Wow - Another Amazing Student!

This is another great student from our church doing something about pain and suffering in the world. Great job, Samantha Middleton! We're proud of you!! Thank you for honouring your friend specifically, and also modeling compassion for people that you don't even know.

Want to have a great evening and raise money for a good cause at the same time?

Highland Secondary School Grade 12 student Samantha Middleton has planned a variety night to raise money for cancer research.

A close friend of hers, Olivia Johnson, passed away Sept. 20, 2007 from cancer at the age of 15.

Middleton decided to create an organization called Guardian Angel to raise money for cancer research. The slogan is “Honouring those taken too soon.”

The entry is by donation and there will be snacks for sale. The event will be held Feb. 3 at 6 p.m. at Highland Secondary in Comox.

Get the whole story here.

Lose Money - Get a Bonus?

Amazing....

Despite crippling losses, multibillion-dollar bailouts and the passing of some of the most prominent names in the business, employees at financial companies in New York, the now-diminished world capital of capital, collected an estimated $18.4 billion in bonuses for the year.

That was the sixth-largest haul on record, according to a report released Wednesday by the New York State comptroller.

While the payouts paled next to the riches of recent years, Wall Street workers still took home about as much as they did in 2004, when the Dow Jones industrial average was flying above 10,000, on its way to a record high.

Some bankers took home millions last year even as their employers lost billions. More here

Do You Have Trouble Sleeping on the Plane?

After you watch this you might...

$34 billion Reasons to Be Nervous

Being a fiscal conservative, I am very nervous about a $34 billion federal government deficit as the way to 'fix' the recession. When 'everyone' says it is the right thing to do, that is when I get nervous.

Are there things government can do? Yes, but I don't know if this government wading into the economy (bailing out car companies, soaking up bad bank debt, huge deficitis, etc.) as the 'saviour' of the country is going to work. This is beginning to sound ominously like the temporary 1970s budget deficits of the Trudeau minority governments that lead to 27 consecutive budget deficits leading to a accumulated debt of $583 billion dollars.

Who would have thought that the president of the former communist Soviet Union would have wisdom - based on their negative experiences - for us at this time?

Vladimir Putin. the Russian Prime Minister, launched a swingeing attack on Western financial rescue packages yesterday, calling for a new world order to reverse the financial crisis.

On his first visit to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Mr Putin called the crisis a “perfect storm” that had arisen from a world dominated by the US. He said that only a rebalancing of global power could cure the problem and that financial stimulus packages of the kind agreed by Washington and London could lead them down a path well-worn by Moscow while doing little to aid recovery.

“Interference of the State, the belief in the omnipotence of the State: that is a reaction to market failures,” Mr Putin said in his keynote address at the opening of the four-day meeting. “There is a temptation to expand direct interference of state in economy. In the Soviet Union that became an absolute. We paid a very dear price for that.”

You can read the rest here

Grandma Update #2

Further to this update, my Grandma Scott is not doing well. Her condition seemed to be improving, but she's not so well now. 3 of my brothers went with my Dad to see her this past weekend. I talked to my eldest brother, Paul, and he was very glad that he had taken the time to go and see her. Unfortunately, Grandma is very up and down and frequently in a lot of pain. It seems like she is slipping away. My mom left for Vancouver tonight to catch a plane tomorrow from Vancouver to Alberta. Thanks for continuing to pray.

I'm Proud...

of my niece Samantha! I love her. She is someone who is passionate, kind, loud, loving (and a bit kooky at times :)) One thing she is not though is apathetic!!

I opened my newspaper to read this today...

A Comox Valley teenager is using chocolate bars and bracelets to do her part to stop the scourge of slavery.

Samantha Millar, a 16-year-old Courtenay girl, sprung into action when, during a series of sermons on social justice at her church, she found out that there are an estimated 27 million people still in bondage across the globe.

"Basically for every person we see in Canada, that's somebody in slavery," said Millar. "That's impossible to imagine. I think that we've really lost respect for people and people have just become a product.

Way to go, Dolly! I honour you for speaking up for those that can't speak for themselves. You're an inspiration to us old foggies - and the young ones too!

You can read the rest of the story here

Is Love Enough?

I performed a wedding last week. It was great to see the love and excitement on the faces of the couple - hoping for a happy future, filled with love.

People often tell me that they want to get married because, 'we love each other.' On reflection, when I think about marriage in general and the high rate of poisonous conflict that I see (let alone divorce) between good willed people, I realize that often love alone isn't enough. Marriage is a powerful thing - that takes work - but delivers immense benefits when we 'get it'.

Is your marriage all it could be? Do you have a strategy and plan to make it better? Whether your marriage is just starting out or is on the rocks or is awesome, you will want to come to our 'Love and Respect' marriage course beginning this coming Tuesday, Feb. 3. Check out this video for more info.



If you'd like more information or would like to attend, please let me know.

Would Jesus Run Up The Score?

Would you accept a game forfeited to you because you lost really badly? Would that be more embarrasing than the loss itself?

Going into the second half of its high school girls basketball game earlier
this month, The Covenant Lady Knights were beating an inferior Dallas Academy
Bulldogs team 59-0 with victory appearing inevitable.

What followed was described as a "great loss" for the Texas-based Christian
academy, as the team kept the pressure on and trounced the Bulldogs in a 100-0
drubbing, raising an ethical fire storm and questions about exactly how wide a
margin of victory is victory enough. The debate came to a head on Sunday, when coach Micah Grimes refused to agree with an apology issued by Covenant Head Kyle Queal, in which he called the win a "victory without honour" and called for the game to be forfeited to Dallas Academy, which had not yet won a game in
divisional play.

"It is shameful and an embarrassment that this happened. This clearly does not reflect a Christ-like and honorable approach to
competition," Mr. Queal wrote in a note posted on the school's Web site, just
over a week after the Jan. 13 game. "The school and its representatives in no
way support or condone the running up of a score against any team in any sport
for any reason."

But the idea that a team driving itself to victory could be considered unChristian raises the puzzling question: "What would Jesus do, if faced with a far inferior basketball team?" The rest of the story is here.

What do you think? Is this taking WWJD a bit too far?

The Winner Is...

of this is Joseph Wear. The answer is dust. What will it be Joseph? Tim's or Starbucks?

Facebook Scams

If you're a Facebook user, be aware:

The BBB saw three main online (FB) schemes: Friends in Distress, Phishing Friends and Viral Wall Post.

I'm Shocked

I just got a new 'chip' VISA card. I was inspecting it and noticed that the interest rate (if you carry a balance) had been raised to 24.5%!! And this is supposed to be a Gold Visa. That is up from an already bad 18.5%. This when the Bank of Canada lowered interest rates to 1%. Tip: don't carry a credit card balance...If you do, knock it down ASAP.

I've About Had it.

Here's some of my weapons.

I've been battling a cold for about 10 days now. At times, I've had little to no voice, a fever, a bad hacking cough, etc. Right now, the dry cough is driving me batty at night - 4 to 5 hours of interrupted sleep. Last night, I took Nyquil and Buckleys before bed.(not sure about the med mixing there) I actually slept sitting up on the couch to try to stop the hacking. The night before, Naomi G had suggested another thing I hadn't heard of before. Shanda rubbed my feet with Vicks Rub (gobs of it) and then I put my socks on and went to bed - on top of Buckleys and a humidifier going.

I've been missing Fit for Life excercise and I'm not happy about that either!
I'm going to the doc tomorrow to see what (or if) else I can do.

SSM = Polygamy now?

OTTAWA, VANCOUVER — Same-sex marriage (SSM), they said, would be the slippery slope to polygamy.

Just a few short years after Canadians engaged in a caustic debate over whether two men, or two women, should be allowed to marry, the prognosticators will find out if they are vindicated - however unhappily.

The lawyer for Winston Blackmore (pictured), the man with 19 wives in the B.C. religious community of Bountiful who is to appear in court today on polygamy charges, says he will cite Canada's gay-marriage laws as part of his defence.

It's an argument that people on both sides of the same-sex marriage fight were expecting: If same-sex marriage is justified under Charter rights to equality, then polygamy is justified under the Charter's protection of religious freedom.

Find the rest here

Some scholars feel that this will not fly as a defence. I'm not so sure. The Charter has been used effectively to allow SSM on the basis of equality. It will be interesting to say the least. The challenging part of this defence for Canada (if it succeeds) is that it will probably embolden Muslims who want to invoke Sharia law (multiple wives, easy divorce, minimize women's rights, etc.). They might then be able to do it under the protection of religious expression. Canada was founded upon and open to various people fleeing religious persecution - Mennonites, Duokobours, Huguenots, etc. Are we willing to now accept Mormon or Muslim law as equal with civil law in Canada?

"If my people..." God help us.

Grandma Update

Further to update this, my Grandma Scott has the Norwalk Virsus. She is continuing to be very weak and very slow in recovery. Additionally, she is confused at various points with details and such...which is not usual. We thank you for continued prayer.

There is Probably No God...

The atheist slogan, "There is probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life," may soon be coming to subways and buses in Canada's largest city.

The Toronto-based Freethought Association of Canada, inspired by a campaign that has plastered British buses with the phrase, has contacted the private firm that handles ads on the Toronto Transit Commission to see if the message would violate any rules. The rest of the story is here.

It is interesting to see how this will play out. I have no problem with this. I disagree with the slogan, but believe that God is big enough to defend Himself. Also, we are responsible to put forth an image of God that is true and Biblical. I hope that it will generate lots of spiritual conversations about the reality of God and give opportunity for sharing the stories of God at work in real life. I believe that most Canadians just do not resonate with this slogan as Polls show about 72% believe in God.

Bird Flu Coming?

Remember avian bird flu? It killed millions of birds several years ago - including nearly wiping out the poultry farms of the Fraser Valley at that time. If that weren't enough, we have a complication that should move us to prayer. These are indeed challenging times we are living in.

BEIJING, Jan 18 (Reuters) - A two-year-old girl has been confirmed to be infected with bird flu in north China's Shanxi Province, Xinhua news agency said on Sunday, citing a provincial government official, in the second case in as many weeks....

The H5N1 remains largely a disease among birds but experts fear it could change into a form that is easily transmitted from person to person,

You can read the rest here There is not a pandemic, but only something to be aware of so that we can pray into it.

Honouring Grandma Millar - with picture

Don't confuse this post with what I wrote Friday. Last Friday, January 9, I did the funeral service of my Grandma, Edith Mary Millar, who was almost 94 years old. She was a kind and gentle woman. She was one of the few people that I know who's intensely blue eyes actually twinkled when she was talking with you. She had a ready wit and could drop one-liners and give a little grin. She worked hard as a wife, mother and was a nurse as well for many years. She tended to believe the best in people. Those who spoke of her spoke of these qualities mentioned, but also of hospitality, generousity and joy. On top of that, I hope I have her genetics of long life and general good health (except for hearing loss). I'm thankful for the good heritage that I received from my Grandma. I honour her life and memory, and thank God for her life.

One Too Many Bail-outs to Contemplate...

Now this cartoon is American imagery, but the story is much the same here in Canada...

Okay, I've about had it with bail-outs...banks, automakers, forestry? mining? When the government starts picking 'winners' and 'losers' who's next you say???

While, CNN reports: Another major American industry is asking for assistance as the global financial crisis continues: Hustler publisher Larry Flynt and Girls Gone Wild CEO Joe Francis said Wednesday they will request that Congress allocate $5 billion for a bailout of the adult entertainment industry.

What is the right answer?

Choice #1 - Federal and Provincial Government: Spend our way out of this - possibly up to $40 billion federal deficit this year! (Don Martin, National Post)

Consultations with business leaders continued this week and the premiers came calling Friday armed with arguments for a shovel-ready share of $40-billion-plus in deficit spending that could, in one horrific act of recession-fighting desperation, neutralize all federal debt reduction since the Conservatives came to power in 2006.

The possibility this critical budget is still written in pencil appeared to pacify sober-faced premiers as they adjourned their gabfest on Friday, returning home to await what they hope will be unconditional funding for construction, manufacturing and natural resource sectors.

Choice #2 Other prominent economists: cut wasteful spending, target tax cuts to middle class, no corporate 'bail-outs', help small business with more tax cuts...

Rather than forging ahead with “stimulus” initiatives, the federal government should reduce government spending and focus on tax relief aimed at improving incentives to work, invest, and engage in entrepreneurial activities.

To that end, the government should first reduce wasteful spending. A recent study led by economists at the European Central Bank found approximately 25-per-cent waste in Canada’s public sector. Government should follow the lead of many Canadian households: it’s time to trim the fat.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Grandma...

Some of you know my mom's mom, Grandma Scott. She was living with us from May through November. She's 90 this year and is such a blessing to our entire family. Well, she is in the hospital and not doing so well right now. We talked and prayed with her tonight and she sounded really weak and has been in quarantine. Last week we had Grandma Millar's funeral and would rather not repeat one of those so quickly. However, her life is God's and in His hands. As such, she'd (and we'd) appreciate the prayer.

Riddle

I surround you but you rarely even notice me. Even though I weigh almost nothing, if you move me, I'll come right back. And if you bite me, your life you will lack. What am I?

Put your answers in the comments section. Winner announced Wednesday...$5 dollar Starbucks card!

Update

Well, since I last posted, its been a bit busy. My grandmother's memorial went well, all things considered. I had a wave of emotion as I opened in prayer, but was able to make it.
I used 'The Dash" as a springboard into Luke 18:13 and '7 Little Words' that we need to understand for life -both now and for eternity. It was weird preaching in a church that I went to as a young teen. I got good feedback and sensed the leading and help of God.

We had a good time together as extended family re-connecting. Some of us had not really seen each other for 15 - 20 years! There are plans afoot for a family re-union...we'll see what happens.

It was also especially great to be together with all my siblings and parents in one place at the same time. It's the first time that that has happened since 2003 or so. Hopefully it wont be that long again! I'll try and post a pic later. FYI, I have 3 older brothers; Paul, Rob, and Dan; an older sister, Heather; and a younger brother, Tom. We range in age from 36 to 45.


We left Nakusp, BC on Saturday morning around 9 am. We took the first of our ferries for the day around 10:30. Here's a pic of the cable ferry across Arrow Lake (Columbia River). It takes about 7 minutes and its FREE! It is in a very beautiful part of BC - deep blue water and steep mountains rising out of the water.

We stopped in Kelowna for gas and a quick bite to eat with Shanda's brother, Steve. His wife, Susan, had a doctor's appointment so we missed her. Susan is the #1 rated morning show on SunFM in Kelowna! Our nephew, Silas, was down sleeping so we unfortunately did not get to see him and his momma, Allison (Tom's family).

Onward we pushed, going up Hwy. 97C towards Merritt. From 1/2 to the Summit until near Hope BC it was a blinding snowstorm with almost whiteout conditions at time...white knuckle driving. We were thankful for the 4 wheel drive as we needed it a few times!

Once we got to the Lower Mainland, it was heavy rain. We didn't stop until the ferry at Horseshoe Bay as we wanted to get back for Sunday service. We got there about 730 and were on the 9 PM.

This ferry wasn't free, although it is 33% off through the end of March! I enjoyed sweet potato soup with sweet potato fries -- mmmm! The best part was that on the new ferry they have satellite TV and I got to watch the hockey game! Awesome way to make the trip past faster. As usual we left late and arrived in Nanaimo late. After getting gas, we hit the road and got home about 1215 AM. We're thankful to Jesus for a safe journey and good connections and re-connections as family.

Back Where I Come From

Today I'm in the valley where I grew up right now in the Village of Nakusp. It is a beautiful little town with a large lake and rugged mountains that rise from the lake. It is in the West Kootenays; About 3 hours east of Kelowna, 2 hours south of Revelstoke and 2 hours west of Nelson. Basically, in the middle of nowhere. :-) It was a great place to grow up, but didn't offer a lot of opportunities for life beyond logging.

Thus, I left here when I was 17, but came back about once a year. I haven't been here for a few years though and have forgotten some of the things that have helped make me the way I am. Some are to be treasured, such as my grandma whose memorial I will do in a few hours. I'll blog more about that later.

Other things are a bit odd...First, here's a couple of pics from here that made me laugh. The 'hippy' one is at the front door of one of my relatives (she's 78) and the other was outside our motel room - read the signs carefully. I'll leave them to speak for themselves. After the pics, I'll leave a story one of my cousins told me at breakfast.

The story is that one of my 40 year old plus male cousins (5'8" 220 lbs) went to Mexico for a friends wedding. Being from Nakusp, he thought he'd have a little fun there. At the Calgary airport, he and a friend bought Speedos. Arriving in Mexico, that wasn't going to be enough fun, so after squeezing into the speedos they bought a wig and put it down their shorts. They then began to partrol the beach to 'pick up chicks'. They were not serious in any way, but just 'having fun.' I guess it was all fun until after they had asked a woman if she wanted to have a drink with them. She was totally offended for some reason and called the police. The next thing my cousin knew he was being escorted off the beach by Mexican Federale police and slammed onto the hood of the car and being cuffed - all while in a speedo.

All this might give you a little more insight into some of my quirks...I blame it because of back where I come from... I'll try and blog some of the 'rest of the story' after grandma's memorial today. For those that are the praying kind, I'd appreciate your prayer. We were going to try to head out today, but it is supposed to snow 8 inches never mind the mountain pass to the Okanagan. We shall see...

Saturday Night

We here at Northgate are set to launch our Saturday night service this Saturday (10th) at 6 PM. This is an opportunity for people who can't or don't want to go to church on Sunday. It is an opportunity to see God at work as we 'make room' in our schedule so that people can come into relationship with Jesus. Here is one story from a church in Edmonton that bucked tradition and started a Saturday night service. Look at the themes of relationship and outreach seen in this story. This is the kind of fruit that we are looking for! Please read it (takes about 2 minutes), be encouraged and pray about the upcoming Saturday service and who you can invite!

Recently released from prison, Whitnack was trying hard to go straight. Although he’d started to turn his life around and was going to church, Saturday nights were always a danger zone. Typically, it was a time spent drinking or getting high with buddies.

On a whim, Whitnack checked out Summerside Community Church and checked into Saturday night worship.

It was a good move.

In an interview, the 34-year-old journeyman plumber said he really enjoyed the high-energy music and was put at ease by the fact most worshippers were his age or younger.

But what really touched Whitnack was the way a couple of complete strangers came up and invited him to join them for card games at someone’s place after worship.

You know you belong to a church when God meets you at the door. And that’s what happened at Summerside: God met me at the door; welcomed me with both arms.”

“Summerside gave me another option,” said Whitnack, who added that the church has helped him so much he’s introduced a former inmate friend to the Saturday night church.

While Sunday remains the day for worship, more churches are experimenting with new forms and new times for worship, in an effort to draw more people.

“It can be stressful getting up early for church Sunday morning,” observed Whitnack. “You’re always in a hurry; you’re always late. Saturday night just seems more convenient.”

The success of Summerside with its Saturday night worship has prompted some of the larger evangelical churches in town to offer Saturday night services of their own – usually upbeat services aimed at the young. Other churches are considering the move.

Pastor Ray Wiens, Summerside’s founder, said he deliberately chose Saturday night because he wanted to reach into the community. This Easter Saturday, Summerside will celebrate its third anniversary.

“The theme in our worship is celebration,” said Wiens, who moved here from Whistler, B.C. “We take the view that life is good and God is good and we need to take every opportunity that we have to celebrate goodness.”

The celebrating doesn’t end with the final Amen. Most churchgoers get together after worship for group activities like swimming, going to the gym, watching movies or just enjoying a meal and conversation. Social activities often run late into the night.

“Nobody will come to church on Saturday night because they’re busy doing other things,” one minister bluntly told Summerside PastorWiens.

“In Edmonton, Saturday night is party night,” another skeptic observed.

Rather than be deflated, Wiens said he decided that if Edmontonians want to party on Saturday night, “We’ll bring that party into the church.”

As a result of its success, Summerside plans eventually to build a church on 40 acres of land it owns near the city’s southern boundary.

Successful Leadership

Leadership is a growing experience - one which we (me included!) always need to be growing in. Michael 'Pinball' Clemons is a passionate CFL football player (retired) who models great leadership. He is positive, exciting, passionate and committed to his family - and he happens to be a Christian too! As a sports fan, I've admired his life from afar. Michael feels that, " A leader's job is to empower the masses. If the organization can run smoothly without the leader, he has done his job effectively."

Click here for some great revelations about life, leadership and relationships. Even if you're not a football fan, there are insights worth hearing and putting into practice!

Great Depression?

With all that we hear every day about how bad everything is economically, you'd think that we are truly in, or nearly in, a Great Depression. True, there are problems. True, there will be some hard times ahead. But a Depression? That term is thrown around so easily, but the Great Depression was BAD! Media tends to sensationalize anything and everything - and our economic situation is no exception.

Let's remember that God is on the throne and continue to pray for Canada. May God use this time to cause us all to examine our hearts and look to the Prince of Peace to find true peace - regardless of economic circumstances. Let our priorities be His priorities.

I read this blog by Ezra Levant (see below) and it has another perspective backed up by some interesting facts. I don't agree totally with his conclusions (everything will be fine, etc.), but I do feel that things are being overblown by our media.

So we’re in for another Great Depression, are we? Don’t believe it.

Now that the epic U.S. presidential race is over, a caffeinated press corps is in withdrawal, so hyperventilating about a new Depression is their new fix. Just to pick one newspaper at random, Toronto’s Globe and Mail used the phrase “Great Depression” over 300 times in December alone — or about a dozen times each edition. And that’s restrained compared to U.S. cable news show.

Barack Obama, who once gave a speech suggesting his presidency would mark the “moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal,” lowering messianic expectations of him, by exaggerating the economic troubles he’s inheriting, is a political priority.

True, unemployment in the United States is ticking up, approaching 7%, and some economists think the figure might crest at 8%. For the millions of people this affects, that’s bad news — but it’s hardly comparable to the Great Depression of the 1930s, when more than 25% were unemployed, over 50% in some regions. If 8% unemployment is considered a Great Depression, then Canada has been in a Great Depression for most of the last 30 years.

The IMF predicts that U.S. GDP will dip by 0.7% in 2009. Again, not good news. But a Great Depression? The U.S. economy shrank 12% in 1930, another 16% in 1931, a whopping 23% in 1932 and another 4% in 1933. That’s a Great Depression. A 0.7% dip is America taking its foot off the gas for a moment.

The decline of North American auto makers isn’t a sudden crisis. It’s the free market doing what it should: penalizing companies that pay domestic auto-workers six-figure incomes to do what Japanese automakers do for five figures. Canada’s Big Three have 27,000 unionized autoworkers building cars — and 40,000 more retirees collecting pensions. That’s why they’re in trouble.

Canada will do just fine. We’re entering 2009 with nearly the lowest unemployment rate in 30 years, with lower debt, no structural deficit and an enormous stimulus in the form of tax cuts already working through the economy. The real threat is fear-mongering politicians looking to grow government, and opportunistic businesses happy for a new excuse to ask for handouts.

Pray

Whether Hamas or Israel is to blame, many innocents will be hurt and this requires our prayer...

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Thousands of Israeli troops backed by columns of tanks and helicopter gunships launched a ground offensive in Gaza on Saturday night, with officials saying they expected a lengthy fight in the densely populated territory after eight days of punishing air strikes failed to halt militant rocket attacks on Israel.

The incursion set off fierce clashes with Palestinian militants and Gaza's Hamas rulers vowed the coastal strip would be a "graveyard" for Israelis forces.

Prayer and Politics

Our church supports some mission work in Ghana. Charles Nyane is the leader of Word Alive Mission in Ghana that we help to support. I was happy to read of the following story regarding their political situation. I know that the Christians of the nation were actively praying (sometimes 24 hours a day) about the election - that it would be peaceful and that Ghana would continue to move forward. There are many challenges for the nation as the story tells, but we're thankful to God for peace and safety in a continent that sees far too little of that.

ACCRA, Ghana – Opposition leader John Atta Mills was declared Ghana's next president Saturday in a peaceful ballot that secured the West African nation's place as a beacon of democracy on a volatile continent.

The country is one of the few in Africa to successfully transfer power twice from one legitimately elected leader to another, proof that Ghana's democracy has truly matured after an era of coups and dictatorship in the 1970s and 1980s.

Atta Mills served as vice president under former coup leader Jerry Rawlings, who stepped down in 2001, and he will have to dispel any notion his rule could hark back to Rawling's strongman era.

Ensuring economic growth will be his biggest challenge. Ghana's economy has been growing by more than 6 percent a year and oil is eventually expected to bring in between $2 and $3 billion a year.

But the New York-based Eurasia Group consulting firm says Ghana's economy is projected to slow along with the rest of the world. It said Atta Mills will "grapple with a growing budget ... high rates of youth unemployment, falling remittance and aid levels, and surging inflation."

Most Ghanaians remain among the world's poorest, earning an average of only $3.80 a day. A tenth of the adult population is unemployed and 40 percent are illiterate.

For the rest of the story, click here.

Polar Bear Swim!

Lining up to get our ribbon Here we go!!

Well, I've wondered different times what a New Year's Day Polar Bear Swim was like. So, this year I decided that I'd give it a try. Anika and Alaina also bravely joined in! Alexandra preferred to stay on shore and watch. (maybe she was the smart one among us? :-) )
Suffice to say, the water was FREEZING. It was a bright and sunny day and a memory was created. Wonder if it'll become a tradition?

Something Good to Start 2009

Here's some good news to start the year!

OTTAWA - A weekly report documenting gasoline prices in Canada shows the national average rate has fallen for the 15th straight week to a level not seen in almost five years.

Petroleum industry consultancy group MJ Ervin & Associates said Tuesday the average price of regular gasoline was 71.7 cents a litre, down 3.2 cents from a week earlier. That's the lowest this report has shown the national average since Jan. 6, 2004, when it was 71.4 cents.

The cheapest local average among the 60 communities profiled in the report was in Kingston, Ont., at 63.7 cents, down 7.1 cents from a week ago. The most expensive gas was in Labrador City, N.L., at 93.5 cents, the same as the week before.

BC's average gas price in July was $1.44 a litre, with some places as high as $1.56! Enjoy it as we apparently are not to expect it to continue to stay low. Some would be disappointed as they feel that this lower price will lead to more emissions. However, most of us will simply be able to afford to do the driving we need to do as well as have a bit more money to go to towards necessities!