Exploring the Arts and My place in Creation


Exploring the Arts and My place in Creation - - - - - - - - Please visit my art blog at www.digidoodle.me


Monday, June 30, 2008

Tim and Phil CD Release Party


My friends Tim and Phil celabrated the release of their 2nd CD called Wide Open. The event was held at our new church and proceeds were donated to the building fund. We had about 185 people. It was really neat to see a vision of where we are heading. The place was packed.


I had the good fortune to meet one of my favourite Bass players, Fergus Marsh. He played with Bruce Cockburn band for a number of years. He plays something called the Chapmans STICK. This is a very unique instrument. Go to You tube and type in Chapman Stick and be prepared to be wowed. Fergus was very approachable and I enjoyed conversation with him. Fergus released a CD called Spirit Moves which is very interesting. If you go to Fergus' myspace and click on "WORTHY" you can hear this tune. I would highly recommend this CD for your collection.


Wednesday, June 18, 2008

stuff part 19

I am on the launch team for our church plant "Crossings" in Acton. We have an awesome team. God has richly blessed us with talent and spirit of one-ness. Somehow, in the height of disagreement, there is concensus. While we all have differant ideas, likes and dislikes, we are united by Gods Holy Spirit. We have an amazing Pastor who is perfectly suited for the job. We have a number of families who's dedication to God and the vision to make Christ more visible in Acton, led them to buy a local bar. This wasnt just any bar. This was the worst bar for miles. It was nick named "the bucket of blood" and it was an absolute den of iniquity. Now Gods praises can be heard resonating from that building. Some people who used to frequent the bar, are returning under differant circumstances.

The music director, Tim, who is also on the launch team, decided to focus more on the music venue. Part of the plan is to have a community entertainment venue. We will bring in bands, hold concerts and functions in the Roxy Music Hall. Tim will focus on Roxy music as we get closer to opening. In fact, there will be an album release party there in a couple of weeks. The youth currently use the hall for open mic, once a month. This brings in about 100 youth per event. Some of these youth come out on Sundays now.

I was appointed the new music director. My function is to take responsibility for the praise and worship music program at Crossings Church. We have a number of fine and aspiring musicians. We also know that more will be coming. Many of these musicians are "new to Christ". As music drector it will be important for me to encourage and help grow our musicians.

We have announced a sign up sheet for anyone who wants to be on the Praise Team. We have been recruiting now for a few weeks, and it is time to begin. We have about a dozen people with varying musical talent. We have elected to have one Praise Team and rotate musicians, versus establishing seperate teams. There are pros and cons for each. We just think that right now we want to maintain a spirit of one-ness. Lesser musicians will have opportunity to play with good musicians. We will all come to the table with the gifts that God has given us and we will give back to Him in the form of praise and edification and glorification and celebration AND we will do it together. I must get to work with an agenda ASAP for our first meeting.

I am also on the creative worship planning team. We met last night for the first time. It has been very easy for us to put together Sunday service so far and this worries us a little. We want to be fresh and new and creative. We want to use all methods at our disposal to point our town to the living Christ. We felt it was important for us to begin to really plan for creativity, lest we get caught in a rut. It is important to us that every service have continuity and connectedness. Creativity yes, but also purposeful intent. We want the sermon or faith talk topic to be the centre piece. Scripture and music will support the theme. Creativity such as drama, film, decor, service order, apparel, should be use to accentuate and puncuate the message. We want simplicity yet complexity. While "production" can be a sore point for some, we want our services to be "produced" and almost like an "event". YET, our orthodox beleifs demand that we maintain some of the essentials. for example, we share communion every sunday.

Our message is ultra Evangelical. Our intent is not so much to equip our people, but to kick them out into our community to serve and learn as we go. We are tired of the concept of gathering in our safe places to "learn" while our towns and communities are dying. We believe that God wants us out in our communities serving so that people can see Christ through us. We dont want to be a come and see church, but a go and do church. We want a culture of community servanthood. We encourage interaction with "less fortunate" or those who practice alternate lifestyle. With love and a spirit of "non confrontation" or judgmentalism, we will serve and interact with a great big Jesus smile on our face. As we live our faith before others, they will see. They will sense. They will begin to yearn to return to the Father.

After 4 beers at a local tavern, one fellow finally got enough nerve to ask me a "religious" question. I knew it was a question that he had wanted to ask. I knew he wanted to talk. When he felt safe enough he did. I am not a drinker but I like a drink. I tend to nurse my drinks. I dont particularly care for the language and culture in the bar. In fact it makes me feel sad. As I over hear and listen to surrounding conversation I am struck at how much people truly need Jesus. I find myself wishing and praying that their lives would be changed. That "fun loving misery" always proves shallow and trapping. Its like a dog returning to its vomit. Through that, I see hurting, needing people. Having a strong sense of "Christ in me", I feel compassion and yes love. It makes me want to return to that sorry place. I know they know that I am a Christian and I think it puzzles them a little, yet they welcome me. Its like us Christians are aliens. I force myself to go there twice a month. I dont preach. I drink and eat and take part in conversation.

My friend Ron frequents the same bar in town. He is not a drinker either. He goes for the food. He has become kinda like "the wise man" amongst the bar gooers. They seek his advice and they download their problems to him. He is gracious and listens, provides guidance and advice. He also welcomes them to faith. He is NOT an evangelist in the term that we think, yet he is a quiet giant. He is not afraid of this place. He eats there daily with God's glow about him.

Well its late and I should actually go to bed. I tihnk I rambled a bit...oh well.

blessings to you and yours and remember to practice some form of random kindness today.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Simple Home Remedies

AMAZINGLY SIMPLE HOME REMEDIES

1. If you are choking on an ice cube, don't panic.
Simply pour a cup of boiling water down your throat and
Presto, the blockage will be almost instantly removed.

2. Clumsy? Avoid cutting yourself while slicing
Vegetables by getting someone else to hold them while
You chop away.

3. You can avoid arguments with the Mrs. About lifting
The toilet seat just by using the sink.

4. For high blood pressure sufferers: simply cut
Yourself and bleed for a few minutes, thus reducing the
Pressure in your veins. Remember to use an egg timer.

5. A mouse trap placed on top of your alarm clock will
Prevent you from rolling over and going back to sleep
After you hit the snooze button.

6. If you have a bad cough, take a large dose of
Laxatives. Then you will be afraid to cough.

7. Have a bad toothache? Smash your thumb with a
Hammer and you will forget all about the toothache.

8. Sometimes, we just need to remember what the rules
Of life really are:

In life, you only need two tools - WD-40 and Duct Tape.
If it doesn't move but should, use the WD-40.
If it should not move and does, use the duct tape.

9. Remember: Everyone seems normal until you get to
Know them.

10. Never pass up an opportunity to go to the bathroom.

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Permission Granted

Well two and a half years ago I began a feasability study of relocating to Northern Ontario. I have been watching and visiting real estate. I've been investigating employment. I've been dreaming of a new way of life. When I announced my desire to my family they were definately NOT in favour. We decided as a family that I would not disrupt the children with their schooling. I promised my daughter that we would stay long enough for her to finish high school. I even gave her permission for a victory lap. I decided that it would be best for me to play nicely and not cause my family too much stress. I have however been persitant and insistant that the time is rapidly approaching. My wife finally agreed that she could handle a move. She told me she would stick with me wherever we go. She asked me not to go TOO FAR North. She vitoed Timmins. She agreed to Sudbury/North Bay. I am pleased with that as North Bay has become my playground and favourite city. After my last visit, my daughter said.........

"OK Daddy. I am ready. If you want to move us to North Bay I can handle it. I will go if thats what you want to do. All I ask is that you find us a place with a weeping willow and a swing."

So......I have a large number of things to acheive before we move and I know I can begin now. I will invest a wad of dough on my old school house to bring it up to standards. I need to make about 50 trips to the dump and perhaps donate a bunch of stuff to charity and garage sales. I need to put in new windows and doors. I need to paint and do a bit of landscaping. I need to talk to my real estate friend. I will unofficially put the place up for sale right away and sell if the right person comes along, otherwise I would be ready for a for an official sale sign probably for next spring. While I would like to go right now, I suspect it is still prudent to allow my darling daughter to finish in the school she has grown up in.

I am happy.

Monday, June 09, 2008

Stranded!..kind of...





Well I got stranded in the bush with nothing but an ATV and all my fishing stuff....poor me. We blew a tire on our trailer and my buddy Mike had to drive home for parts. He asked if I minded waiting with the ATV. Its was a tough job but someone had to do it. While Mike drove back to his place I found myself a hot little fishing spot.

First cast I nailed a Pike. Second cast I nailed a Smallmouth Bass. I caught several fish before heading back to our meeting spot. To bad that Smallmouth Bass was out of season because I caught 2 in the 4-5 pound class.

Our little breakdown put me a few hours behind schedule and I didnt get home until midnight....oh well.
Mike took me to several of his "secret" hiding spots. When we arrivd at this lake I spotted a nice big flat rock and jumped over several boulders to get to it. Mike told me he has slept a number of times on that very rock....Great minds think alike. After about half an hour he took me to some waterfalls on the Sturgeon River called Goose Falls. Absolutely breathtaking! What a wonderful playground!

Friday, June 06, 2008

stuff Part 9

I am heading to North Bay tonight after work. Its about 30 degrees out there and the sun is blistering. Its gonna be a great day for a drive. It will probably take 6 hours…..but well worth it. Some day we shall move there. Here is a place I’m looking at this weekend. Its still too premature but its nice to look. This place is in the budget. Small 2 bedroom but it has a bunkie, a sauna and a covered boat house. It is on Lake Nippissing. Sue and I were dreaming of our morning coffee on the deck. Its also within city limits so one could walk to amenities.

I went for noodles today at lunch and the chef had a pair of glasses on that were definitely broken. He had tied a number of colorful elastic bands together to keep them on his head. While part of me feels sorry that things are so tough that he cant afford glasses, the other part of me laughs. He seemed quite pleased and content with his invention. Necessity is the mother of invention.

My daughter lost her $100.00 pair of Birkinstalks. I have obviously spelled that wrong but I don’t care. She had put the sandals on top of the roof of outr van and then drove off. She tried to back track and find them last night but we had a heck of a storm. She and I got up at 6am this morning and followed her route. We found them! There were on a dirt road at the bottom of a great big hill. Deb was relieved