Into the Wilderness

Warning About Dealing with Boxers

2009-01-14T13:26:00.001-07:00

If you're in a boxing match, try not to let the other guy's glove touch your lips, because you don't know where that glove has been.

Thank you Jack Handey for your insight and warning.

This Year...Do Less, Love More

2009-01-06T11:21:00.007-07:00

To all my friends, my allies, my most loved,

Over the years, I've been blessed with so many incredible lessons and countless teachers who brought those lessons to me. My struggle has always been to filter through all of them, find the most true and profound and (this is the hardest part) live them and make them manifest in my life. Can I share with you the ones I have found to be most true and profound, not only in my story but in the stories you have shared with me?

1. Smile. Smile incessantly. It will catch people's attention. It will lift your spirit and theirs. And it will make them wonder what you are up to.

2. Cry. Cry when you feel it. Please don't hold that back. Your tears have blessed me in countless ways. I hope mine have done the same for you.

3. Sit in silence everyday. Once in the morning and once at night, if you can. But at least ten minutes, in silence, in the same place, everyday. Near a window that looks outside. This one single act will change your life.

4. When you wake up in the morning, maybe while you drive or ride, ask God this question: "Lord, where do you need me today?" Then, listen quietly. Maybe for, oh I don't know, ten minutes?

5. Say thank you quietly. What are you thankful for today?

6. Say thank you out loud. Who would you like to say thank you to today?

7. Drink lots of water. And if you do it in the form of green tea, even better.

8. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like prince and dinner like a peasant.

9. Affirm someone whom you know needs it and someone that you think doesn't.

10. Waste time with people. The greatest gift you can give someone is your unscheduled, agenda-less time. You will show them their worth far more than you could ever tell them. (Thank you Sister Vicki!)

11. In the crises that invariably join us on our journey, ask this question. "In ten years, will this really matter." The crises will either slip away quietly into memory or you will realize a strength in you that you are only beginning to become friends with.

12. Forgive those who have hurt you before you feel like it. They need it more than you do.

Thank you all, for being a part of my story. However that has happened, I am grateful for you all.

In the Kingdom,

Doug

A Christmas Greeting for all of You!

2008-12-22T21:27:00.000-07:00

What We Lost When We Started Shopping On Sundays

2007-12-11T14:31:00.001-07:00

I have to make a confession, to all of you. I was raised in a small, rural Alberta town. Our closest city was thirty minutes away and held only about 40,000 people at the time. When I grew up, Sundays were still sacred, not just for church-goers, but as a culture, nearly across the country. There was still, regardless of your faith tradition, a sense that Sunday was set apart for rest. I remember clearly the year that a few select stores decided to keep their doors open on Sundays, for shopping. The "Sunday Shopping Scandal" hit the headlines. You all know the evolution of this and need only look at the parking lot of any store in the city to see where this has taken us. Well, I have tried, over the years, to maintain that "consumer fast" on Sundays. I can say that I have, for the most part, failed in that fast. But, this past Sunday, I hit a new low in my lack of vigilance. I went shopping. But not just any shopping. I shopped at Walmart on Sunday. But not just on Sunday. I shopped at WALMART on SUNDAY, before eight o'clock in the morning! Gah! Honestly, I did it to avoid the insane line-ups we have all experienced this year. (Let me jump ahead by telling you, I still waited in line for nearly fifteen minutes!) But the point of my story is not the loss of our Sundays to consumerism. Rather, it was the four people I encountered this past Sunday morning, in Walmart.

I encountered the first man (and his wife and two kids looking on) in the kitchen appliances aisle. It was 9:05am. It started with what seemed a simple interaction between this man and a female Walmart employee. But, shortly, the man escalated to yelling and brashness. It revolved around his desire for a particular product that he insisted he get, for Christmas. The women, to her great credit, tried to be helpful and calm. But for five minutes this man blew up on her, over a product, for Christmas, ON SUNDAY, nearly before breakfast. My heart really did break as this poor lady went to her last resort and called a manager.

Upon entering the checkout line, I observed a fifteen year old young lady, leaning against the counter, dark and brooding, hoodie pulled up. Her mom was unloading the cart. A silver haired man, unsmiling and walking briskly, brushed past me, holding two copies of the latest DVD release, "Superbad". (NOTE: Superbad, as quality family viewing goes, is at the bottom of the barrel. Put it this way, if you were to remove every reference to either teen sex or the consumption of alcohol from the movie, you'd be left with about eleven minutes of footage, including credits.) They were, as the conversation between father and daughter revealed, two different versions of the same flick. He had run to get these for her while they waited in line. Upon his return, it was apparent, in her dark and brooding way, that she didn't want this movie and, in her dark and brooding way, told her father so, with a disgusted sigh and a snap of her head. Dad, in his frustration, slapped the videos down and began to vigorously and angrily unload the clothing from his cart, throwing each item on the conveyor. The rift between them grew, over a garbage movie at Christmas, ON SUNDAY, shortly after most people got out of bed. My heart really did break for the story of this family.

And, I guess, it just sent me to wondering. What the hell? Where did we go wrong? And I count myself well among that number. Sundays. Christmas. Families. Media. Son of a gun, we're really missing the mark. As I told this story to Judy and my kids, I just came to the conclusion that all I really want to do in my walk on this Earth is love people and maybe make a difference to one of them.

The moral of this story? Well, what do you think?

What Sort of Tale Have We Fallen Into?

2007-11-14T10:10:00.002-07:00

Ever wonder about stories like "Lord of the Rings" or "Gladiator"? Why do they tweak us? Why do they get our hearts beating faster? Why do tales of hardship overcome, tales of love lost, fought for and regained, ring so true in our hearts? They ring true because these themes, these EPIC stories, are part of who we are because we are part of a Great Story, an epic adventure about One who loves us and pursues us in the face of great evil. Begin reading YOUR story here....

http://www.epicreality.com

The Meaning of a Poke

2007-11-13T12:07:00.001-07:00

What the heck does it mean when you get "poked" on Facebook? If I imagined seeing a friend at the mall and I walked up and jabbed them in the side with my index finger and walked away, what did that mean!? I really don't like getting poked in real life. I'm not a jumpy guy. In fact, it's kinda hard to scare me or make me jump. But a poke in the short ribs definitely elicits a spontaneous reaction that looks like a 1 second clip of a funky tribal dance. (Oh, and a word of warning, some people who are well trained in combat arts, would respond, not spontaneously, but unconsciously, from years of training, with an index finger joint lock followed by the sound of the poker thumping on the floor. Lesson? Don't poke police officers.)

My take is that the Facebook "poke" is the online equivalent of a "how ya doing?". But is that a good thing? Tell you what, next time you're in your car on a weekday between 9am and 12pm, tune into 630 CHED on the AM dial. You'll hear what's called talk radio. I haven't quite figured out the phenomenon of talk radio. People tune in quite religiously. And participate quite vigorously. Here's the quirk. Virtually without exception every caller, when they hear "Line 1 you're on the air. What's on your mind?" will reflexively respond with "Hi . How ya doing?" or some equivalent. 99.8% of the time! Now, you may not call in to talk radio, but how about when you see someone in the hall? Or when your spouse calls you? Or you walk into your dentist office?

Here's my question. What does it mean? When you see me at the school and you ask "how are you?", what are you really asking? Is it just reflexive? Are you REALLY interested? Are you ready to hear that my mom is ill and my van got broken into? Are you ready to hear that I'm NOT doing well? Ever had someone say "not very good"? What do you do with that?

As for me and my house, I want conversations that go beyond "how are you?". And if I want to know how you are, I want to know exactly what the question asks. HOW are you? As in, what state is your life in right now? How is your HEART, your feelings, your spirit? How ARE you? Not how WERE you yesterday, but how has yesterday made you better or worse today? Not how WILL YOU be when you finally get your hair done tonight but where is life taking you that you're scared of or excited for? How are YOU? Not how your dog is doing but what you're feeling because your dog is at the vet. Not how your test went but why you are concerned or confident. Subtle, yes. But the goal of our interactions with each other should be SINCERITY and AUTHENTICITY.

Next person to ask me "how are you" gets poked. :)

Now watch. First thing I'm going to say when I see someone at work today is "how are you?"!!

Going where called,
Doing what is asked.

Doug

The $$ of War

2007-11-11T10:20:00.001-07:00

So we're sitting around the breakfast table this morning, talking and sharing about the wars of our lifetime, meaning the life time of my parents and myself. The talk turned to what it's costing the U.S. to maintain presence in Iraq and Afghanistan. The counter below is the running tally of what the war has cost in dollars to date. The projection by most analysts is that the total will reach $1 trillion. It is currently costing approximately $195 million per day. This total could have built over 4.2 million single family dwellings in the U.S. It could have insured 280 million children for health care. (There are only 301 million PEOPLE in the U.S!)

Bad things happen when we write cheques our accounts can't cash. What dangers loom in yonder distance for our neighbors? Unfortunately, what dangers loom for them carry a blast radius that will hit us full in the face.

###
Iraq War Cost

Funniest First Date Ever!

2007-10-21T11:15:00.001-06:00

Thanks to my friend Louise for this really funny "first date" story!

Funniest First Date Ever!

Jay Leno went into the audience to find the most embarrassing first
date that a woman ever had.

The winner described her worst first date experience. There was absolutely
no question as to why her tale took the prize!

She said it was midwinter... Snowing and quite cold...and the guy
had taken her skiing in the mountains outside Salt Lake City, Utah.

It was a day trip (no overnight). They were strangers, after all,
and truly had never met before.

The outing was fun but relatively uneventful until they were headed
home late that afternoon.

They were driving back down the mountain, when she gradually began
to realize that she should not have had that extra latte.

They were about an hour away from anywhere with a res t room and in
the middle of nowhere!

Her companion suggested she try to hold it, which she did for a while.

Unfortunately, because of the heavy snow and slow going, there came
a point where she told him that he had better stop and let her go beside
the road, or it would be the front seat of his car. They stopped and she
quickly crawled out beside the car, yanked her pants down and started.

In the deep snow she didn't have good footing, so she let her
butt rest against the rear fender to steady herself.

Her companion stood on the side of the car watching for traffic and
indeed was a real gentleman and refrained from peeking. All she could
think about was the relief she felt despite the rather embarrassing nature of
the situation. Upon finishing however, she soon became aware of
another sensation.

As she bent to pull up her pants, the young lady discovered her buttocks were firmly glued against the car's fender.

Thoughts of tongues frozen to poles immediately came to mind as she attempted to disengage her flesh from the icy metal. It was quickly
apparent that she had a brand new problem due to the extreme cold.

Horrified by her plight and yet aware of the humor of the moment,
she answered her date's concerns about "what is taking so long" with a
reply that indeed, she was "freezing her butt off" and in need of some
assistance!

He came around the car as she tried to cover herself with her
sweater and then, as she looked imploringly into his eyes, he burst out
laughing.

She too, got the giggles and when they finally managed to compose
themselves, they assessed her dilemma.

Obviously, as hysterical as the situation was, they also were f ac ed
with a real problem. Both agreed it would take something hot to free her
chilly cheeks from the grip of the icy metal!

Thinking about what had gotten her into the predicament in the
first place, both quickly realized that there was only one way to get her free.

So, as she looked the other way, her first-time date proceeded to
unzip his pants and pee her butt off the fender.. As the audience screamed in laughter, she took the Tonight Show prize hands down. Or perhaps that
should be "pants down.." And you thought your first date was embarrassing.

Jay Leno's comment... "This gives a whole new meaning to being pissed off.

Oh, and how did the first date turn out? He became her husband and was
sitting next to her on the Leno show.

Letting the Cat Outta the Bag

2007-09-30T13:16:00.001-06:00

So we're sitting in church this morning and five rows behind us, at the very back, right beside the room where frantic moms go with screaming babies, is a man. At this point, this is all I know. I had a brief look at him as I crutched my way to my bench. Stained, worn and brown leather jacket. Black jeans. Black socks. Sandals. Curly, very greasy, shoulder length hair. Mustache. Native features, like dark eyes and leathery, tanned skin. About 5"10' tall. 170lbs. Thin. But I only had a glimpse. Michael, our oldest son of 11 years, about a third of the way through the service tapped me and said "Dad, there's a man back there with a cat. He looks poor." I smiled and quickly looked back and found Michael's assessment to be accurate. He had a six month old kitten peeking out of his coat. And he did look down on his luck. I quickly turned my attention back to the reading of Scripture. Now, I don't know if God has done this to you but He constantly does it to me. He nags me. Like the incessant tapping of a four year old trying to get your attention. But He nags me in the center of my chest. "Go to Him." And I know the urging well. I know it won't go away and to try and ignore it causes a great deal of discomfort. And the prompting was so strong that I began to fidget. I wanted to help. In fact, I wanted to take Michael with me to help. Suddenly, out of the back corner of my eye, I perceived him getting up and leaving. I cursed myself for my hesitation. I popped up out of my pew, grabbed my crutches and hopped after him. I hurried around the corner through the door to the lobby and as I rounded the corner, I nearly bumped into Him.

"Mornin'." I said quietly but cheerfully.

"Morning." He answered kindly, with a slight slur and with one eye kind of closed and a smirk on his face. The smell of stale alcohol reached me with his smirk.

"Is it a good day today?" Where'd that question come from? An odd question to be sure but "how are you" didn't seem to quite cut it. This seemed like more a question of the heart. And his answer was nothing less than that as well.

"It's always a good day." He staggered slightly.

I proceeded to ask him if he needed anything. He just wanted water and he was on his way to the bathroom but it was occupied. I took a moment to pet his kitten and chat him up. The kitten was real playful and so cute. Odd, but very cool to have a cat in church. Seeing he was OK, I went back and sat on the bench where he had been and waited for him. When he returned, Kateri, my 4 year old daughter, found her way to me, knowing full well there was a furry critter to play with AT CHURCH! This was great! And the man was thrilled to share. This little kitten was pretty feisty. Nipping and pawing. Kateri was giggling. The man was smiling hard that this little girl was enjoying his cat so much! Some people were getting distracted. (Not a huge deviation from the norm.) Some people were annoyed. But this was just the beginning! Suddenly, this little spring-loaded feline leaped out of his hands and bolted! Under the benches, down the aisle, while the priest was reading the Gospel! Heads turned. I couldn't see the cat but I could trace it's path by the whispers and head turns. The man, kind of sheepishly, but with His smirk turned up to full, staggered to catch his friend. I laughed. Out loud. People were WAKING UP! They were shaken awake, scandalized, amused, confused, accusing and bewildered all at once! Thankfully, the quake didn't last TOO long. Just long enough to be meaningful. He caught the kitten about halfway to the sanctuary and tucked it firmly in his coat, laughing as He came to sit down. I laughed with him and continued to pray through the service for this man. The best was yet to come.

Eucharist (communion) came. As I prayed, I glanced down to look at Him sitting there with his head down, playing with a bookmark, made by a small child. You know, the kind of Sunday school craft you'd see left in the pew. I lingered to read the message written in bright green felt marker.

"I put my trust in Jesus."

The man's hands were rough. Dirty. He had a filthy band-aid on his right left thumb. Scarred. But he held this bookmark so gently, as the kitten pawed it playfully. His head was down, quiet. "I put my trust in Jesus."

My legs went weak as I the emotion came. The priest was beginning the blessing of the bread and wine. I felt the sobs begin in my chest. My God. My Jesus. Here He was sitting beside me. The tears flowed freely as I turned my gaze from the altar, to Him and back again. My heart heaved with waves of humility and unworthiness and thanksgiving. Tears dripped on my broken foot. And Matthew 25:40 came to my mind.

'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'
'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

This Sunday morning, who had come for whom?

He and I were the last to walk forward to receive communion. Real presence. Never had it been more real.

The Blog Returns

2007-09-17T14:08:00.001-06:00

Golden leaves. Frost on the grass. The honking of geese. The deep BLAMM of the 12 gauge. Goose with cranberry sauce. Ahhhh.....I love Autumn!

I hope your summer was as adventure packed and incredibly blessed as our was. This was our first summer in eight years, away from Camp Encounter. As the weeks passed, my thoughts turned less and less to wondering and more and more to experiencing our new summers! And, man, did we have FUN!

I just wanted to say, hello again after a couple months hiatus on the blog. I'm looking forward to continuing to write and share and hear from you.

One of our adventures included my wife Judy courageously stepping out and experiencing a 1.1 kilometer zipline, reaching speeds of 70 km/hr. I thought I'd share that with you! I'm pretty proud of her. She's brave, spirit filled, humble and really gorgeous! Here are a few other pics from our escapades this summer! Praying for you all.

Doug

Summer is the Time to Fill Your Lamp

2007-07-24T09:51:00.001-06:00

When my son Joshua was just six years old he ministered to me in an incredible way. He was READING "The Master's Hand" at age 6. He's like that. He just picked up reading one day. (In no small part due to my wife's incredible ability to teach.) But he just started reading everything. Devotionals included. And he came up to me one night as I'm basking in the blue glow of my monitor typing a report and says:

"You know dad, everyone has this light inside of them."

"Really Josh?"

"Yeah. It's like a lamp with oil. And it's right in the center of them. And when they are really sad or not feeling good, they have no oil. But God has a lamp too. And His lamp is, like, so full! It's, like, overflowing to our lamps. And when our lamps are full, they're really burning bright and we're, like, joyful and happy. But, I don't have a lot of oil in my lamp right now Dad. I'm kinda, like, sorta sad."

Well by this time, I'm crying. He's blown me away.

"Really Josh? Where'd all your oil go? Why are you sad?"

"Well, I'm kinda sad because I can't get to sleep and I'm a little bit hungry."

And now, I'm smiling and really crying.

"Josh?"

"Yeah Dad?"

"I know where all of your lamp oil went."

"Where?"

I took his hand and started to wipe my tears.

"I'm crying because I'm so happy. You give me so much joy. You filled my lamp. You gave it all to me."

Now he's got this look on his face like I've never seen. Unsure but very knowing.

"Really??"

"How can I fill your lamp up?"

He starts to walk away and says, "Well Dad. I don't know but when I think of something, I'll tell you." And he makes a little gun with his fingers and points it at me and walks away smiling.

Find what fills your lamp. Life is too short to do nothing or to do something just for the money. Find what makes your heart sing and go do that. Let THAT be your mission this summer. Make your heart sing.

The Tooth of the Lion a.k.a. The Dandelion

2007-05-30T13:13:00.002-06:00

Much maligned, the dandelion exists in all of our backyards and fields. Only known now as a weed, the dandelion has long been a fantastic source of vitamin A (better than carrots), calcium and vitamin C. It is also proven as a blood purifier and aid to digestion, as with most bitter green herbs.

My family and I have collected dandelions every year, all summer, for several years. Our favourite is collecting the roots and roasting them in the oven for an excellent coffee substitute. This makes a brew so close to coffee (sans caffeine) that I once served it to my dad and passed it off as a specialty, vanilla coffee.

When we saw the field erupt with yellow, behind our new home, Judy and I quickly made a bet that the kids couldn't collect an ice cream bucket of flowers in under 2 minutes. To sweeten THEIR pot, we offered them a little financial bonus for each bucket. Well, 1/2 hour and $7.50 later, they had collected seven buckets full! And, Judy and I were left thinking "Now what!?"

So, as my gift to you, here is my very own recipe that I created for lunch. And, yep, it was excellent!

Smoked Salmon and Sharp Cheddar Omlette with Roma Tomatoes and Dandelion Flowers

2 eggs
1/2 cup smoked salmon, flaked
1/2 cup dandelion flowers (pluck the stem right to the bottom of the flower)
2 tbsp. skim milk
2 Roma tomato slices
2 slices sharp cheddar
salt and pepper to taste

Mix the eggs, milk, salmon and flowers in a cup. Spray a small frying pan with non-stick vegetable oil spray. Heat to medium. Pour mixture into pan and allow the bottom to set. Top with tomatoes and then flip the omlette. Fry until eggs are cooked through. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with cheddar just before serving. Have it open-faced on a slice of multi-grain toast with a glass of OJ.

And you thought I was just good-looking. :)

Going where called,
Eating dandelions along the way,

Doug

**NOTE** Be aware of where you are collecting your dandelions. If they are in a public place, they have likely been sprayed for weed control, or worse, peed on by Rover. If you know the history of your yard or greenspace, you will know whether the plant is safe. Avoid any plants that are spotted yellow or black and whose leaves are curled, wilted or other wise deformed.

I am Captivated!

2007-05-30T12:45:00.001-06:00

"She is the crescendo, the final, astonishing work of God. Woman. In one last flourish creation comes to a finish not with Adam, but with Eve. She is the Master’s finishing touch. How we wish this were an illustrated book, and we could show you now some painting or sculpture that captures this, like the stunning Greek sculpture of the goddess Nike of Samothrace, the winged beauty, just alighting on the prow of a great ship, her beautiful form revealed through the thin veils that sweep around her. Eve is . . . breathtaking. Given the way creation unfolds, how it builds to ever higher and higher works of art, can there be any doubt that Eve is the crown of creation? Not an afterthought. Not a nice addition like an ornament on a tree. She is God’s final touch, his pièce de résistance. She fills a place in the world nothing and no one else can fill. "

- "Captivating" by John and Stasi Eldredge pg. 24-25

This IS my beloved, Judy. And it is her birthday! And this is a re-cap of her special day.

A restored heirloom. A favourite cookbook. Sushi at home. "The Devil Wears Prada" over an Orange Cream cooler. These are a few of her favourite things!

For one month, I'm married to an older woman and, whoa, man, do I love her!

Happy Birthday sweetheart!

I Pulled My Groin Just Sitting and Watching This Vid

2007-05-13T21:16:00.001-06:00

I unreservedly and humbly tip my hat to people with the drive and dedication to push the human body to absolutely incredible places. Nicely done.

Pardon me while I go ice my groin.

This Is The Spirit I Know

2007-05-02T10:14:00.001-06:00

The Work of the Holy Spirit
By Saint Basil the Great, bishop

The titles given to the Holy Spirit must surely stir the soul of anyone who hears them, and make him realize that they speak of nothing less than the Supreme Being. Is he not called the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Truth who proceeds from the Father, the Steadfast Spirit, the Guiding Spirit? But his principal and most personal title is the Holy Spirit.

To the Spirit all creatures turn in their need for sanctification; all living things seek him according to their ability. His breath empowers each to achieve its own natural end.

The Spirit is the source of holiness, a spiritual light, and he offers his own light to every mind to help it in its search for truth. By nature the Spirit is beyond the reach of our mind, but we can know him by his goodness. The power of the Spirit fills the whole universe, but he gives himself only to those who are worthy, acting in each according to the measure of his faith.

Simple in himself, the Spirit is manifold in his mighty works. The whole of his being is present to each individual; the whole of his being is present everywhere. Though shared in by many he remains unchanged; his self-giving is no loss to himself. Like the sunshine, which permeates
all the atmosphere, spreading over land and sea, and yet is enjoyed by each person as though it were for him alone, so the Spirit pours forth his grace in full measure, sufficient for all, and yet is present as though exclusively to everyone who can receive him. To all creatures that share in him he gives a delight limited only by their own nature, not by his ability to give.

The Spirit raises our hearts to heaven, guides the steps of the weak, and brings to perfection those who are making progress. He enlightens those who have been cleansed from every stain of sin and makes them spiritual by communion with himself.

As clear, transparent substances become very bright when sunlight falls on them and shine with a new radiance, so also souls in whom the Spirit dwells, and who are enlightened by the Spirit, become spiritual themselves and source of grace for others.

From the Spirit comes foreknowledge of the future, understanding of the mysteries of faith, insight into the hidden meaning of Scripture, and other special gifts. Through the Spirit we become citizens, of heaven, we are admitted to the company of the angels, we enter into eternal happiness, and abide in God. Through the Spirit we acquire a likeness to God; indeed, we attain what is beyond our most sublime aspirations – we become God.

Blog Labels - In Process

2007-04-30T08:21:00.001-06:00

So, I was scrolling down the blog page and looking at the postings piling up below me. Lots of stuff said and seen. And I thought to myself, "Self, Google is a smart company. There's got to be a way to organize all this. I mean, it looks the the home page for the top of your desk. No rhyme or reason, just pile it all in one place. Self, I want you to look hard into Blogger and find The Way."

And, sure enough, it took me about two seconds to figure it out. LABELS!! Google created LABELS! Duh. Want to find that crazy bald Christian guy's interview, no problem! Pictures from the latest Young Warrior adventure? Easy!

With a little bit of time, I will be sorting the blog posts into, for the time being, four labelled categories. After I get it done, I'll tell you the categories and what you'll find there.

Keep checking back! I'll have this done this week.

Going where called,
Doing what is asked,

Doug

Owl Update

2007-04-25T12:33:00.001-06:00

I spoke with the wildlife rescue society today. Our friend the gray owl had suffered a severe compound fracture of his right wing. This means it was broken in more than one place. The injury was up near the shoulder. The fracture had begun to heal and set in place 90 degrees to its natural position. This means he was likely in the woods, injured, for one to two weeks. He was very malnourished. Unfortunately, there was nothing the center could do for his recovery so he was euthanized a day later.

Thanks to the good people at Wildlife Rehabilitation Society of Edmonton for taking care of the injured critters. Check out their very cool pics at http://www.wildlife-edm.ca/. They've rehabilitated some pretty neat creations.

Doug

The Owl Whisperer?

2007-04-21T23:17:00.001-06:00

So, I'm out for a morning run today. I did about a mile of cross country and then headed into the forest for some of Grandfather's "gymnastics". I slowed to the speed of a quiet fox, just to catch my breath and enjoy the life of the birdsong around me. Now, usually when I run into owls, I literally almost run into them and they fly off before I see them. So, it was good today to see this beauty before he flew. His path was my path and so I began to move slowly in his direction. I approached the 50 ft. mark and was somewhat surprised that he remained. But, given the type of owl she is, I allowed that to drift from my thoughts. I continued to approach and closed in on the 10 ft. mark. Here he is sitting so calmly atop a tree stump, as tall as me. She would turn her head away, listening to the dog barking and turn back to me. The eyes, oh the eyes, would bore right through me. Intense yellow. Knowing. I spoke "owl" to her as I drifted, explaining and intending to simply pass by. But as I neared, I knew that I could touch her. I neared her stump, down to 3 ft. As she turned her head away, my hand inched closer. After several slow minutes, I lay my hand on her back and felt her whisper soft feathers. She spun her head around, looking first at my hand on her back and then turned to look into my eyes. My heart raced as we mingled. I withdrew my hand and she stretched, fully two feet high. And he hopped down, gliding somewhat clumsily to the forest floor. And it was then that I realized she had a broken wing. I removed my hoodie and after another slow approach, she let me cover her and bring her home. In the end, she was taken to the wildlife rehab center. I will check on his status this week.

God put a little piece of himself in every animal, plant and living creature. Not sure about the mosquito, but all the rest have something immensely deep and wise to teach about their creator. I am grateful for the time I spent learning about God today.

I told my good friend, Darb, the story of catching this beautiful creature. He thought I was telling him a joke! Laughs on him when I get to the end of the story and he sees I'm serious! So, he called me the "owl whisperer"! I laughed.

"Stone Cold Steve Austin" vs. "Ken and Barbie" Christianity - An Interview NOT for the Fainted Heart

2007-04-10T14:41:00.001-06:00

**WARNING**
Controversial Christian Content - just like Jesus.

In a time of a resurgence in spirituality but a cynicism toward organized religion, there is a movement afoot to call to account, to question and to revitalize the way we approach introducing Jesus AND the way we follow him in our everyday lives.

This is going to stir the proverbial pot. And, quite honestly, it's about time. My reaction later. In the mean time, have a listen to Canada's #1 Christian call-in radio show host, Drew Marshall.

NEW - Gmail Paper Service! Never Lose Another E-mail!

2007-04-06T09:59:00.001-06:00

New! Introducing Gmail Paper

Everyone loves Gmail. But not everyone loves email, or the digital era. What ever happened to stamps, filing cabinets, and the mailman? Well, you asked for it, and it’s here. We’re bringing it back.

http://mail.google.com/mail/help/paper/index.html

A few days late, but here nonetheless!

Doug

Young Women, Young Warriors Re-united!

2007-04-02T12:45:00.001-06:00

Ever have one of those gatherings where it was just plain fun to be with the people? And, yet, beneath the surface of laughter and food, a depth is being shared that speaks of the quality of people you are with? Ever have one of those? We did.

We had a great gathering this past Saturday with friends from our Young Warrior and Heart of a Woman retreats, from this past couple of years. We met in separate locations and came together later. The guys beat each other up, sorry, I mean, learned and shared methods of protecting ourselves and loved ones from harm, in the local park and played a few rounds of the stick game and meditated on how to restrain a hostile person (or younger brother) using nothing but a bus stop sign or a soccer goal post.

The girls ate cayenne pepper muffins and shared on the advantages of being single. After a few Pollo el Fuego pizzas and Green Apple sodas, we toured the world using Google Earth on the big screen and said prayers for all of our family who couldn't join us because of their travel adventures. We had people not attending with regrets because they were in New York, Jamaica, Paris and Calgary. We prayed extra hard for the person in Calgary. Others were not planning on making it but fought the jet lag and showed up from Peru and Nicaragua. And one of our sisters was heading for Switzerland next week! Quite the international family!

The depth of caring and sincerity in these young men and women is truly remarkable. The women are healers, caregivers and protectors, and they are growing so beautifully in their identities. And, they have high standards with their future husbands! So high, that all of them are simply single and are not settling for less than a Prince and Warrior. The young men are, well, truly guys. But guys with a life-giving twist. They are growing in their desire to serve and be protectors and providers in their communities and families. And, they truly love to play, compete and laugh. Gentlemen, the record of 24 consecutive catches in the Stick Game still stands! Next time, it...will...fall. Tim.

We love you all. Thanks for an amazing gathering. Looking forward to many more!

Until next time, go where you are called. Do what you are asked. But know Who is doing the calling and the asking.

Doug 'n Judy

Movie Review Podcast

2007-03-29T09:58:00.001-06:00

Hey y'all,

Life Teen has a new Podcast available for d-load to your music machine. Regular reviews of new releases, both in the theatre and on DVD. Humor and thought provoking spiritual takes permeate the reviews. So, in addition to the latest Jimmy Hollywood review rag, check out www.lifeteen.com or just search lifeteen.com in your iTunes search bar, under the "Podcasts" section . Set it to automatically download the latest and have it there for your next bus ride or study session.

Check out the reviews on "300" and "TMNT" in particular!

Doug

Silly String Saves Lives!

2007-03-22T20:37:00.001-06:00

Regardless of your personal feelings on the war in the middle east, I'm sure all of us would agree that we want our serving men and women to come home safe.

Here is a vid showing how silly string may be saving the lives of our warriors.

http://cbs2.com/video/?id=29544@kcbs.dayport.com

Doug

Movie Review - "300" more like "299.5"

2007-03-19T13:56:00.001-06:00

A movie is like a batch of guacamole. There are several key ingredients. When you use the right stuff, the oh-so-pasty, green and tasty stuff doesn't make it past the opening credits. However, use under-ripe avocados or bottled lime juice and you'll be taking a spatula and squeegeeing a mass of paste resembling Dr. Ballards Sausage Putty into the toilet bowl two weeks later. With that image, consider the following movie review......

Overall Rating - 1.5 Avocados out of 7

The Recipe (from www.rottentomatoes.com)

Based on the epic graphic novel by Frank Miller, 300 is a ferocious retelling of the ancient Battle of Thermopylae in which King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) and 300 Spartans fought to the death against Xerxes and his massive Persian army. Facing insurmountable odds, their valor and sacrifice inspire all of Greece to unite against their Persian enemy, drawing a line in the sand for democracy. The film brings Miller's (Sin City) acclaimed graphic novel to life by combining live action with virtual backgrounds that capture his distinct vision of this ancient historic tale.

Garbage in the Gwok (in other words, objectionable content)

Uncountable instances of violent sword, spear and axe fighting. Several occurences of severed limbs and heads. Copious amounts of slow motion removal of said limbs and heads with the accompanying blood spatter and spurting. One scene depicting intercourse between the king and his queen. One scene of an orgy with one man and several women including a lesbian interaction. One fairly discreet scene of a rape, but a rape nonetheless.

Gourmet Ingredients (the finer things about the flick)

What can I say!? Bath water everywhere! Baby missing! It's hard to extol the virtues of a film with so many strikes against it. However, in an effort to toss the water but keep the baby, here goes.

The computer generated images (CGI) and accompanying filmwork are stunning and very technically well done. There is a very "yellow" tone to the movie, making it feel dusty and gritty. An appropriate mood is set with the lighting and shadows. And, besides, blood looks ominously crimson against a yellowed canvas. The slow motion effect is used maybe a bit too much but you can playback blowing your nose in slow motion, add "Eye of the Tiger" for music and it WILL look cool.

The main character, King Leonidas, has many admirable characteristics including a deep love for his family and his kingdom. He takes his position very seriously and feels and acts on the responsibility of protecting his family and his people. He demonstrates that a leader must LEAD, not just tell and watch. He does everything that he asks of others. He is diplomatic and does (unsuccessfully) try to negotiate a peaceful solution before fighting. It is, however, pretty clear that he'd rather remove some heads than have a meeting.

From the Kitchen (IMNTBHOAM - In my never to be humble opinion about movies)

Unfortunately, this movie is peppered with violence, sexual content and innuendo and frontal (and side and back) nudity. Now, I like a good axe-swingin' fight movie as much as the next guy but, remember, this movie was based on a graphic novel. In other words, a very long comic book. "Graphic novel" in this case means "we make book with pictures....Grug no make words....". And, yes, "300" is pretty cave-man in nature. "Graphic" also means describing nudity or sexual activity in graphic detail as in "graphic sexual and violent scenes"

I cannot, in good conscience, recommend this movie...to anyone. Admittedly, the warrior in me loved this battle and all it's challenges. Bad odds, incredible discipline, second-to-none training and preparation. All those things are present. But the producers and directors chose to include too many gratuitous images, obviously appealing to and exploiting the warrior naturally present in the male population. And, it's pretty clear this is a GUY flick. Guys, if I hear of one of you pitchin' this as a great flick to see with your girlfriend or wife because it's about a king who loves his wife, I'll show you bad odds....

The sex and violent images are saved in a special place in a brain and are VERY hard to erase. I know many under 18 guys scheming to see this. But, if you are serious about keeping a clear head, trust me, from experience, you do not need these images cluttering it. Remember, garbage in equals garbage out.

Avocado Approval (out of seven avocadoes....)

This movie cannot hold a candle to the likes of real epic movies like "Braveheart" or "Gladiator" which I wholeheartedly endorse, even to see with the significant lady in our lives. Save your $12 and rent "Braveheart" three times. I'm giving it 1.5 out of, yes, 7 avocados.

Keep Diggin' and You'll End Up in China....

2007-03-13T16:03:00.001-06:00

Ever hear this from your parents? I sure did. Even when I was just digging in the side of the hill of dirt created after our new basement was dug. Or when a hole in the yard or on the beach got particularly significant, Dad would joke that people would start popping their heads up from some foreign country on the other side of the globe.

Well, if you've ever wondered where you'd end up if you just kept diggin' check out www.digholes.com. You'll be surprised to learn just what or who might be showing up on the end of your shovel!

Going where called,
Diggin' deep,

Doug

An Incredible Winter Adventure - Young Life Snow Camp!

2007-03-12T08:31:00.001-06:00

Photos are in! And by all counts, this was an AWESOME trip!

Check out the pic of the trees at the top of Sun Peaks.

Unbelievable!

The zipline was a hoot! Up to 80 km/h! I think it's over a kilometer long! Temperatures were -6C. So at 80 kliks per hour, that's -18C wind chill.

It was only cold if you did it in your bathing suit, covered in Deep Cold!

Our crew consisted of five of us from Edmonton Catholic schools. We were five of about eighty teens and Young Life staff from around Edmonton. Eighty of the rowdiest, eagerest, energetic-est teens in the city!

And many friends we made along the way!

For those of you who made it, thanks for an amazing trip!

For those of you who missed it, we're heading out for another amazing adventure this summer, August 4 to 12! E-mail me for details at intothewilderness@gmail.com.

**Huge shout-out to Candice P. for the use of her camera and all the photos she took! Great job Candice! I'm working with some of the vids too so stay tuned for some video footage of the trip.

Going where called,

Doing what is asked,

(And it's tough when it's snowboarding at Sun Peaks!)

Doug

Know It All's - Good for a Giggle

2007-03-08T14:42:00.001-07:00

An Alberta cowboy was overseeing his herd in a remote mountainous pasture when suddenly a brand new BMW advanced out of a cloud of dust towards him. The driver, a young man in a Brioni suit, Gucci shoes, Ray Ban sunglasses and YSL tie, leans out the window and asks the cowboy "If I tell you how many cows and calves you have in your herd, will you give me a calf?"

The cowboy looks at the man, obviously a yuppie, then looks at his peacefully grazing herd and calmly answers, "Sure, why not?"

The yuppie parks his car, whips out his Dell notebook computer, connects to his Cingular RAZR V3 cell phone, and surfs to a NASA page on the Internet, where he calls up a GPS satellite navigation system to get an exact fix on his location, which he then feeds to another NASA Satellite that scans the area in an ultra-high-resolution photo. Finally, he prints out a full-color, 150-page report on his high-tech, miniaturized HP LaserJet printer and finally turns to the cowboy and says, "You have exactly 1,586 cows and calves."

"That's right. Well I guess you can take one of my calves," says the cowboy.

He watches the young man select one of the animals and looks on in amusement as the young man stuffs it into the trunk of his car. Then the cowboy says to the young man, "Hey, if I can tell you exactly what your business is, will you give me back my calf?"

The young man thinks about it for a second, and then says, "Okay, why not?"

"You work for the Canadian Government," says the cowboy.

"Wow! That's correct," says the young man, "but how did you guess that?"

"No guessing required," answered the cowboy. "You showed up here, even though nobody called you; you want to get paid for giving me an answer I already knew, to a question I never asked. You tried to show me how much smarter than me you are; and you don't know a thing about cows..

This is a herd of sheep. Now give me back my dog.

Eight Seconds Left on the Clock, Down by Two!

2007-02-23T09:10:00.001-07:00

Just wanted to give a shout out to the senior boys basketball team at Saint Francis Xavier high school. Last night was the first night of the final playoff rounds. Single elimination. In other words, you lose, you're out. The opposition was Bev Facey High School from Sherwood Park.

First half looked good, but not stellar. Kevin and Jacob we're pulling down some good rebounds and the team looked relatively confident pulling off the plays Jon was calling out. Dustin could sit and hit free throws all day and probably snack down a box of Shreddies while doing it. Brett was playing his usual intense defense, keeping the key on lock down. The Rams went into half-time with an uncomfortable lead but a lead nonetheless.

The guys came out strong in the second half and pulled out by as much as eleven points. Facey began to run a full court press and, while I've seen the guys break this easy some nights, last night it began to result in missed passes, bad hands and stepping out of bounds. One run up the floor saw three missed passes, the guys fumbling the reception. Facey managed to pull ahead by two points with less than thirty seconds to go. Rams managed a turnover and took it back to their end. Facey put up an intense 3/2 defense, double teaming anyone on the three point line. They were sticking real tight as the guys moved it around the key looking for the only shot that would win it....the dreaded three pointer under extreme pressure. The ball went to Dusty, to Jon, back to Dusty, looking for an opening. With nothing but 2.8 seconds left Jon took a crisp pass just right of the top of the three point line and, with two defenders hot on him he pops a three point jump shot. I'm sure I was holding my breath as that ball sailed in a high arc over the Facey guards and hit absolutely nothing but mesh! It was an involuntary response but the entire FX crowd and bench screamed and jumped to their feet! I haven't seen an ending like that on all but "Sports at 11". FX up by one with Facey in possession and under three seconds left, it was game over.

You know, it was at times a frustrating game for coach, the refs, the players and crowd and the guys were playing hard but far from perfect, I couldn't help but give a huge thanks to God at game's end for the Spirit of the Young Man that is obviously alive and well in all these guys, including the opposition. It's the time of the Warrior for these young men. It's the time of their lives where they are proving themselves, finding out if they have what it takes to be a Real Man. In that process, they will drop the ball, as we all do. They'll fumble and miss. They will work hard, get frustrated, lose and win. But they will grow. I see some fine, fine young men on that team. Strong character. Leaders. Humble followers. And my prayer for them and all young warriors is that they have the direction in their lives that they need to send them in good ways, righteous ways. I pray they will come to understand God himself as a Warrior, coming through for us through all history. Making the perfect pass, hitting the critical free throw, pulling of that three point jump shot for us just when it seems it's over. That IS God. He loves to come through! And he's proven it time and again. And, not only that, he has infused his men with that same spirit. (God has infused women with other great and beautiful things and that is for another post.)

Now, on Tuesday next week, FX faces Paul Kane High School. I'm told that P.K. hasn't won by less than 20 points all season. They are in the number one spot. FX is fourth. It seems like a David and Goliath match up, for any team in the league. Hmmm...let me think....how'd that story go again?

"Master," said David, "don't give up hope. I'm ready to go and fight this Philistine."

Saul answered David, "You can't go and fight this Philistine. You're too young and inexperienced—and he's been at this fighting business since before you were born."

David said, "I've been a shepherd, tending sheep for my father. Whenever a lion or bear came and took a lamb from the flock, I'd go after it, knock it down, and rescue the lamb. If it turned on me, I'd grab it by the throat, wring its neck, and kill it. Lion or bear, it made no difference—I killed it. And I'll do the same to this Philistine pig who is taunting the troops of God-Alive. God, who delivered me from the teeth of the lion and the claws of the bear, will deliver me from this Philistine."

David took his shepherd's staff, selected five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in the pocket of his shepherd's pack, and with his sling in his hand approached Goliath.

As the Philistine paced back and forth, his shield bearer in front of him, he noticed David. He took one look down on him and sneered—a mere youngster, apple-cheeked and peach-fuzzed.

The Philistine ridiculed David. "Am I a dog that you come after me with a stick?" And he cursed him by his gods. "Come on," said the Philistine. "I'll make roadkill of you for the buzzards. I'll turn you into a tasty morsel for the field mice."

David answered, "You come at me with sword and spear and battle-ax. I come at you in the name of God-of-the-Angel-Armies, the God of Israel's troops, whom you curse and mock. This very day God is handing you over to me. I'm about to kill you, cut off your head, and serve up your body and the bodies of your Philistine buddies to the crows and coyotes. The whole earth will know that there's an extraordinary God in Israel. And everyone gathered here will learn that God doesn't save by means of sword or spear. The battle belongs to God—he's handing you to us on a platter!"

That roused the Philistine, and he started toward David. David took off from the front line, running toward the Philistine. David reached into his pocket for a stone, slung it, and hit the Philistine hard in the forehead, embedding the stone deeply. The Philistine crashed, facedown in the dirt. (1 Samuel 17 from "The Message")

Guys, I'm praying for you. I'll be there watching. Play like Warriors. Dangerous and honorable. Serve 'em up on a platter.

Going where called,
Doing what is asked,

Doug

Donald Trump vs. Vince McMahon WWE Match - Loser Shaves Head!

2007-02-20T09:57:00.001-07:00

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070220/ap_en_ce/people_trump;_ylt=AgWjr.jbSKyueg9NxpzWN31xFb8C

Apparently, McMahon and Trump are going at it in the "Battle of the Billionaires" match. Loser shaves head!

I'm going out on a limb here and calling it now....

There's gonna be a bald man in the board room and it ain't gonna be The Donald!

Vince....YOU'RE FIRED!

Going where called,
Wrestling when asked,

Doug

iTunes Podcasts - Easy Listening, Great Vid!

2007-02-20T09:37:00.001-07:00

Want to point you in the direction of some great links.

The first one is to get some of you excited about an incredible summer experience! Now, on You Tube, check out the video for this amazing chance at LIFE to the fullest!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABDM0ShlPVs

And, a couple of podcasts for you on iTunes.

This feed includes the video above plus two other great clips!
http://video.younglife.ca/wordpress/?feed=rss2

This feed gives your something to listen to on your iPod besides Good Charlotte and even has some relevance to your relationship with God. Subscribe today!
http://www.lifeteen.com/RSS/podcasts/sunday/sunday.xml

I'm preaching to the choir here but to subscribe to an iTunes podcast, start iTunes, click "Advanced" on the top menu, click "Subscribe to Podcast" and then cut and past these links into the box. Baddaboom, baddabing.

Hope you find these multi-meds entertaining and thought provoking!

Doug

God's Finest....Vegetable?

2007-02-18T20:35:00.001-07:00

Of all the vast and wondrous pleasures of this world, few compare to the making of a really good guacamole.

Here's a salute of thanksgiving to the slimy, pasty, green and tasty.....avocado.

Me

The Battle for Our Hearts - God is Good (Re-post)

2007-02-12T10:47:00.001-07:00

"The Lord is a warrior. The Lord is His name." - Exodus 15:3

"We were born into a world at war." - John Eldredge, Wild at Heart

**Thanks to John Eldredge and the Ransomed Heart Ministry for the inspiration for this post.**

God is good. There are forces at work directly against you and I. There is a battle raging on around us, invisible to the eye but well known by the Spirit and those who pay attention. You've heard it in so many of our modern day stories.

The Rebellion and the Empire. Jedi vs. Sith.
The battle for Middle Earth. Man, Elf, Dwarf and Hobbit vs. The Dark Lord and his Minions. The war for Scotland. Highlanders vs. the tyrant Longshanks.
Neo, Trinity and Morpheus vs. The Machines and Agents.

You ARE at war. You ARE a part of a fantastical story! God and the Angels vs. Lucifer and the Demons. And WE are the spoils of the war. The reason for the fight. You have a role to play in this great Epic that God has been authoring from the beginning of time, even before He created us. And EVERY DAY is a chapter in that story.

Now, just as we've been assigned guardians by God, we have been assigned predators by the Enemy. You don't need to believe this for it to be true.

One of the prayers of the Catholic faith says it well. The Prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel, the Navy SEAL of the angelic realm says, "thrust into hell Satan and all the other evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls".

You will, through your life, make one of three choices in the story. You will run. You will hide. Or you will fight and be counted among the numbers who have consciously taken their place in the Epic. And we need all types of people. We need healers. We need teachers. We need protectors, providers and preservers.

If you have read this, you WILL make a choice when you close this page. Live your life as though nothing matters. Or live your life as if EVERYTHING matters.

Who is God calling you to be? What is your role in the Story? Step up. Step in.

I want to introduce you to a man who has elaborated so eloquently on this and taught me so much. Visit www.epicreality.com for an EXCEPTIONAL experience. Hold on tight.

Going where called,
Doing what is asked.

Doug

The City Has Been Invaded!

2007-02-09T09:03:00.001-07:00

With the light dusting of new fallen snow, a terrible truth has been revealed!

The city has been invaded by alien blood-sucking bunnies!!

Seriously!

I saw their tracks in Saint FX school parking lot, Chapters parking lot and at a church lot on Stony Plain Road, nearing downtown!

THEY MAY BE RIGHT IN YOUR YARD!

Keep an eye out for this track pattern! And, if you would be so kind as to e-mail the National Alien Blood Sucking Bunny Tracking Database so we can plot their occurances. Thank you.

Doug

My New Salary

2007-02-05T08:31:00.001-07:00

So, my life insurance company got back to our new employer. They were calling to confirm that our new salary is indeed $1,200,000 per year.

Not bad huh?

Apparently, they thought our annual salary was a monthly amount.

I thought it was funny.

Going where called,
And getting paid $1.2 million to do it,

Doug

WARNING - Sexual Content Ahead

2007-02-02T10:18:00.001-07:00

****WARNING****
Straightforward, honest, Bible-based SEXUAL CONTENT AHEAD.****WARNING****

Having done what I do for over a decade now, I’m rarely shocked by much. You know. That jaw dropping, heart skips a beat, “Oh my God”, shock.

The one thing that at least gets my jaw dropping is stories like I have heard about what teachers in Catholic schools, RELIGION CLASSES, are teaching about sex and sexuality. Adults in Catholic leadership positions who are completely ignorant of church teachings AND they are unable to admit it and instead, pass along their own opinions. This is HUGE. And, what most of these teachers don't realize is how seriously students take their information/opinion. There are many teachers in a serious place of error, especially by passing along wrong information and influencing young people in what can be SOUL DAMAGING decisions.

Here are the straight goods, prefaced by a question that I've been asked or that maybe you have asked someone.

Where does the bible say pre-marital sex is wrong? I can't find it anywhere!

The Bible DOES talk about pre-marital sex. It just uses a bigger, fancier word called “fornication”. It’s defined as voluntary sexual intercourse between a man and a woman who are not married to each other. Hmmm…..sounds pretty specific huh? Bible verses where it takes place – 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 & 1 Corinthians 7: 1-2. To name only a few. And, YES, adultery IS a form of fornication. Not PRE-marital sex but EXTRA (outside of) marital sex. And it’s not just committed with the act of intercourse but even LOOKING and THINKING about sex with a married person or someone other than your marriage partner is a serious thing. Check out Matt. 5:32; 19:9; John 8:41; Acts 15:20 for more on the F-word.

If you are a student facing this with a teacher, you now have enough to go to your teacher and gently (1 Peter 3:15-16) share what you have found. And I’d suggest you read that piece from Peter before you go.

Now, it doesn’t end here. Cuz the WORLD plays word games. The WORLD says “hmmmm…..pre-marital SEX? So, I can’t have intercourse huh? Darn. Well, how about That’s not sex.”

Sit down. We’ve gotta have a chat. There’s a second word I’m going to introduce you to. And it’s a dirty one. It comes from the City of Sin itself. No, not Las Vegas. It comes from the city of Sodom, in the Old Testament. The place where anything goes with anyone (or their pet). Yep. Sodomy. It’s most often used to refer to homosexual activity but also expands to include oral sex or other acts outside of just intercourse. It goes on. But for our purposes, these acts are also wrong outside of (and many even inside of) Christian marriage. When the church talks of pre-marital sex, she is also referring to all those things that rev the body up in preparation for the act of intercourse. For the purposes of what we’re “allowed” before marriage, the definition also needs to include “other stuff” like oral sex, homosexual acts, mutual masturbation, rubbing and, yes, EVEN deep kissing (like French kissing). Ooooh….that’s cutting deep. I know. WHY!? Why? Why is the church such a prude? Is sex THAT wrong? Is it that forbidden?

NO! Not even close. Au contraire!

It’s because it is THAT sacred, that beautiful, THAT GOOD! (Trust me! Five kids….Ten years married. It’s good! You get the picture.) Sorry.

It’s BEYOND GOOD! It’s HOLY. It’s SACRED. And sacred, from our wise Father Catfish, means “set apart for God”. Sex speaks the language of FOREVER. To quote my buddy, The Bible Geek…“Basically, sex is a language...a forever language. When you enter into that language in a non-forever relationship (anything other than sacramental marriage) you are using God's forever language in a "for now" way.” Sex is reserved for when the sacramental commitment of marriage is made between a man and a woman. Not dating for four and half months. Not dating for a year. Not a promise ring. NOT EVEN AN ENGAGEMENT RING!

And the ultimate question. Is it too late?

“I’ve done this and this and that with my girlfriend/boyfriend/fiancé. Does God still care? Can I start now?”

It’s never too late.

You’re always loved and cared for by God. But it’s a decision. A decision to say “This is SO important, so special, so sacred, that I want to wait. I want to save it, from here on.” But, if you’ve already been that far, it’s so easy to go back. You can’t make it on your own. You won’t make it on your own. You shouldn’t try to make it on your own. You need the presence of someone who’s well grounded into their Catholic faith walk. Your youth minister/pastor. A priest. Find a healthy, grounded Catholic married couple. Get their help. Accountability is key. You need to give permission to some one to ask you questions and walk with you and your boyfriend/girlfriend. It is NOT too late.

I realize the unpopular nature of this teaching. I realize it is in direct contrast to every ad, every song, every celebrity that glorifies sex and separates it from the sacred. This flies in the face of everything you and I are force fed on a daily basis. And I’ll likely get people e-mailing me who are angry or confused or rebellious. Guess what.“On hearing it, many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?" Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, "Does this offend you?" From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.” (John 6:59-61,66)It’s not the first time.I’m praying hard for all of you. I love you.

In Christ,

Doug

Scared to Step Up? - Check Out This Vid from Life Teen Dot Com

2007-01-31T16:30:00.001-07:00

Our Friend Spruce - See You at the Gate

2007-01-31T11:05:00.001-07:00

In May of 1996, I was working with the power company in south Alberta. Anything to do with power and it's consumption, I had my hands on it. Sometimes, this was shockingly literal.

This included visiting residents who could not or would not pay their bill. After several warnings, we were left with little choice than to shut off their power. This tended to elicit two responses. Swearing while simultaneously reaching for their wallet.

One afternoon, I was dispatched to turn off the power at a house in a little rundown subdivision called "Dogtown". Go figure. I pulled up into the drive and exited my truck. Knocking on the door with this kind of news always made me a bit nervous. People can be mean. However, on this occasion, as I approached the door, I noticed a sign in the window. "Puppies to Give Away".

This was perfect timing as we were on a new acreage and had been missing the presence of a dog, having always had one around us during our farm life growing up. So, rather than turn off the power, I exited the premises and decided to return after work that night.

My shift ended and I went home and grabbed Judy and our son, Michael. We went to the house and found the owner who ushered us to the garage. There, in a tiny, fuzzy ball were four puppies. Immediately, one stood out. While the others were black, white or some combination, one pup was tri-colored, marked like a beagle. It didn't take long to decide. We thanked the owner and headed home.
At only four weeks old, little "Spruce" was going to need some bottle feeding. I remember crossing paths in the middle of the night with my wife, her feeding our crying baby and me feeding the whining pup.

Through the years, Spruce embarked on countless adventures with our family including getting lost in the mountains, tangling with the same skunk three times, falling through the ice while duck hunting and tagging along on countless miles of hikes.

Sadly, two weeks ago, Spruce went missing. She was gone for nine days. Last Saturday, upon moving out of our last house, we found her body just behind the house. She had been mauled by two rogue dogs, likely belonging to our neighbor's across the road. They came to the yard, killed her quite visciously and left. All the sign points to a quick fight and a quick death.

We buried her under an old spruce tree in the swamp, amongst the blueberries and lingonberries. Our new house isn't quite the same without her. Our seven year old daughter said the other night "This would feel more like home if Spruce was here." So true.

A hole has been left. And yet, Spruce has never known anything but the country. Running down hares, treeing squirrels, harassing skunks. Now, we've moved to the city for a time. Knowing our situation now, it almost seems fitting that she wasn't to follow us. I miss her dearly. But I do believe that all things good and sacred wait for us in the next world. And I fully expect that when I finally pull up to the Big Gate, Spruce will be there as always, tail wagging and doing that crazy dance she always greeted us with. Until then.

P.S. For those of you detail people who are wondering about the power bill of the puppy owner....I returned the next day, and, shut off his power.

Going where called,
Doing what is asked,
Doug

A Prayer of Reassurance

2007-01-16T09:23:00.001-07:00

My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end.

Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.

But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you.

And I hope that I have that desire in all that I am doing.

I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.

And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it.

Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.

Amen

Thomas Merton

Blessings of the Sacred Season

2006-12-25T20:07:00.001-07:00

As my family and I drove south, nearing the U.S. border, it felt more like we were driving into Nevada desert than south Alberta. The snow disappeared, the winds picked up and the Sweetgrass Hills came into view. My heart kinda sank, leaving behind a guaranteed "white Christmas" (with no house to celebrate in) to a "grasshopper Christmas" surrounded by family. The choice was clear and the arrival joyous, when the first smiles appeared, seeing my mom and and dad and watching them hug the kids for the first time in six months.

So, from my family, to all of yours, a very merry and blessed Christmas season. My prayer for you in the New Year, is that God reveals to you your true heart and all the songs He has placed in it. And that you would come to live from your true heart, day by day, awakening to the truth around you. We are a Holy Creation and our Creator wants nothing more than to love you more deeply and adventure farther with you than ever before.

Our prayers and love,

Doug and family