Yesterday we took a walk in Fish Creek Park and saw twelve white tailed deer. We normally see one or two deer, four is a big day. So twelve is a record.

- Peace

I've written the voice over for the beginning of tonights candle light service. Comment if you wish.

I'll read it, using a mike, we start off in total darkness.

Physical darkness, it doesn't impact us they it used to. We have all sorts of lights: street lights, headlights, house lights, flashlights, and automatic night lights. But for the ancient cultures of the north this time of year meant one thing, the night was at it's longest. But there was hope, the light was coming back, it was time to celebrate.

For a 1000 years the Church has celebrated this time of year as the coming of the great spiritual light. John opens his Gospel with theses words:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.


John also records Jesus saying

I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.

So tonight we light the Christ candle in Celebration of of the light of world.

We also light the four advent candles that celebrate four dimensions of walking in the light.

Hope - our hope is in Christ the redeemer, who as the great artist reworks and restores our lives into works of his art. There is nothing in our lives Christ can not redeem for good, if we are willing.

Peace - Issiah over 700 hundred years before the birth of Jesus Prophesied

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Jesus promised

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid

Joy– is more about running in the light than walking, it's the excitement of knowing God is for us, not against us, it's the picture of the angles lighting up the sky with glad tidings, it is David the ancient King who grew up in Bethlehem declaring

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.

Love– the love of Christ is one that loves us without condition, and calls us to do the same, to love our enemies, to love our rivals, our bosses, even our in laws.

While Christ is light of the world, for all people and all times, each of us have a unique story in his light, we've asked three people to share part of their story tonight, as we light more candles.

- Peace

The Joy of Tech! The Return of the King

What a Crappy Present - CD Gift Advice, Parents and Kids.

- Peace

The Smell: top ten excuses... I mean, reasons why I wait 'till the last minute to shop for Christmas

I'm with you Pernell. And with that in mind here's a tip: How To Give The Last-Minute Gift of Blog

- Peace

For my birthday Kim took me to River Cafe in Prince's Island Park, just north of downtown. I had the wild boar, it was wonderful, moist and rich with flavor. Their hot cider was rich, almost buttery and after a walk in the cold hit the spot. If you're looking for a unique dinning experience in Calgary I'd recomend it.

They certainly live up the their reviews.

On a side note I've been in Calgary for four years and this is the first time I've noticed it's Prince's Island Park and not Princess Island Park. Go figure.

- Peace

Check out the ad for I Robot. As seen on /.

- Peace

Slashdot Poll: Worst Holiday Tradition? - Got to go with the Muzak. Number 2 and not on the list is Christimas lights in November. But Jordan has it covered with a mini rant against unseasonal Christmas lights.

- Peace

From my first post back in May 2002.

I'm hoping to convince Pernell at the Freeway to get his team blogging about their lives and media. So I'll do this for a while and see how it goes.

today I got this email

Merry Christmas.

Okay, don't laugh at me... but I finally decided to try to learn the art and discipline of online journaling (weblogging, blogging). I have started a blog today and I promise to update it as much as possible... at least every few days. You can read my musings at
http://pernell.blogs.com/. Let me know what you think.

I hope and pray that this Christmas Season will bring you a new and fresh experience of the One who came to bring peace on earth.

Peace.

Pernell

So welcome to Pernel to the world-o-blogs, and feel free to laugh at him.

- Peace

Jeffrey Overstreet's review of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King:

If the Academy voters once again deny Peter Jackson his overdue Oscars, they only accelerate their increasing irrelevance. Titles more likely to win awards—Mystic River, for example—are impressive, but also bleak and morose. Return of the King is not only a Herculean feat of workmanship; it is also charged with tangible hope. It will be quoted by young and old alike for decades to come. It has inspired a generation to read, surpassing Harry Potter in motivating them to read literature. Jackson’s saga serves us not only with entertainment, but with art that will inform the decisions of the wise and tweak the consciences of the proud and self-serving.

Thanks to Thunderstuck.

- Peace

As I've said before the Savlation Army comes up with some unique partnerships, like The Salvation Army and the Humane Society.

- Peace

New Honda SUT Concept Vehicle

Honda today released a sketch of the Honda SUT Concept vehicle, scheduled to make its worldwide debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit on
January 4, 2004.

This new truck concept will provide the world with its first glimpse of the direction Honda will take with a future production sport-utility truck model.

Looks like the Element may be just the first of a new breed of Honda.

The Centre for Faith and the Media

The Centre for Faith and the Media is an independent, non-profit organization to inform, advise and help media and the general public achieve a stronger understanding of spiritual history, practices and values in Canadian society.

The Centre provides non-partisan resources to journalists and the public to enable a more accurate and fair portrayal of faith in our midst. It conducts research, creates guides and other reference works, and operates an online site to enable broad access to information.

The Centre is based in Calgary but has a national board of directors from academia, media and business. Its initial financing has been provided by Heritage Canada, but it is seeking charitable status to enable diverse support.

an interesting project. I'll be checking their site from time to time.

- Peace

Salvation Army captain banned from Australian detention centre

The Immigration Department has banned a Salvation Army captain from visiting detainees at South Australia's Baxter Detention Centre. Captain David Wright says the ban is punishment for speaking out on the conditions that asylum seekers live under in the centre.

The Immigration Department says it's simply exercising its right to refuse entry to people it deems a security risk.

- Peace

Shake the snow globe! thanks to His Royal Highness, the Emporer of Penguins

On a more serious note today, Dec 6, is St Nicholas Day!

- Peace

Bob Passantino, Veteran "Apologist for Everyman," Dies

I met Bob and his wife this summer at Cornerstone 2003. It was in the speaker trailer, Bob was telling a story of how his daughter out smarted him and an other gentelman in a debate by focusing on simple truth and not geting lost in abstract problems. He obviously relished simple truth and how his daughter had bested him.

C-Stone Mag has post one of his articles One of the Latest Urban Myths from 2000. A great article on how to spot a myth.

- Peace

The new 2004 Demotivators are out.

- Peace

Zed visits a living Nativity.

- Peace