Where I'm currently blogging :)

For further updates on my life and times, go here.

Link to explanation

For an explanation as to what's happening with my blogs please link to Hit and Miss Review.

Encountering Christ on the street

As I walked to work along King Street this morning on my way to the subway, I came upon a Salvation Army truck. At the back they were handing out a pile of bedding to a guy who then heaped it on to one shoulder. At the opening on the side another scruffy-looking guy stood waiting for, I assumed, a food handout.

A couple blocks further on I stepped past two guys wrapped in blankets lying on one of those vents in the sidewalk.

Unlike New York City (I understand) Toronto's homeless remain very visible. Living downtown as I do, I'm approached daily for spare change or I witness scenes like those above.

Whatever our take on the homeless--whether we see them as lazy bums or as innocent victims--as Christians we ought to feel some pretty deep sadness at such sights. When Jesus saw "the crowds" milling around aimlessly looking for direction, the Bible says He "had compassion on them."

In my case, I see so many homeless folks regularly (or I'm so callous and self-absorbed) that I'm not much moved by them anymore.

But this morning, I felt something again.

My own approach to the poor and/or homeless I see daily has been the following. Even if I can't give every homeless guy (and most seem to be guys) money, I should at least look them in the eye, acknowledge them as human beings, and say "Sorry." And I ought to pray for them when I can. Due to my particular circumstances I've always told myself that that was all God expected of me at this time in my life.

Hmmm. I wonder.

An acquaintance of mine, Dion Oxford, who runs a Salvation Army men's shelter in Toronto, has written some pieces about what we personally can do for the homeless. (I think the pieces were attached to an e-mail he sent me. I'll see if I can dig them up and share them with you later.) Anyhow, I do remember one possible strategy he advocated and that was: get to know just one homeless person. Say hi, stop and converse. Take them for a meal. Learn their life story.

My wife used to work as an assistant to the director of Yonge Street Mission (which in my opinion is an amazing organization) in Toronto. Regularly, she'd tell me stories--some firsthand, some secondhand--of the poor and homeless.

Bottom line: there are some creeps among them, but most are more or less like you and me, except they've had some tough breaks.

Most of the people who drop into Evergreen, YSM's "street involved youth" outreach, have been abused. Big time. Thanks to YSM, many are now living normal lives and some, as a result of the grace of God (using YSM's low key "incarnational" approach) have become Christians.

So obviously, giving money to an organization like YSM is another clear option for Christians who want to help.

This evening (I'm writing this on the noon hour) I'll again board the bus, then subway, and likely will see at least one more homeless person before I reach home.

Elsewhere in the Bible Jesus told a parable which included this famous verse: "And the King shall answer and say unto them...Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."
Mmmmm. Doesn't seem to be much wiggle room there.

I have created a monster

This post will appear on all three (count 'em, three) blogs I've started in the past week or so. These are: The Hit and Miss Review, Stardate: Infinity, and Lifing Fog.

Lest you think I've completely gone out of my mind, a word of explanation is in order.

As you will note in my profile, my background is in journalism and English. Though I no longer work full time in the field, over the years I've maintained my interest in writing and tried to keep it up on the side. I journaled and wrote long letters and occasionally would have something published.

And then the internet appeared--at least to my consciousness. What brought it front and center for me in the mid-90's was having my two sons leave home for college and realizing that if I wanted to hear from them, I'd need to (gulp) figure out how to email.

I'd been paranoid about the technology--was amazed at people who could use it--but after many toils and trials, I too at last got it figured out. And started having fun.

MY FIRST BLOG

And then...came my awareness of blogging. Since I was looking for a way to practice my writing, I started to do so here, (I've linked you to, I hope, one of the more interesting postings) but kept it private. Only friends, relatives, and few others who might ask, "How's your writing coming along?" were given the link.

And finally, I decided I was ready for The Big Time. I bought a couple books on blogging (Blogging for Dummies and The Rough Guide to Blogging) and tried to formulate a strategy.

I realized that the technical side of things was not my forte. Therefore Blogger seemed my best bet, at least for the time being. Nevertheless I wanted to try to make my pages as interesting and accessible as I could.

THE BIRTH OF BLOGNIAC

But the question remains: why three blogs at once? Well, after starting with The Hit and Miss Review I realized that there was a whole, vital other side of my life I wished to communicate. Ideas for blogs on spiritual themes kept coming to me. And so Stardate: Infinity was born.

But then I realized there was yet one more, separate, topic which was on my heart and mind. Due to my own experience it's one I feel passionate about--and something I have a lot to say about. Briefly put, it is the subject of people in emotional pain. Psychology, my own and others' experiences, helpful books, and how these all relate to the Bible would all come into play. Hence the beginning of Lifting Fog.

So there you have it. Or perhaps not. From the time I started drafting this blog yesterday until now ideas for three other blogs have come to mind. Two of them are blogs I've done in the past. The archives may be of some interest.

A third would have to do with the topic of blogging itself, among other things.

Wacky, eh?

I realize for any blog to work a person needs to be posting something at least once a week, and I think this will work.

Stay tuned to find out if it does!

Thanks to aaronace.blogs.com for image

Turn your radio on

Talk of "abuse" raises the dander of some Christians ("aw, stop your whining, get over it, and don't adopt a 'victim' mentality") and rightly so. There indeed are people who can become eternal victims, never responsible for their actions and so on.

Yet, real abuse does happen and everyone who's experienced it has a different timetable for getting over it. Perhaps a person who's been abused is being too easy on themselves--or perhaps it just takes them longer to heal. Only God knows the real situation.

I say this as an introduction to the concept of "churches that abuse." By even using the term am I introducing a therapeutic term into the area of Christian practice? Perhaps. But clearly the Bible itself has plenty to say about shepherds who abuse rather than care for their sheep. Leaders can become overbearing and authoritarian (driving rather than leading the sheep) as well as becoming exclusivistic (we're the true church and if you leave us you're doomed) and manipulative. The damage done to people in such situations can be real and lasting.

If you stll don't get what I'm talking about, try getting hold of a landmark book on the subject called, appropriately enough, Churches That Abuse by Christian sociologist Ronald Enroth.

MY REAL REASON FOR BRINGING THIS UP

Yes, my real reason for bringing this up is to mention, as a word of explanation, that I've had some of my own unfortunate church experiences. (I've also had some terrific ones, all you sincere preachers out there. Hang in there, and thank you for your faithfulness.) A result of this is I don't tend to benefit when I listen to preachers who lack an understanding of grace: who preach from a position of "lording it over" the flock, etc.

Fortunately the bad old days of church abuse are behind me and now I'm very much enjoying attending The Peoples Church in Toronto. Charles Price is a man I trust and respect. (His messages are broadcast on a television program called Living Truth.)

Also I've found that some of the most beneficial ministry I receive these days is from certain radio programs. My job involves a lot of time in the car and if I hit it right I'm able to listen (on WDCX Buffalo) to both Steve Brown at 8:30 a.m. followed at 8:45 by Discover the Word[go to this link and click on radio and tv to find Discover the Word] with Alice Matthews, Haddon Robinson, and Mart De Haan.

All these individuals strike me as mature, humble, knowledgeable, and full of grace--and for someone who's been around the Christian block far more times than I care to remember, that's saying something.

Heaven on my mind

Heaven's not on most Christians' top ten lists of discussion topics these days, but years ago it was. Certainly when I was a kid there was much more talk about it and we'd sing choruses like, "With Eternity's Values in View."

But with the 60's the new drumbeat became "relevancy". "Don't give me all that doctrine, that theory," people would say. "Show me how it all works out in the day-to-day." Christians wanted to know how God could help them become happier, healthier, and in closer touch with the society we seek to serve.

Having said that, an event occurred last year which suddenly brought the topic of heaven front and center for me. In November I was diagnosed with cancer.

Now now, don't get all excited: I'm okay. They got it early and the prognosis is excellent.

Nevertheless, it got me thinking. While I didn't flat out panic at the time, I was unsatisfied with my response. Particularly at my lowest ebb, when I was in the hospital and waiting for the operation, God seemed absent and I felt unable to pray. So after the operation, when everything was looking good, this is what I prayed: "Lord, when it really is my time to go, please help me to be readier. I want to 'die well'."

PILGRIM'S PROGRESS

An event last week brought these thoughts and feelings into even sharper focus. In a sort of devotional way, I've been reading that old classic, Pilgrim's Progress most days as I ride public transit to work. Anyhow, the place I'd come to was where Christian and Hopeful had to cross the River (i.e., die) in order to approach the Celestial City (i.e., heaven).

Well, Hopeful was doing quite fine in his crossing, finding the water shallow so that all the while he was able to keep his eyes fixed on the Gate to the City. But poor Christian was freaking out. His head kept ducking under (evidently he couldn't swim) and he lost sight of the City. And then he started thinking he was a goner and that, after all, due to his many sins, he'd not be allowed into the City.

Let me break in here to say that as I was reading this, I couldn't help it, I started to cry. In some sense it reminded me of what I'd experienced last year. The possibility, though not really that great, of my dying had loomed in front of me, and at the same time (as I mentioned) God had seemed far away.

CHRISTIAN BREAKS OUT

Getting back to the narrative, I next came to this part, and this is where I really lost it:

"And...Christian brake out, 'Oh I see him again! And he tells me, When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee, and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee.' Then they both took courage, and the enemy was after that as still as a stone, until they were gone over."

It goes on to tell how the pilgrims were greeted on the other side of the River by the Shining Ones who kept streaming out of the City, whooping it up:

"And now were these two men, as 'twere, in Heaven, before they came at it; being swallowed up with the sight of angels, and with hearing of their melodious notes. Here also they had the City itslf in view, and they thought they heard all the bells there to ring, to welcome them thereto; but above all the warm and joyful thoughts that they had about their own dwelling there with such company, and that forever and ever. Oh, by what tongue or pen can their glorious joy be expressed."

As I read those words, all of a sudden heaven seemed very real and equally suddenly I thought what an idiot I've been, and will be, if I don't live from this moment forward with that future (and present!) reality in view.

I wish I could say that from that moment I have lived that way, but I can't. Like most of us North American Christians, I fear, I've gotten taken up with battling (winning some and losing some) pretty trivial stuff: fears and small pleasures and old temptations.

What this blog will be, I hope, will be a sort of progess report (as well as a commentary on the current Christian scene) or, as Dr. Phil might say, "How it's workin' for me." Maybe knowing I'll be reporting in to "ya'll" will be an added incentive.

That's all for now, and good night.

(Image courtesy Dale Terbush)

About this blog's title

Unless you've been locked in the basement of an Austrian psychopath for the past several decades (but without access to any outside media) you'll understand what "stardate" is about. On Star Trek Captain Kirk (or whoever was in command) used to say something like, "Captain's log, Stardate, six thousand forty-two," before giving a brief summary of the latest exploits of the Starship Enterprise.

Anyhow, the point here is that for a Christian like myself, while earthly calendars certainly are important (telling me, for instance, that next February I'll be 57!?) the most important chronometer is the one I call The Big Clock.

That's the one that will determine when all this we see around us--this world, this universe--will come to an end, at least as it is now.

And that Clock is up above, i.e., in heaven.

And in heaven, time will be endless, or infinite.

Hence, this blog's title, Stardate: Infinity.

(I had considered calling it Pilgrim's Log: Stardate, Infinity but changed my mind.)

(Photo courtesy ESO.)