Introducing the Cell

The following is an incomplete picture of the cell group at CLA. Missing is Jason (in Mexico), Dennis (in Alaska), Gideon (dog), Kim, Cassandra & Jenna. When I come across some astonishing photos of them, I'll show you!

The Dream Team, intimidating their already shortened competition... Scott Carly and Matt 

Look ma, one hand! This is the ever ecstatic Than (Nathaniel) climbing the power lines) 

Carly playing pool (this was her most abhorred type of shot, but I think she sunk it anyway... the exhilration a camera can bring into a young woman's life, I know!) 

My beautiful Carly, and her astonishing eyelashes. 

Rodney driving right before we had to stop for 3 hours while the fire trucks cleared away a logging truck that when for a spill...  

Most of the boys in our cell... Right to left: Rod (literally fearless leader), Alex (commonly known as Sasha the Bendable), Scott (doesn't need a nickname because he makes fun of himself so much anyway) and Zeke (Zekazoid) 

It's a Stubborn One!

So, I told my cold to GO AWAY!

And he went!

Then he came back.

I felt he was probably having a hard time deciding whether or not to take me seriously.

So I said again: GO AWAY!! (with double the impact, and all fury I could muster under his influence)

And he went!

Yes, he CAN BE TAUGHT!

(I watched Aladdin... on the weekend)


And I have discovered that cooking is REALLY fun! Mas despacio! Red wine is a brilliant ingrediant.


QUESTION: Ask me when the last time I played Sardines was.
(when was the last time you played Sardines, Zoë?)
YESTERDAY!!! Very fun.
Sardines is to hide-and-seek what colour prints are to negatives.

By the way, my friends are amazing. I will post their beautiful pictures tout sweet!

well, if I ever become an architect, or designer, or lighting specialist, or acoustic engineer... I think I would like to work for BDP.

For God is greater than our hearts, and He knows everything. 1John.3.20

And God far exceeds where we fall short...
(for in our weaknesses, he is strong - 2cor.12.8)

This is the most amazing thing I think I've ever come across... Jesus said this to me one night, after reading Jane Eyre, and feeling rather pathetic when I placed myself under Jane's close scrutiny... How do I measure up? At first I thought not very well, but then I realized I actually measure up very well, because it is not me who is measured!

Let me try and explain: If I really want to take amazing photos, if I really want somehow to have God to use my photos to excite people about God... but if I haven't the slightest clue where to start, or have the scope of ability to make it happen, it still can happen because of this amazing truth!

If I am absolutely socially inept, but dream of being an evangelist... my dream is not out of my reach just because of my limitations! God will far exceed! Because he has made Christ the head of everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way (eph.1.22-23)

This means that if I want anything, Jesus has already got it! and because he lives inside me, and because I share in his inheritance, and because he has adopted me.... Do we follow?

Stinking amazing!

TODAY'S TRAPPINGS...
Drink of choice: Canadian Colada
Soundtrack du jour: Josh Groban

PHOTO UPDATE: I'm having a great time getting to know my latest third arm... a 10 year old version of this amazing camera. It's very similar to my current XTSi, also a Minolta creation. I really love the sound of this new one's shutter, (compliments of my amazing Uncle Paddy...) Although, due to this amazing sound effect, I tend to take thrice as many photos... oh well!

This is my amazing uncle Paddy, and me, two years ago.


Still more, dad and I are in the dregs of preparation for shooting a wedding in a few weeks... we're hoping it will be a repetition of our first wedding (which was, in a word, 'ideal'). Maybe if it goes well, we'll reward ourselves with an official name. Until now, it's been.. 'hey, me & my dad do photo stuff together... interested'? yes, I do hope it goes well.

Cell Meeting Summary

Here lies the annals of the Cell. I will attempt to record what is said, discovered, learnt, prophesied, and how many people like the taste of their foot... (figuratively speaking)

Thursday, February 10th. 2005.
1/ Kim talked on the making of a prophet... Ez 2-3 tells of the calling of Ezekiel. First, he humbled himself, then God raised him up by his power and imparted a message. Ezekiel was given a warning to be hard headed against Israel, because they were not going to listen. This shows us that God never wants his servants to take on the weight of other people's response. Our only burden is to be our own response to God. Ezekiel needed only to be obedient to God, and he was successful in his ministry. The same goes when things go well... if you don't take the burden and blame when people don't respond the way you want them to, you can't take the praise when they do respond. Having this attitude is a beautiful thing, because it forces us to put praise where praise is due (in God's lap), and takes our eyes off ourselves. It allows us to be true servants, which may not honestly sound all that beautiful, because as humans we desire attention and praise... but when it actually happens, and God's praise and his Spirit inhabit you, there is nothing in the world you would rather do. Test me on this! Ezekiel needed to be hard-headed because he needed to be as stubborn for God as Israel was stubborn against God.

2/ Scott had a great insight about eating the scroll, when the instance in Revelation was brought forth (where the scroll tasted great in the mouth, but turned sour in the belly, and the prophet was told to go speak again). He likened it to literally throwing up, in this way: If you don't let it out (speak God's word to the people) you're going to throw up anyway... and then it just tastes bad in your mouth... so you may as well let it out!

3/ Jenna showed an inspiring video, introducing up and coming starlets Lily Olsen and "Roddy". Accents flying left and right, all sorts of "other forms of danger"... I highly recommend it. Another worthy Throwing Rock Production. Really amazing.

These Days

Do you ever feel like it's raining outside? But it's not? I do. Studying and Mat Kearny will do that to you I guess.
Currently, I'm studying the Canadian Investment Funds Course... when I'm done I can sell mutual funds! Come one come all to get your RRSPs here!
Who knows where this will go...
Had a good talk with the boss today about changing job roles, future of the business etc. Somewhat of a ray of light amidst the dredges of "RRSP Season" as they've dubbed it. One thing we touched on was how to eradicate RRSP Season in our branch altogether. RRSP Season is this awful thing that has come to be a tradition of procrastination among the investing public, which creates a mad rush during Jan & Feb. For some offices, this is the time when 50% of the year's revenue is produced. It hardly seems reasonable!

Currently Listening to: Mat Kearny Bullet
This CD is really quite incredible. It has the sound of someone who is friends with God, who has been through a lot, but has had the experience of walking through all of it with Jesus in close friendship. It's really rather refreshing to listen to.

In pursuit of the perfect photo...

Me & my favourite toy. Frizzy hair... lake... jeans... sun... people to photograph... God with me... what more do I need?

Authority

Well... I guess I'll just start...
Authority. What is authority, and why do we need it? And what does it do?

These are the questions which have been flitting around my stream of consciousness since Sunday... and I suppose have been flitting around my unconsciousness for some undefined period before Sunday...

Pastor Greg says that nothing changes without authority. I fully believe him. In my textbook on Management, they talk about the stages of moral development. It starts with a person only following the rules in order to avoid physical punishment... It progresses to only being obedient when it is in your immediate interest to do so... and so it goes.

There is no character development without the presence of authority. Authority creates the pressure, or contains the pressure, which causes change. (I say 'or contains', because it is not always the authority that creates the pressure; it could be outside circumstances which create pressure, but the presence of authority that prevents us from escaping the outside circumstances unchanged)

Every leader of God’s people must walk in authority AND grace. Grace without authority is useless. Authority without grace is cruel. Authority forces change; grace leads us to the cross which makes change possible.
I'm not sure If I'm done yet...

IN MY MIND’S EYE

Wandering alone on a foggy day…
The sun tickles the back of my eye…
Cars streaking by outside the door…
Flashing lights…
He will come. I’m sure of it.

Frothy drink sliding down…
The area man brings a smile…
And close after a sigh…
Inspiration dead. I can’t find him.

Praying distantly, to come to some conclusion…
Before the end of this poem…
I have hope, faith, and love. These are my tools.

Hope to look, faith to live…
Beyond my current horizon. The horizon is always changing.

And love.


ZJD - Fall 2004