An Intern Looking for Work!

Yup, its almost done.  The MDiv that is.  After 7 years starting with an undergrad I'm not ready to be let loose on the unsuspecting public.

It also took me 7 years to figure out a portion of what I'm called to do.  It seems that preaching is a good fit - as long as I can do it in a context - that is I'm not crazy on doing tons of supply preaching  - I prefer to preach into a situation.

On the other hand, supply preaching gives me an opportunity to use my other "gift" which is to preach prophecy.  Not prophecy in the secular understanding of fortune telling but rather taking in the big picture and offering  a word of comfort or warning based on God's perspective (to the best of my ability ;).

But I'm also knee deep in other stuff right now so it may be a time to take a breath.  I've applied for a part time role but haven't heard anything and in the meantime C is working is butt off in a good job with lousy pay and I am working on getting mother-in-law assessed for nursing home.  The car is on its last legs.  My brother is a house guest who may be here for awhile.  God has been good to us and is teaching me (forcing me) to learn to rely on Him more and less on what we used to have as a security.  Losing the well paying, full benefits job has been tough on C and me but we are doing well.

So I'll try to keep the blog light and hopefully it will be reflective of a normal person who just happens to be called to ministry and also happens to be one very mixed up regular Joe (or Jane, I guess).

I've also come to realize that my quirky humour is not appreciated by all people.  I think God has a tremendous sense of humour - I think when patience runs low it relys on humour - then it turns to smiting.  Humour is the tension of the huge gap between reality and perfection.  The prophet in me just can't help pointing out how feeble our attempts at grand living are!

For LK

I'm analytical.  I also find humour in some stuff.  I like to teach things that confused me at one point.  Preaching appeals in some ways - but the creativity of it is tough.  Sometimes I have a great anecdote that seems to fix the text so well - I can imagine people making the link between the text and this great example I have.  Sadly after hours of writing, checking email, reading Craiglist and getting a snack it hits me.  The sermon is not coming together because this great anecdote just doesn't fit anywhere.  I don't know how the creative part comes together.  Wanting to express something but not finding the right structure is frustrating.  Whether this is a talent or just takes practice I haven't decided.  I'm leaning towards that it is something one is born with.

Craigslist: Digital Genitals - Models needed (Toronto)

I thought this was going to be a source of cheap humour and not worthy of my higher intellect.  Until I read this which obviously shows that this is one class act:

Please send in a description of your genitalia, your age, your ethnicity, along with a small colour photo.

Men: PLEASE NO ERECTIONS!
Women: Please apply - I need you on this one.
This is a professional shoot - please act accordingly. 
AND

This is unpaid work however, wine & nibbles will be provided at the shoot. 

Hey, I`m a big fan of the canape and eating while standing up but after having those pictures taken I`m ready to go home.  I can`t get the idea out of my mind of these random naked people eating cocktail wienies trying to come up with small talk......

Craigslist: Social Anxiety & Social Phobia Personal Support Group

It takes a few years for the group to meet and by then they don`t need it.....

I Enjoy Sinning

Hmm...my classmates may be ready to oust me.  I`m just not on the same wavelength.  We were talking about one of our readings and someone commented that once we are fully transformed at the end of time there would be no enjoyment in sinning - we would never want to sin so would naturally not sin.

The question was why did the author say this since we don`t enjoy sinning....I spoke up right away and said I DO enjoy sinning.  This was not well accepted.  I pointed out that if I did not get some kind of pleasure from it I wouldn`t do it.  My prof corrected me to say that of course with reflection I would come to regret my sin and then feel badly for it.  I didn`t want to disagree but frankly I do not even recognize my sin at all times - if I did I would never get off my knees from praying for strength.

We should pray for Jane, her daughter is dating a pagan!

Maybe people do not see sin the same way.  Maybe they just think about the big sins.  I certainly do not enjoy killing people.  But I do enjoy gossip.  It may not look 100% like gossip if I cover it up with words of concern but likely there is some gossip in it.  What about wasting time, over eating, lust...

Or am I really not as ``good`` as the rest.....

C might have job, but then again maybe not.

Well, C may have a job.  He went for a long interview and testing process.  He has told me that he is hired.  Just not sure exactly for what he has been hired!  The salary is probably about 11.00.  He is not sure of benefits. 

I'm a little more intense and far more cynical so I'm sure you understand that I am not really settled until I see a paycheque!  It's a security company and the discussion started at a job call for the airport in security.  When they saw his resume they pulled him out and had someone call him to see what they had available right away.  So he went to this 2nd interview with a bunch of people and was hired.  But another manager in another district might want him for a job he has in Markham.  He was supposed to call yesterday which is why we don't really know his assignment.  C is off for training today (not paid which makes me annoyed).  If there are benefits then we will end up earning more than EI and since EI runs out in January and C is so excited I'm trying to relax.  At least this way he is employed and doing something he loves and we are no longer a drain on society.  After applying for 64 jobs almost all of them in his field we can't be too picky. Well, we are - just not that noticeable in North American standards.  Now if only my brother could find something....

Hey I Owned One of Those....

For the past ten years, every now and then I see something labelled Vintage that I used to own....like this charming paint by number - which had a partner painting and hung in my bedroom.  Perfect for a girl's room done in purple.  This was in a time when purple was not the rage....I was ahead of my time though apparently 30 years ahead!

Too Much Time on Internet

Yesterday I came across this handmade item (in terms of jewellry design) from a Toronto artist on Etsy:

This morning I checked a favourite site - Victoria Trading Company and found this new product:



Now its not too surprising that a jewellery making Victorian style jewellery would end up using the same findings as another company.  But to stumble across on a site I rarely check on a random look through and another one within 12 hours says that I have to get a hobby.  Like cleaning the house, making dinner or writing one of my papers or sermons....nah, I have followers that work in the real world that I need to make these discoveries for!

I`m Old- Ceiling Cat

A long time ago a phenomenon called Ceiling Cat began with the picture above.  Ceiling Cat became a pardody of Christianity.  As a matter of fact Ceiling Cat has such a following that the whole Bible is being translated into kittenspeak - better known as LOLCAT.  Notably by people older than me.

There was a time when I was at least in the top 15 percent in terms of knowing what is going on.  However, for about 5 years or more I have slowly lost whatever insight into cultural memes I once had.  I`m getting old.

I don`t have the LOLCAT language down but have been enjoying reading some of the Psalms through this new voice - they sound so familiar yet different!

Apostles Creed - By Ceiling Cat

Modern English Version


I believe in God, the Father almighty,

creator of heaven and earth.



I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord,

who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

born of the Virgin Mary,

suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, died, and was buried;

he descended to the dead.

On the third day he rose again;

he ascended into heaven,

he is seated at the right hand of the Father,

and he will come again to judge the living and the dead.



I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy catholic church,

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and the life everlasting. AMEN.



Ceiling Cat Creed


We blieves in one big kitteh, Ceiling Cat,

who maded teh urfs an teh skiez

an all teh cheezburgers an teh invizibul bicycles an stuff.


We blieves in one happycat, Jeebus,

onliest son ov Ceiling Cat,

bornded beefor all teh cheezburgers an stuffs,

He gots some Ceiling Cat in him, srsly, k?

He helpded Ceiling Cat makes all teh cheezburgers an stuffs.

"Fer all teh kittehs he comez down frum teh ceiling

an beez a kitteh thru da Force an teh virjn Hello Kitty! wit no hankie pankies,

an was reely a kitteh, srsly.

He got teh crucify fer us kittehs by Pilate;

An gots todally pwned and faceplanted.

An caem bak to lief on teh thrd dai liek it wuz fortolded in teh Bible

An went bak up to teh Ceiling, an tuk a nappy in teh sunbeam nex to Ceiling Cat.

He will come bak daon frum teh Ceiling, to be teh judge ov teh live kittehs an teh dead kittehs.

An hiz kitteh kingdum bees furevr.


We blieves in Hovercat, teh giber ov life,

who comes frum Ceiling Cat [an maybe Jeebus],  (Ha ! filoque controversy! - Vic)

who we lurves jus like Ceiling Cat an Happycat,

an who tellz teh profits whut to sai.

We blieves in teh itteh bitteh kitteh committeh.

We DO NOT WANT baffs, but will hav wun fur furgivness.

We spektin to caem bak to life after we faceplant,

an lives furever in teh Ceiling.