A couple years ago I posted about the movie Jesus Camp and my initial thoughts on it, though at that time I had yet to see the film. Well, I finally got around to watching it with Caitlin recently and it disturbed me as much or more than I thought it would. Rather than get into a big slam-fest or political argument, what I'll say is that the right wing, Moral Majority brand of the Christian faith bears little or no resemblance to what I understand of Christ and how he lived. When I was watching the film, I thought "where is the compassion, or peace, or loving people like Christ loved people?" What I saw was an agenda, extreme emotional manipulation, judgment, and a political zeal that bordered on maniacal. When you see children stretching out their hands to pray over a life-sized cardboard cutout of then-President George W. Bush, whom the fundamentalist right thought of as some holy man, something isn't right as far as I'm concerned. I can appreciate people having convictions, but I struggled with the actions being taken as a result of of those convictions. Attempting to raise up an "Army of God" using naive children who are not yet old enough to truly understand, in many cases, what they are 'signing up for', is just wrong in my opinion. Plus, forcing 8-12 year olds to make decisions (if you can call it that, I call it brainwashing) on abortion as well as other moral/ethical and political issues robs them of their innocence, forcing them to grow up too fast; after some of what I have experienced working with kids, this makes me really angry.
That's my two cents on this for now...
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
MC Hammer, El Gordo, and some other randoms
Like always I have a bunch of ideas in draft format, but I feel guilty having not posted for more than a week and a half so I figured I would post some funnies, annoyances, and tunes that have been in the rotation lately.
The poster below, courtesy of my wife, had me in stitches (FYI: 'zeit' is German for 'time'):
Oh, MC Hammer, you being the butt of jokes will never stop being amusing to me...
*
I went to the Tragically Hip's first of two Victoria shows this past week and it was, as usual, excellent. There was no opening band and so the band played an opening 11-song set, had an intermission, a second set of 12 songs, and then a two song encore! The opening three songs were acoustic versions of "Courage" (slowed right down with lap slide guitar by Rob Baker!), "Thompson Girl" (I just about died--one of my very favourite Hip songs ever) and "Wheat Kings". We had fifth row tickets on the floor, stage right--sweet!
A couple shots of El Gordo from the show at the arena here in Victoria:
It just confirmed for me and Caitlin that when it comes to Canadian music legends, In Gord We Trust!
*
Other than listening to a lot of The Hip lately, Neko Case's Middle Cyclone and The Jayhawks' Sound Of Lies (the song "Bottomless Cup" has been slaying me--I literally tear up when I listen to it, it gets me so emotional) have been making a lot of appearances in the disc player at Casa del Bingham. Also, I've been re-falling in love with Ray LaMontagne's Till The Sun Turns Black and Sarah McLachlan's Fumbling Towards Ecstasy--two brilliant albums. Sarah McLachlan used to be so much more musically interesting than she is now, don't you think?
*
I just about had my driver's side door torn right off in my carport. I didn't put the e-brake up, left the car in neutral with the driver's door open and the car began to roll backwards. The door caught on the steel support pole for the balcony and it popped the hinges, bent the door and the fender--it's a total mess. I got a quote for the damage: $2000. There moral of the story: don't be like me.
*
Things that have been driving me nuts lately: ironing shirts, driving in Victoria (lucky to still be alive, folks), Facebook quizzes (a funny Tweet I recently saw: Hate. Facebook quizzes. I don't care what kind of wizard/director/beverage you are!!--I concur).
*
Michelle's wishes and out-of-context text had me laughing pretty hard when I read them so I thought I'd share them with you, my readers. Michelle is one of those people who is just always funny, even when she's not trying. I hadn't read her blog (or anyone else's) for ages and it was nice to catch up with her witty neuroticism and observations as she navigates the perils of academic librarianship, the Ottawa transit system, and boiling hot apartments.
*
I am reading The Neddiad and it's been hilarious so far. Sometimes it's great to pick up a well-written piece of children's literature and I am going to be making more of a habit of delving into kids' books. Thanks for the recommendation, Malcolm!
I hope my seven readers enjoy their Friday and their weekend!
The poster below, courtesy of my wife, had me in stitches (FYI: 'zeit' is German for 'time'):
Oh, MC Hammer, you being the butt of jokes will never stop being amusing to me...
*
I went to the Tragically Hip's first of two Victoria shows this past week and it was, as usual, excellent. There was no opening band and so the band played an opening 11-song set, had an intermission, a second set of 12 songs, and then a two song encore! The opening three songs were acoustic versions of "Courage" (slowed right down with lap slide guitar by Rob Baker!), "Thompson Girl" (I just about died--one of my very favourite Hip songs ever) and "Wheat Kings". We had fifth row tickets on the floor, stage right--sweet!
A couple shots of El Gordo from the show at the arena here in Victoria:
It just confirmed for me and Caitlin that when it comes to Canadian music legends, In Gord We Trust!
*
Other than listening to a lot of The Hip lately, Neko Case's Middle Cyclone and The Jayhawks' Sound Of Lies (the song "Bottomless Cup" has been slaying me--I literally tear up when I listen to it, it gets me so emotional) have been making a lot of appearances in the disc player at Casa del Bingham. Also, I've been re-falling in love with Ray LaMontagne's Till The Sun Turns Black and Sarah McLachlan's Fumbling Towards Ecstasy--two brilliant albums. Sarah McLachlan used to be so much more musically interesting than she is now, don't you think?
*
I just about had my driver's side door torn right off in my carport. I didn't put the e-brake up, left the car in neutral with the driver's door open and the car began to roll backwards. The door caught on the steel support pole for the balcony and it popped the hinges, bent the door and the fender--it's a total mess. I got a quote for the damage: $2000. There moral of the story: don't be like me.
*
Things that have been driving me nuts lately: ironing shirts, driving in Victoria (lucky to still be alive, folks), Facebook quizzes (a funny Tweet I recently saw: Hate. Facebook quizzes. I don't care what kind of wizard/director/beverage you are!!--I concur).
*
Michelle's wishes and out-of-context text had me laughing pretty hard when I read them so I thought I'd share them with you, my readers. Michelle is one of those people who is just always funny, even when she's not trying. I hadn't read her blog (or anyone else's) for ages and it was nice to catch up with her witty neuroticism and observations as she navigates the perils of academic librarianship, the Ottawa transit system, and boiling hot apartments.
*
I am reading The Neddiad and it's been hilarious so far. Sometimes it's great to pick up a well-written piece of children's literature and I am going to be making more of a habit of delving into kids' books. Thanks for the recommendation, Malcolm!
I hope my seven readers enjoy their Friday and their weekend!
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Keats
I remember the smell of blackberries, the sight of well-trodden trails through the forest and the taste of orange Tang and Lipton Chicken Noodle Soup on which my father and I feasted in the tiny old kitchen. It was the kind of place that assaulted the senses and there are still things that I taste and smell that remind me of those times. Our cabin had been in my family for at least a couple of generations before I came along and it was rundown, a bit musty, and yet totally charming. The coast below was jagged and rocky; I remember the sound of the waves pounding against the rocks all day and that salty redolence that anyone who has grown up near the ocean will try to describe, yet always fails to truly capture. As it is now during the summer, my favourite part of the day was the evening as the breezes curled in from the sea and the deer came out to graze on the lush green fields around Keats Camp. And who could forget the golf carts, which residents of Keats use to travel any distance since traditional vehicles are not driven on the island!
I spent parts of my boyhood summers on Keats Island, which is on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia opposite Gibsons. In order to get there, you had to take three ferries: Departure Bay to Horseshoe Bay, Horseshoe Bay to Langdale, and from Langdale you hopped on a little ferry called The Dogwood Princess to get to Keats Island. This annual summer trip was the highlight of my year when I was a kid because Keats was a little boy's paradise: fishing for shiners off the Government Wharf, catching crabs, swimming, boating, picking blackberries and freely tramping through the forest without a care in the world along with Casey, our faithful Golden Retriever. It was easy to while the days away up on Keats because there was no schedule and more than enough to keep a curious, energetic kid like me busy. For example, one of my favourite 'toys' was the electric fly swatter--I loved sizzling bugs of all kinds with it and it kept me occupied for hours on end! Another Keats pastime was hanging out with my second cousins, who had a cabin on the lot next to ours, whenever our vacations overlapped. They were a lot of fun and loved adventure, so being the youngest I loved that they treated me well and let me tag along on their forays around the island. However, as much as I associate Keats with summer and fun, I also equate it with one person: my father.
My father was my hero growing up and Keats was a place that brought us closer together, which was essential for me because I lived with my mother. I always sensed that Dad felt more at peace when he was here--he had license to putter around, work on the cabin, read, and he always enjoyed taking me to Sandy Beach (a highly original name, I know) and Salmon Rock, both of which were a fair trek away from the cabin. I idolized my father as a boy--in my eyes, he could do no wrong. He was patient with me, he gave me rides on his back when my feet were tired from walking, he helped me (and later my younger sister) make blackberry jam because I was too young to make it myself, and he taught me how to do a variety of other things. My father is a teacher and so he can take almost any situation and turn it into a 'teachable moment'; there were many teachable moments in the summers as I learned how to tie proper knots, bait a hook, properly weight a backpack and how to steer a boat. We spent all of our time together--I peppered him with questions, talked with him about his work as teacher, and just generally desired to know as much about him and his life as I could because it was a foreign world to mine. Dad and I bonded at Keats and I know that we were both sad to leave each summer when our time had come to an end.
These days, my relationship with my father has changed considerably as I am (arguably) a grown man and my father lives 200 kilometres away with his second wife and three young daughters. As I grew up I began to view Dad through a far different lens; I began to grasp that he was not a superhero, but merely a man with flaws, frustrations, and insecurities like anyone else. I count this as the first real feeling of loss that I ever experienced and I imagine that I am still coping with the effects of that loss. It is inevitable that a boy's relationship with his father changes when he becomes a man, yet it's often strange to me that my father has taken more of a backseat role by virtue of the paths our respective lives have taken and the physical distance that separates us. The father-son relationship is often a complicated one and I think that over the years ours has been no exception. I am both the oldest of his five children and his only son; there are a lot of expectations and pressures there, both real and perceived. Like most good fathers, I am sure he had a vision of what what kind of man he wanted me to be and like most sons, I craved his acceptance and approval. These days, the two of us live very distinct lives, do not always see eye-to-eye (especially about faith and politics), and I think we frequently struggle to understand one another. Even so, I am thankful that despite our differences there is a mutual respect, love, and affection between us. And the Leafs. You can never forget the Leafs...
Recently it has dawned on me just how much I miss about those summers at Keats: spending all day outdoors in the sun, the sound of the ocean pounding against the shore at night as I fell asleep, and hanging out with Dad. I have always had a bit of a "Peter Pan complex" (as I've termed it), a fear of growing up and being responsible because I am convinced that for all that you gain with adulthood, you lose elsewhere in equal measure. And thus as I think back on those times I realize that what I yearn for most, more than freedom or time with my father, is my innocence. I often ache to not know all that I now know about life, pain and human nature--the weight of it is sometimes completely overwhelming. Perhaps I spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about this as it occupies my thoughts far more regularly the older I get, but I find I can't help it. Countless times I have wished that I could erase certain events, things that have been said, or things that I have been told, but sadly that is impossible. My life has changed irrevocably and will never be what it was. Thankfully, I always have these wonderful recollections of my boyhood to which to escape, a time of naivety that was infused with wonder and the belief that everything was going to be okay. And the memory of feeling safe as I rested in my father's strong, sun-bronzed arms.
I spent parts of my boyhood summers on Keats Island, which is on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia opposite Gibsons. In order to get there, you had to take three ferries: Departure Bay to Horseshoe Bay, Horseshoe Bay to Langdale, and from Langdale you hopped on a little ferry called The Dogwood Princess to get to Keats Island. This annual summer trip was the highlight of my year when I was a kid because Keats was a little boy's paradise: fishing for shiners off the Government Wharf, catching crabs, swimming, boating, picking blackberries and freely tramping through the forest without a care in the world along with Casey, our faithful Golden Retriever. It was easy to while the days away up on Keats because there was no schedule and more than enough to keep a curious, energetic kid like me busy. For example, one of my favourite 'toys' was the electric fly swatter--I loved sizzling bugs of all kinds with it and it kept me occupied for hours on end! Another Keats pastime was hanging out with my second cousins, who had a cabin on the lot next to ours, whenever our vacations overlapped. They were a lot of fun and loved adventure, so being the youngest I loved that they treated me well and let me tag along on their forays around the island. However, as much as I associate Keats with summer and fun, I also equate it with one person: my father.
My father was my hero growing up and Keats was a place that brought us closer together, which was essential for me because I lived with my mother. I always sensed that Dad felt more at peace when he was here--he had license to putter around, work on the cabin, read, and he always enjoyed taking me to Sandy Beach (a highly original name, I know) and Salmon Rock, both of which were a fair trek away from the cabin. I idolized my father as a boy--in my eyes, he could do no wrong. He was patient with me, he gave me rides on his back when my feet were tired from walking, he helped me (and later my younger sister) make blackberry jam because I was too young to make it myself, and he taught me how to do a variety of other things. My father is a teacher and so he can take almost any situation and turn it into a 'teachable moment'; there were many teachable moments in the summers as I learned how to tie proper knots, bait a hook, properly weight a backpack and how to steer a boat. We spent all of our time together--I peppered him with questions, talked with him about his work as teacher, and just generally desired to know as much about him and his life as I could because it was a foreign world to mine. Dad and I bonded at Keats and I know that we were both sad to leave each summer when our time had come to an end.
These days, my relationship with my father has changed considerably as I am (arguably) a grown man and my father lives 200 kilometres away with his second wife and three young daughters. As I grew up I began to view Dad through a far different lens; I began to grasp that he was not a superhero, but merely a man with flaws, frustrations, and insecurities like anyone else. I count this as the first real feeling of loss that I ever experienced and I imagine that I am still coping with the effects of that loss. It is inevitable that a boy's relationship with his father changes when he becomes a man, yet it's often strange to me that my father has taken more of a backseat role by virtue of the paths our respective lives have taken and the physical distance that separates us. The father-son relationship is often a complicated one and I think that over the years ours has been no exception. I am both the oldest of his five children and his only son; there are a lot of expectations and pressures there, both real and perceived. Like most good fathers, I am sure he had a vision of what what kind of man he wanted me to be and like most sons, I craved his acceptance and approval. These days, the two of us live very distinct lives, do not always see eye-to-eye (especially about faith and politics), and I think we frequently struggle to understand one another. Even so, I am thankful that despite our differences there is a mutual respect, love, and affection between us. And the Leafs. You can never forget the Leafs...
Recently it has dawned on me just how much I miss about those summers at Keats: spending all day outdoors in the sun, the sound of the ocean pounding against the shore at night as I fell asleep, and hanging out with Dad. I have always had a bit of a "Peter Pan complex" (as I've termed it), a fear of growing up and being responsible because I am convinced that for all that you gain with adulthood, you lose elsewhere in equal measure. And thus as I think back on those times I realize that what I yearn for most, more than freedom or time with my father, is my innocence. I often ache to not know all that I now know about life, pain and human nature--the weight of it is sometimes completely overwhelming. Perhaps I spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about this as it occupies my thoughts far more regularly the older I get, but I find I can't help it. Countless times I have wished that I could erase certain events, things that have been said, or things that I have been told, but sadly that is impossible. My life has changed irrevocably and will never be what it was. Thankfully, I always have these wonderful recollections of my boyhood to which to escape, a time of naivety that was infused with wonder and the belief that everything was going to be okay. And the memory of feeling safe as I rested in my father's strong, sun-bronzed arms.
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
this and that: a stopgap post
I have a bunch of blog posts in draft form right now, but I thought that I should sate my readers' appetites with a post!
*
I just bought two albums, something that I haven't done for a long time--having a mortgage means a lot more borrowing of tunes from friends and my stepfather! Anyway, I acquired the Legacy Edition of one of my favourite all-time albums, Pearl Jam's seminal debut Ten. This came with two discs, one of which is the original album remastered and the other which is both a remastering and remixing of the original album (called the Redux) by long-time PJ producer Brendan O'Brien. This remixing of the album was a revelation: O'Brien stripped away the 'dated' elements of the album (big reverb and echo) and brought up the guitars in the mix as well as showcasing previously unheard vocals and other musical tasties! It has been really fascinating to listen to an album that I know forward and backward, but hear it so differently. Personally, I like the Redux a lot better than the original because not only does it put the sound more in line with Pearl Jam's subsequent albums, but showcases the interplay between guitarists Stone Gossard and Mike McCready so much better than did the original mix. It also scales back some of the vocals a bit, to stunning effect, especially on "Even Flow" (which as everyone knows is one of my favourite songs ever!). Kudos to Brendan O'Brien for a job well done!
Eddie Vedder, you're my hero...
The other album I bought is called Lost Channels by a Canadian and called Great Lake Swimmers and all I really want to say about it is that it's delicate, haunting, and stunningly beautiful. I can't recommend this album highly enough and I am excited to check out their back catalogue.
*
Jimmy the K forwarded to me Bonnie Tyler's Total Eclipse of the Heart: The Literal Video Version and I watched it with a group of close friends--we laughed pretty darn hard and thus I thought I'd share it with my faithful readers.
*
This is my close friend and colleague Catherine:
Something like 95% of the pictures I have of her are variations of what you see here. This one happens to be from this past weekend when Caitlin, myself, and her went out for drinks/eats at the pub. Good times.
*
I have missed working at Central Library ever since my contract position ended. I've been getting some on-call shifts and have been continuing to work on project I started when I was full-time, but it hasn't been the same. However, I got a sweet party thrown in my honour (along with someone else whose contract is ending) and a nice prezzie from my supervisor, so it's not like it's all bad.
*
I just bought two albums, something that I haven't done for a long time--having a mortgage means a lot more borrowing of tunes from friends and my stepfather! Anyway, I acquired the Legacy Edition of one of my favourite all-time albums, Pearl Jam's seminal debut Ten. This came with two discs, one of which is the original album remastered and the other which is both a remastering and remixing of the original album (called the Redux) by long-time PJ producer Brendan O'Brien. This remixing of the album was a revelation: O'Brien stripped away the 'dated' elements of the album (big reverb and echo) and brought up the guitars in the mix as well as showcasing previously unheard vocals and other musical tasties! It has been really fascinating to listen to an album that I know forward and backward, but hear it so differently. Personally, I like the Redux a lot better than the original because not only does it put the sound more in line with Pearl Jam's subsequent albums, but showcases the interplay between guitarists Stone Gossard and Mike McCready so much better than did the original mix. It also scales back some of the vocals a bit, to stunning effect, especially on "Even Flow" (which as everyone knows is one of my favourite songs ever!). Kudos to Brendan O'Brien for a job well done!
Eddie Vedder, you're my hero...
The other album I bought is called Lost Channels by a Canadian and called Great Lake Swimmers and all I really want to say about it is that it's delicate, haunting, and stunningly beautiful. I can't recommend this album highly enough and I am excited to check out their back catalogue.
*
Jimmy the K forwarded to me Bonnie Tyler's Total Eclipse of the Heart: The Literal Video Version and I watched it with a group of close friends--we laughed pretty darn hard and thus I thought I'd share it with my faithful readers.
*
This is my close friend and colleague Catherine:
Something like 95% of the pictures I have of her are variations of what you see here. This one happens to be from this past weekend when Caitlin, myself, and her went out for drinks/eats at the pub. Good times.
*
I have missed working at Central Library ever since my contract position ended. I've been getting some on-call shifts and have been continuing to work on project I started when I was full-time, but it hasn't been the same. However, I got a sweet party thrown in my honour (along with someone else whose contract is ending) and a nice prezzie from my supervisor, so it's not like it's all bad.
I guess that's all for now. New posts to come both here on the Dynasty and on the Binghams' blog in the next little while!
Saturday, May 30, 2009
SPro•ductions
As I have done with a few other people, such as Jimmy the K and Cindy Davis, I wanted to take the opportunity here on the Dynasty to promote someone whose art I truly believe in and that has personally touched the lives of Caitlin and I on more than one occasion. Our friend Sarah has launched an art blog called SPro•ductions in order to showcase some of her work, both past and present. She is one of the most talented artists I've ever known and works in a variety of styles and media, all to stunning effect. Her pencil sketches of my nephew Ryan and my quasi-niece Leilani, all on her new site, were jaw-dropping and literally brought tears to my eyes as they were so well (and lovingly) done.
Sarah recently applied to a program for youth ages 15-20 who display knowledge of the fundamentals of art and a natural talent for creating art, for which you must be referred in order to apply (which she was!). This program is offered through Emily Carr University of Art and Design and it would allow her to graduate in two years with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, for which she has said she would do a Drawing concentration.
Sarah is the most all-around talented teen that Caitlin and I have ever met (she does many things very very well) and her gift and love for the visual arts is obvious, as is her ability, when you see her site. So do yourselves a favour and go check it out--you won't be disappointed! She is even taking requests for drawings--just click on the Request A Drawing button at the top her homepage!
Sarah recently applied to a program for youth ages 15-20 who display knowledge of the fundamentals of art and a natural talent for creating art, for which you must be referred in order to apply (which she was!). This program is offered through Emily Carr University of Art and Design and it would allow her to graduate in two years with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, for which she has said she would do a Drawing concentration.
Sarah is the most all-around talented teen that Caitlin and I have ever met (she does many things very very well) and her gift and love for the visual arts is obvious, as is her ability, when you see her site. So do yourselves a favour and go check it out--you won't be disappointed! She is even taking requests for drawings--just click on the Request A Drawing button at the top her homepage!
Friday, May 22, 2009
the children question again (it never ends)
Despite the number of times I've requested people to stop asking us when we're having children, even formalizing it on my blog, the dialogue continues unabated and therefore I decided to address it through trying to explain my feelings. I don't want my blog to just become a confessional booth, but I've been learning so much and wrestling with so much lately that I feel the need to get it out; plus, I have a small and devoted readership who cares about me and seems to be interested in my life and thoughts.
I started thinking about all the issues (for me) surrounding having children and the struggles I may have as a father. How do you protect your children? It seems that they're growing up faster and faster, being exposed to more 'adult' things at a younger age, and becoming increasingly more sexualized through the media--it literally sickens me. How do I cope with that? Is there any way to shield a child from this stuff? I think of the world that my little nine month old nephew is growing up into and it terrifies me, mostly due to the variety of heartbreaking situations I've seen/heard of through all my work with children and teens over the past 15 years. Kids have to deal with so much more crap than I had to when I was a child--it boggles my mind, honestly. Funnily enough, with so many of my closest friends having recently had or about to have children, you would think that it would make me eager to jump in there as well...but it hasn't. Not really at all. In saying this, I am not hinting that Caitlin and I are not going to have children, but I would be lying if I said I wasn't constantly haunted by doubts, fears, frustrations, and a lot of sadness as a result of the dangers I now know are out there.
Another fear with having children has to do with what kind of father I am going to be. I have friends my age who are incredibly patient, easygoing guys and they are great fathers. The problem is, I am neither particularly patient nor overly easygoing and I live live a life of what I feel is perpetual frustration. Granted, this worries me less as I grow older and with the parents I've seen through my years of work, I am beginning to think that I look downright normal and grounded! I also would like to have a permanent full time job before we consider taking this step.
Maybe this will put to rest the "when are Matt and Caitlin going to have kids" questions for awhile, though I somehow doubt it...
I started thinking about all the issues (for me) surrounding having children and the struggles I may have as a father. How do you protect your children? It seems that they're growing up faster and faster, being exposed to more 'adult' things at a younger age, and becoming increasingly more sexualized through the media--it literally sickens me. How do I cope with that? Is there any way to shield a child from this stuff? I think of the world that my little nine month old nephew is growing up into and it terrifies me, mostly due to the variety of heartbreaking situations I've seen/heard of through all my work with children and teens over the past 15 years. Kids have to deal with so much more crap than I had to when I was a child--it boggles my mind, honestly. Funnily enough, with so many of my closest friends having recently had or about to have children, you would think that it would make me eager to jump in there as well...but it hasn't. Not really at all. In saying this, I am not hinting that Caitlin and I are not going to have children, but I would be lying if I said I wasn't constantly haunted by doubts, fears, frustrations, and a lot of sadness as a result of the dangers I now know are out there.
Another fear with having children has to do with what kind of father I am going to be. I have friends my age who are incredibly patient, easygoing guys and they are great fathers. The problem is, I am neither particularly patient nor overly easygoing and I live live a life of what I feel is perpetual frustration. Granted, this worries me less as I grow older and with the parents I've seen through my years of work, I am beginning to think that I look downright normal and grounded! I also would like to have a permanent full time job before we consider taking this step.
Maybe this will put to rest the "when are Matt and Caitlin going to have kids" questions for awhile, though I somehow doubt it...
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
advocacy
I was privileged to hear Jamie McIntosh, Executive Director of International Justice Mission Canada, speak on Sunday night at our church. He spoke on advocacy, lending a voice for those who have no voice, in this case the oppressed and enslaved. At one point he quoted Josef Stalin:
"The death of one man is a tragedy, the death of millions is a statistic."
That really struck home to me because, as McIntosh noted, the moment that there is a human face to an issue, it will change that issue from an abstract concept of which you may be aware to a tangible reality in your life that cannot be ignored--I have certainly seen that over the past year and a half in my own life. I am looking forward to learning more about IJM and seeing what small part Caitlin and I can play in lending our voice(s) and our resources to help bring justice and healing to places where there is darkness and brokenness.
"The death of one man is a tragedy, the death of millions is a statistic."
That really struck home to me because, as McIntosh noted, the moment that there is a human face to an issue, it will change that issue from an abstract concept of which you may be aware to a tangible reality in your life that cannot be ignored--I have certainly seen that over the past year and a half in my own life. I am looking forward to learning more about IJM and seeing what small part Caitlin and I can play in lending our voice(s) and our resources to help bring justice and healing to places where there is darkness and brokenness.
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