Christmas is a time when we celebratem (among other things) a pregnant couple that endured horrific sleeping conditions. As an homage to that theme my wife -who is expecting our fourth child in July - and I slept on an air mattress for the last week. Now we didn't have any cattle or sheep sharing our accomodation, but we did have our other kids migrate individually throughout the night into our 'stall.' Sandwich that between two 8 hour drives (with only one hour of Veggie Tales audio plays repeated to fill those eight hours) and you have a glimpse at why I may mnore closely resemble the Grinch than any other Yule time character.

We managed to arrive back in Calgary early enought that the kids could pull out their toys, games etc. for a bit before bed.

The other exciting news is that we have brought my Dad back with us for a visit. He celebrated his 65th birthday on Thursday (which was also our 13th anniversary). We gave him an all expenses paid vacation - the only catch is its at our house. The kids have lots of plans for hockey, the zoo, hockey, playing with the dog, hockey and possibly some hockey.

After a few years of only doing guest lectures at different colleges I am back in the academic saddle!! I am set to teach a few classes at a local college and maybe be involved with starting something new at one of the universities in town. It is nice to get involved in this aspect of life again. SouthGate is at a place where my teaching is okay and may even be a healthy thing as it will leave some space for people to move into.

I have always connected with the story of Eric Liddell - my own grandfather spent time in an "international Settlement" in China (the term for prison camps). One of the greatest lines in Chariots of Fire (the movie about Liddell's life) is "I believe God made me for a purpose--for China. But He also made me fast! And when I run, I feel His pleasure." I feel the same way. I feel that God has created me (and joined me with my wife who shares the calling) to be a church planter; but God also made me a teacher and when I enter into discussions of 'allophonic environments' or 'first language interference' I truly feel God's pleasure (most other people just feel a little drowsy).

On an entirely unrelated note on Monday night my daughter was dancing like a princess until she dropped like a rock and hit her head (not all princesses are graceful I guess). The end result was 6 hours at the "urgent care" facility and four stitches. I don't mean to slag the people working there - I know its not their fault - but I think that the term 'urgent care' is destined to join 'jumbo shrimp' 'military intelligence' and 'government organization' as an example of oxymorons. There was nothing particularly 'urgent' or 'caring' in the servicing of a three year old with a facial laceration (and she's a princess to boot).

Just got back from a double-header evening. In the first part of the evening I went out with the youth from our church - there were 7 of us in total. We shot each other up at Laser Trek cuz nuthin says Christmas like opening fire on each other in a poorly lit warehouse!! Good times.

Then I went to house party where we had a chance to eat all of the stuff that is verbotten on the Core Plan diet I promised my wife I would join her on (she has since stopped but I guess I am still s'posed to stay on it for the both of us). We laughed a lot and sang some Christmas carols - often with a Jamaican lilt as many of them were on the Boney M Christmas Album.

It was so good to remember why I do this church thing - because there is a sense of community that is growing at SouthGate and it transcends cultures and ages because it is built on the Good News that also transcends cultures and ages.

Things are good - I am going to go to sleep now.

It is funny to me that a blog that started out as a travelogue to keep friends and family up to date with a trip to China has turned into a venting space for a disillusioned (but still 'called') pastor. It's kinda become a travelogue through the hills and valleys of church-planting.

Sure I recognize that I have brought a lot of this on me. Less stubborn people would have been more open to suggestions and smarter people would have left years ago - but I am not those people and so - as I was told in a meeting recently - this is the price I pay for planting when and where I did.

Had one of those meetings yesterday that seem okay at the time but had a delayed release - like time-release tylenol or rancid pulgogi. As the day continued I realised that it was really a terrible meeting and that my character had been impugned time and again. Maybe I am just losing it, but to quote that great philosopher Steve Earle "Just cuz you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you!!"

I often construct soundtracks to my life. Earlier this week (leading up to the meeting) it featured the Clash's "Should I stay or Should I Go" but following the meeting I have found myself humming Nirvana's "Rape Me Again." Maybe that's my problem - I should construct my mood music from DiGarmo & Keyes or Carman rathering than angst ridden rockers - but truth betold I feel more akin to the former than the latter.

So I break out my ascerbic pen. This is not how we would solve things back on the Rez!! Anyhoo this doodle is the fruit of my furor.

On a side note I don't mind a good scrap and so I am staying - but I will ruthlessly fight the efforts to squeeze SouthGate into one more mono-ethnic White church mold - with an appropriate sprinkling of ethnic colouring to fight off any accusations of racism or elitism - no matter what trendy tag we add to it.

The next six months could be the roughest of our entire ministry - mostly because I refuse to let absentee landlords to try impose their agenda on a community that has done quite well without their support or encouragement.