christian bikers learn to love redeeming the commute car sales and christianity— a perfect fit?
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Going places
contents
september – october, 2013
Going places
Newsstand Price CDN $4.95
september – ocober, 2013
on the cover
From here to there…to everywhere! God is always moving, and speaking to us no matter where our travels may take us. Whether you’re feeling stuck in traffic, or taking the road less travelled, keeping Christ as your destination makes the journey that much sweeter.
Going places
SEVEN is a Christian magazine for Canadian men that exists to help men lead more fulfilling lives and leave enduring legacies.
christian bikers learn to love redeeming the commute car sales and christianity— a perfect fit?
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Christian bikers learn to love much
| frank stirk Across North America, thousands of bikers are giving themselves to the Lord through the work of motorcycle outreach ministries. Why are these unique organizations so popular, and just what does it look like to these oft-forgotten individuals?
Redeeming the Commute
| michael krahn For many men, working from home, riding a bike to the office, or living within walking distance from the workplace just isn’t an option. For better or worse, men need their cars. You’ve got to get from A to B somehow. A guide on how to make the most of your drive to work.
Cars sales and Christianity—a perfect fit?
| aaron epp Keeping God in the driver’s seat—as these Christian care salesmen will tell you, being a man of faith is all part of the job, even in an industry that’s sometimes given a bad rap.
The name reflects the seven promises that form the basis of the Promise Keepers organization, which works with churches to minister to men across Canada. one – A promise keeper is committed to honouring Jesus Christ through worship, prayer, and obedience to God’s Word in the power of the Spirit. two – A promise keeper is committed to pursuing Christ-centred friendships with a few other men, connecting regularly, understanding that he needs brothers to help him keep his promises. three – A promise keeper is committed to practicing biblical integrity: spiritually, morally, ethically and sexually. four – A promise keeper is committed to strengthening families and marriages through love, honour, protection, and biblical values. five – A promise keeper is committed to supporting the mission of his church by honouring and praying for his pastor, and by actively giving his time and resources.
columns 5 PK Podium Exploring the heart of the journey 25 Sports Scene More to life than hockey
departments 8 Pulse Bits. Blips. Beats. Blurbs. 28 Power Play Tools. Toys. Technology.
26 The Single Life Singleness: Travelling with a purpose 27 Out of My Depth Where God calls us, we need to be willing to go
six – A promise keeper is committed to reaching beyond racial, social, economic, generational, and denominational barriers to demonstrate that power of biblical unity. seven – A promise keeper is committed to influencing the world by his fervent love for God while loving his neighbour, seeking justice for the poor and oppressed, and making disciples of Jesus Christ.
The PK Canada logo features a maple leaf, indicating our dedication to serve the men of Canada. An arrow breaks into the maple leaf symbolizing the impact we believe God wants to see Promise Keepers and men making in our nation.
30 What Women Want Feeling tested? Get used to it…
A special thank-you to all the pastors who continually encourage us to communicate God's truth with grace and love.
Publisher: Brian Koldyk Editorial Director: Jeff Stearns Managing Editor: Rob Horsley Copyeditor: Kelly Rempel
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Visit our PromiseKeepers.ca for the latest info, videos, audio messages, men’s articles, books and other resources.
SEVEN Magazine Men. God. Life. A Christian magazine for Canadian men. Relevant, exciting and biblical.
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PK Podium
Exploring the heart of the journey From here to there to everywhere, God is always moving By Jeff Stearns
Picking topics and themes to explore in Seven magazine is one of the things I enjoy most. It has been beneficial and entertaining to look at topics like technology, money, faith in the workplace, anger, society’s fascination with the supernatural, marriage, sex and music. When I am looking for inspiration for new topics I will often stroll through the local bookstore to check out the latest hot topics. The magazine racks can be both discouraging and illuminating. The men’s magazines (and many of the women’s magazines) seem to focus only on sex and money. It’s a sad statement about much of our culture. I am always amazed by the sheer number of magazines focusing on transportation. Several racks are devoted to planes, trains and automobiles. Car magazines alone account for dozens of different specialty magazines: classic cars, new and used cars, hot rods, specific brands and even model cars. Could we do a transportation themed issue of Seven? How would this relate to a Christian men’s magazine? And more importantly, could I convince car manufacturers to loan me test cars to play with? Perhaps by searching the Bible I could find some examples that might provide illumination. Could Balaam’s donkey count as a precursor to today’s collision avoidance systems? Elijah’s chariot an early example of air travel? Solomon’s love of Egyptian chariots the extremes car collectors can go to? Although Jesus and the disciples traveled often by boat they
seemed to travel most by foot. Even when the disciples took the boat He still sometimes chose to walk. Transportation was not His focus but the heart with which you made the journey. I commute about an hour each way for work. Over time that adds up to a significant amount. I know this experience is not unique to me—the evidence is daily sitting in the flow of traffic around me. Attempting to redeem the time I spend commuting, I have listened to audio books, the Bible on CD, talk radio, music and prayed. How can we best make use of this time and make it better? Car dealerships and the autoshop are something we all have experience with as customers. But what is it like from the other side? For Christians who work in those businesses what does it mean to live with integrity in an industry that is often know for its lack of it? A Google search for Christian motorcycle clubs will present you with pages of results. What is the connection? Are these groups for entertainment or is their purpose evangelistic? Sadly, and not suprisingly, no car companies offered their shiny new vehicles for us to take for a test drive cruise. But I think we have something better to offer you this month, articles that help you explore faith and the heart with which you make your journey.
Jeff Stearns is the editorial director for Seven magazine.
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pulse
Bits + Blips. Beats + Blurbs.
BEATS
by Rob Horsley, PULSE Editor with special guest writer Robert White
PORN VIEWERS SHOULD “OPT-IN,” WINNIPEG MP ARGUES OTTAWA, ON—Joy Smith, Minister of Parliament for Kildonan-St. Paul in Winnipeg, says Canadians should be required to “opt in” to view adult content online, similar to measures soon to be adopted in the United Kingdom, where internet users will soon be blocked from accessing pornography online, unless the specifically request it from their internet service providers (ISPs). “When ordering Cable TV, you have to ‘opt-in’ to receive adult channels,” says Smith in a recent news post on her website. “Why should the internet be any different?” Smith says that she applauds British Prime Minister David Cameron’s commitment to working with ISPs “to develop solutions to protect children” from the all-too-easily available images of violent sexual content online. “Frankly, maintaining status quo is not responsible and it is not fair to our children,” Smith adds. “We delude ourselves if we believe that continuing unfiltered access to the adult content available online poses no threat to our children.” Critics have been quick to voice their dissatisfaction, including the common complaint that monitoring children’s online activity is the responsibility of the parents, and that governments shouldn’t resort to “censorship” measures like those soon to take effect in the UK. Smith responds, citing Beyond Borders, Canada’s global voice against child sexual exploitation. “It is unrealistic to expect that with the pervasiveness of the Internet, this responsibility lies with parents alone. Engaging ISPs to
participate in the discussion about how to best protect our children and to have ISPs take positive steps by putting in place safeguards that increase parental controls is a step in the right direction.” Other parties voiced concerns about being registered on a government list for “opting in” to pornographic websites. The “opt-in” idea is something that largely targets people who aren’t necessarily breaking the law, prompting comparisons to the Liberal Long-Gun Registry that was scrapped in 2012. Additionally, with the advent of new technology, users will likely be able to circumvent the Internet blockade at some point in the future. But regardless of the objectors, Smith maintains that the conversation of “opting in” is one that Canadians need to have. “I look forward to working with parents, governments, ISPs, search engines and stakeholders about how we can increase the tools and choices available to protect children online from adult content. As the terms ‘opt-in/opt-out’ imply, this is about choice. It’s time we choose to have this conversation.” (CBC, JoySmith.ca)
This news brief originally appeared in ChristianWeek, a publication at which Pulse Editor Rob Horsley is also Managing Editor.
BEATS
MEANWHILE, IN ICELAND… What do Saudi Arabia and Iceland have in common? Almost nothing. According to The Economist, Iceland tops the list among all nations for “progress towards sexual equality.” Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, where women are not allowed to drive, travel without male permission, and have restricted voting rights, ranked 131st on the overall list. But interestingly enough, Iceland wants to be more like Saudi Arabia in one way, at least—by banning online pornography. Sixty-five per cent of children in Iceland are born out of wedlock. The country’s prime minister is the only openly lesbian political leader in the world. Condoms are sold at supermarket checkouts. So while the proposition to ban online porn might seem out of place, considering Iceland’s reputation as one of the more liberal-leaning nations of the world, the country’s strong feminist movement has worked to ban content it feels is often violent and degrading, most often towards women. While critics once again claim that such a ban would constitute a violation of freedom and liberty, politicians in favour of the restrictions argue otherwise.
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“We are a progressive, [liberal] society when it comes to nudity, to sexual relations, so our approach is not anti-sex but anti-violent,” says Halla Gunnarsdóttir, an adviser to Icelandic interior minister Ögmundur Jónasson, in an interview with The Guardian. “This is about children and gender equality, not about limiting free speech,” she says. Interestingly enough, Iceland has been among the most progressive nations on matters of sex industry regulation, albeit with mixed result on an enforcement level. In 2009, it introduced fines and prison terms for patrons of prostitution (though not the prostitutes themselves, which the law treats as victims). In 2010, the country outlawed strip clubs, with all but two having been shut down since. As well, the sale and distribution of pornography has been illegal in Iceland since 1869. (The Economist, The Guardian)
BEATS
pulse
AND THE HORSE SHE RODE IN ON… MANCHESTER, UK—An unnamed woman in the greater Manchester area was fined in late July for bringing a horse into a local McDonald’s restaurant. According to a report from the BBC, police issued the woman “a fixed penalty notice for causing alarm and distress to other customers and staff.” The incident occurred when McDonald’s staff refused to serve the woman, on horseback at the time, at the drivethrough kiosk, prompting her to bring the animal inside the building, where it defecated onto the restaurant floor. A spokesperson for the company issued a statement, saying, “The health and safety of our customers and staff is our top priority, and for this reason we are unable to serve pedestrians, bicycle riders or customers on horseback through the drive-thru.” (BBC) The Economist, The Guardian
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BEATS
pulse
CYCLING PHILANTHROPIST FINISHES ANOTHER GRUELLING RACE ANNAPOLIS, MD—In spite of sleep deprivation, extreme heat, rain storms and an injured knee, Winnipeg ultra-marathon cyclist and philanthropist Arvid Loewen finished Race Across America (RAAM) on Sunday, June 23. Rated as the world’s most rigorous and challenging bicycle race, RAAM spans the United States from coast to coast, beginning in Oceanside, California and ending in Annapolis, Maryland. Competitors have just 12 days to complete the 4,765-kilometre journey. Loewen placed third in the 50-59 age category, finishing the race in 11 days, 20 hours and eight minutes. Loewen is using the race to raise awareness of, and money for, Mully Children’s Family (MCF), a street mission in Nairobi, Kenya that helps thousands of needy children. Before 2013 is over, Loewen will have raised somewhere between $300,000 and $400,000 for MCF this year alone. “I’m at a place in life on a personal level where if I want less [material possessions], I can do so much more,” the 56-year-old said by phone the day after finishing the race. “I can give so much more. I actually receive everything, and ‘everything’ to me in this case is knowing that I made a difference.” Loewen slept an average of just two hours each day during the race, cycling at times through 40 degree
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heat. With four days left to go in the race, he injured his left knee, which made hill climbs more difficult than usual. Knowing he had the prayer support of many people helped him persevere. In a video his support crew uploaded to YouTube on June 22, Loewen explained that giving up during RAAM would be symbolic of giving up on the children MCF helps. He added that he wants to inspire others— particularly people who are retirement age—to think about how they can perhaps give up some of their own comfort to help the less fortunate. “Think about the difference you can really make to a child today somewhere in the world, and maybe even your next door neighbour,” he said in the video. A member at North Kildonan Mennonite Brethren Church in Winnipeg, Loewen resigned from his position in senior management with Palliser Furniture in 2006 to volunteer full-time to create awareness and raise funds for MCF. In 2008, he won his age category in RAAM. In 2011, he set a Guinness World Record for the fastest bicycle cross of Canada, cycling 6,040 kilometres in 13 days, six hours and 13 minutes. By the end of the year, Loewen will have raised more than $2.5 million for MCF. “The whole idea is that [everyone] can make a difference,” he said. Aaron Epp, ChristianWeek Senior Correspondent. This article originally appeared in the August 2013 edition of ChristianWeek and is reprinted with permission.
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MAN INTENDS TO SUE FOR JESUS’ WRONGFUL DEATH…WAIT, WHAT? NETHERLANDS—A Kenyan lawyer has filed a petition with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague, Netherlands, hoping to sue for what he calls the wrongful trial and conviction of Jesus of Nazereth—almost 2,000 years ago. According to The Jerusalem Post, Dola Indidis, a former spokesperson of the Kenyan Judiciary is attempting to sue several parties involved in the gospels’ account of Christ’s trial and execution, saying, “Evidence today is on record in the Bible, and you cannot discredit the Bible.”
Indidis’ accused parties include Roman emperor Tiberius (42 BCE-37 CE), Pontius Pilate, select Jewish elders, King Herod, the Republic of Italy, and the State of Israel, despite the obvious fact that many of the accused parties have been dead for centuries. Israel and Italy were included due to their incorporation of Roman empirical laws upon their attainment of independence. More to the point, Indidis says, “I filed the case because it’s my duty to uphold the dignity of Jesus and I have gone to the ICJ to seek justice for the
man from Nazareth,” as stated in a report from the Nairobian. “I am suing as a friend,” he adds. Reports have not indicated the cash amount, if any, that Indidis is seeking. Which might be for the best, considering the case has little to no chance of even making it to court. According to one report from The Huffington Post, a spokesperson from the ICJ has stated, “It is not even theoretically possible for us to consider this case.” (The Jerusalem Post, The Huffington Post)
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features
Having been forgiven much, Christian bikers learn to love much “They really and truly have changed,” says biker church pastor Chuck Pearce. By Frank Stirk
Nine years ago, long-time biker Chuck Pearce decided to take the road less travelled. Arrested in Quesnel, British Columbia, on an outstanding warrant, he was put in a jail cell—where he cried out to Jesus. “I sat there,” he says, “and thought, ‘God, I’ve been away from the Lord and the Church for a few years. I’m tired of doing things my way. I’m going to rededicate my life to you. Get me out of this and I’ll change. I’ll serve you. I’ll go into ministry.’” Within hours—“miraculously,” Pearce believes—he was released from jail. Three months later, the criminal charges against him were all stayed. It was then, he says, that “God basically made it very clear what I was to do.” In February 2011, Pearce planted Freedom Biker Church Surrey, the first Canadian member of the North Carolina-based Freedom Biker Church network, with help from the Canadian National Baptist Convention. Today, the church runs between 125 and 150 people in worship on a Sunday morning. About half are not actual bikers, but who find the biker culture a good fit, having gone through drug and alcohol recovery, or having been involved in street crime. About half the actual bikers are what Pearce calls the “hardcore” who’ve “come out of a very dark life. Many have served jail time, and have done unspeakable things.” The rest, he says, are “your normal Average Joes” who love motorcycles and the open road. Men make up about 60 per cent of the church’s congregation overall. Among the bikers, it’s more like 80 per cent men. The women are usually their wives or girlfriends.
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features
Christian bikers learn to love
Pearce says they are all searching for acceptance and healing, seeking to fill the God-shaped hole in their souls—something they’ve never found in mainstream churches. “Very, very few that I’ve met in almost three years of doing this have a problem with God,” he says. “They have a problem with the Church big-time. They have a problem with what they call ‘phony Christians’ that let them down, misled them, or that went to church on Sunday and lived a life no different than theirs during the week.” “The motorcycle community is such an overlooked segment of society by the traditional church,” says fellow Christian biker and pastor Brent Elgie, the founder of Full Throttle Ministries of Chatham-Kent, Ontario. For several years, he was also the prayer captain on the local Promise Keepers Canada leadership team. “If somebody walks into your average church in leather, they get looked at very poorly. My wife and I have been on the receiving end of this. Even at Walmart they look at you weird. It’s
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not really the way the Church should be viewing people. But it is what it is.” Echoing Pearce, Elgie says his vision for Full Throttle Ministries—which he describes as “just getting flying”—is that it be a place where everyone who feels the Church has let them down can find a home among people like themselves. “I want it open to people that are disenfranchised with the traditional church, that are sick of church politics, that don’t feel comfortable going to church, that have been hurt by the Church,” he says. “I want it to be a place where people can get healed.” Plans to start a biker church are on hold until they can find a place to meet. “And being bikers, it’s not an easy thing to do, because there’s a stigma attached to it,” Elgie says. As an experiment, they did hold services for two Sundays in a former church building—with what Elgie calls “astonishing results.” They couldn’t continue, because the owner decided to use the space for storage.
features
Joel Thiessen, who teaches sociology at Ambrose University College in Calgary, says the decision of Christian bikers to form their own churches is actually very typical of Canadian churchgoers as a whole. Studies show most people tend to join churches that are filled with people like themselves, whether that demographic be ethnic origin, economic status, age—or biker. “In large part, members of that group don’t feel openly accepted in the broader community,” he says. “So they tend to retreat and form a niche church when they have the critical mass to do so. It’s not surprising, particularly with bikers and all the typical stereotypes that people come up with, when they see the leather and the tattoos.” While not approving of the way that non-bikers, especially Christians, unfairly stereotype all bikers, Pearce says their fears are not totally unjustified. “There are a lot of very, very bad people out there in the biking world that do terrible things to people,” he says. “I’m telling you, no one has an idea unless you’re in that world what’s going on around us. I hate even letting my thoughts go there. As a result, I’ve got to be honest, I don’t blame people for thinking that way.” Pearce believes the answer is to educate congregations as to what biker churches are all about. And the reality is that when a biker comes to Christ, he’s in all the way. “You can’t keep them in their chairs when they’re worshipping. They’re clapping, their arms are in the air,” says Pearce. “When they’ve accepted Christ, these 300-, 400-pound, big, tough bikers, all tattooed up, they will hug you, they will love on you. They really and truly have changed, and they just want to share their faith.” In its first year, Freedom Biker Church Surrey baptized one person. Last year, 35 men and women were baptized. And it looks like 30 or so more will be baptized this year. (They baptize outside using a large horse-trough. When the person getting dunked comes up from the water, the bikers rev their engines in celebration.) That does not include people who surrender their lives to Christ but have yet to be baptized, and others who rededicate their lives to Christ, as Pearce did. “When they show up, for the most part they almost immediately are overcome by the Holy Spirit. Many people commit their lives to Christ in the first, second, third week they come,” he says. “Those that are committed to making it work and establish good, healthy boundaries, we see them flourishing.” “This mission field is huge, and a lot of churches are missing it,” says Elgie. “I’m all for missions overseas. They’re very vital. But we’ve got a lot of people here that are going straight to hell.”
One church that is not missing it is Vanier Community Church, a Pentecostal congregation in Ottawa. It’s made up of what it calls two “expressions”—a mainstream gathering that meets on Sundays, and a bikers’ church that meets on Thursday nights. “There’s not a barrier either way,” says interim pastor Doug Stringer. “Some people that don’t ride and are more ‘churched’ attend Thursday night, and then there are people on Thursday night that come Sunday mornings in their vests and tattoos.” “If people come that are struggling with drugs and alcohol, there’s no sideways glances or whatnot,” he adds. “It’s fairly common to announce either on a Thursday or a Sunday that soand-so is celebrating an anniversary being clean. There’s always an applause.” Last year, the church as a whole baptized about 50 people. Thiessen credits this success to “leadership who can effectively convince people to buy into that vision.” It is also what can happen, he says, when people “rub shoulders with people who are different than themselves.” Showing such total, mutual respect is also the key to winning other bikers to Christ. “Their language is quite colourful,” says Elgie, who takes the gospel to wherever bikers gather. “When they realize that I’m a minister, they say, ‘Oh, sorry.’ I tell them straight up, ‘Yes, I’m a minister, and I command the same amount of respect as you would from your people. But I’m on your turf. I’m not going to ask you to change for me.’ They appreciate that.” Vanier’s bikers have been involved in some of the local motorcycle camp-outs, which are big parties where bikers do rodeo games on their bikes. “These are not places you would want to bring your children or your grandparents to, because there’s some things going on that you wouldn’t want to have happen in your backyard or your church,” says Stringer, who is not himself a biker. “But it’s being out there in the motorcycle community really with the heart of a witness and serving them.” And the respect they show is often returned. “We get a great deal of respect. We’re known for helping people, for doing good things. Rarely do we run into trouble,” says Pearce. “If there’s 20 of us at a gas station and 20 Hell’s Angels come rolling in beside us, if you don’t look at the patch on the back, you can’t tell us apart. “We love biking, we love God, and the bikes are a tool to take our message to the unchurched biker.”
Frank Stirk is a freelance writer and Senior Correspondent for ChristianWeek newsmagazine. He lives in the Vancouver area.
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features
Redeeming the commute “Look carefully then how you drive, not as unwise but as wise…” By Michael Krahn
Of the many aggravating aspects of our society, a daily commute to a workplace that is a considerable distance away must be one of the worst. And the drawbacks go beyond just time wasted. A recent Swedish study claims that the risk of divorce goes up by 40 percent for commuters and the risk is the highest in the first few years of commuting. Another study finds that people who commute tend to have larger waistlines and higher blood pressure. An article in Slate magazine entitled “Your Commute Is Killing You” expanded the possibilities considerably, asserting that, “Long commutes cause obesity, neck pain, loneliness, divorce, stress, and insomnia.” These are obviously undesirable consequences and yet many Canadians still embark on a daily commute. According to the 2011 National Household Survey (NHS), roughly 15.4 million Canadians commute to work every day. That’s almost 45 per cent of the entire population of Canada. A solitary venture Of those 15.4 million people, about 11.5 million (74 per cent) are driving a personal vehicle. No surprise there, but there is another small detail to notice. Eleven and a half million people are driving but less than 900,000 (5.6 per cent) are riding as passengers. There are 11.5 million people driving to work every day and 10.6 million (92 per cent) of them are driving alone. Consider first the ridiculousness of the situation. You’re stuck in traffic with hundreds of other people, but you’re all going in the same direction (hopefully!) and many of you are headed to roughly the same place. Even if you’re not going to exactly the same place, by the time you get to a bigger city there is accessible public transit. So why are so many people driving alone, clogging up the highways, and cursing the daily routine? An uncomfortable conclusion This question drags us unwillingly to an uncomfortable conclusion. Is it too much of a stretch to say that at the root of a lot of commuter travel is plain selfishness? We like our private space and our convenience, after all. We like to have everything our way and would be annoyed by anyone who might seek to change or rearrange what we have perfectly laid out. We simply find it too irritating and inconvenient to share a ride with others. If we must be stuck in an environment not of our own making we figure we should at least have the luxury of perfectly ordering our small oasis in the middle of the asphalt desert. I too have been guilty of this. I used to work with 200 or so other people in a factory. At that factory the majority of the cars in the parking lot didn’t need to be there since we all drove there from one of three nearby towns and mostly worked the same hours. So why didn’t more of us ride together?
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Photo by Alexandre Dulaunoy/Flickr
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Redeeming commute Looking back I can see that my choice not to catch a ride with other workers was rooted in both selfishness and pride. It was something of a status symbol. It was those other guys who had to carpool, the ones who, in my mind at the time, were of lower status. This was foolish, selfish thinking, but maybe you’ve succumbed to it as well. Share the ride But take a moment to think about this again. Those hundreds of people you’re stuck in traffic with are heading to roughly the same place as you. Is finding a carpool to join really such an outrageous idea? It seems like it would be fairly easy to do. There are even sites like smartcommute.ca that will help you find one. Of course this will require you to engage in relationships. Relationships are easy to avoid because relationships always involve a level of inconvenience and most of us have a very low tolerance for inconvenience— probably a lot lower than we should. But relationships are also critical to our emotional and spiritual wellbeing. Instead of thinking how inconvenient it is for you, think about how you might benefit someone else. For the Christ-follower, every relationship should lead to or further develop discipleship in our lives and the lives of others. Discipleship is about following Christ, but it is also about calling others to follow Christ. We should understand that life as disciples of Christ is not a when-I-havesome-spare-time nor a when-it-is-not-inconvenient endeavour. Discipleship is how we live and what we call others to. This is what the Great Commission is all about. Relationships are great places to live this out. False benefits Time is something we spend, and what we’re buying with it may be an illusion. The Slate article I mentioned earlier also suggests that many people justify excessive commute times for the sake of a false benefit. “Many of us work in towns or cities where houses are expensive. The further we move from work, the more house we can afford. Given the choice between a cramped two-bedroom apartment 10 minutes from work and a spacious four-bedroom house 45 minutes from it, we often elect the latter.” But in doing this we fail to take into account the value of our time. We often say we need to “make time” for this or that activity, but time is a zero-sum game. Time spent doing one thing is necessarily time not spent doing something else. So while we’re doing all that extra driving that makes that bigger house affordable, we are spending less time at that house and, presumably, less time with our loved ones who live there. This is something we had to consider five years ago as I was changing jobs. We could get a whole lot more house in the town we used to live in than the one we were moving to. The trade-off was that the daily drive time would more than double. We chose a smaller, older house in the new town so that I could be within five kilometres of my new place of employment. Time as stewardship When the Apostle Paul instructs the recipients of his letter in Ephesus to, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil,” he could have just as easily been saying, “Look carefully then how you drive, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the commute, because traffic is evil” to frustrated Canadian drivers. We are given time by God, and like every other good thing that comes from Him, He expects us to make good use of it as His stewards. A steward is someone who manages the resources of another. As we are prone to do, we tend to use God’s good gifts too often for selfish gain.
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Photo by Blurred (by Design By Zouny/Flickr)
features
THE AUTHOR RECOMMENDS: Sermon Audio: Desiring God, The Village Church News and Current Events: The Agenda with Steve Pakin, The House from CBC Radio Interesting Ideas: Under the Influence from CBC Radio, Freakonomics Radio]
PROMISE KEEPERS CANADA RECOMMENDS:: Christian Audio: http://christianaudio.com/ Promise Keepers Canada online: articles, audio and video http://www.promisekeepers.ca/av
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features
We turn material blessings into materialism; we turn the ability to exercise into a consuming obsession with fitness; we misuse, abuse and get addicted to all kinds of things. The same is true of time—we misuse it in ways that bring glory and pleasure to ourselves without regard for the glory of God. Fundamentally, commuting time is, well, just time like all other time. Seconds, minutes, and hours. It is not a resource that can, without consequence, be misused, wasted, discarded or spent in ungodly ways. We are accountable for all of our time, and we are no less accountable just because we are sitting alone in our vehicles in traffic. The silver lining I’ve spent a fair amount of this limited space attempting to convince you that commuting is bad for you, that it has more ill effects than good, but all is not hopeless; there is a silver lining. I know not everyone can avoid a commute or rearrange their lives in such a way that their commute is reduced. And the writer of the Slate magazine article is probably overstating things a little bit by implying that commuting is only and completely harmful. It would probably be more accurate to say that negative effects are guaranteed not in all long commutes but in long wasted commutes. Time is a resource and resources can be used either wisely or foolishly. Since this is true, there is no reason to believe that this time cannot be redeemed. So here is the silver lining: a lengthy commute offers solitude, and solitude is a neglected spiritual discipline. There are numerous examples of Jesus seeking out solitude either before or after particularly engrossing encounters. “To be like Jesus,” Donald Whitney says in his classic book Spiritual Disciplines of the Christian Life, “we must discipline ourselves to find times of silence and solitude. Then we can find the spiritual strength through these disciplines, as Jesus did.” A commute offers solitude and in that solitude, if we make good use of the time, we can find spiritual strength. So if you find it impossible to eliminate or reduce your commute, here are some more ideas for making good use of the time. Develop a habit of prayer Prayer is the primary discipline Jesus practiced when He found himself in solitary places (see Matthew 14:23; Mark 1:35; Luke 4:42; Luke 5:16), and there are few more solitary places than while you’re alone in your car. Sure, you’re in a glass bubble and can be easily seen, but with the prevalence of Bluetooth technology you no longer need to worry that people will think you’re talking to yourself!
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Redeeming commute
Talk to God. As a pastor I often forget how difficult it is for people to pray out loud. But sitting in your car with absolute certainty that no one else can hear you is a good place to start. Engage your mind As we’ve established, never before have so many people embarked on a lengthy daily commute, but never before has audio media been so accessible. The possibilities are endless, which of course means that for every good source of teaching, there are numerous easier options like turning on a local music station and chuckling at the predictably offensive conversations of radio DJs. This a great way to waste your time and set your mind on things below and not things above. But there are thousands of podcasts in the iTunes store and most of them are free. Learn to sing This last suggestion may seem a bit far-fetched, but I mention it because I have spent many fruitful hours learning to sing while driving. As with praying out loud, in the confines of your car you have no listeners or critics to worry about! You can really mess up—sing a wrong word or a wrong note—and no one will ever know. I sing and harmonize well. This is due less to God-given ability than to hundreds of hours of singing while driving. My training ground was the driver’s seat, repeatedly listening to harmony-heavy artists like Canadian favourites Blue Rodeo. Listen to the song, sing the lead vocal; listen again, sing the harmony. Repeat. Engaging our minds and learning to sing are good things to do with our time, but I still think that cultivating relationships should be our first choice if we’re seeking to redeem the commute, and I’m quite sure that many more of us could be doing this. We can cultivate a relationship with God regardless of whether or not someone is with us for the commute, but we’ll need other humans to cultivate human-to-human relationships. So find some other humans to ride with. Converse, discuss, communicate. While you commute, commune. Talk to someone—to your spouse on the phone (hands-free of course), to a passenger beside you, to God in prayer. However you choose to use the commute, remember to heed Paul’s advice in Ephesians and remind yourself often to make good use of the time that God has given you to steward.
Michael Krahn is a pastor, writer and musician who makes his home in London, Ontario.
features
F E B R UA RY 1 9 - M A R C H 1 , 2 0 1 4
KIRK GILES President, Promise Keepers Canada
p promisekeepers.ca/JourneytoIsrael romisekeepers.ca/JourneytoIsrael
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features
Cars sales and Christianity— a perfect fit? Successful businessmen strive to keep God in the driver’s seat
Official U.S. Navy Imagery/Flickr
By Aaron Epp John Attrell’s father, Bob Attrell Sr., worked in the automotive industry for more than 60 years, purchasing his own car dealership in 1975. When John was in college, he had no intention of joining the family business. He studied drafting at Humber College and planned to pursue a career in that field. God had different plans. Today, John owns Attrell Toyota in Brampton, Ontario, a family-run dealership that employs more than 60 people. John’s brother, David, is the company’s service manager, and their brother, Bob Jr., owns a Hyundai dealership the family started in 1990. John’s son Philllip is a sales manager at Attrell Toyota, and his son Joel works in the company’s IT department. “It was really God’s prompting in my life through different friends and family to come into the business,” says John, who committed his life to Christ as a teenager and today attends Bramalea Baptist Church in Brampton with his wife, Kimberley. Bob Sr. entered the automotive industry as a technician in 1960. He began working for Toyota Canada as a service representative before the company promoted him to the sales department. After working there for six years, he acquired the Brampton Toyota franchise in 1975. He ran the store for 17 years. But as Bob Sr.’s passion for the automotive industry grew, his passion for serving God decreased and he stopped going to church. An influential figure in John’s life felt that if John worked with his father at the dealership, it might have a positive impact on Bob Sr.’s spiritual life. “I just really felt that it was something God wanted me to do,” John says of his decision to leave Humber College and enter the family business. “But more so, [it was] my pastor. He thought it was how God would lead my father back to the Lord. So, that was why I really wanted to do it.” Through a combination of John’s influence, a lot of family prayer, as well as a trip he took with his wife to
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Israel, Bob Sr.’s heart was drawn back to the Lord and he rededicated himself to his faith in 2000. John recalls the day his father told him the news. Bob Sr. had been vacationing with his wife in Florida, so the two had not seen each other for a few months. Bob Sr. paged his son to come into his office. “He had his back to me, which was unusual,” John remembers. “When he turned around, he had tears rolling down his cheeks.” Bob Sr. told his son about his decision to once again follow Christ. “I was ecstatic,” says John, whose father passed away two-and-a-half years ago. “We prayed and talked, and it was a very emotional moment for both of us.” Faith plays an integral role at Attrell Toyota. “The core of Attrell Toyota’s beliefs is a Christian biblical heritage that has passed down from father to son,” the company’s website says. “With these biblical principles, we have operated the dealership with integrity, honesty, hard work and a faith that believes God has been the driving reason behind our success. Our goal is that we constantly strive to treat our customers the way we would want to be treated.” John says a typical week at the office for him includes a variety of different tasks. He enjoys working with his staff, being in contact with customers from time to time and continuing to grow the business. He tries to keep a Christian emphasis on everything the business does. That can be challenging when you work with people who have a variety of different beliefs, but the challenge is not insurmountable, John says, “as long as you operate on principles of honesty and integrity [and] people see that you’re the man you claim to be.” “I try to keep God in the forefront in all the activities we do,” he says. “I want to make it God’s business and not mine.”
Randy Collins approaches his business with an attitude of honesty and integrity, something the family company has strived towards for more than 40 years.
Randy Collins, owner and CEO of the Collins Family of Companies in London, Ontario, approaches his business with the same attitude. The companies he started with his wife, Audrey, include Ultimate Automobiles, a car dealership; Ultimate Marine, a boat dealership; and Hully Gully, “the Ultimate Toystore,” which is the largest motorsport showroom in Ontario and was Canada’s first motorsport lifestyle showroom. Hully Gully boasts more than 200 units and thousands of accessories and services available for fishing boats, personal watercrafts, jet boats, outboard motors, dirt bikes, street bikes, touring bikes, ATVs, snowmobiles, snowblowers, lawnmowers, generators and more. Not bad, considering it all grew out of the Collins’ love for snowmobiling. Randy is a pipefitter by trade who bought a farm with Audrey in Varna, Ontario and moved there with their young family. The family grew to love snowmobiling and were soon selling and servicing snowmobiles out of their barn. In 1971, the Collins’ moved into the automobile business full time. “Whether you’re selling [automobiles] or servicing them, or selling accessories, it’s all about people, and it’s about serving the customer,” Randy says when asked what he enjoys most about his business. Leading employees is also a highlight of his work. “Teaching people to do the same thing and … [making] it fun,” Randy says. “It’s really important that you can have fun serving people.” He also sees his work as a ministry, operating the business with integrity, doing his best to lead his employees in a Christlike way, and giving back to the community as well.
“The values we have are based on solid values—we’re pretty upfront about that,” Randy says, adding that the company’s core commitments to enthusiasm, excelling, teamwork, trust, continuous improvement and encouragement. “My mom passed away last September [and] we added the word encouragement because she was such an encourager,” Randy explains, adding that his mother taught him, “Do your best and let God do the rest.” “It’s kind of [in] your example, what you do [and] what people recognize in you. Hopefully they see Christ-likeness in what you do.” *
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According to The Globe and Mail, 2012 was the second-best year on record for automotive sales in Canada, with Canadians purchasing a total of 1,675,675 cars and light trucks. That was an increase of 5.7 per cent from 2011, when 1,585,519 were sold. It’s a good time to be an automotive dealer in this country. How should Christians approach vehicle ownership? Is it okay for Christians to own luxury vehicles? John Attrell believes that ultimately, Christians are called to use their resources wisely. An expensive car isn’t key, but purchasing one that is reliable and durable is perhaps important. “I think the key part is [that] you need to be a good steward,” he says. “You don’t have to have a super luxury vehicle, but you want to make sure it’s quality and will last over time.” He adds that the auto industry has changed dramatically
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Christian car salesmen
since he first got involved with it in 1980. Gone are the days of the oily salesman in tacky white shoes, working on a back-lot to trick you into buying a used car that’s a clunker. Organizations like the Trillium Automobile Dealers Association exist to cooperate with government and its members to establish fair and uniform business practices, standards of advertising and training, and proactive programs to enhance customer service for consumers. Most dealerships are well-run and professional, with highly motivated staff, because a car dealership is a large investment and owners want to see a return on that investment. Randy Collins agrees that Christians need to decide for themselves how much money they are willing to spend or not spend on a vehicle. “I think that different people have different aspirations, you know?” Randy says. “I know a lot of Christians that don’t have a whole lot of wealth, and I know Christians that do have a lot, and I don’t think there’s a whole lot of difference in the Lord’s eyes with one being different from the other.”
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When it comes to what Christians should do with their money, he adds, the Bible is clear: Honour the Lord with your wealth by giving from the first fruits of your labour. “You can’t out-bless God, you can’t out-love him and you can’t out-give him,” Randy says. “The more that we give, the more we bless and the more we love, I think it makes our heavenly Father happy.” Randy’s definitely found that to be true in his own life, and continues to rely on the Lord in whatever he does, including running his business. “We couldn’t do it without Him, and we want to give Him all the praise and all the glory, and [we] hope He’s well pleased with what we’re doing,” Randy says. “Without the Lord, I’m duck soup.”
Aaron Epp is a freelance writer and Senior Correspondent for ChristianWeek newsmagazine. He lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
sports scene
More to life than hockey Right-winger Eric Fehr keeps his priorities straight on and off ice. By Scott Taylor Eric Fehr is one athlete who does not take his faith lightly. In fact, if there’s a single player in the National Hockey League who lets his faith guide every aspect of his career, it’s the big Washington Capitals right-winger. Of course, to understand how this works, you have to understand where Fehr came from and how his faith has led him through good times and bad. “I think the biggest thing faith has done for me as a professional athlete is put life in perspective,” he says. “There is a lot more to life than hockey; your worth is not decided by how good a hockey player you are or how people judge you as a hockey player. “I also think it gives me strength to get through tough times because I believe all things happen for a reason.” Fehr grew up in Winkler, Manitoba— right in the middle of the Southern Manitoba Bible Belt. His faith started at home with his parents reading him Bible stories and teaching him the importance of having God in his life. He went to Sunday school and church regularly while growing up and, as he says quite frankly, “That has helped lay a foundation for where I am today.” His basis in Scripture certainly helped get him through the toughest part of his NHL career, during the 2011-12 season. In the summer of 2011, Fehr signed a one-year free-agent deal with the brand new Winnipeg Jets. He was the local star coming home. He had played his entire junior hockey career with the Brandon Wheat Kings, just two hours down the road, before becoming Washington’s first round selection (18th overall) in the 2003 NHL entry draft. But something wasn’t right. Still rehabbing from a shoulder injury, Fehr never seemed comfortable either in Winnipeg or playing for head coach Claude Noel. Noel expected something
from the 6-foot-4, 210-pound forward that wasn’t in Fehr’s nature. As a result, the 2011-12 season was a near disaster. In only 35 games, he had two goals and one assist and it was obvious that one year in the ‘Peg would be his only year in the ‘Peg. Still, the 27-year-old Fehr, didn’t seem to worry much about his future. He knew God had a plan and it was simply his job to go wherever that plan took him. “Once again it goes back to knowing life doesn’t begin and end with hockey,” he says matter-of-factly. “The 2012 season was definitely my worst statistical hockey season, but at the end of it I can honestly say I tried everything in my power to succeed. Sometimes it just doesn’t work out the way you planned it. “My feeling is, don’t worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all He has done. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus,” he says, quoting from Philippians 4:6-7.
In 2013, Fehr bounced back. Using the owners’ lockout to rehab his injured shoulder, he signed with the team that had originally drafted him and he went on to have a solid year with the Capitals. “At the end of the 2012 season my shoulder was still recovering from surgery and had very little strength and mobility,” he says. “I think the lockout was the best thing to happen to me. It gave me a chance to regroup and find the right trainers, therapists and osteopaths to get my shoulder back in working order.” Because of his Christian faith, Fehr doesn’t spend a lot of time worrying about why things went wrong in Winnipeg. “I think there are a lot of reasons some places work while others don’t,” he says. “For myself I think health was the biggest reason. Hockey is a very physically and mentally demanding sport and if you don’t feel confident in both, one of the two is often affected. “I don’t think it’s as much about the team you’re on as it is the timing of all aspects of your game coming together.” It’s probably why a healthy, happy Eric Fehr, who attends an Anabaptist church in D.C. with his wife Rachel, is excited about the upcoming season in Washington. “I look forward to every season,” he said. “I don’t take playing in the NHL for granted so it’s an honour to play another year. “I always get antsy in August. It’s like my body knows its time to start up again. I really love my summers, but there is nothing better then playing in front of a sold out crowd and I can’t wait to do it again.”
Scott Taylor is a Winnipeg-based sportswriter and broadcaster.
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the single life
Singleness: Travelling with a purpose “Success is fleeting and image is nothing…. What are you living for?”
By Paul H. Boge
There’s nothing quite like going on an adventure. New people. New sights. New foods. New languages. And an opportunity to discover something about yourself. And about God. Travelling takes time and freedom. Sometimes, singleness offers people the opportunity to visit places they may not otherwise be able to experience. On average, singles tend to have more disposable time, and that time can be spent on absorbing the world God has created. But to what end? Why travel? Travelling teaches us about ourselves. More importantly, it teaches us about God. When we get outside of our normal routine of work, home and recreation we can see God in new ways. Travelling is one of many ways to open doors of insight—into our character, our world and the God who created it. I love the book of Acts. The open sea. Foreign cities. Different people. The Apostle Paul was a great travelling adventurer. He too was single. He travelled with a purpose, and it was used by God. I’ve had chances through my work as an engineer and a writer to travel to incredible places. And the experiences have taught me incredible things about God. After completing an engineering project on a mine site in northern Manitoba I took an extended trip to teach
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physics and math to rescued street children at Mully Children’s Family in Kenya, Africa. I did not realize it at the time, but it was an adventure that would shape the rest of my life. The founder, Charles Mulli, was an abandoned and abused six-year-old boy who rose up to become a powerful multimillionaire. Then one day God called him to sell everything he owned and to rescue thousands of street children. Mulli asked me to write his biography and that book went on to be used by God to transform people’s lives. It has also raised money for the work God is doing through Mulli in rescuing children. You never know what God has in mind when He takes you on a journey. I remember a friend of mine telling me that when I came back from Kenya I would see the world in a different way. I did not understand what he meant at the time, but I understand him now. Do we really need all these possessions? Is our culture’s definition of success the same definition that Christ has? As Mulli once said: “Success is fleeting and image is nothing. Years from now no one will ever even know we were here. So my question to you is: what are you living for?” Living in a new culture can help us to be objective about our own culture. Sometimes we can become captive to ideas that are more cultural than biblical. Travelling the Nile in Egypt allowed me to experience the places where my Old Testament hero Moses walked. Visiting
the place where Christ may have been as a child made Him seem more accessible. More real. More of a tangible friend. Whether travel is for business or for pleasure, we do well to keep our focus on Christ and be listening to what He wants to tell and show us. That person sitting next to us on the plane is not there by accident. That client we are meeting in that other city is not a chance encounter. There is a time to travel for travel’s sake. But could God be calling you to use your time as a single to exercise your gifts for his glory? What about teaching at a home for rescued children? Going on a mission trip? Providing relief to those in need? Our God is a providential God. He designs everything. Including your time as a single. Travelling is fun. Travelling with a purpose is even better. I am continually trying to be like the Apostle Paul to find ways to serve whether I am on the road, on the ground, in the air, or in the water (no sharks next time, please). As singles, those opportunities are often available, if we just take the time to seek them out.
Paul H. Boge is a filmmaker, engineer and the author of Father to the Fatherless: The Charles Mulli Story. He’s single and lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Email him at paul@paulboge.com.
Out of my depth
Even Edmonton Where God calls us, we need to be willing to go
By Mark Buchanan
I write this amidst stacks of boxes. The walls are blank, the book shelves bare. No ornament adorns any furniture. The rooms echo like caverns. I’m moving. By the time you read this, I will—God willing—be in a new home in Cochrane, Alberta, and in a new role, associate professor of pastoral theology at Ambrose University College in Calgary. I’ll be living close to the majesty of Banff, but hundreds of miles away from the ocean whose rhythms and sounds have shaped the deep places in me. After nearly 18 years in this town, in this house, in this church, I am changing locations, changing vocations. I knew theoretically how hard this would be. I just didn’t know it in real time, until now. I am pulling up roots nearly two decades deep. This is the place my three children grew from infants to adults. This is the town where my hair turned grey. I planted saplings in my yard that now sprawl and tower and cast acres of shade. We have celebrated, by my count, 85 family birthdays at that dining room table. These walls are soaked with our memories. This soil is layered with our history. And the church I pastored for all those years—the accumulation of triumph and tragedy, heartache and joy, lament and thanksgiving overwhelms. A third of my life is bound up in this place, with these people. I’m about to leave it all. I’ve been many places in the world. I’ve stood on every continent save Antarctica and Australia. I’ve seen Third
World slums, ancient palaces, iconic landmarks. But every time I ventured out, no matter how far or for how long, I always knew that I’d be back here. This time is different. This time I’m not coming back. And now, the Bible speaks afresh to me. The Bible, after all, is mostly written for a pilgrim people. It’s really a travel book, part map, part journal, part field guide, part Baedeker. It’s a manual for people on the move, people who never stay too long in one place. Something always comes along to dislodge and disrupt, to get Abraham or Jacob or Joseph or Moses or Nehemiah or Paul up and on the road again. It’s the way of our Saviour. “Foxes have holes,” Jesus said, “and birds have nests, but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head.” That comes out of His mouth, not as lament or complaint, but as simple declaration. He’s announcing His modus operandi. He’s telling us His Kingdom strategy. The gospel, He’s saying, it’s a movable feast. The gospel keeps on trucking, and suffers from too much sitting around. The Word is living water, after all, and must flow, and stagnates if it can’t. I love the place I’m leaving, but at some point I realized I loved it more than the work God had called me to do in it. The revelation came one day as I was praying about whether I was to accept an invitation to join the faculty at Ambrose. I said out loud to God, “Lord, if only Ambrose was in my own town, I would say yes in an instant.” And like thunder
God answered: “So you’re willing to do anything I ask you, but you’re not willing to go anywhere I send you?” This struck to the core. I repented. And now I’m going. After our first few years in this town, some friends were wrestling with whether God was calling them to Edmonton. They spent an evening with my wife and me, to talk and pray about it. By the end of the evening, we all believed God was extending an invitation to them. They decided that night to go (and are still there). Later that evening, my wife was tucking our daughter Sarah into bed. She was 4 years old at the time. She had been listening to our conversation, and was worried. “Mom,” she said. “Can God ask us to go anywhere?” “Yes, honey.” “So God could ask us to go anywhere at all, and we would have to go?” “Yes, honey.” “Mom,” Sarah said, sitting bolt upright, in dead earnest now. “Mom, even Edmonton?” Well, we narrowly averted that fate. But I’m a pilgrim here, so I best not rule it out.
Mark Buchanan is an associate professor of pastoral theology at Ambrose Seminary in Calgary and the author of several books including Your Church is Too Safe: Turning the World Upside Down.
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power play
Great games. Great toys. Great gadgets. Reviews by Sandy McMurray
THUNDERSTORM SIMULATOR
bottom of the toolbox. How can you find the ones you need? The sorting tray from Lee Valley is a simple tool that makes this easy. It’s a square plastic tray with walls to keep everything contained. Dump your assortment of hardware into the tray, spread out the contents, and sift through to find what you need. When you’re done, use the wide spout in the corner of the sorting tray to pour the leftovers back where they came from, or into another container. The sorting tray has a hole in one corner for hanging near your workbench or toolbox. A set of three trays costs about $10.
thunderspace.me
Way back in the late 20th century, audiophiles played vinyl records of sound effects to show off their stereo systems. Listeners were startled and charmed by recordings of train whistles and rainstorms that seemed very real and nearby. Today, the same effects come in an app you can buy for 99 cents. Thunderspace provides a realistic thunderstorm recorded in stereoscopic 3D audio—perfect for use with headphones. The result is an immersive experience that places the listener in the middle of a rainstorm. In addition to the sound, Thunderspace also simulates lightning, using the flash function of the iPhone’s camera.
SORTING TRAY leevalley.ca
Nuts and bolts, nails and screws, all jumbled together at the
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BUILD A BIKE republicbike.com
When Google set out to buy a fleet of customized bicycles for employees, they went to Republic Bike in Florida. Republic’s 3D Bike Shop makes it easy to design a custom bicycle online, with the colours and accessories you choose. You design it; they build it. The 3D Bike Shop is a fun place to play, even if you don’t intend to buy. You start with one of the basic frames then customize to get the look and colours you want. Prices range from $399 - $699 plus shipping.
MOTOPED motopeds.com
Would you prefer a bike that’s selfpropelled? Check out Motoped. Take a mountain bike and add a 4stroke engine. The result is a motorized bike you can drive with or without pedals. It’s not quite a motorcycle but it’s more than a bicycle. Motoped is the $1,000 conversion kit that makes it happen. The kit includes the frame, swingarm, rear hub, exhaust system, jackshaft assembly, and sprockets. You supply the mountain bike and the motorcycle parts (motor, gas tank, seat). Some assembly required. Why go to all this trouble when you could just buy a motorcycle? The answer— besides the sheer mechanical challenge—is the definition of motorcycle. Pedals plus a low top speed makes this bike street legal in many places where a motorcycle would require a license.
BATTER UP SPATULA worldwidefred.com
Oh no! Puns for breakfast? Again? Whether you’re making pancakes or waffles, the Batter Up Spatula has all your bases covered. This handy kitchen tool will cause a stir in the kitchen. Sure, you could use a spoon, but wooden you prefer a Batter Up Spatula? Enough foul jokes. That’s the sales pitch. Strike out for a store and drive one home.
power play
DUCT TAPE PROJECTS
BACON PRESS
amazon.com
norpro.com
If it sticks or squeaks, spray with WD40. For everything else, there’s duct tape. You might think duct tape is only good for quick fixes. You would be wrong. Duct tape has always been a useful building material. Now, with many colours of duct tape available, your duct tape creations can be durable and beautiful too. Practical Duct Tape Projects from Instructables.com provides detailed, stepby-step instructions to make wallets, lawn chairs, hammocks, and many more DIY creations. The book is divided into several sections: bags and totes, wallets, clothing, tech, home and furniture, and arts and crafts. Now you know how your next few Saturdays will be spent. You’re welcome.
You know how bacon tends to curl up when you cook it? It doesn’t have to. You can have perfect flat strips of bacon (or any other meat) with this amazing kitchen tool. Here’s how it works: you put the bacon in the pan, then put the bacon press on top. That’s it, I guess. You may want to press down a bit while the bacon cooks but the weight of the press mostly looks after that. If you cook bacon often enough to need a bacon press, then you probably need this next item...
GLUTTONY PANTS betabrand.com
Have you ever felt the need to loosen your belt or unbutton your pants after a big meal? Gluttony Pants were made for this. When dinner is done, choose from three buttons (labelled Piglet, Sow, and Boar) to accommodate your expanding girth. The illustrations in the waist and pocket show the life cycle of the glutton, from birth to gluttony to likely life-ending coronary event. If you spill gravy on these pants, never fear. Machine wash cold, tumble dry low. (They’re pre-washed.)
WORD ON THE STREET amazon.ca
Word on the Street is a game that combines word play with strategy. When the game begins, a row of letters fills the middle of the road. The object of the game is to capture eight of the letter tiles by moving it off your side of the board. On each turn, a category card is revealed (e.g. Ice Cream Flavours) and players think of a word that fits the category. The letters of that word are then moved one space towards the player’s side. (“Vanilla” is a good word in this sample category because it has two of the same letter.) The object of the game is to be the first player (or team) to capture eight letters by moving them off the side of the board. This is a fast, fun word game that’s easier than Scrabble but uses many of the same skills. Sandy McMurray writes about games, toys, and gadgets at funspot.ca
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What women want
Feeling tested? Get used to it… Fight the fatigue to satisfy her security needs! By Pam Farrel
One of the more confusing tests every husband faces is his wife’s need to consistently know how important she is. Bill was introduced to this challenge on our honeymoon as he encountered the first of many pop quizzes during our 34 years of our marriage! These exams can occur on any day and at any time because the desire to feel valued is always there. Let me give you a glimpse of the test that I gave Bill, and how your wife might test you in a similar way. After dinner, we returned to our room and did what honeymooners do— enjoyed a little “red hot monogamy”! As is stereotypical for men and women, I was very energized while Bill was very happy but exhausted by the interlude. We had to get up around sunrise to drive to the airport as we were travelling to my relatives to celebrate Christmas. Bill figured we should go to bed early enough to get a good night’s sleep. It seems like a rational plan, I do admit. However, I was excited and enthused by our interaction so I wanted to talk. I have to confess, I was looking for topics that I knew would make our conversation last as long as possible since it was the last night of our honeymoon. I started reeling off a list of “boyfriends” who could never hold a candle to my wonderful new husband starting with my Kindergarten crush. The conversation quickly de-evolved into trivia. I wanted Bill to know everything, no matter how irrelevant it might be! Bill tried his best to stay awake and listen to my heart as the clock ticked past 1, then 2 a.m. but soon his snoring was all that was keeping me company.
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I started to cry so hard the bed shook and woke Bill up (mission accomplished!) Although in a confused daze, Bill dutifully asked, “What’s wrong, Pam?” I sobbed, “I thought you loved me. How could you fall asleep on me? Am I really that dull? We have only been married a week and I am already boring you?” Bill wisely sat up in bed, looked in my eyes, and said, “I really do love you. I am so sorry for falling asleep. Go ahead, I want to hear about the men who couldn’t capture your heart.” Then he added with a bit of hopeful reassurance, “I really want to know every detail of your life. You and everything about you is important to me.” (He scored some major points with that line!) That was a green light, so I changed conversational direction to something a little more lively and I began to sing to him all my favourite country western songs I listened to growing up! The night ended about 3 a.m. with me standing on the bed using a hairbrush as a microphone singing “Stand by Your Man”! Feeling completely adored I said, “Oh, it’s late, I should let you get a little sleep!” (Bill was smart enough not to say, “Finally!”) I curled up in his arms and we both dozed into sweet, and much needed, slumber. About 6 a.m., as the sun peaked through the shades, I rolled over to discover Bill was not in bed. I saw him through the window digging out our car from the foot of snow that had fallen and putting chains on the tires. Later, when I got in the car, I said, with a lingering kiss,
“If there is a test women give their husbands—you so passed—and I will never test you again!” Oh, how my man— and every man—wishes that were true! Here’s the key that helped Bill pass the test that day, and many, many, many times since. Meet her security needs first! The core need of a woman is captured in Ephesians 5: 25, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the Church and gave Himself up for her.” In your sacrificing you are securing her love to you! Because our lives as women are always changing we are, deep down, looking for something secure to hang our heart and hope on. Your wife is looking to feel safe and secure in a variety of areas so she is asking: Am I physically safe in my husband’s presence? Am I emotionally safe in his company? Am I financially safe so we have a secure future? Am I safe to be who I am today with my man? Trust me, you will raise your chances of passing “the test” if you seek to meet her security need first! When you do this, she is going to be easier to live with and easier to love. Pam Farrel is the wife of Bill, a speaker for Promise Keepers. Together they have coauthored over 38 books, including bestselling Men Are Like Waffles, Women Are Like Spaghetti, Red Hot Monogamy, and The Marriage Code. They are co-directors of www.Love-wise.com . They have been happily married for 34 years, are the parents to three sons, two daughter-in-laws, and enjoy their three small grandchildren.
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