Ron Baker

I’ve watched minorities over the years.

They are an alternate community mingliing with the dominant community.  Living in what is there, making the most of the best while providing an alternative lifestyle.

I wonder how Christianity is now viewed?

4 inches of rain can make you go wild.

Imagine along the highway in town.  A service road to one side.  A 1/4 mile of ditch.  Filled with rainwater.

Now, put a half ton on the service road, a young adult in the water, with wave board in hand.  At his signal the truck speeds off and waves arise from the ditch.  Part way down he wipes out. 

The newest extreme sport – ditch boarding!!

We were just to a marriage.

A marriage of ideas – yes! 

The couple who got married have all sorts of independent thoughts.  They didn’t want clinking of glasses.  They would kiss as long as you could keep a hula hoop going. 

They lived in a rose theme.  When he proposed he gave her 365 roses.  We all got roses at the reception.  And when they are old and fight and can’t talk to each other (which, of course never happens to us old couples), they were told to at least leave a rose behind to let the other know “I love you.”

A marriage of preferences – yes! 

Both are doctors (finishing that long road of training).  Both love the outdoors.  Both are tall (sometimes shoes help, sometimes you are just tall!).  And both love Jesus.

Not a bad start!

 

I love words. 

When this phrase was given to me, I just ate it up!

Our family of churches is very interested in what we call “missions”.  For us that means sending out people of like mind to talk about what we consider to be priority in life – Jesus.

In the past number of years we have funded what seemed to be far away people.  Now we want to figure a way to link with our missions people so that they have a face and a place in our memories.  Our church has been asked to consider being on the leading edge – to try and work at ways we can make our connection with our missionaries seamless.

Thus we could become a “SLEA”.  I love acronyms as well!  (Although I would prefer “SLED” – Seamless Link Early aDopter.  Seems to imply that we will be moving along!)

Keep tuned for further details as they become available!

The Left Behind series is going public – in churches.   The premiere of the next movie will only be in churches – hopefully making this the largest distribution chain in North America! 

The idea is to get Hollywood right were they will listen!  In the pocketbook.  If they see the distribution of movies being profitable in the church market, they might make suitable movies. 

Besides the question of facility usage for religious purposes, the taking of funds on behalf of a movie chain, and the constant question of previewing movies (I’ve yet to meet someone who has been recommended a movie by a friend and not been disappointed!), and a few other questions I have, maybe there is something to this??

The latest article I read (from Christianity Today) is a Jew speaking to evangelical Christians.

He quite gladly praises evangelicals’ human rights record in this last while.  Then he makes the point that compromise is sometimes the best approach.  You can’t get Utopia, so at least get a foothold at the bottom of the mountain.

We have all had that experience.  With our children, we fight the fight that’s worth winning.  With our boss we approach the problem that can be fixed in order to get to the rotted root of the system. 

Paul, of New Testament fame, only made it to prison to write his prison epistles by using the name of Caesar.  He freely chose to take the world’s philosophies and use them to point to the “Whom”.  David, in the Jewish scriptures, works well with King Hiram.  Joseph works well with Pharoah.  Isaiah is a king’s confidant in both good and bad reigns.

All fine and well.  Compromise carries the idea of “promise” when working with (“com”) another.  But what is the point of no return, and of no entrance?  The point where we just say, “I can’t work with this?” and then leave?

Is it a question of allegiance?  Of never leaving the rock that is “first place” in your life  —  while at the same time surveying the surroundings to find out who is standing with you on a piece of that rock at that time?

You can come for one or the other!!

But come!!

[sponsored by Prince Albert National Park, or maybe just me!]

Well, Waskesiu was still there (for the 17 hours we spent there!).

We arrived to beautiful, clear skies.  A walk on the causeway (such a great name for about 50 meters of cement jutting into the lake), and a chat with our daughter.  It’s all good.

Next morning was overcast and rain.  Dismal and dreary.  Most of the weekend retreaters were gone from Waskesiu by noon.  We were gone at 1:00 after lunch with our daughter.

On the way home I was thinking about all the people I have worked with over the years.  A big picture idea popped into my head.  My wife poked a few holes in the bubble.  I’ll see if I can’t patch it up and let you know what the balloon would actually look like!

 

A few weeks ago I asked a number of people to join me.

Not for the fun of it  —  not for fame — not even for fortune!

When I was around 16, I started to memorize a book .  Thankfully it was not a John Grisham novel of multiple pages and varied twists and turns.  This book was 4 chapters and one main theme.  “Jesus in Me” (JIM).  Someone has already guessed the biblical book of Philippians.

35 years later I’m still trying to digest what I was memorizing.  I decided to see if others were in the same boat.  Until the end of December I asked them to row along with me.  Asking themselves what it meant to have “Jesus In Me”.

Every minute of every day.  I’ve wonder how that looks when they are eating cheesecake.  Or while they are weeding the garden, grumbling “Is this Jesus in me?”

I’m trying to watch less TV (although my wife can attest that I struggle with this area – my thorn in the flesh, or is that prickle in the eye!).  I’m trying to balance people interactions with an eye to being a servant more than needing my own space.  And daily I’m finding new approaches.

For the last few weeks I have handed out a weekly reminder.  This week I’ll start sending out weekly emails.  Would you like to join me?  If so, leave a comment or contact me.

As a pastor, sometimes I forget about long weekends.

Particularly this time of year.  Your head is geared to fall program startups.  Your heart is with those who have returned from a summer away.  And your spirit is refreshed (well, usually).

So I almost missed this coming weekend. 

My wife has had to remind me – more than once – that we are headed up to see our daughter in Waskesiu.  So Sunday after church we pop into the car (with $1.19 per liter gas in the tank) and venture out.  We hope to be back Monday evening. 

Short, but we expect to have a good time.  Our daughter is pregnant and this is the first time we will see her in a few months.  My sister visited her last week and said she is looking “pretty”.   I’ve always believed that, but at seven months pregnant I seldom hear that term used!  Looking forward to seeing her.