Tree takes shape

Well, the tree is going up. Puts a whole new spin on setting up the Christmas tree. As you may have noticed, its an artificial one. Maybe next year we can go with a real tree. They do grow them big enough out here.Notice our new stage extension...

Back stage isn't so pretty...

Winter Wonderland

We are currently enjoying our three days of winter. It is a fridged -3 degrees!!! Schools are close, Tehillah is cancelled, everyone is hunkered down for the extreme weather. Don't you wish you were here?

A Fall Morning on the Island

Christmas Carols for the Disturbed

It's almost crunch time for the Singing Christmas Tree, and I think all of us involved are showing signs of being 'disturbed'. Here's a list of some of the music we've been working on...

1. Schizophrenia --- Do You Hear What I Hear?

2. Multiple Personality Disorder --- We Three Kings Disoriented Are

3. Dementia --- I Think I'll be Home for Christmas

4. Narcissistic --- Hark the Herald Angels Sing About Me

5. Manic --- Deck the Halls and Walls and House and Lawn and Streets and Stores and Office and Town and Cars and Buses and Trucks and Trees and.....

6. Paranoid --- Santa Claus is Coming to Town to Get Me

7. Borderline Personality Disorder --- Thoughts of Roasting on an Open Fire

8. Personality Disorder --- You Better Watch Out, I'm Gonna Cry, I'm Gonna Pout, Maybe I'll Tell You Why

9. Attention Deficit Disorder --- Silent night, Holy oooh look at the Froggy - can I have a chocolate, why is France so far away?

10. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder --- Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle,Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells

Lion's Won...yawn...

I suppose I should be more excited about the Lion's winning their 5th Championship, but I can't get past the fact that the 94th Grey Cup may have been one of the most boring football games I have ever watched. And I even missed mosted of the first half, which by all accounts was the dullest part of the game. The best part of the whole afternoon was when they broke the trophey during the post-game celebration!

I guess when it comes down to it, I'm more of a fan of the CFL than any individual team. I would have been happier if the Lion's would have lost a thriller than for them to loose a sleeper.

And it's just not that 'big game' that was flat. This has been a dull season in the CFL. Few tight games, fewer big plays, and not a whole lot of flash and sizzle. This is something that needs to be addressed, or I might have to start watching (gasp!) the NFL. Bring back the wild, sand-lot football - PLEASE!!! Even the Toronto Star agrees with me that the Grey Cup is not the only thing broken!

We Can Drink Again!

Here's the scoop from the city web site www.Nanaimo.ca
Boil Water Advisory Lifted (except for Duke Point Industrial Park) The Boil Water Advisory for Nanaimo Watershed has been lifted (as of 4:30 PM today, Sunday, November 19) with the exception of the Duke Point Industrial Area which includes the Duke Point Ferry Terminal. The VIHA has indicated that water samples have returned to acceptable turbidity levels. We would like to thank everyone for their patience and cooperation during this time.

I think turbidity has become one of my favorite words...

Water Woes Update

Well, the rain has stopped. For now. Another big storm on it's way for the weekend. We are currently under a boil water advisory because the city water plant got overrun with all the silt in the river. But that is the least of my worries.

After my last post, my neighbor to be Chris, who is building the new house beside us came over to say that he had been informed by the City that neighbors below us had complained about all the water that was running off of our property on to ours. Oh O. As it turns out, property owners are responsible for the water that drains from their property. Oops. Sorry. Didn't know.

So what do you do with all that water? I had visions of going and big buying a wet vac and getting out in the yard and then...well... I guess that wasn't going to work, was it?

As it turns out, the city also informed us that we actually have storm drains at the back of our property. The idea is that we were to build a swail to direct the runoff into the drain and keep the it from going all the way down the hill.

Well, I've never seen any storm drain down our hill, just a couple of man-holes and a clean-out access. But Chris had a map and a metal detector, and sure enough we found one on his property and then we dug up half our back yard and found ours. It had been buried under about a foot of dirt long before we bought the place. Never knew it was there. Would have never found it either, if Chris hadn't given me a hand.

But I'm glad we found it. It only makes sense that the developer would have put one there. I just wish that I would have known about it before we had our basic landscaping done. Now we'll have to get the big digger back in and reshape the lower portion of our lot so that the runoff gets swallowed by our newly discovered drain.

Weather you like it or not

Just in case you're curious, here's a real time weather update for Nanaimo courtesy of the Weather Network.
How 'bout Edmonton?
Vegreville?
Calgary?

No, we haven't floated away...yet...

November can be a miserable month on the coast. We get these intense tropical storms that blow in from Hawaii bring LOTS of rain and wind. We're supposed to get about 100mm or precipitation today, with 80km gusts. Let's just say it's not a great day for yard work. Unless that's your job, like the guys building the house next door.

Speaking of the yard, as most of you know, we a firmly rooted on the side of a steep hill. At least that is my fervent hope on days like this. Our landscaping is unfinished, so there isn't much slowing down the muddy brown rivers the rain has caused to cascade from our property down to our neighbors below. This morning one of our lower level friends (this is meant in a purely geographical sense) was up on the back bank of his property cleverly digging a trench to divert the water away from his yard. Unfortunately he has directed all the water into his neighbor's place. I think those folks should think about building an ark. Or a water park. Oh well, they don't have a basement to flood. And they won't have to fertilize their lawn either...it's kind of like the Nile River flooding it's delta and depositing all the rich nutrients onto the land. At least that's what I was taught in grade 5.

Anyway, enough babbling. Just thought I should post something for all of you who claim to faithfully read my blog. (Yes, Heather, I mean you...)

Changing it up

After 2 years I thought it was about time I changed the look. Any complaints?

Hearing Impaired?

I was reading the other day in Genesis 2 where Satan says to Eve, "Did God really say...?"

It's a question that continues to haunt humans. I don't think I've ever had Satan ask me that, but I have asked it myself. There have been times when I know I have heard a clear 'word from the Lord', but down the road, life cuts in and you begin to wonder if you really heard. "Did God really say...?"

I was sharing our story today with someone today. He really isn't in relationship with me and hasn't journyed with us. He wanted to know why we lived in downtown Vancouver, and then knowing that we are now on the Island said something to the effect of "Well, I guess that didn't work, did it." What I heard was, "Well, I guess you failed."

I didn't take my friends comments personally, but I do wish I had a better explanation for what has transpired in our lives over that past few years. I have tried to understand it, make peace with it, but I still have many questions. In quite moments it makes me wonder "Did God really say...?"

People don't always get 'the message' from God right - that includes me. It would be easier if God dropped a brick from heaven with a note. But that's not the way it seems to happen. I believe he leads us, gives us direction, but that sometimes we read into the story things he wasn't intending. Call it jumping to spiritual conclusions. So then when things don't turn out the way WE expect, we begin to wonder "Did God really say...?" In the mean time, maybe God's saying, "Yes you heard me, but you didn't understand what I was saying..."

Here's what I know for sure. God loves me and my family and doesn't play games with our lives. God does speak to me in a personal way. I am trying to serve him the best I can. Downtown Vancouver was a fantastic experience. Nanaimo is a special place and we are glad to be here. And I choose to walk and live by faith...

Good Question, Paul...

My buddy Paul has an interesting take on what it may take for us as Christians to spend time with people who don't know Jesus. It sparked a really interesting conversation. Check out the blog - click here - , and don't miss the comments...

Happy Hubbub

Well, new neighborhoods are an intersting learning curve. Take last night for instance - most neighbors really decked out thier houses in creepy spiderwebs, bats, and yellow police tape that said DANGER. Then starting about 6 PM we had over 125 kids come knocking on the door dressed up like Mr. Incredible and other assorted superheros and grusome characters. Even most of the accompanying adults were in costume - most of them pretty ridiculous! It was a zoo - literally. I even had to run out for more candy, but the stores were all sold out.

Then our girls got dragged out by some of thier school friends that showed up at the door. I thought they were getting kind of old for that kind of stuff, but when in Rome, do as the Romans. It was a great opportunity to build some relationships with some of thier school chums that live around here. And it's a good thing too becuase when we ran out of candy, we ended up giving away most of the loot they had hauled in! Call it healthy recycling.

So next year...we'll be more prepared. Expect a crowd. Welcome the neighborhood. Chat with the adults. Have fun. Cheer the fireworks. Redeem the night. Be missional in our own querky way.