Happy Birthday!

Happy birthday to my sister - she's 18 today!

Yay.

Des

Running from Cheetahs is Easiest when Using Your Feet

Unity. You may remember a number of posts about unity from a while back. You may also remember my saying that we need to make every effort (a la Ephesians) to keep the unity among the body of Christ.

I still believe that - first of all.

What I'm realizing is that we may have a bit of a misunderstanding (or disunderstanding) about what unity really means. It seems like for a long time we've had the idea that unity means all of the believers sitting around worshipping as one big happy group in one big happy room. But the more I read about unity, especially going back to Ephesians 4, I don't necessarily think that's an accurate description.

So, I've prepared the following anecdote for your consideration. Remember that unity is described with many references to a body - i.e. the body of Christ.

There is a reason, a very good reason, why your hand is found at the end of your arm - which is complete with joints and enough length to reach just about everywhere except that one spot on your back. There is also a very good reason as to why that hand, at the end of that arm, has a bunch of fingers that that bend and grasp and point and scratch. Those are the functions of fingers. The arm carries the hand to where it needs to be so the hand can hold the fingers out to do what they need to do.

There are times when an elbow needs to do something other than bend and there are times that the fingers have to be the supportive group instead of the functional group (like when you're using a cue stick). But the arm, provides support so fingers and hands can do their work. Obviously if the hand couldn't get to the knee to scratch or to the feet to put on your socks, there wouldn't be much use to have a hand.

Now, there's also a reason as to why every inch of your body isn't covered with fingers. At times, it may be practical to have fingers everywhere, but for somereason that's not how we were put together

Interestingly, your body is covered with skin - skin can itch - fingers can scratch and can be carried by arms to where the scratch may be. You fingers serve your skin - and your arms serve it too.

So, unity in the body, is not every part having every function. It's not your body having fingers covering every inch of epidermis. It's the hand using what it can do to serve the parts of the body that needs it. It may seem like a lot of work . . .

. . . but it's in the best interest of the hand to scratch the itch. Otherwise, the body still itches. Another example: it's in the mutual best interest of the legs and of the body if the legs do their function of running away from a wild cheetah about to sink its teeth into the shoulders - which are relatively far away from the legs. But, it's all still one body.

It's also in the best interest of the body if the legs do their job AS WELL AS POSSIBLE. It's not going to do much good for the legs to run away from said cheetah at 15 mph. Cheetah wins. And eats.

It's NOT, however, in the best interest of all appendages if the hands get the idea that they want in on the action. My advice is to NOT try to run away from a cheetah standing on your head. You have a better chance using your feet and legs.

So, what is unity? Essentially, in the body of Christ unity is acheived when all members involved know their role and do it not for themselves but for the entirety of the body. It's also knowing what is NOT your role and not trying to usurp the members on which your jealously may be focused. It is sometimes great to be a hand. It is sometimes great to be a foot. There is often great joy in being an elbow.

Know what you're called to do and do it.

Grace.

Des

I'm Gonna Love you Forever

Isn't it interesting that when one speaks about love, when one makes promises based on love, it is frequently followed by some reference to eternity?

Good ol' Clive Staples pointed that out to me in some reading that I was doing last night. The nature of love seems to be forever. Think about a love song, and you'll probably not find that the promises will be short term. Lust songs, maybe. But love songs will almost always have a reference to eternity. From Randy Travis to Jessica Simpson to Jon Bon Jovi.

Obviously Christian marriage is expected to be forever. But that's not forcing something upon us that is foreign to the very nature of love. Love IS eternal. Love IS eternal even when we don't feel IN love. Promises made while you're in love, aren't void when that feeling passes. Lewis says that "a promise must be about things that I can do, about actions: no one can promise to go on feeling in a certain way. He might as well promise never to have a headache or always to feel hungry."

If you're a long-time reader, you'll know that I like making parallels between marriage and worship. Granted, it seems like there should be enough about God to keep us IN LOVE with Him throughout all of eternity. But, if we're committing ourselves to Him, when/if that feeling goes away our promise has to be more about what we'll continue to do, even if the feelings die away. Worship is not about feelings. It's not even feeling good about what you're doing.

It's about promises that we make to God, covenant that binds us even if the conditions change.

Grace

Des

Inspiration Needed

I find myself, first of all, not being as inspired as much as I have been in the past. That accounts for the less frequent blogging. I really want to be. I guess some of the problem is that I'm not looking real hard for inspiration these days. Mostly a time issue.

So the first thing on my to-do list is to make an effort to make time to look for inspiration. Look to God, look into His character, see what I find.

I also find myself being inspired by unholy things - not sinful as much as, just, human. I spend a lot of my time, lately, reading and listening to things about technology. I love it - I'm a big tech geek at heart. But I need to be a inspired, active follower of Christ.

Not to say that Christians shouldn't like tech - I'm more admitting that I've spent more time researching the iPod nano lately that reading about iGod's plan-o for my life. Sorry - see what I mean?

I want to be inspired by the character of my amazing heavenly Father. I WILL look to Him and learn more about His infinite complexities. You can't help but to be inspired, right?

Grace.

Des

The 30-Something Dilemma

I have always heard that the biggest controversies in the church don't come the old people vs. young people debate. I never believed that. It has to be that debate doesn't it? What else in the whole of the church is more controversial? Where else can all of these issues come from?

Pastor friends of mine, intellectual authors that I've never met (though I've read their books) have told me that the source of the biggest controversies in the church come from the up and comers, the not quite boomers. They're the 30 (plus or minus) somethings that feel that because they are the biggest contributors of resources and especially intellectual time and resources that they should have the ultimate say.

That freaks me out. I never believed that until now - because I'm beginning to see it. It makes me laugh - though uncomfortably because it's so sad at the same time.

All this means that I will (if not already) find myself in the center of the controversy very shortly. I don't know - I think I just want to worship really.

Isn't that what we all want to do?

Grace.

Resettlement in Newfoundland

A very cool picture

OK, I've been wanting to get my hands on this picture for a long time - I finally asked my aunt to scan it so here it is.

This is my Dad's house (actually, my Grandparents' house). Back in the 50's and 60's there was a push in Newfoundland to resettle some of the isolated communities to areas where services and infastructure were more accessible. A LOT of families, not wanting to lose their homes, did this - they moved their homes to the ocean, tethered them to some dories and hauled them to their new locations - many miles away.

I thought it was very cool.

Grace,

Des

The scientific name for an animal that doesn't either run from or fight its enemies is lunch.

Michael Freidman

Heh heh.

Grace.

Bell Ringing for Jesus & Katrina

I've spent the vast majority of the past few days ringing bells - or at least standing by kettles representing The Salvation Army's response to Hurricane Katrina. My wife and I and a number of other volunteers all went to Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre and stood in the blazing sun for hours at a time.

It was actually quite entertaining.

Friday night was Coldplay. Good crowd, good number of donations, good concert. We didn't stay for the whole thing, but it was good.

Yesterday was a Christian All Day Music Festival thing. Michael W. Smith and Jars of Clay were the big names. Not nearly as big of a crowd. Interestingly enough, the only real difference that I noticed between the Coldplay crowd and the Christian crowd was the much higher percentage of tacky t-shirts.

Today, was the 10th Weenie Roast with 3 Doors Down. Good show but HOT. I burned a little.

Only real interesting thing that happened was: as I was setting some stuff up, I passed the front gate (in my highly visible Sally Ann T) where I heard one of the younger workers say, "Oh, do they have those bells?" I can only assume that she was complaining about the incessant ringing.

I agree it's not always plesant - but I bet she had a home to go back to. I bet 99% of the Katrina Victims would not complain about a ringing bell.

God, Bless them.

Grace.

Microsoft Preempts The Salvation Army's Hurricane Relief Effort

I'm a firefox user - you may not know what that means. If not, go here and you'll figure it out.

So I'm sitting at work today (Sept 08/2005) and Dave sends me a link to MSNBC's main story, about FEMA having 25,000 bodybags on hand in the wake of Hurrican Katrina. When he said "Check out The Salvation Army ads in the main story!", I had to go and have a look. When I opened the page, however, all I could see were ads for MSNBC's email alerts and, further down the page, for the MSN Toolbar. I figured I'd refresh to see if they'd change . . . nope. Bad luck I thought, so I kept refreshing. Still the same two ads. I couldn't figure it out.

THEN, I realized something - I'm the only guy here in the office running FireFox. Could Microsoft, or one of it's entitities be preempting the "Salvation Army Aid the Hurrican Victims" ads in favor of trying to get a sorry FireFox user to sign up for some of their wonderful programs? Surely not.

But, as I feared, as soon as I opened up the same story in IE 6, I saw the Salvation Army Ads saying, "We combat natural disasters with acts of God" Clicking on the ad in IE brought me DIRECTLY to the Salvation Army donation server. In firefox, I found out that I could "Search and Browser Smarter . . . using the MSN toolbar with Windows Desktop Search". To add insult to injury, it opened in a new window, instead of a new tab!

COME ON, MICROSOFT! How low can you be? Just because I'm not a IE user, you're going to not let me know that I can help Katrina's victims?

I say, boycot Microsoft - wait, they own the world don't they? Use fewer Microsoft products!

Grace.

Ainsley and Uncle Des 

Another Blog

Hey - one more thing. I started a new blog tonight that SOMEONE out in the world may find interesting - I think it's just fun.

http://placesihaveeaten.blogspot.com

It's going to be mostly photos of places . . . that I have eaten. And some of the food that I have eaten.

So far - one post - but the cool thing is that it's the first blog that I have started from Madrid!

Madrid - The Tour

Shots from Madrid

Here are some shots from Madrid today. Forgive that we're all gally-vanting around Madrid in our Salvation Army Uniforms - though it does make it somewhat more funny.

Anywho, the first couple of shots are of Real Madrid's home soccer stadium - a soccer Mecca. The SECOND photo is of a HUGE soccer fan, Matthew Sims, celebrating the visit.

Then I held up a leaning building using just my back, and Charlie licked a fake ice cream cone.

The last couple of shots are from around the Royal Palce - the last photo being one that I think I will stick Kristy in later.

Concerts and open airs, and such, are going well. The best is doing open airs in places for where we don't have permits to do so - the police show up, ask a few questions. We have seen a few folks a couple of times now - people that were at one of our open airs and whom we invited to another. That's good.

The idea of this whole trip is to build the public knowledge of ALL that the Army does. It is an extremely hard-fast religious culture, 97% Catholic, but in a Catholic church that has been assoctiated with dictatorship in this country. Many people are turned off from anything having to do with Church or Christ.

Sounds like a job for Delta Force.

In any case - we have a string of other open airs following morning worship tomorrow. Continue to pray for us.

Grace.

Welcome to Spain

Hola!

Welcome to my first post from Spain.

It will be short.

No sleep on the plane - full schedule today - Madrid is beautiful - but aparently, there are plenty 'o pick-pockets. I have not yet lost my Canadian Passport - perhaps the most valuable document on the planet, next to the dead sea scrolls, the declaration of independance, and Da Vinci's jounals.

That is all.

More to come . . .

Grace.

My Reign in Spain

Tomorrow, less than 24 hrs from now, I will be on a very long flight to Spain. It's going to be exciting - which is not to say that I've been 100% looking forward to it for the past few months, but it will be whatever I choose it to be.

Please pray for the group - it's going to be a crazy schedule. I WILL be taking photos, and video though, and HOPEFULLY, I'll be able to post from over there. If not, I will when I get back - both on my picture blog and some official pics on our departmental site (http://www.nscmusicandarts.com). Also, I'll be on Google Talk, if I have broadband there, so if you have any need to talk to me - download that client and you can find me at desmondcsmith@gmail.com.

Anywho, that's it - I'll let you know how everything goes. There is some fun stuff scheduled - like playing for a 100 yr. old's birthday at a Seniors' Complex. Fun. Partying like Jesus.

Grace.

Perspective (for those of you that don't watch the news)

NEW ORLEANS - Hurricane Katrina probably killed thousands of people in New Orleans, the mayor said Wednesday - an estimate that, if accurate, would make the storm the nation's deadliest natural disaster since at least the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.

"We know there is a significant number of dead bodies in the water," and other people dead in attics, Mayor Ray Nagin said. Asked how many, he said: "Minimum, hundreds. Most likely, thousands."

WOW. Thousands? Remember to pray for this whole situation. Get involved, somehow, if you can.

Grace.

Let's not forget these

BAGHDAD Trampled, crushed against barricades or plunging into the Tigris River, more than 700 Shiite pilgrims died Wednesday when a procession across a Baghdad bridge was engulfed in panic over rumors that a suicide bomber was at large.

Most of the dead were women and children, Interior Ministry spokesman Lt. Col. Adnan Abdul-Rahman said. It was the single biggest confirmed loss of life in Iraq since the March 2003 invasion. Sabah Ali, a senior official in the Health Ministry, said 719 were killed and 383 injured.

Grace

An Image of Christ

Sometimes, friends of mine give me a hard time about my choice of morning radio show. I listen to Ace & TJ, here in Charlotte, on Kiss 95.1. They're actually pretty good - sometimes a little crude, but ALWAYS funny. I don't listen to Christian radio in Charlotte, because, IMHO, it stinks. Sorry New Life, just what I think.

With all of the recent happen on the Gulf Coast, an interesing thing occurred. I realized that I, in fact, DO listen to a Christian morning show - perhaps the most Christian morning show in the region.

Course of events: Following the landfall of Katrina, Ace and TJ (normally on from 6 -10 AM) stayed on the air all day and organized an impromptu telethon to benefit the victims of the disaster. They solicited supplies, volunteers and even prayers.

Hmmmm.

So far, they've raised tens of thousands of dollars and have a CONVOY of 18-wheelers headed that way, full of supplies.

And they didn't sit around and gossip - they just got the work done. They didn't complain about someone else getting the limelight, they just got the work done.

Praise the Lord, for Ace and TJ.

Grace.

Notorious Sinner

Mark 2:15

So, I think I either want to be a notorious sinner or find out who they are and invite them to dinner. Who are the notorious sinners today? Who are the "Tax Collectors"?

Are they the porn industry? Are they drug kingpins? Are they speeders? Are they Christians?

But it seems like having a party with them would be a good time. Jesus would have done it.

Grace

New Friends

I've added some friends to my friends list - this list is not exhaustive and the biggest reason you may not be there is A) you don't have a blog or B) it's annoying to add those links and I couldn't normally be bothered.

I keep getting amazed by Google. I would like to work for Google. They are, in the words of one friend of mine, "No joke." Everything they touch turns to gold. So, if you want an invite to join GMail (the most amazing web-based email on the planet) let me know and I'll hook you up.

It's cloudy today. The weather has been amazing for the past couple of days. Every morning, just a little hint of coolness. I think all it really is, is that the air was dry (read: not humid). Very very nice.

I apologize for the lack-lusterness of this entry. But I'm serious about the loving Google bit.

Hmmmm.

Grace.

Talk about Weird News

OK . . . so there are some weird things happening. I'm not exacty sure what it all means, but somehow, I think armageddon is involved. Are you ready for the news?

Alright . . . . Air Canada was voted to be North Armerica's #1 Airline.

Yes . . . I know. If any of you are Aeroplan people you may have gotten an email about it. My theory is this . . . the only people that care to be voting about what the #1 Airline are drunk Canadian men returning from a weekend away to see a hockey game.

There's no way on the planet that Air Canada is better than any other airline on this continent. My best experience with Air Canada occurred during a trip to Ottawa, when I had been flying Canadian Airlines and their plane all but exploded, so, the only way they could get me home was to put me up in First Class on an Air Canada flight. They gave me a nice hot facecloth and a beautiful ham and swiss on a baguette.

In any case, Air Canada is about as useful as my armpit . . . or my appendix . . . or my appendix pit.

I'm very disappointed . . . I'd like to meet all 7 people that voted on this and . . . get mad at them.

That is all.

Grace.