Births to Unmarried U.S. Women Set Record

WASHINGTON - Nearly 1.5 million babies, a record, were born to unmarried women in the United States last year, the government reported Friday. And it isn't just teenagers any more.

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cynicism is a gateway drug

Dan Wilt posted a short but good post on cynicism.

Walt Thiessen says: Look at Jesus life. Cynicism is a false substitute for proper Christian anger, lament and faithful action.

Young friend Zoe Fitch says, “Cynicism is a gateway drug to everything nasty.”

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crystal meth form held in chilliwack

From the Chilliwack Progress:

More than 700 people gave a standing ovation to crystal meth survivor Sheena Edwards after an emotionally charged speech about the dangers of the drug at a forum hosted by the city Tuesday.

The size of the crowd and the "overwhelming" response to Edwards' story has convinced forum organizers they have "hit a nerve" in the community, similar to the wave of public anger that erupted several years ago around mail theft.

But what to actually do now, and what steps are needed to meet the apparent community desire to fight methamphetamine abuse, will be the topic of future public meetings.

City and Sto:lo officials will also meet next week to form a task force aimed at prevention, education, enforcement and treatment of crystal meth users. While the forum was the first city-wide meth initiative, Sto:lo communities have already held two similar meetings.

City Councillor Sharon Gaetz, chair of the city's public safety advisory committee, said part of the reason for the Tuesday forum was to gauge public support for a fight against crystal meth.

"If we're on the same wavelength," she said after the meeting, "we've touched a nerve in the community.

"This isn't just a clinical discussion about drugs," she added. "It's about ripped-apart families."

Gaetz said parents of crystal meth users came to her in tears after the meeting, asking her how they can get treatment for their children.

"When they're ready to come off (crystal meth) there doesn't seem to be any help for them," she said. "If that's true, then we really need to be working with the ministry of health to make things happen."

B.C. Solicitor General John Les, minister responsible for public safety in B.C., said the Chilliwack forum was "extremely encouraging" as the province is ready to pump an additional $7-million in funding to help communities raise awareness of crystal meth. The funding includes $2 million for "enhanced" treatment programs for meth-addicted youth, $2 million for community anti-meth programs and an education campaign to get the facts about meth use and addiction to youth and their families.

"In Chilliwack we certainly have some pretty deep community concern and awareness," Les said. "But I also heard several times (at the forum) you need to focus on prevention as much as anything."

Edwards, a 30-year-old Cheam band member, told the crowd how she was hooked on crystal meth the first time she tried it, and how it then turned into a four-year "hell ride" that ripped her family apart.

"The first time I tried it I was addicted," she said, and although she vowed not to do it again, during a "deep depression" she got high again "and from then on it's probably been the worst ride of my life ... I fight it every single day of my life."

Despite a beautiful daughter, a loving husband and family, she said that "no amount of love and effort from them could stop me ... and where I was going was straight to hell. I went on a hell ride."

Each time she got high, it devastated her family and became a "tornado" ripping through her life that she felt powerless to stop.

"It was tearing my family apart and there was nothing I could do to stop it," she said, until she started counselling when she started thinking about suicide.

"I hope we can get more money for (crystal meth) treatment," Edwards told the crowd, "The kids out there on the street are worth something."

Along with Edwards and Les, the forum panel included keynote speaker Angela Marshall, a therapist with the Fraser House alcohol and drug outpatient society, Dr. Johan Wouterloot, addiction expert, school principal Jim Skinner and two RCMP drug experts, Cpl. Scott Rintoul and Sgt. Mike McCarthy.

homeless tent city by chilliwack river

Homelessness is real in Chilliwack ... why? ... mental illness and addictions are some of the main causes ...

From the Chilliwack Progress:

The largest "tent city" of homeless people - perhaps living there for months by dint of drugs or other criminal activities - ever seen in the Chilliwack area was found Saturday and dismantled by fishermen and members of the Chilliwack Vedder River Cleanup Coalition.

"You can see that it's a home for criminals," said Mark Andersen, a city councillor and member of the Coalition, because of the piles of copper wiring, power tools and bicycle parts found among the tents, mattresses, used syringes and garbage.

A city bylaw prohibits camping in the area, but there is no such ban in the Fraser Valley Regional District.

"We need to find out where the (city bylaw) loop got broken as far as getting this taken down sooner," Andersen said.

The city is now being asked to remove about a "ton" of material hauled up closer to the Chilliwack Lake Road by fishermen and Coalition members over the weekend as river levels threatened to wash it all away.

Fisherman Marvin Senft said he first saw the site, hidden by trees from the roadway, a couple of weeks ago while looking for a fishing spot about a half-kilometre upstream from the Vedder River Bridge.

He estimated the site has been in use for at least six months, judging by the amount of garbage he and 10 friends hauled away from the site, including clothes, car batteries and propane tanks.

"It was just bizarre," he said. "I couldn't believe how much stuff there was."

Senft is not a Coalition member, but "decided to do something on my own" after he discovered the site, adding that he likes "serene" vistas when he's fishing and worried about the impact of the site on tourism.

He also said he "rousted" a couple of the inhabitants from the site about a week ago.

Coalition spokesman Lew Chater said the area where the "tent city" was found is part of the coalition's cleanup area, but even he did not see it while fishing earlier in the spring - and in any event wouldn't want Coalition members handling potentially hazardous materials like used syringes.

"I had no idea," he said. "I have never seen a mess like that."

Chatter said the power tools, copper wiring and parts from at least 10 bicycle "is an indication of probably theft.

"All the stuff that was there is an indication of up-to-no-good," he said.

FVRD officials could not be reached by press time yesterday to comment on the possibility of a enacting a regional bylaw to clean up several smaller squatters' sites within the regional district's boundaries. Chilliwack RCMP officials also could not be reached for comment yesterday on the site's possible connection to area thefts and break-ins.

B.C. Environment Minister Barry Penner, the MLA for the area, said he is "concerned about the environmental and human damage caused by this illegal activity" and offered ministry assistance if needed.

Some of the items found at the site are "clearly things you don't want" in the Chilliwack River and may be connected to "a rash of break-ins" reported in the area.

"Whether they're related or not, I don't want to speculate, but that will be something people will look at."

He said it's "believed the people in this camp were illegal drug users and possibly involved in crystal meth production judging from some of the chemicals like paint thinners found on site.

animated robot?

I'm tired and brain dead right now ... here is something as productive ...
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a day in the life of seminarian

A day in the life of a temporary Seminarian

Thursdays:

• Alarm goes off at 7:00
  
• Put self in shower.
• Step on scale and gasp.
• Bowl of raisin bran for b-fast.
  
• Make coffee for the rest of the room-mates. Make it stronger than yesterday.
• Get in Aaron's car at 7:40 and laugh all the way to school.
• Arrive at CTS, class starts at 9:00am
• Set up the laptop in class, check if there is wifi access, which is a bit obsessive, cause there wasn't any last time. Pull up notes for Preaching The Confessions class.
  
• Leave class hour later, and visit with friends in the lounge. Have conversations about assignments, lectures, future.
  
• Walk through the confusing hallway of CTS to the next class which begins at 10:40.
• Setup laptop, check for wifi access. Still none. Pull up notes for CRC History. Resolve to stay alert the whole class.
• Close laptop at 11:50am. Daydreamed only part of the class.
• Walk to Spoelholf cafeteria with Dan, Dale, Brad and Aaron. Have a bowl of soup for $1.25
• Get to next class at 1:00pm - what pastors can learn from authors. This is the a discussion oriented class. We are reading Ann Lamott's book, "Bird by Bird" and Stephen King's book on writing. Lots of fun and some sensorship is needed.
• Get to the library and try to sort our the minor prophets in preparation for the Bible Comprehensive exam coming up in a couple of weeks.
• Read some church polity, try and stay awake.
• Dan says it's time to go home, Sue probably has a wonderful meal for us.
• Drive home in the 78 chevette. Each time I wonder if it will be our last ride in the vette.
• Dinner and post dinner conversation are wonderful.
• Go upstairs and read polity, church history and work on assignments.
• Take a break, watch the news. Go outside for a prayer walk.
• Turn in at sometime after 11:00pm
  

van, bus, plane, 78 vette and heckman

the journey to calvin

• left home at 5:30pm and drove by van to bellingham.
• took the 7:00pm bus shuttle from bellingham to seatac airport in seattle.
• took the 1:00am flight to minneapolis
• 7:05am flight to grand rapids.
• 9:30am aaron picked me up in the 78 vette
• took in a crc history lecture
• i'm now in the heckman library
• aaron is studying church polity. pray for him.
  

pastor church relations - get the word out

In 1982 the Synod of the Christian Reformed Church in North America approved the formation of the Pastor-Church Committee. The mandate for this agency was that it provide programs of “healing and prevention” for ministers, consistories and congregations.

This is great concept -- having a place for a pastors or churches to go when things go bad between pastor and church or the other stuff that happens within churches.

The pastor-church committee in the CRC has some staff at the 2850 Kalamazoo ave, and they lead conferences and field calls. I've never has any connection with them. Looking back, I should have, but didn't really know that much about them, or what they did, or have confidence they could have helped.

We recently had a meeting with all epmcer's and the pastor-church denomination people. I left with the impression there was tremendous wisdom, experience and pastor gifts available, but the challenge was getting out to the congregations. They can't engage in a conversation unless they are invited it.

1. What about producing training materials for pastors, councils and congregations. Make a box and put in a DVD, bible study material, leaders guide and a coffee mug that will give the training away to the local level.
   
2. Send a free box to all the churches to get the word out.
   
3. Make a web page with training stuff.
   
4. Link to other organizations like emotionally healthy church and create networks.
5. Include their material in a catalogue.
6. Write a book.
7. Get interviewed with Larry King, like rick warren.

Basically, get the gifts and wisdom and experience out to the grass roots instead of waiting for the phone to ring.

Here are some things the pastor-church relations currently champion:

• Regional Pastors – There is at least one regional pastor appointed in each classis. These are pastors who lead a congregation, but volunteer time to provide support to fellow clergy. They may provide consulation to congregations and councils about concerns present in their church, but their major focus is that of being pastors to fellow pastors. The regional pastor maintains individual contact with pastor colleagues and their spouses, assists in assigning mentors for new candidates and generally seeks to be available to provide assistance in ministry.

• Mentors – Newly ordained pastors, ministers entering the CRCNA from other denominations and clergy who have had some stress or other problems are assigned mentors. These mentors are expereinced pastors who are available to help during the first five years of ministry. The mentor and mentee covenant to work together in setting goals and establishing support regarding personal, spiritual, and professional practice and formation.

• Pastor Relations Committees – Congregations are encouraged to set up Pastoral Relations Committees as support to the pastors and spouses. Guidelines for these committees and assitance in managing them are given by PCR.

visiting home

my daughter said it was wierd that her dad was visiting home. i've been home for a few days and going back to grand rapids on tuesday night. it was 4.5 weeks away from home, then another 6 weeks till i'm finished.

the studies have been going alright. the best part is the community with aaron, dan, dale and our hosts bruce and sue. we get into some rich conversations about life and school and doctrine and pool at billy's. aaron calls bruce and sue's house the all inclusive 5 star resort. it is like that, they are caring for us, in a sense freeing us to study, converse, and have a bit of fun.

the environment at cts is more about getting the info and doctrine right rather than challenging it, asking the hard questions -- all the things beyond rote that induce good learning -- and the 4 of us get into that when we are off campus. we do struggle with what we are hearing, talk about what it means at the street level ... struggle in the sense of kicking the ideas around, taking them to their logical conclusions and what they mean for grassroots church.

live with aaron

i'm here live on location at the wealthy street bakery with aaron, and we are discussing web sites and blogs. i'm a blog evangelist and he is almost ready to cross the line and pray the sinner's prayer. but to seal the deal he needs to see it (how much faith does he have?) so thus this post. aaron, this is happening, your conversion before your very eyes. tears are starting to come ....