TIm Tam Slam

Well Matt is home and the house is filled with new music, old friends and late night sessions.   

We picked up Matt from Vancouver airport.  His flight was scheduled to arrive at 11:30pm, but came in at 12:30am instead.  After getting his luggage we were on the road home at 1:15am.  

He was insistent on stopping at Super Store to get some Tim Tams.  I had no idea what they were.   It was a little late, so with some gentle persuasion and promises of going the next day, he was okay with not stopping.  We got home and when I crawled into bed I looked at the clock and it was 3:15am.  Short night.  

The next day, Matt passionately introduced us to possibly the best snack food ev'arr  - the Tim Tam Slam.  

Tim Tam Slam 101

1. You make a cup of hot chocolate - not too hot. 

2. Take a Tim Tam, either variety will do.  Bite off a small piece of one corner, flip it to the opposite end and bite off another small piece off of an opposite corner.   

3. Place the modified corner of your Tim Tam in your mouth.  You will have about 1/8 of the Tim Tam in your mouth at this point.

4.  Place the opposite end of the Tim Tam in the cup of hot chocolate facing down.  Dip in about 2 centimeters deep. 

5. Produce a sucking action and notice the fluid flowing upwards through the modified Tim Tam into your mouth - similar to what a straw may do.

6. Once you sense the fluid entering your mouth, stop sucking and quickly place the whole Tim Tam in your mouth.  Enjoy.  WARNING: if you do not stop immediately and delay putting it in your mouth the Tim Tam will self destruct all over the counter.  Not good and not to mention a huge waste of a Tim Tam.  

7. If you have followed all the above steps you are successful.  Welcome to the Tim Tam Slam club!  Only a few have made it this far.  Congratulations.

If the above was confusing, here is an instructional video on how to do a Tim Tam Slam!

Covenant Eyes

I'm a user of covenant eyes --accountability software for the Mac (it's also available for the pc).

It doesn't filter or even slow down my computer, but it works in the background to log internet usage onto their server. Then once a week it sends it to my accountability partner - which is my wife Patti. Hit a questionable site and it flags it. Hit something on the edge and it flags it. Hit something you don't think is on the edge but is, it will flag it. It's relentless.

Once covenant eyes is installed, you can't get on the internet without first logging in and you can't uninstall it without getting an uninstall code. If you ask for one, they notify your accountability partner.

It provides peace of mind and accountability - both of which I need.

last and this week

the weekend that was: i'm through the cold/flue that has been dogging me for the past 10 or so days and to feel and think at a normal level has been relieving. we went to a friends b-day party and enjoyed the conversations, kassi's soccer game was entertaining (no cards this game), sundays advent message on peace came in a way that i think was reflective and many questions emerged about peace in our own lives and world peace -- big topics. we had friends over sunday night and shared family night with them - great time with wonderful people.

on my to-do list this week: working on the advent series, putting together gift bags for the players - more later don't want to spill the beans, creating and refining a marketing plan for bruins faith night, recruiting some more leaders, planning for the new year, and getting my blackberry to work with the new unibody macbook pro.

procrastinating about: organizing the office (still)

books i’m in the midst of: "leading with a limp," by Dan Allender - the most helpful book for me this year on making sense of my life and battling the old nagging thoughts of disillusionment, hopelessness, and wandering in leadership.

down the road: faith night, youth mexico trip, new series in the new year, try to create a rhythm of working out.

music that seemed to catch my attention this past week: ELO, matthew.joel, little river band, and some christmas music.

how i’m feeling about this week: i'm attending the funeral for an uncle today and i'm anticipating the emotions that come with saying good-bye to a family member. tough to think beyond today.

Matthew and Conflict

I've had a fair bit of conflict in my life the last 10 years. Matthew Joel writes compelling thoughts about the benefits of conflict.

Involving stories are built around conflict. With out conflict, there is nothing to be resolved, nothing to learn from, and nothing to give the story relevance. As humans in a world of prosperity, health, and resources, we need conflict. We live for it. Conflict is the force that gives meaning to our own stories. Day by day, life is lived in anticipation for the issues, problems, and disagreements that are sure to rise. Smoke alarms are installed, security systems are instigated, second keys are cut, godparents are assigned, car insurance is bought, diets are started, and savings accounts created. All of this is our indemnity, our protection against the conflict we are sure life will bring ...

From here

U2 Father Christmas

Church As Family On A Mission

From Neil Cole, quoted at Church Planting Novice:

We must transition from seeing church as a once-a-week worship event to an ongoing spiritual family on mission together. Then people will see church as something worth giving your life for. Honestly, people need one another more then they need another inspiring message. You would be surprised what people will do for Jesus, or for a brother or sister, that they will not do for a vision statement and a capital giving campaign.

(from here)

Why Calvinists are so Negative

What The New Humanity Sounds Like