A BABY CHANGES EVERYTHING We had a baby. Anyone seeing my Facebook must know that. And yes, I know I'm probly overdoing it with the baby pics.
Our lives have never been the same.
Some of those ways are really hard, and I still come to grips with how hard.
Some of those ways are a daily blast of radiant joy, of a quality that surprises me even tho just about everyone told me to be prepared. This too I'm still coming to grips with.
A BABY CHANGED EVERYTHING
The Christmas story is, in one sense, a baby story of such world-changing magnitude that it need a virgin birth.
Life itself was never the same.
The road for the parents was really hard. The baby's grown-up life was no cakewalk either.
The purpose for the hardness was a constant blast of radiant joy, of a quality I (and many others, like Sam and Charlie here) are still coming to grips with.
I'd thought of writing more, but I think I'm happy with leaving this short, and letting you get on this with this day.
Interesting context for this slogan to creep up again, with the Occupy hubbub in London. I think u can click a link above for the article, which is quite BBC.
NOTE: This ultrasound is of SASHA! (A few friends are "working on" their second now that their first hasn't soured them on the experience. While we're pretty open to it, we don't have one of these for a 2nd round. Yet). Advent is the fancy name many church people use for the month leading up to Christmas, the four Sundays before Christmas.This year, I plan to write a short series matching up my experiences with a fresh new daughter with a certain other baby that lots of us celebrate in the coming month. At this point I'm not sure how many I'll do. Probably three or four. I've been anticipating writing this first one, about anticipation. Probably thinking about it most when I'm rocking to sleep the flesh-in-blood manifestation of this ultrasound, which is much cuter and drier and I never knew anything could be so soft or fun to hold. The spirit of anticipation is one of many things that I believe unites us in this season when we celebrate the season once universally known as Christmas. Apparently in some church traditions, I'm not supposed to hit on anticipation till three or four weeks down the road. But I seriously couldn't wait. To me, it helped me put my Advent series into chronological order. just before this picture was taken... It was summer 2010. About a month before we knew for sure, we suspected Dana might be pregnant. At every other point in my life, this prospect was almost pure fear for me. However, at some point in that month before, it dawned on me that a child on the way didn't have to be just fear, that as much as there would be inevitable sacrifices and lifestyle change, I felt released & free to hope for this child and what the potential is for this human being. It was a gentle epiphany, a feeling that washed over me and assured me without connection to a big memorable event or anything. I just felt like things would be taken care of, that we'd be okay, and that now, and not a moment sooner, I was ready to be a Dad. our life now vs. previous anticipations One irony (of many) in my life: although "dreaming things up" is often part of my work responsibilities, I've never found myself to be a very specific dreamer. Having a baby was always a possibility but it wasn't the same make-or-break dream for Dana & me that I know it is for others. With that, the whole getting married-buying a home-having a baby set of somewhat universal human dreams... we got 'em, and it often feels like we lucked into them. In recent rock-to-sleep sessions with Sasha, I've been taking a little mental stock of things I anticipated in the past, and how they measure up to the life I have now. At one point, I'd had hopes for an award-winning career in advertising. Secondary to this, but still strong, was a heart cry to not be alone. I got the first. Technically. I haven't won huge awards or a huge amount of them. But early on in that life, the awards themselves became not such a big deal to me. Quite early on: at the award show with the biggest audience, I won the student award and missed the speech because I was in a great conversation! I'll get to the secondary anticipation in a paragraph or two...anticipations circa Jesus: holdin' out for a hero Back in Jesus' day, Israel was under the Roman Empire's rule. This was after generations of being under the rule of a few other big-time empires of their day. They were a people itching for freedom, anticipating the promise from their sacred writings: Messiah, which we understand to be "saviour" and had the added connotation of a fighting liberator, probably like their new Moses freeing them from their new Egypt. And they got... a baby? One born from a virgin? And then this guy who walked around healing people? Their Moses, their Bruce Willis action hero, didn't come as they anticipated.However, Mary's anticipation gets more positive airtime than those of her people, recorded in what's known as the Magnificat in Luke 1:46-56, a song that seems a direct result of fetal Jesus meeting fetal John The Baptist, who gives a big kick for his mother. The song includes these verses that expressly hint at the sweeping, upside-down reality this Messiah will usher in: He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.
I'll get more into the nature of this saviour baby in later posts. anticipation fulfilled My life's secondary anticipation was much more fulfilled, ironically while I've just about always put more energy into career than family. I don't wax poetic about my love life too much, period. Even in private. And yes, Dana has noticed... This seems like a great place to start putting my heart out there, as I start this Christmas writing: Dana, or more exactly, the life I've been blessed with which could not happen without Dana, that's been the biggest blessing in my life, more than sufficient for all my anticipations past. Again, I'll flesh things out in future posts, but as tough as some days are right now, Dana is at the crux of at least one moment of pure joy every day. I feel truly blessed.
Interesting sidenote: the company I now work for is award-winning, not for creativity per se but for being a quality workplace.let's anticipate So my takeaway in all this is to feel empowered to anticipate... and keep eyes & ears open to how our anticipation is fulfilled... often not as we anticipate. Occasionally, better. What are you anticipating? Time off? Time with family? Someone to share life with? A child? For your child(ren) to turn out okay? For the 99% to get a bigger piece of the 1%'s pie?an interesting albeit church-y summary thought Bob Swann is one of Dana & my favourite pastors at our church, Vancouver's First Baptist. I like him so much that I "cheated" on our denomination's Advent devotionals for this year, skipping to Bob's that happens to be about Anticipation . For those in town, Bob's one of the instrumental figures in setting up the Tuesday night Shelter lineup outside our church. He encourages "expectancy of a blessed interruption", and to "hold on tight. It will be a great ride." Our ride's been full of big & little surprises so far, and we're seeing why it's important to hold on... Next post: a brand new new.
My colleague @BillBonikowsky was telling me about these American Girl® dolls. Apparently it's a new part of his grandparently obligations. Should probably save up, it's quite likely that when Sasha starts asking for stuff, this is what she'll ask for and they're $119 a pop (for doll plus storybook and/or DVD).
The White House and House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, are condemning Iran's plan to execute a pastor for refusing to renounce Christianity and re-join Islam.
The White House says the planned execution "crosses all bounds of decency, and breaches Iran's own international obligations."
Boehner said that, "while Iran's government claims to promote tolerance, it continues to imprison many of its people because of their faith. This goes beyond the law to an issue of fundamental respect for human dignity."
The White House statement (from press secretary Jay Carney, not President Obama):
The United States condemns the conviction of Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani. Pastor Nadarkhani has done nothing more than maintain his devout faith, which is a universal right for all people.
That the Iranian authorities would try to force him to renounce that faith violates the religious values they claim to defend, crosses all bounds of decency, and breaches Iran's own international obligations.
A decision to impose the death penalty would further demonstrate the Iranian authorities' utter disregard for religious freedom, and highlight Iran's continuing violation of the universal rights of its citizens.
We call upon the Iranian authorities to release Pastor Nadarkhani, and demonstrate a commitment to basic, universal human rights, including freedom of religion.
And here is Boehner's statement:
"Religious freedom is a universal human right.
The reports that Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani will be sentenced to death by the Iranian government unless he disavows his Christian faith are distressing for people of every country and creed.
While Iran's government claims to promote tolerance, it continues to imprison many of its people because of their faith. This goes beyond the law to an issue of fundamental respect for human dignity.
I urge Iran's leaders to abandon this dark path, spare Yousef Nadarkhani's life, and grant him a full and unconditional release."
Nadarkhani, now in his 30s, became a pastor of a small evangelical community called the Church of Iran after converting from Islam at the age of 19.
Iranian authorities arrested him for apostasy in 2009 and sentenced him to death under Islamic Sharia law.
The pastor was spared by a supreme court appeal ruling in July, his laywer told AFP, but was again condemned to death after the case was reheard at a court in his home town of Gilan, according to media reports.
Definitely must give props to Wanda Ho, Chinese Initiative Director here at Alpha Canada, for correcting my Chinese. Really trusting her on this one but she has lots riding on it: if she gets stuff wrong, I can imagine the wrath she faces...
Also props to David Yu for Art Direction.
Also included the English here too, for reference and, as it happens, I'm a few months late for posting this to the Posterousfolio. Enjoy!
Main point of this, to me: them Foo Fighters is funny. If I'm ever playing a stadium show and there's a large protest scheduled, this is how I'd like to respond. NOTE: sensitive friends, the language gets crude pretty fast.
Click on http://www.copyblogger.com/end-malaria/ or above for a very fun sell job on a really neat not-quite-product. I'd heard rumblings of the Seth Godin's Domino Project, now I see some fruit. Neat-o!
This is an overly complex diagram to show my 5th place standing in the BC Scrabble Championships this past weekend in Steveston/Richmond, BC. Thanks to James, Jesse, Kevin, Nick & probably Chris W too for everything you did to make things happen, and sorry I bailed early: was late for supper plans with my babies!
![[photo]](http://www.scrabbleplayers.org/players/l/leong_james.jpg){kind=small}
![[photo]](http://www.scrabbleplayers.org/players/m/murnane_lilia_2.jpg "Murnane, Lilia"){kind=small}
![[photo]](http://www.scrabbleplayers.org/players/u/unknown_player.gif "Bryde, Ted"){kind=small}
![[photo]](http://www.scrabbleplayers.org/players/l/lee_kevin.jpg "Lee, Kevin"){kind=small}
![[photo]](http://www.scrabbleplayers.org/players/w/wong_gabriel.jpg "Wong, Gabriel"){kind=small}
![[photo]](http://www.scrabbleplayers.org/players/w/williams_chris_2.jpg "Williams, Chris"){kind=small}
![[photo]](http://www.scrabbleplayers.org/players/b/balabanov_yukari.jpg "Balabanov, Yukari"){kind=small}
![[photo]](http://www.scrabbleplayers.org/players/s/schellenberg_mark_2.jpg "Schellenberg, Mark"){kind=small}
![[photo]](http://www.scrabbleplayers.org/players/s/saldanha_dielle_2.jpg "Saldanha, Dielle"){kind=small}
![[photo]](http://www.scrabbleplayers.org/players/m/matthews_jessie.jpg "Matthews, Jesse"){kind=small}
![[photo]](http://www.scrabbleplayers.org/players/s/saldanha_dion_2.jpg "Saldanha, Dion"){kind=small}
![[photo]](http://www.scrabbleplayers.org/players/s/saldanha_dean.jpeg "Saldanha, Dean"){kind=small}
![[photo]](http://www.scrabbleplayers.org/players/t/tang_lam.jpg "Tang, Lam"){kind=small}
![[photo]](http://www.scrabbleplayers.org/players/r/ross_reuvena_2.jpg "Ross, Reuvena"){kind=small}
![[photo]](http://www.scrabbleplayers.org/players/c/craig_stuart.jpg "Craig, Stuart"){kind=small}
![[photo]](http://www.scrabbleplayers.org/players/v/verma_tony.jpg "Verma, Tony"){kind=small}
![[photo]](http://www.scrabbleplayers.org/players/b/burgess_ryan.jpg "Burgess, Ryan"){kind=small}
![[photo]](http://www.scrabbleplayers.org/players/k/kinsella_bill.jpeg "Kinsella, Bill"){kind=small}
![[photo]](http://www.scrabbleplayers.org/players/p/prinz_sunshine.jpg "Gudlaugson, Sunshine"){kind=small}
