Currently Listening: The Reception - Does it keep you awake?



I played a game called ‘Scruples’ last night with some friends. The point of the game is to choose which one of your friends is going to answer a morally challenging question the way you want them to – yes, no, or maybe – depending on the answer card you have drawn from the pile. For example, I would ask Tito (a fictional friend) the following question. “Tito,” I’d say, “You manage a TV station. Your female news anchor doesn’t look the way she did 15 years ago. The ratings are falling. Do you replace her?” To which Tito would reply, “Absolutely, comrade (he always calls me that). Get a new hottie in the chair.” I would then be awarded a point, because I knew that Tito would say yes, hence my questioning of Tito as opposed to Charmaine, Jazz or Shanay-nae. Jazz, sitting to my right, would then ask a similar question from his pile of cards to whomever he figured would answer the same as the answer card he has drawn. Let me illustrate 'script-style'.

Jazz: Hey-yo Shanay-nae.
S-N: Hey-yo what, Jazz?
Jazz: Your family is hungry. You’re broke, and can’t find a job. Do you steal?
S-N: Heck-yes I would.
Jazz: Oh, man, that’s trippin’! I thought you’d say depends.
S-N: Well, I dit-n’t.

(Both exit stage left)

So, hopefully you get the point of the game.

The reason I bring this up is that I find it fascinating how we can act morally inappropriate in one situation without batting an eye, but in a different situation, there is no room to compromise. It is interesting how we come up with our own moral law. Yours is different than mine, and mine is different than yours, but we’re all quickly becoming soft on ourselves. And it is totally skewed. I mean, not many of us have a problem driving a few kilometers over the speed limit or leaving just a few dollars of ‘under-the-table income’ off our tax claim but many in our society would never consider acting on emotions for that ‘certain someone’, if a good friend likes them, too. That would be wrong! Our ideas of right and wrong have become so messed up. We would never tell someone that their beliefs about something are wrong, but everyday people lie to their employers about being sick in order to get a day off. Or how is it that robbing a bank is wrong, but illegally downloading music from the internet is a fundamental right in our i-pod society?

Where does this “law” come from?

This is why I am glad that ALL sin falls short of the glory of God. If it were up to us to decide and enforce which ones are appropriate or which ones were just little oversights, we would be completely lost. Being called to a morally perfect standard leaves us all in need of forgiveness. But I’d better not impose this view on anyone but myself, because that… would be wrong.

Cam

Currently Feeling: Pain



After 15 years of playing competitive hockey I escaped relatively unscathed, with no major visible injuries or scars. I survived one of the toughest sports known to man, and here I sit tonight, with a significant gash above my left eye from what - a friendly game of indoor soccer at our monthly youth gym night. How pathetic. This one will definitely leave a scar – a cool looking one I might add – and I will be forced to answer curious inquiries with, “No, it’s not from a fight, or a high stick in the face. I ate concrete while trying to deke around some 8th graders in a non-contact game of soccer.”

I guess I’ll explain – with dramatic exaggerations of course.

I was dominating. My prowess around the opposing goal was indescribable. Those junior high students didn’t know what they were up against. Goal after goal I scored. They cried, I taunted, then scored again. I was in my element. Until…one particular rush to the net.

“This one will be the prettiest of them all!” I schemed. “Once I own them this bad, they’ll all run for the door. They’ll worship the ground I dribble on (Not dribble like out of my mouth, dribble like smooth moves with the soccer ball). I will be their hero.” So, as I start to hum Enrique Iglesias’ ‘Hero’, I begin my approach towards the goal. I deke around one, then another…all that is left is the goalie…one more sweet move…then…BAM! It all happened so suddenly. Somehow between the goalie’s swipe for the ball, my ninja-kick-like move, and the ball being round, I ended up landing on the ball which threw me towards the ground.

Now normally when you’re falling your arms extend out to protect you and keep your head from taking the brunt of the impact. Mine, in this particular case, didn’t. I landed on my chest, followed shortly by the whip of my head, and then, finally, my arms. Immediately, as I was still seeing black, the goaltender yelled out, “He’s bleeding”. That idea hadn’t yet crossed my mind. Thoughts like, ‘am I experiencing a concussion’, ‘a disfigured-face isn’t cool’, and ‘how does that stupid song end’, had crossed my mind – but blood – not yet. So, up to my feet I jumped (I had to look tough, and unshaken by the cement floor), and ran/wobbled to the bathroom to find that, indeed, my face was covered with blood. Not knowing what to do in that situation, I thanked God that it was me, and not a student I was responsible for, pulled open a first-aid kit, and dabbed a little of ‘this’ and a little of ‘that’ on my wound. When the bleeding slowed, I sealed the deal by making it disappear with band aids, and headed back to the gym where I watched the rest of the soccer match.

Don’t worry about me. It’s not as big as it seems. It’s a gash, not a gouge. A cut, not a chop. A hurt, not a – sorry, my thesaurus doesn’t have any ‘h’ words that are more significant than a ‘hurt’. I will be fine. It is currently clotted and hopefully healing. If it doesn’t close up, I may need a stitch or two, but I don’t think it will come to that. And besides, I’ve always got lots of band-aids.

Poor Me in Port Moody

Currently Listening: My Stomach



My stomach is keeping me awake. It’s not sore or queasy, it’s actually making such loud noises that I am finding it difficult to drift in dreamland. You see, Bethany and I embarked on a new adventure this week. We are currently 5 days, 14 hours and 27 minutes into our – yes you’ve guessed it – diet. In all seriousness I don’t know how long it’s been…but it’s somewhere in that ballpark.

As some of you applaud, and others ask yourselves the troubling question, “Why would anyone so slender need to diet?” (those people obviously haven’t seen me in a while), I ask you to prepare for the most disturbing news of all. As a part of this diet, or ‘lifestyle change’ as I believe Dr. Phil encouraged us to say, I have given up…brace yourselves…Dr. Pepper! If you know me well, I will give you time to lift yourselves back up from the ground. Me without Dr. Pepper is like Sonny without Cher - well, they split up, so that example doesn’t work – how about rice without the ‘white’ – that doesn’t work too well either, seeing as how theirs is an artificial relationship. I’ve got it. It’s like Santa without the elves or Aunt Jemima without her exhaustive line of breakfast products…or dare I say…my senior pastor Curt Bruneski without coffee!

Whichever way you look at it – I have given up Dr. Pepper. And the only conclusion I can come to, for my lack of sleep, is that my stomach is rebelling against this rash decision in which it was never consulted. That, and the fact that rice cakes aren’t the same as chips, carrots are much less filling than cookies, and being hungry isn’t nearly as satisfying as being full. Nevertheless, I am hungry, my stomach is ticked off, and if I don’t get to sleep soon, I will be cranky tomorrow.

Sincerely,

Sleepless about 2 hours north of Seattle

Currently Eating: Raspberry Yogurt



Well, we have a new Prime Minister today. Stephen Harper is his name. I don’t have too much to share about it – but it’s a good thing. He looks more like a robot than our old Prime Minister, and that’s a good thing, because when your national leader looks like a well-oiled machine, it instills fear into all the other countries around the globe. On a serious note – he brings a semi-Christian worldview to our government, which Canada needs right now. Like I said, not too much to say about it – but ‘hooray’ for Stephen Harper.

Cam

Currently Listening: David Gray – Life in Slow Motion



God sees the whole puzzle. I have my piece, but it doesn’t make sense right now. A close family friend of mine passed away this week. I’m having a hard time accepting that God’s plan includes a beautiful mother of three teenage boys passing away from cancer so early in her life. But, as I said, puzzle pieces don’t make sense when they are out of context. And I can trust that when the whole puzzle is revealed, it will make perfect sense.

Here’s the obituary:

BOSCHMAN, Nancy April 1, 1962 to January 20, 2006

Surrounded by the loving embrace of her family, Nancy has gone to be with the Lord, after a courageous and inspirational battle with cancer. Nancy leaves behind her devoted and beloved husband Laurie and her cherished sons Brent, Mark and Jeffrey to mourn her loss and celebrate her life. She will be sadly missed by her parents, John and Helen Friesen and by her siblings Marla, Ken and Wes. Nancy will be deeply mourned by her many extended family members and friends. Guided by her abiding faith, Nancy lived her life with passion, dignity and grace. She was the cornerstone of her family and leaves a lasting legacy in her adored boys. Nancy's vibrancy and joyful nurturing nature was infectious and evident in all she did. Special thanks to those who assisted at this difficult time, including the many caring nurses, doctors and friends who touched Nancy's life. Friends may call at the Garden Chapel of Tubman Funeral Homes, 3440 Richmond Rd., (between Bayshore and Baseline Rd) Nepean on Monday, January 23, from 5 to 8 p.m. and Tuesday, January 24, from 1 to 3 p.m. and 5 to 8 p.m. Internment at Highland Park Cemetery, Carp on Wednesday, January 25, at 12 noon. A Celebration of Life service will be held at the Metropolitan Bible Church, 453 Bank Street Wednesday, January 25, at 1:30 p.m. Memorial donations may be made to the Ottawa Regional Cancer Centre or Hockey Ministries International. Tributes, condolences or donations may be made at www.tubmanfuneralhomes.com.

When I was growing up, I always hoped that I would end up with someone like Nancy. She was such a great mother – who enjoyed her boys thoroughly, a fantastic wife to one of my role models – Christian hockey player Laurie Boschman, and a beautiful woman who delighted in God, her family and the simple things in life. Her smile and attitude were contagious. My most recent memory of Nancy is from a couple years ago. While on tour with my old band Bailey’s Car, the Boschmans invited us (5 smelly guys) into their home in Ottawa for a few days – and to this day, I think of those days often. We never ate so well, laughed so hard, or felt so at home as when we were in their home. Nancy was a big part of that.

Thanks Nancy for your time here, the lessons you taught us, the smile you showed us, and I look forward to seeing you soon.

Cam

Currently Reading: Velvet Elvis – Rob Bell



The blog world is interesting. Is our world in such a search for significance that we are willing to put all of our deepest thoughts on the web for all to see – in hopes that someone, somewhere will find our thoughts worth reading? Are we so desperate to be noticed that we prostitute our thoughts for the sake of being recognized? I think so.

I am entering this world for a few reasons. First of all, I like most who blog, find my thoughts worthwhile and write in hopes that something I say may help someone along their journey and search for meaning. Secondly, I see this as a way to keep my thoughts in order. If I take the time to write my feelings down, perhaps I can figure out what I truly think. Thirdly, I see this as a way to ‘keep in touch’ with those I love without needing to write letters, stamp and send them to everyone. If you read my thoughts and I read yours, we may become closer than we’ve ever been. And lastly, I have nothing better to do. In some sense that’s true.

So, please enjoy – if anyone is actually reading. I hope that we can laugh together, talk about life together, and learn something through this process.

Talk to you soon.

Cam

Currently Listening: The Format - Interventions & Lullabies



I always wondered if I would take the plunge into the world of blogging. I guess I am now. Well, everything from here-on-in are my personal thoughts on life, God, sports, politics, food, music, or whatever else happens to be on my mind. As for now I have no thoughts...but please keep posted...as I will keep posting. Enjoy.

Cam