(Almost) All About Jason: June 2005

(Almost) Amazing Race in Vancouver!

Gastown Steamclock

What a great Saturday!

I had so much fun! From tandem biking around the Seawall to making sandcastles, racing to the seabus, up the revolving "Q" at Lonsdale, and trying to figure out what ZEARTG LREE meant! (The Art Gallery...of course!)

None of the four couples involved would have had all this fun without our friend Derek's tireless work in organizing the event. So kudos Derek! And thank you!

Derek, Jo and I

Three Person Totem

Our soon to be married friends (and competition), and eventual winners!

Our Beach Buddy

don't ask

On the "Q" in Lonsdale

All the racers

A Thirteen Month Journey of a Lifetime...

Romantic Photo with Mount Fuji

What a dream.

But it's not...at least for a newlywed couple from San Francisco.

Their journey is amazing. Instead of a honeymoon, this couple, Grace (the guy) and Susan, saved money, planned and set foot on a trip that will eventually take them to 23 countries, all over the world...and in thirteen months. Thirteen months!

I love their site too. It was originally intended for friends and family, back home. But it's also become 'inspiration' to other would be RTW (round the world) travellers, like me! It's extremely well done: loads of great photos, thoughts & reflections...and it's all being done as they go! (The site was last updated from Brazil. I've also posted some pics from their site below.)

Susan and Grace have made me wonder.

I wonder about their planning. First, how they'd get the idea? Second, how did they set their itinerary? Third, wouldn't they miss home?

This got me thinking some more. I'm not a world traveller, like Susan and Grace, but I like the idea that at the end of this awesome journey they'll eventually end up...at home. All the planning, the sites and people, all the photos and memories...the countries and languages, the trip of a life-time!--all this will end, and lead them home. Home will be the same (and good!)...but life will be much richer because of the journey.

I'm an optimist, but I still have my doubts about being able to embark on a similar thirteen month trip. That said, this couple's story makes me think...and realize that I am already journeying. And one day, I will end up at home too, with God in heaven, Christ welcoming and all the angels rejoicing.

Until then, I'm hoping my new boss at my new job can keep a thirteen month slot open for my trip. =)

Sumo Wrestlers in Ueno

Shinjuku Station - top photo 9:12pm, bottom 9:13pm

Susan in Tanzania

Grace & Susan in Hong Kong

Beans in Ho Chi Minh

Cambodian Monks & the "Thirteen Month" Couple

CLICK HERE to go to their wonderful website.

I'm a Couch Slouch, not a Couch Potato

This is funny.

From Peter T. Chattaway's Film Chat blog:

British spud farmers protested outside Parliament Monday to demand that the term "couch potato" be taken out of the Oxford English Dictionary, saying the description is harmful to the vegetable's image.
The farmers have the backing of the British Potato Council, which wants the expression replaced with the term "couch slouch." (HAHAHA That's HILARIOUS!!!)

British spud farmers want the oh-so-offensive phrase "couch potato" removed from the Oxford English Dictionary. "The potato industry are fed up with the disservice that 'couch potato' does to our product when we have an inherently healthy product," says Kathryn Race of the British Potato Council. Get a life, guys.

Why Worship Music is Sucking so Badly (According to Steve Bell)

What a bold man Steve Bell is.

Here's an excerpt of an interview with Christianity Today's Mark Moring:

I'll be very surprised if this season isn't one of the low points in the history of music writing. It's all because of an unbridled market economy where absolutely everything gets commodified within seconds—no matter what you do, it is a product in a very short time. Everything becomes cheapened and market-driven. That's what happened in worship music—it's been commodified, and the same forces that are driving the market are driving the music. That always, always means dumbing down—it's a homogenization, a flattening of imagination. And when sales become the indicator that something is good, right away it's sort of the death of the form. ...

I think pastors have to get a little bit more bold to say we do not support poor work, poor theology, poor poetry, poor melody. There's nothing about the music that's coming out that's even remotely reflective of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. There's no mystery. There's no nothing. It's just all platitude after platitude after platitude. And half the time one line actually is not a logical flow of the last one. It's just bizarre—but it sounds right, so everybody goes for it.

I don't "follow" Christian music religiously, but what Bell has to say about a "commodified [and] cheapened" music in the church nowadays...I agree.

Make Poverty History - Who Wants to Help?

How many of you have heard about this "Make Poverty History Campaign?" It's been all over the news lately, and it looks and sounds like a pretty big and important movement. I'm quite impressed by it.

I've been reading around and I've learned many interesting facts. For example, here are some facts about global poverty, from netaid.org:

Each year, more than 8 million people around the world die because they are too poor to stay alive.
Over 1 billion people—1 in 6 people around the world—live in extreme poverty, defined as living on less than $1 a day.
More than 800 million go hungry each day.
Over 100 million primary school-age children cannot go to school.

As Christians, we have to listen to these facts. And we have to listen to Christ, and listen intently on what he would have us do. I don't think the answer is difficult.

The impressive thing about this campaign is that it's global. Countries the world over are joining in an effort not just to raise awareness, but to effect real change. The organizers have chosen this year especially, because leaders of many of the world's wealthiest countries are holding key meetings to discuss the issues that affect the poorest who share our earth.

This statement is quite powerful: "We are the first generation with the plan, the technology and the money to end world poverty. What we don't have is the will."

It's interesting. Just this past Sunday I preached a sermon about "Not Stealing." The truth is, as blessed as we are, when we don't help others in need--just as Christ did with us--we are very truly stealing from the rest of the world. When we don't share as we should, we are stealing.

So, how can we help? Or, first of all, who wants to help?

I'm going to start by posting this, and then buy some white bands to spread the word.

Tsunami Relief Walk

This shot was taken in February, during a walk around the Stanley Park Seawall. I still remember that day! It was so fun walking around with the kids...especially Derek.

I wonder how much the world's forgotten about the Tsunami survivors? I read a bit about Jacky Chan who recently visited the area. The day just before he arrived in the Aceh area, a smallish earthquake hit. When asked if he considered cancelling his "awareness" trip because of the quake, he said something like...if it's our time to go, it's our time to go.

I don't know if I'd put death in such simple terms like Jacky, but the fact that he went ahead and visited, got his picture in a magazine, and brought the awareness of ongoing aid, definitely got me thinking about the Tsunami again...and how I can help.

Also, it made me wonder if I'd be as courageous as Jacky Chan, the person not the star.

Jonathan & Tracy's Banquet
(more online at sony imagestation)

Weddings are fun! (Mind you, this wasn't "technically" a wedding!) I had loads of fun at Jon & Tracy's banquet. I can't immediately remember the last time I've been to one.

This was also the first time I emceed. The bonus was that I got to do with Jo! It went very well, I think. Jo did great. I just tagged along!

Emcee Jo & J

Mirror Three

Mirror Me

Precious.

About one month left at Bethel.

This thought and reality crossed my mind this past week...and I'm not looking forward to it. I'm going to miss Caleb crawling, growing, waddling, crying, smiling, grabbing, walking(!), babbling, munching, sleeping, and talking. I still remember when Joe and Christie announced "they" were pregnant. About over a year ago, I think. And the joy. Then came the waiting--the gradual growing of Christie's tummy and the corresponding excitement that grew in me, in the whole community! What a beautiful time of expecting.

My date is coming soon too. At the beginning of August I am leaving. This will be painful. Like the opposite of a growing tummy, something deep and core in me is, even now, agonizingly shrinking. It's odd. It feels like my own child (if I had one) is slowly and tortuously being taken away from me.

In fact it is. Just as I'm typing this now, I realize my childhood--the years and memories, the places and people--at Bethel will be, somewhat, taken away. I'll no longer be at the place I grew.

I will miss Caleb more than I can imagine.

Derek thinking (resemblence with Caleb?)

Baby Caleb's grip

I love you so much Caleb!

They're stuck in the 60's (or is it the 70's?)

"I just had sugar!"

Men in Black

"Must be at least this tall to use cell phones."

EM Grad BBQ...what a great night

The Grad BBQ by the Fraser turned out great, I thought.

Everything seemed to turn out okay. When it became apparent that about 10 people signed up weren't coming, Jo and I were a bit worried about covering the cost of the food we bought (Jo thinks I overbought, and...she was right, I was wrong...again). But, people were generous and chipped in enough to virtually cover the cost. That was quite a blessing.

Also, how can I forget...the weather turned out VUNDERFOLLY. All morning and early afternoon it rained and it looked like we needed to cram everybody under the covered area. But, hallelujah, the whole time during our BBQ, it only drizzled a couple drops. Thank you God!

And of course, how can we forget the grads. There are so many of them. Dorothy's idea of "giving them a fresh start" was fitting (with the packs of gum). There's a lot to look ahead to for many of our grads. Tim's going to England, Gerardo's going to Killarney. Lisa's working in a new job, Kevin's entering university. Big steps, to say the least. So it was just good to be with and around all the grads and, in a way, send them off in their new journeys of study and learning, living and growing.

May God bless them grandly.