Where's Waldo?

Ok - This is the longest that I haven't posted. Couple things going on - my computer has been having issues - laptop and home computer.  Also, been pretty busy. I will begin posting again on Monday, June 8...

Mexico at War

I was stunned when I read that over 7,000 people have been killed in a little over 2 years in Mexico. This is as a result of the Mexican government's decision to take a principled stand against the drug trafficking and the killing and corruption that go along with it.

With a population over 100 million people, there are nearly 50,000 troops and police engaged in this battle. Mexico is trying to break free from a culture of corruption and greed that has affected all of Mexico. There is some worry that this war may spill over into the USA border states.We have a friend in Culiacan, Mexico. In 2008, that area alone saw over 800 people killed.

The mayor of Ciudad Juarez, Jose Reyes Ferriz, said he “knew that some families had left to live in El Paso out of fear of the city’s violence,” but said that he had no figures.

Ciudad Juarez is the battleground in the power struggle between the Sinaloa and the Juarez drug cartels.

In escalating violence, the city of some 1.5 million has registered some 800 homicides so far this year.

That would be the equivalent of approximately 1000 killed in Greater Vancouver (GV)!! Can you imagine if 2-3 people per day were being murdered in GV? It's just mind-boggling.

When I read stories like this I usually have a couple of reactions. 1. Sad that many innocent people are killed in the crossfire of drug and gang wars. 2. Admiration and prayer for the government that will do what it takes to make their city safe. After all, that is a primary job of government. We have our own issues in Vancouver area with the UN gang and the Bacon brothers of Abbotsford, but nothing like this. We have much to be thankful for in Canada. Even being able to vote this past week without fear or intimidation - we are blessed. Besides it being our near neighbour, we also know missionaries there and have friends there. Please, let's keep Mexico in our prayers.

The LA Times has a full feature on it here.

It's Your Privilege and Responsibility.

Here in BC, we have a provincial election tomorrow, May 12.

We have the wonderful privilege and responsibility of being informed and then voting accordingly. Pray for our leaders. Pray for the election. Be thankful we have the freedom to vote - it's been paid for by our forefathers. Let's show our appreciation and gratitude by participating.

In my opinion, apathy or passivity is not acceptable in this area.

The polls are open from 8 - 8 in every riding.

Struggling?

Well, the conference is amazing. It is great to be here.

We had Benny Perez yesterday morning. Benny is a Mexican American pastor with passion, depth, anointing and joy. On top of that, he's pretty funny!

Benny challenged us and reminded us of how important it is to rely on the strength of God. He shared his own challenges of even the past week - a friend who also attends their church, Las Vegas entertainer Danny Gans, died on Friday. Another pastor friend in LV fell morally.

Using the story of the man with the withered hand in Luke 6:6 and following, Benny mentioned that in the midst of our struggles of why? what? how come? etc. God wants us to reach out to Him.

Here's a few things that Benny said:

1. We all struggle in various ways. Jesus is not intimidated by our struggles. We all have them. Jesus embraces us in the midst of our struggles.
2. In His grace, Jesus reaches out to us, calls to us and doesn't sit by waiting for us to reach out to Him.
3. Religion is when we forget about hurting people and spend more time debating how and why we do things the way we do.
4. Apart from God, I can do nothing. With God, I can do whatever He calls me to do. (Moses, Jeremiah, Gideon)
5. God starts with people that struggle. He has the incredible power to turn our tests into testimonies and our mess into messages for Him.

Be encouraged. Jesus is calling out to us in the midst of our struggle. Stretch out your struggle to Him. Let Him do what only He can do.

Take Courage!

Our conference that we're attending is great. There are world class speakers, we are here with some of our church family, and the times of worship are awesome.

The speaker on the opening night was Rachel Hickson from England. She spoke on how we respond in these times of shaking. It is times like these that we need to 'take courage'.

We need to take courage in God and in His ability and power now more than ever. We need to act with belief and faith in the promises of God.

Very often our thinking processes and emotional reactions are contrary to the promises of God. Which will we follow? God or our emotions? Matthew 14:27 and Acts 4:13 notes that in the midst of pain, suffering and shaking for the disciples, it was noted that they were responding in an amazing way because they 'had been with Jesus" This tells us how important our relationship is with Jesus if we are to be effective and moving forward. 'Take Courage"!

What is shaking in your life? What is out of order and causing anxiety, fear and unbelief? Finances? Lack? Relational problems? Fear? I know that I need to take Courage in God and in Jesus - now more than ever!

My Place in the World...

The perspective of a child is often more true than we want to admit. They just tell what they're thinking and feeling.

We got a call the other night from Shanda's sister who informed us that her 3 year old son, Eli, wanted to talk to Shanda about him wanting to drive a ferry boat when he's big. He'd then drive it to see Aunty Shanda.

The conversation wound down so Shanda asked him if he wanted to talk to Uncle Craig. Not really he said, because he wanted to talk to our dog, Bentley. Eli was informed that Bentley was unable to come to the phone - I think he was sleeping. So Shanda asked Eli again if he'd like to talk to Uncle Craig. Eli said 'no, but can you ask Uncle Craig to wake up Bentley so he can talk on the phone?'!!

Nothing like a 3 year old to give you an idea of your place in the world!

Glowing Dogs?

I know that dogs are eaten by humans in Korea, but this is pretty extreme to keep the supply up... Not only cloning dogs, but cloning them to glow red?

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korean scientists say they have engineered four beagles that glow red using cloning techniques that could help develop cures for human diseases.

The four dogs, all named "Ruppy" — a combination of the words "ruby" and "puppy" — look like typical beagles by daylight.

But they glow red under ultraviolet light, and the dogs' nails and abdomens, which have thin skins, look red even to the naked eye.

The rest of the craziness here..

It's May?!

What?? Tomorrow is May 1??? Where has the year gone? Feels like it was just Christmas.

I am having fun right now. I'm tired, but it's great!

1. I am involved in a political campaign right now at the provincial level. That is fun on so many levels. I know that some of you might think that I should be in therapy probably, but this is me. :-)

2. I am enjoying the challenge of my new role as Director of Comox Valley Christian School. There is a learning curve, but there are great people already in place and a wonderful parent community as well.

3. I am preaching this weekend. I am thankful for the opportunities that Pastor Scott gives me to do this. He is a great communicator - and - he's also a great listener. When I'm preaching, his vocal encouragement and 'amens' are extremely helpful! Without fail his comments afterward are always encouraging. That makes a fun thing even more fun!

4. The warm sun.

5. The Canucks are still playing hockey. This series will Chicago will be a challenge, but the 'Nucks should be able to pull it out. They need to stay out of the penalty box and really take it to the 'Hawks if they are going to win this series.

Careful How you Dress...

I know this is about the Bruins jersey, but it applies to all jerseys...

Scotty, We Need More Power!

I'm looking forward to this! Any Trekkies out there?

I love this time of year!

I love spring time! 18 degrees, sun and warm. Awesome.

Once I got up, I started off the day by doing what any man loves to do. I rented some machines!! Ok, they weren't that exciting, but they were still pretty good. The aerator punched holes in the lawn to try and get the grass growing better.

After that, it was time to get the garden tilled. That took a fair bit of time and was pretty tiring. . I know it isn't tiring compared to using a pick and shovel like the rest of the world, but it was...ok it wasn't that bad.

Grandma Helen Brown is downsizing her garden so we are going to be using half of her garden space as well. So I went over and spent an hour getting Helen's half of the garden tilled. I will get to ours later.

Its great to get into spring!

Funny thing though - I was talking to a Telus operator while getting support for an issue with my phone. Usually when I'm waiting for something with an operator, I'll ask them where they are working from. This operator said she was from Calgary. So, I asked how the weather was. She said it was snowing and -5 Celsius and had been for 3 days! ha ha ha!! Not only do Albertans have 2 sucky hockey teams they can have snow at pretty much any month of the year!!

Canadians Should Expect Swine Flu to Worsen

Canadians should expect to see more severe cases of swine flu — including some deaths from the virus — as the outbreak spreads, the country's chief public health officer warned Monday. Details here

Canada considering travel advisory to Mexico...here

Dangerous Swine Flu IN BC

There is a dangerous new flu making the rounds in Mexico. World Health Organization officials are very concerned about the possibility of a pandemic worldwide. The disease has passed from animal to human and is now passing human to human in the same way as ordinary flu. However, the consequences are much more serious as our bodies do not know how to fight the virus. If you know anyone that has been to Mexico (especially Mexico city) in the past few weeks and now has flu like symptoms, it may be good to be checked out.

GENEVA — A new flu virus that has killed up to 81 people in Mexico — 13 more than previously reported — could start a global epidemic, the World Health Organization warned Saturday as the disease spread further in the United States and Mexico.

The Mexican government says the flu has probably killed 81 people, raising the likely death toll from 68, and that more than 1,300 people were believed to have been infected with the new strain, which causes severe respiratory illnesses.

Fears of a lethal pandemic lie in the nature of flu germs, which mutate readily and can become virulent by exchanging genes with related influenza viruses. While the H5N1 bird virus that spread across Asia in the last few years, killing millions of fowl and several hundred people, never gained genes to spread easily among humans, the Mexican swine flu already has, said Malik Peiris, a microbiologist from the University of Hong Kong.

“The concern is that this virus has the ability to transmit from humans to humans because a number of the cases who got infection have had no direct exposure to swine,” said Peiris, who has studied the SARS and avian flu viruses. “That is certainly a cause for concern.” More here

UPDATE: 4 cases of swine flu confirmed in Nova Scotia, 2 in B.C.

Electioneering...

If you've been wondering where my political rants have been, please check www.craigmillar.ca or www.comoxvalleyview.blogspot.com

Life Update

Well, it has been a week since I posted! That's not good. It's not for lack of trying, though!
I have been having computer issues both with home computer and with my laptop.

Here's some of what has been going on.

I have been appointed as 'School Director' at Comox Valley Christian School. This is basically to have the oversight of the day to day operations of the school. CVCS is part of what God has called our Church to in equipping the generations to be what God has called them to be. It is part of our mandate to see the Kingdom of God touch the world. It poses new and interesting challenges on a variety of fronts for me. I'm looking forward to seeing God at work as we move forward.

John and Eloise Bergen spoke at CVCS chapel as well as our 50+ conference and our weekend services. They have a powerful, sobering and impacting testimony. After being attacked and brutally assaulted in Kenya last July- left for dead in fact - they responded with forgiveness. The presence of God is evident on their countenance and in any interaction with them. Listening to the story was very intense for me personally. In talking with others in our life, we realize that very often we are not quick to forgive. And most of the time, our issues tend to be about relatively minor or trivial things.

John also noted something that is food for thought. He said that what is inside a toothpaste tube comes out when pressure is applied. Similarly, what is actually inside of us (anger, bitterness, resentment, unforgiveness, etc.) will come out through our lives. We often want to point the finger to blame a situation for 'causing' our attitude. However, we need to ask Jesus what is going on inside of us instead and ask Him to bring healing to our lives.

We Want to Die in Each Other's Arms.

The sanctity and value of life is continually under assault. There's a new front opening in Switzerland that we will probably have to engage at some point here in Canada. I really love my wife, but this creeps me out.

The head of a controversial assisted-suicide group in Switzerland says he will seek legal permission to help a Canadian woman and other healthy people like her kill themselves, raising startling new issues in the emotional debate over euthanasia.

Betty Coumbias, an elderly Vancouver resident, has indicated she wants to die alongside her husband, George, who suffers from severe heart disease.

Mrs. Coumbias explains in the documentary, The Suicide Tourist, why she would take her own life despite being generally healthy.

"From the day we got married, [my husband] was all my life," she tells Mr. Minelli. "I love my two daughters, but I love him more, and I don't think I can face life without him, and since we read about Dignitas, we felt what would be better than to die together, you know, to die in each other's arms?"

The article goes on to say:

People sometimes want to die after losing a spouse because of pure loneliness, but the condition is not irreversible, argued Prof. Somerville. She recalled a doctor telling her at a conference in the Netherlands, which has a similar liberal approach to assisted suicide as Switzerland, about how she gave a lethal injection to an elderly woman who had repeatedly asked to die after her husband had passed away. Prof. Somerville said she asked the physician if anyone had suggested simply buying the lonely woman a cat.

"She said, ‘No, but what a remarkable idea. Next time we'll try that.' "

10% drinks 53%

With drinking problems in my extended family, I personally don't have any time for drinking (the cost and social cost is very high) myself, but do realize that many don't have an issue with it.

A study from the University of Victoria's Centre for Addictions found that a few people actually drink the majority of alcohol. I was astonished at the figures.

The study, based on a national telephone survey of 13,909 people, found that 53 per cent of the alcohol consumed across the country goes to a heavy-drinking 10 per cent of Canadians in the 15-and-over age range.

That's a lot of alcohol by a few people. Some individuals and families are paying a high price mentally, emotionally, and financially. It's important that we have grace for and are available to help those that struggle with this issue.

Go Canucks Go!

This will get you going...Here's some memories from 1994 Vancouver Calgary to get you going...If you only have a minute watch the last minute - it's awesome!

Christmas in April!

It's here - Christmas has come again!!! If you're a hockey fan, and more specifically a Canuck fan, this is the 'most wonderful time of the year'! It's hockey playoff time.

The Canucks missed out last year, but this year they are one of the hottest teams in the league over the past 2.5 months. They will be playing St. Louis Blues to begin the playoffs,. St. Louis rode the best record in the NHL over the 2nd half of the season to climb from 15th to 6th place.

Its going to be a tough one...

It is a best of seven game series.

Here's how it matches up for me:
Goaltending - Canucks
Defence - draw - St. Louis has better mobility on defense; Canucks have more experience and a bit more physical.
Forwards - slight edge to Canucks; 1 great line, 2 solid lines and a strong 4th line.
Intangibles - slight edge Vancouver. Both teams have battled adversity, but I think Vancouver is a bit hungrier. Both were written off earlier in the season, but are now meeting in the playoffs.

Prediction: Canucks in 6

What do you think?

Dumb

Here's why criminals get caught - they're DUMB!

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Authorities say two Port St. Lucie woman tried to steal nearly $200 worth of merchandise from a Wal-Mart but got caught because they left packets of recently developed pictures in their abandoned shopping carts.

Police say a self-checkout cashier noticed two women scan and pay for $70 worth of items Thursday, but the bagged groceries in their carts appeared worth much more. When the cashier asked to see their receipt, the women took off.

Among all the merchandise that hadn't been paid for, store officials found two packets of recently developed pictures. The cashier identified the women in the photos, and the name and phone number on the envelopes turned out to belong to one of the women.

Both women face retail theft charges.