My Favorite Photos from 2006

These are some of my favorites of the photos I took in 2006. Enjoy!

The Road Ahead

I’m looking at starting a casual meeting for postmodern Christians and seekers in the next several weeks, probably in a coffee shop or someplace else convenient. I continue to feel a call to the ‘emerging church’ movement. There is a tension to it – on the one hand I feel right at home with the people attracted to it (left-wing, artistic, free-thinking, heart for social justice). However, as is usually the case, our weaknesses are often our strengths overdone. There is a tendency to be too left-wing, emotionally based, free thinking, and accepting of everything. I am more and more thankful for my Bible education, as it truly is my foundation while I deal with very challenging issues. The emerging church is in desperate need of leaders who are grounded in the Bible, and are able to apply its timeless truths to our postmodern 'truth is subjective' culture. Of course, figuring out what is 'timeless' and what is 'time-bound' in the Bible is often challenging.

Your prayers will be appreciated as this will be the first time I begin something on my own.

How Far We've Come - From The Virgin Mary to Angelina Jolie

"Blessed Art Thou" by Kate Kretz

I actually found this painting thru Father Joe's blog, and it is definitely worth a re-post, along with the painter's explanation:

This painting addresses the celebrity worship cycle. The title, “Blessed Art
Thou”, is taken from a line in the Catholic prayer “Hail Mary”: “…blessed art
thou among women”. Our culture is deifying celebrities, but in the bible, it is
the meek who are blessed, so the title presents a question for the viewer to
ponder.I chose a setting where the cycle begins: psychologically oppressive
environments like this one are one of the feeding sources for the consumer,
hungry for “information” about the celebrity's private life. I am interested in
the psychological ramifications of celebrity worship, particularly as they
relate to class.Angelina Jolie was chosen as the subject because of her
unavoidable presence in the media, the world-wide anticipation of her child, her
"unattainable" beauty and the good that she is doing in the world through her
example, which adds another layer to the already complicated questions
surrounding her status.The "Virgin" and Zahara figures are loosely based on a Van Dyck Virgin painting, and the Maddox figure's pose is borrowed from a Raphael
painting.

Taken from the blog of Kate Kretz.

I find this painting very thought provoking. Many of those who commented pointed their fingers at the painter, but I think if we stop and give it the thought she is asking us to, we will learn about ourselves.

I'd like to hear what you think about this painting. Let me know!

The Best Birthday Gift Ever

I had a wonderful birthday today, full of presents and phone calls from family. When I had a minute, I Googled January 3, and found out that many famous people were born on this date, including J.R.R. Tolkien and Mel Gibson.


Their greatness, however, pales in comparison to the greatest man in history to share my birthday - my grandfather. He was an influential man. He was vice-president of BA Oil, which became Gulf, then Petro-Canada. At Christmas, he received cards from former Prime Ministers and other heads of state. He was retired before his youngest son, my father, graduated high school.


Of course, I cared about none of these things when I was a little girl. I thought he was cool because he beat me at Rummy, took me to Shriners Christmas parties, and smoked a pipe.

Every year on January 3rd, he would phone me up and tell me that he was my birthday present, and I was his. What a gift - from my earliest days, I knew I was dearly loved! Grandpa has been gone for 10 years now, but he continues to be my greatest gift.

Grandpa holding me on my first birthday

The Word Became Flesh and Dwelt Among Us

© John August Swanson

Christmastide

Born is Christ the Lord by Deborah A. Reeder

I may not go to-night to Bethlehem,

Nor follow star-directed ways, nor tread

The paths wherein the shepherds walked, that led

To Christ, and peace, and God's good will to men.

I may not hear the Herald Angel's song

Peal through the Oriental skies, nor see

The wonder of that Heavenly company

Announce the King the world had waited long.

The manger throne I may not kneel before,

Or see how man to God is reconciled,

Through pure St. Mary's purer, holier child;

The human Christ these eyes may not adore.

I may not carry frankincense and myrrh

With adoration to the Holy One;

Nor gold have I to give the Perfect Son,

To be with those wise kings a worshipper.

Not mine the joy that Heaven sent to them,

For ages since Time swung and locked his gates,

But I may kneel without--the star still waits

To guide me on to holy Bethlehem.

Christmastide by E. Pauline Johnson Tekahoinwake

I wish you a Christmas season filled with love and fun.

My prayer for you and I is that we will take the time to be led 'back to Bethlehem' during these blessed days.

With love, Nicole

Are We Using The Poor?

Morteza Katouzian

"Philanthropy has the potential of immense good and yet it can crush the souls of the recipients when it’s mixed with the ingredients of a new-colonialism or an insistence on superiority of race and pride; the ancient injunction to ‘love our neighbour as ourselves’ will eventually produce the inevitable diabolical result of dehumanizing others."


A perspective on service that encourages us to search ourselves.

Read the full post on SoulGardeners

Our Epic Quest

There are 3 key elements in all GREAT and enduring stories or myths:

1. Things are not what they seem.
2. Some great struggle or quest or battle is well underway.
3. I have a crucial role to play.

--Don Sawatsky

Your friends, your family, your co-workers. Things are not what they seem. Each of their lives is a quest, with many hidden battles. And you have a crucial role to play. What would you like it to be?

Mystefied Kitty

Saffron's first view of snow.

This inside cat is not too sure why her world has turned white.

She has judged it and found it wanting.

Winter Wonderland

24 hours after returning from Winnipeg, and its unseasonably plus-zero weather, I was treated to a winter wonderland in my own front yard.

I found Winnipeg to be a beautiful city. I've posted some pics of its arcitecture and artwork here.