Yes, yes, I know. We had this big plan about going to England. Well, we're learning about the importance of taking interesting detours.
Houston is possibly one of the most boring cities on the planet (sorry Houstonians!), or at least the bit that I'm in. The business district shuts up shop at 5:00, and then it's just an empty collection of skyscrapers.
Not that I'm really here to enjoy the sights, I'm keeping pretty busy working on the contract, which is going well, but not leaving lots of time for blogging.
Hope to write a response to Heather's thoughts at some point. We appreciate your comments and emails everyone.
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Friday, August 26, 2005
Thoughts we've thunk
Trevor and I have both been reading (at various speeds, separately!) the letters of Paul. I want to try to put some of our thoughts down from these books ... in other words, here lies a work-in-progress ramble. I don't think either of us have all the answers, nor do I think that we've even written down all of the passages pertaining to the subjects listed below. However, we've both been surprised by just how 'messy' the teaching on some of these subjects is or how little we've heard about these subjects that seem to be so important to Paul.
Here are some of the 'new' themes we've been thinking about:
1. Grace vs. Law - Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians 2:12 - 18, Colossians 2:6 - 3:16
Noteably, the fruit of the Spirit is precisely that - FRUIT! It comes out of our relationship with Christ. It is graciously given, not worked for (though perhaps sought after by seeking after Christ). It is an act of grace that we are able to come to Christ in the first place, an act of grace that He has died for us and set us free, and (this is the bit that had always been confused in my mind) an act of grace to live each day thereafter - and particularly to exhibit fruit in our lives. I've heard lots of sermons on living a life characterised by the fruit of the Spirit. These sermons have told me how horrible it is to follow the evil desires of the sinful flesh, and how wonderful it is to live a life characterised by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. But none of these sermons discussed how these fruit were meant to grow.
"It doesn't make any difference whether we really have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we really have been changed into new and different people." Galatians 6:15 - 16
"You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the evil powers of this world. So why do you keep on following rules of the world, such as, 'Don't handle, don't eat, don't touch.' Such rules are mere human teaching about things that are gone as soon as we use them. These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, humility and severe bodily discipline. But they have no effect when it comes to conquering a person's evil thoughts and desires." Colossians 2:20 - 23
2. Judgement should be limited to our fellow brothers and sisters - not to be extended to those outside the church. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 5:12 - 13 "It isn't my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your job to judge those inside the church who are sinning in these ways. God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, 'You must remove the evil person from among you.'"
Having written that, Paul concludes his advice with the other half - that judgment must be paired with reconciliation and forgiveness. 2 Corinthians 2:5 - 8 "I am not overstating it when I say that the man who caused all the trouble hurt yuour entire church more than he hurt me. He was punished enough when most of you were united in your judgment against him. Now it is time to forgive him and comfort him. Otherwise he may become so discouraged that he won't be able to recover. Now show him that you still love him." See also Colossians 3:13
He also adds: "Live wisely among those who are not Christians, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and effective so that you will have the right answer for everyone." Colossians 4:5 - 6
3. Spiritual Gifts are given in, used in, and held accountable by the community. Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12.
4. Love is the ultimate key to who we are meant to be as Christians, and what our job is, and how our relationships with one another and those outside the church are meant to be characterised by. Romans 12:9 - 11; 1 Corinthians 13; Ephesians 5; Philippians 2:1 - 11; Colossians 3:14; 1 Thessalonians 4:9 - 12
5. Heaven is something to be focused on, thought about, sought after, and desired. 2 Corinthians 5, Philippians 1:27 - 30; 1 Thessalonians 4:13 - 5:11; 2 Thessalonians 2:1 - 12
6. Love breeds generosity, therefore Christian's should be characterised by generous giving and generous living. 2 Corinthians 8 - 9, Philippians 4:10 - 20; Colossians ; 1 Timothy 6:17 - 19
There are many more thoughts to be had ono this subject, but for now I need to go be mother. Please feel free to comment, question, add to, etc. 'Cos it does seem there are some things we haven't spent enough time talking about here.
Here are some of the 'new' themes we've been thinking about:
1. Grace vs. Law - Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians 2:12 - 18, Colossians 2:6 - 3:16
Noteably, the fruit of the Spirit is precisely that - FRUIT! It comes out of our relationship with Christ. It is graciously given, not worked for (though perhaps sought after by seeking after Christ). It is an act of grace that we are able to come to Christ in the first place, an act of grace that He has died for us and set us free, and (this is the bit that had always been confused in my mind) an act of grace to live each day thereafter - and particularly to exhibit fruit in our lives. I've heard lots of sermons on living a life characterised by the fruit of the Spirit. These sermons have told me how horrible it is to follow the evil desires of the sinful flesh, and how wonderful it is to live a life characterised by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. But none of these sermons discussed how these fruit were meant to grow.
"It doesn't make any difference whether we really have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we really have been changed into new and different people." Galatians 6:15 - 16
"You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the evil powers of this world. So why do you keep on following rules of the world, such as, 'Don't handle, don't eat, don't touch.' Such rules are mere human teaching about things that are gone as soon as we use them. These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, humility and severe bodily discipline. But they have no effect when it comes to conquering a person's evil thoughts and desires." Colossians 2:20 - 23
2. Judgement should be limited to our fellow brothers and sisters - not to be extended to those outside the church. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 5:12 - 13 "It isn't my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your job to judge those inside the church who are sinning in these ways. God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, 'You must remove the evil person from among you.'"
Having written that, Paul concludes his advice with the other half - that judgment must be paired with reconciliation and forgiveness. 2 Corinthians 2:5 - 8 "I am not overstating it when I say that the man who caused all the trouble hurt yuour entire church more than he hurt me. He was punished enough when most of you were united in your judgment against him. Now it is time to forgive him and comfort him. Otherwise he may become so discouraged that he won't be able to recover. Now show him that you still love him." See also Colossians 3:13
He also adds: "Live wisely among those who are not Christians, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and effective so that you will have the right answer for everyone." Colossians 4:5 - 6
3. Spiritual Gifts are given in, used in, and held accountable by the community. Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12.
4. Love is the ultimate key to who we are meant to be as Christians, and what our job is, and how our relationships with one another and those outside the church are meant to be characterised by. Romans 12:9 - 11; 1 Corinthians 13; Ephesians 5; Philippians 2:1 - 11; Colossians 3:14; 1 Thessalonians 4:9 - 12
5. Heaven is something to be focused on, thought about, sought after, and desired. 2 Corinthians 5, Philippians 1:27 - 30; 1 Thessalonians 4:13 - 5:11; 2 Thessalonians 2:1 - 12
6. Love breeds generosity, therefore Christian's should be characterised by generous giving and generous living. 2 Corinthians 8 - 9, Philippians 4:10 - 20; Colossians ; 1 Timothy 6:17 - 19
There are many more thoughts to be had ono this subject, but for now I need to go be mother. Please feel free to comment, question, add to, etc. 'Cos it does seem there are some things we haven't spent enough time talking about here.
Sunday, August 21, 2005
London in Pictures
Haunch of Venison Yard ... rather says it all about what went on here, doesn't it?
Makes you think parking in Toronto is cheap, doesn't it? Oh, and Trevor says, 'but this is cheap in Kensington!'
Double-Decker buses along Oxford Street.
London Telephone Box
The London Eye
Big Ben
Heather in a Double-Decker Bus
Trevor, Kaitlyn and Hannah in the top of a Double-Decker Bus
Westminster Abbey
Sunday, August 14, 2005
Having trouble keeping up here...
...because so much is happening. Heather and I took Thursday and Friday morning off, thanks to the Grandparents excellent babysitting service. We took the train down to Winchester, and stayed in a very nice old coaching inn. Winchester is another of these English towns with 2000+ years of history visible if you just take a quick stroll around, from the roman walls to the mediaval halls and castles and cathedral to the 19th century brick houses. Quite amazing.
Once again, I experienced a certain frustration going around a cathedral that must have hundreds of visitors daily, and seems to be making very little effort to minister to them as the come. I wonder how much effort it would be to have communion available in one of the side-chapels, or a prayer and healing ministry in another? At the same time it's quite amazing to be in buildings that have been sites of worship and prayer virtually non-stop for 800 years.
The other big news is that I'm probably heading out to Houston for several weeks on a short term contract. This came pretty much out of the blue, but it's very gratifying, because the company in question seems to think very highly of both my credentials and the way I presented myself when we discussed the project on the phone. It's very nice being at the point where I'm desperate for someone to give me a job, but rather can consider myself a skilled and sought-after professional. The job involves data migration from a bunch of diverse sources using Python, and I'm quite looking forward to it. All that time I spent teaching myself Python and introducing it into my previous companies is about to pay off...
This morning we visited Christ Church Woking, a church I was involved with as a teenager. We'll go back again this evening for their 20-30's service.
Missing everyone back in Canada: John, Michael, Adam and their families and all the rest.
Once again, I experienced a certain frustration going around a cathedral that must have hundreds of visitors daily, and seems to be making very little effort to minister to them as the come. I wonder how much effort it would be to have communion available in one of the side-chapels, or a prayer and healing ministry in another? At the same time it's quite amazing to be in buildings that have been sites of worship and prayer virtually non-stop for 800 years.
The other big news is that I'm probably heading out to Houston for several weeks on a short term contract. This came pretty much out of the blue, but it's very gratifying, because the company in question seems to think very highly of both my credentials and the way I presented myself when we discussed the project on the phone. It's very nice being at the point where I'm desperate for someone to give me a job, but rather can consider myself a skilled and sought-after professional. The job involves data migration from a bunch of diverse sources using Python, and I'm quite looking forward to it. All that time I spent teaching myself Python and introducing it into my previous companies is about to pay off...
This morning we visited Christ Church Woking, a church I was involved with as a teenager. We'll go back again this evening for their 20-30's service.
Missing everyone back in Canada: John, Michael, Adam and their families and all the rest.
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
Photos - Andover and Surrounds
Trevor and Edward at Old Sarum
Davita
The site of the original cathedral
Kaitlyn in the ruins of Old Sarum castle
"Suffer the little children to come to me and do not hinder them, for such is the kingdom of heaven." ~ JesusSalisbury Cathedral
Trying on hats in Andover Museum
Stonehenge
'Hannah hat'
Thatched well to go with the thatched cottage.
Monday, August 08, 2005
Andover
This weekend we went down to Andover to visit my brother Edward and his wife, Davita. Sunday was Edward's birthday. While we were down there we visited Andover Museum, Stonehenge, Old Sarum, and Salisbury. The area is surrounded by history - Stonehenge is thousands of years old, there are many sites of Iron Age settlements and hill-forts, Salisbury Cathedral is new, (i.e. only about 800 years old), and a replacement for the older cathedral that used to be at Old Sarum. Driving around the area means weaving along winding country roads between villages full of thatched cottages. It's very pretty.
Salisbury Cathedral was a slightly odd experience. We were there for the end of one service and part of choir practice. Though there are side-chapels where people can pray/meditate, and plenty of chairs in the nave for people to join in the main service, the vast majority of people in the building were wandering around, taking photos etc. It's as if worship is seen as this quaint middle ages ritual that has been re-created for the benefit of the tourists, who would never dream of participating in what was going on. But for me, the most moving part of visiting both Salisbury cathedral and Bosham church this week has not been the architecture, the stained-glass windows etc. but rather the chance to spend a few minutes in quiet prayer in places that have been used for that purpose for over 1000 years. The sense of continuity of the christian community and the idea of people being quietly faithful for so many generations is quite something.
Salisbury Cathedral was a slightly odd experience. We were there for the end of one service and part of choir practice. Though there are side-chapels where people can pray/meditate, and plenty of chairs in the nave for people to join in the main service, the vast majority of people in the building were wandering around, taking photos etc. It's as if worship is seen as this quaint middle ages ritual that has been re-created for the benefit of the tourists, who would never dream of participating in what was going on. But for me, the most moving part of visiting both Salisbury cathedral and Bosham church this week has not been the architecture, the stained-glass windows etc. but rather the chance to spend a few minutes in quiet prayer in places that have been used for that purpose for over 1000 years. The sense of continuity of the christian community and the idea of people being quietly faithful for so many generations is quite something.
Friday, August 05, 2005
Photos - Bosham
Bosham Church - where Helen's Great-Aunt Lil was buried as a baby.
Church gate.
Gravestone - not Little Lil's. Little Lil's parents apparently didn't have money for a grave stone, but she was buried here. The church graveyard and all of Bosham was very beautiful - and it was a sunny day and the tide was completely out, so the children had a lovely time playing down by the tide walls while I took pictures. (Auntie Kim and Uncle Gareth were watching them!)
Photos - Isle of Wight
Trevor with Hannah
Trevor with Kaitlyn
We had quite a lot of fun on the Isle of Wight, but as Trevor said, it went back and forth between being nice and pretty and sunny and being disgusting and wet and horrible!
Photos - Gareth and Kim's church
The Communion table at Gareth and Kim's church.
The children enjoying worship at Gareth and Kim's church.
Kaitlyn enjoying the flags at Gareth and Kim's church.
Thursday, August 04, 2005
Visiting
We spent a few days down in Havant on the south coast with my brother and his family. Visited their church on Sunday morning and again in the afternoon for a dedication of Serena, their daughter, and a celebration of their 10th wedding anniversary.
On Monday we all went to the Isle of Wight, for a proper British holiday experience. (I.e. alternating between paddling in the sea and taking shelter from rain storms.)
Tuesday we visited Bosham, where my grandmother was born, then drove back up to Woking.
The kids seem to be getting on well with their cousins. Hopefully Heather will post some more pictures soon.
The job search is continuing - several agencies have phoned me, so I'm feeling optimistic about it all.
On Monday we all went to the Isle of Wight, for a proper British holiday experience. (I.e. alternating between paddling in the sea and taking shelter from rain storms.)
Tuesday we visited Bosham, where my grandmother was born, then drove back up to Woking.
The kids seem to be getting on well with their cousins. Hopefully Heather will post some more pictures soon.
The job search is continuing - several agencies have phoned me, so I'm feeling optimistic about it all.
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