kim phuc

cady and i went to my sister's church sunday morning, and the guest speaker was kim phuc. for over half an hour she spoke quietly yet passionately about her life. i cried at times. hers is a most harrowing story: physical pain from the burns which she still endures today; emotional pain from a family that at first loved her, but after she became a christian turned their backs on her; political pain from being used by the vietnamese government to speak about war; and spiritual pain of being isolated from a christian community for many years while in communist vietnam and later in cuba.

this story has a happy ending: she fell in love and married, and while on her honeymoon, defected to canada where she lives in ajax; she has reconciled with her family and they all live in canada now; she has met with and forgiven the american who ordered the napalm attck on her village; she is a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador and travels the world as a peace activist; and she has two boys, Stephen and Thomas.

inheritance

could we apply this proverb to stewardship of the earth?

"Good people leave an inheritance for their children's children"

Proverbs 13:22a

beauty, truth. truth, beauty

god is amazing.

i had the privilege of an hour's conversation last night with someone who believes that

• being,
• purpose,
• beauty,
• justice, and
• unity

are real and essential to human growth, and, as a statistician, is researching them, and, as a music therapist, observes these in action everyday.

during my lunch break, i ran into him, and he's re-considering beauty in the light of love and redemption. mathematically, mind you!

don't be overwhelmed

some days i feel i'm not doing enough, that i'm not committed wholly/holy to serving god in all that i do. like my namesake, simon peter who simply dropped his nets and followed jesus, i am at times impetuous. i wanna do it all, and do it now. i know the icecaps are melting, i know people are suffering, i know i could do more if i weren't writing software much of my day. jesus counsels:

"This is a large work I've called you into, but don't be overwhelmed by it. It's best to start small. Give a cool cup of water to someone who is thirsty, for instance. The smallest act of giving or receiving makes you a true apprentice. You won't lose out on a thing."

The Message, Matthew 10:42

in context of the whole chapter, Matthew 10

personal update

the world is always changing, but there's a feeling we're on the cusp of even greater change, eh?

and, like many of my friends (i am discovering), i feel personally on the cusp of great personal change. the two changes - global and personal -- are tied together, and cultural consciousness is raising, ahead of the floodwaters.

how do i be the change i want to see in the world?

or better: what am i, truly, in the service of god and god's creation?

that's my challenge.

very important: New Strategies to Confront Climate Change by Andrew Heintzman

this 4-page essay gives 4 realistic and achievable strategies for solving the climate crisis.

it's the most encouraging news i've read in a long time.

New Strategies to Confront Climate Change by Andrew Heintzman (Note: this is a PDF)

New Sustainable Seafood Campaign Launched

Some of Canada’s top chefs and leading marine scientists joined the David Suzuki Foundation, Living Oceans Society, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Committee, Sierra Club of Canada (BC Chapter) and Ecology Action Network in Halifax to launch a new sustainable seafood campaign, called SeaChoice, a comprehensive, made-in-Canada program that ranks the sustainability of various types of seafood. Most importantly, SeaChoice provides the science-based information and aims to better inform Canadian consumers, fishermen, chefs and businesses so they can make informed sustainable seafood choices and help keep oceans healthy.

From www.seachoice.org:

"The movement towards sustainable seafood is about solutions for our oceans. Choosing sustainable seafood is a simple and effective action that you can take every time you eat at a restaurant or buy seafood. Whether you are an individual shopping for your family, a chef buying for your restaurant, or a supplier sourcing from fishing communities, your choices count. Voting with your wallet sends a strong signal to government and industry leaders, telling them that you support responsible stewardship of our natural marine resources.

"We understand that choosing sustainable seafood can be challenging, that’s why SeaChoice has created easy-to-use products that help you identify the best seafood choices and find information about the fisheries that you support with your purchasing. This is the first time that information has been compiled for Canadians about our domestic fisheries and the seafood we import. Please take a look at Canada’s Seafood Guide and our searchable seafood database at right.

"The ultimate solutions will require all of us--governments, industry, retailers and individuals--to take responsibility for changing our approach to seafood and fishing. We hope you will choose to be part of the solution."

So, what's for dinner tonight?