A Challenge And A Query

On Saturday, while relaxing in Deep Cove I reread part of The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning. I've found Manning to be quite liberal in his theology to the point where I've totally disagreed with him, maybe even written him off. But my Amazon order wasn't in yet and I needed something to read. I was so struck by what I read in the first chapter that I feel like I need to share it with you:

When I get honest, I admit I am a bundle of paradoxes. I believe and I doubt, I hope and get discouraged, I love and I hate, I feel bad about feeling good, I feel guilty about not feeling guilty. I am trusting and suspicious, I am honest and I am still playing games. Aristotle says I am a rational animal; I say I am an angel, with an incredible capacity for beer.


He goes on to say:

And though it is true that the church must always disassociate itself from sin, it can never have any excuse for keeping sinners at a distance. If the church remains self righteously aloof from failures, irreligious and immoral people, it cannot enter justified into God's kingdom. But if it is constantly aware of it's guilt and sin, it can live in joyous awareness of forgiveness.

That rocked me. How 'bout you? Any thoughts?

OK now here's my query. Have you ever noticed how almost every book in a Christian book store is either between 200-225 pages or it's a little book which means it's between 100-110 pages. What's up with that? There may be a perfectly good reason for it but it just seems ODD.

Adoption Update 2.1

I forgot to tell you:

1. Our adoption worker told us that a lot of people adopt from China because the children are in good physical condition and

2. that the orphanages in China offer a lot more one on one between the workers and the children so they don't have as many bonding issues when they are adopted out.

Both things are very reassuring.

Adoption Update #2

Well, tonight we had our first appointment with our adoption worker, Colleen. We spent an hour or so with her at her place in the west end and she asked lots of cursory questions about our life and why we want to adopt. We have 3 more of these interviews before she writes her report and recommends us (or not) for adoption. The next appointment is at our place. We've got to get medicals, criminal record checks, financial reports, and (I found out tonight) we have to write an essay.

So we'll let you know when there's more to tell.

My Week In Pictures

Here are some pictures of our week:

My birthday party @ the Well. "Hey slow down Dawn"



There were red and blue baloons on my cake. Guess who got those pieces?



My friend Mitch took my father in law and I fishing in the Fraser River and we caught a couple of nice salmon. Let me tell you about the one that got away..... no really. I'll tell you later.



Then we went to the football game where the Lions won!!



Wanda's parents were cheering for the Eskimos....

All in all a fabulous week we had. Thanks to our wonderful family who came to visit, our awesome friends who made my party extra special.

See you in a few days.

By Popular Demand

I guess some of you have never seen some of my work:











A Leaf














A (lopsided) Heart














A Special Order

Hope summer is grand. Ill post soon and tell you about my fun birthday week.

Book Tag

Here's a little game we can play. I'll tag a person and then they have to tag a person and so on with these questions:

1. One book that changed your life:
The Bible, Blue Like Jazz - Donald Miller

2. One book that you've read more than once:
Mere Christianity by CS Lewis

3. One book that you'd want on a desert island:
Though I've never read this 32 page long book and it is written by someone I've never heard of, I'd want this one.

4. One book that made you laugh:
Flashbang - How I Got Over Myself by Mark Steele

5. One book that made you cry:
tie - Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom - God In The Alley by Greg Paul. Actually read them back to back in Ukraine summer of 05.

6. One book that you wish you had written:
The DaVinci Code cuz that guy's stinking rich!!! OK, OK, how about Organic Church by Neil Cole

7. One book that you wish had never been written:
"Left Behind one, two, three..."

8. One book you are currently reading:
Decision Making & The Will Of God by Garry Friesen and J Robin Maxon

9. One book that you've been meaning to read:
A Generous Orthodoxy by Brian McLaren

10. One book that you wish had been written:
2nd Song Of Solomon

11. One book that you got for free:
I Am Not But I Know I Am by Louie Giglio. Read it in one sitting with a venti dark coffee in a for here mug while waiting for my oil to be changed.

12. Favorite Book this Year:
tie: The Secret Message Of Jesus by Brian McLaren, Life of Pi by Yann Martel, Hey Nostradamus by Douglas Coupland

12. Since I'm dying to know what he reads and I think he reads my blog, I'll tag the self proclaimed (although I'm not buying it for a minute) Misfit.

What I'm Learning From My Friends

I'm learning a lot from my friends. One of my friends is Rob. He and his lovely wife Jaime are on a very interesting journey. Read his last post it's fantastic.

Way To Go Blog Posse

I noticed many of you linked from your blog to my friends website as I asked a few posts ago. It worked!! Now her site comes up #1 when you Google her company name. Thanks. The power of the blogosphere is a mighty thing.

PoMo Cartoon

You either get this or you don't.

Mid Summer Checkup

Hey everyone,
Been away for a few days at Cedar Springs Retreat Centre. Just took some time to pray and reflect on the next year. I'm pretty excited about what God has in store for Wanda and I. When I'm away, I tend to power read so here's links to the 1 2 3 books I read while I was gone. All very good. All very challenging and helpful in where I am in life.