When we were in New York City two weekends ago, I wanted to try once again try to get a NYU Hat. I like hats, I try to get one when I go to different places. So, with the number of trips to New York City, I have been popping into various stores trying to find someone that sells, NYU hats. No luck anywhere, in fact some people look at me like I am crazy - which I don’t get, I am in New York. I figured I would go near the NYU campus and surely I would find one, mind you I am not solely walking around to search it out, but pop in stores as I go by. The Campus Store was closed on Sunday, so that wouldn’t work.

So, I figure I would just buy one online, not the same, but I would get my hat. The price is good for this one $18.95….

I add it to my cart, and then check the shipping prices….unbelievable, you got to be kidding me….is NYU serious? To ship a hat from NYU to Ottawa - $79.95

Shipping Fees

Merchandise Total	UPS Ground	UPS 2 Day Air	UPS Next Day Air	International
$0.00 - $10.00	$5.95	$18.95	$25.95	$69.95
$10.01 - $25.00	$7.95	$20.95	$26.95	$79.95

$79.95 - I am going to call them just to make sure, and simply ask them how they ship the hat, I mean for that price, I am curious. I buy a book from Amazon.com (rather then using the Amazon.ca store) and shipping is not as extreme.

Oh, by the way, I did not complete the online transaction, I aborted the cart. In case you were questioning my sanity.

I wonder when I am down in Pennsylvania next week if I can get one of these for my lawn

Here are my random thoughts on the US Presidential Race thus far. I am Canadian for those reading this that may not know, so I do not get a vote in the process, so these are views from an outsider. Kind of long, hope it makes sense.

- US political system is much more complicated then ours in Canada. At least it seems that way to me. Primaries (open & closed), caucuses, delegates, super delegates, electoral college, etc. Even the differences on how the Republican and Democrats assign the delegates after voting in the primaries/caucuses differ, confusing to say the least.

- It looks like the younger generation is coming out to vote, after years and years of people saying the younger generation wouldn’t get engaged in the political process despite the efforts of many. Even in Canada we have low turnout with these generations in our elections. Seems to be more because it was the same old same old before, and now Obama is giving the message of change and hope that is connecting. It is a real chance to change the status quo of politics.

- It was said that Bill Clinton could capture a room and was a great orator. My feeling is that Bill Clinton is no where near the speaker that Obama is.

- Not sure where Hillary’s 35 years of experience comes from. Puzzling to me.

- Hillary keeps saying that Obama doesn’t have the Foreign Policy experience to become Commander-In-Chief. Where did Bill Clinton gets his when he ran for President. Does being a Governor count? If it does, why doesn’t Obama’s Senate position. Maybe I am missing something there.

- Seems that Hillary will stop at nothing to get into the office.

- Does Obama get a easier ride in the press. Not sure, but he doesn’t seem to have truck loads of baggage to bring up either. So, when you are running a positive campaign that has created a movement of supporters, then why wouldn’t that be positive press coverage. That is a huge story of this election.

- Hillary keeps saying that she will bring in Universal Health Care. Didn’t she try that before and it did not go through when Bill was in office? Was that Washington politics at play? Then will the same thing not happen again when she is president?

- I watched Romeo Dallaire’s documentary, "Shake Hands with the Devil" on CBC the other night. In that film, it was brought up that Bill Clinton failed the country of Rwanda (other countires did as well), turning its back on helping, and would not admit to the mistake, and he said he didn’t know what was going on in the country. Yeah right, read the book or ask Dallaire. Hillary was there when he visited the country after the genocide and made those statements. Is that part of the 35 years of experience that she is stumping. Not the experience I would want to claim. I wonder how she would answer the red phone.

- If Bush has such a low approval rating right now (mainly because of Iraq), and the biggest "strength" that McCain is citing is Foreign Policy and the war in Iraq. He would be basically continuing the Bush mantra on it, does that bold well for the election?

- If the economy is a big issue for this election, McCain is supposedly not strong on economics, does that bold well for November?

- If Hillary continues to push hard till the convention is it her plan to fracture the party so Obama can’t win in November? Basically ceding to McCain for 4 years to run again in 4 years.

- Is the Democrat establishment now realizing that it does not have to be Clinton’s party anymore. That the Clinton machine was not invincible.

- It doesn’t seem that Hillary is very open and real. She comes across as very calculated and scheming. Wouldn’t be someone that you could sit down and have a chat over coffee with.

- Where Hillary says it is "very personal" for her. Does she mean, "I want this position" or she has compassion for the issues.

- As you can tell I am not a big Hillary or Bill Clinton supporter.

- I used to be a Bush supporter.

- I would support Obama if I had a vote.

- Universal Health Care is good in theory in Canada, but is still a major issue here in Canada, because we have a massive wait time issue that needs to be dealt with; among others. I wonder how these plans being proposed intend to tackle that issue.

- Seriously, garnishing people’s wages? So if her plan is so expensive that it is unaffordable, she garnishes wages, ouch. I guess that is why my taxes are so high, similar I guess.

- I have heard that until the primaries on the calendar come closer, Obama was more of lesser known to people in some states. How is that possible nowadays with the media covering this as it is?

- Do people think that Bill is getting a third term and Hillary is still getting support because of the 1990’s? Talk about going retro.

- Can Obama keepthe momentum up? Does a prolonged race with Clinton benefit him? Does it get him tested before the Republicans can test him in the general?

- Could Canada have affected the Ohio vote? I hope not.

- I might pick up the book, "Audacity of Hope".

- I have become hooked on CNN election coverage.

- A Dream Ticket? - maybe for Clinton. I hope Obama doesn’t get railroaded to put her on the ticket with him. That hurts him in my opinion,

- Florida and Michigan - I don’t think you should change the rules of the game now. Everyone knew the delegates where taken away. Hillary brought this up, because she knows she needs to find a way around the system. Typical it seems, do anything to win.

- Did Mitt Romney’s faith cost him the nomination?

- I really like the following couple of posts from blogger friends, Brian Leport "Criteria For Cultural Engagement: A Defense" and Don Ryan "How I Plan to Vote On Tuesday".

- Next week I am on vacation in Pennsylvania. It will be interesting to be there a few weeks before the primary, never been down in the US during an election period. I wonder if will be like when I was in Guatemala with all the parades etc…I doubt it, that was crazy down there.

This past Monday we went to what is looking like the last Triple AAA baseball game in Ottawa. And in Canada. Yes, it looks like the Lynx are moving to Allentown, Pennsylvania. This was the 15th year in Ottawa for the Lynx and after being a huge success, setting attendance records in first year, attendance was bad and support for the team in the handfuls. The picture in this post was the 7000+ crowd for the last game.  Still lots of seats not filled for this game.

To be honest, you could be in Ottawa and not even know that the team existed. The team was not promoted very good, and decisions made over the years led to the demise of the Lynx.

Here is my list why the team died

1. To this day, I think the team started going downhill in what I remember when not being a resident of Ottawa, was the day the ownership would not allow the fans to bring in O Henry candy bars to throw on the field when then Montreal Expos slugger Henry Rodriguez was coming to town for the Lynx vs. Expos game. Reason, there is a rule of no outside food allowed. ???

2. Triple AAA style of baseball. Decisions made in the game due to "developing players". Different style of game then what fans are used to seeing.  I know this is not a problem in the US. 

3. Canadian Baseball fans, just not a passionate about baseball as American fans. I have been to Expos games as well, then I went to Tiger Stadium and Fenway Park - not said…..not even a comparable atmosphere.  Those places were electric when a ground ball out third to first happened.

4. The team was like a ghost in Ottawa. Pretty much a Senators and 67’s town. But if the 67’s can survive in NHL city, when they were expected to die, why couldn’t another sport prosper. (see above).

5. Ticket prices….kept going up and crowds kept getting small.  Theory, have lower prices, get triple the amount of fans and you make more money. To bring your family or 4 or 5 to a baseball game, which could have 6 in a week, 40-50 a night is just to high. Especially, when you are getting no fans.

6. No connection with the fans. After the game ended, there was one player that stayed on the field and signed autographs. ONE! There was no acknowledgment to the fans. The team didn’t come up and wave to the crowd, like other teams have done when leaving the city. There just wasn’t any connection to the city. When we left the ballpark, there was player already loading their suitcase into a waiting car. 

We liked going to the games, baseball is still the best social sport to go to I think. You can talk with those around you during the game and still watch and follow the game. It is a great game to bring your kids too as well.

We there was talk of a CANAM team coming to town…..not the same as AAA.  Too bad, we have a great ballpark and an amazing field to play on.

I have submitted another application to appear on a TV Game show. The Canadian version of  "Are You Smarter Then A 5th Grader".

Last November I tried to get selected for Deal or No Deal Canada.  You never know, someone needs to get selected to appear.

Tags: Are_you_smarter_then_a_5th_grader, Global_TV, Deal_or_No_Deal, Game_Show

Here is a picture of me as a character on the Simpson’s

Create your own here

Today our middle son had a basketball camp wrap-up game, awards and a pizza party at a Athletes In Action sports camp. The camp was held at a church down the road from us. This is a fairly large church, and the just got a new senior pastor, as the old one retired. So we went down for the pizza party at the end of the day, we missed the game, as the team lead for my son’s team told me the wrong time to be there.

So, we were sitting in some chairs eating our pizza when I leaned over to my wife, and mentioned that it was interesting to watch the new senior pastor and the members of the church. Most if not all the people (around 50) in the gym were from this church and they were sitting all at one table….we were off to the side along the wall. The pastor made his rounds, shaking all the people’s hands from his church, smiling, saying hi. Everyone was having a good conversation with those that they knew.

Here we are the people that are not attendees of the church (not that I want to be anyway, just trying to make a point) sitting by ourselves, totally off to the side by oursleves. No one comes over to invite us into the conversation table. The new senior pastor does not come over to people he doesn’t even know in his church and even introduce himself or say hi or even wave. I just chuckled at my wife about the whole thing. He made sure he shook even members hand or those he recognized, but not the people he didn’t???

We just smiled at each other, my wife and I, not the sr pastor and I.

I signed up for the MLB.TV streaming video of baseball games to follow the SF Giants, in particular Barry Bonds and the chase to pass Hank Aaron.

I remember reading and hearing about Roger Maris and his chase to pass Babe Ruth’s homerun record of 60, Billy Crystal’s movie followed this in 61. Also, if you read about Hank’s chase there is some history involved there as well.

Now with the record Bonds is about to pass, there is talk of having the * beside the record because of the accusations be thrown against him. Did he or didn’t he?

I have watched the at bats, and the thing I wonder about….what it must be like to have that type of situation upon you…..imagine running in from left field and you are going to bat to potentially break a record of that nature. What it must do to the human mind. Then throw all the other stuff upon it, and it must be intense to focus on an 90 mph fastball and swing a stick.

Yes, there are many more important things in the world, and a home run record really is not that important in the big scheme of things……but imagine standing in the on-deck circle.

Talk about pressure! It must be crushing to the mind!

Continuing from this post, Reality, I mentioned that it was interesting to listen in on another conference call; after listening to the one that talked about making the stock holder’s happy.  After this week, I am sure the stock holders are happy if they are watching the ticker, which I am sure they are.

Now this other conference call was talking about all these Web 2.0 technologies, specifically social networking. Social networking tools are starting to make some in roads into our company, but there is still some big reluctance I am finding with the tools becoming more wide-spread. It was described that social computing was about connecting people, amplifying the power of working together.

The first conference was about making things more efficient, the second was about utilizing social networking tools. Yet Web 2.0 in some areas is being resisted from being implemented, because they are seen as “time wasters”.  Why is that? They do not understand the new technologies? Possible. Resistant to change? Possible. Do not see that knowledge is about people and sharing knowledge through open collaboration using blogs, wikis, podcasts, social bookmarking, will make things more efficient?
Possible. Used to One-to-many communications versus the collaboration of many-to-many connections? Possible.  Afraid to speak up or let their opinions known? Possible. Just doing there job role? Possible. There are likely others as well…..those are some I think.

How does a company that is driven by performance to, in the end of all things, make stockholders happy, implement social computing? Does the implementation of social computing and promoting connecting people and empowering them to work together necessarily going to translate into the overall goal of the company?

Also, hows does social networking translate into the church? There is a interesting study done by the Leadership Network, called “Online Social Networking Tools for the Church” (Hat Tip Mark Batterson). I have not read the study, but sounds good. I am going to read this study and possible post a few comments on it.

I guess if you are reading this, you are somewhat interested in social computing.

Technorati Tags: Mark_Batterson, social_computing, social_networking, Leadership_Network, Technology, web_2.0, web_2_0

Disclaimer: If you are reading this post, and know which company I work for, these views are not necessarily shared by those within the company, and are a personal expression of my views.

Recently for work I had to listen in on a conference call for a new methodology that is being implemented. It was a required call. During the call there was a statement made by the presenter that just made reality once again set in.

As she was speaking about this new methodology, the focus that was needed on it, and everything we are going to be required to do, she made a statement that “to make our shareholders happy”. Typically, we hear things like, ”that the customer matters”, and “we want to look at bettering our delivery for the customer”. But this statement really drove things home, it really is about stocks and those that hold them, if we are making that price of the stock go up, it is “happy day”….that doesn’t really translate
into making things better for the customer. Also, to that point, bettering things for a customer may not be what is better for people. That also really doesn’t mean looking at innovative ways at making a difference in the world. If our execution of things are making stocks go up, and those that hold them profit from it, all is well, is a way of thought that is out there.

That troubles me though…..because driving stock prices isn’t what drives me to make a difference in my life, my life is not built around the profits of stocks. People matter, and sometimes (a lot of times), the right things for people are not necessarily going to drive a stock up, but it is still the right thing to do.

Tomorrow or the next day I will likely post on another conference call I was on, that was interesting to listen in on after this methodology as well.

Upon returning last weekend from Crabtree BMX, we found that the home desktop computer had another crash, same as the last time, pagefile corrupted or something….which takes too much time to redo Windows XP on it (yep, I would rather have a MAC)….so I took upon the challenge and changed to SUSE Linux. This was for a few reasons.

• Tired of Windows XP crashes
• Why spend time redoing Windows, put the time somewhere to learn something new
• Windows XP was slow, and getting worse
• Have been wanting to learn LINUX for work purposes, and get out of the Microsoft Windows only world.
• I have been moving towards more and more opensource, see note above.
• Delays buying new hardware for Microsoft Vista

One of the things that made matters worse, was the DVD/CD player in the desktop was no longer working. So I bought a new DVD RW to replace it for $60. Now I can backup some pics to media before I lose the hard drive completely. For the most part, everything the fam does on the desktop is in Firefox or watching a show or DVD….so I am good that way as well.

This has caused me not to post some recent thoughts, as I have been working on this new SUSE implementation. Hopefully this week I get get my brain around them. I had a crazy thought on a street party for Radiant Village. A little way out on that one, but it would be cool.

Technorati Tags: SUSE, Linux

Another solider that was killed last week in Afghanistan was a friend of our family. Captain Matt Dawe. Click here for a story from the press conference that his father held in Kingston.

I coached Matt in hockey with my father for a few years, my brother was a friend of his, I played Jr B with one of his older brothers James, and my Dad played hockey with his father Pete.

Please pray for this family.

Matt is in the middle top row. (Picture from CTV News)

Technorati Tags: afghanistan, matt_dawe

Last Wednesday I left with my oldest son on a three day camping trip with his school class.  We went about 20 mins from the city to an Outdoor Education Center. I wasn’t expecting a very nice center, but it turned out to be pretty nice. The cabin had no electricity for the boys, but it was in very good shape, and sufficient. The teacher for the class runs a great camp, constantly has the students involved in many activities, a few highlights for my son were the night hike, fire fly catching, and a game
of camouflage. He runs the camp in teams of students, and has a points systems that rewards the students that worked excellant.  No problems, and made for a very positive 3 days.

I brought a book by Erwin McManus and left it in the “Inn” where were ate, urgh!  I mention that because one of the interesting things that happened to me on the trip was meeting a student with a Indian Hindu culture background. She was very intelligent and was asking me about my book, and told me about her culture.  Took me by surprise that a grade 4 student would talk to someone like that when they do not really know them, other then as a parent volunteer. I was able to meet her father when he came
to pick her up, she didn’t stay during the evening with the class, he was talking to me about their culture as well.  Interesting to learn more about different cultures, you then can take that and find out what spiritual questions people are asking and go from there.

In the evening when we got the boys in the cabin just after dark, 20-30 mins and everyone was asleep, by 10:30-11:00 each night. I thought we were in for a long night, everyone sleep right through til the morning.

I started reading Rob Bell’s book, “Sex God” over the weekend and the following statement Bell makes was very apparent during the trip,

We see this disconnection in the relationship between our sleep patterns and the invention of electricity. Prior to the lightbulb, people generally went to bed when the sun went down and woke up when the sun came up. With the invention of electric light, sleep habits became less and less regulated by the rising and setting of the sun. As a result people today get fewer and fewer hours of sleep a night than people did a hundred or two hundred years ago….All of this affects our connection with nature.
Where once the rhythm and flow of life were dictated by the rhythm and flow of earth, we now live relatively independent of these forces.

One night I was in bed at 10:30 during the camp, I wasn’t that tired the next day, when I got up around 8am. Now I get back to the suburbs, I find I back to my old routine going to bed around 12:30, and up at 7-8am, and tired.  Maybe, I need to live in a cabin with no electricity.

Technorati Tags: Family, Rob_Bell, camping

I am adding some new pictures to the right sidebar….these will be grouped in sets and have a Flickr badge. The first one I have added is one on BMX racing.  I am planning a few more, feel free to browse these pictures.

Technorati Tags: BMX, BMX_Racing, pictures, flickr

Added a new feature to the right hand sidebar, IM online status.  I use both AIM and MSN Messenger.  Feel free to contact if I am online.

http://www.mutube.com/projects/wordpress/im-online

Technorati Tags: MSN_Messenger, AIM, Technology

I do not think this will be a surprise to many….but here it goes….customer service, is dead. Surprised, probably not. 

I was in Canadian Tire today getting two new tires installed on my car and an oil change.  When I got the work order handed to me, I noticed a charge that I was not expecting. I was never told there was an extra charge for tire balancing.  So, I questioned the guy behind the desk, and said, that the huge sign above the desk said “free tire installation”.  Now, I am not a car guy….just not my thing, so I thought when the sign read “free” 
that meant I get two tires, pay the cost of the tires and they would install them on the car for “free”. 

Not as simple as that…..technically speaking, there is “no charge” for the “installation” of the tires. There is a charge for “balancing the tires”.  (Yes I am using a lot of “” on purpose) As it was stated to me, that “installation” and “balancing” are two different things.  Technically, yes…..so is opening the door to drive my car into the garage…..yet they had to do that as well.

However, when speaking with the guy and the manager, they both said that it is highly recommended and no one really when buying new tires does not get the tires balanced. It is standard to have the tires balanced on new tires, because they are just being installed.  However, technically you do not have to do it. 

I told the guy that I thought these “other charges” for “balancing” had the “installation charges” shifted from one thing to another to give the appearance of free installation. That the sign was misleading, because if when buying a new tire, it is so “highly” recommended and everyone should get it done when they install it, then really it is part of installing. 

I then told him, it is misleading to indicate on a sign that they do this for free, because their charge is really incorporating the installation cost in the balancing of the tires.  Even the manager agreed, but they said that is how everyone does it, and he even said the “free installation” is to draw the customer into the store.  They admitted that they shift the cost from “two separate” functions onto the the one, because in the words of the manager, the tire installer has to be paid somehow and
nothing is free in this world.  Great customer service!  So take the sign down then.

I told them that they should have an * in the sign to indicate that there is “other” costs associated.  They proceeded to say that there was one….I must be blind because I looked again and there is no * on the huge sign.  Does the customer matter, not at Canadian Tire, draw us in with enticing offers and shift the costs to other items. 

Really, in most business when they say the customer matters they really do not 100% mean that, in any business it is not the customer, rather profits and stock prices.  What matters is how much I can get the customer to pay for the services I am providing. What additional services can I create to get more $ out of the customer.  When you think about it does it really make a difference to the customer, am I doing something for the customer because it is right, not tonight in my case, customer
service was no where to be seen.  Hey that is how everyone does it I was told, but does that make it right.  Not in my thinking.

I wonder when you flip over into the church world, are we really doing things for people, are we really caring for people and looking at people that we walk by, or come into our small groups/services because we care for the person, and their journey or potential journey with Jesus Christ. 

It is late, and I am not sure if this made any sense, after all what do I know about cars….but I do plan on calling the owner of the Canadian Tire tomorrow and file a complaint on their business practice and the misleading sign,,,,,it is just not right, and after tonight this particular store has lost a customer.  

Technorati Tags: customer, customer_service

Today we decided to head down to the Scotiabank Place and watch some of the game outdoors with a few other fans. This was a big outdoor fan fest, with plenty for the kids to do prior to the game. We came home between periods, the heat was getting to the kids.  Kind of interesting to see some like this in your home town, got a few things I saw there that I am thinking on how to relate to small groups and community.  Maybe post a little of it before the finals begin.

Technorati Tags: Family, Senators

I read this post this week on the Diabetes Blog this week. Very interesting read, does this quote surprise ”He notes the current state of healthcare for those who suffer from chronic diseases, and contends that profit, not humanitarianism, is driving American healthcare.” Hmmmm, the almighty $.

Diabusine$$: Too profitable to cure

Technorati Tags: Books, diabetes

I read this quote on the CTV News website, “And the windfall for Canadian producers amounts to $1.7 million every day for every dollar the price of crude goes up.”

Click here for the full story

I have been reading Jim Wallis’ book, “God’s Politics”, and was going through the chapter “Tipping Point”….just in some of the $$$ that Jim Wallis quotes in the chapter about AIDS in Africa and what it would take to prevent and treat it, really makes you rise your eyes seeing numbers such as what the big oil and gas are getting due to the rise in the price at the pumps.  Wallis wrote, “People dying of AIDS, who know that elsewhere medication is saving the lives of others , know that they are dying
because they are poor.” 

If the Oil & Gas companies would take these increases per day, and move that money into helping stopping poverty or AIDS, then that would be something I wouldn’t mind squeezing the trigger on the gas pump to fill up the car.  But to see record profits and windfalls, and not seeing this, it really shows where the priority is with society.  It comes down to the all mighty dollar, and stock prices…..meet the street is the mantra. 

I wonder if people like you and me, started a grassroots campaign to the Oil and Gas to take 90% of the windfall and put it directly into treating and preventing AIDS, and eradicating poverty, could it happen.  Would people not worry at the tank? Would the Oil and Gas just spin this into more profits somehow? How would you even start something of that magnitude?

I know the numbers for the windfall does not add up to the estimate of what it would take to stop the epidemic, but wouldn’t it be a start. 

What are your thoughts or opinions?  Most people just grumble and pump the gas the same, because we continue to drive the same distances generally.

Technorati Tags: gas_prices, God’s_Politics, grassroots, AIDS

The past few months I have been watching “The Hour” with George Stroumboulopoulos. The main feature that I like about this show is the format, each night George has a few guests and does some interviews. 

Next week in Catalyst Class, we are finishing up watching Jesus Camp, and I am going to be showing the interview George did with Heidi Ewing & Rachel Grady, directors of the documentary. Here is the clip. I really wish this clip was available via YouTube or The
Hour’s podcast on iTunes, but it was not, so we will go with the streaming video from The Hour’s website.

Another nice feature on the The Hour’s website, is you can watch the whole show next day, via streaming video.

My Top 10 Interviews on the Hour

1. Heidi Ewing & Rachel Grady - Jesus Camp Directors

2. Ishmael Beah - Child Soldier

3. Stephanie Nolan - Author “28 Stories of AIDS in Africa

4. Tony Campolo - One of America’s most influential preachers, new book called “Letters to a Young Evangelical

5. Jacques Villeneuve - Former F1/Indy Car Driver

6. Jon Heder - Napleon Dynamite

7. Paul Franklin - MCPL who lost legs in Afghanistan

8. Rob Stewart - SHARKWATER  director

9. Arthur Kent - journalist and documentary filmmaker

10. Stephan Jones - his father Jim Jones carried out the Jonestown massacre

Technorati Tags: @ the Movies, Catalyst Class, documentary, george_stroumboulopoulos, jesus_camp, media, cbc, the_hour

Tonight we had to go to one of our son’s class’ school production.  His class did Rumpelstiltskin.  They did a pretty good job to open the production, you understood the whole thing.  Then later on in the night I got totally lost, some of the performances didn’t make sense. Not that the children doing them didn’t do a good job with the play, but it was just confusing.  These performances from the other classes were original plays, whoever put them together tried to be original, to be creative, which is good.  However, you just got lost in what was supposed to be going on, the storyline was just not there.  So I found myself later on tonight thinking to myself, how many times someone must come to our small groups\churches and feel the same way.  Here they are sitting, listening, watching, observing what is going on, yet they are not following. I think we need to be creative in our small groups and churches, as church should be one of the most creative places there is, but we still need to have the story of Jesus to be understood by those that are there.  Some times, I think we speak or do things because we are so used to doing them, it makes sense to us, but does not translate well to our “audience”.  When you read Paul’s story in the scriptures, Mars Hill being one of those, he was amazing at being able to get his audience to understand the message he wanted to tell them about.  We need to be more like Paul on Mars Hill.

Technorati Tags: community, creative, arts

I was asked by Jeremy if I wanted to get into the tank and baptize someone from one of the other churches in the city.  They use our facilities and we perform the baptism for them.  She was a older lady, and I had to take some more time in helping her into the tank….no problem.  I explained to her what was going to happen before we got into the tank, and how she would be sitting, etc. Just as I was about to speak the words, she blurted out,

“MY CAP!”

I was kind of shocked for a second…then I realized it was her shower cap.  This was right at the end of service, and it kind of caught everyone off guard, so Jeremy had the praise team sing another chorus, as the lady from the other church hurried to the basement to the change room and retrieved the shower cap. So we just stood in the tank waiting.  Everyone else, wasn’t quite sure what was happening.  When the cap arrived, she placed it on her head, and I baptized her, prayed with her, and she
received the Holy Spirit.

First time that happened, kind of funny thinking about it after.

Technorati Tags: baptism

Baseball season 2007, is going to be the last one in Ottawa it looks for the local AAA club, the Ottawa Lynx.  I have always liked going to Lynx Stadium and watching the Lynx play.  We usually go a few times each year, the kids love it.  The stadium is great, mainly due to condition of the field, which is always in top condition, which is a challenge being here in Ottawa. 

I find that baseball is a great sport to watch both on TV and live.  Check out mlb.tv if you want to catch all the out of town/out of market games.  Baseball lends itself great for community building, more so then other sports.  Hockey for instance, you take your eye of the game and you can miss that one goal, the game moves much faster.  Baseball is just more friendly to building community with others.  At least I find it does. 

With the crumbling a few years ago of the Montreal Expos and then they left to Washington, I lost my favorite team as they became the Nationals. I was starting to cheet more and more for my second favorite team, the Boston Red Sox.  They were a team I choose to cheer for over the years, because I wanted them to win it all, just so I wouldn’t have to listen to everyone talk about the “curse” of Babe Ruth.  So they win
it….not so interested in the team anymore, the attraction is gone as they won the World Series.

So I became a nomad of a fan, looking for a team to really get behind the last couple of years. Some of the reasons I have for choosing these teams to cheer for are still being worked out….so if you are a fan of another, I am willing to hear your case, except for the Toronto Blue Jays….remember I was an Expos fan…I couldn’t cheer for the other Canadian team now. 

Here are my top 3 teams I am trying to cheer for this year and a short reason why

1. New York Mets   

Been to New York twice in the last couple of years.  Just love the city.  I couldn’t see myself switching/cheering to the Yankees, so I take the Mets. I do want ARod of the Yankees to silence some critics, as he is a incredible player.  Also, character from my favorite sitcom cheers for the Mets - Doug Heffernan. We are thinking about going down for a weekend to NYC again, to catch a game at Shea Stadium and a Broadway
show.

2. Chicago Cubs -

Another team with “curse” following it…the curse of the goat, I just think these curses of whatever are ridiculous, so I would like them to win. This way I do not have to hear about it anymore, same thing with what happened with the Red Sox. The stadium would be a great place to visit.  A number of years ago I went to Fenway, wow, that was an experience. The fans were intense.  It would be a similar experience to visit Wrigley.

3. San Francisco Giants 

Would like to see Barry Bonds past Hank Aaron. I guess.  Not sure why else but other teams just are not jumping out right now.  I do not know many if any Giants fans here in Ottawa or other places I have lived. The only one I do know is Brian Leport who lives in out in California.

So let me know who you cheer for, and maybe I try cheering for your team, or if you have other reason I cheer for the three above I am listening…..put in your comments or send an email to reg@radiantjourney.ca

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