Do you see what I see???

Rarely have I ever felt so unwelcome in a church. It happens sometimes when I enter a Roman Catholic Church, and after this weekend, I think I caught a glimpse about some of the unsightly underbellies that made Protestantism so attractive!

I was in Montreal this weekend and we visited several churches, and each one as unwelcoming as the next. The first one made the worst impression on me! We went in, and I was admiring the architecture. It was a stunning feat of stone masonry and mosaic work. It is actually a replica of St. Peters in Rome – the church is called Mary Queen of the World Cathedral. The walk up is impressive in its scale and grandeur. I was a little taken aback that a homeless man opened the door for us. However, we walked inside and there was that hushed silence that you always sense in a museum. There were tourists milling around, and 2 or 3 people praying in the pews. We stopped to look at the art work, at the Lady Chapel with the alter set with it’s heavy golden holy hardware. There were statues of saints and Mary, and Jesus. There were places to light tea-light candles ($1 each or 5 for $4 - volume discount!). There is a giant canopy type structure over the alter as seen in this photo…
There was a woman who knelt praying in front of a statue of the Virgin Mary. When she stood up, she began pleading to everyone around her for money to help her young children. This really got to me. Here we were in an absolutely stunning place, dedicated to Christian worship, and here, among the gilded walls, was one of the poorest, looking for help, and no one offering to help. Laura and I sat down in one of the pews that was reserved for a Montreal family (as all the pews were) it had its little sign taped down indicating who could sit where. I couldn’t stop the silent tears from running down my face. No wonder the church is in trouble! People care about the building more than they do each other. We see splendour of the church and not the reason it existed in the first place. I have to say; I could not feel God in that place.

As we were leaving, in what was the equivalent to the court of the Gentiles in this monstrosity, there was a little door off to the east of the hall. We didn’t notice it when we went in, but above it, in iron letters was the word “Boutique”. There was a store in the church. I couldn’t stop myself from laughing – how ironic… Not quite moneychangers and sacrificial goats and birds, but a different kind of sacrifice (one from the world of acquisition and corporate consumerism!). The words that came screaming into my mind… ‘Do not make my fathers house into a den of thieves.’

I guess we never learn... or at least we still haven't learned after 2000 years! Unbelievable.

Metro Grocers – official sponsor of the Catholic church!

In a hurry?
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Your one stop shop for Priest Hosts and wine.
The place to get all your liturgical supplies
Offer valid in Quebec!
So, here I am in Montreal visiting my sister. Having a grand ‘ole time. We decided to go pick up some groceries to make her homemade veggie burgers (absolutely fantastic I must say!) We went to a her little local grocery store called the Metro, got some food and right next to the bulk food stuff and were a couple of shelves with nuts, candies and chocolates packaged up in little plastic containers. There was one that caught our attention, Laura had always thought the contents were little white chocolate disks, for baking or making chocolates, but it turns out that they were priests hosts. Never seen little unleavened priest hosts for sale in the grocery store...

What do you do with them… invite the clergy over to your house to bless your own private stash? I have to admit, we were both so thoroughly confused!

Freed!

It is with great joy that I heard live at 6:00 this morning, that the three Christian Peacemakers Jim Loney, Harmeet Sooden and Norman Kember were rescued from where they were being held captive in Bagdad in the wee hours of the morning.

I join my voice with many around the world who rejoice in their safe return to their families!

In the words of Jim Loney
"With God's abiding kindness, we will love even our enemies.
With the love of Christ, we will resist all evil.
With God's unending faithfulness, we will work to build the beloved community."

They have the support of so many different groups from Muslim, to secular because they stand up for their beliefs in peace and justice. They are not there as missionaries (ie not there to convert), but are there to truly live out the gospel - stand up for what is right and to do everything in their power to end this illegal war. They are in Iraq to work for the human rights of Iraqui detainees.

It is sobering to know that they were freed on the third anniversary of the war that should have never been.

Ode to a vent......

Venting is good for the soul – I swear – it must have been one of the Chruch Fathers that first said that – venting derived from the Latin meaning “a state of ill content” as opposed to the metal ductwork that laces its way through my walls. So… here goes – I little lift for my soul…

I’m sick and tired of the woman who sits next to me in my little cubicle farm. Perhaps you would like me to distinguish which woman – would it be the one with the radio that plays on CHUM all day (and has the most efficient way of killing a good song). Or would it be the one who is just downright miserable, the one whom I sat next to for almost a year, said hello to every morning and have received nary a grunt in return. Which is it do you say? Well if truth be told, it’s both! The whole idea of not an open concept office leaves way too much… shall I say…. Openness?

I’m having a hard time concentrating at work. There are so many other things that I need to be doing, and launching more photocopiers, so we can kill more trees with all the paper used is not my idea of a good time! Although I do applaud the fact that we are moving towards RoHs compliancy before it is required in Canada!

I think I need a vacation! Actually I think I need my leave of absence… January can’t come soon enough!

Who does it help???

We are accosted every day with the images of the horrors that happen half way around the world. Photos of people living in the most horrible conditions, without food, without proper shelter and without proper medical attention. These images break my heart. They make me think about the things that I do, and what I can do to better see the face of Christ in all I meet. These stories touch everyone in very different way and out of this great need, an interesting industry has developed – Evangelical tourism. Some open their minds, some their wallets and some take the time to travel to these places to try to make life there better because the other people in most of those photo’s are North American “missionaries” or celebrities. They spend thousands upon thousands of dollars to travel to these areas of the world to offer assistance. It is a wonderful thought – to want to DO something to help. I think the motivations are fantastic and epitomize what it is to be Christian! Here’s where I have a difficult time. The sheer amount of money spent on the travel, the hotels and the food is huge. But if it is going to be a life changing experience, something that they will pray about when they return, something that will act as a catalyst for more action upon their return, I think it is wonderful. It goes back to the gospel passage – Matthew 25;35 (ish) I was hungry and you gave me food, I was naked and you gave me clothing. One of the passages that strikes me very deeply. Here’s my little cynical side - most people go to these countries in the winter when in North America the weather is cold, but it is warm where they are going! They travel in packs and can often not do very much because they are struck with diarrhea, or jet lag. Also, it would be interesting to know how much good can you do in a clinic in one week? So what is the motivation – are they actually a help or a hindrance? The amount of money that is spent on travel could be donated to give work to a local person who is trained in the medical field, in the dental field, who is a bricklayer or a cement layer. In this instance you are handing a person a rod and some line and letting them get on with fishing!

friends...

I was chatting with my bestest bud this afternoon. A conversation with him is never just a regular chat - we go off on tangents and wild goose chases ever time! He was asked me what I was up to. So I told him - I've had a busy day - I worked, came down to Trinity for our chapel team planning session, sat on a conference call, did some more work. He asked if I was around tonight - I said I was going to chapel at school, then Eucharist at my own church. I made the little comment that it was a lot of church, and I hoped I could find time to sit down with God in all of that activity. My friend said "Ahh, hope God has time to listen!" My response was that I think I'll just do the listening today. His response surprised me - He said "that's what a good friend does." Pearls of wisdom - one of the reasons I love him so!

7 shocking videos

Prelude
White Skin, Black Heart
President - Whenthe president talks to God
Welcome to the new American century
Every Mothers Son
US Forces
In the name of God - very disturbing images of the terror in Iraq.


Impeach!

IDIOMS

We say things or hear things in the course of every day conversation and often think nothing of them. Some of them have biblical roots like one of my dad’s favourite sayings about his latest project; it will be finished “in the fullness of time.” (Gal 4:4). But these sayings are taken completely out of context! Sometimes they just relate to Christian God-talk like “Bless you” or “You’re and angel”. But it truly struck my funny bone to hear these used in the context of a meeting! The other day I actually started keeping notes of the sayings that were used, and it truly was educational! It began when a colleague who just returned from 2 years working in the US, walked into the meeting and was greeted with “Well – the prodigal son returns” (I’m not totally sure if they were happy to see him or not – but I’m guessing not!) The conversation began and we got stuck because “the devil” is in the details. It was decided that there would have to be “a grace period” for our sales reps when the new product is launched (hmm… grace you say…). It was “not Kosher” (odd inclusion for a Hebrew purity law) to offer that because the pricing is not yet “written in stone” (Don’t think Moses and his commandments had anything to do with photocopiers either). It was made abundantly clear that we should “Thank God” if we actually get this done in time, (I wonder if he truly meant he would thank God if we hit the deadline) but others were not sure we’d make it, thinking that we may only finish “by the skin of our teeth.” (that wonderfully descriptive saying from Job!) Now that month end is over my finance analyst is no longer “burning the midnight oil” and sending out e-mails at “un-godly times” of the night because the VP is “hell-bent” on launching it, as is. (does that mean she was good for working hard… or silly for putting in her personal time… I know what I think!). But you know what? By the end of the amusing two hours, I just “washed my hands of the whole thing” (un-ceremoniously lifted from when Pilate handed Jesus over to be killed Matthew 27:24)
If you really stop and think about it, we do say some of the most ridiculous things!

Time

Chances are that if you look down at your wrist you will find a watch. A sophisticated device that has the sole task of dividing up our day into hours, minutes and even seconds. You make appointments, set schedules, and define the routine of your day by that little ticking wonder. You look at it to see if you can squeeze in a coffee with a friend before your next scheduled appointment or class. But did you ever stop to think about the origin of time? How did we so drastically change our method of dividing up the day from following the sun and the moon to that of a little ticking device you can take everywhere with you. I think it has been a great detriment to our mental state! Having to schedule and plan every moment of every day makes us burn out and feel as if we have no time to ourselves, no time for personal reflection, personal and corporate prayer, and simply following the rhythms of our own bodies. Try taking off your watch for a weekend and live by the watch on the other side of your wrist – the one that pumps blood through your body, the one that follows how you feel instead of how you have programmed your day. I did that once a couple of years ago, and now, I rarely if ever put on my watch on now. I’ve found myself to be much happier in the process. There are still clocks everywhere, on the walls, laptops and radio in the car, but to not have that little thing ticking out my life living on my wrist has been a very liberating experience. I feel free to take a few moments here and there in prayer. I feel able to walk a little slower in order to enjoy the walk simply because it is sunny. I feel able to walk a little slower and enjoy the rain, the smell of the damp earth and bask in the glory of God’s creation. Strange that with all of the advances out there the most liberating thing I could do was to get rid of one.

Books, books and well actually only two books!

I’ve been a busy little bee these past couple of days! I finished two books, wrote and essay and delivered an oral presentation! The books were fan-freakin-tastic!!

Primary Speech – A psychology of prayer by Ann & Barry Ulanov. It has extremely interesting insights into prayer and desire, fantasy (wishing things were different from the way they are), aggression (the positive and the negative connotations), sexuality (issues of maleness and femaleness within each of us).

Praying with Icons by Jim Forest. This is a very accessible introduction for anyone who has ever been curious about praying with icons. It is wide sweeping in content but clear and succinct in its execution without leaving the reader feeling lost in the vastness of the subject matter. The tone of most chapters is set by a quote whose authors range from biblical, to saintly to scholarly to ecclesial. This has many great lines – but one of my favourites links my Geography past to my Clerical future! (two facts that make the quote all the more interesting…)
- Water cannot be “created” and it cannot be “destroyed”, it just changes in location and in stage (water, steam, ice).
- It is believed that one litre of gasoline will contaminate 1 million litres of water!

So think about this….
“The water we bathe in, the water we drink, the water that is the main component of our bodies – every drop of water connects us with the water in which Jesus was baptized.”

Wow!

The strange bits....

- I’ve sold composting toilets to gun-toting rednecks in the US and Canada at Sportsman and Cottage shows.
- I’ve answered their “shitty” questions – ie: how to get rid of the flies!
- I was never allowed to mow the lawn – my parents thought I’d cut off my feet!
- I was crowned the teen-mini-golf champion at the course where I worked.
- I’m an honorary Aunt to my best friends three great kids.
- I’ve sold knives (kitchen and hunting/fishing) door to door giving demonstrations in peoples homes.
- I bait my own hook
- I have two best friends – one is a Pakistani, Muslim, Dermatologist. The other is a self-confessed red-neck, father of three who spends his days in Jail – as a guard that is.
- I love to swim in the lake – mostly when the waves are huge.
- I graduated university in secret – and told my parents through an invitation to convocation.
- I refuse to eat veal because of how the calves are treated.
- I took shop in school and liked it much better than “home ec” ‘cause I got to play with the tools!
- When stress is high at work, I’m essentially the office “chaplain” taking people for coffee and a chat to quell the tears.
- I worked for a company called S&M Group (that’s Sales and Merchandising Group – get your mind out of the gutter).
- I have tried Rhönrad – now Google Image that!
- I love to stand in the rain
- I’ve never had a nickname and there are only 2 people on the face of the earth who can call me Kris.
- If there were a trophy for the fastest trophy assembler I would have won it.
- I dated my high school sweetheart until 2nd year university when I found out that slept with six other women while we dated. Then burned down his own business, blamed it on the Mafia, spent 13 months in Jail for fraud. He then married my neighbour and called me on Valentines day to get together “for old times sake.” But I still have the cat he gave me.
- I sing when I think no one is listening
- I had a neighbour once whose middle name was “none” they meant she had none, but you know the government… her Birth Certificate said Heather None Elliot. We called her “Nonnie”
- I refuse to drink coffee, preferring my morning caffeine kick from a nice, cold, diet coke.
- For Lent I’ve decided to make sure that everyone I love, knows it.
- I write poetry when I’m pissed off
- If the poetry doesn’t work, I go for a drive to a little waterfall (Tews falls) in Dundas (the town, not the road).
- I once drove to Webber's with a friend, just for a hamburger… Did I mention we started in Sarnia?
- I look like a cranky Goth-girl in my drivers license photo