THERE IS A CHILL IN THE AIR

Our garden is looking very beautiful will all the flowers coming out and blooming so full of colour and all the different shapes and varieties. We have many places to sit and enjoy the gift of nature; but it has been too chilly and windy to even think about it. We will now have a real shady place to sit under the massive branches of the evergreen tree that Ben and Morgan are so excited about. It is almost like a tree fort. We do not see Ben and Morgan very much any more so we enjoy every moment of their visit. Dad played lacrosse with Ben at the tennis park and later I took them for a walk over to our nearest park.

It is hard to keep in touch with our grandchildren who are busy and scattered. We are looking forward to Ken coming in July and hopefully all our children will be able to get together. Also Kim is coming in July and we are excited about seeing her.

It seem chilly in Colebrook Church yesterday to me anyways. There were about half of the people away because of the long week-end but what a loving group of people.
It was so good to see a friend who we had been praying for out of hospital and recovering her health. There were those who were grieving and those who were celebrating and in a small church you are very aware of this.

Douglas Todd in the Vancouver Sun writes about evolution being in the air. "Psychologists maintain evolution is the key to human development".
We are being called to embrace creative transformation and "each of us is being asked to contribute to the ongoing evolutionary process. One of my concerns is that we live in a throw-away society where we always demand bigger and better material goods. We have many choices right now but in the future we may not have a choice in our lifestyle. Water among other things may be in short supply.

When I think of the future I do feel a chill in the air aware that all change comes with some benefit but also at great cost. Can we avoid global disaster? We see major disasters going on in our world all around us. The amazing thing is that there is always a fighting spirit that brings us together as people help other people. We live in a troubled and violent world just like the world which gave birth to Christianity. Yesterday we remembered the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit blew new life into a group of praying and waiting believers. They then went out to change the world having to face great changes in their own hearts and souls.

Today we will be enjoying Randy cooking supper for us as we visit with him and Sandra. It is these precious moments that renew us and continue to give us hope.

TWO SLEEPY PEOPLE

In humbleness, be like the earth!

In tolerance for those who do you ill, be like a gentle breeze!

In generosity for everyone, be like the sea!

In compassion for others
And especially for yourself
Be like the sun!
A Sufi Mystic

Never forgetting we breathe the same air!


I enjoy keeping in touch on face book but I appreciate face to face relationships.
I find that in a community of like minded people there is healing for brokenness, a joy in spirituality, a desire to learn and explore, and a concern for those around me.


Creativity
"Creativity asks us, in the midst of the contrariety's of daily living, to believe that there are new possibilities out there,
to loosen our control,
and to take more risks, to let life unfold."
Catholic Priest and yoga instructor Thomas Ryan in his book Soul Fire.

ALTRUISM

Dawkins, the writer of "The God Delusion" makes some interesting points even though in my opinion he repeatedly mischaracterizes faith, argues that there is a gene and its relentless drive for survival that explains the existence of all living things and he argues we humans are at last far enough to be able to rebel again est our genetic imperatives. It is true that science cannot prove or disprove God to those who do not want to find Him. God is not on trial and if one tries like I did to read the book "God is Dead" each story is totally depressing as life becomes not worth living.

Why do most of us value altruism? Dawkins writes "We can even discuss ways of deliberately cultivating and nurturing pure, disinterested altruism--something that has no place in nature [disagree] something that has never existed before in the whole history of the world" [disagree]. What he seems to be saying is that we do good deeds out of a desire for reward and this is the morality of Christianity.

C. S. Lewis writes "If there was a controlling power outside the universe, it could not show itself to us as one of the facts inside the universe-no more than the architect of a house could actually be a wall or staircase or fireplace in that house. The only way in which we would expect it to show itself would be inside ourselves as an influence or a command trying to get us to behave in a certain way. And that is just what we do find inside ourselves. Surely this ought to arouse our suspicions?"

In the end can faith in God seem more rational than disbelief? Faith does not demand proof but is open to the possibility of a spiritual reality that is bigger than us and yet lives within us. There are good and caring people all around us and we can believe in all different facets of the truths. Faith will conflict with reality when we read stories of the horror in places like the refuge camp in the North Darfar region of the Sudan. God remains hidden in the violence of death and hatred. God also remains hidden in our affunence.

TEARS OF JOY AND TEARS OF SADNESS.

The moonlight on this rose was breathtaking but my camera insisted on adding light so the flash kept going off. I find in life we often feel mixed emotions like saying good-bye at the airport to Carol and Panteli happy they are happy and having this adventure to China but sad to see them go away.

Theresa showed us her video of the proposal that she took pictures of at a special restaurant. The young man was nervous as he came in to present the beautiful roses to his lovely girlfriend and then before she could caught her breath he dropped to his knees to ask her to marry him and give her a beautiful ring. This special moment was captured for them to treasure forever.

The knights in the stories of merry old England performed challenging each other on horse back with great swords while a beautiful princess watched. If he was lucky he would win the competition and also the maiden.

Love is a beautiful thing that brings us joy and heartache. The young waitress asked how we had stayed married for so many years. For me it was a strong sense of commitment that we make in the old wedding vows; in sickness and in health, in richness's and in poverty [something like that.]

Your dad is full of stories where he risked his life to save someone in a ditch, or in the water, or in a snowstorm and I admire his courage and love to hear the stories.
Getting up with your children and sitting by their bed all night does not seem very thrilling but taking care of our small children was a heroic task in a different light. All men seem to get caught up in their work and often it is not until later they realize what they have missed in their children's lives. It appears to a young wife and mother that the romance has gone when, life takes so much energy and time doing what needs to be done.

We all need moments of pure romance. I treasure these moments in our lives. I am glad we can now do many things together and appreciate the good qualities that have always been there but we may have lost sight of.

CONTROVERSY

Which came first the chicken or the egg? Which is right science or religion? As we are able to examine the universe above us and within us with the powerful magnifying microscope and the telescope it is time to let go of blind faith and welcome new discoveries. Galileo who was put under house arrest for his publications of his scientific research has said. "I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to fore go their use."

"What are we to make of those restless hearts who deny His [God's] existence". Disbelief can be a form of rebellion against the church and the government. Sigmund Freud argued that belief in God was just wishful thinking. Most of all the theory of evolution has been further proof against a Creator. Can theology survive? Is Dawkin's right when he states that faith is one of the world's great evils, greater than the treat of AIDS or Mad Cow etc. We have no need of God he states, Religion is anti rational and can be classified as blind trust. I disagree on both these points because I feel we need God for moral guidance, to discern right and wrong. I believe that a belief in God can be intellectual and rational as we become serious in our thinking. Yes, religion has done evil and we have to take responsibility for that damage. But there have been many good things like schools and hospitals and soup kitchens that feed and clothe the hungry.

It all comes down to which of man's reasoning's we CHOOSE to believe. Atheism and agnosticism cannot prove or disprove the existence of a divine power or source.

The question is how can be stop the inhumanity of man to man? We humans are causing suffering to others with our greed and our pride and our selfishness. The fist followers of Jesus were called Followers of the Way which was a way of compassion and generosity and healing that would bring in a way of peace and plenty for all.

TRAIL AND ERROR

My computer is acting very, very strangely. Maybe because of the wind I really do not know. Everything seems to be by trial and error. Mostly error.

I am trying some new bread to see if it makes a difference in how I feel. I am giving in to dad's nagging that I go to the doctor and he [the doctor] better act pleased to see me or else. This is the grouch in me that has decided to express it's miserableness.

Dad drove to White Rock which was good as I was feeling a little dizzy. Then after filling my basket with goodies we met Jane and Geof for coffee at Starbucks. Home to have a nap and get in the mood for Gracelyn's 16th birthday. Why can I never find scotch tape when I need it. O well dad says it does not matter as he sits watching the hockey game. It will be a fun and noisy party which makes us feel happy to be there. We will receive a warm welcome as a part of their family.

Tomorrow we pick up Carol and Panteli to take them to the airport. Theresa, Ben and Morgan may drive in from Chilliwack to see them before they go. I hate saying good-bye to people and so many of our family are scattered here and there.

Trail and error also happens in scientific research as described by a researcher in Genetics named Francis S. Collins. He began studies of the D.N.A. code in which are several hundred letters. He studied the production of just one protein, found in red blood cells, of the human fetus in utero. This protein is called hemoglobin and it allows red blood cells to deliver oxygen from our lungs to all the rest of the body. Humans and some apes use a special version of hemoglobin before birth that helps extract oxygen from the mother's blood to nourish the growing fetus. During the first year of life this fetal hemoglobin turns off. However, in further study a Jamaican family continued to carry quantities of this into adulthood. It took eighteen months to discover a G instead of a C of one of the genes that triggered fetal hemoglobin production. Even 20percent of fetal hemoglobin would eliminate
sickle cell disease.

A study was undertaken to characterize and estimate how many genes the genome might contain. Protein-coding regions of genes are interrupted by intervening DNA segments called introns. "Despite all these uncertainties, there was no question how valuable a complete genome sequence would be. He would lead a team to pursue the genetic basis of certain diseases. Foremost was cystic fibrosis. Steady improvements in managing symptoms-replacing enzymes in the pancreas, treating lung infections with better antibiotics and improving nutrition and physical therapy-gradually extended the life of CF patients.

One letter in the 3 billion letters of the DNA code going wrong caused illness.

We all have two copies of each gene, one inherited from Mom and one from Dad. Both copies of the gene are faulty then there is trouble. An exhaustive study continued; in a search to find a disease gene by progressively narrowing its chromosomal position. When CF researchers and families and clinicians gather ed celebrat a breakthrough there was great rejoicing.

Critics would say :geneticists would be wading through a sea of drivel to emerge dry shod on a tiny island of information." Studies would be costly and extremely time consuming. He would become involved with the Human Gnome Project.

"As a believer in God, was I being called to take on a larger role in a project that would have profound consequences for our understanding of ourselves?" On June 26 the first draft of the human instruction book had been determined and he named it the language of God. "This book was written in the DNA language by which God spoke life into being. A modern understanding of science can be harmonized with a belief in God."

Support was being found for Darwin's theory of evolution. We human beings may share a common ancestor with other human beings Yes, evolution is only a theory but the discoveries of science are important in our understanding of faith in God.

WINDY NIGHT

The pond is still working this morning. What a kind thing the young man did to save the baby raccoons, putting them on a heating pad outside the roof, after chasing mom out with a hockey stick, and shutting the roof closed. I was wondering where they went last night.

Yes, I am late this fine morning after a sleepless night. The branches of the tree hitting our window; which I was sleeping through, until dad woke me up to look out the window. But we are fortunate to have one another so I am not really complaining but it does amaze me how he can go right back to sleep while I lay there listening.

My computer decided to shut me out this morning and I was starting to wonder if dad had changed my password as he did his. Because I could not get on I went to face book and read about Ben's head injury so back to prayer time. Theresa hit his head as she was closing the trunk after lacrosse practice. Accidents happen so darn fast and it happens to the best of parents. I think of the time I was running across the road the Kim fell and cut her lip and knocked out the tooth. I remember how bad I felt for her.

Today I am heading down to Choices to buy some brown rice buns to eat instead of my new flax bread just to see if this new bread may be causing me some nausea. Meeting Jane there for coffee. Dad is starting a new project making a new porch under the tree. Looks like a tree house and should be cute. I am so glad he feels like doing these building things again.

I am reading about the early history of the Christian Church and how quickly it changed from a Jesus movement that was fueled by faith and love into a religious empire controlled by priests [men] and prescribed doctrines of belief. Jesus who welcomed women to follow him as I believe as equals would not be happy with the birth of a new religion.

The church now is facing difficult times and will continue to do so unless it changes. Sadly the intellectuals have taken over and the message of love and acceptance has been clouded by the demand that we "believe right". I was caught up in the words that I was hearing especially about the inspiration of scripture but now I think that if humans are involved at all they have a slanted viewpoint from which they operate and try to lead others.

I have held many positions in the church and have even given sermons at the Vineyard and at the United Church. I think I spoke from my heart with the knowledge I had at the time. Religion is now being replaced with spirituality that is much freer and open to the wind of the spirit.

We talked in home church about our own journey of faith and how we are all different; we mentioned people in our lives who had touched us with their faith and helped us on our way. Your dad attended school because he was forced to to play hockey and his coach was the teacher. All he heard was a bunch of stories that did not impact his life. I loved going to Sunday school where Jesus was very real to me. There was no teaching on letting Jesus into your heart that I remember but I just knew he loved me. We sang it and my heart believed it!

So now we are this small group of people who meet to read scripture, discuss the message from the sermon and from scripture, and try to make it real in our own lives. Lots of laughter and grace. We end with prayer and thankfulness.