DashHouse.com

Another quote from Gilead. I'm guessing most pastors can relate:

A woman in my flock called just after breakfast and asked me to come to her house. She is elderly, recently a widow, all by herself, and she had just moved from her farm to a cottage in town. You can never know what troubles or fears such people have, and I went. It turned out that the problem was her kitchen sink. She told me, considerably amazed that a reversal so drastic could occur in a lawful universe, that hot water came from the cold faucet and cold water from the hot faucet. I suggested she might just decide to take C for hot and H for cold, but she said she liked things to work the way they were supposed to. So I went home and got my screw-driver and came back and switched the handles. She said she guessed that would do until she could get a real plumber. Oh, the clerical life! I think this lady has suspected me of a certain doctrinal sloughing off, and now she will be sure of it. The story made your mother laugh, though, so my labors are repaid.

I had a strange voicemail when I arrived at work yesterday. He didn't leave his name, but he said he didn't like churches set up like businesses with voicemail and fancy offices and well manicured lawns when people were out there homeless and spat upon. It was the type of voicemail you get occasionally from crazy people, except this guy spoke with an educated accent and his grammar was impeccable. But everything he said could have come out of the mouth of a crazy person.

I deleted the message and mentally put it down to one of those odd calls you get. I was also a little annoyed. He didn't speak in the context of relationship. He doesn't know me or my heart, or what I've been through in the past week. As for voicemail and lawns, I'm not sure God would be more glorified if we went back to the old answering system we used to have - I'm pretty sure God wasn't getting much glory in that - or if we let the weeds grow instead of grass.

But what really bugs me is that, in a way, he has a point. I hate it when the crazies call me and when some of what they say actually makes sense. At times it's hard to tell the crazies apart from the prophets.

Gilead is a novel about Reverend John Ames, second generation pastor, who writes to his son near the end of his life in 1956.

Ames keeps his in a box in the attic. One day he figures out that he's filled 67,600 pages with his sermons, the equivalent of 225 books. Here are some of his thoughts on his sermons, spread over some 50 pages of the novel:

I think every day about going through those old sermons of mine to see if there are one or two I might want you to read sometime, but there are so many, and I'm afraid, first of all, that most of them might seem foolish or dull to me.

There is not a word in any of those sermons I didn't mean when I wrote it. If I had the time, I could read my way through fifty years of my innermost life. What a terrible thought.

I had a dream once that I was preaching to Jesus Himself, saying any foolish thing I could think of, and He was sitting there in His white, white robe looking patient and sad and amazed. That's what it felt like.

Well, perhaps I can get a box of them down here somehow and do a little sorting. It would put my mind at ease to feel I was leaving a better impression. So often I have known, right here in the pulpit, even as I read these words, how far they fell short of any hopes I had for them. And they were the major work of my life, from a certain point of view. I have to wonder how I have lived with that.

Sermons are, according to Ames, "one side of a passionate conversation." Very true. And I suspect that most preachers can relate to at least some of what Ames says about his sermons.

I know not everyone is as interested in my family drama as I am, but I thought this post from my brother was good:

I look at the pictures of our father and I see a man who was once so much larger than life, now looking so frail and so small I can hardly believe it is the same person I once knew.

I am both incredibly happy and incredibly sad tonight, for the man I call my Dad. I am happy that Dad is safe and well. But I am also sad at the thought of the ravages that time and age have brought about on his mind and body.

But, to be honest with you and myself, I think I am feeling sad most of all because I may never have the opportunity to tell Dad how much I love him, and to know that he understands what I am saying.

Five years ago we found Dad collapsed in his apartment and began worry about his ability to live alone. Since then, we've been back numerous times checking in on him and trying to get him help as he gets older and more frail.

Later, we found eviction notices, unpaid bills, and food gone bad and realized that he really wasn't coping. We did our best to get help but it's not that easy from thousands of miles away.

All of this was going nowhere as late as last November when we last visited and saw Dad getting worse. Lately he's been turning his electricity off and it's been clear it's not safe for him to live alone.

In the past couple of months, amazing things have happened. Even in the past week. Finally.

Here's a picture of Dad, with my brother Kevin, in his new bedroom in his new home. He's fitting in well and loves the care. All the things we've worried about over the past years have now been looked after. As someone said, now when we come over, it won't be to deal with crises so much as it is to visit our Dad.

Such a huge burden lifted.

We received a big answer to prayer today.

This morning, my Dad's care manager arrived at his flat. The plan was to take him for a two-week trial of respite care. My Dad agreed to go last Friday as a "holiday". I never imagined he would go when the time came.

The care manager, who's been very helpful, writes:

This morning, as planned I went and picked up Isobelle (Manager) we went then to your dad's. He was in fine form and looked very well. He remembered I was coming back today. I introduced him to isobelle, and they got on fine. Asked then would he like to go and stay and for me to pack his bag, and he was quite happy with this.

We got to the House, and dad was wisked off to meet the other residents and to have a cup of tea (about 10.15) at no time was dad anxious or unhappy about going to the home for a holiday.

I have just this minute rang Isobelle, dad has just had lunch, has been chatting to other residents, and when she passes him in the lounge, he just looks at her and smiles. At this moment, dad is being shown his room.

I think dad just might enjoy himself and this 24hr care and support, who know's he might even want to stay?

Amazing.

Tomorrow night, my brother Kevin and I catch the red-eye to Gatwick. Wednesday afternoon we go and see Dad in his new place. Then some paperwork and buying new clothes for Dad, and a few more errands before returning home early Friday morning.

If the two-week trial goes well, some of us will have to go back and tidy out the flat in March. So far, so good. Please keep praying.

When you have had one of those take-this-job-and-shove-it-days, try this. On your way home after work, stop at your pharmacy and go to the section where they have thermometers. You will need to purchase a rectal thermometer made by the Q-tip Company. Be sure that you get this brand. When you get home, lock your doors, draw the drapes, and disconnect the phone so you will not be disturbed during your therapy. Change to very comfortable clothing, such as a sweat suit and lie down on your bed. Open the package containing the thermometer, remove it, and carefully place it on the bedside table so that it will not become chipped or broken. Take the written material that accompanies the thermometer. As you read, notice in small print the statement: "Every rectal thermometer made by Q-tip is personally tested."

Close your eyes. Say out loud five times, "Thank you, oh thank you, that I do not work in quality control at the Q-tip Company." (quoted by Mark Buchanan in The Rest of God)

Look what Charlene found: an establishment called Dash Kitchen in the Danforth area of Toronto. I have to agree with these comments from a review:

Every man I have seen there (they are all men) is absolutely handsome, very friendly and both knowledgeable and helpful which just enhances the total Dash Kitchen experience.

I sometimes just go to see what the latest thing they've prepared is. A visit to Dash Kitchen is a delightful adventure in yummy food.

Charlene bought me a round cutting board with the Dash Kitchen logo on it, which now sits proudly in our own Dash kitchen. Here, like there, the men are handsome and knowledgeable.

The past couple of days have been the hardest I've had in many years. Lots going on, including a potential move by my father to residential care next week. Also a whirlwind trip to England is on the schedule for next week (leave Tuesday night, get back Friday afternoon).

As an extended family, we're learning how to deal with this and it hasn't been without its challenges. We all get along but you bump into stuff that isn't easy when you're dealing with some of the stuff that we are.

I'd appreciate your prayers for all of us, and I hope things will get better from here.

I posted a bit about my experience with James MacDonald last year. Others have gently pushed back on some of his writings, which I applaud. But, after spending a day listening to James today, I am going to have to upgrade my view of James for a number of very good reasons.

One: Some of the best messages I've heard over the past year have been by James. He's clear and his preaching challenges me.

Two: James seems to be gentler, humbler than before, and humility is an attractive virtue on anybody.

Three: Joseph Stowell likes him. That has to count for something.

Four: John Maxwell annoyed him. When he and Maxwell ended up golfing together, Maxwell figured out that James had some issues. He pushed James to express them, and James resisted. Eventually, they met in Maxwell's office, and James laid it on the table - but began with tears. He told Maxwell that he was a shameless self-promotor. Maxwell responded in tears, confessing it is his besetting sin, and he asked James to pray for him. This story made me think much more highly of both James MacDonald and John Maxwell. It's easy to criticize from a distance; much harder to give and receive criticism with such a great spirit.

Five: Despite disagreeing with Bill Hybels on a lot of issues, they seem to hang out and get along quite well.

Six: When challenged by Scot McKnight on his article Why I Am Not Emerging, James promised to remove the article from his site (note: still there!) and left a comment at Scot's site: "I am glad for the summary you have written and I accept it as a more factual and informed definition than my own."

Seven: I like James because he would be ticked that I'm praising him, and he'd want to redirect that attention to someone much more worthy.

Ralph Wiggum sends his regards.

My funniest Valentines Day: A few years ago, Ed, Tim and I went out for lunch. We noticed that most everyone else was in couples, except for us. Then it dawned on us that it was Valentines Day. If only Tim hadn't made those eyes the rest of the lunch!

But it's a day to be grateful for those I love, and to give thanks to God for them. And to tell them.

what i would say to the young american emerging churches:

My advice is to go back to the Scriptures, again and again, and back to the way of Jesus. It will get you in trouble, as it did Jesus, and you will be called a heretic, as he was. But you will be confident of His approval, if you imitate Him, for as the Father sent the Son, so He sends us. And you will also find the kind of success that the Father desires.

The low point of yesterday was when I learned that the hospital had discharged my Dad at his request. I don't know how a hospital discharges a man who's in a state of confusion, without knowing that he would be able to make it safely home but that's what they did.

But, thanks to Bill, a missionary with Global Outreach Mission who's been so good to Dad since he came into the picture a few weeks ago, Dad made it safely home. I talked to him last night and he was obviously confused. He thought he had been picked up for drunkenness, and couldn't figure out why anyone would think he was drunk since he's not a drinker.

Turns out that Dad has an infection, which seems to increase his confusion. He's now on antibiotics.

We face some decisions now: do we stay the course, as Dad is receiving more visits and care than ever before, or do we move him into a safer home?

I'd appreciate your prayers as we try to figure this out.

My brother Kevin got a call today telling him that my Dad has been taken to hospital. When the meals-on-wheels people delivered lunch today, they could hear him inside the apartment, but he couldn't make it to the door. They called the police, who broke into the apartment and took him to the hospital. (My Dad is in his eighties, and lives in England alone.)

It seems like my Dad has really gone downhill quickly lately, and it's not like he was good to start with. He's lost a lot of weight, has stopped dressing, and has become even more confused.

Seems like it's a good time to look at getting him moved into a safer housing arrangement, although who knows what will happen in the hospital. Not sure what all of this will mean but we'd appreciate your prayers.

My brother Arthur has started a blog. He's got a gift for words if you ask me. Still, the byline says it all - "Either you're all insane or I am, I'm not sure which..."

Go by and show him some love.

Here's the proof. Jordon posts:

Some good news from meeting with said medical specialist today and that is that I am going to live for at least a little while longer. Despite the scare that lead to these tests, I am healthy and everything checked out okay. Sorry if I disappointed any of you.

Scott comments:

so wendy isn't technically available then?

Could you ask for a better friend?

When I was in school - I can't remember which grade, but it must have been 25 years ago - they scared us one day by taking us to court. We got to meet the judge in his chambers, and then we sat in the public gallery and watched a few trials.

I forget exactly what the charges were - maybe they spat on a sidewalk or didn't return a shopping cart after they loaded their cars - but we sat stunned as we watched the underbelly of society stand before the law. Maybe they were trying to deter us from a life of crime, and I guess it worked. It was the eighties version of a reality show.

Today, I went to court. Nothing major; it was just traffic court. I was filing a motion to appeal my conviction, after allegedly failing to completely stop at a stop sign in 2004.

I never stepped in a courtroom today; that will have to wait another 18 months or so, long after the demerit points are stricken from my record. (What's the use? I asked myself today.) But I've sure seen a different side of people.

People take a number, and wait for their turn. They go up to the window and, quite often, get agitated with the clerk on the other side of the glass. You could run a sociology class in that room.

I'm thinking of becoming a chaplain to the traffic court. Just throw on a collar and hang around, looking for people who are about to blow a blood vessel.

I've seen drivers hauled away in handcuffs. (I was called up next by the way. Lucky for me, I got off a bit easier.) I've seen people brought in by police in cuffs. I've seen young guys fined $15,000. I've seen old men who can barely walk try to communicate their anger in a second language. I've seen it all.

Chaplain to the traffic court. That just may be my next calling. I've heard of stranger vocations.

A fascinating conversation with Bono about his faith:

With spontaneous eloquence, he said being a worship leader must be "the highest of all art forms, to worship and call people into the presence of God."

Clearly aware of the ironies of his new faith-based campaign, Bono admitted, "If me 10 years ago would have heard me say what I said today, I wouldn't believe me."

Bono spent nearly 45 minutes with us and loosened up a lot as the conversation went on. He would have kept going, but his handlers cut the session off. He was thoughtful and candid, a performer who didn't appear to be performing. And he was enormously compelling, especially when he described the people he has met in his travels in Africa who put real "flesh and bones" on the purpose of his campaign.

via

From Resonate ECHO: Bruxy Cavey:

On Monday, March 20th at 7:00pm we have Bruxy Cavey (from The Meeting House) doing a Resonate ECHO at the FRWY.ca cafe in Hamilton, ON.

ECHO was set up to be an ongoing series of conversations hosted by Resonate and our partners addressing this challenging context. The mix of themes is mission, worship, church, spirituality and Christianity in today's rapidly changing culture.

How ECHO's work.

Bruxy will be talking about the concept of his new book, "The End Of Religion" (and will be doing a book signing party as well).

Coffee. Learning. Party.

Free admission. Light snacks and beverages provided.

Need directions to the cafe? Get map.

From Pulse24 - Toronto's News:

We do not go out of our way to romance MPs to cross the floor...We try to create a principled party and going about it in a principled way. We are cautious about party-jumping because it creates cynicism it and if they jump once, you are not sure they will not jump again. I will always handle that with extreme caution.

As my six-year-old son said this morning, "Why does it seem like we have the same government?"

From Obscure Store and Reading Room:

A police officer told him: "I request that you cease and desist with your services. If you refuse to stop, we will have to take you into custody." The minister asked why he was being arrested, and the officer replied, "Criminal trespassing." The white robe-clad man was led out of the church and into a squad car with his hands crossed in front of him.

Some great news from Wendy:

Some good news around here. The tests that Jordon and I had been dreading came back with good news. They don’t know what caused Jordon’s problems but they know it wasn’t a tumor or alien life form growing internally (unless of course there is a vast alien cover-up). Despite Jordon’s discomfort right now, we are pretty happy.

Even better news: rumor has it that Stephen Harper will soon appoint Jordon to the Senate. Seriously, though, this is great news. Please continue to pray.

From bob.blog::

No SuperBowl show before and none after will ever match U2...

I realize they had the weight of history with/behind them... but they rose to the occasion and took us along with them.

When Bono walks down the stage praying "Oh Lord, open my lips that I might show forth Thy praise" I still get chills.

Absolutely amazing.

Indeed. And you can get the video here. It's been known to reduce a grown man to tears...almost.

A new government is being sworn in, and a former Liberal cabinet minister has crossed the floor and joined the Conservative cabinet. His personal website still shows the Liberal logo.

I don't know how you can run for one party and join another one a couple of weeks later. What's changed except you were on the losing side?

I hope Harper passes legislation calling for an automatic by-election when this takes place.

From copperbottom: what to do with telemarketers:

The Direct Marketing sector regards the telephone as one of its most successful tools. Consumers experience telemarketing from a completely different point of view: more than 92% perceive commercial telephone calls as a violation of privacy.Telemarketers make use of a telescript - a guideline for a telephone conversation. This script creates an imbalance in the conversation between the marketer and the consumer. It is this imbalance, most of all, that makes telemarketing successful. The EGBG Counterscript attempts to redress that balance.

via

We had a bit of a storm last night. No snow on the ground but lots of wind and rain. We looked out last night and saw that a tree limb fell right across the end of the driveway, not far from where my mother was parked at the time.

It's not every Sunday you have to move part of a tree to get to church.

Carla also experienced a storm, but she got snow and had a bit more damage. Her pictures are here.

From Sojourners: Bono's Best Sermon Yet:

God may well be with us in our mansions on the hill. I hope so. He may well be with us as in all manner of controversial stuff. Maybe, maybe not. But the one thing we can all agree, all faiths and ideologies, is that God is with the vulnerable and poor.

God is in the slums, in the cardboard boxes where the poor play house. God is in the silence of a mother who has infected her child with a virus that will end both their lives. God is in the cries heard under the rubble of war. God is in the debris of wasted opportunity and lives, and God is with us if we are with them. "If you remove the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness, and if you give yourself to the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then your light will rise in darkness and your gloom with become like midday and the Lord will continually guide you and satisfy your desire in scorched places."

It's not a coincidence that in the scriptures, poverty is mentioned more than 2,100 times. It's not an accident. That's a lot of air time, 2,100 mentions...

A number of years ago, I met a wise man who changed my life. In countless ways, large and small, I was always seeking the Lord's blessing. I was saying, you know, I have a new song, look after it. I have a family, please look after them. I have this crazy idea...

And this wise man said: stop.

He said, stop asking God to bless what you're doing.

Get involved in what God is doing - because it's already blessed.

Well, God, as I said, is with the poor. That, I believe, is what God is doing.

And that is what he's calling us to do.

A year ago today I made one of the best technology decisions. I abandoned the Windows platform and became a Mac user.

There are few things more sickening than Mac fanatics. I have to be honest and say that Apple is far from perfect. The Mac OS has some quirks: installing and removing programs isn't as easy as it should be, and you should be able to sort bookmarks alphabetically without buying a separate program. Their product cycles are also too short. My one-year-old iPod mini was out of date two weeks after I bought it. They don't offer upgrade pricing on programs like iLife and iWork (and many people agree with this decision).

But I've never regretted switching to a Mac. My computer just seems to work better, and it's also just fun. And I don't have to worry about viruses like the Kama Sutra.

So if you're waffling, I can't give you any advice. Some of you like your Windows machines and that's fine with me. But I like my Mac.

(if you're thinking of switching, there are some good Apple deals here.)

Most of you know that I make a couple of trips a year to see my Dad in England. He's in his eighties and has dementia. My visits have been increasingly tough, and it's hard to leave him when he's not really able to live on his own, but insists on doing so.

Dad has an amazing care manager. He's arranged for my Dad to have three visits a week to check on him and do some cleaning and shopping. A small thing - yet a big thing to us, and an answer to prayer.

I had lunch with one of Canada's top podcasters on Monday. Tim Bailey is a guy with a sharp mind and good taste in computers (we strolled here where he encouraged me to buy this, but I resisted). Cool to hang out; getting together with guys like Tim is why I like Resonate so much.

(Met with him too a few weeks back but forgot to blog about it.)

From Gracious Christianity, quoted by Scot McKnight:

Christians currently account for almost one-third of the world's people, two billion out of a global population of just over six billion. If the faith professed by those two billion Christians became even a little more gracious, the dynamics of the world community could be changed dramatically for the better.

In fact, God has for the most part chosen to change the world by layering small grace upon small grace, and living graciously as Christians allows us to assist in that work.