Jason has been engaged in ministry at Cochrane Alliance Church for over 10 years and currently serves as lead pastor. He likes spending time in the mountains with his wife and three daughters, eating delicious food, preaching and riding his bike(s).
I need to get writing again. But to tide you over until I do (like you were holding your breath!) here is a video from the band OK GO. It currently sits at number 2 on the viral video chart. Thanks to Wayne and Leif for getting my attention on this one--its bound to become a classic. If you like it, you should also see their video for "Here it Goes Again." It was a web sensation a couple years ago.
Not sure if you realized it, but Lent began last Wednesday, February 17th. Lent (by one defition at about.com) is a time when "many Christians prepare for Easter by observing a period of fasting, repentance, moderation and spiritual discipline. The purpose is to set aside time for reflection on Jesus Christ - his suffering and his sacrifice, his life, death, burial and resurrection."
If the tradition of Lent is unfamiliar to you, I’d encourage you to do a little research on the web. Start with the Wikipedia article (which I think gives a fairly balanced and broad perspective) and then go a little deeper.
I didn’t actually decide what I was going to fast from during this period until a few days AFTER the 17th. I guess my fast will have to go a few days past April 4th! Last year I decided to stay away from pop or any drinks with sugar. As a certified juice-and-pop-aholic, it was tough. This year I’ve decided to stick with the food theme (always difficult for me in terms of self-discipline) and go with chocolate. So...no Easter bunnies, no mini-eggs, no Lindt...you’re getting the picture. My plan is to reflect on Christ’s sacrifice for me each time I get the choco-cravings. I’ll let you know how it goes.
A few years ago, I decided to subscribe to the Western Standard. It was mostly so Ezra Levant could feed the raging Albertan, small-c conservative side of my brain (to feed the left-leaning, tree-hugging side I subscribe to a little Manitoba publication called Geez). When the Standard collapsed in a blaze of glory, they offered a super-cheap subscription to Macleans as compensation. I took the bait and have been hooked ever-since.
But that's not what I wanted to write about. Over the past few months Compassion, a Christian organization that specializes in child sponsorship, has been taking out 3-4 page ads that explain their philosphy to Macleans' readership. Their catch-phrase has blown me away: Poverty has an Eternal Solution. And listen to this, "The difference in [a child's] life is more than education, healthcare and social programs. The difference is Jesus."
Whoever designed this campaign is right (and they've got chutzpah too!). The solution to poverty will involve money and strategy and decisive public policy. It will require Canadians of all religious and political stripes to get involved sacrificially. But ultimately, we need Jesus to intervene. Good on Compassion for saying so.
If you want to see an ad for yourself, click on the attachment link below.
I watched a good chunk of the Superbowl on Sunday. And like most Canadians, I saw CTV pump the Vancouver Olympics about 2010 times in the space of three hours. So last night I decided to see what our American friends got to see during the (numerous!) commercial breaks. Here are my top two picks.
This Hyundai ad will appeal only to those of you who know a little something about the NFL. If you don't know who the football player is...well move on.
I wonder how much Google had to pay to "film" this ad? $100? But the persons responsible for thinking-it-up deserve a generous pay-day.
