Hebrews 12:29 - For our God is a consuming fire

I watched this video on a blog many weeks ago, said "Wow!" to myself and then forgot about it.

The following Sunday, the pastor mentioned Hebrews something in his sermon which I flipped to in my Bible, but my eyes were drawn to Hebrews 12:29 on the adjacent page because I had underlined it. And I remembered that video again.

Fire can be destructive, but it can also purify. When fires occur in the wild, they definitely destroy and consume the dry brush, but it also makes way for the new growth.

So let that verse and video simmer in your mental thinking pot.

Pointless Post #64

I don't think people appreciate my devotion to headbanging as much as I do, especially when I'm driving and making left turns. Sigh.

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Gas has been around 133-137¢/litre, but hit 140¢ during Labour Day weekend and today again.

PNE Crazy Dogs Review – VERDICT: It's All Hype :-(

I went to the PNE on Saturday and because of all the coverage I've seen and read on the news about the newest concession stand, I was very excited (super excited!) about trying something from Crazy Dogs. It's a brand new PNE-run concession stand (so they accept credit/debit cards) and they are most well known for their 2 foot hot dog, the "Double Dare Ya." It's a 2 foot long hot dog covered in chili and a bunch of other things. Here's the Crazy Dogs menu:



When I heard about the Crazy Dogs' two foot dog, I said to myself (and probably out loud), "I want to try that. And I'm going to eat it all myself." But the more I thought about it, the more I couldn't justify the $25 price of what's probably more than one week's serving of sodium. I also looked back at my records and remembered that a foot long hot dog (from a different concession stand) was $5. So I thought, for $25 I'd be better off buying five foot long dogs. But alas, after 4 years, the price of a foot long hot dog with grilled onions at the PNE is now $7. Good grief, it's not like it's gold (long story short, I bought and ate a foot long to wash away the taste of the Crazy Dog).

Ok back to Saturday. After looking at the prices, I finally decided on the "Surf's Up Dog" mostly because it had popcorn shrimp. Everything else is mostly cheap starch.

$10.50. Whew! I'm at the PNE; I can't have second thoughts about this.

Here's Spider-Man about to dig in:


And a close up:



As you can see in my pictures, it looks good. It really does.


Check out this positive review (scroll down for close up of the hotdog; click on the thumbnail).
It looks good in those pictures too!

What's the problem Tim?! Are you just a whiny cheapskate?!
Good question! And yes, I am!

For $10.50 I shouldn't have ignored my second thoughts and I should've been able to expect a reasonably generous slathering of toppings because that's what's making this hotdog crazy! Isn't it? ISN'T IT?!?!?! BLUGABLOOGAUNGGHTH!!!!

Whoah, not sure what happened there...crazy, haha (get it?).

Anyways, here's my review. It's a gigantic pretzel bun (that's very dry) that props everything up high and that's what makes the hotdog look big. As for the toppings, on the hotdog I was served, I don't believe the servers were generous because the coleslaw was spread across the dog pretty thinly, and there's a lot of air in between of all the condiments/toppings. It looks like a lot of popcorn shrimp, but there were only 12. The equivalent of a small child's handful. A stingy, small child.

Ok maybe not a small child, but what I'm trying to say is there isn't actually a lot there, for the price I'm paying for. Underneath all the toppings is a wiener (beef?) that's dwarfed by a bun that's 4-5 times it's size which is really nothing special itself. How's it taste? Good. But nothing special.

My review might be coming across as harsh, which is what I'm trying to go for because I'll say it again...$10.50 for a hotdog? It better wow me. But it didn't. You hyped yourself up too much on the free promos you did on the news, PNE. It's your own fault you disappointed me. Besides, you've already made a killing on these hotdogs and will continue to do so no matter what I say. People will still buy these ridiculously priced hotdogs.

Which reminds me, the PNE isn't worth going to unless you can get in for free or very close to free. Aside from the musical acts, there's nothing much new or worth going to see, assuming you've been there in past five years or so.

Long live the IKEA 75¢ hotdog. FOREVER.

Pointless Post #63

Why do my socks wear out faster the older I get?

Having a pastor(s) under the age of 50 is beneficial because they are easily coerced into dunk tanks for the amusement of the church (and God's glory, muahaha).

Here's a video of Spider-Man riding the moving sidewalk at Calgary International Airport (YYC).:


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Gas was 129.9¢/litre yesterday and 133ish a few days ago.

Pointless Post #62

Good songs to listen to in the morning to wake you up and get you motivated:

Enterprising Young Men - Star Trek (OST 2009) by Michael Giacchino


and

Macho Man by The Village People
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AO43p2Wqc08
(won't let me embed, poop)

...oh wow, I just watched that video and it was surprisingly gay, hahaha.
Still a great, catchy song though.

Speaking of gay (as in merriness), a customer, who's name I don't even know, made fun of me a few days ago by telling me that my ponytail was really weak. I laughed him off and told him I was working on it.

Where does he get the nerve to tell me that?
It's My Little Pony™!!!
But in his defense, he's right, haha!

44 New Spider-Man Pictures! *EXPLOSIONS*

That's an increase of 115% new content! WOW!

O__O

Here's a sample of whats on the Flickr set:


At a Vancouver Whitecaps game at Empire Field (no longer there).


At the Celebration of Light fireworks.


Doing the Grouse Grind.


Doing sudoku in the airport.


In Calgary International Airport.


Getting room service at 3am.


JUMBO THE ELEPHANT IN ST. THOMAS ONTARIO!!!
AAAAAGGGGHHHHHHH!!! I HAVE NO NEED TO BE SHOUTING!!!


Feeding some cows in Shedden, ON.

La fin.


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Gas in London, On was about 126.0¢/litre on August 6th.
Here, I've still been seeing it at 130-132.
But today I saw it at 127.9¢/litre.

ICBC Waving Commercial

Do you live in BC? Have you seen these ads? If not, here you go:



Did you like it? Well, you should because this is a good commercial.

The actors are likeable.
It's very clear, concise, and ends humouristically. Humourly? It ends on a funny note.
Murray's Lunch!
It's memorably distinct.

And finally, it's very relevant. I've only been driving for a few years, but even I've noticed that driving around Vancouver seems to be getting worse. When I'm on the highway, I'm frequently tailgated and cut off, and the number of times people turn/change lanes without signalling is beyond counting. And it pisses me off.

But last week, something fantastic happened. I allowed someone to merge (I slowed down, he sped up; there was plenty of room to do so even before we changed speeds) and I received a thank you wave. A very pronounced, flat-palmed, fingers-spread, hand-in-the-air, visible-through-the-rear-windshield, right hand wave. I was taken aback because I literally cannot remember the last time I received a thank you wave. And then I started cackling like a lunatic because I remembered the ICBC commercial, and I waved a thank-you-for-the-thank-you (er... I guess that would be a "you're welcome") wave back, as I continued to chuckle.

Yesterday, some pedestrians waved at me as I slowed to a stop at a crosswalk. I waved back.

It felt great. And I want more.

EVERYONE HAS TO TRY THIS!!! EVERYONE!!!
HULK SMASH!!

It's almost as good as the release of endocannabinoids when I eat potato chips.
Almost, but not quite.

Anywho, in some recent Tim-news, after 8.5 months, I finally got a haircut! Actually, it was meant to be a trim, but the guy cut so much off! I'm still a little bummed by how much he took off the back of my head. My goal of having a ponytail is still there, but it looks like it'll take another few months before that's realized. I'll take solace in the fact that when I got home, my parents looked at me and said, "What happened? We thought you were going to go get your hair cut today."

And finally, I'm going to Ontario for Ted and Heidi's wedding. I should really figure out how I'm going to get there...

Why the 2011 Vancouver Riots Were a Good Thing

(Note: I took this picture from....somewhere. Sorry to the person who took it but you deserve the credit)

My title is actually very misleading. I don't condone rioting, unnecessary violence, or any sort of irrational, destructive, and childish behaviours that were present in downtown Vancouver on June 15, 2011 (or anywhere for that matter). The point of this post is to add to the social commentary by looking at positive aspects that resulted from the riot as well as to discuss the aftermath and any lessons that can be taken away from the experience, with a mostly optimistic point of view. Cynicism is pragmatic and has it's time and place, but optimism encourages hope and even healing.

The next day (Thursday, June 16) I was helping a lady when news coverage from the riot appeared on TV. As soon as she saw the images, she made a tiny gasp, turned her back to the TV and remarked that she couldn't watch it anymore. She said that seeing it all unfold felt like a "personal attack" on herself and began to tear up as she said this (her eyes watered up really fast!). I tried to say something uplifting with a smile, and she returned the smile, most likely to be polite, but really, there's only so much time you can devote to dwelling on what you've lost before you can move on. The milk was spilled. Let's wipe it up.

There are many who hold the viewpoint that the police should have been better prepared. Regardless of the VPD's professional preparation in managing the crowds and perhaps even the outcome of the Canucks game, this riot was going to happen (the size and scale would just be very different). It's pretty much a well-documented fact that the rioters were not "true" Canucks fans. They were misguided individuals who wanted to see mayhem and disorder take place on Vancouver's streets.

(Right-click and open in a new tab; YouTube won't let me embed this awesome Dark Knight clip.)

And it just so happens that Canucks' fans were in that same area and some decided to follow the riot. They wanted to see something burn too.

And knowing this should humble us, as Canadians (which is a good thing). Even though Vancouver and other Canadian cities are often highly ranked in magazine publications for being a "livable" city or having a high and well-respected standard of living, it doesn't mean we are superior to other nations. Yes, Canada is a wonderful place to live, Vancouver is beautiful, and the people are friendly, but deep down, we struggle with the same problems that even developing nations struggle with (albeit on a lesser scale). We have troublemakers. We have criminals. We have family and friends who make bad choices in the heat of an emotion-filled moment. We have members of our society who are discontent with their own lives and desire to see other share their discontent and anger. We are all ignorant, selfish, and have an inherent sinful nature. We have to acknowledge that. And we have.

Canucks fans, Vancouverites, and Canadians everywhere have a collective shame over what transpired during the riot. This is a good and proper response. If you've been following the news as much as I have (which is a lot) how many times have you heard people/organizations say, "This is not my Vancouver," or "This doesn't represent my city?" Our Canadian reputation to the world of being peaceful and friendly, was blackened by each car that was set on fire, each pane of glass that was broken, and each item that was looted. If we want to gain back the respect of the world, we must the use the shame to motivate us to never allow something like an infantile riot to bring notoriety to our city. How we might do that will require lots of long term effort.

But because it’s just been over one week, short term responses will suffice. The thank you notes that started to appear on an unattended police car on Granville Street, is not only touching for regular citizens, it provides an immeasurable amount of encouragement for the police and the work that they do.


From The Vancouver Courier, “Goodwill drapes downtown Vancouver while police chief faces riot fire” by Mike Howell:

The sight overwhelmed Const. Eric Kerasiotis, a member of the VPD’s crowd control unit who suffered a head injury in the riot. Off duty because of the injury, which he wouldn’t discuss, Kerasiotis was returning to the Cambie Street station to pick something up when he noticed the cruiser.

“I saw this and it was more emotional than I would have expected,” he said as people continued to post sticky notes on the car. “It’s a thank you that I don’t think any of us really expected to see. It was very nice. We worked hard. I think we did well. No matter how it went, we would have been criticized.”

He paused to collect himself.

“But this,” he said pointing to the decorated cruiser, “is more important to us—more important than anybody realizes.”

The outpouring of public support for the Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services, emergency and paramedics, and especially the Vancouver Police Department in messages of encouragement and commendations have been unprecedented (at least to my knowledge). True gratitude from the heart is a type of love that is easily received

Oh, sort of a tangent, but one thing to be thankful about this riot was that it happened in Canada, where we pay taxes and have emergency first responders who willingly respond to crazy situations like these. Despite the abuse and assaults (I can’t imagine being a police officer waking up the morning of Game 7 and thinking, “There’s going to be a mob-like atmosphere downtown tonight and I’m going to get bit by some drunk, dirty hippies”) they stand their ground and do their job.

Because of our government system, the army was not called in to mow everyone down with machine gun fire, and there were no fatalities that night. If it weren’t for our laws and court system, it could have been uglier. I heard one middle-aged man converse with my parents that he would have liked to have seen the police be more pro-active. As soon as they saw some hooligans, all dressed in black, start to put on masks or cover up their faces, he postulated that they should have ran up to them, grabbed one of them and “just tazered him for 20 minutes!” As much as I want to agree that that solution could have helped quell the riot, I’m thankful that that is not a standard protocol for police. Absolute power can corrupt absolutely and when there’s adrenaline in the mix, hang on to your butts people.

Another well documented response that I’m only going to briefly mention are the giant “get well soon” cards, or the signing of the boarded up windows on the shops and buildings that were smashed. I didn’t go down to see for myself, but it seemed like the Bay’s boarded up windows got the most attention. It was a way for the public to collectively respond and “interact” while reading what others felt and thought.



Over the next few days, I saw news reports of random people going downtown to give other random passer-by’s free hugs, Timbits (weeee!), and the Metropolis mall’s glee club went and greeted cruise ship passengers at the Waterfront with some vibrant songs. It was a way to spread cheer versus the spread of hate and destruction a few nights before.

As it is being well documented on Facebook groups and sites like these I believe the use of digital and social media as a result of the riot is primarily a good thing because it serves as a deterrent. Don’t do stupid things because anyone can be watching. But it’s also proving itself to be dangerous and comparably negative. I can’t help but compare China’s human flesh-search to ours. Thanks to social media, people have been outing rioters and looters seen in photos/videos posted online (which is a good thing), as well as publishing their personal information and publicly shaming them (which is a mostly a bad thing). In some cases, it’s very much an online mob that is turning on the people who have been “caught,” but they still deserve a fair trial in a court of law, despite how damning the evidence is. It’s troublesome to read some the outrageous insults and death threats because I doubt all these things would be said to the accused/identified if they were standing right in front of us. Peel's principle has been changed in our situation to “The police are the public and the public are the police…as well as judge and jury.” Proverbs says our words can be destructive. Posting a scornful comment is included in that.

Finally, the last major thing I want to talk about that was good about the riot, was that Vancouver got to see some light shine amidst the darkness. I’m referring to the people who stood up to the rioters and tried to stop the madness. They were Canucks fans who were downtown that evening. They were regular citizens, untrained in crowd control, security, policing, or whatever. And they knew what they were in the middle of was wrong, and they did what was right. Vancouver Riot 2011 (now called Vancouver Heroes) has a bunch of photos and links to some of their stories. Letters from the Front Lines: Vancouver Riot also has some first hand accounts on those who protected the city (paid and un-paid) and who choose to remain unnamed and unrecognized for their actions.

Shanna Selinger was named. She stood up to rioters who were trying to break into a liquor store.

The women in the video below who were protecting their BMW are unnamed. If it is indeed their car, they were their own good Samaritans because the mob surrounding them were brainless.



And on the news the following day, I saw several young women being interviewed who were helping the clean up crew and volunteers, post-riot. There is irony in this as we saw that most of the destruction was caused by men, but we have evidence of women who had the real balls that evening (and following morning). God bless these women and others like them who stood up in the face of harm and adversity. They have real balls, not like those idiots trashing the BMW. That video still particularly sickens me

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When I see pictures and video snippets here or there, I have to try and put my judgment aside. I try, I really do. If I was there, what would I have done? I really hope I would have done the right thing, but assuming I was overtaken with my adrenaline, would I have been swept up in the silliness and kicked at an already broken window? Would I have grabbed a bag of chips from a pile that was thrown outside the doors of a shop by looters from the inside? Would I have posed in front of the riot police or a burning car for a picture? Would I be cheering along with the crowd as we see a car being flipped over? If I did any of these things, would I admit it? Would I admit it if I was seen in photos or videos taken at the time of the incidents? What would I do if someone outed me and posted all my personal information, address, etc online?

We see the need for justice and we know there’s a need for compassion, but how do we appropriately balance the two for long term healing?

The best thing about this riot, whether its politically incorrect or not acceptable, is that Vancouver needs Jesus. If we don’t want this to happen again, the hearts and minds (especially of young people….the amount of high school kids involved? wow…) need to be changed and influenced by biblical principals. And that starts with knowing God’s true love. This is not another Christiany cop out answer; this is real.

To end this ridiculously long post, I will quickly mention that although trivial, we also learned from the riot that buying insurance is a good idea and this edited clip with Alfred being obsessed with tangerines is stupid, but a happy way I will choose to end this post. Consider it your reward if you actually read this whole thing. Maybe I should send out more floppy boxes….hehehe.

(Right-click and open in a new tab; YouTube won't let me embed this awesome Tangerine Knight clip.)

Vancouver, behold your Shame

...as opposed to "Vancouver behold your gods"

Optimism was in the air. It was palpable. Game #7 was the first thing that I thought about when I woke up today (huh, I guess, I’m heathen). Virtually everyone I encountered today was in the same mood as I was. Today was the day the Canucks were going to win the Stanley Cup. Tonight and the days following (probably the whole year) were going to be days of celebration because well…the idol was going to be in our possession.

The game started. And then the game ended. I was sad.

What a tough pill to swallow. We lost 4 – 0. All year, hockey analysts and commentators picked the Canucks to be the ones to watch. EA Sports’ NHL 11 video game simulation picked the Canucks to win the President’s Trophy and to win the Stanley Cup in seven games against Boston. Oh, cruel irony.

But life goes on doesn’t it?

Apparently not. All you have to do is google “2011 Vancouver riots.”

After watching the cup presentation, I took a break from watching TV, went out to walk the dog, and when I came back to see what’s happening on the news, downtown Vancouver had descended into madness. The major news outlets showed non-stop pictures and live video feeds of Canadians, acting with childish behaviours. Take a deep breath. Yes, unbelievable as it is, these are our fellow citizens. Canadians setting vehicles on fire. Canadians picking fights with each other for no reason. Canadians smashing shop windows, looting department stores, taunting the police, and just standing around to get a good Facebook photo. Tens of thousands of Canadians, standing around, being apathetic and cheering on the chaos.


I could make some symbolic references on how Gotham City did not turn on each other when they were provoked, but I won’t.

It’s unfortunate to say that the troublemakers are the same people as you and me, but they are a product of our society. Canadian society. Those are my peers. They may have well been my former classmates from school, who knows. There seems to be a general consensus of disgust, disappointment, and humiliation by the childish rioting, but still, one of the most troubling aspects of the whole mess in the streets were the thousands of people, standing around as if it were a free show. Sigh.

Thank you alcohol. Thank you negligent parents. And thank you young, rioting, adrenaline fueled males (mostly) for exposing why Vancouver needs Jesus so much.

It must be a huge bummer to be a Canuck player to look on the news and see your name on the back of a person as they kick in and smash a window.

Tomorrow is a new day, Vancouver.

Game #6: Canucks at Boston

Two for us in the 1st period. One for them in the 3rd.
This city and province is going to go nuts tonight.

Enjoy the first stanza of this very good song! It's very appropriate.
Aaaah another contradictory post, but I love it. 8^)




EDIT (June 13, 2011 - 1opm) : So hmmm....I need to learn how to keep my big mouth shut. On the bright side, Game 7 :-)

RE-EDIT (June 16, 2011): *facepalm*

Pointless Post #61

There's something magical about cleaning with bleach. There's something magical as your utter disgust turns into instantaneous gratification after wiping something that was once blanketed in dust and unknown muck and then being able to see the pure white surface shine clean again. There's something magical when your cheap spray bottle cracks and your diluted bleach cleaning solution sprays up into your eye. There's no other burning sensation like it. It is a one of a kind feeling.

Also, whole wheat crackers are unsatisfying. I almost miss my childhood days of processed, enriched white flour, and high trans fat snacks were still with me. Killing me slowly with that delicious, delicious gluten.

Note: In case there's ambiguity, I'm fine; I was wiping up something with bleach when I thought, "That would really suck if that happened right now."

The Canucks are simply Bieksallent

I love burgers. There is nothing like a succulent, beef patty on a warm, toasted bun, covered and topped with fresh lettuce, tomatoes, melted cheese, special sauces, and just because I'm feeling fancy, some sautéed mushrooms and plenty of crisp bacon slices. It's a combination of delicious flavours and fresh aromas from quality ingredients, that fuse together to make a symphony orchestra of culinary tastes.

The following videos are to your eyes, what a good burger is to my mouth. Mmmmmmm!

Vancouver Canucks - All Goals 2010-11 Season (43:10)


Vancouver Canucks - 2011 Playoffs - Round 1 - All Goals (5:16)


Vancouver Canucks - 2011 Playoffs - Round 2 - All Goals (4:11)


Vancouver Canucks - 2011 Playoffs - Round 3 - All Goals (6:51)


Wow, just pure wow.

What can we learn from those videos? Where should I start?

-keep your stick on the ground and get ready, especially if you're playing with the Sedins
-puck movement frees up the ice and/or gets the goalie to move from side to side
-speedy forwards are luxurious to have
-get pucks on net, even if you don't have a shot
-working from behind the net (à la Gretzky) is almost always effective
-having a crowd in front of the net is great
-having an excellent screen with a quick stick is even better
-big shots from the blue line change the game
-offensive defenceman that know how to pinch are valuable
-winning faceoffs is obviously important
-rebounds.... lots and lots of rebounds (see first point)
-breathtaking goal-tending and HIP CHECKS

I could keep that list going and going, and yes, those are really basic points, but this is why hockey is the ultimate team sport and why the Vancouver Canucks are everything they are this season. And ok, the goal-tending and hip checks weren't featured in those videos, but they do add to the game. Goal-tending is self-explanatory, especially for the games when the team has trouble scoring and hip-checks are just beautiful because not only do they take an opposing player out, it gets the fans involved.

Aaaagh, I'm so horny for hockey now. Haha, yes I said it. Blame Ray Barone. It's a very accurate analogy for sports fans.

This is a very ironic post considering what I talked about last time. Oh well.
Oh yeah, thanks to nic876 for those great compilations and hours of splicing! 8^D

Game 3 in Boston tonight! Yeah!
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Saw gas for 130.9¢/litre yesterday.

Note: I believe "Bieksallent" is a Tom Larscheid quote.

Vancouver, behold your gods!

I say that in jest, but at the same time, its true. And being Canadian, I know its not just Vancouver that worships hockey, but the whole country. I will reluctantly admit even I choose to worship hockey over God sometimes. This year, the Vancouver Canucks playoffs motto is "This Is What We Live For," and I shook my head at it when I first saw it. But I have to agree with it because it is a very accurate statement.

I was six years old when the Canucks last made it to the Stanley Cup Finals and all I can remember from that is playing outside on the jungle gym at the church barbecue with all the other kids, while all the adults were inside watching Game 7 against the Rangers. And then I remember me and my sister egging our mother on to honk the car horn on the drive home as we passed by groups of people on all sides of the roads, waving Canuck flags and white towels. It was fun. I didn't quite understand or love the game of hockey completely, but I understood the spirit of the game that drives people together.

Fast forward to the 2010-2011 NHL season where I'm able to follow along and watch almost all 82 Canuck games on TV in their entirety. I can do this now without guilt because I'm done school and I don't have homework nagging at me after the game is finished. I enjoy and revel in the win of the team's success. I silently mope around after a trouncing by an old playoff rival. At the back of my mind is the top prize in all of hockey and how maybe this year our home team will win it.

And then the Canucks lead their division in points.
And then they finish best in the Western Conference.
And then they end the season as best in the entire 30-team league.
And then we finally knock out Chicago with a devastating Burrows OT goal.
And then we beat Nashville.
And then we defeat San Jose.
And now we’re facing Boston for the Stanley Cup.

And today all of Vancouver, all of BC, and a lot of Canada (well…some of you hate us, but hey, it’s our time, 8^p) is waiting, waiting, waiting for the puck to drop shortly after 5:00pm PST on June 1, 2011 for Game 1.

And that is the beauty of hockey. That is the beauty of sports. It is a unifier of gender, age, race, and religion. All people can come together to cheer on and celebrate one team, one goal, and one prize. Strangers can high-five each other on the street. Smiles can be exchanged from across the room at the sight of someone wearing the same numbered jersey as you are. It’s an exciting and optimistic time for Vancouver that matches and arguably surpasses the hype of the Olympics and Team Canada’s quest for gold in men’s hockey last year.

And yet part of me is saddened at the sudden madness that one common goal can generate. The amount of money individuals are willing to spend on one ticket to a home game are now averaging a month’s rent (~$1000, give or take a few hundred). Canucks merchandise is flying off store shelves. Diehard fans are decorating their cars more elaborately with decals, posters, figurines, and gigantic team flags that probably slow them down when they drive on the highway. It is an idol. The Canucks are an even greater object of worship than they once were, in a city that desperately needs something greater. I am saddened at myself for often choosing to worship them also.

But I am confident that if Vancouver wins the Stanley Cup, it can be a tool for the glory of God. Yes, the hockey lover in me wants Vancouver to win it and I’m fairly sure it might cause more idol worship for a time, but I am ever so hopeful that hockey and sports in general can be a captivating stage for the name of Jesus to be made famous. It can be a stage for the Gospel to be proclaimed.

Sports is a recognizable and influential part of life world wide, more so in societies that have disposable incomes. The more I read (albeit, still very slowly) Recreation and Sports Ministry the more excited I am at the potential that hockey in this city can be used to reach people who have not been open to God before. I am quite certain of this because all the truths I’m reading in the aforementioned textbook are culturally relevant, and have Scripture to back up its points. Seriously, if you are thinking about how sports can be used as an effective tool in your church or ministry, this book is a beautiful guide, and you need to get it. Sports ministries are not a new thing. Reaching people for God, through recreation, is an “idea” well over a hundred years old and more.

So, as the Vancouver Canucks and the millions of fans supporting them, prepare to give Beantown a meaningful lesson in Canadian hockey, I will hope and cheer and pray. I will also continually hope that maybe in the near future, member(s) of the Vancouver Canucks might be able to speak in a church or other venue about their personal faith in Jesus. I can only imagine the kinds of people who might be drawn to that kind of event who may have never been to church before. And how sweet would that be to have the Stanley Cup up there beside the speakers, with a Bible resting inside it?

Go Canucks Go!



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Saw gas for 140.8¢/litre last last last Sunday. Gadzooks. Now its about 135ish average?