Hey Everybody...I found this interesting. According to the google calculator and the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, the answer to life the universe and everything is.......42!

Yesterday was a very important day in the history of Canadian politics for me, as the Liberal minority government tabled their budget in parliament. What makes this one so special is that for the first time in my entire life, the official opposition (the Conservatives) and the government (the Liberals) have agreed to work together. For in the budget, the Liberals promised increases in military spending and tax cuts, two top priorities on the Conservative agenda. Stephen Harper (for the first time that I can remember) is actually content with the government saying that he is happier than he thought he would be with the proposed budget!

Now many of you will argue that the Liberals were forced to satisfy some of the other political parties demands in order to stay in power, but I would argue that even though they were forced to do so, it is still an historical day. Not only did the Liberals satisfy the Conservatives, but they also increased funding for environmental protection and created a fund for a national childcare program for the NDP! (The NDP still isn't fully satisfied because they didn't get all the things they wanted and the Bloc aren't happy because well, they didn't get anything. But when isn't the Bloc happy? If they would get what the want, they wouldn't be in Canada!)

So that is why I felt a glimmer of hope in the budget yesterday. Instead of always thinking of their own self-interest and tarnishing eachother's image, it seems that this budget introduced yesterday was kind of about the citizens of the country. The Liberals and the Conservatives were willing to work together and compromise and as a result all Canadians could benefit greater (even if it was their own survival that spurred them to do it). This not only gives me hope in how this minority government will work, but what is best about it, is that it makes me feel like I am more to the government in Ottawa than a vote, and that my future is the most important thing to them, not their own success. And for the first time in my life, I don't feel ignored by the government.

Skyline of Manhatten 

Today is a special day. Today is the day that the Kyoto Accord is coming into affect in Canada. According to the regulations, Canada is supposed to cut back on their greenhouse gas emissions by 5% from their 1990 levels (20% below 2002 levels). We all know that global warming is causing catastrophic events around the world. From the melting ice in the North opening up routes for foreign countries to challenge our sovereignty over the North, to the slowing of the Gulf Stream from Mexico which ultimately leads to cooler temperatures for countries like the UK and Northwestern Europe. Did you know that an area 100 by 100 miles in New Mexico covered with solar panels could provide all the energy needs of the USA?

I know that there is a lot of controversy around the program and countries are reluctant to reduce their emissions because other polluting countries refuse to do so themselves. But why can't we be a leader in the world? Why do we always have to wait for everyone else to do something first instead of setting an example to the rest of the world? I think there is a key role that we can play...to do the moral right and fulfill our cultural mandate. So lets make a difference.

Happy Birthday! Today is the 40th anniversary/birthday of the present maple leaf flag of Canada, brought in by Governor General Georges P. Vanier and Prime Minister Lestor B. Pearson on February 15, 1965.  

Happy Valentines Day... 

This afternoon I had the privilege of hearing a sermon by Rev. Visscher, Professor at the Canadian Reformed Theological College in Hamilton, concerning the fourth commandment. Here are some of the points that he brought up concerning keeping the Sabbath. His sermon emphasized that the Sabbath should involve two things: Joy and rest.

Joy

• Just as in the Old Testament the Israelites were supposed to praise God who took them out of Egypt - redeeming them from bondage to the Egyptians, we are to celebrate the Sabbath with joy for the redemption that we have received through His Son.
• Jesus came to fulfill the law which means the fourth commandment as well. Yet Christ did not render all the Old Testament laws concerning the Sabbath unimportant as many Christians think, rather Christ followed Old Testament laws concerning the Sabbath and stayed within them allowing only acts of piety, mercy, and necessity to be done. The laws that he did not follow were those of the Pharisees, and that was the statement he was trying to make.
• Yet we are not to become too moralistic or legalistic in our view of the Sabbath, arguing over things like if we can wear jeans or not, and therefore make the Sabbath a burden to people, but when we look at the Sabbath as a joy and devote it to the praise and worship of God for our redemption, than these little squabbles should be put to the side in importance.

Rest

• The Sabbath also should be a day of rest. Yet rest is more than just sleeping the entire day and catching up on sleep. It is also is spiritual rest and both spiritual and physical rest is found in Jesus Christ. "Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Jesus says in Matthew 11: 28. Therefore we must go to church and be eager to listen to God's word, for that is where we find true rest.
• Yet it is not enough that we just go to church, and then quickly take off our dress pants and tie and start doing homework or go water skiing right away. The Sabbath is meant to be a day of rest. Both physical and spiritual.
• Human beings are not meant to be solely labourous creatures. We work all week and so we must rest from our work - for our own physical well-being as well as our spiritual. To continue to do your everyday work (that includes homework for students and even good work) is exhausting physically as well as spiritually - coming dangerously close to making work an idol in your life. Can we not put one day of the week aside for straight devotion unto God?
• The point is, when we come out of the Sabbath day do we feel rested? Do we feel physically rested and eager to take on the challenges and work that lies in the week ahead of us? Do you feel that you are spiritually revived and ready to live for God in the week ahead?

If you don't feel physically and spiritually rested for the week ahead, or if you don't find the Sabbath a day of joy and celebration, or if you find yourself not wanting to go or skipping out on church, maybe you should take a look at your life and see if you are celebrating the Sabbath like God intended it to.

Hey Guys, this article appeared in the latest Crown issue and was quite funny because it is so true. So here it is for everyone to read.

"I read through the Student Handbook today, and it wasn't without excitement. I couldn't help feeling somewhat adventurous, since I'm fairly sure I'm one of the first people, after the authors, to actually read the thing.

Yes, I know we've all 'signed' and 'agreed to live by' the Code of Conduct, but a recent Crown poll of a couple students (accurate once or twice out of twenty occasions) revealed that, by some administrative glitch, a large portion of the student body is unable to tell the difference between their Student Handbook and 'that page in the Spec with Foxtrot and the crossword.'

Obviously, this means the gap between the Handbook and reality is growing wider every day. Fortunately, a second informal Crown poll of anonymous administrators revealed exactly how the dusty volume will be updated in an upcoming proposal. Features of the formal amendments include:

VISITATION: Opposite-sex guests are required to vacate dorms by daybreak or, if The OC or euchre marathons are too intense to abandon, at least cover their eyes while residents stumble to the showers.

DERELICT VEHICLES: Students are not permitted to abandon broken vehicles on campus property. If, however, campus speed bumps are responsible for reducing student vehicles to worthless scrap heaps, the University will assume salvage costs.

TIMELINESS: Punctual class attendance is each student's responsibility. Campus clocks, by design, will never agree; students are to consider this a trial of perserverance.

INTERNET: Use of the Internet on campus, while occasionally possible, is strictly forbidden. Administrators work hard to shield students from the dangers of outside data, and any student caught thwarting their efforts will be blamed for the latest "virus" crippling campus computers.

FOOD STORE: Descending balances at The Market have been introduced to prevent students from wasting food; the wasting away of students' bodies to starvation enjoys no such protection. Students are encouraged to pursue hunting and foraging classes at Mohawk College.

SPORTS: Golf is not permitted on campus, due to the high risk of property damage. Students are invited to try alternative athletic pursuits, such as lawn bowling, clay shooting, and wild game hunting. Note that deer blinds in the back forty pose an unacceptable fire risk and that visiting soccer teams are not considered viable alternatives to expensive food store items.

PHOTOCOPYING: The "Copy Card" system has been designed to reduce the paper waste inherent in photocopying. Cards issued to students should be inoperable, as indicated by the blinking "Misread!!!" message. Students found to be operating campus photocopiers will be subjected to discipline from the Environmental Science department.

PARKING: Students are asked to understand the formidable cost of policing and rigorously maintaining campus roads and parking lots. As such, parking privileges will not be included in the five-digit tuition and housing costs. Students will retain the right not to purchase permits; however, persons found carrying their license plates with them will be forced to use the Kitty Murray entranceway to campus until their vehicles have been adequately disabled by the strategic room-sized potholes dug by the university under the generous roadway maintenance budget.

PETS: Only fish will be acceptable as pets for on-campus students. Students are invited to examine the broadest definitions of "fish," including the construction of room-sized aquariums in vacant bedrooms. Note that shark food will be included in descending food store balances - please plan accordingly.

RAIDS: Dorm raids are forbidden on Redeemer's campus. Practically, this means, "Don't get caught." Be forewarned that outright theft is easily traceable and that physical reconstruction of walls, doors, and furniture without proper planning can cause significant delays and quickly drive up the risk of computer in enemy territory. Disguises and soft-soled shoes can be borrowed from the Theatre Department.

DRINKING: Drinking is forbidden on Redeemer's campus. Practically, this means, "Don't get caught." Until such a time that Redeemer intelligentsia wins their argument for an on-campus pub, students should approach their Residence or Housing Advisor for tips on consuming stealthily and concealing the empties. The university is confident that students will drink responsibly, as excessive consumption and formidable tuition costs are generally incompatible.

Administrators are confident this new-look Handbook will not only drive up enrollment of excited high school students, but will also improve the quality of life of current on-campus students - in those rare moments when they are not duct-taping their decrepit dorms or pursuing three-day treks to and from their unfinished Kitty Murray houses."

So today I have two midterms. I've been studying all weekend for my management accounting midterm which i have tonight, and last night i studied for English. Can we say boring! English is the worst course in the world. I don't understand how anyone could want to be an English major - it's like death. Who cares about the philsophy of why we read! I took English in high school so i don't understand why I need to relearn what the difference between a fable and a tale is or what setting, tone, and point of view means to a story! Booo English!

Yesterday I went curling for a while with a group of friends. Gotta love it! (From left to right: Mark, Myself, and Nick) 

This past week, C. S. Evans came to Redeemer to speak on Soren Aabye Kierkegaard, a Danish novelist who saw himself as a missionary to the people of Denmark. The problem in Denmark at the time was that the state considered itself Christian, with a instituted state Christian church. The people were not living their faith but claimed themselves Christians because they lived inside the state of Christendom. Kierkegaard placed a huge emphasis on challenging people to experience their faith with God and he felt that only through wrestling and struggling through challenges and God's Word do we experience our faith. In this sense, Kierkegaard would be extremely suspicious of Christian schools and universities because in them, people assume that everyone is Christian, and therefore do not challenge their faith. Kierkegaard raises a good point I think, for growing up in a Christian elementary, high school and now university, we automatically assume that everyone is Christian in these institutions, and therefore find it very easy for us to become complacent in our faith. We feel that we can let our guard down and therefore our pressured to act unchristian to "fit in" or be "cool". I find that this is one of the greatest dangers of participating in Christian-based learning institutions. Coming from a background that is very much in favour of our own private Christian schools, it really makes me think if we should even have them. If you look at the Canadian Reformed schools, many of the students in them misbehave more than the public school! The reputation that our schools have in the Christian and outside community is in a sad state - a laughing stock even. And as a growing adult who now is beginning to support our schools and who maybe someday will have children that are expected to go to these schools, this seriously questions whether I as a Canadian Reformed person should support our schools or not. Maybe Kierkegaard is on to something...

On Friday, February 4, 2005 Karen Oosterhof (below in the picture with me) turned 21! (I know, I know - she looks young!) Anyways we had a good time celebrating her birthday at Frankie's. The karaoke was great! Anyways, God bless you in the year to come Karen!

Sorry everyone, the internet has been down for the past week and so I haven't blogged at all...boo redeemer computer services. Anyways, miraculously today the internet all of a sudden decided to work so I hope to update it tonight.

thanks,
-Management