Oilsands tainting watershed: U of A study New research estimates Suncor, Syncrude deposit an oil spill's worth of bitumen into surrounding area every year

Story here: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Oilsands+tainting+watershed+study/2314662/story.html

But then... I thought we already knew this? Is anyone really shocked? How did this make the front page? Maybe the title should be "We can no longer deny that we are killing people and rivers with the run off that we have said is safe knowing full well that it is not."

Why did the paper have to spin it like it was new news?

It's an angry and hurt world

The more I talk to people, and get into their brains... the more I see an angry and hurt world.

O come Emmanuel...

Conspiracy theory, or truth?

Here is a passionate person. Ironically willing to make money by not getting the H1N1 flu shot but then again, he's probably not making much. I don't think I could live in a world where I didn't more or less trust the health system... that would be way to much work... like all good sheeple, I had the shot... but I like what this guy did in the video.

9:12 time suck with Weird Al

I think that Weird Al is part of the reason I'm such a happy person having steeped myself in his music and been a hard core fan since I can remember first getting the Dare to Be Stupid cassette tape back one summer while on vacation at Williams Lake.

So in a way, Al helped me trade any chance of being cool enough to date in high school for a life time of positive, happy sarcasm. Thanks Al... it was so worth it.

Too many reminders... and still I miss things.

It's awesome.

Ical has reminders that pop up, and emails reminders.
Ical is linked to google calendar who sends email reminders.
My google cal and work cal are linked... and both send reminders.

You'd think I'd never forget anything having had pop ups and sometimes up to 6 email reminders...

How do you live without embracing your Hypocrisy?

I was at a Pastor's cluster meeting today and it was awesome. The trust level is developing and it was a great time of sharing both joys and heart aches (yes... Pastors have lots of heart aches...)

It made me think and feel and analyze lots of things and... in my life of hypocrisy I'm so glad that I belong to a religious system that doesn't rely on me getting it right in all ways... I love living with the grey areas and the paradox. Of course, embracing paradox might not be as catchy a title for a blog though...

But really... a blog that was all about embracing holistic truth would be really hard to maintain... constantly going back and rewording and deleting posts to get things just right... I don't know how much fun that would be.

So... Sin boldly... that is... do your best and then trust that the one who creates all things didn't expect you to get it right anyway... and trust that you are loved... and this love transforms all things.

It's easier to read that blog...

There are those that blog and those that should read blogs... sometimes as I watch the months go between posts I think that I should be one who reads the blogs... but I'm too idealistic with what I might do with this blog.

I'm thinking of a series of "Phrases that need to be retired". I was inspired by this other blog that is doing the same thing and... I think that it will help me become a better person by getting rid of certain words and phrases....

will it happen?

Who knows....

Too much money?

Why is it that a small mechanic in a small city in China can produce an electric car while the auto makers keep dragging their feet? I would guess that it has to do with money because the demand seems to be around... the technology is around... and it's just not difficult to do.

I guess I might be a conspiracy theorist...

100th Post

Well.... can't put it off any longer. I've gotta put up a 100th post.

So... as a 100th post, I decided to throw up some pictures from one year ago. Cycling to the seminary, enjoying the fall weather in my former life as a student in Saskatoon.

Enjoy :)

Trying something new...

So... there is a horrible whine in the background from the macbook fan but.... I thought I would try the Vlogging thing a little.

Edson's gone crazy!

Well... that is what I told this weekend would be. It's the annual slo-pitch tourney and I think if you went out to the many baseball diamonds today or this weekend it would in fact be insane... but the craziness of the town itself is a little overblown... it's still Edson... the main highways are busy with through traffic... but there is still no wait for anything.

Which is nice.

I'm starting to get into the pace of the this place and slowly figure out why so many people say "Go rural!" for ministry. Great people, great town, laid back country life.

:)

Mini vids of life in Edson June July 09

Here is a little video of some things we've been up too for those who don't get to see the kids as much... thought rather than perfecting a few videos.... I'd flood the net with these. :)

sean

Dog Swimming in Air

I guess it's instinct... when you see the water coming... and you'd really rather not go in... you just start to swim and hope you don't hit the water.

In other news...

Went camping outside Hinton by flexing a meeting and a couple days off together for a fun family adventure.

I'm one step closer to a cell phone though... I havn't figured out how 'on call' I need to be for pastoral 'emergency.'... (whatever that might be)

Good times :)

And something a little more profound...

Do you want to know what is really neat about being a pastor? I get to visit and listen and hear all about good times and hard times. I get to sit with and stare into the heart of pain and suffering with all sorts of people. And then on Sunday, not matter what else is going on, I get to hand out the Eucharist, that is, no matter what else is said done or happening, there is bread of life and cup of salvation accompanied by the words 'for you.' All are welcome at the Lord's table.

Family Reunions

This last weekend I was at the family reunion of my wife's dad's brothers and sisters. All the things you would expect including food, and wine, and beer, and laughter, and quads for the young and the old. I got to watch my son crash a 50cc quad into a rock, and into a barb wire fence (no injuries), I got to watch my first daughter enjoy the sun and just embrace life running back and forth from place to place, and I got to watch my youngest daughter begin to engage the world in new ways by crawling and running around everywhere. It was awesome.

It's interesting to be an outsider looking in on a family reunion. I don't know all the stories or the history of the joys or the pains of this family, but I do know that it was a great weekend for relaxing, enjoying good company, and good food.

I'm starting to think that 30 something marks a turning point where you realize that you have become an adult... and you can look at other adults and see that for the most part, until you hit the really frail stage, we're all at the same level. And really... nobody is getting more mature that where they are at.

I'm thankful to be a part of a family that makes the effort to get together like this... it's a beautiful community that forms so briefly every two years.

I'm looking forward to the next one two years from now.

A full measure of honesty

These people inspire me:

http://www.houseforall.org/

They seem to come at religion in a very honest way that seems to be authentic from what I can see. Of course, many of these emerging church movements also have some sort of underlying agenda. I'm not sure how these things get started without some agenda but... here it is.

Can it really be as open as it seems? There seems to be indicators that it's Lutheran by the 'nailing to the wall' comments, as well as the 'saint and sinner' thing. But I do wonder what this would look like in small town Canada? And whether you need a city of several million people to make it go, or if it goes because people need this sort of community.

Lots to think about in how to be the church.

The define the Need as:

Why do we need a House for All Sinners and Saints?

House is important because it is experimenting with new ways to do church which make sense to urban postmodern young people. It is a place where:

The Gospel matters, liturgy is recontextualized, and we are free to reclaim the word "Christian".
Scripture is honored enough to be faithfully questioned and struggled with
We no longer have to culturally commute or bracket out parts of ourselves to be in Christian community
We are co-creators of worship, rather than just passive participants; aesthetics and theology both matter
The community is both intellectually and spiritually stimulating
We provide a connection or a bridge to the mainline and to the traditions of the church

House is important because it takes community and relationships seriously. It is a place where:

People can land, they can call this house a home
The work of the spirit is witnessed to through relationships where there is vulnerability, challenge and growth
Our deepest longings can be expressed and heard
True community is offered, people belong to each other so that we share both joys and sorrows
We connect the margins and the mainstream

I'll follow with interest...
The part where they try not to bracket out parts of themselves to be Christian will be especially interesting. It's awesome in concept... but is any community ready for all it's members to let go with all honesty? It would be fun to say the least :)

July 1st, and too many Hotdogs

A successful event to say the least. The Lutherans gathered and sold hotdogs and hamburgers on Canada Day. This means that the night before we gather and clean like crazy to get the rental shed ready, set up a huge BBQ, and make sure that all the jobs are covered.

The people here are like a well oiled machine with years of practice it was amazing. Turned out to be a $1500 day. (Which, if you bread down the number of volunteer hours is not too much but... I think that part of the value is in the working together.)

So... that is my post... why is it short and lame? Because it is fueled by guilt that my father put on me for not blogging more.

:)

Second thought.. I'll keep going

Ya know... if you're going to neglect one blog you might as well neglect 2.

So...

It's Father's Day.
My son runs to his room, and returns with a big smile and sucker. He hands it to me.

"Is this for me?" I ask thinking that all the work on empathy might be paying off?

"No... can you open it for me... please?"

((sigh))

New Blog

Classic... using one blog to announce the existance of another blog.

Well, goodbye hypocrisy:

Hello...

"Dry Bones Walkin'"

This blog is retired (for now)... the new blog will be... well... we'll see what it will be. I could tell you but it's sort of a work in progress... I think it's supposed to be something like a professional blog of my new carear as Lutheran Pastor... sortof like a public luther pastor journal... but I don't know what that will be like as I'm not a lutheran pastor yet so... it's a new expiriment...

Maybe follow both? Who knows what could happen...

sean

It ended with a fizzle...

Well, with the click of the send button the last exam was completed and handed in and officially I'm done all the course work that I'm going to do for seminary. In some ways it is the biggest day of the last 5 years, and in others it was just a cold May day in Saskatoon.

Walking out, holding a cliche box of office supplies and flanked by two classmates carrying the rest of my books, guitars, drums, and other random crap it felt... normal. It still feels normal and the reality of never returning to full time study again slowly settles in.

In some ways there is so much to look forward too with the new career and move across the country, but in other ways it is all loss. Loss of community, loss of lifestyle, loss of carefree existance.

So it's the biggest day, that ends in a fizzle as I wait for a few more weeks for anything else to really come together.

Graduation Party

Ahh... the end of a program. This year at the grad party not only did we roast the prof's, but they made the grads dance and sing and a good time was had by all.

The first of many events that mark the end of one thing and the beginning of another. Change...