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I've jumped blogging platforms, so all future posts will be a www.knowgrowsow.ca.  This one will be alive for one year.

The Key to Consistency

On my drive into work, I was thinking about Hebrews 13:8 which says, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." Pentecostals/charismatics lean on this verse as a part of their emphasis on signs and wonders. I don't disagree with leaning on this verse in this way, but it's foundational for much more of our faith practice.

More often than not God's call on my life is suspended because of worry, fear, shame, selfishness, or apathy. The net result is inconsistency in my following of Christ (my call). I am like a teenager learning to drive standard... Jesus asks me to do something and I don't always follow smoothly. I often stutter. Wrestling with the clutch and gas; wrestling with tension between past, present, and future.

When I live my life solely in the future, I worry and fear about the "what if's". When I live solely in the present it renders me selfish and apathetic. When I live in the past, I stall due to pride and shame.

Consistency happens when I live my life solely in Jesus. He covers (forgives) and redeems (builds on) the past. He challenges (calls my attention to give to others) and encourages (strengthens) me in the present. He takes care of tomorrow (with Jesus, the best is always yet to come).

Furthermore, the reality of faith in Jesus' past, present, and future work also feed off each other... my future in Jesus informs my past and present; my present in Jesus is shaped by my past and future; and my past in Jesus renews my present and future.

I can live a consistent life, because Jesus is consistent. He is the same yesterday and today and forever.

I think life is a journey of trials and mercy designed to correct and affirm our focus.

TGIF

Angela began another round of chemo treatment yesterday. She did not have much fun yesterday, but today has been a bit better... no vomit!  She's discovered CBC's Vinyl Cafe with Stuart McLean. Wait until I get her on to David Sedaris (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5apZmwR9UI). Humour is good thing.

This week was one of our most difficult and we are grateful it's Friday. Coming off a busy weekend, then on to medical appointments, treatments, a sick support team, and an intense head cold left us exhausted this week. There were moments where there was no energy to get up, yet after a quick prayer requesting strength, we would somehow find ourselves up and going.

Each week I listen to a few sermons from pastors that I respect (because they wrestle honestly with the Word and and live a life of integrity). Two of my favourites (I listen to their messages just about every week) are Pastor Barry McGaffin (Kingsway Foursquare in Burnaby, BC) and Randy Remington (Beaverton Foursquare in Portland, OR). This past week, I listened to Pastor Barry's Jan. 27th message, "What did the blind men see?", and it has been feeding me for days. You can listen to it here: http://kingswayfoursquare.com/sermons/. Get in a place where you can listen (really listen) and you will be encouraged.

We are grateful for the countless mercies of God that He has extended to us in days past. We are grateful for new mercies today and we continue to seek His mercy. He is a merciful God.

Clergy & Chemo

This is a season filled with clergy and chemo duties. Friday and Saturday were spent preparing and celebrating with Chad and Charla. Charla has been a friend of ours for a long time, she was a doula at both our kid's births (saved my bacon at Ruby's birth), and has been the best tenant one could ask for (she's put up with our kids stomping around upstairs for over five years). Watching Charla and Chad grow in their love for one another has been awesome. Officiating their wedding was quite simply a lot of fun.

Tomorrow, I officiate a funeral for Diane's mom in Chilliwack. I always find funerals difficult and inspiring. My perspective and faith is always enhanced by remembering the life of a loved one.

I was very glad last night that I listened to Angela. A couple weeks ago she saw that my calendar had a wedding, Sunday sermon, and funeral back to back. She said, "you're crazy, get someone else to do that." So, I asked Isaac to take the sermon. I experienced fruit of her wisdom last night when I laid down to sleep and realized that I had a moment to breathe. Special thanks to Isaac for serving us so well. He opened the building this morning, vacuumed the foyer, played bass, and preached!

This week is also filled with medical treatments. We go to the Vancouver Cancer Agency on Tuesday, have fluid draining at Abbotsford Hospital on Wednesday, and then chemo on Thursday at the Abbotsford Cancer Agency. We're taking out one of the three chemo drugs this round as it is the least effective and causes the most side effects. We hope this will result in less fatigue and nausea. The two remaining chemo drugs are also supposed to help slow down the fluid build-up.

We have been so blessed by everyone's love and support. Thank you for your love and prayers.

  

A Big Thank You!

We had a special evening on Saturday night as we were treated to special show by the Connaught Skating Club in Richmond, BC. Angela's mom has been a ballet teacher with the club for sixteen years and when they heard about Angela their love for others went into action. 65 skaters and over 600 people turned out to enjoy the event and support Angela. Proceeds from the event were directed to Angela and will be used to help with medical expenses and care support.

Our family is very grateful to all the folks that showed up and all those who worked so hard to run this event. Thank you to the skaters, coaches, volunteers, and show organizers, Aundrea and Keegan! Your gift of time, talents, and finances towards our family is a special gift and we are very grateful. Knowing there are so many people who love and support Angela is a bright light in a dark time.

Thank you!
 
  

Life in the Tough Stuff

This last week was a tough one. Angela developed some recent health challenges including stomach pain, gall bladder pain, ascites (fluid build up in the abdomen), and dehydration. She spent Friday night and most of Saturday in the hospital on an IV and this morning she went in for a fluid tap (they drained 6L of fluid!). The rest of this week will be filled with rest, more scans, and more meetings with doctors.

I was the most weary I’ve been in a long time on Sunday morning… even after a long night’s sleep. I can’t imagine how Angela feels through all of this.

I really needed our Sunday gathering with our church and felt rejuvenated throughout and after. The body of Christ (the church) is such a needed part of life. Our church has been such a blessing: loving our kids, cooking meals, doing our laundry, bringing fresh flowers, and of course, praying like crazy!

On Friday, Elisa took Charlie to the zoo so Angela could rest. On Friday night, our dear friend, Renee, helped Angela in the ER which resulted in her being on the wrong end of some vomit. Angela's sister, Claire, stayed up with Angela on Friday in the hospital till midnight. On Saturday, Anna-Lisa watched our kids from 7:00am onward. And for the last two days, Angela’s parents have watched our kids so I could work and Angela could rest.

This week’s a bit up in the air as much of our routine will be determined by Angela’s schedule and health. We’re getting more used to being flexible, but it’s still hard.

In other news, Ruby continues to love school. As a parent, you wonder about throwing your kid to the wolves (aka public school), but seeing her engage and grow amongst her little peers is an encouragement. I continue the prayers that my parents prayed over me, that our kids would have soft hearts to Jesus, understand and live according to Scripture, find good friends, find favor with teachers, be strong in the face of temptation, and know and do God’s will. It is my observation that good and wise parents not only pray this, but also live this out in the smallest details of life. I hope that our kids one day will call us good and wise.

Charlie is so much fun right now. He knows he’s a ham and takes full advantage of this gift. Yes, I call it a gift. He makes us laugh all through the day and that’s been a good thing for us.

I hope all is well in your world. And by ‘well’, I mean your life is wrapped around Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and soon-coming return. Each one of those accomplishments in Christ’s life and mission has critical significance in how we live life today and tomorrow. This is how I frame my day and it makes all the difference.

That’s enough preaching for now! Have a great day and a great week.

December Update

It's been a busy December, but I need to give an update on life as this is more effective than answering a thousand questions!

Last Tuesday, Angela and I went to a specialist at the Vancouver Cancer Clinic to go over the latest CT scan. It looks like there is nothing new to report since the surgery. There are still small tumors on her intestine that could stay like that for a while or grow larger and spread. We are going to wait until the New Year to decide when to go back on chemo.

Angela continues to heal from the surgery, it's a slow process, but each week she gets a bit stronger. She finds on days where she over does it, her incision begins to hurt again on the days following.

Thank you to all our prayer supporters out there! You are a blessing to us. While we still have moments in the each week and day where it is difficult, the vast majority is filled with peace and joy. Our kids are at such a fun stage of life that it's hard not to smile and laugh.

Angela, Ruby, and Angela's mom went to see the Nutcracker yesterday. They had lunch at Old Clayburn store and bought some candy for Charlie and me! Charlie and I did some man stuff (got the cast iron harp out of the piano I'm converting into a desk) while they were out.

Friday was a ton of fun as our Church built a float for Mission's Candlelight Parade! So many generous volunteers came out to help build, operate, and clean-up. It all came together quite well and turned out to be a fantastic evening. We faced monsoon-like rain, sleet, and hail, but we didn't give up! Much thanks to everyone for their help!

Today was a fun morning with Parkside Church! Our gathering felt a little more festive and filled with even more cheer. I'm always encouraged and inspired by everyone in our Church family... so many gracious folks!

On a sad note, I found out this morning that the Moses' are moving to Prince George in a couple weeks for work. Casey and Charmaine have been such a great part of our Church family. They have always been an encouragement to me and others. Our loss is Prince George's gain.

I have one busy week left as the College enters its last week of the fall semester, then it's time for marking and Christmas rest! Until next time, have a great week and Christmas!!
 
 

Caring Enough to Confront

I just re-read Caring Enough to Confront by David Augsburger in preparation for a discussion group on this book with some of our ministry leaders. There are very few books that I would recommend everyone read and this is one. Because no one is an island unto them self, this book is helpful for everyone.

Its success is found in the practical way the author rolls out Biblical relational truth and health. While there are lots of folks teaching general principles, very few are able to understand the principle so well that they can break it down in such helpful ways. He literally gives the reader the words to say and the reason for each word.

The basic premise of the book is that confronting those we love doesn’t have to be difficult or destructive. Augsburger teaches that healthy confrontation is critical to the health and growth of all relationships. When done correctly, the net result is that both parties love each other more and are better for the exchange.

I underlined about one-third of the book, but here are a few of my favourite short excerpts [there’s way more stuff that you will find more helpful than the following quotes… these are more for my own filing]:

“Avoiding honest statements of real feelings and viewpoints is often considered kindness, thoughtfulness or generosity. More often it is the most cruel thing I can do to others. It is benevolent lying. Selective honesty is not honesty at all. I find myself using it (1) to avoid real relationships with others … (2) to avoid clear confrontation with others; (3) to manipulate situations or facts to protect myself or others.” (p.31)

“In speaking truthfully, I welcome you to the sacred room of my soul.” (p.32)

“Closed questions have one obvious response. Often they are a strategy for directing, dominating, or controlling the other.  … [Examples] ‘Don’t you feel that…?’ ‘Wouldn’t you rather…?’" (p.34-35)

“’… to demand by angry words or pouting that others recognize the preciousness of the self I am … Such demands fail because in making my demand I reject and ignore the very persons I want to love me’” (p.48 – quoting Frank Kimper)

“When unchallenged, human beings often become self-centered, individualistic, self-absorbed. When unchallenged, human groups tend to drift, wander or stagnate. When unchallenged, relationships tend to repent, become routine, become stale or stuck. Life without challenge and confrontation is directionless, aimless, passive; or selfish, self-serving, empty.” (p. 61)

“A context of caring can be created when a person is truly for another; genuinely concerned about another, authentically related to another.” (p.62)

I underlined Chapter 7 from beginning to end. Everyone needs to read it.

“Which is it? ‘Insanity is inherited – you get it from your children’ or ‘True parents delight as their kids surpass them’?” (p.139)

“’When I kill my enemy, do I destroy my way to God – do I, in fact, kill God?’" (p.164)
 
 

Heaven / Daniel A. Brown

In preparation for this Sunday’s message I read, What the Bible Reveals About Heaven by Daniel A. Brown. Overall I found it to be an accurate and balanced summary. Weaknesses of the book included wordiness, disjointed development of the topic, and no pictures (c’mon… it’s given a visual description in the Bible).

He does a good job of clearly explaining spirit, soul, and flesh (all of which are a critical part to understanding eternity). He also explains what happens to people when they die and how Christ’s death and resurrection changes this and what Christ’s return will look like.  He also answers popular questions and addresses popular myths.

Below are some excerpts I highlighted:

“Heaven is not made of the same stuff of this world. None of our natural senses can perceive it. Lots of people have their own images of what it will be like – in the same way I pictured Disneyland and the big with gate. But Heaven cannot be imagined from our end of things.” (p.11)

“Heaven is wonderful … wonderful means miraculous and other-worldly – something that causes us to feel awe. It describes things for which we have no earthly context, no way with which to understand them within the physical laws that govern our world.” (p.13)

“Heaven is not just about what God has in store for us after this life; it is about what God has been arranging for us from before the time when the foundations of earth were set.” (p.15)

“The same proclamation God made through a star in the first heaven, and by an angel from the second heaven, He declared through Himself out of the third heaven.” (p.66)

“The soul has the power of will, reason, and emotion, and it reveals its life in the choices we make, the thoughts we think, the desires we have, and the virtues/vices we possess.”  …  “…spirit is best understood as what ‘moves’ the soul.” (pp.68-69)

“My body exists in the earthly realm of the cosmos, but it cannot function in that realm without my soul animating it. In the same way, my soul exists in the spiritual real of the second heaven, but it cannot function in that realm without my spirit quickening it.” (p.71)

“Every one of us has asked ourselves the cosmic question ‘Why do weeds seem to grow so easily, when plants have to struggle to survive?’ The answer is the curse of Adam.” (p.136)

“Not a single confusing, taxing or troubling circumstance will exist in the new heavens and earth. Everything there will be for our sakes – like in the Garden of Eden – to bless us and to do us good forever.” (p.144)

“Our uniqueness will not be lost in Heaven, but accentuated. We will not get lost in the crowd in Heaven.” (p.162)

Ordering Your Private World

Just re-read Ordering Your Private World by Gordon MacDonald. It's a classic and needs to be read every few years as it serves to push me back to biblical priorities.

It's a book that speaks most specifically to those in leadership capacities, but can translate to any life/context. Here are some excerpts I found insightful and inspiring:

“Now, there is a busyness that reflects a plan of activity, a pattern of priorities, and a sense of purposefulness. It is a good and satisfying busyness through which one grows and increases competence. But there is also a busyness … that reflects a chaotic way of life – a way doing in which one is simply responding to the next thing in the day.” (p.1)

“Sadly, we do not have a Christian culture today that easily discriminates between a person of spiritual depth and a person of raw talent.” (pp.5-6)

“’Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.’ (Prov. 4:23)” (p.23)

“How did we get to a day when stress and fatigue are almost a badge of success?” (p.30)

“What I had to learn was that my drivenness needed to be consecrated on a daily basis.” (p.40)

“If my private world is in order, it will be because, having faced up to what drives me, I listen quietly for the call of Christ.” (p.46)

“An audience with Jesus over a period of time exposes all the roots and expression of drivenness.” (p.54)

“When driven people lose things, it is a major crisis. When called people lose them, nothing of substance has changed.” (p.62)

“[John the Baptist’s] parents were marked with an extraordinary depth of integrity, godliness, and perseverance.” (p.68).

“If my private world is in order, it will be because I have made a daily determination to see time as God’s gift and worthy of careful investment.” (p.73)

“… Jesus clearly understood His mission. He had an overarching task to perform, and He measured His use of time against that sense of mission.” (p.82)

“To be in front at the first turn is meaningless without the endurance to finish strongly.” (p.105)

“If we are ever to develop a spiritual life that gives contentment, it will be because we approach spiritual living as a discipline, much as the athlete trains his body for competition.” (p.140)

“Moses brought with him uncompromised standards of heaven; Aaron caved in to the whims of men. It was all in the listening.” (p.154)

“’Blessed be to God for the day of rest and religious occupation wherein earthly things assume their true size. Ambition is stunted.’ [quoting from Wilberforce’s journal]” (p.191)

“Sabbath rest penetrates to the deepest levels of fatigue in the inner, private world. This fatigue is rarely touched by any of the modern amusements.” (p.194)

“… the rest God instituted was meant first and foremost to cause us to interpret our work, to press meaning into it, to make sure we know to whom it is properly dedicated.” (p.195)
  
  

November Update

It's been over a month since my last post so I figured an update is needed. Thank you to all those who continue to pray for us! The last four weeks have been filled with transitioning back to "normal". With each week Angela is growing in strength and capacity. I've been transitioning out of superdad mode and Angela is transitioning back to supermom mode. We're about 75% there.

Ruby is in soccer twice a week and is learning to enjoy it. Charlie's skating has wrapped up and we were excited to see some progress in his skating. Angela was able to get out to the last couple skating lessons and came to her first soccer practice today!

We had another consultation with a GI cancer specialist in Vancouver this week. Nothing new to report. Angela goes in for some blood work and another CT scan in a week. Angela found the meeting encouraging as she was frustrated at the speed of her recovery from surgery, but was assured that her timeline is normal.

Need to thank all those who have been helping us so much over the past month. A bunch of ladies from our Church have been helping us with cleaning, meals, and laundry. We've enjoyed two of Calvin's meals as well! Pastor Dave helped hold down the fort at the Church for October and did a fantastic job. Many friends and family have helped with loving on our kids too!

Our Church family continues to increase in health and fruit. It's encouraging to see more ministry taking place through small groups, Hope Central, our youth ministry and new preteen ministry! There also seems to be an increase in organic ministry (folks simply loving on those in that cross their path). God has been so good to us!

I hope this post finds you and yours enjoying the hope we have in Christ. Have a great weekend.
 
 

Settling In

Angela got home on Thursday night and we are still settling in. The kids love having their mom back, but are having to adjust to a Dad who is adjusting. Angela's pain is livable and she is working on getting her digestive system up to speed. Every morning I get to give her a shot, which I enjoy a little too much.

Angela spends most of her day resting, eating small amounts, and watching the kids play. I am trying to figure out Angela's schedule... between getting Ruby ready for school, Charlie's hockey, picking Ruby up, Ruby's soccer, meals, and everything else, it's a steep curve, but I'm up for the challenge. So far my meals have been limited to toast, grilled cheese, and beans and wieners, but I'm tackling a turkey dinner today! Hoping to milk the leftovers for a long time.

Angela's recovery will be about another three weeks and then she'll be able to do most things except lift objects over five pounds. Charlie and I went to Willow View Farms yesterday with some of his friends and we picked up some pumpkins for the hallowed front door decoration. Apparently my decorating isn't sufficient so Angela has invited her mom to come over and do it up right.

We haven't made any decisions about future treatment options. We'll wait until she's recovered and then prayerfully consider our options. Many thanks to all those who have prayed and fasted for us. God's peace and strength have been evident. Your kind words have lifted our spirits.

Again, both of our moms have been rock stars. Angela's mom was with us in Calgary for most of the time and brought Angela home on Westjet. My mom watched our kids for two weeks and to top it off our dishwasher broke so it was back to the old days of washing dishes by hand! Charlie only lost one tooth under her care due to a bike crash, so she's feeling pretty bad, but we think he just looks cuter. He enjoys sticking his tongue through the gap and I like the look when he puts on his hockey helmet and grins.

Angela was really excited to get out of the hospital. All the private rooms were booked with quarantined patients so Angela was in a room with three old men who either had colon cancer or prostate cancer... yeah for sharing a bathroom!? Because the surgeon did less than expected she only needed to be in the hospital for a week. The first couple days were pretty rough, but each day got better. One of her highlights was watching me paint her toenails. That was a first for me, but after six toes I started to get the hang of it.

We'll have a low key Thanksgiving weekend and then begin to get back into the swing of things on Tuesday. Even in the midst of everything, as I was washing dishes by hand this afternoon, I couldn't help but think how blessed we are. God has given us a home, two amazing little munchkins, a loving family and Church family, and hearts that know and love Him.
 
 

"Wait" by Frank Partnoy

Sorry for all the short book reviews, but sitting in a hospital room for 14 hours a day gives lots of time for reading. Last week, Ang and I stopped by Chapters and I am dangerous in there… I could walkout with thirty books in less than five minutes. The danger in my excitement is that I sometimes pick-up books that are a waste of time. This book was one of them.

The book is called, Wait: The Art and Science of Delay, by Frank Partnoy. Its attractive cover and glitzy byline sold me. The nature of the book falls into the same category as Malcolm Gladwell and Seth Godin books… quirky observations of human behavior and cultural/corporate success.

The basic premise of the book is set out to combat the time-oriented cultural value of our tireless pursuit of efficiency. Our culture looks down on procrastination, but Partnoy argues that in certain contexts procrastination is a great thing. He uses elite athletes, fighter pilot techniques, and Sun Tzu’s The Art of War approach to defend his observation. His premise is that more successful decisions are reached when one delays a decision to the last possible moment. This delay allows one to observe, adjust, and then act/decide. Successful people are able to determine how long acting on the decision will take and then subtract that time from the deadline, allowing them the beginning/remaining time to observe and adjust. This process of delaying a decision can be done in milliseconds or years (depending on the context/deadline).

In another part he discusses the importance of latency or slack in complex systems. From a Biblical perspective this sounds like “Sabbath”. He then responds to Gladwell’s observation of “thin slicing” and noting the danger of basing our perspective of others solely on first impressions. When it comes to public speaking he addresses the use of delay in powerful speeches and comedy. He also reflects other nuances of waiting as it relates to stock investments, relational success, and other areas of application.

Overall the book is a waste of time and could have been a tenth of the length. The majority of the book is an overuse of storytelling and social experiments… fluff. Even the physical size of the book is awkward as it’s a touch too big.

I find it funny how so many of these kinds of books back up God’s truth and wisdom as revealed in Scripture, but because the world doesn’t see the Bible as Truth, it finds the need to spend millions of dollars and hours on social research only to discover what God has already told us.

"since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened." Romans 1:19-21 (NIV)

"The Lord's Supper" / Gordon T. Smith

Just finished reading The Lord’s Supper: Five Views edited by Gordon T. Smith.  It features five views of what our Church calls “communion”. The five views represented are Catholic, Lutheran, Reformed, Baptist, and Pentecostal. The format of the book allows a spokesperson of each viewpoint to write an essay and then have the other four writers give a short critique.

I found this book helpful for clearing up misconceptions about the various views. There is in each view a passion on a certain aspect of the Lord’s Supper that I can appreciate. However, the passion is, in many of the views, the very thing that causes division over what was ordered by God to be a unifying experience.

As with most disagreements there is usually some truth in each side. People generally aren’t that stupid and the angle for their view often has merit. That being said, it breaks my heart to see Christians denying fellow brothers and sisters in Christ the opportunity to share in the Lord’s Supper.

Coming from a Pentecostal perspective, I believe the bread and the “wine” are symbols that when shared through obedience and faith becomes a meaningful experience by which the presence of the Spirit points to the past, present, and future work of Christ. This pointing to Christ isn't just an intellectual exercise, but an experiential one where Christ's presence by His Spirit, impacts us not only on a personal level, but also on a corporate level. In this process our being (both personal [mind, soul, and strength] and corporate [unified body of Christ]) is nourished in Christ. In doing this we experience Christ’s reality and power. In doing this we remember and proclaim His death. In doing this we are humbled before Christ and one another.

I don't have time to reflect on all the views presented, but I did think it important to note that Catholics do not believe that the bread and wine actually change physical properties to become Christ's actual flesh and blood. They prefer to describe it like this, "Externally, the bread and wine retain their appearance even after consecration. Yet at the same time the whole Christ is sacramentally present in them--the whole Christ, body and blood, soul and divinity." (p.17). Because the whole Christ is present in the Lord's Supper (as far as Catholics believe), Catholics see the Lord's Supper as the source and summit of the Christian life, because the Lord's Supper re-presents the very Christ. It's easy to see why Catholics get criticized by other streams of the Christian faith as this view makes the Lord's Supper look like another appearance/need for Jesus to again do the work He did on the cross, instead of pointing to His once-and-for-all work on Calvary. It's often interpreted as idolatry (the elements are looked upon as divine). Catholics will argue that this is not what they believe, but it is easy to see how the optics and language of their practice make it look otherwise. My summary is not sufficient so if you want a greater look, buy the book.

This is a good book for those in, or interested in, pastoral ministry. It’s a quick and fun read.

   

"The Conflict" by Elisabeth Badinter

I one day hope to be adequately prepared to present a sermon series on gender and identity. In preparation for that time I am studying Scripture in addition to reading Christian and secular books on the topic. I'd like to be as in touch with our world's views of these issues as I am Scripture's so that I can clearly and competently connect the two. It is my observation that most Christians (myself included) are not adequately prepared when discussing these issues due to ignorance of Scripture and ignorance of other worldviews. This book "review" is the beginning of many on this topic. [If you're here simply for updates on Angela, I apologize as this blog serves many functions and this post disrupts the flow of her updates.]

I just finished reading, The Conflict: How Modern Motherhood Undermines the Status of Women by Elisabeth Badinter.  Badinter is a philosophy teacher at Ecole Polytechnique in Paris and has authored a number of best sellers relating to feminism. Her voice is an influential one and her teaching/writing pushes a feminist agenda.

The main thrust of this book is the belief that “reverence for all things natural glorifies an old concept of the maternal instinct and applauds masochism [pleasure in being abused or dominated] and sacrifice, constituting a supreme threat to women’s emancipation and sexual equality.” (p. 167)

She argues that in the 1970’s women fought and earned new-found freedoms/rights in society.  These rights were born through cultural changes/acceptance (singleness as a viable option, women in leadership, etc.), scientific discoveries (birth control, better formula for babies, epidurals, etc.), and philosophical/political changes (legalization of abortion). She observes that since this era the feminist agenda has gone backwards as culture has emphasized a more natural agenda (due to breastfeeding advocates; child development philosophies, etc.) on top of other factors. Some of these other factors would include government family policies that hinder women staying in the workforce; a slowing economy (leaving less-skilled women unemployed); and children of 70’s moms who felt neglected by their career/rights-driven mom and now want to do things differently than her.

She also spends a lot of time developing the idea that returning to an old maternal instinct of mothering results in a lot of pressure on mothers in addition to a mom’s other desires (seeking fulfillment in other avenues of life… career, art, etc.).

She also observes that “the individualism and hedonism [the doctrine that pleasure or happiness is the sole or chief good in life] that are hallmarks of our culture have become the primary motivations for having children, but also sometimes the reason not to. For a majority of women it remains difficult to reconcile increasingly burdensome maternal responsibilities with personal fulfillment.” (p. 2)  “In a civilization that puts self first, motherhood is a challenge, even a contradiction.” (p. 13)

Badinter’s bigger picture/agenda is summarized well in the opening to chapter four, “The irony of this history is that it was precisely at the point that Western women finally rid themselves of patriarchy [control by men of a disproportionately large share of power] that they acquired a new master at home. Women had achieved financial independence as well as control over whether they had children or not: they had no reason, it seemed, to continue to confront men’s power. Yet, thirty years later, there is no denying that male denomination exists.” (p. 96)

Overall the book’s thought process is a bit fragmented and negligent in discussing the merits of other worldviews related to this topic. Its tone leans more to being a rant rather than an objective analysis of sexual equality in modern motherhood.

I don’t have time at the moment to respond in depth from a Christian worldview to her observations, so I will simply file her thoughts away for processing later in the aforementioned sermon series. The purpose of me placing this on my blog is more for my own filing than for public consumption… that being said the issues she raises are prevalent, so if it gets you thinking and searching the Scriptures for God’s perspective on these issues then great!

 
 

Surgery Recap

Well, we didn’t get the news we were hoping for yesterday, but there was good mixed in with the bad. The surgery ended up being much shorter (4 hours) than expected (6-9 hours) due to the high number of small tumors (less than 1 cm) on her small intestine. The surgeon felt that to cut out the entire intestine affected would be of great risk to Angela’s life. He discovered one section that was only a week or two from becoming completely blocked by tumors (which would have required an emergency surgery anyways). They removed that portion of her small intestine and that is the part (along with the long incision) that will require some recovery time. She’ll be able to return home in a week, which we are excited for as we miss our kids very much, and then will finish recovery at home.

Her prognosis is months to a year without chemo and months to years with chemo. We’ve talked with many experienced doctors and even a naturopath doctor that specializes in cancer about alternative options, clinical trials, and the too-good-to-be-true claims on the Internet, and have resolved that there isn’t much earthly hope for Angela.

Through out all of this, and especially on days where earthly news is so difficult to hear, we are even more grateful that every day in Christ is a good day. No matter what happens to us, the Good News always outweighs the bad.

We are also very grateful for loving family and friends. We have received many little notes of encouragement and support. We have been blessed with a place to stay within walking distance of the Hospital and a lovely couple who are such gracious, faith-filled hosts.

I’ll close this post with a couple excerpts from some of our support team:

Catherine Dagneau wrote this yesterday:

“The night before last, as Eugene and I were walking and praying, one of us said, "Poor Angela" and immediately I got the sense that this was not the correct perspective. I had previously shared with Clint and Angela that I felt convinced that this painful journey that they had been called to walk was going to be very powerful in the growth of the Kingdom and for our church. So that evening, I felt the Spirit saying, "We don't say, 'Poor Paul' when we read about the hardships he endured: the violent attacks, the shipwrecks, the imprisonments. We say 'Brave, heroic, obedient Paul' as he forged ahead for the sake of the Gospel." So I now say, "Brave, heroic Angela" who is called to walk such a dangerous, frightening path. Then this morning, I was feeling so small and powerless after the news of the returning cancer, which seems to have a mind of its own, and like a storm, cannot be tamed by the hands of man. How humbled we are in the face of a hurricane! All pride drops off. Our best ideas and efforts are of no effect. All of a sudden we see ourselves as we are and we see God as He is- our only Hope. We cry out. We grab a hold of him and wrap ourselves around his legs and we cling to him for our safety. He is Almighty. He has the power to still the storm. But sometimes He allows the storm to continue.

After all this thought, I picked up my Bible to continue my reading of Acts and today's passage was Acts 27 (Paul’s shipwreck). Brave, heroic Paul as he obeyed his calling! Imagine the emotional roller coaster he was on! The Spirit told him they should not sail- it was too dangerous- but despite Paul's warnings, the powers that be decided to set out. I'm sure Paul must've thought, "This is it then. We will die." But his mission was not yet complete. Though the storm destroyed the ship, it did not destroy the Gospel mission Paul was on. In fact, it became part of the evidence… evidence which glorifies God to this day!

How brave and heroic Clint and Angela are in this storm! So humbled and powerless; so dependent on their God to see them through. Take courage in this: God had forewarned Clint last fall that hard times were coming, just as He warned Paul of the storm. As shocked as we all have been with each turn of events, God is not.

Church, now more than ever we need to be earnest and diligent in prayer for them, just as the early church supported Paul with their prayers. And Clint and Angela will be strengthened to endure this trial and Parkside Church will grow in faith and love and God will be glorified in unimaginable ways. Let us be faithful!

My cousin, Tanya, sent us some encouraging words and Scripture:

Don't be discouraged.

"You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow and the Lord will be with you."

Don't quit.

"Then Jesus told his disciples a parable (about the persistent widow) to show them that they should always pray and not give up."

Surrender to God.

"Do not LET your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me."

Be thankful.

"Be joyful always; pray continually, give thanks in ALL circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

This is not over.  We have so much more than "earthly hope".

   

Surgery Tomorrow

After some tests and orientation on Monday then some medicine today we are ready for Angela's surgery. It's happening tomorrow (Thursday, September 27) at 7:30am. The surgery will most likely be 6-9 hours long. Thank you to all the folks who are praying for Angela. 

We spent the last 36 hours visiting family in Vegreville, AB (home of the world's largest Psynka Egg). It was a nice brain break from the medical world. On the way back to Calgary we stopped at the world's slowest Tim Horton's (Vegreville) and Starbucks (Springs Rd in Airdrie) then I broke my diet and had pulled pork poutine in the CrossIron Mills Mall (as far as malls go, that one is pretty sweet).  Angela has to fast today in preparation for her surgery so I've taken on her daily calories.

Do Hard Things

Just finished reading "Do Hard Things" by Alex & Brett Harris. I had heard many good things about this book and borrowed it from a colleague. While I didn't find any of the concepts revolutionary, the uniqueness of this book is that it is written by teenagers for teenagers. The authors challenge teens to arm themselves with wisdom and live differently than the norm.

I recommend every parent and teenager read this book. The perfect combination may be a parent and grade seven student going through it together.  It's good for parents because it will challenge their view of the adolescent period and change their goals for their son/daughter.  It's good for teens because it will ask life changing questions.

Here are some quotes from the book:

"By choosing to use our teen years for strict training, we can choose to set direction, develop character, and build momentum for an amazing future." (p.50)

"Without a doubt, pushing yourself to do more than is asked, expected, or required is nearly always a lonely choice." (p.89)

"Habits like working hard, maintaining a positive attitude, living with self-discipline and integrity, and serving others brings benefits to our lives now and pay enormous dividends in the future -- if we do them faithfully." (pp.127-138)

It's written by Christians and is Biblically based. The authors use lots of illustrations and stories to make the concepts easy to understand and fun to read.

You can buy the book here: http://www.amazon.com/Do-Hard-Things-Rebellion-Expectations/dp/1601421125

Calgary Bound

Things have continued at a fast pace, but there has been a peace through it all. Angela and I are gearing up for her surgery in Calgary next Thursday. We head out this Sunday afternoon.

We had a potluck dinner with our Church Elders last night. It was really nice to take a break and enjoy a meal for once. Dave shared something that was on his heart... to start asking others the question, "What can I do for you?" It's one of those questions that we like to ask, but at the same time hope others don't take us up on it. This really resonated with me not only personally, but for us as a Church. Over the next few years we will need to begin asking this question a whole lot more... I think this is what many Churches (including ours at times) have stopped asking others. Our Church needs to be known more for what we do for others than what we do for ourselves. Our Elders also prayed for Angela, our family, and our Church in earthly and heavenly languages. It was an encouraging time.

I'm looking forward to being with our Church family this Sunday. We've missed the last two gatherings and we'll be missing the next few as well. Some people find "going" to Church every week an obligation, but it is the highlight of my week. I love singing songs of praise, sharing in the Word, and knowing the testimony and beauty of God's purposes for all who gather.

I will be away for most of October so Pastor Dave will be our interim pastor for the month. He and our Elders will be available to bring pastoral care and leadership to our Church.  They already provide the majority of care to our Church family, so I don't think it will feel any different.

In other news, I have been eating healthy for five weeks (except a Triple O burger last Friday and our Elders dinner last night). I have lost 23 pounds and have appreciated an increase in health (no heartburn and more energy) and greater maturity in learning better self-discipline. In the months to come I will continue to eat healthy and add more exercise.

Last weekend, Angela and I went up to Rockridge Canyon for PLBC's annual Fall Retreat (see above photo). It was a great weekend filled with praise, ministry, rest, and relationship building. We also had three Parksiders serve on our volunteer work crew: Dave, Raelyne, and Faith. They scrubbed pots, prepped meals, and cleaned up. Isaac was the Retreat's "Minister of Fun" leading great group activities to foster fun and community. All of our Parksiders served smashingly well... great attitudes, great work ethic, and great skill.

I will keep you updated through this blog while we are away in Calgary so you can be aware and know how to pray. We appreciate your prayers so much... it's the most practical thing you can do for us.

Surgery, Scans, and September

Well, we have Angela's surgery date: Thursday, September 27th. It's sooner than expected due to a cancellation that bumped us up. We'll be going up on the Monday or Tuesday before for some pre-surgery meetings and tests. Our local oncologist also ordered a bone scan for today in preparation and as a precaution.

Combining scans and preparing for surgery with the busyness of September and things are anything but slow. At PLBC we've moved in a record number of residents and welcomed our largest freshman class. This weekend is our annual college retreat.  It's busy and exciting at the College right now.

Last weekend we zipped over to Courtenay to celebrate with Northgate Foursquare Church (my home church) on their 75th Anniversary. I was humbled to share some thoughts on Psalm 23. I was moved by the humble beginnings, sacrifice, and faith of the planting pastors of this Church. Their church planting budget was $60 and the first offering totaled 27 cents. One by one people came to know Christ and 75 years later we look back and see a huge history filled with 'wondrous things'.

I just listened to Pastor Dave's sermon from Sunday and found it very encouraging. I've also been enjoying reading through Acts again and hope you are too! I've been finding re-reading Acts very encouraging and it almost makes me want to go through it again as there is so much in there that we skimmed over (we'll leave for another time).

Now that school's back in session, Isaac and I are driving in together most days and I enjoy his company and our chats. Ruby's enjoying kindergarten and Charlie's getting used to his best friend gone for most of the day.

Have a great week/weekend and thank you for your prayers!