Thursday, March 29, 2007

Memories

Do you have a memory of me? If so, just post a comment about it. It doesn't matter if you know me a little or a lot. Memories of me is what I want. I have seen other people do this and it's pretty cool and funny. Repost this as a "memories" and see the responses you get.

Until next time, I have two words for ya... good bye!
Mr. C.C.

“We all have our time machines. Some take us back, they're called memories. Some take us forward, they're called dreams.”
-Jeremy Irons, British Actor

“Whenever I think of the past, it brings back so many memories.”
-Steven Wright, American comedian

“A person is neither whole nor healthy without the memories of photo albums. They are the storybook of our lives. They provide a nostalgic escape from the tormented days of the present.”
-Patrick Garry

“Some people do not become thinkers simply because their memories are too good.”
-Frederich Nietzsche, German classical scholar, philosopher, and critic of culture

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

This Alberta Weather

Alberta weather in the last few weeks has been inconsistent. It will snow one day, then the next day it will melt away. Then it will snow again, then once again melt away. What is up with that? At least in Saskatchewan when it's cold, it is for a number of week or two, but when it's nice, it's nice.

I don't know why Alberta weather is the way it is. Do you?

Sunday, March 18, 2007

Extreme Impact '07 Done!

This weekend has been rewarding though tiring at the same time. Extreme Impact has ended and yes there will never be another Extreme. That doesn't mean that you can't shepard the students in other ways. Future youth will never get to experience what others in the past have. But I digress, the journey to know is not over.

Even though I would have liked to be on the worship team, I am now realizing that being on security is a blessing in disguise. Even though the worship team put a lot of time and effort into getting the worship all planned out and whatnot, they didn't get much time to talk with the students. That's one thing my friend Mark wished he could have done due to being so busy with the worship team and practicing for each session.

We were getting things fine tuned right up to when the students were coming and getting signed in on Friday. On Friday after the sign ins there was some free time before the first session. Then the first worship was at 7 PM. We managed to cram the students, CBC students, and the staff into the worship space. It got hot in there and that was a sign of things to come. We got to hear a story from one of the CBC students on Friday. There were also some games for prizes at these sessions. At this session, they had to find a piece of gum this questionable looking stuff on a plate and blow a bubble, but the blowing of a bubble wasn't working.

Later on Friday we went to the Southland Recreation Center where we could go so swimming, skate, play hockey, play basketball, play badminton, or just chill and hang out. I chose to play basketball. It was fun. Luke Carlson got stuffed by his little, I should say younger brother Matt Carlson, who is a CBC student. Although he doesn't like to admit it. I said to him: "You were stuffed by your own little bro." Luke replied to me by saying: "Yeah, as he was holding my other arm." I just won't let him live that down. But it was all in good fun.

Saturday came soon and well, the second session was at around 9 AM. We got to hear more stories from CBC students and from a couple of youth pastors. It was a chance to hear a how their lives have continually been shaped as they have been a Christian. The game they did was that one person sat on a chair while another person had to shave the balloon without breaking it. In the end, one of the MC's Kara broke them anyways and the two people sitting got wet.

After lunch there was a variety of activities people could participate in if they so wished. I played ultimate Frisbee. It was fun, but I haven't play in months. Then at 5:30 the coffeehouse started with the act the opened and closed. I did two things in the coffeehouse. I did a Kiss cover with Manny Coon and the Facelickers. We did "I Was Made For Loving You." The crowd went nuts when it did the wailing part of that song. People were saying how much they loved it. I do have to admit that it was awesome.

Later on Saturday, We had a bit of worship after setting up our God encounter stations. After the worship we went to our God encounter stations. The station I was at for the students to come to was the spontaneous prayer/song/scripture station. Everybody got into it when I "Gotta Serve Somebody" by Bob Dylan. Near the end of the song as I was singing the chorus, people would repeat by saying "serve somebody." I just love that song. It's one of the few Bob Dylan songs I like. It has a gospel like feel to it. It was great.

Then we finished out the night we more worship. We hard people share some how they see the kingdom of God and what it means to them. Near the end people were getting into. It was awesome. People were jumping, dancing, singing, and just worshiping. Sure it may seem like a Jesus high, but it was great in that moment to see people worshiping God in their own way. Then after people could stay and worship or go out to the lounge or where ever and chill. I being on security got to lockup that at midnight.

Sunday came soon as well and we hard our last session. It was the last time that we as a large group could come and just worship as a whole before going back home. Then the CBC students pitched in and got the place cleaned in great time. No class tomorrow (Monday) morning. Only one class in the afternoon.

This body of Mr. C.C. although tired feels a sense of accomplishment. Thanks for reading. Now here is some food for thought.

"Anyone desperate enough for suicide...should be desperate enough to go to creative extremes to solve problems: elope at midnight, stow away on the boat to New Zealand and start over, do what they always wanted to do but were afraid to try."
-Richard Bach, American writer

"The less secure a man is, the more likely he is to have extreme prejudice."
-Clint Eastwood, American actor and writer

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Abortion

In biblical ethics class yesterday we talked about abortion. Abortion is one of those issues that is not a black and white issue. It has so much gray area that it's unbelievable. It's one of those issues that people are sometimes so touchy about. But it was pretty calm in class. Yes people voiced their opinions, but they weren't lively about voicing them which is a good thing in many respects.

When the class was talking about it, there was the issue of when does life start. People said when the girl conceived or when the fetus started developing hands, fingers, toes, etc.. I don't really when life starts honestly. Sure I could take a guess, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's correct and some people said the same thing as other people, but just in different words.

I brought up the issue of motivation such as financial stability, poverty, etc.. It's pretty ignorant to say: "It's there choice to have an abortion." Sure it's there choices, but let's honest here, there has to be more behind it then it's just there choice. In the second class yesterday, I also brought up that harm might come to the mother via death during delivery or abuse in the home and whatnot. I believe there is no black and white area on this part of the motivation aspect of abortion. You don't know each individual persons case. It's different for each person why they got an abortion. Sure a lot have abortions because of convenience on their life because they don't want to make the adjustments in their life to take care of a child. My teacher in the first class brought up the issue of abortion because of rape. Even though it's only .0001 per cent of the time, doesn't make it any less of significant. People should stop trying to justify their motivation with the classic "it's their choice." No, as I said there is more to it then that. Justification makes you look ignorant for a lack knowing the whole story.

This issue of abortion yesterday went as far as to talk about freedom and responsibility. My teacher Todd said that the opposite of freedom is not slavery, but responsibility. But one of the students said that freedom and responsibility go hand in hand. But I disagree with that because you can be free not and be responsible. For instance, there are people that are free yet they continually get caught drunk driving which is irresponsible (I know first hand). Freedom and responsibility do not go hand in hand. There are some pretty irresponsible people that are free. It seems like what this person was getting at was that you have to be responsible to be free and again that's not always true.

We also talked about this second wave that happens years after people abort. It's when they have families and then they have feelings about having an abortion and whatnot. Is it really worth it if this second wave is going to happen? Do you really want to have all this emotional stress years later because of your abortion? Just something to think about.

All in all, abortion is a very sticky subject with no clear answers. But one thing my friend Mark mentioned was that a lot of the stuff in class was geared towards the conservative minds in the class. Which I guess I can see a bit. Either way we could spend years talking about abortion.

"I've noticed that everybody that is for abortion has already been born."
-Ronald Reagan, quoted in New York Times, 22 September 1980


"If the anti-abortion movement took a tenth of the energy they put into noisy theatrics and devoted it to improving the lives of children who have been born into lives of poverty, violence, and neglect, they could make a world shine. "
-Michael Jay Tucker

“How can anyone be against abortion but for the death penalty?”

-Loesje, Dutch fictional character