Double Down

Over the weekend I was travelling with some students on a ministry weekend for Maritime Christian College. On our way over we stopped at McAllister Mall to eat and stretch. I was scanning the options in the food court for something we don't have on the island but nothing seemed all that appealing so I wondered over to KFC. Now, you may or may not be familiar with it but KFC has this new sandwich that was actually blocked from Canada for a time called the "Double Down" as seen in the picture. There is no bun. It is two pieces of chicken, with two pieces of cheese, 3 strips of bacon and some sort of mayo-like sauce. I'm not sure of the nutritional breakdown but I can't imagine it is too good for you but man it was tasty! Anyhow, while I was in line fully intending to buy this meal I stood behind a woman who ordered one of the regular sandwiches (the ones with a bun!) and asked for them to hold the lettuce which is pretty much the only redeeming part of any KFC order. I kind of snickered to myself thinking of how she was removing that single remotely healthy ingredient until I realized, "who am I to laugh? I'm about to order the most unhealthy combo known to man!"

That kind of made me think of how easily we slip into judgment of other people. Talk about seeing a spec over a plank! But it really is amazing how we like to do that. In fact I've found that we will be even more likely to see wrongs in other people that are things we actually don't like about ourselves. If someone goes off on you all at once over something that really isn't that big of a deal, odds are it is something they are struggling with themselves. I guess when it comes right down to it we need to be continually making sure we have the specs or planks free from our own eyes. Only then can we help our brothers and sisters with their struggles, which is a much better approach then passing silent judgment!

New Blog

Well hello old friend! It has been far too long since I sat down to write a "blog" post. I've had good intentions to start blogging again a few times but they never seem to pan out and this might not either. I'm continually amazed at how God really does make all things new and the encouragement and growth that can stem from newness in life. For example I have started a new job. I am no longer in full time pulpit ministry which is kind of strange. I spent 4 years in school preparing to do that ministry and exactly 4 years in that ministry as a paid staff. Now I'm back at the school! I am the new Director of Admissions at Maritime Christian College. I am loving it so far, it is very busy but that is good. Still trying to figure most of it out but I am processing some applications so that is a good thing for sure!

Speaking of new things, I have a new baby boy on the way soon! Easton Benjamin Foreman will be with us sometime in early December if he doesn't decide to drop in on us early. Getting his new room cost me my old office which means my leafs shine will have to move to my new office at the college. Well some of it, my goal for my new office at the college is for it not to look like an 8 year old's office so nice, classy looking stuff can come, Mr. Potato Head has to stay in a box :-(

And one last new thing, I have started growing a new mustache today! Not just to bug my wife though that is a bonus but to raise awareness and money for prostate cancer research. It's called Movember and you can check it out here. It's pretty clean cut today but here is a preview of what it could be!

Long Shot

On the off chance that anyone actually stumbles accross this blog here is a link you need to check out. I'm asking you to donate only 10 bucks to breast cancer research. I don't know a single family that has not been touched by cancer in some way. This is a small amount that makes a BIG difference to a great cause, I hope you check it out.

https://www.cibcrunforthecure.com/html/personal_page.asp?track=3315061&languageid=1

Rain drops keep falling on my head...

Well so much for bringing blogging back... first post since February. I can read back and see where if I missed a month it was a big deal. Oh well, blogging is a bit of a thing of the past but I still like having the creative outlet every now and again so if no one reads this that is just fine its not all that creative anyways and it's more for me anyways. (that was the worst sentence ever)

So over the past few days it has been like I'm Hexed or something! I started the week with a nasty sunburn on my mostly bald head and face. So that feels pretty good. Then I went to mow the jungle that is my lawn but decided I should mow my neighbour's first so I was 2/3's done that when I could smell smoke... then I could see smoke, then my foot got really hot... then i realized that the mower was ON FIRE! So that was fun, I splashed the dog's water on it and all was well but i was not able to finish her lawn or start my own. Then we threw a load in the washer and took the dog for a walk coming back to find the drain hose had worked itself loose and flooded the bathroom and leaked through the floor down into the basement... into my hockey bag. SO the next night I'm going to eat my lovely supper I prepared comprised of 3 no name mini Pizzas -a-la-cardboard and when I go to take the last one off the rack it slips through and falls down on the cheese side. Then I went outside and tried to get through my jungle with a little push mower I have but then I hit a big rock and now its not working the greatest and I didn't get a lot accomplished in the several hours I was out there.

So there ya go there is the past few days for me. Not a great update considering how long its been but whatever. Let's see how many months it takes this time.

Fiday Night Hockey

For the past six years over the hockey season most every Friday night you can find me at the rink for pick-up hockey. I love hockey, love to play, love the feel of the ice, the smell of the rink (other then the dressing room) and just the feeling of enjoying the game. However last night our ice time was canceled due to the 33rd annual Spud Tournament. Boo! Our ice on Sunday is canceled too. So to keep the Friday Night Hockey tradition alive, we went to watch 'YOUR PEI ROOOOOOOOCKET!" as Kirk says. The Rocket kind of stink this year and are second last in the conference but they actually played really well and pulled off a 7-3 victory. There was this kid at the game who sat right in front of us who, I am pretty sure, missed most of the game because he was turned around staring at us. Weird. AND Walker (he's my favorite) got a goal and 2 assists. Woot! Then we went out for wings and nachos while watching hockey. A good hockey evening in spite of the spud tourny. Life is good. Now if the Leafs could just pull out a freaking W. We'll see.

That kind of season I guess

Bitter or Better?

Here’s the thing about bitterness, it is the bitter person who is weighed down and affected by it, not the person, people or situation that the bitterness is directed at. It’s something that takes up your time, causes stress, and the feeling of bitterness overflows into relationships, and how you handle other situations. It can put a strain on every other aspect of your life and somehow the initial bitter feelings continue to intensify until you are so mad and so bitter over something that you realize that whatever it was you were so mad about is quite small in comparison to how much it is frigging up your life!

Isn't it so funny how the simple solution is to "let it go." Anyone ever say that to you? Hey man, just let it go. Yet if it was somehow that simple to just "let it go" wouldn't we just do that and then get on with the rest of the day? If you want to know the truth, it is HARD to let it go when someone "wrongs" you or treats you unfairly. It is hard not to dwell on those things as we are so much more inclined to share bad news then good. Ever see that show "The News?" It IS FULL of bad news. That is the way we are.

Here is what we NEED to do (lots of CAPS in this post eh?) we need to ask God for help and grant "forgiveness" and "grace" in these times. You know? The same forgiveness and grace that God grants me everyday. Imagine if God got all bitter and held grudges for all the stupid things we've done... that would be a bad scene. Now compare how much you've sinned against God and what things you have done to him to the bitterness that may be in your life right now against someone or some people. Yikes... ever feel about 6 inches tall?

A Homiletics Professor of mine once told me in every tough situation that comes our way we can be Bitter or Better.

I hope I can consistently make the right choice.