Friday, June 29, 2007

Video of the week - Lukas graduates!

That's right folks, Lukas has graduated kindergarten!! Here's a video of him with his gown and diploma:



Not only was it a gradutaion ceremony, it was also a gym show, with the kids performing for the parents:

Please pray for Lukas & Sylas who will both be starting at the massively overcrowded Thorncliffe Park Public School in September!

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Parenting 101 v11 - Milk

When I am confronted with a difficult parenting situation, I'll put the issue out there to plumb the depths of the vast parenting knowledge of my beloved readers....Here is our eleventh edition of Parenting 101.
__________________________


Last night we were driving our good friend Dave Osoup to the airport. In the car on the way, Lukas asked me:

Daddy, why is Milk white?

I wasn't exactly sure what to say. Any suggestions???

Monday, June 25, 2007

Monday's hot topics - KJV only "ill-informed"

What does KJVO mean? Perhaps you've heard of it. This movement states that the only *real* Bible is the English one translated by King James (in 1611). Right off the top there are major questions about how this can be, since the original Bible was written in Greek and Hebrew. On the forum this topic has arisen, and recently forum member IHA took a shot at this idea:
the entire KJVO movement has arisen, and every present-day KJV-onlyite is a direct spiritual descendant of these ill-informed men. And as the movement has progressed from one generation to the next, with each new generation arising from intellectually incestuous in-breeding, the views have become more radicalized and extreme.
What are your thoughts on the King James Version? Is it the only *real* Bible? Are KJVonlyists off base? Post your thoughs in the comments, or on the forum - here

Saturday, June 23, 2007

Video of the week - My new favorite song

Lukas graduated from Bridlegrove's kindergarten on Thursday. I'll post some videos of the graduation soon. Friday was his very last day. He starts grade 1 at Thorncliffe Park school in September.

While I was driving to pick him up for the last time on Friday, this song came on the radio. I think it's about a relationship ending. I couldn't find the MP3 so here's the video. In many ways Friday was the end of our relationship with Bridlegrove. Sure there will be visits, but Friday felt like the end. Thinking over the time we spent there brought back many memories. So many people. So much time. Like any relationship, the end is sad even if there's something good to move on to. In many ways Luke's graduation felt like many other 'last days' I've experienced. Knowing it's time to move on. Not wanting to part with people and memories. Wishing it could last forever. Grieving the circumstances that brought it to an end. It's always hard to say goodbye. Why do all good things come to an end?

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Wednesday prayer requests - Gun toting Thorncliffe teen

Yesterday the Toronto Star reported that police where called to a 'building on Thorncliffe Park Drive':
Jun 19, 2007 03:13 PM - Justin Piercy

A 16-year-old has been charged with carrying a concealed handgun. Police say a young man was in the lobby of an apartment building on Thorncliffe Park Drive, near Milwood Rd. and Overlea Blvd. on Monday around 11 p.m.

A person walking past noticed what they thought to be the handle of a gun protruding from the boy's pocket, so they called 911. Police say when they arrived, the suspect ran and discarded something. Officers located a loaded .22-calibre handgun that they believe to be one stolen in a break-and-enter in Mississauga last year.

A 16-year-old boy — who cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act — faces nine charges including carrying a concealed weapon, possession of a restricted firearm with ammunition and failing to comply with probation.
The article doesn't specify which building but since we live in one of these buildings it makes you wonder. While Thorncliffe is not known for gun violence please pray as the summer approaches that there would be no shootings.

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Video of the week - Facebook rules (so does Paul...and Alex)


Man I love facebook. It's amazing to reconnect with people you haven't seen or heard from in years. Case in point is my old highschool friend Alex Hindmarch who I haven't heard or seen in at least 10 years. We used to be on the cheerleading team together, although he might not want that to be public knowledge now that he's a radio DJ with hard-rocking Toronto radio station Q107!!(click here) So after checking out Alex on facebook I checked out his blog - here - on the Q107 site and found this amazing video he had posted!! Three cheers for Facebook! If you're not on it, get on it.

So here's the video. Try not to cry too much everybody, and don't forget to listen to Alex Mondays from 7pm - 12am and Sundays 9am - 12pm:

Wednesday prayer requests (on Thursday) - Happy 614 day!!!

I saved the prayer requests for today (Thursday) because today is June 14th - 614!! Hope it's a good one, and don't forget to pray for all of us in the 614

Monday, June 11, 2007

Monday's hot topics - The everlasting Hell challenge!

Our resident heretic on the forum Drew Costen has put a challenge out there to all of us who believe in a real, everlasting Hell:
Demonstrate convincingly that the idea that "those who die without putting their faith in Jesus Christ alone to save them (apart from any works) will end up in a place of torment called hell forever with no chance of escape"
Now, I'll admit that arguing with Drew sometimes resembles trying to wrestle with a greased pig, but he does get us thinking about the afterlife and our eternal destiny. What if hell really exists? What if you end up there? What could you do to avoid going there? What will it be like? Do you believe in Hell? Do you know Bible verses that talk about everlasting torment? click on over to the forum and show Drew your stuff - here

He also raises a counter point in my mind - If we DO believe in Hell....what are we doing about it? Do you believe in Hell? If so then it's time to get warning people!!! So how about it, are you up to taking the Everlasting Hell challenge? Click here to post your thoughts on the forum

Saturday, June 09, 2007

Video of the week - Stormy

Yesterday the weather man predicted some 'severe' weather. Here's a short video I took:

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

Athiest? Agnostic? Get paid to go to church!

I found this on the Drew Marshall show - http://drewmarshall.ca/blog.html:
The Drew Marshall Show is looking for a pagan/new age/agnostic/ atheist/whatever… someone with no church background, to partici- pate in a research project for our radio show. We need you to visit five churches in the Toronto area during the month of June with our host Drew Marshall. In return for your time and opinions based on your non-churched experience, The Drew Marshall Show will pay you $100 per church and invite you to be our guest during our July 7th show to share your experience. No catch, no proselytising, no pressure! We just need you to help the Church see itself as you see it!

Interested in participating in the experiment?
Apply online at www.drewmarshall.ca/fivechurches

Lego Bible - Book of Acts updates


Ever wondered what Paul the apostle would look like as a Lego figure? Click here for the latest Lego Bible updates

Wednesday prayer requests - Evey Dyck update

Last week we asked for prayer for a friend Evey Dyck. Just yesterday I received a very positive report:
After surgery on Tuesday, (8 hours) Evy spent 2 days in ICU, then 2 days in Step-down (less intensive ICU) then 2 days on the ward. Yesterday morning (Monday) the doctors came into Evy's room, and said that pending the outcome of her daily chest x-ray, they would let her go home. Evy felt a bit insecure about going (it is only 6 days after all), but by 12:00 noon we were on our way.
Praise God and please keep praying as she recovers at home.

Monday, June 04, 2007

Monday's hot topics - Church again - Ingredients vs. Recipe

I'm still chewing on this whole 'What is church' topic on the forum - here. Recently someone suggested that there is a 'pattern' or way that church should be done. The idea is that God gave us a sort of 'blue print' and we as Christians just need to follow it and then we will be doing chruch the way God 'designed' it. A recipe if you will. As I thought about this an analogy came to mind that I posted on the forum and wanted to share and get opinions on. Here's how it goes
If someone has an egg, cup of flour, butter and chocolate they could make cake. They could also make cookies. They could make various baked goods. Muffins perhaps.

When we talk about God having a 'pattern' for doing things are we talking about the ingredients that he has supplied (Acts 2:42 stuff are the eggs, flour) or are we talking about the recipe he has supplied us (Acts 2:42 is a cake, not cookies).

I believe they are ingredients. Too often I have seen an insistence on a recipe for cake
Have you seen this as well? Are we inflexible about our style of 'doing church'? Are we so used to cake that we are not flexible when cookies are suggested? Or did God really want us to only make cake? Does God have a recipe for church? Post your thoughts on the forum - here

Saturday, June 02, 2007

The sayings of Lukas v36 - School

The other day at the supper table Lukas asked a curious question:

Lukas: Daddy who invented schools?
Shawn: hmmm...good question. You know I think it was the Greeks.
Lukas: No.....I think it started in China....they make everything

Friday, June 01, 2007

Pictures!

I uploaded a bunch of pictures on facebook today - click here, mainly of our neighbourhood, but also a few of the kids so I thought I'd post one cute one here...cause everybody thinks their kid is the cutest in the world! :)


DJ 'Livi' with the headphones!