knew what I was saying, and that the enemy attacked.

The 'attack' thing is well worn in charismatic circles and I don't really care to listen to it as the source of all woe in our lives but it does hold true from time to time and can't be ignored as an option.

Another brother thought it might be the Lord bringing my immunity up to speed, so to speak. Since I so rarely get sick he felt it might be a time of immunization, after which I would experience another long period of freedom from sickness. I love free thinkers like that.

I think maybe I'll just go with the Proverb of the times: Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger - and leave it at that. Still, I wonder about it...

Ma and I were out shopping today. Christmas is well warped to North American capitalistic culture and I, being a capitalist, enjoy spending capital. I don't try to mix my religion and my capitalistic flesh and just plain out enjoy the material side of Christmas. The spiritual side is better, of course, but the material side is fun too. You can mix them and make it all work together if you really need to. I only wish I had tons of money and could just buy whatever I see for people.

I saw a really nice ice fishing tent that I might just buy for me. Not because I deserve it but because I have capital and can buy it if I want. I also saw a really nice LOOK bike for $4,300 and an Norco for $3,000. I'm impressed by the Norco machine, not a brand you'd equate with high end bikes but a company giving it a whirl. Go Canada. Both these bikes are half the price of the bike I'd buy if I had more capital than I could spend as quickly as I normally can and are contenders for 'tom's new bike'.

I need a new bike and it has been prophesied that I shall have one. The prophecy said it would be red and the LOOK bike was a nice shiny red. At times like these I have no problem mixing my religion and my capitalistic flesh because my religion can now serve a very important purpose, that of obtaining a new bike. It's gotta be good for something doesn't it??

Christmas is fun. Make sure you have some and don't spare the capital. Lots more where that came from. This is especially important if you are a citizen of the USA. Spend lots of money and get your economy going, you're in big trouble down there. It's up to you Christians.

Pa

Left Behind

2005-12-15T18:33:00.000-07:00

Being too sick and weak to make the foray to the movie theater to watch TLWW I have been left behind. Ma headed out with all the kids and for once doesn't have to compete with me for popcorn, we being the kind of people who only buy one bag between the two of us, and double the butter if you please.

I am not too weak to paint with my usual genius and have just done the second round of masterstrokes on a painting I have entitled Creative Redemption Acts Portrayed, or CRAP for short. The only thing I like about it is the shiny silver paint that catches the light when I hold it just right. And yes, TW, I will let it speak to me.

Speak O Toothless One! Declare your muse. Sing of the wonder you contain. Rouse yourself to glories of revelation. You who are no more than pigment and paper. Find voice! Utter forth!

I promise to send pictures and a full text of the speech.
Pa

To Tylenol

2005-12-13T17:55:00.000-07:00

Tylenol Blue, Tylenol Blue,
I am most grateful for the things that you do.

Tylenol Yellow, Tylenol Yellow
During the day I'm a much happier fellow.

From where comes your wondrous power?
And how does it continue, hour by hour?

Thank you for seeing me through the valley of death,
I was sure I was drawing my last ragged breath.

You tackled the fever, wrassled the pain,
Helped me to sleep, helped me maintain.

So here's to you, Tylenol, I drink to your name,
And I pray I will never need you again.

We love...

2005-12-13T14:42:00.000-07:00

Poor Tom is still pretty sick but we keep praying for a speedy recovery. It is ironic that he is too sick to pray for healing in the healing room tonight. Kayle is going to take his place.

Friends who have been missionaries in east asia came for a visit yesterday. We were able to hear about their adventures ( they have 5 kids so that adds to the fun) and to pray for them. It was such fun to see them. We have been praying for them and in contact through emails for 5 years and had met only briefly before that. We feel amazing connection with them though and felt as if they were well known family when they walked through the door. I love the family God has given us and it is cool to connect through this blog now. Thanks for welcoming us in! Priscilla I love your writing and the way you communicate your love. I wish more people knew of their "position in Christ" the way you do. We would truly be world changing history makers if we walked out of that position...knowing His incredible love for us.

could we with ink the ocean fill
and were the skies of parchment made
were every stalk on earth a quill
and every man a scribe by trade
to write the love of God above
would drain the ocean dry
nor could the scroll contain the whole
though stretched from sky to sky.

We love because he loved us first.

Sicko, Sicko, Sicko

2005-12-11T18:50:00.000-07:00

So here it is - I fought the sickness all night, got up an preached about healing then prayed for the sick, then came hope and am once again in battle against that spirit with the needle that keeps sticking deep into my joints and grinding against the bones.

There is a train of thought in the church that says as long as I don't actually say the words of sickness or say I am sick that the affliction cannot take root. That's like prophesying things that are as if they are not, which is not prophesy and has no effect.

So I'm telling you I'm a Sicko. But I am being healed and am prophesying over my body things that are not as if they are (I'm sick but I prophesy healing). I won't come into agreement with the sickness (although maybe I just did) but have opened the door and am trying to kick it out.

Due to the deep aching I had to hit the bathtub at full temperature. Ma thought I overdid it but the man with the needle couldn't take it and had to get out. Unfortunately, my 6'3" frame does not easily fit into any bathtub, and the fact that my legs are about 4 feet long doesn't help. There's always a random assortment of joints sticking above the water for the needle man.

I just thought of the plunge pools at Fairmont Hot Springs where you jump in the one that is almost boiling for about thirty seconds then plunge in the one that has a skim of ice on it. That's what I need right now! The last time I did it my heart almost locked up on me but the needle man would be defeated!

Here's to health and a magnificent week of increase for you.
Pa

Today's the day

2005-12-11T08:59:00.000-07:00

I preach/teach today at church (hopefully a bit of both) and, once again, it was an interesting ride. This time it was a never ending parade of revelation, right up until this morning. The Lord pointed out stuff continually as the weeks went by and it really helped my initial outline.

I'm teaching on healing and one clear thing the Lord pointed out was that the nature of the Kingdom (I'm doing a 'healing in the Kingdom' type thing) is always advancement and always increase. I listened to a few Bill Johnson sermons over the past while and heard him saying exactly, and I mean exactly, what the Lord had pointed out to me.

So often in healing we position ourselves for decrease. As Todd Bentley says, 'People don't get healed because they like being sick'. What he means is that we don't actively position ourselves for healing but for sickness. I happened to get very sick yesterday, with deep pain in my body and a fever but I felt God telling me to resist, resist, resist and not agree with it. It was an object lesson. In the middle of the night I could feel that my heart beat was quite elevated and I thought, "This sickness is really affecting my heartrate". Then suddenly I thought, "Wait a minute...my heartrate is affecting this sickness, I am being healed not becoming sick". Semantics? Could be, but Todd is right, we think sick first.

I see nothing but increase when I look at the healings of Jesus. Never do I see decrease. The only time I see him talking about decrease is when he takes away from the unfaithful to give to the faithful (i.e. the talents). The faithful always position themselves for increase.

In healing, when you're 10% healed you need to get really excited because the Kingdom of God is upon you. And if the Kingdom is upon you the healing will increase.

One last thing. Do you notice that we have the increase thing down to a science when it comes to money? Lots of wild and wacky teachings there and lots of excitement about financial increase. Need to move that over to healing too.

Pa

Destiny or Dissing

2005-12-05T18:46:00.000-07:00

You got a choice; you can keep on dissing or you can start calling destiny. Dissing everything is easier and makes the flesh go all proud, destiny is harder because you might have to do some work to get there.

I gave this word at church about the Lord calling men to Purity and Mr Diss-head said to me, "I wish it were that easy, the church sucks at helping men in this area". Hey, thanks for the radical faith statment, hope you do better on the sermon.

Mr Destiny, eyes seeing into another realm entirely and looking right through me spake thus: "It's my dream to work with men in this area and to learn to walk together as warriors". Preach it Brother; somebody find this guy a microphone so he can start busting up men's hearts right now.

Hey, Mr Diss-face! Get your sad ass over here and listen up. Mr Destiny has something to say to you. He's got ears that hear and eyes that see so pay attention.

I think it's a born again problem. You cannot SEE the Kingdom of God unless you are born again. And that doesn't mean SEE when you get to heaven, it means see right now.

Should have seen that guy's eyes......... really gone on a trip to the beyond. Don't touch him, he's not really here right now. Might disappear altogether since it's only his body standing here.

The rest of him is in the Age to Come walking around with Destiny. He'll be back before long, but not before he gets a fire in his heart for what he sees and feels and knows is true. Then watch out. You can't stop a man that knows his destiny.

Pa

A weekend at home.

2005-12-04T21:21:00.000-07:00

I am a little nervous about posting my first "blog", especially after the wonderful posts from Pa who has a beautiful way with words and crafts them with wisdom, insight and inspiration. But he is Pa and I am Ma... so here goes:
It is cold and snowy here now ( always safe to talk about the weather!). That reminds me of the conversation I had on Saturday with Katieanne about snow tires! Actually it was not really a conversation but a laughasation. Nothing terribly funny either but I always laugh when I hear her or am near her and it is good. Speaking of being near someone I had a very cool experience at the gathering of Artists at Aaron and Bobbie's place on Friday night. (It was an awesome meeting by the way and I was blown away by the passion and giftedness of those present, so proud and amazed at them all that I could have wept... and did a little bit!) But back to the "cool experience": I felt your presence Trisha Wheeler! It was as if you were actually sitting there with us all and I could feel your joy and that you were excited about what God was doing and were generally just cheering everybody on. It was truly amazing! Thanks for your prayers.
So that was Friday night. On Saturday I went to a garden centre with Bobbie and we had so much fun picking out Pointsettias and some other gifts (because we are well into the Christmas shopping and hoping to be well out of it by this week~!). Anyway I got a HUGE pink Pointsettia and it is so beautiful!
Saturday night Pa and I went to see "Pride and Prejudice". He is so great being willing to see that type of movie with me. I loved it. We saw the trailer for Chronicles of Narnia and I am so excited to see that movie. I reread all the books in anticipation so I am ready!
Sunday was fun too. Aaron and Bobbie came for lunch and stayed also for supper. (Pa's pancakes Yum... actually pancakes are not my favourite supper but I would choose having them cooked for me over cooking something myself any time. And as pancakes go, Pa makes the best! Andy you will taste them for yourself on Christmas morning! )
Another highlight of the weekend was decorating gingerbread men with Bobbie. Actually they were decorated with icing but Bobbie helped me! She is so creative I do about 10 in the time it takes her to do one but hers are awesome. I will eat some for you all!
I have to bake a couple more things soon so we can send some to Geordie and Stef. I will sure miss having them around for Christmas. First Christmas ever without Geord. WAAAAA!
I must get to bed now although I may not have to get up early for my morning run. My cut off temperature is minus 25 and it is supposed to be minus 29 with the wind chill!

Give you Joy

2005-12-02T08:26:00.000-07:00

Give you joy, and welcome aboard.

I'm not a big reader of fiction but I can read historical fiction and just picked up another novel by Patrick O'Brian set in the era when Britannia ruled the waves. I think it's my 8th in his series of 18 or so.

Everyone has a creative gift in them and I find mine coming out when I read this type of fiction. I'm lost aboard the ship, sails set or guns blazing, lost in the history of an era well past but somehow still resonating inside of me. I love the pictures of leadership, decisive action and duty to the King (King George I think). And I love the language: 'give you joy' is a greeting given to everyone coming on board the vessel.

Interestingly, each Man of War ship had a Parson aboard, charged to see the souls of all the men through, be it to heaven should they perish in battle, or back to their homeland should they survive, without falling into grevious sin in either case. Church was rigged each Sunday on the foredeck where the men turned out in their best suit of clothing, sang hymns and listened to the word preached.

Sailors were incredibly superstitious, believing in such things as the spirit of Jonah which was manifest in a disastrous voyage where the whole ship was imperiled. The 'Jonah' had to be found out and quitely tossed over the side before the Parson could catch you, or, better yet, be convinced to jump over on his own accord.

I hope to meet some of these Parsons in heaven some day. You'll find us sitting down by the docks chatting away while the tall ships sit silent in the harbour. Join in, you'll have lots of time to hear stories from an age where men were perhaps more gallant and certainly more durable. And ready to die for King and country.

Pa

The Healing Room

2005-11-30T15:30:00.000-07:00

Ma and I were at the healing room last night, just like every Tuesday night. I wonder how long it will take for Peter's healing? He's still sick but we often see visions of him healed. I've decided that the day he gets healed I'm going to do something radical like run up and down the streets screaming out the news. Can't get drunk because I don't drink anymore.

I'm at least going to dance with him at church and scream and yell since I know he's going to cut loose once he's cut loose. Maybe I'll cry and pee my pants too, I don't know. My kids can pack me out and take me home. Ma too, but she might not pee her pants, being not as used to that as I am. She's more into the screaming and yelling and stomping her tiny little feet. Look out when she gets going.

Peter's a body builder so I can't wait to see him all healed up and able to use his body again. Not sure what might get smashed up and torn apart or lifted over his head. He used to be able to bench press over 500lbs. That's serious weight people. Maybe he'll lift me over his head and twirl me around.....but that'd be trouble if the pee thing was happening.

Should be quite a sight when Peter gets healed. We'll give you the full report when it happens.

Pa

Authority

2005-11-29T13:12:00.000-07:00

I'm working away on my sermon about what the words 'heal, healed, cured, recover' mean (you would be surprised) and finding out that not all healings are created equal when all of a sudden the Lord starts telling me about authority. I do know a portion of the world that says when you hear God talking to you it's time for the nut house but I figure it's part of the normal Christian life. He's big on revelation but I will admit English is not his native tongue. I sometimes have to ask him to clarify things like 'give $500' because he sometimes gets his words mixed up. Sometimes. But not real often. Well...maybe never.

Anyway, the Lord reminds me that Jesus never once said 'I give you power to heal', he always said 'I give you authority to heal'. So I start going through all the authority scriptures and find out that, once again, God knows what he is talking about. He has given me and you authority to heal. Not just power, not just faith, not just the gift - Authority.

Then He points out John 10.17-18 where Jesus said he has authority to lay down his life and authority to pick it up again. His was raised from the dead by his own powerful act of authority. That was news to me, I always thought it was his Father that raised him from the dead.

That's what I like about teaching and preaching; the Spirit teaches you so much and the Word gets a chance to do some talking in your life.

Pa

The Cabin

2005-11-28T20:51:00.000-07:00

Ma and I headed to the cabin this weekend. Silent. Still. Very cold until the fire gets going. You can feel the stress ooze out of you into the ground. It's always a place of healing for us.

I majored in riding my mtn bike on the gnarly trails and only getting bucked off twice. As I was riding back home down the highway I thought I'd detour across a fence, into a field and onto the Klondike Trail. I've wanted to see and be on that trail for a couple of years now and since I was on a ride I was master of the universe and could do what I wanted.

I rode it for 5km until it hit the river, all the while feeling the men and packhorses that used it to trek to the Klondike. Hudson's Bay packhorses started using it 151 years ago and it's rutted about a foot deep in places. You'd think it would be straight but it twists and turns around the trees and winds up and down the hills. It was a special time of history for me and I kept marvelling that I was actually on the very same trail thousands of men used to chase the promise of gold.

Then I went back to the cabin and chopped a few trees down for a rail fence we're going to build. Then I split some wood. Then I went in the cabin and fell asleep for a while. After that I roasted some hot dogs over the fire.

Thank you God for our cabin.

Shalom

2005-11-25T08:35:00.000-07:00

I was praying this morning and started praying Shalom over and over again. The fullness of the word means' peace, safety, prosperity and well being'. I spoke it out loud over everything that came to my mind and things just kept coming and coming and coming.

I spoke it over my circumstances, my bank account, my relationships, my church, my kids...everything I could think of. I felt it was God making good on his promise that the spoken word will bring actual effect on that over which it is spoken.

Let me speak it over you, "Shalom". Did you feel it? If not, there may be a distance factor involved and you might have to wait a few seconds. But it will get to you.

Shalom,
Pa