So Late October

Remember how I said brown is the new black? Well it turns out that light purple is the new brown.

HELP!!! I'M ADDICTED TO BLOG TEMPLATES!!!

New Look

Being the fasionable guy that I am, added to the fact that "brown is the new black", I've updated ny blog look. What do you think??

Just Being Straight With You

If you come to Vancouver and come to downtown..... and DON'T call us, I'm seriously questioning your walk with God. I mean, let us show you around, let's go for a coffee, and ESPECIALLY if you're going to a game or concert, DON'T PAY FOR PARKING!!! My visitor parking is free and it's closer to the stadiums than most of the pay parking. If you're gonna pay $20 for parking, THAT'S SILLY!!! Come on!!!!


p.s. - you know who you are!!!

Time Out

** IMPORTANT NOTE - This Post Is For Christians Mainly**

You know how in church how they teach us that tithing is something we should do even if we can't afford it and that if we do, God will bless and take care of the rest?

Why don't we teach evangelism the same way? It's every bit the biblical imperative that giving is. What if everyone of us MADE time to spend with people who don't know Jesus?

I've heard a lot of people lately vent frustration about not knowing any unchurched people or people who aren't a part of their church. What if we just cancelled something in our church sched and got in to our community? What would happen? Would God forsake us and our lives fall apart if we spent time with people in our community? I doubt it. But what do YOU think???

The Beard Is Back

(If you choose to sing it, sing it in Db, the saddest of all sad keys)


One morning I arose
And thought, "No need to shave"
Much to my wife's chagrin
This way I would behave


And a mere 2 weeks later
Look what's on my face
It's a full on scruffy beard
Instead of a baby face


I hard to put into words
The way a beard makes me feel
More manly, more animal, more wild
Like I'm made of steel


But alas it won't last long
Maybe 'till December
These things are itchy as heck
Much more than I'd remembered

Turkey Recap

Well we had a great weekend in Kamloops. Hung out with family and friends and had lots of great turkey. Came back on Monday and had ANOTHER turkey with our Delta Church staff. So we had lots of turkey.

I hope your weekend made you more thankful, for your family and friends and the many blessings God has given us.

A NEW Blog!!

I've started a new blog. It's www.vancouver-cafe-reviews.blogspot.com. Basically I figured since I go to so many cafes and drink so much coffee, I should begin reviewing these cafes. I'll put a link in my links section as well.

Finding Family In A Greek Restaurant

So last night we had the WIERDest experience. There is this great couple upstairs, Greg & Gillian. We've been getting to know them this year by going out to dinner at various ethnic restaurants, Thai in February, Indian in May, Japanese in August and Greek last night (Mexican in November is the plan).

Somehow we got on the topic of Mennonites. Greg pipes up and mentions that he' s got Mennonite heritage (I hadn't already realized this because we do all our correspondence through Gillian, who uses here maiden name still). So I ask him his last name and he tells me. And then I say "Wanda's mom has an uncle with the same last name". IT'S THE SAME GUY!! Wanda and him are related on different sides of the family. Then it turns out that Greg's brother married Wanda's mom's cousin. So there's actually 2 family connections. Wanda has stayed at Greg's brother's house (which Greg and Gillian helped build).

Hence the title of my post. It got me to thinking, is my view of the world getting smaller or bigger, and which is more preferable? Are there people close to me that should be (or, in this case, actually are) like family to me?

The first part of Hebrews 13 says:

"Stay on good terms with each other, held together by love. Be ready with a meal or a bed when it's needed. Why, some have extended hospitality to angels without ever knowing it! " - The Message

In this case we entertained FAMILY without knowing it. The crazy thing was, realizing someone so close to us (geographically) was so close to us (in family relations) was like receiving a visit from an angel.

Help A Brother Out!!!

With the help of the Misfit, I uploaded our church site last night. I need some help. If you could add a link to our church site to your blog or website, that helps with the Google searches. I'd really appreciate it. It's www.livingroomchurch.com.

THE Question

Thanks for all the good dialogue on the last post (especially Jer and Sam dB). It caused me to want to back up a bit and do a definition or maybe a re-definition. What is a Christian? I'm sorry to implement this rule but, if you read this you must respond.

More Elvis

Christian is a great noun and a poor adjective.

- Rob Bell

What do you think?

Where Have I Been?

Sorry I haven't been around much lately. Here's my quote of the week:

A Christian doesn't avoid the questions; a Christian embraces them. In fact, to truly pursue the living God, we have to see the need for questions.

Questions are not scary. What is scary is when people don't have any. What is tragic is faith that has no room for them.

- Rob Bell

Any thoughts???

Try This Again

I tried a different photo and here's what came up.

I Look Like Elton John??

Our Fall Newsletter

Funny & Fun

Funny!!!


Fun!!!

Notice Any Thing??

This picture is creating quite a stir. I don't really get what all the fuss is about. Do you?

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.