I once engaged in an abrasive act of NIMBYism. I willingly participated with a large group of neighbours in a “not-in-my-back-yard” demonstration against some folks who had just moved into the area. This was an act of radical inhospitality for which I offer no apology. Here’s what happened. In the early 1980’s, a group of…
In Prime Minister Mark Carney’s famous Davos address, he offered up a phrase that deserves reflection beyond its political moment: “Nostalgia is not a strategy.” For churches shaped by deep memory and long tradition, the line names a familiar temptation: the quiet drift from faithful remembrance into paralyzing idealization. That is, trying to do what…
“Vanity” means pride and arrogance, bedroom furniture or the lyrics: “You’re so vain. You probably think this song is about you.” Ecclesiastes sings this song, too, except it sings it about us: “Vanity, vanity, everything is vanity.” At least, that was the old translation. The NIV changed the translation to “meaningless, meaningless, everything is meaningless.”…
Today’s sunshine is a welcome sight for winter-weary eyes. A delicate hoarfrost coats every deciduous branch, transforming our side yard into an enchanted silver forest. Under the cerulean sky, ice diamonds glint, randomly scattered across a royal mantle of snow. There’s no denying the glory of winter, even one as long and harsh as this…
What a wonder our universe is! Take light, for example. We can see only a tiny band of the electromagnetic spectrum. At the shorter end are ultraviolet light, X-rays and gamma rays, while at the longer end are infrared light, microwaves, radar and radio. Our atmosphere absorbs many of these wavelengths, preventing them from reaching…
We don’t know very much about Simon of Cyrene. That doesn’t diminish his significance. He’s mentioned in three of the gospels as the man who carried the cross for Jesus. The fact that he’s named in Scripture attests to the honour of his service to our Lord. Since details are sparse, I can’t help but…
When I was a kid (a long time ago), there weren’t as many superheroes as there are now. But I do remember that the main superhero was Superman. The Superman radio show (this was before we had TV) would always start with a loud roaring noise and then a shout: “Look up! What is it?…
To my dear grandchildren, If God blesses you with a normal life span, you will live to see the year 2100. At that time, I will have passed and been buried next to your Oma (who is already in glory), awaiting the day of resurrection. This letter is my encouragement to you, to be read…
For most of my adulthood, I convinced myself that road rage was a funny, cute trait of mine. I’m generally composed and congenial but I can transform into a fireball if someone cuts me off, or zips in and out of traffic like it’s a game of pinball. “I just get righteous anger when people…
As of January 28, the new Archbishop of Canterbury is the Reverend Sarah Mullally. She is the first woman to lead the Church of England and the global Anglican Communion, as is her charge. Anglicanism has often served as an ecumenical bridge between Catholicism and the Reformed tradition, as it has for my wife, Brenda,…
Going through my inbox the other day, an email caught my attention. It invited me to participate in a research project examining “caregiver burden” in families of children with medical complexity. I completed the survey, but I also wrote to the research team to ask about their choice of language. By using the word “burden,”…
For a long time now, I’ve known that I am a hobbit . . . without the furry feet, of course. My Shire is the Bulkley Valley, specifically Quick, B.C., which isn’t a place at all if you’re reading road signs. But it provides me with a simple life and simple pleasures. If the doctor…
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