Happy Birthday Canada!

I like this version of “This Land Is Your Land” by the Travellers. There are some interesting pictures of the diverse nature of our country. As we move into the future in this twenty-first century, I think Canada continues to change for better and for worse. For some, we are too secular and Christianity seems to be less influential in influencing the direction of our nation. For others, that is seen as a good thing. For some, we are moving too far politically to the right, while for others that is viewed favourably. For some, we are an embarassment to the world because of the way we are developing our natural resources, especially the oil and gas industry. For others, we are doing the best we can given the technology we are utilizing to develop these resources. For some, our universal medicare is in deep trouble and we need to put more money and resources into it if it is going to survive in the future. For others, there is a trend already towards privatization, and so we should go with that where it is cost-effective. What do you think? What direction would you like to see Canada moving towards in the future?

Jesus on growth and Joni Mitchell’s “How Do You Stop?”

This Sunday—the 3^rd Sunday after Pentecost—Jesus tells a couple of agricultural parables, underscoring the motifs of seeds and growth in relation to the kingdom/realm of God. In my sermon today, I connected this motif with a Joni Mitchell song in her Turbulent Indigo album, “How Do You Stop?” There are two lines in particular that jump out at me, and speak to me of the inevitability of growth in the natural life-cycle. This growth in the natural life-cycle is, I think, one of the most powerful life-forces in God’s creation. The two lines are: “How do you stop the ripening corn?/How do you stop a baby being born?” Hope you enjoy the video here.