The Sugar Bush

It is a favourite annual event for me, when we head to the sugar bush to learn about the history and process of making maple syrup and then sample some of the good stuff. This past weekend I made the visit with a group from our church for one of our Worship with Creation events. I found myself reflecting on the process and being amazed at how God has orchestrated such an amazing biological process that would serve two integral and yet distinct purposes.
The trees undergo a biological process in the spring during which the warmer spring temperatures help the tree convert starch that was stored for the dormant winter period, into sucrose which is dissolved in water to make sap. A combination of below freezing temperatures at night (which causes water to be absorbed into the roots) and higher temperatures during the day (which causes pressure in the tree) make it so that the sugary sap flows. Interestingly there is a very short window of time when the sap is good to make maple sugar products, for when the buds finally develop the sap content changes. The tree has its own process that it needs to undergo in order to continue its cycle of life.
I find it amazing to think, however, that this process is also critical to the development of maple sugar products. We have come to think of maple syrup, or maple products as a treat. There was a time, however, when for First Nations peoples and for early pioneer settlers, these sugar products were integral sources of nutrients and energy helping many to avoid starvation and death in the harsh conditions. God saw it fit to lead humans to discover the the sap of these trees and to develop a process to boil it down and get the needed sugar.
God developed the trees and their life cycle and he did it in such a way as to provide humans with what would be an integral part of their diet. It is amazing to think of the detail, the intentionality and the care with which God created. As we look closely at all that God had created it always seems to lead to a sense of awe, wonder and worship.

Thoughts from St. Patrick Day

Well yesterday I spent the day with my good friend Mike traveling around with my youngest daughter's Irish Dance school and playing fiddle music for the dancers as we celebrated St. Patrick's Day. We had a great time! The day has come to be a celebration of all things Irish, when everyone can be Irish for a day and come together to have fun and celebrate. For me, however, the day also reminds me of some important principles that I am reminded of when I stop to consider the origins of the day, and the story of the person who lays behind it.
Before green beer, or green frosted cup cakes, before Shamrock Shakes and "Kiss Me I'm Irish" T-shirts, before all that is St. Patrick's Day as we celebrate it today there was I guy named Patrick. There is much legend and story that seems to shroud the history of Patrick including stories of driving snakes from Ireland and using a shamrock to teach about the Trinity. There are a number of points that seem to be generally accepted, however, that are gleaned from letters written by his own hand. Some of these points would include the fact that as a teenage boy, he was kidnapped from Britain and taken to Ireland as a slave. After about six years he would escape and make his way home. Patrick would enter the ministry and eventually accept the challenge of taking the gospel to Ireland, returning to the country where he had been held as a slave. To me, this is a fascinating story.
It is a powerful story of forgiveness. Is this not a needed reminder and example for so many in Northern Ireland, and really, all of us the world over?
It is a story that once again demonstrates that "in all things God works for the good of those who love him.(Romans 8:28)" It is amazing to think that even years of slavery could be used for good as preparation for the amazing mission that Patrick would later undertake.
It is also an amazing story of mission, and an example to inspire us to ask "where is it that God is asking me to take the gospel?"
Those are just some thoughts that I have had as I reflect on the day that was.

Colourful Language

I have recently had the opportunity to work some shifts at a warehouse here in the GTA. It has been a real blessing as I was looking for some occasional work to make some extra money. The warehouse had a need for some part time occasional workers and could be flexible which fit with my need exactly. I have really been enjoying the opportunity partly because it is so unique and different from how I spend the majority of the rest of my time. Speaking about differences, there was one that was particularly obvious.
My first day was a re-education in...shall we say..."colourful" language. I was most taken by the use of a particular word beginning with the sixth letter of the alphabet. It can be used with such diversity. It can be used to express something positive or negative. It can be an exclamation, a statement or a question, a noun and verb and adjective or an adverb and just about any other grammatical feature you can think of. The most amazing thing, I have come to realize, is that if someone is really on a role, then it can be used as all of the above in a single sentence!
So this has been my thought since being re-immersed in this culture:
Can I use (and by use, I don't mean actually making the word a part of my vocabulary) this particular word as a tool for measuring how well I am doing at living missionally? I have been reminded about how common a word it is, and how frequently it is used in so many parts of the culture around me. So, if have not heard this word with any frequency for some time, have I really been engaging the culture around me? Have I been venturing out into the world and trying to live incarnationally, to be salt and light in the darkness?
I don't mean that I want to become desensitized and come to accept it as common place, or worse, make it a part of who I am. On the contrary, after all, what use is salt after it looses its flavour? In fact, trying to live missionally makes times of detox, through spiritual disciplines of prayer, the Word, solitude and meeting with other Christians, that much more imperative. But still, when I hear such language I want to be reminded of our mission and purpose in the world, and if I am not hearing such language I want to ask myself why not.

New Soles for My Boots

It finally happened, after five years of almost daily wear, I went through the sole of my favourite pair of boots. When I bought this pair of boots, I spent way more than I had ever spent before but considering how long they have lasted I cannot complain. They were well worth the extra money up front considering how well and how long they lasted. The amazing thing is that although I went through the sole (which is to be expected after all these years of daily, all season wear) the rest of the boot was in great condition. This got me to thinking about the possibility of getting new soles put on them. I went to the Internet and got on the web site for the boot company to see what I could find out. Sadly, right on their web site, they specifically state that they do not recommend re-soling their boots. They use a a lot of big words and lingo, but basically they mass produce these things with a specific technique that makes it uneconomical to offer re-soling. Again the boots lasted five years, and they don't really owe me anything, but I am always skeptical when a company tells you not to fix something but to just buy new ones. I did a bit of searching and found a guy on-line who claimed to be able to put a new sole on, but after the cost of shipping and handling it was not all that less expensive an option. I had all but lost hope, when one day I was in the mall and remembered the old shoe repair place, a tiny shop in the corner of the mall that has been their for years. Could it really be that simple? I took my boots in and the guy behind the counter had a quick look and told me it would be no problem. I noticed that the boot companies web site doesn't mention that it is possible to have them re-soled by someone else, even though they don't do it themselves. The guy in the shop showed me the sole he could put on it, told me it would take a few days and I am happy to report that I now have an almost new pair of boots on my feet!
Now here is the spot that you are probably expecting a play on words and some devotional thought about a new "soul", or something like that. I will avoid the obvious pun! But, the whole thing has got me thinking about contentment again. I have mentioned this biblical theme before so there is nothing new here. I have been reminded, however, about what a challenge it is to remain content in a commercial culture that we live in here in North America. We are constantly being told about new things that will make our life better. Advertisers are constantly offering subtle (or not so subtle) suggestions that our lives are lacking or that there are things we need. We live in a culture in which it is increasingly rare to fix things, or have them repaired when it is faster and easier, not to mention so much more fun, to get something new! The truly sad thing is that it is often less expensive to buy something new than to have it repaired which seems so wasteful. I wish I had more practical ways to get around this phenomenon, but my boots were at least one way.
There are some general rules that I have been learning:

1) You don't need half the crap people tell you you need.
2) Watch less T.V., see fewer adds (especially your kids. Compare attitudes after watching commercial T.V verses commercial free/no T.V)
3) Take everything with a grain of salt.
4) Yes, there are some things that you can repair.

Not rocket science, I know, but worth remembering. Hopefully they may be small steps towards living out the scriptural principle to be "content with what you have" (Hebrew 13:5)

Thoughts from Atlanta

I missed posting last week because I was away on a disaster relief mission trip to McDonough Georgia, just south of Atlanta. A church in the town wanted to lead an outreach in their county to some of the poorest residence in their community whose houses, that were in bad shape to begin with, were badly affected by all the rain and flooding of the past months. They invited a team of Canadians down to help get their project kick started and so a team of us from across Canada met down south and went about getting work started (and completed) on about 14 different projects. There was a lot of work to be done as we sought to reach out in the name of Jesus and provide tangible expressions of love and concern as we helped some people with their greatest physical needs. A week like this also provides many opportunities to express why it is that we were their doing what we were doing. We were able to share about the kind of things that Jesus wanted to do through his followers, including reaching out and helping those in need. This often, in turn, leads to opportunities to share about who Jesus is and what He has done for us. As me meet physical and material needs, we often have the opportunity to share about spiritual needs as well. We shared with those whom we were serving as well as having a very unique opportunity to share with a group of young men who, because of trouble with the law, were working with us as a part of their community service. I believe that the efforts of our group from Canada, and of the local church with whom we were working had a very positive influence on a number of the young men, many of whom came back to help even after their mandatory hours where served. One youth actually made a profession of faith in Christ.
One of the most exciting things to come out of the trip, however, was a sentiment that was shared at an appreciation breakfast held on the very last day. I had already left to drive the 16 hours home, but those who were in attendance shared about the heartfelt thanks that was expressed. This is a part of the e-mail report I received:
"The Mayor and their states representative were both at the breakfast and thanked the Canadians for being the catalyst for stimulating their community into action. We completed 14 projects and they plan to keep going to do some more. People that seemed to have slipped through the cracks are now in touch with help organizations such as meals on wheels, church groups, counselling, home maintenance, and home care to see that they are properly looked after."
What I was most excited about was the fact that our trip may have been a catalyst for the community and the local church to see the needs in their own community and the possibility of continuing to do something about it. The reality is that in a short one week trip their is only a small dent that one team will ever be able to make. When one sees the amount that needs to be done it can actually be overwhelming to the point that I can begin to ask, "what is the point of doing a short term trip?" There was one house alone, owned by a man who had polio who had all but given up on life, not to mention his house, that we could have worked on for a year. One week is just not enough. We were able to accomplish 14 projects, not bad in and of itself, but if this was the beginning of something longer lasting in which the local church continues doing this kind of work in their own communities then the trip was a huge success.
I have been reminded of that famous mission verse in Matthew 28:19 in which Jesus commands his disciples to "go and make disciples of all nations..." The "go" here is a participle (going) making the real command "make disciples." Our efforts at disaster relief may meet physical needs, but it requires someone to stay behind after the week in order to continue to build the relationships and to engage in discipleing people. What a great thing to hear the the local churches were inspired to keep on building upon what was started. This does not, however, take away from the idea of going but rather broadens our understanding and the need to go. It is perhaps best translated "as you are going..." which really means that we are to consider ourselves on mission everywhere we go, for what ever reason we may be going. In other words, in all that we do, whenever, for whatever, we are representing Christ. This does not take away from the need for people to intentionally go places for the purpose of missions, whether long term as missionaries or for short term projects. Rather, we should be adding a sense of intentionality to all that we do that whether we go to Atlanta or down the block we go with purpose.
After this last trip I find myself pleased by the work we were able to accomplish in the name of Jesus, and am excited about future trips that might be in the works. I am especially pleased to think of the effect that it may have had on the local churches who seemed inspired to keep this work going. I am also thinking about how the members of my church might begin to do this same work here in our community. Who are the individuals that are slipping through cracks here? Who can we be assisting in the name of Jesus? What positive impact could we have here in Milton that might lead to opportunities to make disciples?

Art and Evolutionary Psychology

I caught the first part of an interview on CBC's Ideas the other night. The interview was with Denis Dutton, The Art Instinct: Beauty, Pleasure and Human Evolution. Dutton looks at art from a evolutionary psychology perspective, arguing that the love of beauty is inborn and shaped by evolution. The Washington Post summarized his perspective this way: "The premise of Dutton's work is that this instinct for art isn't an accident. Instead, he argues that our desire for beauty is firmly grounded in evolution, a side effect of the struggle to survive and reproduce."
After hearing the interview on CBC, I found myself thinking about how we all truly see the world through specific filters, or presuppositions. We approach the way we see everything with certain preconceived ideas that often lead us to observations and conclusions about the way things are that directly align with those ideas. It is amazing to me to see how wide ranging the theory of evolution has become. It is no longer simply a debate in the scientific realm with those discussing the origins of life and the universe. It has become a worldview through which all things are considered and explained, even going as far as to explain art.
Anyone who knows me, knows that I rarely enter into the evolution/creation debate. I don't find it particularly helpful or edifying, and the very antagonistic debate between those at the far end of the science/faith spectrum is unhealthy. That debate also fails to recognize that there is a spectrum between the two antagonistic poles, along which the discussion between science and faith often happens in a far more healthy, productive and civilized fashion. Perhaps it is because I am a person of faith and an artist, however, that I was intrigued by the ideas from this interview and would like to share a different perspective.
I have not read the book, and I recognize that a radio interview cannot contain the fullness of the ideas in the book. But in response to the general premise that art is grounded in evolution, I would offer an alternative idea. I fully admit that I too come to the discussion with a presupposition, the existence of a creator God and that I would describe myself as having a biblical worldview. With this in mind I look to the opening chapters of Genesis, the first book in the bible and see the inspiration and the explanation for an innate desire to create within the human race. The opening words of Genesis state that "In the beginning God created..." and what follows is a very poetic account of how the universe was created by God. Some of the key ideas that flow from these verses are that God exists, that God created everything and that God did so with intentionality and design. It is here that I see the inspiration for the creative desire. The one who created the universe, including humans, was Himself the ultimate creator. Because of this fact we can believe that creativity has value and is worth pursuing.
Those opening chapters of Genesis also inform us that God "created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." (Genesis 1:27) If humans were created in the creator God's image, then it logically follows that humans too would have such a desire to create.
We can see therefore, that the inspiration and explanation for the innate desire within the human race to create is God Himself, in whose image we have been created. The reality of sin, which affects all of fallen humanity, is certainly at work and can be evidenced by much of the art that is created. This does not change the reality, however, that creativity within the human race can find both its inspiration and its explanation in God himself, creator of the universe and in whose image we have all been created.

The Soap Opera Gospel

You can learn a lot about how our culture in general views religion by seeing how it is portrayed in Soap Operas. After all, anytime there is a death, a wedding, sometimes a baptism and always when someone is dying there is some token chapel/church scene. Last week I caught an episode of General Hospital (please don't ask why, let's just move on) in which a family was preparing for the baptism of their new baby girl. There was an absolutely great line when the babies older brother (who is about 10 I guess) declares that a baptism is like a "free pass to heaven." It was amazing because, in the mouth of a 10 year old, the writers could blatantly express what is a common notion of spirituality. Although many might not express it so outright, there is a common belief that eternal life is somehow attained or guaranteed by some religious ritual, often baptism. If we look to the words of Jesus himself, however, it is clear that there is no ritual that can achieve such a state, but only belief in Jesus. Jesus himself stated in John 3...(I know many of you are expecting 3:16 so how about 3:18 for a change) 18: "Whoever believes in him (Jesus) is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son." The name Jesus is a combination of the short form for God's divine name and the word saves in Hebrew and thus literally means "Yah Saves" (God saves). To reject Jesus is to thus reject the means for salvation provided by God himself. That salvation is accomplished through the sacrificial death of Jesus, which Jesus had alluded to earlier in John 3:14 and is clearly in view here. Thus salvation according to Jesus is by faith alone - a faith in who Jesus is and what he has done for us. Salvation is not accomplished by performing any ritual, no matter how meaningful and significant, including baptism.
We do read about baptism in the New Testament and it is certainly a significant and important ritual. It is important to note that in each case that we read about baptism it is a ritual that closely follows an individual coming to faith in Jesus. One comes to faith in Christ and then follows that by being baptized which then becomes a visual symbol which helps to express and make public ones faith and commitment to Jesus. That to me is when and how rituals can be powerful, when they help point us towards truth. Sadly, there is the danger that rituals become the thing we focus on and miss the truth to which they are supposed to point. It reminds me of my two dogs. To the elder dog I can throw something, point and yell "whats that" at which point he turns around, looks and runs to retrieve the reward. When I do the same for my younger dog, as soon as I point she becomes transfixed upon my finger and never does recognize that there is something beyond my finger. Often it seems that our rituals are much the same, failing to point us to the deeper truth and reality toward which they are supposed to lead our attention.
In response to the young character's declaration about baptism being a "free pass into heaven" I would respond that there is in fact a "pass" to be had, but it is by no means free. It cost Jesus his life. As Paul writes "For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures..." (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). It is this reality that our baptism helps to symbolize and express. Again Paul states "We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life." (Romans 6:4)