Adventures in Solitude

So today I spent the day alone. Nursing my ankle and alternating ice pack for another. Compression and Elevation on the neck of my couch. I went in and out from naps. What did I accomplish today? Not much. But enough I that I feel that my ankle is a whole lot better from this morning. I awoke with such pain. So there was no need for me to hobble around school. I felt like I could afford to miss class today. At least that's how I justify things.

I read my text(I'm half way done) for Church growth and theory: The Forgotten ways by Alan Hirsch. The book is getting to the real meat of it all and I'm quite enjoying this one. I'm coming out with ideas and inspiring thoughts that I hope to implement into near distant future.

We can only live changes: we cannot think our way to humanity. Every one of us, every group, must become the model of that which we desire to create. - Ivan Illich

I've been bouncing the thought of how people hate going to church or that people are tired of going to church. But would really like to talk about who God is and discuss what Jesus was trying to get at. I feel that a lot of people who have been going to church for awhile are left with only a temporary spiritual high, inspirational thought for the heart that last only till the early recesses of Monday morning. It's just not enough to sit for an hour and a half in service and be done with it. I think there needs to be changes. Changes in the way we do church.

For one... I think we need to make church more interactive. How? I don't really have the answer. But it can't be 80/20. Pulpit/Audience. I think people need to be more active. Be more involved in more social action than putting a monetary band-aid in some dish. Maybe church could be done down at the seed. Feeding the people, building relationships and reflecting the light of the world through the lives we try to proclaim to others who don't go to church. Maybe we need to be doing it more proactively. What if church was done this way. Each sunday the church is out doing a work bee, holding a lunch at the nursing home, going downtown handing out blankets etc to the homeless, cleaning the neighborhood. Doing these things builds relationships and living out and practicing our faith instead of just saying it by sitting in the pieu and listening to the pastor each sunday.

Becoming a mobile church. We are to be the hands and feet of Christ. Why aren't we doing it? Instead of looking like the normal church gathering for an hour or two each week. Why not mobilze and do something with that time?

I know I'm rambling and there is more behind this. But what if Church was done in a more proactive way. Could this be possible?

40/60

It's happening all over again.

Last night at the volleydome I went up for a block. I landed on a foot. And ended up rolling my left ankle. 2 a half years ago, I did the same thing playing basketball, but it was my right ankle. It took a long time for my right ankle to feel somewhat normal. And to this day it has never been the same.

Present day, I am now nursing a swollen left ankle. A 2nd grade sprain and some tearing of the ligaments. I can see the black and blue creeping up both sides of my ankle. It's not going to be pretty. I'm walking around on crutches and the simple stuggle of getting up and going from A to B takes so much more effort.

I'm hoping and praying for a quick recovery. The doctor said 2 weeks of being off my feet and about three months till my ankle makes a full recovery.

Pardon me Redux

I guess you just can't have good days all the time. The inspiration of this blog/note comes from a day of frustration, anger, burden, annoyance etc. If only I could find a true word that described this day I would use it. And at one moment in the day I found myself wanting to use words that would later need my mouth to be washed with soap. Pardon me by Incubus always comes to my mind when I have days like these.

"...on the verge of spontaneous combustion Woe is me. But I guess that it comes with the territory, An ominous landscape of never-ending calamity. I need you to hear, I need you to see that I have had all I can take and exploding seems like a definite possibility to me."

It's such a clear and loud message of frustration with this world and the people in it. Just for a moment I would like to address a few thoughts that come to mind.

• We need to be careful not to feed the egos that surround us. Those vessels that carry such a pompous attitude seem to thrive on it and they might believe in some respect that the majority of us concede. But in reality not everyone is willing to put them up on a pedestal.
• Get a clue that I cannot be your friend, when I'm trying to do your job. It's about give and take and at the moment I'm just giving, giving and giving while breaking my back.
• Are people aware of the social ineptness that they create? Or are they completely clueless?
• I can't seem to figure out the two faced people I have come to know and trust and then go from small talk to you are wasting the air that surrounds you.
• Favoritism is a horrible thing. But we all do it. Myself included.

Now you may say "Hey buddy, look in your own eye. Before you try and take the plank out of mine". Which is so true. I am to blame for a portion of this fallen world we live in. And I'm sick of it. I'm sick you me, myself, and I. I'm also sick of you, them and the group you belong to.

And finally the fat lady sings with this...

I took a dinner break at work today. I walked over to Subway. I was already a ticking time bomb. With all my frustration coop up inside I was looking to enjoy a pleasant meal. I was standing in line behind four different customers.

The couple in front of me were waiting to get their veggies on their subs. The female requested with a firm lettuce and tomato. The subway employee acknowledge this request. After finishing placing the lettuce and tomato on, the female continue to request for more tomato's and lettuce. "MORE, MORE, MORE". The subway lady acknowledge the request. And again the lady requested more, "MORE, MORE" at this point it wasn't a turkey sandwich, it was a lettuce tomato sandwich. I looked at the amount of lettuce and tomato and I would have to say that any vegetarian would say that was more than they could take. But the customer was displeased and her tone got louder. "MORE..." The subway employee said that she would need to pay extra for the amount of veggies she was putting on... This sounded like attitude to the disgruntled customer. She then proceeded to say "Are you the owner of this place... why do you care if you put all this on. I could have all the veggies I want ... I clean out all the veggies and have them on my sandwich if I wanted!" At this point I could see her male counterpart was getting a little uncomfortable with the conflict unfolding before him.

At this point I was steaming. I couldn't handle it anymore. I spoke up and the bomb exploded. In a deep and booming voice I said "Why don't you calm down? It's just a fricken sandwich, you don't need to be so rude about it." The customer retorted back with "Did you hear the attitude she gave me?" I repeated what the employee had said " Yeah she kindly let you know that you had to pay extra for those veggies you were requesting!" At this point her whipped boyfriend turns around and glares at me. I only glare back, ready to throw down. But before anything could transpire. The other subway employee swoops in to finishes the order while, the lady continues to grunt under her breath and stare back at me.

The couple left and the lady behind the counter thanked me for speaking up even though she was quite upset. I simply replied with "It's no problem, it's been a long day and I was looking for a way to blow off some steam."

The one funny thing about the whole ordeal was the little boy that was standing behind me. Waiting patiently. I look back at him and he catches my eye. He simply tells me, "I hate it when people get made at the sandwich lady".

"I know what you mean kid." I tell him.

Vancouver

Listening to: U2 - Where the streets have no name (Vancouver Canucks intro)

Okay so I've going around the internet reading all the comments on how the new look Canuck Jerseys are being received. Josh Plummer who is linked on the right side of my blog has dissed the new look jersey. He isn't happy and so are a few thousand Canuck fans out there.

I believe a lot of Canuckle heads out there wanted just to bring back the Vintage Jersey. The colors were great and the logo was simple. I was hoping but you knew the masses weren't going to get what they wanted. Plus money is needed to be made... and bringing back the vintage jersey would of done nothing profit wise. I can understand that.

But here was my first response to the jersey ... "VANCOUVER!" Why did they have to post the VANCOUVER lettering over top of the logo? Whats the deal? I think a lot of fans around the league know where we are from.

But it's taken me this long to admit that I actually like the dark blue jersey with the lettering of Vancouver on top of the logo.

The canucks are probably the laughing stock of Jersey logos and colors. Remember the hockey skate? The halloween colors? The V? Yah we haven't been consitent or carry any real tradition with the jeresys like Montreal, Toronto, and New York. But I'm going to support the Canucks, ugly jersey or not.

GO CANUCKS GO!!!!