Princely Purpose

Nice View

Visitors just dropped by our home for the 1st time and they commented on the great view we have from our front yard.

I've posted pictures here on Pilgrim Scribblings looking out from one of my office windows but after hearing those comments I thought I better take more pictures.

Here's one I took this afternoon, Thanksgiving Day, and it reminded me of something that we can be thankful for...a house with a "nice" view.

We will be putting out home on the real estate market in the next week so we are enjoying our country location while we can.

Thank you, Father, for your provision.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING ???

While looking through the archives I found the following Thanksgiving poem.  I had written it to be posted on the American Thanksgiving Day back in 2007 but much of it applies to us here in Canada. Here it is!

  

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! 

Tonight I put a few lines together and called it...
An Atheist's Lament on Thanksgiving Day. 

How sad it must be to have so much and yet not believe in the God who is the giver of every good and perfect gift. Sad to say, the words of this poem could be true of many people during this Thanksgiving season.

Today I am thankful for friends and great food,
I don't have to work so I'm in a good mood;
Our family will be here and we'll watch the game
We'll be feasting on turkey, it's always the same.
And when it's all over, I've said my "goodbyes"
I'm sick to my stomach, I've got bloodshot eyes;
The bottles are empty and my mind is blank
But saddest of all...I've got no one to thank!

 
Note: For the believing Christian, Thanksgiving should be one of the most joyous days of the year. The Father has blessed us bountifully and we have so much to praise and thank Him for.

 

Safely Home

Paul Collet - Brother Beloved

Most people, if they are fortunate enough, have friends who come into their lives and impact them in ways that are unforgettable.

My life-long friend and mentor, Paul Collet, was one of those special people.  Tonight I learned that he is now in the presence of the Lord he loved and served for many, many years.

Paul was a friend who I looked up to when I was a young boy.  He encouraged me to love Jesus and continued to do so until the very end.

A year ago, as a result of failing health, he moved to British Columbia to be cared for by his son Dennis (a life-long friend of mine) and Nancy (his daughter-in-law).

If I was asked to mention one thing about Paul's life it would be..."he was in love with Jesus."

Now he is in the presence of the Lord forever.  What a glorious entrance it must have been!

Good bye, dear friend.  We'll meet again soon.

Wild Card

In all my years of involvement with professional baseball I've never experienced the drama of a wild card race like I did last night.  

Boston and Tampa Bay tied going into their final games. Rays down 7-0 to the Yankees and pull out an 8-7 win. Boston ahead 3-2 in the 8th and Baltmore squeaks out a 4-3 win. Tampa moves on. Boston is out. 

Same in the NL. The Braves fall apart and the Cardinals advance. Wow! What a finish! 

Gary Carter

Gary Carter , Hall of Famer

Nothing seems to wrench one from self-absorption and pity parties like the realization that there are others whose battles are raging more fiercely than your own.  This is especially true for me when I read the journal Gary Carter's daughter, Kimmy, as she relates her dad's fight with cancer.

Gary was my 1st friend in Major League Baseball back in 1975 and he played such an important part in the early days of my ministry to pro ballplayers.

Please take the time to read Kimmy's account.  God has gifted her in marvelous ways and her account of her dad's battle is both gut-wrenching and God-honoring at the same time. - David

Kimmy writes:

I have learned how to appreciate people, time and everyday life more these past four months than ever before. It’s the simple things that make me smile like when I make a phone call to a friend or family member and I hear a simple,  "Hello" on the other side. It brings me true joy to have a conversation and catch up. I encourage all of you to say "I love you" more, give more hugs and jump on every opportunity to spend time with the ones you love. There may not be a tomorrow.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." 

Jeremiah 29:11-13

On Friday, I had another opportunity to share dad's story at PBA's chapel. This time it was for FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes). I actually don't feel comfortable speaking in front of people but I had a peace knowing the words that came out of my mouth were straight from the Lord. Daily, I ask Him to use me for His glory even if it is out of my comfort zone. 

This day was a tough day for dad. He was sad and very down. To lift his spirits, mom ordered pizzas for the family to enjoy and bring us together. I think it helped but dad was still not having an upbeat day. He was exhausted and the day just dragged on. 

"Behold, GOD is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid: for the LORD 

JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; He also is become my salvation."
Isaiah 12:2

Saturday was another difficult day; however, through the sadness, dad still got out of bed and swam laps in the pool. That evening, my mom and dad (with my daughter) ate dinner with my sister, Matt and the boys. My sister had prepared a nice meal and invited them over for an enjoyable evening. Dad lasted just over a hour before he needed to go home.  While my family was enjoying a nice meal, my husband and I (with friends Ronnie and Marissa) drove to Port St. Lucie for the Mets game. In between the doubleheader, dad's good friend Jack Brenner presented a nice check to the Gary Carter Foundation. The money was raised through Jack’s encouragement and we thank him for such a nice gift. It was a special, emotional evening to honor dad.

Sunday we went to a nice church service and came home to grab a quick bite to eat at my parents’ house. Before dad rested, we (dad, my husband and I) went to PBA for about 2.5 hours to clean out dad's office. Aside from being a little worn out, dad was sharp and doing well as we helped him organize his things. He felt there was some accomplishment, which made him feel good. On the way home, dad and I played our “song game”…be the first to name the artist who is singing the current song on the radio. We have played this since we were little. Before we arrived to my parents' house, the song "Can you feel the love tonight?" by Elton John began to play. Of course we both knew the famous artist and I began to sing the lyrics. It was awesome that dad remembered every word and sang with me in the car. Again, it is the little things I treasure each day.

On Monday, dad slept pretty much all day as the exhaustion was really taking over his body. He got out of bed a few times but for the most part, slept a good portion of the day. I was proud of him though that he was able to swim 14 laps in the pool. What a fighter! That evening we were all looking forward to a nice evening at a Mexican restaurant called La Bamba. We had received gift certificates from our precious friends the Hobgoods and we decided to make it a fun night out! Unfortunately, my sister's oldest, C.J. got very sick so they stayed in for the night. Mom, dad, Kyle and I still went to dinner and enjoyed a nice night. Unfortunately, C.J. was the first of many more family members that got sick for the next few days. Thankfully my dad and husband did not get the “plague”. We were hit hard and are glad that is all over.

On Tuesday, mom and dad went to Wellington to meet with the doctor. They were told that dad looked good and that he was able to still have his Avastin treatment in a couple days. You see, Avastin is wonderful to destroy these tumors; however, the downside is that Avastin can create blood clots. Dad will continue to give himself a shot everyday in his stomach to dissolve the blood clots. So, dad has to fight extra hard so we need extra prayers! His breathing is much better. He doesn’t need to sleep with oxygen anymore but it is still in the house just in case. Dad will have his next appointment with the doctor in two weeks. 

After the doctor’s appointment, my parents went to a movie and spent some time together. It is always good to get dad out of the house and have something fun to do. Before he went to sleep, dad enjoyed that crazy show Wipeout and he roared with laughter, something we haven’t heard in a long time. Again, it's the little things.

On Wednesday, dad met his good friends Dave Van Horne and Tommy Hutton for lunch. Dad was very aware and had a great day overall.

On Thursday, dad swam laps in the pool before Mead Chasky and Ronnie Strawberry came by the house for a few hours. When they left, dad rested before going with my husband to PBA at 5pm to watch his baseball guys test for strength and conditioning. Kyle told us that dad watched a few exercises and then made his way from the balcony down to the gym floor (it was moved inside due to the south Florida afternoon rain). Between exercises, the players all walked over to dad and each guy gave him a hug or shook his hand. They surrounded him and he said a few words to greet them and shared how he has been feeling. It was a special moment for dad being welcomed so warmly by his guys! 

Throughout the workout, he was interacting with the guys and joking with some of them (mostly inside jokes from last season). It was a blessing for Kyle to see him "in his element" around the baseball team. At the end of the workout, Coach (Kent) Bottenfield asked dad to come over and say a few words. As he spoke, it was, for a moment, as though dad was 100%! His fatigue had been lifted (although temporarily), and he was firing up the guys and sharing his expectations for the spring season. Kyle took a picture of this moment and texted it to me, mom, Christy and DJ to share the good news! I am hoping that being around his guys more often will really help dad gain more energy.

Yesterday, mom and dad had a conversation with the doctor and it was a good report. His white blood count was good as well as his vitals (bp, heart, temp, breathing, etc.) and he was able to get his Avastin treatment today. Praise the Lord!

Mom has been dad's greatest encourager. They have been married for over 36 years and are a great team. Mom has done many things to make things better for dad...driving him around, cooking him nutritious meals, going to every doctor's appointment and daily encouraging him to stay positive. I love that mom and dad are fighting together and pray together each night for comfort and strength through this battle.

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." 
Philippians 4:13

Prayers for the upcoming week:

Blood clots to go away in the lungs and leg
A strong week of activity, energy and motivation before he starts his
5 day chemo treatment the following week
Exhaustion...pray he gets rest but then FEELS rested. He has the time to rest but is frustrated when his body shuts down and has little energy.
Continued functioning of his body...besides exhaustion and bruising/cuts on his legs and arms, everything else is working as it should.

HEALING, HEALING, HEALING
...October 11th will be a good result for dad's next MRI in DUKE

OTHER FAMILY MATTERS

My sister's family and sweet C.J. It is not an easy road for them as they are battling autism. Their journey is difficult and they have many many bumps each day.

Looking Back

More from Greg concerning Todd Beamer and 9/11:


Courage Has a Face

Ten years ago
four planes went down.
Two towers fell
at Zero Ground.
And one young man
who cried "Let's roll!"
gave bravery a face.

Todd Beamer
(on Flight 93)
defended
faith and liberty
as he lived-out
what he'd been taught
and died without regrets.

At home
and at Jon Blanchard's school,
Todd learned
that no one is a fool
who gives away
what he can't keep
to gain what he can't lose.

At Wheaton
Beamer Center stands
reminding us
to serve God's plans
across the street
or 'round the world
or on a hijacked plane.

So on this anniversary
as we recall that dreadful day,
let's thank the Lord
for those who died
that we might freely live.

* http://www.wheaton.edu/Student-Life/Activities/Beamer-Center

** Todd Beamer's godly mother spoke truth into the young patriot's life before it was prematurely concluded http://www.crosswalk.com/11622565/

*** http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20110906/news/709069751/

September 11

The following reflections on September 11th, 2001 were written by my friend Greg Asimakoupoulos:

You can read more of Greg's prose and poetry at The Partial Observer.

Where were you on Sept. 11, 2001? That’s a question the vast majority of Americans can easily answer.

On that unforgettable Tuesday morning I was driving from Naperville to Carol Stream listening to WFMT. Carl Grapentine, the announcer, interrupted the music and read a news bulletin.

 

First reports indicated a small single-engine plane had crashed into one of the towers of the World Trade Center. Subsequent reports brought the fuzzy news story into fearful focus. We were a nation under attack.

The magnitude of the tragedy soon became unimaginable. Thousands of lives had been lost. Tens of thousands had been personally impacted. The skyline of New York City had been altered beyond recognition.

What was worse, our enemy was unknown. Subsequent attacks were possible. As a result, airports across the country closed down for the better part of a week. Churches opened their doors for spontaneous prayer services. There was a renewed sense of patriotism and dependence on God independent of party lines or religious affiliation.

Although the sudden fervor of faith faded as our nation regained its emotional balance, a haunting fear has dogged us for the past decade. National security remains on most everyone’s mind. The increase in terrorist activity overseas, as well as the senseless mass-shootings in our country, has left us feeling vulnerable.

The 10th anniversary of Sept. 11 provides us with an opportunity to remember how quick we were willing to turn to God a decade ago. This sad milestone causes us to recall the fragility of life and fleeting nature of peace. It is an invitation to reflect and listen to what our Creator is attempting to say to us in the midst of daily headlines that rob our sense of confidence.

We all reflect and listen differently. Some meditate in silence. Some brush paint on an empty canvas. Others journal their innermost thoughts. Still others go on a contemplative walk in nature.

My preference is to write poetry. As the anniversary of Sept. 11 approached, I put pen to paper as I was reminded that God holds us securely even when the slippery fingers of our faith find hanging on to hope difficult.

Since Sept. 11 is a Sunday, local clergy can use the following poem as a congregational hymn. (Suggested tunes: “Ode to Joy” and “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.”)

God remains our source of courage when we’re traumatized by terror.
When we’re haunted by the headlines and the violence everywhere.
Hear God whisper in the silence, “Don’t despair, I’m in control.
Hurting hearts and broken cities will at last one day be whole.”

God recalls that tragic Tuesday when twin towers disappeared,
when 3,000 people perished and our hearts were numbed by fear.
Yet God whispers 10 years later, “Justice will in time be done.
I will stand with those who need me ’till my Kingdom fully comes.”

God invites us to be trusting when we find that faith is hard.
When we’re fearful for our safety and our nerves are frayed or jarred.
Still God whispers in the silence, “Even when your faith is weak,
I will keep your feet from stumbling when your way is dark and bleak.”

An ancient Hebrew poet composed a hymn for an insecure nation that offers a similar theme. You don’t know the tune, but it’s likely you know the words:

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.” — Psalm 46:1-2  NIV

Ravens Fed

Here's a re-post of a poem I wrote back in 2008. God still provides!

The wicked king Ahab
Makes others' sins pale
He's forsaken My ways 

And now worships Baal.

Get over to Kerith
And there by the creek
I'll send you your groceries
Each day, not each week.

Don't question the method
I use to send bread
These scavenger ravens
Will do what I've said.

The drought you have forecast
Will dry up the land
There'll be no more water
Except by My hand.

Just wait here and trust Me
Be patient and true
In the fullness of time
You'll know what to do.

A Zarephath widow
And her only son
Will offer you lodging
But wait, I'm not done.

In the midst of the drought
There'll be flour and oil
Enough for each day
And it never will spoil.

And there you will see
My great power and might
So trust me today
Don't give up the fight.

Now just like Elijah
The prophet of old
My people can trust me
With faith strong and bold.

I'm Jehovah-Jireh
Your needs I'll provide
I'm sovereign and faithful
I'll walk by your side.

So lay aside doubting
Your burdens I'll bear
The Lord God Almighty
Has you in His care.

© David W. Fisher
February 7th, 2008

Third Prize

Here's the article that appeared in today's (September 3rd) Peterborough Examiner.

Thanks to Mike Davies for promoting this contest:

Komets finish third in Filmpossible contest

By MIKE DAVIES / Examiner Sports Director

The Kawartha Komets special needs hockey team finished third in the Filmpossible Contest sponsored by the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital.

While final vote tallies were not made public, Komets co-founder Carol Fisher said she was told by organizers the Komets video, Bringing Visibility to Disability, was 50 votes shy of first place.

For their efforts the Komets win an Apple ipad 2. The grand prize was $5,000 and second prize $1,000. Winners were selected through online voting.

"Even thought we didn't win thousands upon thousands of people looked at these videos," said Fisher. "For every vote Holland Bloorview got $1 up to $10,000. They reached their $10,000 goal which is amazing.

We also got to promote Special Hockey International."

The Komets video depicted efforts made by team members to get a young girl from Pittsburgh, who requires an adapted walker to skate, her first goal. She scored against the Komets during the Special Hockey International Tournament in Boston in April.

"We want to thank everyone who faithfully voted for our entry," said Carol's husband and co-founder David Fisher. "Thanks to all of you who asked your friends and contacts to vote for us. We appreciate your support so much. Thank you to Carlo Raponi for putting the footage together so skilfully and to our coaches Dale Lowe and Sean Quinlan for their excellent commentary. Sean, if you hadn't caught the moment on your video camera we couldn't have shared this moving experience with thousands of viewers."

Full contest details and the video can be viewed at www.filmpossible.ca.

Sad Stigma

Wade Belak - R.I.P.

Culture of winning creates stigma of mental illness in pro sport 

by ANNE McILROY 

From the Globe and Mail, Published Thursday, Sep. 01, 2011 

The stigma that still surrounds mental illness may prevent professional athletes from seeking the help they need.

“This is, I think, a huge issue. There is a culture around professional sports, a culture of strength, a culture of winning. You can’t be a professional athlete without those pieces in your psyche,” said Stanley Kutcher, an expert on mental health at Dalhousie University in Halifax. “So if someone has a mental illness, it must be very, very difficult to deal with that. Because the expectations are that you are always strong.’’

Former National Hockey League player Wade Belak, 35, was found dead in his hotel room on Wednesday. He took his own life. Dr. Kutcher said he doesn’t know anything about the circumstances, but he suspects it may be hard for professional athletes to seek help if they feel depressed or suicidal.

Mr. Belak retired from playing earlier this year.

Retirement can be especially difficult for professional athletes, said Antonia Baum, a doctor at George Washington University Medical Center who, in 2005, published a research paper on athletes and suicide.

The transition can be more “abrupt and dramatic than for one who does not rely on his body for his livelihood or identify,” she wrote in the journal Clinics in Sports Medicine.

Since 1980, at least seven former National Football League players have committed suicide after retirement, she reported.

“Mike Wise, a pro lineman for the Los Angeles Raiders and the Cleveland Browns, killed himself just three weeks following his waiver by Cleveland. A few days earlier, he had told his fiancée ‘… that he equated having his name on the waiver wire with having it in an obituary.’ ”

She also cited a study that found that many retired NHL players – 67 per cent – have injuries and 20 per cent have marital or emotional problems.

 

High Church

Our boys always want us to get to their summer camp(s) early so they can grab a top bunk.

I've never been able to understand why they want to climb up there and then try to navigate the ladder in the middle of the night when nature calls.

I always tried to get the bottom bunk closest to the door.

Maybe if we installed these pew punks there'd be a rush to get to church early.

Maybe not!

For more "Christian" laughs check out this link.

Deadline Day

Today I posted the following Status Update on my personal Facebook page...and the Kawartha Komets Facebook page:

"If I was a rich man I'd give each ONE who votes for the Kawartha Komets video TONIGHT...the deadline...$100.00 but if I was that wealthy it wouldn't matter if we won the $5,000 first prize or not. Anyhow...it's a moot point because we're not RICH in material goods but we have 35 priceless hockey players that have been given a chance to play HOCKEY."

Yes, TONIGHT, Wednesday, August 31st, is the DEADLINE.  If you haven't REGISTERED, LOGGED IN and VOTED today...PLEASE DO IT NOW.

For the sake of the kids,

David & Carol Fisher 

Did You?

Day 3 of the voting for best video in the Filmpossible Contest.

You can VIEW and VOTE at www.filmpossible.ca 

Voting ends at midnight on August 31st so please vote TODAY and EVERY DAY.

If we win 1st prize of $5,000 we will be able to help with registrations, equipment, coaching clinics, bus trips to away games, etc. 

THANKS FOR CASTING YOUR VOTE!

Komets Koverage

Check out the coverage the Kawartha Komets received this evening on CHEX TV.  Thanks to Meaghan Roy for her excellent work!

Click here to watch the clip.

Be sure to VIEW and VOTE at www.filmpossible.ca

You only have to register once and then you can log on EVERY DAY and cast your vote.  Voting ends at midnight on August 31st!

Thanks for supporting the Kawartha Komets Special Needs Hockey Program! 

Vote Today?

Please take time to cast your vote for the Kawartha Komets' entry in the Filmpossible Contest  We are one of 6 finalists.

Thousands of special needs hockey players across North America will benefit as you view the video and cast your vote.

Here's the link.

Thank you!

Komets Advance

WE DID IT!

Tonight we learned that the Kawartha Komets video entry in the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital's Filmpossible Contest was voted on by the judges as one of the 6 finalists.  Wow!  Exciting news!

Now we just have to get the word out to all our family, friends, associates, schools, clubs, etc. and get YOU to vote...EVERY DAY.

Here is the PRESS RELEASE that we are sending out today:

The Kawartha Komets Special Needs Hockey Program’s video submission to the Filmpossible Contest sponsored by the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital has been voted one of the six (6) finalists by the judging committee.  The entry is entitled Bringing Visibility to Disability.

The objective of the Contest, according to the Holland Bloorview web site, is “to increase awareness of and promote engagement with the issues of childhood disability and to encourage and celebrate those who advocate for childhood disability by sharing their stories.”

The Kawartha Komets submission centers around video footage shot by one of their coaches, Sean Quinlan, at the Special Hockey International Tournament in Boston in April. This entry was put together by videographer Carlo Raponi and includes commentary by Sean Quinlan and another Komets coach, Dale Lowe.

As seen on the video, one of the Komets’ players, Brandon Vansickle, placed the puck on the stick of a Steel City Icebergs (Pittsburgh) player, 5-year-old Nicole Mullins with multiple physical challenges, allowing her to skate down the ice in a special walker fashioned by her father.  Players from both teams watched as Nicole took a shot on the Komets goalie, Colin Gillis-Bateman, who plays without a goalie stick. Colin has cerebral palsy on one side of his body as a result of a stroke in utero.  Nicole scored her first-ever goal and the crowd went wild.

Voting on the six finalists begins today, August 24^th, and runs for a week ending August 31^st.  First prize is $5,000, the 2^nd place winner receives $1,000 and 3^rd prize is an Apple iPad 2.

You must register to vote and then you can log in EVERY DAY and vote for the Komets entry entitled “Bringing Visibility to Disability”.  Every member of the family can vote as long as they register and log in with their own e-mail address.

Please register, log in and vote on the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital web site at www.filmpossible.ca

Please forward this e-mail to everyone on your e-mail list and encourage them to REGISTER, LOG IN and VOTE.  THANK YOU!

THANK YOU everyone for helping to increase awareness of these very special athletes.  YOUR VOTE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Farewell Rick

In the aftermath of NHLer Rick Rypien's tragic death, Scott Burnside writes, "This is what we do in the face of unexplained tragedy. We ask questions for which there are precious few answers. We demand change and action without really understanding what it was that led to the tragedy in the first place. We wonder at what might have been done differently, what signs might have been missed."  

Mental health issues are so difficult to admit, get help for and be understood by others. So tragic!

Please keep Rick Rypien's family in your prayers! I pray that the stigma attached to mental illness will somehow, someday, forever be removed.     

Motive8 You

David Fisher is available to speak to your service club, organization, church, club or school.  He has been a sought-after public speaker for over 35 years.

David spent 29 seasons as the chapel leader for the Toronto Blue Jays and 14 years in the same capacity with the Peterborough Petes Hockey Club.

David speaks on a variety of topics including Sports, Mental Health Issues, Dealing With Depression, Adoption, the Christian Faith and many others.

Contact David @ (705) 750-0655 for further details or e-mail him at: dwfisher@nexicom.net

Any Electives?

Recently I read the following quote by Joseph Stowell in his excellent devvotional book, Strength for the Journey.

Stowell writes, "When we see the 'school of adversity' that God enrolls all of His saints in, we may want to say, 'Thanks anyway, Lord.  Do you have any electives?'"

God's way is not always the easy way but...it's the best way.

Video Contest...Please View and Vote

We, the Kawartha Komets, have submitted the video that our coach Sean Quinlan shot at the Special Hockey International tournament in Boston in a contest sponsored by the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital. 

The Kawartha Komets have an opportunity to win $5,000. for our Special Needs Hockey Program if we receive YOUR vote and many others.  Please go to the following link and vote every day.  Get each of your family members to vote as well.

Here's the link.

Please view and vote...EVERY DAY.  We are already 23 days behind other entries because we just submitted the video today...the deadline.

Many thanks to Nicole, Colin and the entire Steel City Icebergs and Kawartha Komets teams for giving us such a memorable moment.

Possibilities DO come from disabilities.  Watch the video and you'll be convinced!

Books, Books

While sitting in my office I wondered what life would be like without books.

Wouldn't be much fun for a bibliophile like me.  

I'll never be one to switch from a book in hand to an electronic book reader. 

Books have a personality!  A look, smell and feel of their own.  

Good friends!  You don't want to leave home without one.  

Thought I'd take a couple of pictures in my office.

Dying Out

How long before our places of worship close down and internet "church"
is the cool thing to do?  The times they are a' changin'.  Sad!

Click here for another "sad" story of bookstores dying.
This is the Borders bookstore chain.  If they can't survive
what will be the fate of our local, independent Christian
bookstores?  Their future is at stake and you can make
a difference.  Don't be indifferent!  Support them!

PLEASE SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL CHRISTIAN BOOKSTORE.

IT IS MORE THAN A RETAIL OUTLET...IT IS A LIGHTHOUSE

IN THE COMMUNITY...A SAFE HAVEN...A PLACE WHERE

GOD DOES "GOOD" THINGS.

£300 Plus

Recently I was encouraged as I read Joseph Stowell's account of a moving story from the 1800's in his excellent devotional book, Strength for the Journey.

He related how the Prince of Preachers, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, had been preaching a series of meetings in Bristol, England hoping to raise money for his orphanage back in London.

The week was drawing to a close and Spurgeon had already reached his goal of £300.  He was thrilled with the response but couldn't sleep that night.  God prompted him to give the money to George Muller to help with his orphanages right there in Bristol.  "But Lord?"  No, Spurgeon felt he must go to see Muller.

Arriving at Muller's home he found George on his knees in prayer.  Spurgeon handed over the £300 and Muller acknowledged that he had been seeking God for that exact amount.  They embraced and marvelled at the provision of God.

Upon his return to London, Spurgeon found an envelope containing £300 plus 300 shillings.  God had provided what Spurgeon had passed on to Muller...with interest.

As another great servant of God once said, "I shovel out and God keeps shoveling back but God has a bigger shovel."

Why do we doubt God's promises to provide?  He is Jehovah-Jireh...our Provider.

Note:  For more encouraging stories about God's provision please visit our George Muller blog here.  You will be blessed.

Hot Spots

Check out this interesting link to see what the denominational demographics are in the United States of America.  It's interesting to note where the Bible belt cuts across the mid-section of the U.S.  Not surprising to see where the lowest percentage of Evangelical Christians are found.

Thanks to Paul Wilkinson from Thinking Out Loud for sharing this link on his blog.

July 4th

We wish our special American friends a very special Happy 4th of July.  

"Let Freedom Ring".  

Thanks for being such great neighbours...or neighbors (as you spell it).

Too Cool?

This morning I read this article by Rachel Held Evans. 

Check out more about her at the end of the story. 

I found myself silently uttering AMEN throughout Rachel's comments.

Rachel writes:

People sometimes assume that because I’m a progressive 30-year-old who enjoys Mumford and Sons and has no children, I must want a super-hip church—you know, the kind that’s called “Thrive” or “Be,” and which boasts “an awesome worship experience,” a fair-trade coffee bar, its own iPhone app and a pastor who looks like a Jonas brother. 

While none of these features are inherently wrong (and can of course be used by good people to do good things), these days I find myself longing for a church with a cool factor of about 0.

That’s right.

I want a church that includes fussy kids, old liturgy, bad sound, weird congregants  and - brace yourself - painfully amateur “special music” now and then.

Why?

Well, for one thing, when the Gospel story is accompanied by a fog machine and light show, I always get this creeped-out feeling like someone’s trying to sell me something. It’s as though we’re all compensating for the fact that Christianity’s not good enough to stand on its own so we’re adding snacks.

But more importantly, I want to be part of an uncool church because I want to be part of a community that shares the reputation of Jesus. Like it or not, Jesus’ favorite people in the world were not cool. They were mostly sinners, misfits, outcasts, weirdos, poor people, sick people and crazy people.  

Embracing the Distractions    

Cool congregations can get so wrapped up in the “performance” of church that they forget to actually be the Church, a phenomenon painfully illustrated by the story of the child with cerebral palsy who was escorted from an Easter service for being a “distraction.”

Really?

It seems to me this congregation was distracted long before this little boy showed up. In their self-proclaimed quest for “an explosive, phenomenal movement of God—something you have to see to believe,” they missed Jesus when He was right under their nose.

Was the paralytic man lowered from the rooftop in the middle of a sermon a distraction?

Was the Canaanite woman who harassed Jesus and His disciples about healing her daughter a distraction?

Were the blind men from Jericho who annoyed the crowd with their relentless cries a distraction?

Jesus didn’t think so. In fact, He seemed to think they were the point.

Jesus taught us that when we throw a banquet or a party, our invitation list should include “the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind.” So why do our church marketing teams target the young, the hip, the healthy and the resourced?

We Are All Uncool     

In Bossypants, Tina Fey describes working for the YMCA in Chicago soon after graduating from college. This particular YMCA included, “a great mix of high-end yuppie fitness facility, a wonderful community resource for families and an old-school residence for disenfranchised men.” Fey shares a host of funny stories about working the front desk. One such story involves one of the residents forgetting to take his meds, bumping into a young mom on her way to a workout session and saying something wildly inappropriate. Fey writes: “The young mother was beside herself. That’s the kind of trouble you get when diverse groups of people actually cross paths with one another. That’s why many of the worst things in the world happen in and around Starbucks bathrooms.”

Church can be a lot like the YMCA—or a Starbucks bathroom.

We have one place for the uncool people—our ministries—and another place for the cool people—our church services. When we actually bump into one another, things can get “awkward,” so we try to avoid it.  

The truth is we’re all guilty of thinking we’re too cool for the least of these. Our elitism shows up when we forbid others from contributing art and music because we deem it unworthy of glorifying God, or when we scoot our family an extra foot or two down the pew when the guy with Asperger's sits down. Having helped start a church, I remember hoping our hip guests wouldn’t be turned off by our less-than-hip guests. For a second I forgot that in church, of all places, those distinctions should disappear.

Some of us wear our brokenness on the inside, others on the outside.

But we’re all broken.

We’re all uncool.

We’re all in need of a Savior.

So let’s have some distracting church services—the kind where Jesus would fit right in. 

Rachel Held Evans is the author of Evolving in Monkey Town: How A Girl Who Knew All the Answers Learned to Ask the Questions (Zondervan, 2010). She blogs at http://rachelheldevans.com.  

Bittersweet Holiday

The Pilgrim's Dad

Poet, pastor, friend and all-round good guy Greg Asimakoupoulos has echoed my sentiments again in his Father's Day submission.

Greg writes:

It's that day of the year
when I'm glad I'm a dad
but I grieve that my own's not around.
And I wish I could tell him
how deeply he's missed
since we laid him six feet 'neath the ground.

I'd love him to know
that my girls have achieved
and have made godly choices in life.
How I wish he could meet
the young man who proposed
and will soon make my daughter his wife.

There is much I would ask him
about real estate,
how to broker a deal on a car,
when to liquidate assets
or buy struggling stocks,
how to read a long putt for a par.

Seems I took Dad for granted
and wrongly believed
he would always be there to ask how.
I deluded myself
thinking there would be time
even when cancer furrowed his brow.

And while I am grateful
for all that he did
(not the least was to teach me to pray),
I've a lump in my throat
and a knot in my gut
as I thank God for Dad this Sunday.

Greg Asimakoupoulos

Greg's Note: My dad lost his 14 year battle to prostate cancer on November 4, 2008. I miss him more than words can say!


David's Note: My dad went "home" to be with Jesus on May 21st, 1992 after losing a brief battle to cancer.  Like Greg, I miss him dearly!  Life is sure different without a father.  Mine was the best! 

New Venture

Welcome to FRIENDS Peterborough, a local outreach of a program that began internationally in 1998.  We have been serving the people in Kenya, Brazil, India, the Sudan and other countries but now we are launching our program, giving people a "hands up" right here in our own city, Peterborough.

Here in Peterborough we want to help our "friends" any way we can. We will be available 5-6 days a week from 9:30 - 2:30 in a downtown location that we will announce as soon as negotiations are finalized.

We will lend a listening ear to those to need someone to talk to.  We will not solve the problems of those who visit us but we will refer them to the proper agencies, health care facilities, organizations, etc. that can best meet their needs.  We will be available to help seniors, new Canadians, young people, single parents...in fact, our arms will be open and our hands up...to lend assistance to anyone who comes through our doors.

We will reach out with an attitude of respect, giving dignity to a needy world.

OUR MISSION:

Our mission as FRIENDS is to be hands extended to those in need.  There are many people in our community that are deprived of the basic essentials.  As a humanitarian organization we will seek to provide help to those individuals.

OUR STAFF:

FRIENDS Peterborough is governed by a Board of Directors.  Working in conjunction with that Board will be three men initially.  We will add additional staff and volunteers as needed.

The three men who will co-ordinate the FRIENDS Peterborough program are Chanda Kaziya, Jim Duggan and David Fisher.

As soon as we have finalized our location we will be posting that information here on this site.

We welcome all our future "FRIENDS" to FRIENDS Peterborough!

FRIENDS is a not-for-profit charitable organization registered with the Canadian Revenue Agency.  Our registration # is 890961022 RR0001

Note from David Fisher:  FRIENDS Peterborough asked me to join forces with the two other staff members to help co-ordinate this new venture.  I will continue to write to and encourage athletes through Epistle Sports Ministries.