Author: Dennis A. Gray

Seven Days to Go

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That’s right, seven days from now I will be on the road riding my Trek 7100 bicycle from Toronto to Niagara Falls. Well, actually, from the C.N.E. grounds to Mohawk College the first day, then off to Table Rock Park in Niagara on Sunday. Nevertheless, there’s only a week to go and the excitement is starting to build.

It will be strange this year; having been through cancer this past winter has altered my perspective.  I have a small concern about my energy levels, but I know I’ll make it though it may take longer. But I’m wondering what it will be like riding as a survivor. There are people I’ve met in previous years who will remember me if they see me and it will be interesting to see how they respond when they see the yellow flag and socks sported by survivors on the ride.

On the other hand seeing the hundreds of yellow flags sticking up from the crowd of 5000 riders at the starting line is a testament to the success of cancer research over the years. More and more people are surviving this terrible disease, and it’s because of research being done with dollars raised through events like the Ride to Conquer Cancer.

There is a small development on the side effects front. I was told that the radiation would kill off a bunch of the hair follicles in my face rendering my beard history. However, last week I noticed when I was saving that most of them are actually functioning again! The only ones that seem to be affected are lower down in an area I usually shave anyway when I trim my beard back. So, much to Roberta’s relief, I’m growing the beard back. She never has liked me clean shaven.

Getting back to the Ride to Conquer Cancer, I’m at the 80% mark in my fundraising and have such a short way to go to reach my goal of $2500 in donations. If everyone who sees clicks on the banner at right and contributes just $10 I’ll reach and surpass that goal with plenty to spare. So much in fact that if you go to my personal page and find I have reached my goal, please support one of the other members of Team Kortright is has not on my behalf.

I know, I’m really pushing the donation thing, but it is only Seven Days and counting!

Thanks everyone!

Shalom.

Why Christians Can’t Agree About Christian Fiction

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Let me begin by saying that for many years I was not a reader of Christian fiction. I usually found it incredibly bland with predictable plots, two dimensional charcters, and storylines that all ended with exactly the same result – bad/unsaved guy/girl gives his/her life to the Lord. I stayed away from it like the lactose intolerant avoid Dairy Queen.

Authors like Mike Duran are changing that. Smart, imaginative plots, characters and storylines with unpredictable endings. Problem is for some people they aren’t “Christian enough”. Mike is also a great blogger and the following article touches on the two camps he’s observed in Christian fiction. Check it out and then come back.

Why Christians Can’t Agree About Christian Fiction.

As someone who reads a fair bit and has even written about fiction here, I’m curious; which camp do you fall into? Holiness or Honesty? Or do you percive a third camp? Do you read Christian fiction at all?

Answer in the comments.

I’m Just so (Yawn) Offended

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I’ve been trying to get offended by Living With Lions latest album cover, but so far this is the only reaction I’ve been able to muster…

We so badaas punk we're making fun of a religion who'e credo is "Love Your Enenies."

With the church having faced everything from Chocolate Jesus to Piss-Christ to flexible Rature scheduling, taking on the Christian Church in North America, especially in terminally-polite Canada is just too easy; or at the very least is going to take a lot more edginess and/or imagination than a faux Bible cover. I mean there’s no risk involved whatsoever. We were doing ‘Holy Shit’ jokes when I was seven; mostly involving pictures of little brown piles with halos over them.

And if it wasn’t lame enough on it’s own, when you add the fact that they were embarrased into giving their gov’t grant money back, I imagine now punkers know how many Christians feel when the likes of Pat Robertson open their mouths.

Later….

Red Letter Christians » Actualizing the Kingdom on Earth

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The vision statement of my home church is “Jesus’ Kingdom Made Real- Every Person, Every Nation.” For this reason the following article by Tony Campolo really caught my attention.

Red Letter Christians » Actualizing the Kingdom on Earth.

Are We Ready for the World to End?

/ Dennis A. Gray / 1 Comment

As you have likely heard, the world will end this coming Saturday at 6pm. My Facebook countdown is ticking away the seconds. I’m trying not to get all goosebumpy.

Now, I’m not going to tell you why Mr. Camping’s assertions should be taken with multitudinous grains of salt. My much more studied fellow blogger Dr. Claude Mariottini does a much better job of that than I could in an article you’ll find here.  But I do want to comment on a thought that occurs to me every time I read a prediction such as the one laid out for this weekend.

Am I ready for the end of the world?

Seriously! If we, as Christians, truly believe what we claim to believe then we must face the fact that one day it will happen; Armageddon, the Rapture, Christ’s return, the Tribulation (Pre-, Mid-, Post-, whatever), it will be the end of the world as we know it! Some fine day one of the self-made sooth-sayers will say the sooth and get it right and the only thing that will matter when that happens is ‘Am I truly ready to meet my Maker?‘

Many of us are pretty good at preparing for calamity. We have the first-aid kit on top of the fridge or in the glove compartment (does anybody actually keep gloves in there?).  Some of us have the 72 hours of food, water and batteries tucked away in accordance with provincial guidelines. Most of us at the very least have some level of life, car and home insurance. But how many of us consciously think about preparing for what some may consider the ultimate catastrophe? If I may paraphrase, what does it profit an individual if they survive the nuclear holocaust but lose their soul?

And I don’t think I’m prone to contradiction when I say that it’s not just about salvation. There is more to it than simple belief. Are we truly ready to stand before our Lord and our God and account for how we have spent the life He has given us? I must confess that I find the prospect of actually standing before Jesus at one and the same time both thrilling beyond belief and and daunting beyond imagining. I want to see Him, desperately; but I know I have much to answer for. Praise God for His grace and mercy.

So I leave you with this suggestion. While it is tempting, and probably even justified, to ignore the likes of Harold Camping, let us not forget the inevitability of what believers such as he seek to predict. Let us use such discourse as a reminder to keep a close watch, not just on the skies, but on our hearts, minds and souls as well. Because one day, it will come to pass. I pray we’ll all be ready.

Till next time… Shalom.