on the Pilgrimage

I don't know if it is the day or the mood or what ... did this come about because of a discussion or a chance encounter or what nudged me into this? ... And if I look back over the last couple of days, there really isn't anything that would bring this upon me. I know that similar thoughts have flitted through my mind over the last while, but they seem to be becoming clearer and more pronounced - today being one of the stronger ones. Now that I've succeeded in making no sense, let's see if I can muddy the water even more. I went into teaching in around 1983 - and to be honest, I'm not sure why. To speak in a public manner before a lot of people was something I could never do. I didn't even speak out in class ... so what made me think of going into teaching, I don't know. I was horrifically self-conscious ... and we know that students are some of the most critical and miserable people on earth ... I really wish I could remember what WAS going through my ...

Ok, I’m going to address a dilemma that seems to be becoming more noticeable. A way to think of it is: a problem within the Christian community of which I seem to be becoming more and more aware; over time, I’ve begun to ‘see’ something that I have never seen before, and I’m getting a distinct feeling that not everyone can ‘see’ it … does that mean I’m psychic? I doubt it … am going I crazy?? … I hope not!! … am I even perceiving this right at all??? After all, it is much easier to say that I’m the one that’s off, and not what I’m seeing as being off. To be honest, I’d rather think of it as an awareness beyond me … especially when it comes upon me with vivid clarity and other times is a faint shadowed thread. A simple statement on this would be ‘it has to do with the subversive infiltration of Gnosticism into the faith of post-modern Christianity.’ This is something I am genuinely struggling with and have no answer for … Where do I begin with something this size? How do I br...

We all have 60 min. in an hour - 1440 minutes in a day ... and for some reason, it seems that I am accomplishing less and less every day, though I'm sure that I am not LOSING minutes anywhere. My life seems to have gone from 'there' to ... 'where did that go?' ... from having something to do to not having enough time to complete anything (or should that read 'everything'?). I was reading a friend's blog yesterday and realized that it was a bit since I wrote in my own ... not that it really matters, as this is more for my pleasure than for anyone else's. I would like to come and do some personal reflection here ... Things to contemplate: (in other words, things that are on my heart right now) ~ going to a movie alone ~ Christianity and Gnosticism ~ Evalutation (as in a student in school ... and me in life -- can you tell it's report card time?) ~ Giftedness vs. Intelligence vs. Talents ~ What bothers me about 'intelligence' - as p...

(the following was originally written on Aug. 13, 2004 ... and updated today) I know that I am not the first to contemplate this ... nor will I be the last. Do you ever wonder if you were born in the wrong time and place? Or, at the very least, look on other time periods and wonder if they had it 'better' ... whatever that might mean. Today I went to a local heritage site ... a place that is a step back in history. They have collected buildings from throughout the beginning days and years of this province's history and placed them in one location, recreating a town of sorts from those days long gone. I have to admit, there is a part of me that yearns to have lived in another time. I have entertained thoughts of what life might have been like during a variety of times and places ... medieval Europe, time of the Reformation, or Renaissance, days of exploration and discovery, Edwardian or Elizabethan England, Victorian times (American or British), or when America was be...

When I look around my life, and the people in it, I wonder what defines each individual … what is the essence of who each person is. If one could strip away all the peripherals, what is the one thing that would be left? When I look at some of the people that are in my ‘world’, the term “Christian” comes to mind, as it is a label that a fair amount of people I know identify themselves as such. For example, I occasionally host in a Christian chat room … and there is one host that uses that question as perhaps one of the first out of her mouth … ‘Are you a Christian?’ … and I wonder how that affects the other. (Now there’s a whole entry on its own!! ~ how to be ‘in the world’, how to tear down the walls of the ‘church’ and relocate it in society and not behind closed doors … how to destroy the Christian ghettos that are all over … but I digress … ) I know that in discussion with others that know of a Christian by label only, there is some confusion as to what a Christian is … in f...

The following is an excerpt from a book that I so appreciate and value. In this book, we are reminded just how much God loves us and how, if we are observant and sensitive to the day's events, that God can come to us in the most intimate of ways and connect to us in a way that only we will 'get'. But if we continue to live at the pace of life, which is forever increasing, we will miss those moments in which God seeks to connect with us. It is about creating pauses in our day, so that we are quiet and still, present and waiting to hear the small, still voice of the Savior ... speaking just to me. The following reflects on how movies can provide an opportunity to be a 'window into the soul' ... The Spirit of Life The difference between an intellectual approach to the Scriptures and an intimate approach is dramatized in a scene from The Dead Poet’s Society , starring Robin Williams as Professor Keating. One of my favorite scenes in the movie is a classroom ...

I am one, acquainted with the night treading down endless sidewalks to destinations unknown over the next rise or around the next bend which seems to never come Past houses, dark and quiet like mammoth creatures with gaping eye and mouth, in opaque stares frozen in stillness and time Perhaps from one comes forth beam from lonely window guiding home a weary sailor to warm bed and welcoming arms but all around is soundless desertion unbroken as it will always remain Down rain-soaked streets I travel lined with diamond shimmer circles, jagged flashes of glittering white-light, crystal string of pearls in peeking moonlight And on through dusky mists like a phantasm gliding along the cat-like wisps of vapor silent and still in death like trance I feel the bodies from far and near in gutter and in bed shivering in single grip or limbs entwined from heated stroke still for the moment, but not peace resting weary bones and spirits escaping from pain and toil of lif...

I have this theory … and I’m not sure how much of it is from desperation vs. how much of it is from actual seeking and embracing. I believe that it is possible, even healthy, to ‘live romantically’ … and it has nothing to do with whether one is involved in a boy/girlfriend relationship or not. Oh, sure, there is an element of a ‘relationship’ that is conducive to ‘romance’ ~ I won't deny that ~ but I don’t think that one is dependent on the other. Let me see if I can explain … Dictionary.com defines ‘romance’ as “ardent emotional attachment or involvement between people; love; a mysterious or fascinating quality or appeal, as of something adventurous, heroic, or strangely beautiful” among other definitions. ‘Live’ is defined as “to pursue a positive, satisfying existence; enjoy life; to practice in one's life.” Those are the denotative explanations, and yes, those are the basis for my theory … but in my heart, it is OH SO MUCH MORE!!! And when I teach, it is my goal t...

I was driving home this evening and got to thinking about religion and religions ... an organized system of beliefs put forth by this culture or that one and called 'a religion'. Dictionary.com defines 'religion' thusly: [1] A belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe. (a) A personal or institutionalized system grounded in such belief and worship. (b) The life or condition of a person in a religious order. [2] A set of beliefs, values, and practices based on the teachings of a spiritual leader. [3] A cause, principle, or activity pursued with zeal or conscientious devotion. It would seem to me that by this, the concept of 'religion' is purely a human creation. One belief system over another. One person (or group's) explanation of their beliefs. That's all any 'religion' is, isn't it? And then I got to thinking about humanity - the human element of this equation. I m...

A couple of Saturdays ago, I had an incredible experience ... something that heretofore has not been an encounter for me. That evening, I got an invite to join a friend and attend the final DJD (Decidedly Jazz Danceworks) performance called 'Jam!'. Now, I've heard of DJD before, but never knew much about them other than they were a jazz dance company (and I understood jazz dance to be a form more free and less technical) ... and as much as I love to watch dance performances (I had seasons tickets to the RWB - Royal Winnipeg Ballet - before moving west, and I'm a HUGE musical fan), this never seemed to twig my interest. That Saturday night I ate my words. "We're dedicated to preserving the roots of jazz dance through public performance and education. DJD's unique, rooted style of jazz dance has been a major factor in the box office success of our company. Wherever possible our performances combine live jazz music with jazz dance, exploring that ext...

I have been trying to post something here for the longest time, and it just hasn't been taking. This is a test post - to see if I am able to post or not. In this small space, I want to recommend a book to those out there that care to read. It is called "How To Be A Canadian; Even if You Are Already One" by Will and Ian Ferguson. Since I'm not sure if this whole thing will post or not, I'm not going to go into a HUGE review, but enough to say that I have NEVER laughed as much or as loud as I did reading this book. Reading it in bed has been deadly - waking up the house!! There are 17 chapters, and if you're not laughing ridiculously, you're amazed at how true the content is!! Chapters include: (1) Introduction (How to find Canada on a map) (2) Canada: A Rich Tapestry of who to hate and why (How to mingle with Canadians) (3) A Cross-Canada Tour (How to get Lost) (4) Learning the Language (How to talk like a Canadian) (5) Leisure Activitie...

There is a movie out that is causing all sorts of controversy, particularly in the Christian camps. On a discussion board on which I occasionally post, someone started a thread about the movie 'Saved!' by stating "It really irritated me when I saw the preview for this new movie that's out called "SAVED". It really just goes to show that Satan can't come up with anything on his own and is trying to cash in on renewed interest of Jesus in Hollywood and the rest of the world." You know what irritates me? Christians that miss the point!!! I spent some time today and posted a response - my second and last on this thread. Here is my reflection ... (and no, I have not seen the movie yet, but I certainly will!!) I wonder what sort of trouble this will get me into ~~~~????? ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ I've decided that if a person wants to draw conclusions based on what select critics say and if they only...