tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-268694072024-03-13T01:37:16.723-04:00Dave Carrol Church Leader, Writer, Speaker, Marketer, Kindness Guy, Podcaster and Broadcaster Dave Carrolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12138953216264463289noreply@blogger.comBlogger1473125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26869407.post-84740692713144465392021-01-20T10:22:00.002-05:002021-01-20T10:28:39.783-05:00Check Out My New Podcast: Two Wise Fools<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjZCaLfIN31FGzaJvIFR7ITIIYuYS3y-EurDiylOlScOebAkqRLvXTB2gvs3SEpep4DP__3Yaq2YntJumpGu35fK37ZtsrX7WrRisWDH0EBh2PLGIgpOP4ay7EzcqcvzXyFLTW/s1080/TWF+Logo+PNG.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjZCaLfIN31FGzaJvIFR7ITIIYuYS3y-EurDiylOlScOebAkqRLvXTB2gvs3SEpep4DP__3Yaq2YntJumpGu35fK37ZtsrX7WrRisWDH0EBh2PLGIgpOP4ay7EzcqcvzXyFLTW/s320/TWF+Logo+PNG.png" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>
<iframe frameborder="0" scrolling="no" seamless="true" src="https://share.zencast.fm/embed/podcast/12c4611f-ba67-4486-b457-0d356acd4201" style="height: 376px; max-width: 100%; width: 100vw;" width="100%"></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer">Email me bigearcreations@gmail.com</div>Dave Carrolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12138953216264463289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26869407.post-86797615600181169562016-02-23T11:12:00.002-05:002016-02-23T11:12:18.166-05:00Early Morning Breakfast Program <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://brantfoodforthought.ca/" target="_blank"><img alt="http://brantfoodforthought.ca/" border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQWOlzJa3IG4RCKgl5kdb4RDnjCYNdzOTAjH3ybCcukNIcuH-S59XJPpHZHbR_rqJ-3oMjPnnHBgypCe5h8kBO-0SJGuCJdaMYb_RIGWKAqWBZfkCdwJjwgamxG-3uZESl-o0J/s640/Brant_Food_For_Thought_%25E2%2580%2593_Supporting_Student_Nutrition_Programs_in_elementary_and_secondary_schools_in_Brantford%252C_the_County_of_Brant_and_Six_Nations_of_the_Grand_-_2016-02-23_11.09.43.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A number of years ago, a group of local Pastors who had committed to serving their city together instead of apart (a group we now refer to as “One Church”) invited Mayor Chris Friel to a lunch meeting. They had one main question on their mind. They wanted to know if he could pick something that he’d like them, and their congregations, to take on as an en masse project. They weren’t really sure what his answer would be. Friel began to talk about his passion for elementary school kids and expressed a desire that none go to school hungry. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This began an a renewed initiative over the last few years to increase “One Church’s” purposeful involvement in school breakfast programs. Breakfast programs in schools across the city take on different forms, some being autonomous initiatives while others partner with great organizations like Brant Food for Thought. At Freedom House, we took the plunge into the early morning school breakfast world this year, partnering with another local church who had been previously doing it on their own. We work alongside Brant Food for Thought to make sure that students at Princess Elizabeth School have a full, healthy breakfast every day. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">But then the rubber met the road for my family. It’s one thing to espouse ideals and tout grandiose philosophies, but it’s another to actually get up before the sun to serve breakfast to a other people’s kids each morning, while doing the same for your own too. None of us can say “yes” to everything that’s put in our path’s when it comes to community service… but we should always consider that we DO have the capacity to do LOTS just by saying “yes” and doing it. So we said yes. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Since September, on Tuesdays and Thursdays my whole family (which includes my wife, my 3 kids, my parents and others closely connected to our family) get up at 6:30am to prepare for the day. We arrive at our neighbourhood school at 7:30 to set up tables, cut cucumbers, boil eggs, pour cereal and even pray for the school before the hectic school day starts. Then we serve breakfast to about 60 kids every morning. Sure there can be squabbles and spills, but for the most part, it’s a stunningly smooth morning with kids that are very thankful for the breakfast laid before them. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I expected that my kids might complain about the early mornings. But they don’t. It does a father’s heart proud to see his children serving others so passionately. But for them, it’s not just “others.” It’s their friends, classmates and peers. I’ve had a very important lesson reinforced in my heart doing this program this year. There are no “others.” “Others” are our neighbours. We CAN make a genuine difference in the lives of our neighbors and neighbourhoods when our eyes are open to needs… and we have a “Yes” in our spirit when it comes to those “rubber meets the road… am I going to do something about this?” moments. </span></div>
<br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">There is nothing glamorous about doing a breakfast program. It’s just an hour and a half of exactly what you’d expect when 60 kids are eating in a gym. But the healthy head-start that these programs provide are giving kids in our neighbourhoods a honest-to-goodness leg up on their educational day. If you have a hour and a half a couple mornings a week, get ahold of your neighbourhood school and see how you can help out. You can learn more or make a financial contribution at <a href="http://brantfoodforthought.ca/">brantfoodforthought.ca</a></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Email me bigearcreations@gmail.com</div>Dave Carrolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12138953216264463289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26869407.post-55966325871822902942015-12-24T13:39:00.002-05:002015-12-24T14:13:04.719-05:00Christmas Eve Thoughts ~ "That's My King" <!-- Go to www.addthis.com/dashboard to customize your tools -->
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The Christmas season is always a lighting-rod for strong opinions; how to celebrate properly, how to greet properly, how give properly. The truth is, that Jesus didn't put much weight on the variables. I'd say He'd roll his eyes at our silliness, but He was too wonderful to do that. He'd likely simply be thankful that we care enough to care. Paul tried to push people higher in 1 Corinthians 8 when the followers of Christ were arguing about eating food sacrificed to idols. He used that situation to force us to chill out about the stuff that doesn't mean much and look higher; to not put disproportionate value on the variables and disposables. <br />
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This season... like every season is about Christ. His birth messed... things... up for the world as it wanted to be. It jumbled systems. It turned the history of the world on it's head. Make no mistake, the Christmas story RIPPED open every sector of society. Today, even the most vigilant attempts to do so, simply cannot remove the yeast-like rising influence of the man. In hearts, lives, business, politics, cities and nations.<br />
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SM Lockridge says in this clip,<br />
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"You can't get Him out of your mind. You can't get him off of your hand." </blockquote>
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That's MY King! Jesus was not a great moral teacher. He never claimed to be so. CS Lewis wrote:<br />
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I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: Im ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I dont accept His claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to</blockquote>
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I don't much care how you celebrate Christmas. I won't argue origins with you. It doesn't matter a lick to me if you Santa or don't. Deal with gift-giving as you will. I've done my personal processing and I'm comfortable how our family deal's with our current cultural variables and the other things that don't really matter. But it might change. It's changed before. Doesn't matter that much. Do want you do on purpose... but realize that others will come to different conclusions because there really isn't a "proper" answer and you might change your mind too. It's a variable and likely not that important.<br />
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But there is one thing that RINGS through my heart this Christmas Eve. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Christ. Christ. Christ. </b></span></div>
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St. Patrick wrote:<br />
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“Christ with me,<br />
Christ before me,<br />
Christ behind me,<br />
Christ in me,<br />
Christ beneath me,<br />
Christ above me,<br />
Christ on my right,<br />
Christ on my left,<br />
Christ when I lie down,<br />
Christ when I sit down,<br />
Christ when I arise,<br />
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,<br />
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,<br />
Christ in every eye that sees me,<br />
Christ in every ear that hears me.”</blockquote>
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That's the Christmas Cry of heart today.<br />
Merry Christmas<br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Email me bigearcreations@gmail.com</div>Dave Carrolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12138953216264463289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26869407.post-81431095040463244922015-11-23T11:46:00.001-05:002015-11-23T14:59:45.798-05:00"We really like your baby" ~ The Living Nativity 2015<!-- Go to www.addthis.com/dashboard to customize your tools -->
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEislyo1n5G742SOgzIdLUr-cSFgBrLIl3xk1KPIIib8K0L2tWG-KKjI0z_tuvppLkwPnWPmGgEqCh7Z4TNcWIhu31ZgCEcPli7q3rF7wLD7IgH7UzI8RLgJH3l26oODXBYIP_DH/s1600/harmony-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEislyo1n5G742SOgzIdLUr-cSFgBrLIl3xk1KPIIib8K0L2tWG-KKjI0z_tuvppLkwPnWPmGgEqCh7Z4TNcWIhu31ZgCEcPli7q3rF7wLD7IgH7UzI8RLgJH3l26oODXBYIP_DH/s320/harmony-3.jpg" width="320" /></a>“<i>We really like your baby.</i>”<br />
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This has become a classic line in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/freedomhousebrantford/?ref=bookmarks" target="_blank">Freedom House</a>’s ‘<a href="https://www.facebook.com/thelivingnativitybrantford/?fref=ts" target="_blank">The Living Nativity</a>’ that annually fills Harmony Square with Christmas revelers. It’s a funny, off the cuff, line delivered by Freedom House Pastor Brian Beattie who (dressed as a shepherd) has come to see the newly born Christ child… in Harmony Square of course.<br />
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The line has it’s roots in the origins of The Living Nativity itself. When Beattie was proposing that this show be done in Harmony Square, he was asked by Parks and Rec’s Lori Dawn Cavin, “What’s the Living Nativity?” Beattie replied, “<i>Well it’s the traditional Christmas story. Mary and Joseph ride a donkey and have a baby. Then Shepherds come and say, ‘We really like your baby’ then we sing some songs and go home.</i>” It became such an endearing exchange between the two that often they still sign emails between one another, “WRLYB” for “We really like your baby.” And the line is still used in our play today.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUnqvGDciSWDKz-BctPG246EXLynHQxBY9gj7H_84waYtzNF-U9e22PBv1UuOANbDmqww211oxBevrCGlhOkvt0ZUWM5Ij3VYUcy-uTfbwj9Zz-9ZUV2nLQVrtPz7fgtneMVU2/s1600/harmony-square-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUnqvGDciSWDKz-BctPG246EXLynHQxBY9gj7H_84waYtzNF-U9e22PBv1UuOANbDmqww211oxBevrCGlhOkvt0ZUWM5Ij3VYUcy-uTfbwj9Zz-9ZUV2nLQVrtPz7fgtneMVU2/s320/harmony-square-6.jpg" width="320" /></a>But it’s a powerful thought when you think about it’s historical, demographic and current-cultural context. The singing and dancing shepherds (of which I am one) provide the comic relief in The Living Nativity. Over the years we started writing an annual pop-culture feature into their tomfoolery. The shepherds have danced to Gangdam Style, Thriller, What Does the Fox Say and who could forget last year’s Do You Want to Build a Snowman. You’ll have to come and see the show for yourself to find out what we’re going to spring on the crowd this year.<br />
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Historically however, shepherds… were shepherds. Go figure right? They were just common folks who watched the sheep.
Then something amazing happened. Heaven and Earth collided and heaven couldn’t keep quiet about it. Remember when Charlie Brown was struggling to find out what Christmas was all about? Well his little buddy Linus remembered. Linus quoted a Doctor named Luke. Luke wasn’t actually there when this happened… but it impacted him greatly. He became a follower of Jesus, AFTER Jesus was with us on the earth. Dr. Luke was traveling around with other followers, physically caring for those who were sharing the good news and in the marketplace. Linus and Luke said this:<br />
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“And there were in the same country shepherds, abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them! And they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, ‘Fear not! For, behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all my people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ, the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.’ And suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the Heavenly Host praising God, and saying, ‘Glory to God in the Highest, and on Earth peace, and goodwill toward men.’” </blockquote>
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You can just hear Linus saying that can’t you? And he added in his drop-the-mic moment, “That’s what Christmas is about.” The shepherds ran to see the collision of heaven and earth. I’m sure they weren’t very eloquent. They were just ordinary folks like you and me. There’s no record what the shepherds said when they arrived, but “We really like your baby” is as good a guess as anything else.
Heaven and Earth collided to make a way for us, still today in Brantford to find peace, love, hope and freedom. Let heaven and nature sing. Let’s do it together again as a community.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid2MtZpkc_43UotOO_SQIvtDiBwQZARNvXDym_rT3_foq21iqgmPwo5Fd2aUKQ5SdSYDHGYPHwWmZELTVTlK4HA_VXWp2scCwlBi46BITFX_2FgwLiUqJ-8Z7dE7nFzMiSIAhL/s1600/Harmony-Square-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid2MtZpkc_43UotOO_SQIvtDiBwQZARNvXDym_rT3_foq21iqgmPwo5Fd2aUKQ5SdSYDHGYPHwWmZELTVTlK4HA_VXWp2scCwlBi46BITFX_2FgwLiUqJ-8Z7dE7nFzMiSIAhL/s320/Harmony-Square-11.jpg" width="320" /></a>This will be the 6th annual <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thelivingnativitybrantford/?fref=ts" target="_blank">Living Nativity</a> from December 11-13. We estimate about 12,000 people have come to Harmony Square to see this show during it’s run. There are 2 shows nightly, at 7pm and 8pm. There is Christmas caroling and free hot chocolate before the show starts too so come early to get a good spot. Freedom House also welcomes you to share a family Christmas Eve service with us called “One Light” at 6pm. Find us online at <a href="http://www.freedomhouse.ca/">www.freedomhouse.ca</a><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: small;">*Photos by Ida at "Brant Photos" linked <a href="http://brantphotos.com/2014/12/freedom-houses-living-nativity-2014/" target="_blank">here</a>.
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Email me bigearcreations@gmail.com</div>Dave Carrolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12138953216264463289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26869407.post-69351619383264388912015-11-09T15:39:00.002-05:002015-11-09T15:45:51.539-05:00Freedom Gate Apartments ~ The least "Sexy" project we have<div id="fb-root"></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The
biggest “Kindness Project” Project that we have, is one we rarely speak
about. It’s not a very “sexy” project, it’s results are not always
clear-cut, and it’s a tough one to have a "rah rah" rally about it. <span class="il">Freedom</span> House’s low rental housing project <span class="il">Freedom</span> <span class="il">Gate</span> Apartments has taken more time, work, effort and financial faith than anything else <span class="il">Freedom</span>
House has ever done in our nearly 13 years. By a LONG SHOT. And what
was it all for? 15 affordable-living apartments for people to live in.
And it's been worth it. </span></div>
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Market Street is the spot many will remember as the home of The
Rainforest restaurant. It was a blue bar when we purchased it 13 years
ago. Still looking like a nightclub, this was the setting for the early
years of <span class="il">Freedom</span> House. I have fond memories of
our humble beginnings in it. But the more folks we met trapped in
destructive cycles of poverty and addiction on that part of Market
Street, the more we realized that our call to serve our fellow man in
practical ways was a real thing. It extended beyond traditional the
church walls. In fact in this case, it meant tearing them down and
putting in bedrooms. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz62B9TtQVlb7WN8mGaWt5rsrygnxWJVakO-kw-_4MfivJJiuQosE2lTT-GKjYY19isi28fHXRbCbXqGZOTFpyKKkFjpeTyzW5nFr9NN-PHYOuctVY4uCCI8-YqooFb9MVtxzo/s1600/IMG_3177.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz62B9TtQVlb7WN8mGaWt5rsrygnxWJVakO-kw-_4MfivJJiuQosE2lTT-GKjYY19isi28fHXRbCbXqGZOTFpyKKkFjpeTyzW5nFr9NN-PHYOuctVY4uCCI8-YqooFb9MVtxzo/s320/IMG_3177.jpg" width="213" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We were reminded of our need to intentionally meet physical needs AS WELL AS the spiritual needs. The two go hand in hand. At <span class="il">Freedom</span>
House we have two rules. Love God and Love People. The rest is
gravy. And a big need for the people in our neighborhood was a home
that they could afford and where they could be safe and stable. We met
people who we were wanting to break free of cycles but couldn’t find a
place to live and the creation of <span class="il">Freedom</span> <span class="il">Gate</span> would facilitate that desire. So we said yes. After a 1.5 million dollar building project, <span class="il">Freedom</span> <span class="il">Gate</span>
Apartments opened in the spring of 2010. While it sometimes seems like a
drop in the bucket to say that we have 15 families using the space at a
time… those are 15 real families. It’s been a street culture-changer in
a way that even a church building wasn’t doing. That’s because it melt
a felt-need on that part of the street and in our city. And it’s been
worth it. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As
inglorious as an apartment complex as it can seem... it matters. I
call it inglorious because it really is. Owning an apartment building
has created a plethora of dynamics that we didn't expect, left us as the
resolver of issues we never thought even existed and has given our
administrator nightmares. And it's been worth it. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Even
with the grants we received and the AMAZING partnership/friendship with
GK York’s Gabriel Kirchberger (without whom the project would have
never even gotten off the ground), it's a financial load to carry. A
big one for a church. And it’s been worth it. One day, after many years
of quietly operating this apartment (often living on financial faith to
make it work if we're honest) it will turn a profit too. And that
money will go towards funding MORE Kindness Project outreaches while
still accomplishing <span class="il">Freedom</span> <span class="il">Gate</span>’s house goal. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">But
right now it's work. It’s work that few people know about and a
project that has way fewer exciting, motivating stories than a Frosty
Fest, Captain Kindness, Living Nativity or Flippin Friday. But as it
grows, we hope to continue to make <span class="il">Freedom</span> <span class="il">Gate</span> Apartments an exceptional living experience. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="il">Freedom</span>
House is ordinary people who believe that kindness can transform a
city, BY good INTO good. The door is open and we’d love to have you
come by. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1aXYmNukFk7U67UE4raQQby5PJ32Sq3FqdCpOp6lTk6-Ph1x2TvPpT-ApiNWp4A4hIsvHSF8r15oUwz6x1lOC0WmvzPoAWl9xeIY7jxgaPi5wMoQLIhWriLjKo0qa2rzupxt5/s1600/2015+Baptism+Posters+-+Rev+3%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1aXYmNukFk7U67UE4raQQby5PJ32Sq3FqdCpOp6lTk6-Ph1x2TvPpT-ApiNWp4A4hIsvHSF8r15oUwz6x1lOC0WmvzPoAWl9xeIY7jxgaPi5wMoQLIhWriLjKo0qa2rzupxt5/s320/2015+Baptism+Posters+-+Rev+3%25281%2529.jpg" width="207" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">August 16th you’ll have a chance to witness or participate in one of the more … let’s say unique events that happens annually in Brantford. Freedom House joins together with a number of other churches to present the annual “<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/445669002279723/" target="_blank">Baptism in the Square</a>.” You know why it’s called that? It’s because it’s baptisms; in Harmony Square. Clever name eh?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This will be the 4th summer of hosting this experience publicly with the open invitation for all to come. In the three years, roughly 300 people have come and participated in this 2000 year old tradition and we expect to see another hundred or more this summer as well. It’s a safe statement to say that “Baptism in the Square” has created a lot of “chatter” around town. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">First of all, you’ll notice that the ad for this event includes a coupon for One Free Baptism. That’s certainly not the everyday approach to this process. But it’s simply a tool to garner a further dialog in for individuals internally or externally between on-another.</span></div>
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“Aren’t Baptisms ALWAYS free?” people often ask. “Of course they are” is the response, “and it’s free for you too.” The truth is that many in their teens, 20’s, 30’s and even 40’s have grown up without church attendance being the default setting in the cultural outplaying of their lives. They’ve heard about baptisms, or even attended the baptism of a friend’s child in a traditional church setting once, but they don’t know what it means to their lives. It’s a new way of engaging thought and action on an ancient, yet relevant right of passage. And as we’ve discovered, many want to know more. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzvxYwP-_bJUk0Nfm3SfCAqqF4PI6oAZ8LhbACK2hY2NbCH4lOdbf6_VMN9DRJuuSsj_6j6I-uICgwmYrYDJ2OEVTgZGXga3feHWZ4OHUhuCanmGh4wGb1hU4uXS3nOmgMxfpp/s1600/IMG_2953.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzvxYwP-_bJUk0Nfm3SfCAqqF4PI6oAZ8LhbACK2hY2NbCH4lOdbf6_VMN9DRJuuSsj_6j6I-uICgwmYrYDJ2OEVTgZGXga3feHWZ4OHUhuCanmGh4wGb1hU4uXS3nOmgMxfpp/s320/IMG_2953.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Some of the debate around “Baptism in the Square” has revolved around whether it is appropriate or not to host such a thing in the public arena. There are no hard and fast ways that Baptism “should” be. Ages, theologies and the practical bits and pieces vary from denomination to denomination. But the nature of Baptism is that it’s an outward public declaration of an inward choice. There was one Biblical instance where a traveler intersected paths with the equivalent of a Minister of Finance in public. The Finance Minister flagged him down and said, “Hey can you explain these scriptures to me because how I am supposed to understand them if no one explains them to me!” So the traveler did just that. The Minister of Finance said, “Oh. OK cool. There’s some water right over there. Can I be baptized right there?” So that’s exactly what they did… dripping wet on the side of the road. It was an outward, in-public expression of something that was going on inwardly. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">For 2000 years it’s meant people of all kinds… getting dunked in rivers, tanks, lakes, tubs, oceans, and even inflatable swimming pools. Baptism is not an “outskirts of the faith” thing propagated by those on the fringes of Christianity. In one form or another, it’s an accepted part of the faith, across the spectrum. It’s a spectrum that, according to the most recent census, includes around 60% of Brantford’s population that identifies with some level of traditional or active Christianity. Baptism is also now a part of the Christian faith that now some aren’t able to access because they are not attending a regular church service. There’s nothing wrong with Church services in Church buildings. I highly encourage them! We’ve got them, the number of people in them are growing, and we’re expanding Freedom House to accommodate more. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr8MjjFBx-cYgRdGouy3ImCkxQvcU2SePmj2_fZp6L-Qo2eJURUPEbxwkUh9iSJJFqTE4fdQfUMWzK-dji7gj9GZI9pwHCOjqh7nJ4XFHmrpk9nOBW0OYj3CfbHD5Lu3xwz6pq/s1600/IMG_2837.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr8MjjFBx-cYgRdGouy3ImCkxQvcU2SePmj2_fZp6L-Qo2eJURUPEbxwkUh9iSJJFqTE4fdQfUMWzK-dji7gj9GZI9pwHCOjqh7nJ4XFHmrpk9nOBW0OYj3CfbHD5Lu3xwz6pq/s320/IMG_2837.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">But Baptism in the Square has facilitated many in a process that they, either rightfully or not, felt disqualified for. We’ve seen shopkeepers close up their store, run across the road to be baptized and return soaking wet. We’ve see families reconcile with God and one another around it. Last year we saw a family drive an hour and a half to Brantford to be baptized together. A documentary crew actually flew to Brantford from South Africa to capture this phenomenon because of its public nature. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It’s an incredible thing to behold, but it’s even more incredible to participate in. You are welcome to do either… or both. It’s simply an on-the-ground-in-Brantford version of a long-standing tradition, consisting of regular folks publicly expressing their faith. Be it new or be it not-so-new. I hope to see you August 16th at 3pm in Harmony Square. </span>
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Email me bigearcreations@gmail.com</div>Dave Carrolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12138953216264463289noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26869407.post-87049071119481374932015-05-07T10:53:00.000-04:002015-05-07T11:05:33.502-04:00I Believe<!-- Go to www.addthis.com/dashboard to customize your tools -->
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I believe in guttural rock n' roll love songs, sung full-on from the midsection.<br />
I believe you should be suspicious of men who shave everyday.<br />
I believe that we shouldn't depend the government to take care of people. <br />
I believe that cream and sugar cheapen God's gift of the coffee bean in scalding water.<br />
I believe that baseball is the most perfect pastime that humans have come up with. <br />
I believe in staring silently into space.<br />
I believe in musty rooms with old leather chairs.<br />
I believe in sucking it up. <br />
I believe in thinking about your wife during business meetings with an unseen ferociousness.<br />
I believe in men who sacrifice themselves, wishing it didn't have to be so, but knowing it must be done.<br />
I believe in leaving some blood and that strip of fat on your steak.<br />
I believe in putting others above yourself.<br />
I believe that shoes don't make the man.<br />
I believe that being kind is like a superpower.<br />
I believe that flowers are beautiful. <br />
I believe that it's worth paying to see a great concert.<br />
I believe in keeping that mischievous glint in your eyes. <br />
I believe in a maintaining a certain degree of contempt for broken systems while engrossing yourself mending their holes.<br />
I believe that fishing ruins a good sit by a lake.<br />
I believe in open-air grass ballparks even in the rain. <br />
I believe in getting up and taking your family to Church on Sunday.<br />
I believe in saying and showing "I love you" to your kids as many times as a day allows. <br />
I believe in being ridiculous.<br />
I believe in being serious.<br />
I believe sex was designed for marriage and then to be had often as possible.<br />
I believe in harsh drinks that make you wince ... and learning not to. <br />
I believe listening to at least one Springsteen song a day helps a man's sanity.<br />
I believe in God; maker of heaven and earth.<br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Email me bigearcreations@gmail.com</div>Dave Carrolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12138953216264463289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26869407.post-68198877621215829342015-04-22T14:16:00.000-04:002015-04-22T14:23:29.530-04:00Everything is (at first glance is not always) Awesome.... BUT<!-- Go to www.addthis.com/dashboard to customize your tools -->
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxN3HKbpeJuq0VIDADkf57V4L-3aD38ouUS7U0uvSIWVKL_eDFTfaVGdrw8Ct0NuMjX7Iq1FbqpuUxpqY5NtICSl8WT87QNJrVcWwqGFcqCpHCHa5bYDSTCTxns6r1y-Yy4gtc/s1600/Transformation_NOW_with_Ed_Silvoso_%E2%80%94_Brantford,_Canada_-_YouTube_-_2015-04-22_14.01.01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxN3HKbpeJuq0VIDADkf57V4L-3aD38ouUS7U0uvSIWVKL_eDFTfaVGdrw8Ct0NuMjX7Iq1FbqpuUxpqY5NtICSl8WT87QNJrVcWwqGFcqCpHCHa5bYDSTCTxns6r1y-Yy4gtc/s1600/Transformation_NOW_with_Ed_Silvoso_%E2%80%94_Brantford,_Canada_-_YouTube_-_2015-04-22_14.01.01.jpg" height="175" width="320" /></a>I spend a lot of time talking about and working towards seeing the continued transformation of my city... and specifically our Downtown. They even did a our <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZX5AV2itQAE&feature=youtu.be&list=FLalAgTlEl_rA0Krxi-DUOyA" target="_blank">documentary about it</a> we talk so much! I live just outside the downtown, I work there, I worship there. I give OODLES of my personal 3T's towards it. That's time, talent, and treasure for the acronyminally and alliteratory challenged. <br />
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But, full disclosure, some days it just doesn't FEEL all that awesome. The walk to my car leads me on a path through a daily pack of what must be some of the most unhappy humans you'd ever meet. A walk to the burger joint for lunch includes a regular meet-up with a gentleman who years ago began a journey to freedom ... only to choose old, destructive habits. A decade of decay has taken it's toll on his life. As for our relationship, it bottomed out when he came trick-or-treating in a Nixon mask to my house as a grown man and then I caught him lying about cancer-walk sponsorship for money. It's heartbreaking. I see these things every day. <br />
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This week I found and shared a clip of me at 19, doing a comedy segment for my old "Dave Carrol Show" in the Eatons Market Square Mall during a bustling Christmas shopping season.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CC5y6x_CPDI" width="560"></iframe>
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It sure looks different today. In fact today the church I help Pastor is in this very mall, and while there are the re-beginnings of life-sparks around, it's also the home to many who just come in to sit for most of the day because.... well .... they need to sit somewhere for most of the day. Even as I write this... my team who run "The Kindness Centre" is upstairs in our mall distributing clothing and food, free of charge to those struggling to make ends meet. Last year we were able to meet the basic, practical needs of Brantford family's over 700 times representing about 2200 people. Many of these families are those who fall into the growing “working poor” demographic who work at low paying jobs but cannot make ends meet.<br />
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And if I chose to.... that's all I'd see TODAY on a dim, unusually chilly April day. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>BUT</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBVTW30caGON8QjMXmnTpTe3Nv00WvlBJ3utDZwlTyTZJPcoZLGbhyqxin2JShhNy5PEp7qPoXjocIImMtSghQhCfBj8ne5TSiahfN8kSyTg_El1_RZuI4buUp5HezZ4T_5gwZ/s1600/10994479_10153006835141578_1345523655973674979_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBVTW30caGON8QjMXmnTpTe3Nv00WvlBJ3utDZwlTyTZJPcoZLGbhyqxin2JShhNy5PEp7qPoXjocIImMtSghQhCfBj8ne5TSiahfN8kSyTg_El1_RZuI4buUp5HezZ4T_5gwZ/s1600/10994479_10153006835141578_1345523655973674979_o.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
That's not the full story! Because 3 weeks ago during school season, there were thousands of University students in the downtown. In the coming years, the mall will see more retail and campus life. There are new festivals popping up each year. Our Church and Ministry Centre is growing to the point where we're going to do renovations this summer to expand our space. New businesses are establishing themselves Downtown at the time. Initiatives like our Kindness Project continues to find creative ways to spark renewal!<br />
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And this is just the stuff that we CAN see. As for the doom and gloom at the beginning... each Sunday we bring 200 people here to gather together. These people actively feel the hope rising inside them that the transformation is continuing. It's not done by any stretch of the imagination.... but it's moving forward! And where it's not yet happened, we have hope that it will and are willing to work hard to make it so.<br />
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The funny thing about hope is that you have to have hope to have hope. <br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
You have to have hope to have hope.<br />
— Dave Carrol (@davecarrol) <a href="https://twitter.com/davecarrol/status/590926173280083969">April 22, 2015</a></blockquote>
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1 Peter 3 says:<br />
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"Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened. But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. <b>Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.</b>" </blockquote>
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Those of us to have hope in Christ CAN have a true, undying hope for tangible transformation. But I honestly believe I wouldn't have hope... without hope. <br />
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2 Corinthians 4 says:<br />
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"You know for yourselves that we’re not much to look at. We’ve been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we’ve been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn’t left our side; we’ve been thrown down, but we haven’t broken."</blockquote>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOxFOhJOFzgsKTkcvmFKrihD7SVae4UCHoSD0bDZlNSJmyEBh3qY0GMiuSZ0hwAlLIG9PhmQmhHRhP2t47nNp_pwRjOXaAMc0hGbsewF7TUdo-uzdA59xo0IkV7H7p46S68a4f/s1600/10498469_10153006836381578_3900305636387862151_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOxFOhJOFzgsKTkcvmFKrihD7SVae4UCHoSD0bDZlNSJmyEBh3qY0GMiuSZ0hwAlLIG9PhmQmhHRhP2t47nNp_pwRjOXaAMc0hGbsewF7TUdo-uzdA59xo0IkV7H7p46S68a4f/s1600/10498469_10153006836381578_3900305636387862151_o.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a>There are times when Everything is, at first glance not always, awesome. But look closer. Activate the hope you have inside you and see your surroundings through the patient, hopeful, creative eyes of God.<br />
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Then worship and work until it changes. <br />
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<i>"THY Kingdom come" </i>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Email me bigearcreations@gmail.com</div>Dave Carrolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12138953216264463289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26869407.post-62033682813475922062015-04-20T19:40:00.003-04:002015-04-20T20:14:51.710-04:00I hope you dance<!-- Go to www.addthis.com/dashboard to customize your tools -->
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFpUsfIy4_lyTevr_JU7KMDQ1wU0uzxRAKxzpOCijJkm1GfLlZ2hnZao6wpSf2ibztrOCFxb817wVNXKL_h2EyAB4ly6GgucdWDhlCwvk2rZmqOW_Cs0O1kffrD1GNa7nrZ68N/s1600/262622_404037303005293_1763423681_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFpUsfIy4_lyTevr_JU7KMDQ1wU0uzxRAKxzpOCijJkm1GfLlZ2hnZao6wpSf2ibztrOCFxb817wVNXKL_h2EyAB4ly6GgucdWDhlCwvk2rZmqOW_Cs0O1kffrD1GNa7nrZ68N/s1600/262622_404037303005293_1763423681_n.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a>The girl on the right... is my wife Kristina at a "Worship Rave" that <a href="http://www.freedomhouse.ca/" target="_blank">Freedom House</a> hosted a couple of years back. 15 years ago, Lee Ann Womak wrote a lovely little country ditty that included this wish for others freedom,<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"When you get the choice to sit it out or dance.... I hope you dance"</blockquote>
<br />
Krissy took it to heart and started cutting loose in the areas of life she'd always wished she could cut loose in. The truth is that, in many ways, she left me sitting on the sidelines while she dove into new areas of life that we'd both rejected for many years. And I love her for it. My wife is a strong, bold, free, passionate, warrior-princess of the Kingdom of God. But she didn't get there by just sitting back and watching others be free.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzujEUYCxwCqSOYFAtOS77gIU1Ig2inikkuHkOygCLuTVP00-lJgv-LdCtmVuM7E4ST7cqGbzIk3mGE0-CL1DO2ypFyreQB7bIPB8MMHbSxkrI0rYjxO0KbqTDx1Tl4ufZGzsF/s1600/1488_404103482998675_915722668_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzujEUYCxwCqSOYFAtOS77gIU1Ig2inikkuHkOygCLuTVP00-lJgv-LdCtmVuM7E4ST7cqGbzIk3mGE0-CL1DO2ypFyreQB7bIPB8MMHbSxkrI0rYjxO0KbqTDx1Tl4ufZGzsF/s1600/1488_404103482998675_915722668_n.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a>I'm not "dancey." But do you know what? It doesn't matter much how I self-identify myself when it comes to worship. Psalm 149:3 says,<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Let them praise his name with dancing"</blockquote>
<br />
The book of Samuel says this about David, the King of God's people, who has become known throughout modern history for his genuine worship:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"David danced before the Lord with all his might"</blockquote>
<br />
The truth is that when it comes to God... it's our job to learn what he digs on; and do that. And God loves freedom nearly as our flesh loves to self-identify and "sit it out." I'm a thinker. And for a lot of years I couldn't find a good rationale to dance in my worship.<br />
<br />
There used to be a song that we'd sing at church that offended me. More on a literary basis than anything. It was called, "Jesus we celebrate your victory." There were the much-maligned "worship actions" that went along with this song in my church. People would actually REVOLVE when they sang the word REVEL. I was offended. "Revolving is NOT reveling. That is a TOTALLY different thing!" I'd object and stand still, arms crossed, in my own rightness while others whooped it up in lingual ignorance. The truth is that God couldn't have cased less about my cause. He just loved the reveling in his victory! <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHGBfOrAwRiKBPwH8itOydPS9yZpgTN7gfurACC0w-5njUW4QjulPkfD9xE5Uo4s21Xg95IhwR5e3Tfb1KG7pOtkeAA2tDolpb8hkGMSxpCjoHDiisnrBOdXcFWGG3TF23-P5K/s1600/207786_404103299665360_1403774405_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHGBfOrAwRiKBPwH8itOydPS9yZpgTN7gfurACC0w-5njUW4QjulPkfD9xE5Uo4s21Xg95IhwR5e3Tfb1KG7pOtkeAA2tDolpb8hkGMSxpCjoHDiisnrBOdXcFWGG3TF23-P5K/s1600/207786_404103299665360_1403774405_n.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a><br />
In 2 Samuel, the lauded prophet says this:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes." </blockquote>
<br />
Undignified is a tough word. <b>"Appearing foolish and unseemly"</b> is what it means. That's what the Man of God says that he will become... even more than he already is! <br />
<br />
Eventually I've come to realize what most in the world has already come to realize. Dance is freeing and liberating. I spent my day today digging through old video footage from fifteen years ago when my wife and I were young missionaries in Ghana. This clip is from a conference in the city of Sunyani and is at the end of TWO HOURS of what might sound like technically-unproficient worship. But it was one tribe after another bringing traditional songs and dances for us all to join in on.... as onto Jesus. This clip ends with a young, awkward, me dancing a totally uncomfortable dance in a very foreign context... and changing my arrogant mind about what "dance" was all about forever.<br />
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<br />
We can be very content where we are in life and our worship. But my question to you tonight is... Do you want to go deeper? When you get the choice to sit it out or dance.... I hope you dance! <br />
<br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Email me bigearcreations@gmail.com</div>Dave Carrolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12138953216264463289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26869407.post-31918739246101441252015-04-01T15:41:00.000-04:002015-04-01T15:50:04.699-04:00Randy Bachman comes to Brantford <iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fhttp://bigearcreations.blogspot.ca/2015/04/randy-bachman-comes-to-brantford.html#.VRxKD06hGok.facebook&layout=standard&show_faces=true&action=like&colorscheme=light&" style="overflow:hidden;width:100%;height:80px;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true"><a href="http://www.addlikebutton.net" class="fbook">addlikebutton.net</a></iframe>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF8sQ0XIxeHoCyZHLt6OFlWTGszvejgTSlgsNtpMCyfDMQJ1lCJ5rbpaM3uZgVbMYUU2HRg9P75wCNWug2oQeN5IQqHj7ek69sghl6cKjj7D-jRefB6lV8cY1EABCR6O1UKqTi/s1600/10960213_910704675630855_5756126621779622862_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF8sQ0XIxeHoCyZHLt6OFlWTGszvejgTSlgsNtpMCyfDMQJ1lCJ5rbpaM3uZgVbMYUU2HRg9P75wCNWug2oQeN5IQqHj7ek69sghl6cKjj7D-jRefB6lV8cY1EABCR6O1UKqTi/s1600/10960213_910704675630855_5756126621779622862_o.jpg" height="320" width="203" /></a>Somehow, without knowing exactly how it happened, I got into the classic rock business. In the last two years we’ve been able to put together two sold out Rock n’ Roll shows featuring Canadian Music legends Lighthouse and Bruce Cockburn. And this June we’re well on our way to selling out the Sanderson Centre once again, as we have the good fortune of bringing Mr. Randy Bachman to town.<br />
<br />
I’m not a fan of the word surreal, but there certainly are elements of running these shows that are surreal. I grew up in the Classic Rock Revival era. Y95.3 in Hamilton was my daily radio home and they made it seem like The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, and Bachman Turner Overdrive were the hot up-and-comers of my generation. And for me… they kinda were.
<br />
<br />
I remember being 16 when one of my big Rock n’ Roll guys, Randy Bachman, released the hit song “Prairie Town” with Neil Young. The video on MuchMusic was the best. It was nothing fancy … but that’s what I liked about it. It was these two old, cool, guys in cut off jean jackets were just lettener’ rip. Full on, no holds barred rock. He was singing about Canadian lore like the frigid intersection of Portage and Main Winnipeg being “50 below” and rocking out about learning to drive in the snow. I ate up every second.
<br />
<br />
And this summer I get to bring him to Brantford so we can all enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime talent. I’ll get to say, “Ladies and Gentlemen…. Randy Bachman.” And from what I hear, I’ll get to hear some of his rock road stories. In fact so will you.
<br />
<br />
How did this happen? To be honest, it’s simply because of the great people of Brantford coming together to serve one another. Maybe that’s what makes it so special. This concert series was the brainchild of Phil Gillies. In the summer of 2011 Phil, along with then political candidate Michael St Amant, began to join our Freedom House team on the street Friday Nights for our free street barbeques. We do it to both take care of needs, and to be an instigator of culture shift from 10pm until 2am… a time when the corner of Market and Dalhousie can sometimes use little kindness infusion.
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZSxg0PC8IOjc9adc3ZMHKkBJdE8faK47hnQxJhAif8dpEIX_SqKYh1CMebFlw5eX6RYwQMHPyq9_vS1YVUp36J_n4vD_H6FpFRfSXmYOMg8veiBXxUdk0HOx8cksma8gTpqL6/s1600/Randy_Bachman_Photo_2_Callianne_Bachman(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZSxg0PC8IOjc9adc3ZMHKkBJdE8faK47hnQxJhAif8dpEIX_SqKYh1CMebFlw5eX6RYwQMHPyq9_vS1YVUp36J_n4vD_H6FpFRfSXmYOMg8veiBXxUdk0HOx8cksma8gTpqL6/s1600/Randy_Bachman_Photo_2_Callianne_Bachman(1).jpg" height="320" width="256" /></a>Phil and Michael got hooked. They selflessly came back again and again to serve others, often those in the most vulnerable demographic of our community. We talked about everything from social development to Rock n’ Roll. One night Phil was telling us of how in the 70’s he lived out his music fantasies and, as a high school student, brought Lighthouse to Brantford. Then a lightbulb came on in his mind. “Let’s do it again! You in?” And that’s how a series of incredible concerts were born. It couldn’t happen without community sponsors and partners like some of you who I know are B-Scene readers. It’s been hard work for a whole committee of people passionate about Brantford... but it’s been the fun kinda work.
<br />
<br />
Show’s like June 10th’s Randy Bachman Concert are win, win, win, win endeavours. As for me, I will never forget driving in my parents big honkin Ford Econoline van with “Hey You” cranked on my BTO mixtape. But peeking out from backstage of our show while he sings it to full house … might be just a little bit more awesome.
Tickets can be purchased at <a href="http://www.sandersoncentre.ca/">www.sandersoncentre.ca</a>, at the box office, or by calling 519-758-8090.
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<script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');</script><div class="blogger-post-footer">Email me bigearcreations@gmail.com</div>Dave Carrolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12138953216264463289noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26869407.post-18536710545054497702015-03-23T20:10:00.000-04:002015-03-23T20:35:28.757-04:00The Big Bloated IdiotI'd like to sit by a lake and ... do not much else; for that matter it could be a cornfield for all I care. <br />
It's motionless, wordless and still that are at the heart of the matter; but the big bloated idiot wants to brand it's own peace and solitude.<br />
Can you believe that?<br />
He's an idiot. <br />
The big bloated idiot prepares a dinner for one.<br />
"Bring me flesh and bring me wine" he hollers at no one in particular; his belly laughing callously. <br />
He is a brute, but he's big and easy to get along with. <br />
People say, "You've gotta love that big bloated idiot" ... and they do.<br />
I'd like to say that I don't like the big bloated idiot... but I do.<br />
I really do.<br />
Shoot do I like him.<br />
Sometimes I even give that big bloated idiot a hug... hoping that his sweaty, grubby embrace will do. <br />
But man is it greasy in there.<br />
It's all over my shirt and those new pants I bought for the board meeting.<br />
So back to the lake I go; or to the cornfield for all I care. <br />
I know there's always motionless, wordless and still there.<br />
It's there where I can choose to ditch the big bloated idiot in me.<br />
I'm taking a different road back to town. <br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span class="p">Romans 7:15</span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Psalm 23:3 </i></span>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Email me bigearcreations@gmail.com</div>Dave Carrolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12138953216264463289noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26869407.post-68475983116122179452015-02-24T19:14:00.000-05:002015-02-24T19:26:30.710-05:00The Story of the Coldest Frosty Fest Ever <iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="//www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fbigearcreations.blogspot.ca%2F2015%2F02%2Fthe-story-of-coldest-frosty-fest-ever.html&width&layout=standard&action=like&show_faces=true&share=true&height=80&appId=183473189854" style="border: none; height: 80px; overflow: hidden;"></iframe>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeA24co8YiN-EzDnHSi63NyWW9kI1mtNWFL9xJEPjcSPueSh1nZwtSwFg6jHvi4yTOiqHV9bOeERdhlyiXC981qILnr1i1xz-ALLfCDRNG9_0xG0wBwvFF81VDM7nvsJZPzZlq/s1600/10959788_10153003997291578_6475104571853967311_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeA24co8YiN-EzDnHSi63NyWW9kI1mtNWFL9xJEPjcSPueSh1nZwtSwFg6jHvi4yTOiqHV9bOeERdhlyiXC981qILnr1i1xz-ALLfCDRNG9_0xG0wBwvFF81VDM7nvsJZPzZlq/s1600/10959788_10153003997291578_6475104571853967311_n.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
When you run large events, you can get lost inside “The Numbers.” You refresh web pages 5 times a day to see where ticket numbers are. You buy food based on white-knuckled estimates of the numbers you’re expecting. You crunch the numbers at the end of each day to see if you’ll still have enough “numbers” to carry on. Those inside the event-planning world know that “the number” of people at your event can mean everything… if you lose perspective.<br />
<br />
On average, 15,000 people come to Frosty Fest. It’s become one of the largest winter carnivals in Ontario. This year’s Frosty Fest was the most successful festival we’ve ever run in NEARLY every way. It had the most volunteers. It had the most sponsorship. It was the most activity and entertainment filled. It was successful in every way… except “the numbers.” One it particular. -40 degrees. That’s what it felt like outside for much of the Family Day Weekend. In fact all three days were the coldest 3 days Frosty Fest has ever had. On the Sunday, the midway rides froze in place and the ice carvers said that the weather was too cold… for ice. If it’s too cold for ice, it’s too cold for humans. And “the numbers” turned on us. The only people to be found on Dalhousie Street Sunday were our shivering volunteers tagging each other off every 10 minutes. 15,000 people did NOT come to Frosty Fest this year.<br />
<br />
Thankfully “the numbers” do not tell the whole story of an event. Frosty Fest has never been about creating a massive winter carnival. It’s always been about serving the city, inspiring others to serve, bringing families together, facilitating personal growth and seeing city transformation. And it did just that again.<br />
<br />
Frosty Fest preparation is a year-round process with 6 months of full attention, 2 months of intense focus, culminating in 100 volunteers giving 2000 volunteer-hours over 3 days. All 2000 of those hours were done with smiles, laughter and the assurance that what was being done, was being done to show love to real people. Frosty Fest is about something more.
This year featured the inspiring participation of Gerry Byrne’s team at Thorpe Brothers Funeral Home. Along with other sponsors like Campbell Amusements (whose valiant workers braved the cold along with the team), and Ferraro (who made sure there were Kinder Eggs in every hand), Thorpe Brothers not only sponsored the annual snow slide… but they brought their staff along to help families down the hill!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8RHzVXUfNEtjDtrHVFXiJM1-RanefxUvmYWxl8xzq8LPo0bKZG-RakSxhKwIRQ8T97jjxFhJ8_iHifcMWfkEK03t8E_HRNPHyISZH7pcjslO4uehb3mY1j3o9KqKKFDqsQuP8/s1600/1607054_10153003494871578_4648760949674146265_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8RHzVXUfNEtjDtrHVFXiJM1-RanefxUvmYWxl8xzq8LPo0bKZG-RakSxhKwIRQ8T97jjxFhJ8_iHifcMWfkEK03t8E_HRNPHyISZH7pcjslO4uehb3mY1j3o9KqKKFDqsQuP8/s1600/1607054_10153003494871578_4648760949674146265_n.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a>The best story was undoubtedly the Princess Party that almost wasn’t. We had advertised a Sunday Morning Princess Party to every school kid in Brantford. But in the bitter weather, our Princess who dwells in the magical land of Sarnia got stuck behind a closed Highway 402. The thought of 200 crying little princesses was too crushing to not act; and act quickly since the party began in an hour in a half. As luck (if you believe in that type of thing) would have it, a costume-maker named Sina Ahmadi was a vendor in our winter bazaar. He just “happened” to have full Beauty and the Beast costumes right there for us to use. “Lucky” eh? But the kids were expecting Princess Elsa from Frozen. Well as “luck” would have it, his connection at Amy and friends Entertainment had us a full Elsa costume in 20 minutes that “luckily” fit a Freedom House music teacher who “luckily” knew every Frozen song off by heart. As “luck” would have it, it was her childhood dream to one day be a Princess. And what a Princess she was. You’d have never known that we pulled it all together in a hour. I teared up seeing our team in action, partnering with something that was WAY bigger than luck.<br />
<br />
There is one young man whom I refer to as Frosty Fest’s biggest fan. His name is Alex Magee and he’s 6 years old. Since he was a wee little guy, his Dad Kevin has been bringing him and he quite literally looks forward to this all year round. Their family was sick over the Family Day Weekend and it would have been easy for Kevin to say, “I just can’t do it son.” But they didn’t. They braved the wilds and forged into the wintery downtown. After Frosty Fest was over, Kevin wrote this inspirational statement that fueled the fires for the brave 100 soldiers of kindness who pressed on.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1-BiPu4jVuQ2-I3UuRBpYVqRSd7-QKDY2LehRybPUVTtX52K1oV7dHNp03zjQp92ySbBda5EbmZWROXxxb8LmtzyrG5CA5fYS44Zqd8miq2UYT_H47qZoehfu2KrGY6OlTvvx/s1600/10991249_10153003748091578_7338036741610071102_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1-BiPu4jVuQ2-I3UuRBpYVqRSd7-QKDY2LehRybPUVTtX52K1oV7dHNp03zjQp92ySbBda5EbmZWROXxxb8LmtzyrG5CA5fYS44Zqd8miq2UYT_H47qZoehfu2KrGY6OlTvvx/s1600/10991249_10153003748091578_7338036741610071102_n.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a> "Years ago we went to see HMS Pinafore at the Sanderson Centre. The sets and props didn't make it but the actors did. The theatre offered anyone's money back who wanted it, but the actors decided the show must go on and improvised everything including the Admiral who wore an Admiral Sub hat throughout the entire show. I've probably seen hundreds of plays but this one will always stand out for me because of how much effort, skill and class they put into that single show. That's exactly how I'll remember this Frosty Fest. Well done to everyone who played a part in Frosty Fest this year and for ensuring that the show went on for all of the families (like mine) that enjoy it so much!" </blockquote>
<br />
Rabbi Kotzker Rebbe once said,<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“When it is gets cold outside one has two options, put on a coat or build a fire. Put on a coat and you will be warm, build a fire and you will warm many others along with you." </blockquote>
<br />
That’s what happened at Frosty Fest 2015. It was the oddest one we’ve ever done, but I believe to those involved, it will always hold a special place in our hearts. Numbers truly are not everything. We’ll see you next year. It’s gotta be warmer right?
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<script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');</script><div class="blogger-post-footer">Email me bigearcreations@gmail.com</div>Dave Carrolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12138953216264463289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26869407.post-28226506614150823422015-01-23T12:58:00.001-05:002015-01-23T13:05:06.380-05:00Frosty Fest 2015 ~ SOMETHING came from something<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="//www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fbigearcreations.blogspot.ca%2F2015%2F01%2Ffrosty-fest-2015-something-came-from.html&width&layout=standard&action=like&show_faces=true&share=true&height=80&appId=183473189854" style="border: none; height: 80px; overflow: hidden;"></iframe>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2y711KtaVY4q0iFxO1vDuksHlibl-0CYsDa5PF9FtCk6tgmBOvkfeHw18Iw-Oy3yS0-cCVFEMiUoQPFH70Amueh-A2yPD62RsgrzsCZoVaZEs2ZheGcr7O-b_yG2eGCdNsnww/s1600/1459980_715139075192531_637153465_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2y711KtaVY4q0iFxO1vDuksHlibl-0CYsDa5PF9FtCk6tgmBOvkfeHw18Iw-Oy3yS0-cCVFEMiUoQPFH70Amueh-A2yPD62RsgrzsCZoVaZEs2ZheGcr7O-b_yG2eGCdNsnww/s1600/1459980_715139075192531_637153465_n.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As
a way to motivate me, my Mom used to quote Jiminy Cricket in saying,
“David… ‘nothing comes from nothing.’” As it turns out, Jiminy Cricket
ripped it off of Parmenides in the 5th century whose statement became a
rallying cry for frightening Nihilists. Darn Cricket didn’t know what
he was doing! In fact, this concept popped up again (Pre-Cricket) in a
different context in Shakespeare’s King Lear. King Lear decided to
retire and divide his kingdom among his three daughters. They are
required to come forward and flatter him… for money. Seems healthy.
His two older daughters Regan and Goneril, flatter and deceive their
Dad, and receive their rewards. The youngest, Cordelia, who loves him
most, cannot find the words to articulate this love. He asks her to
speak up and praise him more than her sisters. When asked 'what do you
have to say?' Cordelia responds "Nothing." Lear goes nuts yelling,
"nothing will come of nothing," and banishes her without money, title,
or any part of his kingdom.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lear
was wrong, the Nihilists are a freaky bunch, and you should never trust
a Cricket… but the truth is that nothing comes from nothing. Even in
Cordelia’s case, she felt love, but said nothing. We can’t just stare at
blank canvass and hope it paints itself. We can’t just wish city
transformation to happen. We must DO SOMETHING for there to BE
SOMETHING. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">There
didn’t used to be a Frosty Fest that drew 15,000 people together
celebrate the Family Day Weekend in Harmony Square. In fact there didn’t
used to be an ice carving’s chance in hell that 15,000 would ever
gather together downtown period! The story of Frosty Fest is the story
how nothing can become something… and how something can become something
amazing. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">When
Harmony Square opened to the public in we at Freedom House simply
approached them and asked, “How can we help serve the city and make this
square awesome?” Lori Dawn Cavin of Parks of Rec replied “I wish we
could have something that’s big like the Jazz Festival… only in the
winter. Do you think that you guys could do a winter carnival?” Freedom
House’s Brian Beattie with idyllic (yet petrified) eyes said, "OF
COURSE WE CAN!" That afternoon he emailed me saying, “We’d better start
Googling, ‘How to run a winter carnival’ because we’re about to run
one!” </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmdyBg_Y6UEZFOnS0wJGyQMIqDz-vhwmx-ZlMlHOjYa6Z9fEvU5wDXWZxYFhnLQIdx9MWahNQfa5NoI6plPQez_IAJsZnBRUqtPiXbFLLEFrS5S1RotwLVneYBQRElgjx3KZlD/s1600/481687_492040424169065_1131249524_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmdyBg_Y6UEZFOnS0wJGyQMIqDz-vhwmx-ZlMlHOjYa6Z9fEvU5wDXWZxYFhnLQIdx9MWahNQfa5NoI6plPQez_IAJsZnBRUqtPiXbFLLEFrS5S1RotwLVneYBQRElgjx3KZlD/s1600/481687_492040424169065_1131249524_n.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">If
you’ve never been to Frosty Fest; it’s delightful. If you catch just
the right moment, you’ll find yourself in a Normal Rockwell painting…
lost in the mesmerizing art of ice carving, having long-buried memories
unearthed from eating snow taffy like your great grandfather used to
make while children ice skate in the gentle snow. This place in time
exists in Brantford. It enriches your soul, revives your appreciation
for winter and tastes like a warm Canadian tonic right at the moment of
winter that it’s most needed. This February 14-16 will mark the 6th
anniversary of this experience of Frosty Fest. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3
years ago during the annual Family Day apple cider toast in hand-carved
ice goblets, Mayor Chris Friel looked out over the largest collection
of people that I’ve ever seen downtown at a single moment. He said
words that I’ll never forget. He said, “This is the watershed moment in
the transformation of our downtown.” Something came from something. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">When
Jesus was asked what the most important rules were, He gave his
followers two. Rule #1 is Love God. Rule #2 is Love Others. The rest
is gravy. When you see lanyards around the necks of some of our
volunteers during at Frosty Fest saying, “Rule #2,” it’s our way of
reminding ourselves that whether we’re cooking up funnel cakes, running
The Wrecking Ball inflatable, or feelin’ the <span style="background-color: white;">chill in the bone</span></span><span style="background-color: white;">s from
helping kids down the snowslide… it’s about loving others. And so it
MEANS something more.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYm3eZFSiciMLT0liMtSLjikfOOuxJYGb5WQ4xr2Ygy9yIFMMi1miKICMVs9jaRX__agA6niGgQMwwRJ-u5ybtsb75SkeNLKvrCJmUo_qmo8uA9kTtHtqIyctx7G_IIib6dsgt/s1600/Frosty_Fest_2015_-_Schedule_-_Google_Docs_-_2015-01-23_11.13.30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYm3eZFSiciMLT0liMtSLjikfOOuxJYGb5WQ4xr2Ygy9yIFMMi1miKICMVs9jaRX__agA6niGgQMwwRJ-u5ybtsb75SkeNLKvrCJmUo_qmo8uA9kTtHtqIyctx7G_IIib6dsgt/s1600/Frosty_Fest_2015_-_Schedule_-_Google_Docs_-_2015-01-23_11.13.30.jpg" height="320" width="278" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A
city is what a city does. It is the sum of it’s parts. Each part came
from an idea. But nothing comes from nothing. An aloof thought in the
shower of what could be or should be doesn’t just happen. All it takes
is saying, “Sure I’ll do that!” Saying yes and being actively kind is a
powerful, counter-cultural overthrow of the self-centeredness our
society is plagued with. The cure of kindness is something ordinary
people like you and I possess. Those who will have the courage to stand
up and say, "Here you go. This is for you. I see value in you." will
shape our future. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We
made Frosty Fest... for you. We made it because we love you. I can’t
wait to share Family Day Weekend together with you. For all the
details, follow <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FrostyFest" target="_blank">Frosty Fest on Facebook</a> or Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/FrostyFest" target="_blank">@FrostyFest</a></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
I'm going to Frosty Fest in <a href="https://twitter.com/HarmonySquare">@HarmonySquare</a>. Feb 14-16 10am-2 Rides, Trolley, Free Skate, Kids Fun, Funnel Cakes, Figure Skating <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/frostyfest?src=hash">#frostyfest</a><br />
— Frosty Fest (@FrostyFest) <a href="https://twitter.com/FrostyFest/status/558685015291494400">January 23, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');</script><div class="blogger-post-footer">Email me bigearcreations@gmail.com</div>Dave Carrolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12138953216264463289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26869407.post-65422080093540834222014-11-24T17:09:00.000-05:002014-11-24T17:27:01.706-05:00Inside The Living Nativity <a class="twitter-share-button" data-url="http://bigearcreations.blogspot.ca/2014/11/inside-living-nativity.html" data-via="davecarrol" href="https://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a>
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<div dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-3a6a9151-e3d0-dad7-13b3-24c57df61934" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIbCwmZ4y12Wxj3YgjQ1W7rlvaUsQjzLGkUqG5-VNlv3k-fFd9SS0VowebFdCPLMSKoQB1pMAHXw2Cm76bGHpxnWp566FHCkiSImDpz34-i5ooSB6E8uPDgAqNUheDIufTZ9O5/s1600/387384_291564487551802_154545447920374_805136_1018819752_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIbCwmZ4y12Wxj3YgjQ1W7rlvaUsQjzLGkUqG5-VNlv3k-fFd9SS0VowebFdCPLMSKoQB1pMAHXw2Cm76bGHpxnWp566FHCkiSImDpz34-i5ooSB6E8uPDgAqNUheDIufTZ9O5/s1600/387384_291564487551802_154545447920374_805136_1018819752_n.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Believe it or not, this December will mark the 5th anniversary of “<a href="https://www.facebook.com/thelivingnativitybrantford" target="_blank">The Living Nativity</a>” in Harmony Square. In an era where North American cities squabble over whether or not there should be a faded plastic nativity displayed in parks, our city embraces a living one… including wise-crackin’, dancin’ shepherds. To paraphrase Katy Perry, in Brantford, this is how we do. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">December 12th, 13th, and 14th there will be a 7pm show and an 8pm show as in previous years. With good weather, there will again be thousands from all walks of life that will bring their families, dates, or pets downtown to see this story one more time. Christmas has a disproportionately hypnotic attribute to it.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We sometimes objectively try to analyze why this is. We chalk it up to our Pavlovian reactions to familiar stimuli or even habitual commercialistic instinct. There's no doubt that these do exist, even inside the strongest of wills. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The power of tradition in itself is a factor in play. This last week I tweeted: </span></div>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
Anyone who doubts the power and emotion that tradition can evoke, has never decorated a home for Christmas with kids.<br />
— Dave Carrol (@davecarrol) <a href="https://twitter.com/davecarrol/status/535600974761828355">November 21, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This year when we opened our box of decorations, without any discussion, the kids instinctively put everything “where it goes.” Tacky Santa X and wacky snowman Y theoretically don’t “go” anywhere. But try to move them to a different place than they’ve traditionally been and Christmas will be all cattywampus somehow. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Christmas story is kind of like that, but the hypnotic factor stems from something deeper. One of the groups of people we created <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thelivingnativitybrantford" target="_blank">The Living Nativity</a> for, were the generation who haven’t made regular church attendance a cultural and familial absolute. We wanted to give an opportunity for people to reconnect with the Christmas they remember as a child in a broader community, engaging… and even entertaining context. It has become an opportunity for thousands to create a tangible Christmas tradition for their own kids or grandkids surrounding the “something deeper” of Christmas. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh55qKyit0BAjIPCXj-Tv363oVPl9PRsRMxTj9-riorDvGfqQNcuVCtg-CJVgj3Eu6ygqDcGn3dZFHesSX9sDxNBBy4EHSzzxkwsvhzlcKkI53VpnzAxSZlstrkVwjeEVDIn38z/s1600/384094_291563337551917_154545447920374_805105_564652996_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh55qKyit0BAjIPCXj-Tv363oVPl9PRsRMxTj9-riorDvGfqQNcuVCtg-CJVgj3Eu6ygqDcGn3dZFHesSX9sDxNBBy4EHSzzxkwsvhzlcKkI53VpnzAxSZlstrkVwjeEVDIn38z/s1600/384094_291563337551917_154545447920374_805105_564652996_n.jpg" height="186" width="320" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> The line you’ll read on the Harmony Square banner and all of the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thelivingnativitybrantford" target="_blank">Living Nativity</a> posters is, “One family, one journey, one child that would change the world.” Whatever your belief about the deity of the man known as Jesus of Nazareth, you’d be hard-pressed to argue the impact his life has made on our planet. Each year during the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thelivingnativitybrantford" target="_blank">Living Nativity</a>, Freedom House’s Brian Beattie will tell the story of growing up hearing Johnny Cash sing a song called “Here was a Man.” It says,</span></div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“I think I'm well within the mark when I say that all of the armies that ever marched, all of the navies that ever sailed the seas, all of the legislative bodies that ever sat and all of the kings that ever reigned; all of them put together have not affected the life of man on this earth so powerfully as that one solitary life” </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In fact it doesn’t take much in the “step back and look from 10,000ft” department to see that the seemingly ordinary, obscure and innocuous event of a birth into poverty that took place 2000 years ago in the Middle East; became the fulcrum of subsequent history. History has shown it to be a miraculous thing and we’re drawn into this powerful narrative at Christmas time.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">For the estimated 2.8 billion Christians on our planet, it’s even more than just historically miraculous. It’s MIRACULOUS miraculous. CS Lewis challenged us to not only engage in this miraculous story but purposely decide how we are to react to it saying, </span><br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I personally subscribe to it’s infinite importance, and thus we once again share The Living Nativity with the city. But wherever you are on the journey of faith, Christmas can’t really be Christmas without engaging ourselves in the “something deeper” of the season. And let none of us be fooled about where that “something deeper” we all sense emanates from. Let’s engage in it together as a city Dec 12th-14th in Harmony Square. I hope to see you at the 5th annual <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thelivingnativitybrantford" target="_blank">Living Nativity</a>. </span><br />
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<script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');</script><div class="blogger-post-footer">Email me bigearcreations@gmail.com</div>Dave Carrolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12138953216264463289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26869407.post-77852813967814341032014-09-18T14:18:00.000-04:002014-09-18T14:20:16.484-04:00The Hill of Crosses <a class="twitter-share-button" data-url="http://bigearcreations.blogspot.ca/2014/09/the-hill-of-crosses.html" data-via="davecarrol" href="https://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a>
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"The rage of love turns inward to become prayers of devotion. These prayers are the constant road across the wilderness. These prayers are the memory of God"<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Paul Simon ~ The Cool River </i></span><br />
<br />
"The cross is in the ballpark"<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Paul Simon ~ Obvious Child</i></span><br />
<br />
12 km north of the Lithuanian city of Šiauliai, kind of in the middle of nowhere, there is hill covered with an estimated half million crosses. During the sunny Saturday afternoon of the Brantford International Jazz Festival, one of them unexpectedly made it's way into my hands... hand delivered by a member of our Canadian Armed Forces. Why? Because he just felt like he needed to.<br />
<br />
The Hill of Crosses is a bit of mysterious phenomenon. Nobody manages it. It just sort of... IS. In the mid-1800's during a time of conflict between the Russians and the Polish, local people began to climb to the top the hill to pray. They simply started doing ... something. Putting crosses in the ground was that something. Over the years of strife, they've been removed, replaced, removed again and replaced again. <br />
<br />
Lithuanian professor Viatanis Rimkis was one of the quarter million Lithuanians killed or exiled by Joseph Stalin. He says,<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"In the Soviet time, the hill became a symbol
of resistance. Through the cross, through religion, it was a struggle
against occupation, against outside ideology - a struggle for freedom.
It was like the cross became a weapon that was invincible." </blockquote>
<br />
Local sculptor Aleksas Stepanovicus says of the crosses that adorn this hill,<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"If trees have roots, they are firm in the ground
but the branches stretch to the sky. So the cross has the same form as a
tree. I understand that the cross is like a link between earth and
heaven."</blockquote>
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Corporal Ken Galbraith grew up around the corner from me in the Brantford neighborhood of Brier Park. Before he became an honorable member of our military... he used to just be, "Kenny." We've connected again in recent years and I was fortunate enough to spend part of last Remembrance Day with him. As he was serving in Eastern Europe, he came across this hill. "I couldn't get you out of my head" he said. "I just knew I needed to bring you a cross from this place." <br />
<br />
Corporal Galbraith selected a cross with the Lithuanian words, "<i>dieve, saugok ir globok musu seima</i>" written on it. It means "<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">God</span> <span class="hps">keep</span> and care for <span class="hps">our family." </span></span><span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">We shared a very special afternoon reconnecting in Harmony Square as humans searching after truth, men, and friends. </span></span><br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps"><br /></span></span>
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps">As fascinating as the Lithuanian cross and it's hill of origin is, the object or location itself hold no extra power. </span></span>God is just as alive right there in our Harmony Square interaction of love, prayer, friendship and faith as he is on that hill. The souvenir cross and the hill itself are simply a visual depiction of the outcry of the human soul to God that happens on hills in our own neighborhoods. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyRFwBya4y00SWIhiDjZV3SFj50-7lD3S_NZa0BMShyxo9gTw1f6FcmMJgHW_zXqZ32KfHtaIOfmEHqqB3YuLMkXtlT7HSsZwyCaQUg5HjGnhUWF8nuFfviklDvtRBRijpMg7N/s1600/IMG_3717.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyRFwBya4y00SWIhiDjZV3SFj50-7lD3S_NZa0BMShyxo9gTw1f6FcmMJgHW_zXqZ32KfHtaIOfmEHqqB3YuLMkXtlT7HSsZwyCaQUg5HjGnhUWF8nuFfviklDvtRBRijpMg7N/s1600/IMG_3717.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a>Some evangelicals may be tempted decry the hill as people merely attempting to substantiate prayer... in lieu of faith. But these crosses are not a penny in a fountain. They aren't whims, fleeting hopes or casual wishes. They are a powerful representation of a group of people, over generations, doing what we still do today. We try to find... someway... anyway... to connect heaven to earth. We all have that longing. That's faith. <br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Without faith it's impossible to please God"<br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Hebrews 11:6 </span></i></blockquote>
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President Theodore Rosevelt's hero was his father who had died many years prior. His first night in the White House, taking over for the recently deceased William Mckinley, was the day after his father's birthday. "<i>What would I not give for him to see me here in the White House</i>" he said upon entering. Then he noticed that the flowers on the dinner table were the same variety of roses that his father had worn every day in his button hole. He, as he began on his way to becoming one of America's most storied leaders, stated to his dinner guests,<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"I feel as if my father's hand were on my shoulder. As if there were a special blessing over the life I am to lead here." </blockquote>
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Sometimes God uses roses. Sometimes God uses a hill of crosses. Sometimes God uses a childhood friend coming half way across the earth. I'm almost 40 and I don't totally understand it, but I do know... that God is trying to get our attention, talk with us, and bring a little bit of heaven to earth.
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<script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');</script><div class="blogger-post-footer">Email me bigearcreations@gmail.com</div>Dave Carrolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12138953216264463289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26869407.post-78144867734618180602014-08-25T18:20:00.001-04:002014-08-25T19:33:52.758-04:00This is not a viral YouTube videoThis is not a viral YouTube video. It's not crisp, leveled or professional. It only has about 1,000 views. I don't like a whole lot of new music... but I found this video researching the background of one of my favorite new bands The Lone Bellow. They are not-very-knows originally from the south; and now Brooklyn. They are not a "Christian Band" but are followers of Jesus singing amazing songs about life together. This is not their amazing lead singer. Zach Williams. They started singing together after Zach's wife was paralyzed in a freak accident and miraculously recovered. They moved to Brooklyn and now live life in tight-knit community. This is Brian Elmquist, the other guy. This is him in an "every-church" ... likely in a gym, singing an old old song to those devoted to following Christ .... even in NYC. There are a dozen of these places in your city. It's dirty, simple and beautiful. <br />
<br />
I'm incredibly moved by "The Church." You cannot remove it from our culture or human functioning. It's a fundamental. It's a constant. We need it and it needs us. It's gnarly (difficult, dangerous, or challenging) (very good) ... both meanings. <br />
<br />
CS Lewis said,<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"I disliked very much their hymns, which I considered to be fifth-rate poems set to sixth-rate music. But as I went on I saw the great merit of it. I came up against different people of quite different outlooks and different education, and then gradually my conceit just began peeling off. I realized that the hymns (which were just sixth-rate music) were, nevertheless, being sung with devotion and benefit by an old saint in elastic-side boots in the opposite pew, and then you realize that you aren’t fit to clean those boots. It gets you out of your solitary conceit" </blockquote>
<br />
I'm entirely unapologetic about my support of The Church. If you're an artist, a business man, a bleeding heart, a lunch-box hero, an angsty teen or Man of Thought ... it's important to come, serve, give and sing together. Because the song isn't complete without you. <br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_OqDF6ZN0tBDwWFIHzFU48KcIah71N2ZnD2JBZo0t4L9o_rPKh-sYKH5cQ1fB0CAYfFuE7XhavRHKcEtBacE09lLSGa2-eArMKJv4JDrCidY3UvVzbBUsgiu0-5onucVuUrjx/s1600/www.ihchurch.com_-_2014-08-18_13.22.59.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_OqDF6ZN0tBDwWFIHzFU48KcIah71N2ZnD2JBZo0t4L9o_rPKh-sYKH5cQ1fB0CAYfFuE7XhavRHKcEtBacE09lLSGa2-eArMKJv4JDrCidY3UvVzbBUsgiu0-5onucVuUrjx/s1600/www.ihchurch.com_-_2014-08-18_13.22.59.jpg" height="320" width="265" /></a>Sometimes the poor and hurting are forgotten and disregarded within communities. Sometimes it's been The Church who have caused these hurts. Sometimes The Church have ignored those who needed open arms the most. But Saturday in a Minneapolis suburb, I was witness to the BEST of The Church. <br />
<br />
Me and Captain Kindness were invited by a transformation-minded church called <a href="http://www.ihchurch.com/" target="_blank">Inverhills Church</a> in the Minneapolis suburb of Inver Grove Heights, to be a part of a huge outreach event and to speak at their church. It was a whirlwind, jet-setter, in and out weekend that blessed me exponentially more than any contribution I could have possibly made.<br />
<br />
For 9 years this outward-focused Church, out of a heart and mindset of community transformation, had been doing a massive free carnival, lunch and loaded school backpack giveaway. 1000 or so each year given specifically to those whom, as helped by the local police force and social services, needed it the most. This was their baby. People came to their church property and they were able to show that Inverhills Church cares.<br />
<br />
But for God... the story is always bigger. <br />
<br />
God challenged Pastor Bart Thompson to make this event about the ONE Church in the city. For whatever reason, even within city-unity movements, there is a great Protestant/Catholic divide. It's a painful chasm to which apostolic bridges must be built. I saw one built on Saturday. Pastor Bart reached out to the very large, local Catholic Church St. Patrick's to participate in this act of community kindness. It was not an easy "yes" because of a dynamic that I didn't expect. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKiXrMjf_i-xsN2Ge3u3TqPwY2VLIQxijtY0sK779g3XSn70PyPeBwxWUWD3hbQhTXeY_MW6HkMGFD2sKDMwDj_gQ9MglxY0i7KrrfgUQg71xhrWXOhNUNiQJJxwNpKpIbIUMW/s1600/IMG_6338-X3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKiXrMjf_i-xsN2Ge3u3TqPwY2VLIQxijtY0sK779g3XSn70PyPeBwxWUWD3hbQhTXeY_MW6HkMGFD2sKDMwDj_gQ9MglxY0i7KrrfgUQg71xhrWXOhNUNiQJJxwNpKpIbIUMW/s1600/IMG_6338-X3.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a>As it turns out, there is a massive Mexican immigrant population in and around Minneapolis. So much so that Captain Kindness's Superhero in Me presentation had to be translated into Spanish as I spoke. There is a great deal of tension between many Mexicans and the Catholic Church. There is still considerable corruption and control within Mexico's Catholic Church and the local government. Many have actually had to flee because of it over the years. There are deep.... deep.... generational hurts that have carried into the Mexican-American experience. The stark reality is that many of those in most need of help and encouragement were from the Mexican community. <br />
<br />
But through the difficult and courageous steps of men after God's heart; they agreed to reach out TOGETHER. On Saturday 1056 backpacks were given away to a beautiful cross-section of racial backgrounds (including Minnesota's large Somali population) via a beautiful cross-section of denominational backgrounds. But it was more than just backpacks. I watched under-validated ethnicity's embraced. I watched pride laid down and with love, kindness and humility.<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<b>A community was invited to play together on it's own front lawn again. </b></h3>
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It was beautiful. I felt the Holy Spirit so strongly on that lawn and could literally barely fight back tears as I watched barriers being broken and hurts being healed.<br />
<br />
When St. Patrick's priest, Father Bob, got up to speak... he couldn't find the words. He, with dampened eyes, eventually pieced together words that clearly couldn't express what he was experiencing. It was The Kingdom of God. It was the ONE TRUE Church in action. She wasn't just meeting needs. She was releasing the pure, unselfish love of God... BY meeting needs together. <br />
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<script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');</script><div class="blogger-post-footer">Email me bigearcreations@gmail.com</div>Dave Carrolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12138953216264463289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26869407.post-82038835362009361462014-07-28T17:54:00.000-04:002014-07-28T17:59:22.389-04:00It's time to stop following our dreams<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijb9T1UCMoFUs80TJGC1SyYKJWlTwI6wwnB6U4w17BX77-iQcgW21jO6fN6kA6RmLQPYcJn-iscHjAl7oWq1VBwrPZl3CLX4fxloBXx8VFobyIXFf9GV-XoKIfF4r2eqbf1aST/s1600/god_s_dream_-_Google_Search_-_2014-07-28_17.44.25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijb9T1UCMoFUs80TJGC1SyYKJWlTwI6wwnB6U4w17BX77-iQcgW21jO6fN6kA6RmLQPYcJn-iscHjAl7oWq1VBwrPZl3CLX4fxloBXx8VFobyIXFf9GV-XoKIfF4r2eqbf1aST/s1600/god_s_dream_-_Google_Search_-_2014-07-28_17.44.25.jpg" height="194" width="320" /></a>It's time to stop following our dreams. Now hold your horses. Hear me out.<br />
<br />
I'm pro-dream. I think we should have a dream. I think we should have the faith to outwardly move towards a not-yet-seen ideal or goal. But consider this.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
It's time to stop following OUR OWN dream for our OWN life and start following GOD'S dream for our life.<br />
— Dave Carrol (@davecarrol) <a href="https://twitter.com/davecarrol/statuses/493876299514273794">July 28, 2014</a></blockquote>
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In fact:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
It's time to stop following OUR OWN dream for our world and starting following GOD'S dream for our world.<br />
— Dave Carrol (@davecarrol) <a href="https://twitter.com/davecarrol/statuses/493876318753529856">July 28, 2014</a></blockquote>
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What's the difference? Believe it or not; God is bigger than us. He's taller. He's smarter. He has better foresight. He has better insight. He considers more factors. He's a better life-juggler. He's the MASTER dreamer with desire to fulfill OUR desires and dreams... if.... and there IS an IF.<br />
<br />
Psalm 37: 3-4 says:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="text Ps-37-3" id="en-NIV-14454">Trust in the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> and do good;</span><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-37-3">dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.</span></span><span class="text Ps-37-4" id="en-NIV-14455"></span><br />
<span class="text Ps-37-4" id="en-NIV-14455">Take delight in the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>,</span><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-37-4">and he will give you the desires of your heart.</span></span></blockquote>
<br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-37-4">It's interesting how God knows what we really do desire, but He wants us to DESIRE Him first. But it's better than that. We GET to trust someone with more wisdom. We GET to dwell in his good land, enjoying safe pasture. We GET to delight ourselves in the Lord. THEN He'll give us the desires of heart. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-37-4">Order of operations means something when it comes to our dreams. Think about it how many Biblical character's stories are, "<i>He went to his high school guidance counselor who performed an aptitude test and set him on his sensible way. He worked towards that goal and then achieved it. Amen. Let us pray.</i>" </span></span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-37-4"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
God's stories have twists, turns, tales, trials, trembling, triumph, turncoats and terrifying turnarounds. AND They're GREAT stories.<br />
— Dave Carrol (@davecarrol) <a href="https://twitter.com/davecarrol/statuses/493876333978480640">July 28, 2014</a></blockquote>
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-37-4"><br /></span></span>
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-37-4">But success always requires man to put down our dreams in favor of God's dreams. But when they come to pass (and they do) we inevitably discover that the results are better than we could have dreamed for, it's personally MORE satisfying, and all we've had to do was enjoy being with God instead of sweating the small stuff. </span></span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-37-4"><br /></span></span>
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-37-4">So yes.... let's follow dreams. But let's get God's dreams and follow those. They're better. </span></span>
<iframe src="//www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fbigearcreations.blogspot.ca%2F2014%2F07%2Fits-time-to-stop-following-our-dreams.html&width&layout=standard&action=like&show_faces=true&share=true&height=80&appId=183473189854" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; height:80px;" allowTransparency="true"></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer">Email me bigearcreations@gmail.com</div>Dave Carrolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12138953216264463289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26869407.post-38896338425320050042014-07-18T18:25:00.002-04:002014-07-28T14:16:04.246-04:00I've never known how I was gonna get where I'm goingI've never known how I was gonna get where I'm going but I've always known the path.<br />
I didn't know how I was going to afford to get married in college... but I knew the path.<br />
I didn't know how I was going to get a job that paid apartment rent... but I knew the path.<br />
I didn't know how I was going to get to Africa like that vision in my head... but I knew the path.<br />
I didn't know how I was going to get into ministry like that picture in my mind... but I knew the path.<br />
I didn't know how I was going to afford kids... but I knew the path.<br />
I didn't know how I was going to shape the culture... but I knew the path.<br />
I don't know how I'm going to get through my car repairs, my debt, my next visions, my growing grocery bill, my kids college, my mortgage, my retirement.... but I KNOW the path.<br />
<br />
These are not trite religious statements. They are neither small nor uncommon issues. They are not easily, carelessly or flippantly stated. I know WHERE I'm going... generally. I know THAT I'll get there... in one form or another. But I've NEVER known how, right up until this very moment thinking about the end of THIS weekend.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiPvSg6BDxAtZo3XT4FLgQvk09OBXFZfOZWgnGZRey8nTzKDo_mBv5qH3lQlNiUAldS880RMmQvqLSoIbeKcRPIQ6uSM5x6BLGwx67B7lO4NXGJcgZyK5FJeibwaHj0ywt0lM9/s1600/3661_10151534893286578_36383423_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiPvSg6BDxAtZo3XT4FLgQvk09OBXFZfOZWgnGZRey8nTzKDo_mBv5qH3lQlNiUAldS880RMmQvqLSoIbeKcRPIQ6uSM5x6BLGwx67B7lO4NXGJcgZyK5FJeibwaHj0ywt0lM9/s1600/3661_10151534893286578_36383423_n.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a>It's been 9 months since I left the broadcasting industry which I'd been working professionally in for 15 years and cumulatively for 20 years. I never did make much money in broadcasting because I always had either a ministry or tent-making mindset. For the non-church folks, tent-making refers to when the Apostle Paul actually used his skills making physical tents in Greece to afford to live and eat while preaching around the countryside. <br />
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But just when I won a national radio advertising award and potentially stood to be able to leverage it into enough money where I could "know how" somehow... I was called out into the church. Another "I don't know how" on my part AND the church's part. Then I very much wanted to start working freelance using these skills to "know how" somehow. I finished a GREAT pitch email that still sits in my "drafts" file. It's not that I won't send it. It's just that...<br />
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<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>OBEDIENCE is "The Path" </b></span><br />
<br />
Obedience to God is the path.<br />
<br />
Without FAITH, you see, it's actually impossible to please God. Weird thought isn't it? You can't fully please God and live a life that fully displays him if you totally know how you're going to get where you're going. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwIBqzt-DGEHMrRUx3AqQ0ZJNEo039CdepHe2OarioFs5jxRQfoMMldBUtaTPjGGIVUH-IBLRYadsgE6UMOt01SLkbkreE_7QlCpNmsLZKh5pdkrus5oSaC4PMte9YaoQ_2wq9/s1600/IMG_2509.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwIBqzt-DGEHMrRUx3AqQ0ZJNEo039CdepHe2OarioFs5jxRQfoMMldBUtaTPjGGIVUH-IBLRYadsgE6UMOt01SLkbkreE_7QlCpNmsLZKh5pdkrus5oSaC4PMte9YaoQ_2wq9/s1600/IMG_2509.JPG" height="182" width="320" /></a>When I didn't know how Krissy and I would be able to afford newlywedhood... we prayed and obeyed and jobs came. When we didn't know how we'd get to Africa... we prayed and obeyed and the money showed up at the right time from the right person. When we didn't know how we'd ever get to do ministry in a meaningful, culturally significant way... we prayed and obeyed and God orchestrated friends who let us start Freedom House with them. When we didn't know how to see city transformation... we prayed and obeyed and now we just hosted the Transform Your World North American Conference and they are shooting a documentary about Brantford that will be shown across the earth to encourage other cities that a tangible difference IS possible.<br />
<br />
I DON'T know how God's gonna save the day today. Literally. <br />
I DON'T know how he's gonna save the day tomorrow.<br />
I DON'T know how he's going to make my next decade of dreams come true.<br />
<br />
As I sit on my porch... I truly don't. <br />
But I DO know "The Path" and so I have confidence that He WILL get me where I need to go.<br />
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<script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');</script><div class="blogger-post-footer">Email me bigearcreations@gmail.com</div>Dave Carrolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12138953216264463289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26869407.post-42654805524272557322014-06-23T08:44:00.000-04:002014-07-28T15:44:35.234-04:00Morning Musings ~ Being a "SLAVE" to the call<br />
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The moment I understood what "serving" God is, was the moment I understood that it wasn't really serving at all. Accra Ghana 14 years ago in a business meeting, my friend Albert Ocran rebuked one of his whining missionaries saying,<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"I am a SLAVE to the CALL of Christ." </blockquote>
<br />
He said it with fire in his eyes and words and I saw "his call" play out voraciously in his life. EVERY day, rain or shine, early morning and late night. Not because he had to... but because he HAD to. It BURNED in him. Slave is a hard word but a biblical word. It's "doulos"and it doesn't have much nuance. It's slave. Paul didn't have the Road to Damascus smackdown for anything less. He writes,<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Remember, if you were a slave when the Lord called you, you are now free in the Lord. And if you were free when the Lord called you, you are now a slave of Christ."<br />
1 Cor 7:22 </blockquote>
<br />
Serious and encompassing? Yes. Harsh? Not as much as it first seems. John gives us a marvelous insight into God's view of this relationship saying,<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn't confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me."<br />
John 15:15 </blockquote>
<br />
At the cross, Christ bought and conquered our sin that wanted to choke the life out of us. We've been paid for. When we, in the freedom we've been mercifully granted, chose to turn over our whole self to God's plans in the spirit of friendship... it's not a passive, balanced, hedged-bet ordeal. We have a vital role in The Kingdom of God TODAY that will require us to go above and beyond to even approach success in. And to do that, we don't try to achieve on a higher level of human striving. Instead, we take our lead from Paul, the man who became a "slave" to his call and... and "die daily"
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<script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');</script><div class="blogger-post-footer">Email me bigearcreations@gmail.com</div>Dave Carrolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12138953216264463289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26869407.post-24717653973835809552014-06-19T07:52:00.001-04:002014-07-28T15:44:51.447-04:00The Myth of "Elsewhere"
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">John grew up "Here." After brushing his teeth and combing his hair a satisfactory number of times, his father an adequate machinist, would tell John stories of "Elsewhere." John loved "Elsewhere" with all his heart. It was a beautiful, storied land with mountains that shone in the morning sunlight and valleys that smelled of sweet alyssum. “Elsewhere,” there were men who loved as he imagined love being. That perfect love that poets wrote idyllic sonnets about. A love that John had grown jealous of, being part of the pedestrian masses subjected to a birth and rearing "Here.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Here” was different than “Elsewhere.” The sunsets weren't as a red. It's streets were cracked and too many “Hereians” smoked. Not pipes either. They didn't think twice about it. Monsters really. There were problems “Here’... and “There” too. Sometimes John's Father would take the family stationwagon "There". "There" had a modest mall where John's father could buy camping supplies for their trip “Elsewhere.” What a trip this would be. At the end of every month, there would be enough money leftover to buy one piece of the expedition gear. A tent here and a Coleman burner there. But the problem with "There," were the “Thereians.” They were a rude and inconsiderate folk who thought only of themselves. John's father was sure that they had never heard of “Elsewhere.” How could they have? You see, “Elsewhere” was a copious country that the small minds of common “Hereians” and “Thereians” couldn't comprehend. “Elsewhereians” would never be like that. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">John grew to hate “Here.” And he loathed “There.” </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">John's father died. It was not a sad story except to say that hard times had hit “Here.” So much so that the tent had been sold to buy stacks of canned corn and the Coleman burner had turned into a side of “There's” finest beef to salt and preserve for the “Hereian” winter. But John's father's death was sad enough that John couldn’t take “Here” any longer. In the willed-wagon, John began driving for “Elsewhere” without so much as a goodbye, although there were no neighbors he knew well-enough to say goodbye to anyhow. He cursed “Here” as he sped through town. “I’ll never darken a doorway in 'There' again!" John shouted as he tore a strip down the ordinary “Thereian” streets with “Elsewhere” on his mind. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">John drove and drove. The speeding ticket from an unfamiliar land he didn't know existed didn't deter John's zeal for “Elsewhere.” Finally he arrived “Elsewhere.” It felt...</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">...familiar.</span></div>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage. Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span> </blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Jeremiah ~ 600BC </span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Email me bigearcreations@gmail.com</div>Dave Carrolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12138953216264463289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26869407.post-64181574971804616472014-05-15T10:48:00.001-04:002014-07-28T15:45:03.530-04:00Being a parent means never stopping learning about love <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjScrMHQCE-hfnGgcsXbCtp6ru-pqP-L4qvVNFU4y7Bvd8gidXh-5xx5i-mST8nLvS1HGi-U9nznLo_iImC7drniQ1s_ER9A-wLRumPQ1g0lkBZns73Lvjl_p1TDu9b7dnBCnFY/s1600/1618578_10153837584210077_343073233_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjScrMHQCE-hfnGgcsXbCtp6ru-pqP-L4qvVNFU4y7Bvd8gidXh-5xx5i-mST8nLvS1HGi-U9nznLo_iImC7drniQ1s_ER9A-wLRumPQ1g0lkBZns73Lvjl_p1TDu9b7dnBCnFY/s1600/1618578_10153837584210077_343073233_n.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a><br />
I'm not a "kid" guy. Well... I didn't used to be at least. In fact, my son was very close to being the first baby I ever held. My wife was in the same boat. We weren't the babysitters, we didn't ooo and ahh over babies or even feel the deep emotions that others seemed to. I couldn't picture her as a mother and she couldn't see me as a Dad either. It's not that we didn't want to have kids. We did. We just didn't have context for... any of it really.<br />
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But for the last 12 years (starting from the moment that God set our kid-world in motion with the words "<i>Life can't be about YOU anymore. You've gone as far as a life revolving around yourselves can take you</i>") I've been on a steep and harrowing yet gutturally poignant journey into understanding kids, fatherhood, myself AND my Lord on a deeper level than I knew existed. <br />
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The last few weeks I've been pushed to new... and challenging depths.<br />
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A few weeks ago we had the extraordinarily talented Jacob Moon tell his family's powerful story at Freedom House. Unable to conceive a child and, while aching inside, they were invited by Compassion Canada to travel to El Salvador to experience their mission with children. They almost couldn't do it, but pressed on responsibly. Divinely, a little girl named Sara attached herself to them and they sponsored her... but the impact ran much deeper. The love they felt for a child that was not of their own flesh unlocked an incredible chain of events, culminating in the couple adopting two young boys from the CAS system in their hometown... restoring their hope. <br />
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As Jacob told the story of love for, and even sang <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnCXJrk7o7I" target="_blank">the song he wrote for Sara</a>, I was convicted heavily about the depth of God's love and the shallowness of mine. My wife and I have sponsored 2 kids through Compassion faithfully for 11 years. God said, "<i>If you can afford one here, you can afford one there.</i>" He was right. And we did. We've never missed a month. But there are times where we have more month than money. And my first temptation is the Compassion sponsorships. I know is sounds awful. It never gets through the first wave of thoughts... but it's there. Sorting through piles of mail the other day, I found more unopened letters from our children than I care to count. <br />
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God spoke to me and said, "<i>That's because you've never really let them into your heart.</i>" And he was right. These are HIS kids that he's entrusted a small portion of parental care and love to ME, to distribute on HIS behalf. And money is not enough. To do that... my heart needs to dig deeper than I thought it could go. How though? How does one make the heart grow? <br />
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On Sunday I looked at a row of little girls in our church seated at the front. They are there each week and my daughters are a part of this cute little gaggle. Often I'll see various combinations of them pressing into worship, eyes closed, hands up. When my daughters aren't in that mix, even if its my friends kids, I'll smile responsibly and be about my business. I'm not a "kid" guy by nature. But in 12 years... I've become a MY kid guy. When MY daughter is worshiping... I can't look away. It's the GREATEST thing. MY girl taking steps toward Jesus. I can't think of another thing I'd want to look at. <br />
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On Sunday God stopped me saying, "<i>That's how I am. That's how I feel when you worship me. You are all MY kids.</i>" This may not sound profound, but it IS when it's breathed into life by a loving, patient God who picks his moments. It felt like 12 years of gracious, parental marinating for a moment where simple truth (that I've heard conceptually a million times) came alive.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkp1esqPXacizsOnHt3wqawXFfGG5liiYscq_8Q_hyAXHhCaptYd3p1D6eqLd1ImMwUTEK9Mm0d7V9cOjKDbfBfI7IW4F8E611JmVq7SDdeLWBMjrobu0tI-OoMfI5M61Hvp0x/s1600/1238132_10153837583955077_34344357_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkp1esqPXacizsOnHt3wqawXFfGG5liiYscq_8Q_hyAXHhCaptYd3p1D6eqLd1ImMwUTEK9Mm0d7V9cOjKDbfBfI7IW4F8E611JmVq7SDdeLWBMjrobu0tI-OoMfI5M61Hvp0x/s1600/1238132_10153837583955077_34344357_n.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a>I love life. When you walk with the Lord, he truly never stops guiding you deeper... and deeper... and deeper. We can and MUST be willing to deepen our love for God and others because there are so many more lessons to learn that we won't have the honor of learning and beauty that won't get to be a participant in if we're hesitant to deeper our love. <br />
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<script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');</script><div class="blogger-post-footer">Email me bigearcreations@gmail.com</div>Dave Carrolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12138953216264463289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26869407.post-61371246546940420962014-04-14T13:49:00.000-04:002014-07-28T15:45:13.566-04:00Seeing an old story with new eyes
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGynS74fRS8SfONnO0bV7mU1K4CSZaKPQT3qUPFf0o4Ra8CdYYap7YTgG_VHR6O9yDBFikyQOgYER5pzFnbK28-dwy_w3SDo6Rrd9E_KqrLBi4atHNN0c3eCivdM_WkfpjWyzq/s1600/farjjjrar_fw_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGynS74fRS8SfONnO0bV7mU1K4CSZaKPQT3qUPFf0o4Ra8CdYYap7YTgG_VHR6O9yDBFikyQOgYER5pzFnbK28-dwy_w3SDo6Rrd9E_KqrLBi4atHNN0c3eCivdM_WkfpjWyzq/s1600/farjjjrar_fw_2.jpg" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Storytelling has been the primary tool of the passage of information, legacy, tradition, custom, and even universal truth throughout the ages. I've been reading the 1874 classic "The Life of Christ" by Frederic Farrar as the last essay of my 2 year ministry course (It's called <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FreedomTrainingCentre" target="_blank">Freedom Training Centre</a> if you're interested.) The single most fascinating aspect I found is the fact that it feels like a story being told with the language, poetic flow and flavor of the day. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It’s as if Farrar was simply doing a writing exercise, that I’ve actually had writing, journalism and broadcast students do before. It’s where you take a familiar text or story and rewrite it using their own language. History tells me that the book was as popular then as it remains today, but I think today it provides an even greater fascination as you’re given the chance to hear echos of a culture long past… yet strikingly familiar.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">One passage that jumped out at me was when describing the young Jesus at the temple:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Even as there is one hemisphere of the lunar surface on which, in its entirety, no human eye has ever gazed, while at the same time the moon's librations enable us to conjecture of its general character and appearance, so there is one large portion of our Lord's life respecting which there is no full record; yet such glimpses are, as it were, according to us of its outer edge, that from these we are able to understand the nature of the whole. Again, when the moon is in crescent, a few bright points are visible through the telescope upon its unilluminated part; those bright points are mountain peaks, so lofty that they catch the sunlight. One such point of splendour and majesty is revealed to us in the otherwise unknown region of Christ's youthful years, and it is sufficient to furnish us with a real insight into that entire portion of His life. In modern language we should call it an anecdote of the Saviour's confirmation.” </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Not entirely new revelation, just a bit more interesting in the light of our current knowledge that nearly 100 years later, Apollo 8’s astronauts would see the dark side of the moon with their own eyes in '68.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> In the next chapter, when talking about the little known years of Jesus youthful years in Nazareth </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“SUCH, then, is the “solitary floweret out of the wonderful enclosed garden of the thirty years, plucked precisely there where the swollen bud, at a distinctive crisis, bursts into flower.” But if of the first twelve years of His human life we have only this single anecdote, of the next eighteen years of His life we possess no record whatever save such as is implied in a single word. The word occurs in Mark vi. 3: “Is not this the carpenter?” </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Farrar’s quote is referencing Rudolf Stier in his 12 volume work “The words of the Lord Jesus.” Stier was a German Protestant and Mystic, noted for writing a new edition of Martin Luther's </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Catechism</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> and a translation of the Bible based on the writings of Luther. He was another man, telling another story in another era, paying homage to yet ANOTHER era. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">But this hasn’t stopped today either. Let’s even take the scripture that Farrar goes on to extrapolate some deep meaning out of, regarding the early life of Jesus in Mark 6:3. In 1993, Eugene Peterson turn the Bible world on its head by releasing the New Testament as, “The Message.” It’s official name is actually “The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language.” It’s an known as an idiomatic translation of the original languages of the Bible; idiomatic meaning “words that have a figurative meaning owing to its common usage.” It’s a story.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Peterson tells the Mark 6:3 story this way: </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super;">1-2 </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He left there and returned to his hometown. His disciples came along. On the Sabbath, he gave a lecture in the meeting place. He made a real hit, impressing everyone. “We had no idea he was this good!” they said. “How did he get so wise all of a sudden, get such ability?”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super;">3 </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">But in the next breath they were cutting him down: “He’s just a carpenter—Mary’s boy. We’ve known him since he was a kid. We know his brothers, James, Justus, Jude, and Simon, and his sisters. Who does he think he is?” They tripped over what little they knew about him and fell, sprawling. And they never got any further.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super;">4-6 </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Jesus told them, “A prophet has little honor in his hometown, among his relatives, on the streets he played in as a child.” Jesus wasn’t able to do much of anything there—he laid hands on a few sick people and healed them, that’s all. He couldn’t get over their stubbornness. He left and made a circuit of the other villages, teaching.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> It's a very special thing to share in someone else's perspective of an un-changing gospel which we all share. It reminds me that neither of us are, "right" but instead, each hold a slice of understanding... and we need each other. </span>The word of God was made to live inside us and come out of us. You can tell that Farrar had it living inside of him and longed to tell the story... and he did it very very well. </span></div>
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<script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');</script><div class="blogger-post-footer">Email me bigearcreations@gmail.com</div>Dave Carrolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12138953216264463289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26869407.post-52057446869834459862014-04-13T18:14:00.003-04:002014-07-28T15:45:24.596-04:00What if we ALL tithed?
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRHJwjJN0OojmFUsZBWFIsBvRujRYQvQ1o1aqrx15fHAZVzgD0EqlYxfGAWAOlyR6304Q3eMlqRwPwIN31A7X_jzYix9Kh1HNxEE9aX2_OCJSkPjmoA6GgiCqotkWbIW6WeNF1/s1600/giving-tuesday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRHJwjJN0OojmFUsZBWFIsBvRujRYQvQ1o1aqrx15fHAZVzgD0EqlYxfGAWAOlyR6304Q3eMlqRwPwIN31A7X_jzYix9Kh1HNxEE9aX2_OCJSkPjmoA6GgiCqotkWbIW6WeNF1/s1600/giving-tuesday.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">There is a principle in Christianity and Judaism called “Tithing.” It means intentionally giving 10% of your gross income; in this case to the church. Some Christian circles subscribe fully to it in the modern context, some debate it’s relevance while others have let it slide with the times. But it’s historical Biblical and Judeo existence in one form or another, for roughly 4000 recorded years is well documented. The Orthodox Jews call it </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ma'aser kesafim</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, in partnership with the principle of “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Gemilut Hasadim</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” meaning “giving kindness.” Acts of kindness or “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">hesed</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” are said to make this world a more tolerable and better place. I’m VERY pro-kindness. Shoot… they call me The Captain. But, make no mistake that this ancient lifestyle of generosity is about meeting consistent, structural needs through consistent, structured giving. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I know Pastors and leaders who have spent their entire careers avoiding talking about this principle, or giving in general, because it makes them uncomfortable. However, giving is as important to the individual as it is to the organization. Ignoring leading others to new levels of generous giving handicaps both on micro and macro scales. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rich Stearn, president of World Vision USA explains what the title means to him:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"I have often thought of the tithe in a different way, as a kind of 'inoculation' against the power that money can sometimes hold over us. When we are vaccinated against a deadly virus, our bodies are injected with a small amount of that virus, weakened so that it won't hurt us. By putting this small amount into our systems, we develop an immunity to the virus, and it can no longer harm us. Metaphorically speaking, paying a tithe on our income has the same effect. By cheerfully giving away a small portion of our money, we become immune to the corrupting power it can have in our lives. When we tithe, not out of obligation, but out of love and obedience for God, we are making the bold statement that money has no power over us. Even when we give it away freely, we know that we can depend on God to replenish it and sustain us."</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And…. bills get paid. These are days where even stalwart nonprofits, many of which are the glue that hold our communities together, are struggling to make ends meet. A new phenomenon some organizations are facing is that they have money for “stuff” but not to keep the lights on and the staff fed. There are great, funded programs ready to roll… and no one to drive them. Motivations for giving have changed with the times. While the “Builder” generation gave out of duty and responsibility, current generations are far more likely to give to a cause, project or an inspiration-of-the-month. And while all giving is good, the least sexy place to give (and the toughest ask) remains the most important. Non-profits are being tempted to create new tasty initiatives, because people will give towards it, while unable to pay regular bills. You can see how destructive a trap that can become. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So… what if we all tithed? Are we even close? </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In 2008, 27.3 per cent of Americans donated to good causes, compared to 23.6 per cent of Canadians, and they gave almost twice as much, according to an annual study on giving by the Fraser Institute. According to the Barna group, whether people believed in tithing or not, the average is about 5% who give 10% of their gross. And according to the Globe and Mail,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“The percentage of Canadians donating to charity actually declined between 1998 and 2008. Clearly, our sense of social obligation is not as fully developed as it should be, which is why, for example, the Ontario government requires high school students to provide 40 hours of community service before they can graduate” </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We’re giving less in a world that has more needs. The only reason Freedom House is able to do what it does in the community is because of the consistent generosity of its members. The extra stuff (for which we’re ENORMOUSLY appreciative) is awesome but regular giving, we can count on and plan around. It’s the least sexy form of giving, but the most important in every context. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This week Captain Kindness was in a 1st Grade class teaching them about being Kindness Superheroes. I heard a young man mutter, "I ain’t no hero." As I continued through our Superhero School presentation where we share with students how they can change their lives, families, schools and communities with kindness… he began to soften as he wrote ways that he could transform his surroundings. Then, to a very general question, he painfully told me "Somebody beat up my parents." I knelt down and quietly sowed this into him, "Guard your heart. You KNOW there is goodness inside you and don't let anyone or anything rob it from your heart." He hugged me SUPER tight.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Amazing right? If I trace it back to the reason why this </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">hesed</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” was afforded the ability to happen, it was those who had (in an unheralded manner) intentionally chosen to structure their finances around consistent giving. In the book of Matthew, Jesus spoke of the tithe, brought it to life, and took it to another level. He scolded those who were nickel and diming people when it came to the tithe saying, </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.” </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He essentially said, “YES give! But care! It’s not a financial thing… it’s a heart thing! Where your heart is, there your treasure will be.” </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What if we all tithed? I can BARELY imagine it. But I CAN imagine it. Incredible things are already being done due to the generosity of many in our city. But allow me to challenge you to be challenged to budget more, and be a consistent giver to the things that are impact our city for the better. </span></div>
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<script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');</script><div class="blogger-post-footer">Email me bigearcreations@gmail.com</div>Dave Carrolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12138953216264463289noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26869407.post-224893502182662642014-03-31T21:30:00.000-04:002014-07-28T15:45:35.325-04:00I had a quinoa salad for lunch
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"I had a quinoa salad for lunch. It was SO so good. Do you know how many calories that quinoa salad had? Not many. I even know what the daily caloric percentage for that quinoa salad as calculated for my body weight. I heard about it on the O network. That Oprah... you've really got to hand it to her. Well after that quinoa salad, I went for brisk walk. I did. And I wore a purple jumpsuit. But it wasn't that deep purple that you love... it was a pale purple like my Aunt Agnes used to wear. She loved that color because she had a doll as a little girl... whose eyes were that color. She always said that she'd get lost in those eyes. I wonder what it would be like to get lost in an eye. What's in an eye anyway? Probably veins. Did you know that my veins are narrower than most people's veins? They are. That's why, when I get really worked up, they turn a slightly deeper shade because of the lack of blood flow. Or at least that's what the public health nurse told me once. Remember when we'd rinse with fluoride rinse in schools while listening to the Smurfs dental song? Why did we do that? Why don't we do it anymore? Did you know that the French for Smurfs is <span class="st">Les Schtroumpfs? It is. I don't know why. Do you know why? The French are weird. Why do we have to pay more for French food than other food? And it's all so rich. SO so rich. And you get less but you pay more for French food. That's a sad thing about eating out right? It's not like back when we'd go to the Ponderosa Buffet and we'd get our fill. Remember Bonanza? You don't? I guess you're too young. I'm going to tell you about it anyway. It had that Lorne Greene in it. He was Canadian I think. Google him. He was right? Ha. I was right. I always get him confused with Bruno Gerussi from the Beachcombers. I LOVE the beach. Don't you just LOVE the beach? I found a 20 dollar bill on the beach once! I walked over to a lady, who had this gorgeous red handbag... who told me incidentally that it was a hand-me-down from a friend who actually acted as an extra in one of those Chevy Chase movies. Anyway I asked this lady, who believe it or not had a Croatian accent. I know that because I actually asked her. I had to know. She sounded so exotic. ANYWAY, I asked this lady if she lost 20$ because I found 20$ on the beach and she said no. So I took the money went right into the casino. Did you know that they will give you all the free Gingerale that you want as long as you're playing the slots? Well I only wanted to spend that 20$ because I don't want to be one of those people who loose more than they can afford at the casino. Those people are so sad. My neighbor back in Calgary was one of those people. He had a cowboy hat bigger than you'd believe. You know what they say about people with big hats right? So I thought I'd get an "old-fashioned" like Don Draper drinks and they told me that they didn't make "old-fashions" How do you even say that drink plural? Is it old-fashioneds or old-fashions? That's hard to say. Grammar sucks anyway. So instead I just got a free gingerale. Did you know that they'll give you a free gingerale as long as you're playing the slots? So I sat down right beside a machine with stars all over it. That's what I heard someone tell me once and they were a VERY lucky person. So I played slots for 20 minutes and came out 5 dollars ahead so I got another Gingerale and went home. Did I tell you that they will give you all the free gingerale you want as long as you're playing slots?" </span><br />
<b><span class="st"><br /></span></b>
<b><br />"And in the naked light I saw ten thousand people, maybe more. People talking without speaking; people hearing without listening"</b><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Simon and Garfunkel </b></span><br />
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<script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');</script><div class="blogger-post-footer">Email me bigearcreations@gmail.com</div>Dave Carrolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12138953216264463289noreply@blogger.com0