An Invitation from Hope for Homeless Youth in L.A.

Frank Khumalo

Dear Friend,

How are you? I hope things are going on well for you and your family. I would like to introduce Frank Khumalo. He stays with his Grandparents in Lupane. Our home is built with mud and poles, thatched with grass. We stay in a very sandy region with lots and lots of trees. In June and July it would be very cold, in October and November very hot and rainy season starts. we usually grow crops like maize (which is our staple food) millet and roundnuts. we keep donkeys only. The nearest town is 159 km, the hospital is 20km and the school is 5km away from our home. We fetch water from a nearby borehole about 200m from home. Frank likes to make mud cows and play soccer with his friends.

Yours,

Sinanzeni Netha (Frank's Grandmother)

The Best Party Invitation I've Ever Read

Hot diggity dawg! Well butter my butt and call me biscuit! Them thar crayzee hillbilliez down south ayre havin' a gitgether! If Gods willin' an the creeks dont rise the party will be startin' purdy neer round 8 after the sun stops makin light. I reckon that the fun will be hapnun on Decembrer 30, 2007. Member ter warsh behind yer ears, and wipe the sleep dirt outer yer peepers befer showin up. Make sure yeh dress in yer finest hillbilly duds an git yer dancin' shoes on!
Iffen yeh gots sum intertainen abilities, bring em on with ya, banjo's and spoons are always aprisheyated! Bring dem dar bardgames up from the celler if ya gots dem. This includes farmin game, Pit, Tiddlywinks, jacks, excetera.

An now for you thar yankees who minot have cot that:

I Love It!

Look at the Beauty of a Tree

Look at the beauty of a tree
It's life giving water provided by thee
I'm Desperately, Solemnly, Longing to see
That you are the rain cloud
And I am the tree

Check this Out!

THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS ABOUT THE BIBLE WERE WRITTEN BY CHILDREN. THEY HAVE NOT BEEN RETOUCHED OR CORRECTED. INCORRECT SPELLING HAS BEEN LEFT IN.

1. IN THE FIRST BOOK OF THE BIBLE, GUINESSIS. GOD GOT TIRED OF CREATING THE WORLD SO HE TOOK THE SABBATH OFF.

2. ADAM AND EVE WERE CREATED FROM AN APPLE TREE. NOAH'S WIFE WAS JOAN OF ARK. NOAH BUILT AN ARK AND THE ANIMALS CAME ON IN PEARS.

3. THE JEWS WERE A PROUD PEOPLE AND THROUGHOUT HISTORY THEY HAD TROUBLE WITH UNSYMPATHETIC GENITALS.

4. SAMPSON WAS A STRONGMAN WHO LET HIMSELF BE LED ASTRAY BY A JEZEBEL LIKE DELILAH.

5. SAMSON SLAYED THE PHILISTINES WITH THE AXE OF THE APOSTLES.

6. MOSES LED THE JEWS TO THE RED SEA WHERE THEY MADE UNLEAVENED BREAD WHICH IS BREAD WITHOUT ANY INGREDIENTS.

7, THE EGYPTIANS WERE ALL DROWNED IN THE DESSERT. AFTERWARDS, MOSES WENT UP TO MOUNT CYANIDE TO GET THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.

8. THE FIRST COMMANDMENTS WAS WHEN EVE TOLD ADAM TO EAT THE APPLE.

9. THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT IS THOU SHALT NOT ADMIT ADULTERY.

10. MOSES DIED BEFORE HE EVER REACHED CANADA. THEN JOSHUA LED THE HEBREWS IN THE BATTLE OF GERITOL.

11. THE GREATEST MIRICLE IN THE BIBLE IS WHEN JOSHUA TOLD HIS SON TO STAND STILL AND HE OBEYED HIM.

12. DAVID WAS A HEBREW KING WHO WAS SKILLED AT PLAYING THE LIAR. HE FOUGHT THE FINKELSTEINS, A RACE OF PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN BIBLICAL TIMES.

13. SOLOMON, ONE OF DAVIDS SONS, HAD 300 WIVES AND 700 PORCUPINES.

14. WHEN MARY HEARD SHE WAS THE MOTHER OF JESUS, SHE SANG THE MAGNA CARTA.

15. WHEN THE THREE WISE GUYS FROM THE EAST SIDE ARRIVED THEY FOUND JESUS IN THE MANAGER.

16. JESUS WAS BORN BECAUSE MARY HAD AN IMMACULATE CONTRAPTION.

17. ST. JOHN THE BLACKSMITH DUMPED WATER ON HIS HEAD.

18. JESUS ENUNCIATED THE GOLDEN RULE, WHICH SAYS TO DO UNTO OTHERS BEFORE THEY DO ONE TO YOU. HE ALSO EXPLAINED A MAN DOTH NOT LIVE BY SWEAT ALONE.

19. IT WAS A MIRICLE WHEN JESUS ROSE FROM THE DEAD AND MANAGED TO GET THE TOMBSTONE OFF THE ENTRANCE.

20. THE PEOPLE WHO FOLLOWED THE LORD WERE CALLED THE 12 DECIBELS.

21. THE EPISTELS WERE THE WIVES OF THE APOSTLES.

22. ONE OF THE OPPOSSUMS WAS ST. MATTHEW WHO WAS ALSO A TAXIMAN.

23. ST. PAUL CAVORTED TO CHRISTIANITY, HE PREACHED HOLY ACRIMONY WHICH IS ANOTHER NAME FOR MARRAIGE.

25. CHRISTIANS HAVE ONLY ONE SPOUSE. THIS IS CALLED MONOTONY.

Prayers that are never prayed - are never answered. And yet the reason you don't have what you want, is because you don't ask God for it. - James 4:2 You wouldn't think of just asking God for it, would you? - James 4:2 The Msg

Vineyard Music

I really appreciate Vineyard Music for a variety of reasons but the one I would like to mention is their amazing giftedness in guiding a listener towards the desire for worship. By worship I mean the actual heart felt motivation to enter into worship. Wow! I feel like the edge of what there doing is far reaching and by that I mean I actually sense Gods heart for other nations in the sounds & songs. Speaking of Gods fathers heart I would like to turn to another topic...

Wild at Heart - Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul by John Eldredge

I would highly recommend this book for any searching guys out there. It covers a variety of topics involved in men's ministry but specifically it takes a stab at a stonghold present in our culture today - antimasculinity.

Other great books qouted in Wild at Heart is Gordon Dalby's Healing the Masculine Soul and Christina Hoff Sommers' The War Against Boys. The subtle but very effective bondages present in our society today has emasculated men and ultimately wounded many women as well. Wow that sounds weighty but I really feel that it needs to be talked about. Peace.

Waiting for the World to Fall

I just found this awesome Jars of Clay video produced by someone named Mark. The song really fits into the anime nicely. It's kind of a love story I think so check it out if you have a minute. Much Fileo.

sf59

I'm really serious now. As you read this know that what I'm telling you is a strong conviction. I'm not kidding around here. Please understand that I am in enamoured by this album. Highly recommending the new Starflyer 59 disk - My Island. It will sooth the savage beast. Ahhhh soothing. If you are a Nirvana, Sonic Youth, Mudhoney kinda person then relax with a cup of sf59. Mmmm sf59 the music some people listen too. I was able to pick it up for $15 at blessings and I know you can order it on line, I'm also willing to loan out my copy. Much Love...

Skycalled in Retrospect

I'm highly appreciative of the fact that I have stumbled upon the Christian Phenomenon known as skycalled. It's been an oasis of art, music and worship where I can freely give myself as a "Living Sacrifice" Rom.12 in an environment where the pressure of conventional ministry is greatly reduced and replaced by a God devotional focused dance that makes me feel like a child and a spiritual being at the same time.

Of some concerns I'd like to voice my opinion.

Works based in the christian faith are good if faith in the love of Christ comes first. Having said that dancing to loud house music, paying $10.00 at a door and attending highly populated areas of artsy well dressed youth and young adults does not nessecerily constitute a faith based work of God in an individuals life. Having said that Skycalled has alot of potential. If this event so suits you - attend. If you're the type of person who enjoys worship and communes with God best while gardening save your time and money and tend to a rose bush. God will bless your roses and the lovers thereof.

Worship music styles. A potential for arguement will often arise around the conversation topic of the style of music God desires to hear the most. From metal death growls to Sri Lankan Singala chants there is a wide spectrum of sound to choose from. Country & Western, Blues, Gregorian chants, Hip Hop and everything in between. It would seem cornering Gods chosen musical style is as likely as boxing Biblical Theology into a Chicken Soup for the Seminary soul book. But he loves music non the richer. Skycalled is a passion thing, a find your way to such and such a fancy. Orange pekoe tea over mint tea. If someone's heart is right before God then there song (no matter how worse!) is very likely received by a loving father and appreciated. So again if booming subs are a low fat healthy food that has the sandwich market cornered then maybe you would be more apt to worship along to a beautiful peice of piano music or maybe a celtic shanty but then again Skycalled is always worth a try.

Socializing over worship. What's the focus between these two important ares of concern? Should Skycalled become a social gathering or strictly a spiritual endevor? Hmmm a future post.

Aye! Me Matey!

I'm just getting home from playing bench ball with some of the students at Herchmer School, the school where I supervise at lunch time Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I'm listening to a band called "The Silent" and am somewhat impressed by them. I liked the live show on saturday night and the disk is not so bad either. Last nights young adults meeting went awesome (Twyla Buchanan's house has a special place in heart because we've had some great times there.) We watched the second NOOMA video called "Flame". Today has been an interesting time so far...

My uncle left for Yorkton yesterday after having spent the weekend here with me in Regina. We had an excellent visit and when he left he gave me a T-shirt he bought in Thailand and a work shirt he bought while working in Iraq. Wow eh! Interesting guy. I'm kinda free today besides paper work and will be hosting a mens meeting tonight at the house.

This has been an obscure rambling list of things going through my mind. haha!

Dichotomy of Life

These pictures were in an email I received yesterday from a good friend.

Why Try and Hide!

Here's a holla back to all the "Jars" fans out there. This a is a must listen for all of you! Cool use of diversity of moods with alot of mellow moments to relax in or you can dance around to the loud distorted highs. My present favorette track has to be "Dead Man (carry me) " I love it. It has a monster inside type of theme throughout the album which I really relate to.

This is a song I wrote over the summer that has alot of personal meaning for a place of the heart I think alot of people may be finding themselves visiting from time to time.

Monster James Holland

I’m alone so it won’t moan and in a cage I’ve locked it
It escaped in my failure to shoot down an invader
But I love it in my own way and I live out the remainder
In a small place inside me my bomb shelter chamber

Why try and hide the monster inside
I’m licking its boot but it’s planning to shoot
With violent hands the innocent man
You made out of me and bury him at sea

To the Jesus I can’t see, to the Jesus in world now
In it’s own way it fights you but I’m standing right beside you
It devoured my world view while I stared right through you
While a lion is laying with a lamb it’s been preying

And I’d let it out of its cage
But it’s painted with rage
I seen its eyes in the night
Then you've been torn from sight

Oh My God Jars of Clay

Sometimes I cannot Forgive and these days mercy cuts so deep, if the world was how it should be maybe I could get some sleep, while I lay I dream we're better, scales where gone and faces lighter, when we wake we hate our brother we still move to hurt each other, sometimes I can close my eyes and all the fear that keeps me silent falls below my heavy breathing what makes me so badly bent? We all have a chance to murder we all feel the need for wonder, we still want to be reminded that the pain is worth the plunder, sometimes when I lose my grip I wonder what to make of heaven, all the times I thought to reach up all the times I had to give, babies underneath there beds hospitals that cannot treat, all the wounds that money causes all the comforts of cathedrals, all the cries of thirsty children this is our inheritence, all the rage of watching mothers this is our greatest offence.

Oh My God

...

I just felt like writing. I'm not saying that I have alot to say right now but I feel like communicating some thoughts. First of all: is all that people fear in the world besides war, terrorism, hell and death really worth the energy worrying about? I do so many things out of a sense of either compassion or emotional driveness that I lose the sense of meaning in my life amidst the work of living. Not that compassion isn't always good...

The Work of Living: Here's a thought. I'm so hard on myself somedays that I am almost certain I'm self employed. I've worked for different people in the past and have learned that it's a hard way to live. Employment I mean. An employer has to be somewhat hard on an employee in order to justify the function of his said position especially in business or production based organizations, I wonder what working for the government would be like? There is an unatural dictatorship behind employment and if you live and work alone or for yourself life can get unusually self critical. But it can be really fun too and I think I'm made for this type of lifestyle, the self motivated style I mean. I feel free and very Canadian waking up in the morning to a blank canvass of a day and a palet full of liberty and opportunity. It's an easy way to write alot of music as well.

Bathurst High School

Here's the logo from the school I graduated from in 1995...
Pari Passu means "...play the game." All of our sports teams were called "The Phantoms" and we had a gigantic painting of a grim reaperish figure painted on the wall of our gymnasium. The theme of our graduating class was Hakuna Mutata (the maskot - Young Simba) which means no worries. How ironic considering the insueing years in the lives of the graduates...wow many stories to tell about those times. Stories with themes like confusion, university, drug abuse, children being born, lives being lost and identities being found.

Rob Wilson at Youth Breakaway

Here is an account of a sermon preached by Fresh I.E. at the P.A. Youth Breakaway Conference of this year....

Sin or that which we do outside the will of God. That which separates us from God.
Iniquity. Pain and hurt that's inside like an unsurfaced bruise, a manifestation of sin, can come through the heritage of your father... Iniquity can be passed through generations and comes through fathers. Jesus wasn't born of an earthly father.
Transgression. A willing wrong decision.

Lamentations 5:7 - if we bear our father's punishment than how can we be free?

Jesus sheds his blood seven times...

1)His hands for things we do.
2)His feet for the places we go.
3)His back for our healing.
4)His side for our willing transgressions.
5)The crown of thorns for the things we put before God.
6)His brow when he sweat blood during prayer for the weakness of our will.
7)He was bruised. Mark 14:65. His face was covered so that he did not know where the beating was coming from.

Psalm 32:5

God wants us to live a victorious life by acknowledging that we have iniquity.

Hope for Homeless Youth

Click here to read a newsletter concerning a ministry working with children and youth in Los Angeles's inner city. I've visited the city and specifically this ministry a couple of years ago and was blessed by there work. At the time I was there this ministry was based out of the L.A. Dream Center.

This is dedicated to those born 1930 - 1979!

This is dedicated to those Born 1930-1979!
TO ALL THE KIDS WHO SURVIVED the 1930's 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's !!

First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they were pregnant. They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes. Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-based paints. We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking. As infants & children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, boosterseats, seat belts or air bags. Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a special treat. We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle. We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this. We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank koolade made with sugar, but we weren't overweight because WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING! We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on. No one was able to reach us all day. And we were O.K. We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem. We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no150 channels on cable, no video movies or DVD's, no surround-sound, CD's or Ipods, no cell phones!, no personal computers , no Internet or chat rooms...... WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them! We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents. We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever. We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis balls and, although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes. We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them! Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!! The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law! These generations have produced some of the best risk-takers, problemsolvers and inventors ever! The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas. We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ALL! If YOU are one of them . . CONGRATULATIONS! You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before the lawyers and the government regulated so much of our lives for our own good And while you are at it, forward it to your kids so they will know how brave(and lucky) their parents were. Kind of makes you want to run through the house with scissors, doesn't it?!

The quote of the month is by Jay Leno:"With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?

Skycalled: The Dance

Aircraft Mechanics

Just in case you need a laugh: Remember it takes a college degree to fly a plane, but only a high school diploma to fix one. Reassurance for those of us who fly routinely in our jobs.

After every flight, Qantas pilots fill out a form, called a "gripe sheet," which tells mechanic about problems with the aircraft. The mechanics correct the problems, document their repairs on the form, and then pilots review the gripe sheets before the next flight.

Never let it be said that ground crews lack a sense of humor. Here are some actual maintenance complaints submitted by Qantas' pilots (marked with a P) and the solutions recorded (marked with an S) by maintenance engineers.


P: Left inside main tire almost needs replacement.
S: Almost replaced left inside main tire.

P: Test flight OK, except auto-land very rough.
S: Auto-land not installed on this aircraft.

P: Something loose in cockpit.
S: Something tightened in cockpit.

P: Dead bugs on windshield.
S: Live bugs on back-order.

P: Autopilot in altitude-hold mode produces a 200 feet per minute descent.
S: Cannot reproduce problem on ground.

P: Evidence of leak on right main landing gear.
S: Evidence removed.

P: DME volume unbelievably loud.
S: DME volume set to more believable level

P: Friction locks cause throttle levers to stick.
S: That's what friction locks are for.

P: IFF inoperative in OFF mode.
S: IFF always inoperative in OFF mode.

P: Suspected crack in windshield.
S: Suspect you're right.

P: Number 3 engine missing.
S: Engine found on right wing after brief search.

P: Aircraft handles funny.
S: Aircraft warned to straighten up, fly right, and be serious.

P: Target radar hums.
S: Reprogrammed target radar with lyrics.

P: Mouse in cockpit.
S: Cat installed
And the best one for last..................

P: Noise coming from under instrument panel. Sounds like a midget pounding
on something with a hammer.
S: Took hammer away from midget.

Vacation Bible School

Hello friends, family and others who share in this electronic world. This summer our church offered a VBS to students on summer vaction. Managed and manned by some people from the young adults group we had a large number of children attend most evenings. It ran Tuesday to Friday 6 to 8. Filled with hours of crafts, songs and games VBS was aimed at the 6-12 year old age group. Sharing the love of God with children is one of the most life changing things any man or women can do. Appreciated all the hard work everyone did in putting this together and was sad to have missed the friday evening round.

I was away for two weeks in August working at an aboriginal christian summer youth camp called Camp Living Water . I have some wonderful stories to tell as well as some battle scars and a stomach flu to recover from. All in all a great trip and wonderful expirience. Thanks to all the Regina team for a great trip and good companionship.

Summer has been great so far - attended the Flatlands Festival and the Taste of Regina this year as well which was a well enjoyed number of evenings. Blog ya soon!

Everyone Enjoying Your Summer?

What a beautiful summer so far in Regina. Lately I was asked to attend two youth camps and have had to turn one down for the sake of having some rest time. Would like to visit Dallas Valley Ranch Camp next summer as a side note. Been resting and relaxing, listening to music and hanging out with the Morning Star Crew. A date has been set for our little group to head to Camp Living Water, this Saturday August 5th. Janice and myself spent last weekend at my Dad's house in Yorkton and returned on Monday morning. It was good to see and visit with friends and family. I was also invited to go on a golf trip this week but I don't I'm going to make it there either. Wow it's nice to have the opportunity to do so many different things! I would at this time like to offer my two cents for Presidents Choice little Gourmet Pizzas. They are amazing! The perfect bachelor food or for anyone who is hungry (particularly the Tomato, Fete and Olive)

Watched "V for Vendetta" last night and was very entertained but wouldn't really recommend it because of some of the suggested material present in the movie. May be troubling for a younger croud. Anyway peace ya'll.

Reliant K.....

On "The James Crooked Pinky Chart of Album's" the new Reliant K E.P. gets 4 out of 5 crooked pinky's. Some songs of off MMHHMM have been redone acoustic style (a little bit of an overdone concept) plus some new acoustic material as well. I like the album cover too. There are some really rockin moments earlier in the E.P. and then it sort of finishes on a somber note. The band is extremely reflective lyrically and it would seem they have spent some time in the proverbial "Relationship Life Raft of Pain". Sorry there is no proverb about said life raft but I thought it made the sentence sound more interesting to say that. Anyway from a fan's perspective the music is worth the mirth of spending your forteen bucks. It's nicely produced and Reliant K has a way with really ringing true in their lyrics and seem to empathize with where people are at. Giver a try.

The Art of Towel Rack Instalation

The toughest part of instaling a towel rack is finding the studs but you do have peice of mind on you're side if you've built your own bathroom. The use of the plastic anchors they provide for you is unadvisable.

Derek's Party

What a blast! Music, fire and a single firework were all crammed into this evening. Football was popular as well as frisbee. I'm spent peace ya'll.

Another Day

Well I had a great day. It was Derek Condon's birthday today not to mention a really sunny and interesting day. A day filled with friends, movies, music, books, food, malls, computers, and cars. I had a coffee later in the evening of the day and thought about sad things but also about how I primarily have a joy filled life because of days like this. I'm trying to "forget what lay's behind me and focus on what lies ahead" but days like this make sense to me in a way that I want to remember where I am coming from. I like being me on days like this. Here's a poem...

A day

It was a day like this when you where born
A day that felt an angel's scorn
For love had found an anchor hold
Upon my heart forever sold
A hand that's open in the breaze
The wind of love upon it's knees
To touch the cheek so filled with wine
Dulling senses, stopping time
I'm coming home I'm coming home
A voice so gentle on the phone
A day of love a day alone
A day of knowing God unknown

I'm prone to being creative when I have extra time. haha

Long Day

Hi there, just getting home from Matt's house. Spent the afternoon and evening playing music with a small band in a confined room with lots of hot electronic equipment in it. haha. Lots of fun! Been thinking about the fall coming up and the propect of moving to B.C. for nine months to finish some schooling. I recently found out that I could possibly finish a BDiv. if I attend two full semesters of classes. Wow! I like blogging good news. Our drummer is currently away on vacation and so any recording we had planned on doing is on hold yet again for anyone who has been watching that. Peace ya'll.

Love?

A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, "What does love mean?" The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined.

"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love." Rebecca- age 8

"When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth." Billy - age 4

"Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other." Karl - age 5

"Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs." Chrissy - age 6

"Love is what makes you smile when you're tired." Terri - age 7

"Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK." Danny - age 7

"Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss" Emily - age 8

"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen." Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)

"If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate," Nikka - age 6 (we need a few million more Nikka's on this planet)

"Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday." Noelle - age 7

"Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well." Tommy - age 6

"During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore." Cindy - age 8

"My mommy loves me more than anybody You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night." Clare - age 6

"Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken." Elaine-age 5

"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford." Chris - age 7

"Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day." Mary Ann - age 4

"I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones." Lauren - age 4

"When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you." (what an image) Karen - age 7

"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross" Mark - age 6

"You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget." Jessica - age 8

And the final one --Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child. The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor.

Have a great day!

Reporting From an Interesting Perspective

Click this link to watch a European reporter, reporting on site as the military burns mass amounts of illegal marajuana.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2899771876757809023

This next one is a slip of the tongue as youth pastor Blake Bergstrom tries to save face during a teaching where he miss-pronounces a scripture. Truly a youth pastor's nightmare!
http://kevinrossen.com/?p=41

The Violet Burning

I'm listening to The Violet Burning album ...demonstrates plastic and elastic. This morning I slept in then woke up and ate a banana ummm. So anyway, the burning are a worship band from California with a real twist. They have about 5 albums writen and recorded and a sound that is rare. The sound production quality is stunning on every disk and can even be downloaded from itunes if someone was so inclined. Memories of Soundgarden, Pixies and Smashing Pumpkins all color the pallet of sound as they pave new ground in the worship genre of music. Berlin Kitty, a ballad about the life of an oppressed individual living in the named city. Sea monster, a suggestion about sin and Gods dealings with it at a heart level. My personal favs on this disk are Oceana and I am Electric which I believe are elabourate discriptions of the Holy Spirit. There earlier albums have more direct worship references and point to a real devotion to the Lord and a love for the gift of music.

Of late...

Hi. I've really been enjoying my summer so far. Back in June Chris had a birthday party for Bill and myself which was the perfect way to push me into the summer mode. I've had time to rest and sleep so far & last week I traveled with my bro Matt (the non blood relative one) to Minot North Dakota and had a great trip. We went to the zoo and ate at a Mexican restuarant. We also watched the quarter finals of the soccer world cup on cable. We came back into Regina on Wednsday and I had a message from Dad on the phone. My family is need of prayer right now..... Janice's birthday party last weekend was a total hit, cudo's to Twy for having a great party and Janice for turning 22! Most enjoyable was the hours of soccer fun as well as the good friends and food. I've been eating at Tim's to much but am in a rest period so I'm not going to be to hard on myself haha! Post soon...

Summer Bloggin

Hi There. I just wanted to drop a note concerning the new UNITED disk that was recently released. It's good. Bye!

Time Off

I'm in bed rest mode until I get my staples out next week. Everyone was in reluctant agreement that we woould cancel youth group while I healed. Prayer is requested for a speedy recovery. No appitite yet but still feeling like I'm returning to normal. Staples are due to come out next week and will be returning to work as soon as possible. Please pray for our students in north central who are coming to Christ. Pray that we can adaquetly co-operate with the Holy Spirit to provide aid for these young people. Godbless you.

Hello Bloggy

This is a long lost blogger finally finding his way home. It's been awhile but I'm back now, are you with me!? Going to be continuing my post's as soon as time allows. Look for info on Turning Point Church my future education plans as well as the record release of the first James's Cardigan E.P.. See ya!

Chris's Letter

This is a letter from Chris McDougall (our keyboardist & songwriter) to Canada,

Hi,My name is Chris McDougall. I am a 30 year old,well-educated, well-informed working class citizen from Regina, Saskatchewan and I am voicing my concerns for the destination of this great nation of Canada. I urge you to read my email in its completion before judging it, and I urge you not to delete this email the moment you read something controversial. If you have feelings and opinions about my email after you finish reading it; please feel free to email me at. My goal is not to antagonize, but it is to speak up about things that are happening in Canada that I do not think a lot of people are aware of. You are free to delete this without reading it. If you do that, however, please don’t present yourself as someone who is trying to hear all sides of the story. This email will take a few minutes out of your life and is worth reading. As you likely already know, Canada officially changed its definition of marriage last spring to include same-sex couples. The public was assured this would only impact legal marriages and that religious freedoms would be protected. The official amendment made to bill C-38 to ensure this was that members of clergy would not be forced to perform same-sex marriages. Is this protecting freedom of religion and freedom of conscience?Here are a few of many things that have happened in Canada recently (if you think the stories I am about to list are made up or exaggerated to cause fear, I urge you not to take my word for it. Google-it, do some research, and find out for yourself):In Port Co’Quitlam, BC last year, a Catholic rental hall was rented for the purpose of holding a lesbian wedding reception. Initially, the owners of the hall did not realize what the hall was being rented for. When they did find out, they advised the couple that the reception could not be held there, apologized for the misunderstanding, refunded their money, and found them another rental hall.This organization was taken to court and was ordered to pay the couple $2,000 for discrimination. This was appealed and was up-held. I am going to suggest here that choosing a rental hall owned by the Knight of Columbus for a same-sexwedding reception when there are plenty of options available is not an exercising of ones freedom, but a deliberate attempt to undermine someone else’s belief system. I don’t know that for certain, but I am suspicious. In Ontario, a print shop owner named Scott Brockie rejected a request from the Canadian Gay and Lesbian Archives. He stated that printing the material they requested would go against his Christian beliefs. He was fined $5,000 by his province’s human rights commission. He appealed this fine and his conviction was upheld. He could have appealed once more, but he had run out of money after spending $100,000 in legal fees. Furthmore, the other side appealed and he was ordered to cover their legal fees of about $40,000.Chris Kempling, a teacher in BC, wrote a letter to the editor of his newspaper expressing concerns about changing Canada’s definition of marriage. He was suspended for one month. He has continued to remain vocal about his concerns and was recently invited to go to Ottawa to voice his concerns. When he went to Ottawa (by invite) to speak further on the issue of same-sex marriage, he was suspended for 3 months more. In addition to these examples, a number of marriage commissioners (not religious leaders) are before the courts across Canada to defend their individual religious freedoms. They have been taken to court for choosing not to perform same-sex marriages in accordance with their own religious beliefs and their own conscience. One case is in the works in my hometown of Regina right now. I don’t know too much about it, but I am hoping it gets some media attention as alot of these cases don’t seem to be getting a lot of media attention. Ironically, a marriage commissioner is still free to refuse to marry a hetero-sexual couple if he/she has any moral concerns or any concerns at all surrounding that marriage. One of many key arguments opposing changing the definition of marriage was that it would open the door to the legalization of polygamy. If you are concerned at all about women’s rights, you should be concerned about the legalization of polygamy. MPs who voiced this concern were mocked for linking this to polygamy and were told that it would never happen. Well, earlier this week, the Federal Justice Department released a study recommending the decriminalization of polygamy. One argument made was that we don’t criminalize adultery, so why would we criminalize polygamy. I respectfully disagree and believe arguments like that hold no water atall. If that is an argument at all, it is an argument to make adultery illegal, not to make polygamy legal. Please do not misunderstand me, I am not suggesting that we make adultery illegal. I am saying that making the argument“because we already endorse one bad behaviour, we may as well endorse another bad behaviour, too” is inherently flawed and I don’t think I need to explain why. As most of you know, the Supreme Court recently ruled to allow swingers clubs in Canada. In order to do this, they were required to nullify the validity of community standards. What this effectively does is take away the rights of communities to set moral boundaries as long as they can not demonstrate immediate harm. If I understand correctly, this means that if you want to go to an Amish Community and open up a swinger’s club, you are free to do so. If they wish to take a stand and try to have you shutdown, you could probably take them to court and win. Obviously, this is an unrealistic exaggeration, but I hope it makes a point. Completely throwing out the validity of community standards has dangerous implications to our freedoms.I would not expect anyone is going to go to an Amish Community to open up a swinger’s club, but then again, I would not expect anyone holding a same-sex wedding reception to choose a Catholic rental hall when there are so many other options available. I realize the church has significantly hurt the gay and lesbian community and that amendments need to be made, but I do not believe that means we owe it to anyone to compromise our moral standards or religious beliefs and go against what the bible says. Furthermore, I do not think that having a moral objection to someone’s lifestyle is comparable to discriminating against that individual.I will give an example to illustrate why. Probably a lot ofyou know the story of Andrew Shepherd. Andrew was brutally beaten to death for no other reason than the fact that he was a homosexual. This act of violence was disgusting and when I heard about it, I was incredibly upset. Perhaps you are reading this and don’t completely believe me. Maybe you think that people with views like mine are the reason these horrific acts of violence happen.Well, let me make a comparison. Take prostitution, forinstance. My opinion of prostitution is that it is physically unhealthy, it is emotionally damaging, and that it is (dare I say it) morally wrong. Tonight, I am going to be going out into Regina’s rougher neighbourhoods with an organization called Love Lives Here.We will be talking to people that are out on the streets,giving them coffee and sandwiches, and what-not. The bulk of who we will be talking to are girls that are prostituting themselves. I will even be doing “wacko” religious things like pray for them and tell them Jesus loves them. The goal of Love Lives Here? To play a role in helping these girls get off of the streets.Why would I do something like this? Because I believe Jesus loves the people on the street and that he would help them. Do I agree with the behaviour? No! Do I feel sympathy?Absolutely! They are there for reasons including drug addiction, desperate financial situations, violent coercion,and simply because they don’t think they have any other options. I believe we should try to help.About 10 years ago, in Regina, a woman who was working the streets was picked up by two young men. They drove her to the outskirts of town and beat her to death for their ownpersonal amusement.When I heard about this, I was really upset about it, alongwith everyone else. This was a disturbing incident. What was even more disturbing is that before the jury went intodeliberation, the judge advised them to keep in mind that the victim was a prostitute. The result was that these men were charged with manslaughter.For obvious reasons, I was outraged when I heard. The idea that this woman being a prostitute in any way minimizes this act of violence against her is ridiculous. And if someone was to put me in the same category as these two men because I morally object to prostitution, I would be royally offended.Likewise, putting me in the same category as people who commit acts of violence against homosexuals or calling me a hate-monger or a homophobic because I disagree with the lifestyle does in fact, offend me. I don’t think I need to explain why.My views are not extreme religious views. They are not unique to Protestants and Catholics. They are not even unique to people of faith. For those who think that science has proven homosexuality is natural, I recommend you do some authentic research of your own. There is much more evidence supporting that most homosexuals were people who were once sexually abused than there is supporting the correlation between chromosomes and sexual orientation. Most of the latter research was discredited in the early 90s after being around just long enough to influence pop-culture. Don’t take my word for it. Do some research. Anyways, the primary purpose of my email is to make people aware of some of the recent incidents in Canada right now.I do not believe that recent changes to our Constitution are in fact protecting our rights and freedoms. I believe the opposite is true, and I have some major concerns. Foreign Affairs minister Pierre Pettigrew recently said (in so many words) that in regards to moral issues, opinions of people of faith should not be regarded as they are biased.I strongly disagree. People of various faiths make up the majority of Canada and their opinions are valid and they count. I urge you do some research on statements that Pierre Pettigrew has made and the situations surrounding them, because his comments have scary implications if you are anything but an agnostic or an atheist. And a belief that there is no God is equally biased to a belief that there is a God, and either belief will shape your worldview and your opinion of right and wrong.That’s pretty much all I have to say. If you wish to respond, my email is at the top. If you wish to delete my email, then so be it.If you have received this email and think it is worth passing along, please do not be afraid to do so. Right now is the time to speak up in Canada. I have my freedom thanks to ancestors and relatives who stood up for what was right and defended Canada. I am not prepared to tell my future children and grandchildren that I saw my nation going down the tubes and did nothing because I was scared of offending people, being taken out of context, being falsely accused, or even facing legal action.I seriously urge people to keep informed (and try wherever possible to research all sides of an issue), go and vote,write letters to your newspaper editors, write letters to your MPs, and don’t be afraid to be heard. And for those of you who believe in prayer, pray.My name is Chris, and I am Canadian,God bless.

Soon to be Recording

James's Cardigan is going to be recording a demo album the first week of febuary. We've picked and are tightening up 8 songs which we will be recording at a home studio in Regina. If anyone has been to a live show and heard the music we will be recording new material written primarily by Chris and myself. One unheard earlier song "Probably" will make it on to this recording as well. Our band roster is Christopher McDougall (keys & vocals), Conrad Condon (bass), Derek Condon (guitar), Lannette Povey(drums) and myself (guitar & vocals). Were going to go with our present band name which was thought up by a member of the Fresh I.E. audiance last summer at his Scott Collegiate show. We went on after his performance and played 4 songs. The band had no name at the time of show so we had a contest to "name the band and win a free meal" haha. So we were christened the cardigan.

January 23/2006

An election of upmost importance to canadians. Please use wisdom and Grace when casting your vote and please vote. Vote hard!