Next Adventure in 3...2...1...

When you seek out adventure, half the fun is waiting to see what will actually happen... half the terror is also waiting to see what will happen!

Just a little over 6 months ago our family committed to looking for the next adventure.  We didn't have much of a plan, but knew it was time to move on from where we were.  We weren't sure where we would end up, but we were open to anything.  I know not everyone shares the faith system we have, but we believe that if we seek out God's will in each decision we make, step out in faith, God is moving with us throughout all the choices we make. We also believe that when you look to do what is right  there isn't one set path, because God is working it out with us.

So guess what?
We're going back into the life of camp! 
I have just accepted the role of Director at Camp Kadesh, in Christopher Lake, Saskatchewan.

Camp Kadesh is an awesome camp with some great people.  They have an excellent team in place already and were seeking a Director that could take on things like marketing, budgets, strategy, vision.... the fun stuff that became little add-on parts in my past role, but wasn't really my job. I'm really excited to take on a new leadership role and work with the full time staff, seasonal staff, board and volunteers that have already poured many years into the camp.  It is going to be a challenge to learn (again!) the culture, traditions and history of a camp, but it really excites us as a family to get this chance to be part of camp community again.

When we left the camp world, I don't think we ever expected to be going back into camp life this soon. Sometimes you just don't know what you have 'til it's gone.  (feel free to sing along)  We will be leaving (Brea and the kids via plane, me via U-haul truck for the loooooong drive) for camp on Jan 31st and will hit the ground running in the first week of February. We know this is short notice for some people. For us, this is the end of months of transition and waiting to see what would be next and we are ready for this.

Along the way we have some big thank yous to give.  First, to Andy and Ang MacDonald (and their awesome kids) who provided us a place to stay for as long as we needed it.  As a family, they disrupted their lives to make space for us. It will be sad to to leave "the farm" but we are grateful we got to live there and get to know them all so much better. 
Secondly to Jon Hisey and Yake Engineered Systems.  Jon let me come back to a job I hadn't done in over 6 years and jump right back in.  He was willing to let me be looking for what was next and I hope I helped accomplish some things while I have been working for the company.  Make sure if you're in the market for audio, video, lighting or any and all things multimedia to contact them about their services.

The direction of the next adventure has been plotted.
Now to find out what it looks like!

Remembering Dan Fisher

I got news today that one of the best teachers I ever had has passed away.  We knew him as Dan Fisher, he was Daniel Fish in the non broadcasting world.  (try saying Dan Fish with the news, and the 'with' can come out funny, that why he changed it for radio)  The Waterloo Record has his memorial write up.  As much as death happens, you're never quite ready for it.  I sort of regret not talking to him more the last time I saw him at a get together of a bunch of my class mates a few years ago.   He will be missed by a lot of people

I had Dan Fisher as an instructor at Conestoga College.  He was the teacher of the radio lab, training of all the on air elements of a radio station.  He was a good teacher, both an encourager, but also not one to soften his evaluation.  In a way I'm glad I didn't have to work for him in radio, because I still remember some of my classmates who got so upset about the review he gave of their on-air abilities.  Some would say he had favourites, I think he had an ear for talent or at least potential, and knowing what the broadcast world was going to be like, pushed us and didn't coddle.  I think he thought that if someone was going to quit because they were harshly evaluated it was better to see them quit in their first year of school, before the tried to get jobs in the industry.  I wonder what it would have been like to have him as a PD or GM.... when money and rating were on the line.

If I was ever any good at announcing, I think I own some of it to him.   He encouraged me and helped me to be good at what I do (did).  He was a fun guy and actually cared about his students.   I'm sure there will be a lot of Conestoga BRT students that will miss him like I do.   He was a good man.

Being Easter weekend, I have to pause in thinking about how good he was, and wonder did he know Jesus?  He was involved in church, but I don't know what his deep faith thoughts were.   It make me sad to not know.   I hope that Dan Fish loved Jesus and someday I will see him again.   To hear his laugh and see his smile would make me happy.   I pray that I do again.

Preach it Shane

Shane Claiborne has a great article in Esquire addressed to those who don't follow Christ.

At one point Gandhi was asked if he was a Christian, and he said, essentially, "I sure love Jesus, but the Christians seem so unlike their Christ." A recent study showed that the top three perceptions of Christians in the U. S. among young non-Christians are that Christians are 1) antigay, 2) judgmental, and 3) hypocritical. So what we have here is a bit of an image crisis, and much of that reputation is well deserved. That's the ugly stuff. And that's why I begin by saying that I'm sorry.

I'm glad to see a person like Share Claiborne get such a platform to be read by a wide audience.

Kid Blogging

So just in case it is not (blog) public knowledge, Brea and I are expecting our first baby around March 13th.   Acording to various pregnacy books, she is at the stage where she should be feeling the little guy kick and move (or yeah, we know we are having a boy).   This morning before church she was lamenting that while the book was rather certain that she should be feeling him, she had felt nothing.  He was quite a moving little guy when we saw him on the untralsound, so it's supprising that she wasn't feeling anything. We headed off to church  (which I will post about as well), sat down and during the worship set an older man in front of us began praying out in a loud voice.  Brea was already feeling the Spirit moving, but suddenly an the man began to pray she also felt the moving of our baby for the first time.   A very emotional start to our Sunday morning.   He has been moving all day, but so far it is not at a time that I have been able to feel it, but I am so happy to see Brea's joy.

Thinking about security

A number of people in Stratford have had money stolen from their accounts as part of a large debit card scam. Even some people I know from the House of Blessing.

It has me thinking about passwords and such. As much as I am pretty geeky and like to think I am smarter than the average computer user, I have to admit that I use some pretty common passwords for just about everything. (not exactly the same, I'm a little smarter than that) So as of today I am going to change my system up. One of my favorite sites is LifeHacker.com - they have many articles on various software that can help create and keep passwords, this particular one seemed make sense to me:

You don't need to remember 100 passwords if you have 1 rule set for generating them. One way to generate unique passwords is to choose a base password and then apply a rule that mashes in some form of the service name with it. For example, you may use your base password with the first two consonants and the first two vowels of the service name. Say your base password is "asdf." (See how easy those keys are to type?). Then your password for Yahoo would be ASDFYHAO, and your password for eBay would be ASDFBYEA.

I'm also going to try out KeePass to help me remember the new passwords. I'll post a review of that once I have played around with it.

January Blas

I heard on the radio the other day that January 19th is the most depressing day of the year. I also heard it called "Blue Monday" and did a little digging and discover the science might be a little suspect. None the less, I certainly feel that this is a low time of the year. Over the last few years I have noticed a personal trend of feeling 'blue' in late January.

There are lots of things in my head but right now, I just can't put them to words. maybe I'll get some inspiration when the sun comes out again

UrbanEx

My friends Em and Alan over at UrbanEx have just launched the new site.

I can't speak highly enough of them or the vision they have. If you are involved with youth that want to stretch their horizon, or want to have your own life challenged the site is worth checking out.

From the new site... UrbanEx is:

..an active-advocacy organization for justice and dignity for all mankind that educates, empowers, enables, and mobilizes others in practical and effective advocacy that will actively meet the needs of any urban community by addressing the relief of poverty, awareness and appreciation of cultural and lifestyle differences, and our individual and corporate responsibilities to our communities through intentional actions with measured results that benefit individuals as well as the entire urban community.

In different ways Em and Alan have both influenced the way I think. I wish them nothing but the best in their on going ministry. And I hope the stories just grow and grow and grow

The Highway of Hereos

Sometimes I feel like we get sprayed with American patriotism, so it is kind of nice to see a major network notice and report on how we respond to our killed soldiers coming back. Admittedly I don't often think about the soldiers that are fighting and on a day like today, Remembrance day it is good to remember.

My grandfather, Gordon Good was killed in WWII. I never knew him, but I'm glad that people go to such lengths to honour the families of the soldiers that died in serving.

From Dan Cook over at the Globe and Mail

Pro Life - All Life

I watching American politics and some of the usual controversy over the abortion issue. I wondered to my self about all the issues that come into play if every unwanted child were kept...what would our society do with them. Sometimes we don't know what to do with Single mom or their kids.

As usual other have said it better:

Take Will Samson:

I started paying attention to how both scripture and the Church define life, this thing that we are all in favor of. Life, from a Christian perspective, is the unborn child in the womb. But it is also the child born in poverty who desperately needs a community to help raise her. From the perspective of both the Bible and the Church, life is the 18 year black male whose only perceived choices are illegal activities or joining the military to fight in Iraq. Christian social teaching rejects the simplistic definition that sees life only as the first nine months, the time in the womb.
We have, to our own discredit, conflated being pro-life to being pro-anti-abortion legislation. Has this made life more sacred? Has this improved the conditions for those most likely to have an abortion, the economically and educationally disadvantaged?

Some day soon I'll come up with some more concrete thoughts of my own

VIA

crap

I know somewhere - probably not too far away, someone has it worse.

But, tonight I feel like crap.

First, Brea is gone for 10 days. So aside from the obvious that I miss her... I'm not eating very well.

Second, I was somehow squeezed out of playing bass at the college. I don't even understand how really other than I think it was a big case of bad organizational structure. I was so looking forward to being part of one of the groups at school...now I just feel like and kid watching the party from outside.
I think my bass is older than the girl that got my spot.

Third, today I felt really old and irrelevant. (Giant kudos to anyone that has gone back to school after something like 15 or 20 years.) Not just because of the bass thing.... more because I suddenly feel like people walk around me like the strange guy in the hall. I used to know everyone or would get to know them...but something changed.

Ever try to get rid of all the things that define you only to feel like maybe you were better of being defined by them?

Everything??!

I know that some people think I'm crazy already.
Some people think I'm crazy because I am a follower of Christ.
Some people think I'm crazy because I quit a perfectly good job to go back to school.
Some people think I'm crazy because I have a collection of frog stuff

So that being said, I have been doing a lot of reading of Jesus' teachings lately. Do you know how many times he said to sell everything and give it to the poor? I don't have the number right in front of me but it was a lot.

Take Luke 12:

Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?....Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

And later in Chapter 18

A certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.'"
"All these I have kept since I was a boy," he said.
When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth.

there are lots of other places Jesus said the same types of things...go ahead look it up, I won't be offended.

So the question is.... was He serious?
I'm sure I could finally read the book that someone gave me by one of those Christianity = Blessing guys and blessing guy would explain that Jesus didn't mean EVERYTHING.

That would be crazy. There is likely some rational explanation to explain this strange code that Jesus is using when He says "Sell it all"

hmm... But what would the world look like if all Christians did this? Call me a crazy idealist.
Ok forget everyone else. Do I have the faith to sell everything and trust that God would take care of me?

I'm not there yet.... just in case you pass by my house and see the for sale sign.
But maybe I'm getting there.


edit - after I posted - I read this... striking evidence that I have it wrong

Better words than mine.

I pass on these words of Mother Teresa posted by Brad Culver. Means a lot to me today.

If you judge people, you have no time to love them.

Kind words may be short... but their echoes are endless.

Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.

Good works are links that form a chain of love.

God doesn't require us to succeed; he only requires that you try.

I do not pray for success, I ask for faithfulness.

I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.

I want you to be concerned about your next door neighbor. Do you know your next door neighbor?

If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one.

Intense love does not measure, it just gives.

Let us not be satisfied with just giving money. Money is not enough, money can be got, but they need your hearts to love them. So, spread your love everywhere you go.

Many people mistake our work for our vocation. Our vocation is the love of Jesus.

Love begins by taking care of the closest ones - the ones at home.

Higher Education

Today is my first day back to school. Over that last few weeks I have had many conversations with people about my (and our, Brea and I) plans. I explain that I previously graduated with a diploma from EBC, but those two years were also the required classes for the first two years of a Bachelor of Religious Education Degree. If this year goes well, I will graduate with my BRE. Upon explaining all of this the question I next get is, "and what are you going to do with your degree?" (the exception being my friend Denny who exclaimed "you not going to be a Pastor are you!?)

It's amazing how tied education is to a goal of a job. Did I just miss this the last time I went through school? What if I'm just going back to school to push my brain? Granted, I am going to get a degree, which requires taking specific classes and involves some structure. I could have just hung out in Chapters for a year. I know that a degree could come in handy - but not any more than the experience I already have. I have yet to land a job using a resume, let alone be hired on my education.

I've been reading Robert M. Pirsig's "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" in it the main character experiments with his students - going a semester with out handing out grades. An attempt to have them learn for learning sake, to not just regurgitate what the professor wants to hear, but think their own thoughts and to make a statement .

That's what this year is for me. I chance to continue being stretched as a person
Actually I guess that's what I want life to be

And so it begins....

Friday was my last day working for Yake Engineered Systems.
For those of you who don't know me outside of this blog (or just didn't know me that well) Yake Engineered Systems is a company that for the most part works with churches on audio, video and other technical media related stuff. If you know me even a little, you know I love the knobs and wires, so working through some of the little and big technical issues was fun (most of the time)
The last little while - say the last year or so - I have started to reevaluate what life should be. Things like:
How have I let my identity be defined by my career?
What kind of real impact do I have on my world?
What are my goals?
Does living in a true Christian world view involve goals?
Does technology play too big a role in church/religion/worship?
Can you do ministry while selling products?
Have most churches gotten too big or too much like businesses?

There might be some other variations, but that is a good starting point. They are all thoughts that I would like to develop farther and love to read other thoughts on. So over the next little while, if you stay tuned will see stuff on those themes or links to similar thoughts.

So what is next? I'm actually going back to school. It's not that I feel I need more education to get somewhere, but I really feel like I am in a place where God is pushing me to grow. I guess I could do that on my own, but sometimes being pushed by academics is a good kick in the pants. So as of September I'm back to student life.

What else is next? Glad you asked, because I almost forgot. Brea and I are taking a position in October with Stratford House of Blessing as the house parents of Sara's Place Maternity Home. We attempt to stand in the mom and dad role for up to three women ( likely age 16 - 24) while they transition into the role of being a mom. Brea will be the one that works with the girls during the day in the various programs that are necessary. My role will be to be the father figure - encourage, enforce the rules and hopefully get to know the fathers, if they are still in the picture. It's a big step for us... Excited is the word I use most - but scary is exciting too.
I'm not sure how much I will ever blog about that, I would never want to compromise the privacy and security of the home - but I expect that it will be a stretching experience.

Donald Miller speaks , wish I was there.

Tim Stevens took notes at the recent Echo Conference where Donal Millar Spoke on the power of story. Some of these are great quotes, mind you I tend to find anything he says compelling...or at least better than I could have said it.

- My friend said, "Life is meaningless." I said, "No, life is fine. Your life is meaningless." It's the story my friend was writing with his life that he didn't like.

- Very seldom are humans happy. They only look back on a moment and think they were happy, even though there weren't. They also look forward and think they'll be happy when they get something or do something. Humans are happiest in the past or future but rarely in the present.

- I think the reason that God made it difficult for men and women to communicate is because he wanted to introduce conflict in the story. Because when it works, it is a beautiful thing

- If you are working in order to fund a better story, that's great. But if your working is your story, then I'm not sure that will be very satisfying.

To Gear or not to Gear

Matt at 37 signals writes:

Years ago I read a book about guitar effects pedals. Something the author wrote in the intro stuck with me: “Tone is in your fingers.”

He went on to explain: You can buy the same guitar, effects pedals, and amplifier that Eddie Van Halen uses. But when you play that rig, it’s still going to sound like you.

Likewise, Eddie could plug into a crappy Strat/Pignose setup at a pawn shop and you’d still be able to recognize that it’s Eddie Van Halen playing.

Sure, fancy gear can help. But the truth is that your tone comes from you.

I often think of this story when people fixate on gear over content. You know the type: Wannabe designers who want an avalanche of fancy typefaces and Photoshop filters but don’t have anything to say. Amateur photographers who want to debate film vs. digital instead of what actually makes for a great photo. Startup folks that worry more about software and scaling issues then how to actually get customers and make money. They all miss the point.

Aspiring podcasters consantly ask Gary V about the tools he uses. He responds:

It’s not the camera that I use, it’s not the blogging software, it’s not the widgets, it’s not the SEO. It’s the two C’s: content and community…There are so many crap podcasts out there with billion dollar cameras and editing tools for days. It’s about giving from your heart with content you really understand and, more importantly, giving back to the community that supports your show.

Figure out what you have to say that’s interesting and then unleash it. Use whatever tools you’ve got already or what you can afford cheaply. Then go.

It’s not the gear that matters. It’s you and your ideas that matter. Tone is in your fingers.

Crap - gotta go sell my bass gear again.

Want the good news or the bad?

Llewellyn H. Rockwell, Jr. writes:

Sometimes the bad news is the good news. So it is with the report that retail sales are down by 0.1 percent in July, the sharpest drop in many months.

Why good news? It means that consumers are starting to cut back. They could be going into less debt. They might be saving more. They are being more careful about long-term plans pending short-term trends.

I don't know if people are really learning anything - or if things are just so bad that something has to change....sort of reading the manual after you have spent hours claiming you "know what your doing" reading it once dosen't mean you will pick it up the next time you open the Ikea box.

The article isn't actually annoucing that any big change is happeing, but more challenges the way we somtimes interpret data. It caught my attention because I sort of hope that maybe people will start to change the way they spend money.... well I can hope right?

Better and faster at meaningless

Jordan Cooper posts:

"We can talk on the phone as we eat fast food while using the ATM. Not only are we better at multitasking and becoming more productive and efficient, along with the increased pace, more is required of us. And so we hurtle through life faster and faster, becoming busier and busier. The result is that in our busyness we are becoming increasingly efficient at leading meaningless lives."

Don Whitney, professor, Midwestern Seminary

Yep... that's what it seems like.

iThoughts and cool culture

I have been thinking about technology and consumerism a lot lately. It plays into my decision on why I am quitting my job at the end of the summer* There have been a number of great post on it in the last few days.

Empire Remixed has thoughts on media interviewing people people that slept out side to be the first to have an iPod

Why is it that we celebrate those who sleep on the street in order to consume, and yet shun those who sleep on the street because they can’t afford to be anywhere else…what is wrong with us?

Jordon Cooper takes on the culture of cool.

Culture and coolness is local. It’s all local. When I am in rural Saskatchewan, a leather John Deere ball cap is cool and a very important part of culture. Yet when I hear people in the church talk about culture, we talk about “emerging culture” (there is no such thing), or global culture (sorry, culture is awfully localized). The thinking is what is cool in San Francisco or New York is going to be cool in Saskatoon or Calgary is incorrect. I always cringe when I read my blog as being listed as an important blog to read for understanding culture. That is totally incorrect, you don’t understand culture by reading a blog about culture, you learn about culture by observing it or living in it. Now there are those that are completely oblivious to popular culture but they aren’t trying to be cool anyways.

I've been walking through this sort of stuff and should really get my thoughts down, but for now others continue to give me good things to think about

* Sorry if you haven't heard the news on the job change, I should really get around to writing about the eh?

When the day is said and done

The day was a stressful one. I won't get into it but it was... But tonight at The Gig we had a meeting where we (those leading the charge) had a chance to talk about the vision of the venue side - The Gig Theatre - and all that it's about.

I feel God saying, "This is what you are about" - I felt relaxed and calm and ready to change the city. There were excited faces and people that get it - and I believe more will come. When you stop and tell people about all that has happening in 15 months - wow cool things are happening.

I saw the excitement in the eyes of a guy named Doug. He said "I didn't think such a place existed" - this is not the first time I have heard this from people. It is so cool that people are coming to discover The Gig (and sometimes from such strange circumstances or referrals) But here is a guy that is passionate about art, music and tech and is (was) looking for a place to be in community and worship God. :)

Thanks to everyone that has seen my stress over the last little bit -it's not going away just yet. But I know that God is changing the way that I look at life... we'll see where that goes.