tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-157087362024-03-13T21:02:02.801-05:00Convert ManThe personal blog of James Kautz: a regular guy who is just trying to sanctify the tyranny of self-improvement.Doogiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12012332023931166256noreply@blogger.comBlogger562125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15708736.post-22896276197748594262022-11-19T15:59:00.000-06:002022-11-19T15:59:16.496-06:00Two Daughters and a Big Little Sister<p style="text-align: justify;"><span><span style="font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">Last year I took on a new challenge: I left a stable job in an essential industry to take the helm of the <a href="http://www.catholicway.net" target="_blank">Catholic School of Evangelization</a>, a small lay apostolate that has become dear to my heart. It's where my family <a href="http://convert-man.blogspot.com/2019/07/what-is-missionary-family-and-why-are.html" target="_blank">lived for two years</a> of missionary maintenance service. A little more than a year after we moved out, I found myself applying for the vacant Executive Director job. And I got it. There's a long story there, and I won't recount that here today.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">The primary mandate for the incoming director was to relaunch the school's <a href="http://www.catholicway.net/dfp" target="_blank">Discipleship Formation Program</a>: a year of faith formation and missionary outreach, lived in community at the school. When the school opened in 1992, this program was its primary aim. But after the 2007 graduating class, it folded, and the CSE's ministry focus shifted primarily to retreats and youth camps. Relaunching the student program required a lot of work, a lot of prayer, and a lot of trust, but it paid off. We successfully recruited students and supervisors and teachers and built a curriculum... and this thing is actually happening! I'm blown away at how God brought it all together. That's also a long story which I won't recount today.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">Here's what I <i>am</i> writing about: An unexpected blessing with overseeing this program is that my third daughter Ella is enrolled as a student. I didn't expect her to apply. Who wants to go to a school run by her dad? But she's here, and I get to witness her blossom into a fuller manifestation of who she is in Christ. Nothing makes a parent happier.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of the many steps in discerning how to rebuild the Discipleship Formation Program had me spending countless hours in conversation with past students, staff, and directors, as well as anybody I could connect with who was involved in faith formation for Catholic young adults.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">Perhaps my most fruitful discussion was with Jim Anderson, Director of Formation at <a href="https://www.sttherese.ca/" target="_blank">St. Therese Institute of Faith and Mission</a>, a similar school in Bruno, SK. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCjGZNFo6TResjQ3DYxsz-4fvvIfhRTBDF35G28fV8Aqapn9YTMHaGcB7aerG5IP9FhVCXy-4Vfd9Tpy7BZzLmWGWK1hwmB1F-S88fZjDWt1dpMK2h2E8noHbD8raYv_0_cembPsG-yZPNraOaK9WdIxWe-28kyeBm23Cfx7-2Wi9gJRBrVg/s681/292500550_478977960894736_8284367482180554075_n.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="681" data-original-width="681" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCjGZNFo6TResjQ3DYxsz-4fvvIfhRTBDF35G28fV8Aqapn9YTMHaGcB7aerG5IP9FhVCXy-4Vfd9Tpy7BZzLmWGWK1hwmB1F-S88fZjDWt1dpMK2h2E8noHbD8raYv_0_cembPsG-yZPNraOaK9WdIxWe-28kyeBm23Cfx7-2Wi9gJRBrVg/w169-h169/292500550_478977960894736_8284367482180554075_n.png" width="169" /></a></div><span style="text-align: justify;"><div style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span>St. Therese opened in 2007, the year the CSE stopped offering its student program. It plunges its students into an intense nine months of prayer, mentorship, reading, writing, lectures, share groups, and retreats, all focused on St. Therese of Lisieux’s little way of becoming a saint. They offer a two-year program, and it’s <i>beautiful</i>. My second daughter Julie attended both years and is back there this year ministering to their students in a year of apostolic service. St. Therese has transformed Julie and enriched her. I couldn’t be a bigger supporter of what they’re doing and how they’re doing it.</span></div><div style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">In my discussions with Jim, he encouraged me to draw from the wells that are nourishing me personally, but also to draw from the wells that I’ve inherited as director from the CSE’s own history and traditions. </span></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The two schools share a common goal of forming young people in the deep truths of the Catholic faith, especially He who is Truth himself: Jesus the Christ. Yet our expression of formation manifests in very different ways.</span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">The CSE is not St. Therese. The program here is shorter at eight months, and limits itself to one year. The first half focuses primarily on deepening the student’s relationship with Jesus through personal encounter through devotion and the sacraments. The second half is intended to convict and empower them to share the love of Jesus with the world after they leave. This has been the CSE’s way from its 1992 inception. Its original logo has the arms of the cross extending outside of the house, reflecting our community's purpose to go beyond our walls. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9K36ScIg2pFnW1QQrDtVZJEy_p8Xz42HatD2IR2-_SV8ym6QIircWPgkHf3fVO28x7p0jcq43pz8CGG75loOb_K2v01YofMi0wB-HsFroIt4ZYp-D9Z2qotc7c6TmB3wefAZ67lGGm9h-Uc8VtyE8t0oN8T3tYxkTSq7eBYblJ_CZJORP6w/s137/Logo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="137" data-original-width="106" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9K36ScIg2pFnW1QQrDtVZJEy_p8Xz42HatD2IR2-_SV8ym6QIircWPgkHf3fVO28x7p0jcq43pz8CGG75loOb_K2v01YofMi0wB-HsFroIt4ZYp-D9Z2qotc7c6TmB3wefAZ67lGGm9h-Uc8VtyE8t0oN8T3tYxkTSq7eBYblJ_CZJORP6w/s1600/Logo.png" width="106" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">G. K. Chesterton in his 1929 book <i>The Thing</i> put forward a concept which today is known as Chesterton’s Fence: if you find a fence in a field, before you tear it down because you don’t know why it’s there, consider perhaps leaving it intact precisely because you don’t know why it’s there. We can find the same idea articulated in Proverbs 22:28: “Do not remove the ancient landmark that your ancestors set up.” There is a charism and a history at the CSE that I intend to respect in my tenure as director. Jim Anderson’s advice helped to crystalize this vision for me.</span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">God, through St. Therese, is giving my Julie what she needs. And through the CSE, he’s giving my Ella what she needs. Jim Anderson and I both believe that there’s room for both of our schools in the kingdom. Young people need faith formation, and having different options for them to discern between is a good thing. Secular thinking would view St. Therese and the CSE as competitors in a small market. But that is missing the sacramental character of the communion within the Church as the body of Christ. Our "big little sister" is part of that body. As the CSE proceeds on this path of trust in God’s providence with the DFP, we have confidence that he will bring each school the students meant for them. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1372" data-original-width="1419" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8jLijudr2wE3QcRuGEt0KbnBnhCjHp6OwOl0NBB_8NMpz0Mj0veTYGaTgsxDyBz74sJPYEjyftDwp_UPdMdgW8Ue0deAik-_BhdwktZiMBx_lvHgsz48akmQeZJRNAWbMPjAAhxI-yh4chIBEdTHUELaKfn7bKYetXIiQO__x_pgsR79q6A/s320/IMG_5921.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sisters, Ella (CSE student) and Julie (St. Therese student)</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8jLijudr2wE3QcRuGEt0KbnBnhCjHp6OwOl0NBB_8NMpz0Mj0veTYGaTgsxDyBz74sJPYEjyftDwp_UPdMdgW8Ue0deAik-_BhdwktZiMBx_lvHgsz48akmQeZJRNAWbMPjAAhxI-yh4chIBEdTHUELaKfn7bKYetXIiQO__x_pgsR79q6A/s1419/IMG_5921.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p>James V. Kautzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056399129186883638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15708736.post-28028987495226041422021-03-07T09:05:00.004-06:002021-03-07T09:05:57.541-06:00My Ten Rules for Using PowerPoint at Mass<p><span style="font-family: arial;">Our society is dominated by screens. At Mass, a PowerPoint presentation can be a useful tool for helping worshippers to participate more fully, but it can also be a big distraction if the presentation creator has the mindset of "entertaining the crowd" instead of "directing the faithful" by aligning the contents on the screen with the Liturgy. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">This post assumes you are like me: a Catholic with musical talent who has a desire to serve his local parish, but lacking in a complete formal education in both music and liturgy. You stepped forward when asked, and you've done as best as you know how. Nobody was really there to guide you - you just figured it out on your own, presenting your talents back to the Lord, and picking up what formation you could along the way. This post assumes that as a music minister, you prepare your heart and spirit for this task through a time of prayer well in advance of Mass, reviewing the readings, asking the Lord to guide you in your selection of music, and dedicating your act of service to the glory of the Father. It assumes that you want to do a good job and that you preview each presentation after you've finished it to ensure you put it together correctly, but you also cringe when people applaud you after the closing song. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">If this describes you, then perhaps you'll find some benefit in these lessons I've learned along the way. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Here are the ten rules I follow when creating a slide show to be used during Mass.</span></p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;">The Mass has its own flow and rhythm. It's up to you as the PowerPoint creator to understand that flow and rhythm, and to craft your presentation to follow it instead of to lead it.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Don't start the projector before your presentation is running on the computer screen. People are praying and don't need to be distracted by seeing you move the mouse around, navigating to the file, or closing the antivirus warning popup.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">The name of the day (i.e., 19th Sunday of Ordinary Time, 4th Sunday of Lent) should be put on an opening slide to be displayed before Mass begins, along with the day's Entrance Antiphon.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">For solemnities and feasts, a suitable public-domain photograph of classical art or iconography (i.e., Carraci's Assumption of the Virgin, Dossi's Ascension) may also be included on the opening slide along with this. Use high-resolution images without watermarks. If you can't find one, opt for no image.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Once the Mass starts, there should be no images within your presentation, even if they're relevant to the readings or the parts of the Mass. Remember: the presentation should direct people's attention to what's happening in the Mass, and not to what's happening on the screen.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">At a minimum, you should have slides with the lyrics to the songs you've selected. But I also recommend including the texts for the collective responses, as there will often be people at Mass who are infrequent attenders and don't have the latter memorized, especially during Christmas and Easter. Use a white background with simple black text for these. Proofread every slide carefully for grammar and spelling.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">On all slides, use the largest font size possible, taking into account the size of the screen and the view of it from the farthest corner of the church.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Project empty black slides between songs and during those parts of the Mass when the faithful should be attentive to what's happening at the ambo, the lectern, or the altar.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Remember that people are praying after Mass concludes too. Make the final slide conducive to this (either blank, or the text of the day's Communion Antiphon), and leave it running for a few moments. Power down the projector before you stop the presentation. Sure, that desktop background image of that squirrel holding a peanut is really cute, but this isn't the time to share it.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">It is prudent to share your presentation with your celebrant well in advance of Mass to ensure he's aware of what you are showing to his flock - and to invite feedback from him. Most priests are simply happy to have you serve and are reluctant to criticize. If you want to improve, you'll need to make sure he understands you won't run away crying or take your talents elsewhere if he gives you some gentle guidance.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">A bonus rule for pastors: music within the Mass has great power, and it needs to be wielded responsibly. Make a point of forming your music team volunteers so that their involvement in the flow of the Mass is liturgically appropriate and in line with the parish's culture and goals.</span></li></ol><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I could probably make a list of a hundred rules, but these are the most important ones in my opinion. Did I miss something? Do you have other suggestions? What annoys you about presentations during Mass?</span></div><p></p>James V. Kautzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056399129186883638noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15708736.post-56903956947296873352020-03-30T15:28:00.000-05:002020-03-31T09:40:06.397-05:00On The AscensionThese last few months, I've had a tremendous amount of spiritual fruit borne from a topic that I never really dipped into until recently: the Ascension of Jesus into Heaven.<br />
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It all started with me complaining to Christ in prayer one day: "Why are you taking so long to return?"<br />
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The inaudible response was clear: "Patience, James. I'm still embracing my Father."<br />
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It hit me like a ton of bricks. Jesus was fully human, and had human emotions. Yet as fully divine, his union with the Father within the Trinity was the very essence of his existence. I thought of how this swirling lovers' dance of Father, Son, and Spirit was all he knew - and it was and is indeed everything. Yet he shed that divine union, not clinging to it when he became man. And he missed it; he longed for it. He took on man's fallen form, which lacked the Trinitarian cohesion which was the very nature of his being. The divine plural became a divine singular<i>.</i> Yes, he was still fully God and still fully Divine, but paradoxically he also <i>wasn't</i> at the same time that he <i>was.</i> The latter is the state of humanity: created for union with God, yet splintered away through sin. It was that splintering which he came to seal up again.<br />
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The Catechism defines the reason for the Church's evangelical mission: "The ultimate purpose of mission is none other than to make men share in the communion between the Father and the Son in the Spirit of love." (CCC 850)<br />
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The very character of the nature of the Trinity is thus our goal and our end. We were created to enter into union with these three Divine Persons.<br />
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Jesus missed the Father. It was why he prayed. He sought his Father out at every opportunity, knowing that only by carving off significant chunks of time to seek a glimpse of that lost Trinitarian unity (yes, I know, it wasn't lost, but it also kind of was... just bear with me for the purpose of this meditation; now that the hair has been split asunder, I shan't split it again) could he recapture a fragment of what he had known before being born of a virgin.<br />
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With this in mind, I re-read the Gospels. As I read how Jesus as a twelve year old stayed behind in Jerusalem and let Joseph and Mary go on without him just so he could be in his Father's house, I realized how instinctive and elemental his desire for the Father was. It was such a part of his nature that he didn't comprehend how anybody wouldn't look for him in the Temple before any other place.<br />
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In his adult ministry, I was amazed to see how often Jesus squirrelled away to pray, dodging the crowds and his disciples. It was his default activity: the one thing he did when he had nothing else to do, and the one thing he made time for by shirking off other responsibilities.<br />
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My default activity is pulling out my phone.<br />
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If Jesus himself regularly needed to spend serious time to seek communion with the Father, should I be doing any less? This insight has convicted me, and has given me a deeper longing for prayer than I've ever felt before.<br />
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I read how he hinted at his ultimate purpose - to bring us into the communion of the Trinity - when he taught us the scandalous phrase: "<i>Our </i>Father."<br />
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He suffered the most complete separation from the Father on the Cross. "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" And yet we also see his complete trust in the Father who had abandoned him: "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit."<br />
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And then when he rose, and Mary Magdalene found him at the tomb, Jesus says to her, "Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father."<br />
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I've always wondered at that. It seems like kind of a jerk move. Jesus has to know how badly Mary's heart broke at his death, and how high it soared at seeing him resurrected. Why would he not permit her to embrace him? Accept a hug, dude!<br />
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I think it was because he was simply excited to return. His mission was complete, his separation was over, and all that remained was to rejoin the Father and the Spirit in their intimate embrace of love. As much as he loved Mary, his love for the Father was far, far greater.<br />
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And then here's the best part. Jesus adds, "But go to my brothers and tell them, 'I am going to my Father <i>and to your Father</i>, to my God <i>and your God</i>.'" We are now his brothers! We now have the same Father!<br />
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Time and space are funny things when one considers the Incarnation. I don't understand why Jesus had to ascend physically <i>up</i> in order to return to the Father, but that's what he did. However long that ascension took after he disappeared into the clouds, I now think that the burst of love at the moment of Divine Reunion is what sent the Holy Spirit rushing forth at Pentecost, unleashed upon the disciples and all who would receive him in the ages to come.<br />
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So why hasn't Jesus returned yet? I think it's because he's still celebrating the completion of his mission, and that he is lost in the embrace of the Father.<br />
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You've had those moments, haven't you? Those times when you finally see a loved one long absent, and the embrace just lasts and lasts and lasts... until the moment when it just feels like the hug has been long enough and you both reluctantly pull away, yet remain together, smiling through tears, staring into those eyes... catching up on missed memories.<br />
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That's what the Son and the Father are doing right now. He hasn't forgotten about us. He hasn't abandoned us. He hasn't left us to stew in our juices and figure out our own solutions. No - he's simply rejoicing in his Reunification.<br />
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Let's allow him that triumph, while we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.<br />
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<br />James V. Kautzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056399129186883638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15708736.post-83370389154895737982019-08-07T16:43:00.001-05:002019-08-07T16:43:44.876-05:00On GoodbyesToday I dropped off my eldest child at the airport. She's bound for Ottawa, where she'll begin training to be a missionary for <a href="https://www.netcanada.ca/" target="_blank">NET Canada</a>, and we won't have her back until May of 2020 (excepting a short break at Christmas).<br />
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This has been a dream of hers for years. She applied this last winter, went through a handful of phone & video conference interviews, and waited seemingly forever to hear back whether or not she'd been accepted. I remember the day she got the news. She quietly slipped into my room as I was tidying up, and when I turned around, there she was with this big goofy grin on her face, and tears in her eyes. "I'm going on NET!" she proclaimed, and her grin erupted into a miles-wide smile that melted this daddy's heart.<br />
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A year like this can revolutionize a young person's life. It was on a similar tour that I met the people who introduced me to genuine Catholicism, and also where I met my wife. So I know there's a good chance that the experiences she'll have and the people she'll meet will open up a world of new possibilities to her. And of course, I know that her journey is her own; it won't be a duplicate of mine or her mother's.<br />
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She graduated high school in June 2018, and has spent the last year still living at home and working to save up some money to do mission work and post-secondary school down the road. As I've been emotionally preparing myself for this day when I'd bid her adieu, I have been gradually awakening to the realization that I don't raise kids to keep them. I raise them to send them out into the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ on their lips and in their hands.<br />
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Daughter #2 is off at a summer camp program this week, and had her own tearful goodbye with #1 on Sunday. Observing that was a foretaste of the emotions I'd experience today, and even last night. As we said our family rosary, I could barely whisper the final Hail Mary, knowing it would be the last one I would say with her for many months.<br />
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Seeing #1 give a farewell embrace to her brother, #8, our four month old who will be double his age when she sees him next, sent tears streaming down my face like water down the outside of a leaky garden hose. She sobbed too, and I know he'll be the one she misses the most.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf7jp1QhNyXQ9rh01OJQU7LhMO1X7nMT2YZNPsgAFfvFtI9toOMdAW-YhHUqhlQr8pV397Lc5yoFtjC6wYB_W2M-geb1IvvJgJHej1kaNuUX58xxxVReMu9W1gFek-7lavGCUm/s1600/raph.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf7jp1QhNyXQ9rh01OJQU7LhMO1X7nMT2YZNPsgAFfvFtI9toOMdAW-YhHUqhlQr8pV397Lc5yoFtjC6wYB_W2M-geb1IvvJgJHej1kaNuUX58xxxVReMu9W1gFek-7lavGCUm/s320/raph.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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As I write this, her plane has landed and she's doubtless already begun making new friendships with her team members. She sent me a quick text during her layover that the excitement is finally hitting her. The goodbyes were hard for her too, but she's got an adventure ahead of her.<br />
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So with that, the first bird is out of the nest, but I've got at least another eighteen years of these hard goodbyes ahead of me. It's so easy as parents to define ourselves by our children, and then when they leave we can forget who we are as husband and wife. As strange as it may sound, I'm feeling convicted to invest more energy and attention into my wife and our relationship these days, so that when our nest is finally empty, we'll know we still have each other.<br />
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And when death separates us, the prime relationship we have with our creator God, the one unchanging constant in life, will be the rock we cling to. That ties right back into the missionary work that #1 is now embarking upon, for nothing matters if you don't go to heaven.James V. Kautzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056399129186883638noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15708736.post-29363051066700741932019-07-25T22:33:00.000-05:002020-01-24T13:27:36.779-06:00What Is A Missionary Family, and Why Are We It?<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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The <a href="https://www.catholicway.net/home" target="_blank">Catholic School of Evangelization</a> in St. Malo, Manitoba
is a camp and retreat centre less than an hour from Winnipeg. It provides full
week summer camps (July & August) and weekend winter camps (February)
for English and French youth ages 8 and up, and is available for groups to rent
privately as well. In its past it had hosted a small number of year-round
students in a discipleship formation program, as well as organizing an outreach
team to go do mission work in various communities and Catholic parishes around
the province of Manitoba, but those programs are currently not operating.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The facility has fourteen air conditioned rooms, each with
anywhere from two to ten bunk beds, and at its maximum capacity can sleep
around eighty people. An older yet functional commercial kitchen allows for
meal preparation, and a modern chapel provides a setting for spiritual
nourishment as well. Opportunities for outdoor activities are numerous, with
the large backyard and an expansive school field next door. Just a short walk
across the highway one finds a Lourdes grotto on the river bank, along with a
provincial park with a beautiful beach on St. Malo Lake.<o:p></o:p></div>
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My family has had many positive retreat and camp experiences
at the CSE. When they posted in the spring of 2018 that they were looking for a
new Missionary Family to take up residence there, both my wife and I heard the
call independently of each other. Upon discussing it together, we were somewhat
surprised to learn that the other was open to it. We discerned (that was a big
process, which I won't get into detail about here), applied, went through some
interviews, had background checks done, and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/catholicschoolofevangelization/photos/a.145010912373759/890164001191776/?type=3&theater" target="_blank">were chosen</a> by the CSE’s director
in consultation with the staff and board. We've committed to serve through the
end of June 2020.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We have a house in Winnipeg, and the perfect renters came
across our path in a way only explainable by the existence of a God who
orchestrates events to facilitate obedience to his will.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In addition to hearing this call to serve as Missionary
Family, we also heard the call to have another child (our eighth) …. because
this wouldn’t be hard enough already! We answered that call too, and Raphael
was born on March 30, 2019. We had him baptized here in the CSE’s chapel on
Easter Sunday to cap off the annual Triduum Retreat there. To the best of our
knowledge, this was the first baptism ever to happen in the chapel since it was
built nearly twenty years ago. He's probably also the first baby ever <a href="https://www.facebook.com/catholicschoolofevangelization/posts/1071504226391085?__xts__[0]=68.ARCQNSTmpfX-eJAvJceXRnRrlbfK9Ve5vKkTsw5L8sCLK3EMIkjwS7txadwszuhkouqlMprSbfamfZkgcEq6lWN0NnIUI-3wUTRkhXdJzbwUqOiRSKuo7UC_V5jXfNlap64yUbqVDEeNP1YPfALjucXdkVht2hnENwbONtefFLBfc12MmP56kFRgvr4dGg5jlrxMr4ikFgsLMXP2SqTsPoEoDd1bRkpsiYWnoMkj6WjhoDe6CALfhhRcu-awYi5ZMABIsMUf1SctGMrzp0t0-0ekrLBNPKIpgm0se_TlwoLKYaEVHZ57xx_FIUciJE4IcSTdehKXpz0whwzu5zaCS8_Z-g&__tn__=-R" target="_blank">to take a bath</a> in their kitchen.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Missionary Family serves two roles for the CSE. The
prime duty is to be a welcoming presence for retreat groups throughout the
off-season by preparing the facility for their arrival and supporting them in
their time in the building. We are not expected to do the cooking or cleaning
for the groups - we simply stock the washrooms, unlock the doors, show them around,
confirm they understand the commercial dishwashing procedures, be available for
support as they use the facility, and do a final walkthrough to ensure all is
in good order when they leave. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The secondary duty is general upkeep of the building and yard,
requiring a total of 20 collective hours of work every week. The CSE staff
budget is slim, so a formal custodian isn’t possible, and there is an added
benefit for security and insurance to have people living on site. Snowblowing
the parking lot is of prime importance in our Canadian winters, and rooms need
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/catholicschoolofevangelization/photos/a.145010912373759/1009625032579005/?type=3&theater" target="_blank">a fresh coat of paint</a> from time to time, but beyond just maintenance we are
also doing some proactive beautification. Our eldest daughter is a gifted
artist and has been using her painting skills to adorn the doors of each dorm
room with a painting of the saint for whom the room is named.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> </o:p> </div>
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<o:p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3sOLHVUUntLoh7lP9mJFXgzL_yqjn9M1djJasGHrroeL9rGFdOW2sML9tcdyPPUhkIXL5f7koNxUe1ukt4q0J_-t8E6hTCwN4Rn0NgTG9mi24hxt_hitshT_tZhLVM6VzF7Vt-g/s1600/agnes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1345" data-original-width="1516" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3sOLHVUUntLoh7lP9mJFXgzL_yqjn9M1djJasGHrroeL9rGFdOW2sML9tcdyPPUhkIXL5f7koNxUe1ukt4q0J_-t8E6hTCwN4Rn0NgTG9mi24hxt_hitshT_tZhLVM6VzF7Vt-g/s320/agnes.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Our daughter Libby, painting the door on the St. Agnes room</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In return for providing this service, the family is allowed
to live rent-free at the CSE, occupying a few of the rooms. There are ten
people in our family, and we chose to live in the older suite of four bedrooms on the second floor. These are more removed from the main common areas of
the facility, making for a quieter environment to have our young children in
when there are groups here.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The summer is the CSE’s peak camp season, and they need us
to vacate temporarily to make room for the campers. They allow us to keep our
personal items in one locked bedroom, and they have a storage area we can use
as well. At the time of this writing, we are living away from the CSE while the
summer camps program is running. A nearby family we know through mutual
acquaintances had planned a European vacation, spanning exactly when we needed
to be out of the CSE. They have a small hobby farm with laying hens requiring
daily care, and our availability to house-sit was as good for this family
as it was for us. Checkmate, atheists!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In a few weeks, camps will end and we’ll be back there for
another year… and after that, who knows? God seems to light our path only in
small increments.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Doogiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12012332023931166256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15708736.post-24115863281522198372018-08-30T22:28:00.000-05:002018-08-30T22:28:44.127-05:00Formative UpheavalsI promised some people that I would write a post today. I've not got a specific subject in mind, so this will be a true rambling of a post-Commonweal gentleman.<br />
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I was looking back over my blog posts from a decade ago (!) wondering how I wrote so much back then. I was far more politically engaged and cared more deeply about how the nation was being run, and my reading on that topic fueled many of my posts. My faith, while no less vibrant and engaging then than it is today, drove me to write extensively on my conversion to Catholicism, but now that I've been Catholic for nearly as long as I wasn't, the topic isn't fresh anymore.<br />
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Of course, my family has grown substantially, since those hectic posting days of yesteryear. When last I updated gentle reader, I believe we were at five children. Now we're at seven, with number eight (God willing) coming to a birthing canal near you in April 2019.<br />
<br />
Volunteer activities and kids' activities have consumed much of my time too.<br />
<br />
However, a massive shift in our lives has thrown everything up in the air.<br />
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The <a href="https://www.catholicway.net/home" target="_blank">Catholic School of Evangelization</a>, a faith formation and retreat centre in St. Malo, MB (45 minutes south of Winnipeg, if you need a frame of reference), posted recently that they were looking for a new Missionary Family for a year-long term. This family would live on site, claiming a section of the dorms for themselves, and their role would be twofold: first, to prepare the facility to retreat groups coming in, welcoming them and being present to provide support, and second, to maintain the facility, performing minor maintenance and general groundskeeping. There's no income for this position, but the rent and utilities are free, so it somewhat balances out.<br />
<br />
My wife and I both felt like this was something God wanted our family to do, so we pitched the notion to our children and began exploring the possibility of putting our names forward. To make a long story short, it's us: we are the Missionary Family.<br />
<br />
This has uprooted us from our home, which we are renting out to a trustworthy family whose need for temporary furnished lodging providentially coincided with our term at the CSE, and as I write this we have been settling in to these dorms for the last ten days. Already we've welcomed one group in, and another comes this weekend.<br />
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When groups come, we need to give them their space as they are coming with their own agendas, programming, and community. We are to be background servants only, keeping out of their way as much as possible. This proves difficult with a shared kitchen and dining area, but we'll find our way.<br />
<br />
The other opportunity we have here is to grow closer as a family while we embark on this shared mission together. I am a relatively handy guy and am seeing the needs this aging building has, but my big struggle is in involving my kids in my repair jobs so they can learn how these things are done and become more self-sufficient as adults. As a German, I'm all about efficiency, and involving an easily distracted nine year old boy when I'm replacing a doorknob slows me a down A LOT. That slowness bothers me... but it shouldn't. This mission isn't a glorified work bee. It's a shared evangelistic opportunity to grow in faith, and I'm as much a student at this school as anybody else. I am finding, even ten days in, that my focus on beautifying the building is not conducive to our family communion. It's not that I need to do less. It's that I need to do these things for the right reason and in the right spirit.<br />
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Another massive bonus here is that we literally live under the same roof as the Eucharistic Lord, as there is a chapel here. We're using the chapel for our family prayers and - truth be told - my heart was so full of angst as I started to write this post that I picked up my laptop from the dining room table and am now seated three paces from the Lord in his Tabernacle.<br />
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His presence is soothing, and in this rambling introspection I feel he is coaxing me to be more of a Mary than a Martha; to drink in the moment, even if it's a year long.<br />
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If you are reading this, dear friend, utter a small prayer for me, for my family, that we would be good missionaries.James V. Kautzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056399129186883638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15708736.post-20315444108288557562017-08-16T20:27:00.001-05:002017-08-16T20:27:55.567-05:00Christianity LSHere's a picture of the roof console of my Chevy Uplander van, which has the LS trim. LS is the lowest of the General Motors trim designations, behind LT and LTZ. That means any GM vehicle with an LS after its name is without the bells and whistles that come automatically with the more expensive trims.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjGluw3WM2xHkdgGJoZHXKLdYoHPVe-KN5XLY-Ps4VlnycIOAtscwjY9-btlbJHsgewMGafim-qfnbrAWfyTXBIKgGsZQPKxIZDE05nXkzgicPQBTaDBhY1trYgdXhBWBRhQIt/s1600/20170816_192913.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjGluw3WM2xHkdgGJoZHXKLdYoHPVe-KN5XLY-Ps4VlnycIOAtscwjY9-btlbJHsgewMGafim-qfnbrAWfyTXBIKgGsZQPKxIZDE05nXkzgicPQBTaDBhY1trYgdXhBWBRhQIt/s320/20170816_192913.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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None of those buttons do anything. The blank placeholders indicate that I've got no rear power window vents, no built-in DVD player, no parking sensor, no heated seats. The very presence of the empty spaces is evidence that I'm missing something.<br />
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For the Protestant portion of my life, this was Christianity for me. But I didn't have the luxury of seeing a visual display of what "features" I was missing. Then one day I sat in somebody else's Christi-van-ity (just... just roll with it) and saw all these extras on the console like the Eucharist, the profound definition of a sacrament, the beauty of the liturgy, the Apostolic Succession and the See of Peter, the vivid and simple logic of the Eve-Mary parallel, even literal bells (but no whistles, although sometimes clackers during Lent). Yet despite all these extras, I was still in the same type of salvific vehicle.<br />
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I then returned to my own Christianity LS and realized what I was lacking. I couldn't stand it; I needed those upgrades like I needed air. I could not have been fulfilled as a Protestant Christian any longer.<br />
<br />
Chesterton had a similar experience, and I've quoted this from him <a href="https://convert-man.blogspot.ca/2008/03/thanks-be-to-god.html" target="_blank">befor</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://convert-man.blogspot.ca/2008/03/thanks-be-to-god.html" target="_blank">e</a>: <span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333;">"</span><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333;">When a man really sees the Church, even if he dislikes what he sees, he does not see what he had expected to dislike. Even if he wants to slay it he is no longer able to slander it; though he hates it at sight, what he sees is not what he looked to see; in that place he may gain a new passion but he loses his old prejudice. There drops from him the holy armour of his invincible ignorance; he can never be so stupid again</span><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333;">."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333;"><br /></span></span>
I had been raising thinking Catholics generally were not heaven-bound. We even had a bit of a backhanded compliment about this notion: "Sure, Catholics can be Christians too, if they accept Jesus as the Lord and Saviour." And yet here I realized that not only were they on the right road and knew it better than I did. They were also travelling <i>in style.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
If you're reading this as a Protestant, have you ever seriously considered what you might be missing?James V. Kautzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056399129186883638noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15708736.post-39524907624633164422017-07-24T00:19:00.003-05:002017-07-24T00:19:48.513-05:00So Close...For my whole life, I've spent part of nearly every summer at <a href="http://arlingtonbeachcamp.com/" target="_blank">Arlington Beach Camp</a> north of Regina, Saskatchewan. The camp a mission of the Free Methodist Church in Canada, and is a hub of the denomination's western-Canadian presence.<div>
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<div>
I was raised a Free Methodist, and even had my sights set on the ministry. In my mind's eye, I foresaw me receiving pastor's training, marrying a piano-playing gal who could help lead worship services, and taking assignments in backwater prairie towns, feeding the flocks there with the word of God. To fulfill that vision, I attended the now-defunct Aldersgate College in Moose Jaw, SK to begin a Bachelor of Theology degree. Life, however, took me in another direction after my first year concluded, and the following year the college closed. Suddenly rudderless, I drifted around, and during my travels and wanderings I found myself summoned into the Catholic Church. That's a long story for another post... if I haven't told it somewhere else before. Here's the part where I apologize to any faithful readers I have left for the long gap between posts. This one ought to make up for it.</div>
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Being a Catholic has changed the flavour of my visits to Arlington. I still love being there, as many dear friends I've made over the years still attend camp, and it's always been a favourite meeting place for my family, who are scattered over the prairies. And I still encounter Christ there in my personal prayer life and in the Christian community and events. But in order to fulfill my obligation to attend Sunday Mass, I need to leave the camp and drive with my wife and kids at least 40 minutes to the nearest Catholic parish. The means that a 3 hour chunk of time during each week at Arlington is spent away from my extended family and friends. They don't understand the nature of the Catholic Sunday obligation, and they certainly don't understand my love for the Eucharist that beckoned me across the Tiber. And they've never really had the patience to sit through an explanation of the scriptural reasoning that led me to Rome; those conversations usually get heated before they devolve into "let's just agree to disagree on our interpretations." For the sake of peace, I back down, but my heart still burns within me to help them see the truth as it's been revealed to me.</div>
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My most recent journey to Arlington was no exception. But this year was the first one in a long time that found me able to participate in the organized Family Camp activities as an adult. That specifically meant I could attend a Bible study through Philippians led by one Free Methodist pastor, another study of church hospitality led by a different pastor, and evening sessions on the divinely inspired rhythm of rest and revolution, led by the new bishop of the Canadian Free Methodist Church.</div>
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Here's where my post title of "So Close" comes into play.</div>
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On eight separate occasions within those sessions, I found myself seeing a logical next step in the teachings presented that, if taken, could merge beautifully into Catholic doctrine, but the pastors/bishop would always stop before that step. It was eerie. I know that we're all Christians and we have a lot in common already, but the proximity to specifically Catholic ideas was startling.</div>
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<div>
For example, one pastor talked about John Wesley's wish that his followers would be partakers of constant communion. Growing up Free Methodist, a communion service was something that was done perhaps once every two months. Long before my conversion, I remember thinking how weird it was that Catholics could potentially have communion every day. But this apparently was a concept close to Wesley's heart, which is logical considering he himself was an Anglican priest, which just one step removed from Catholicism. Still, Free Methodists are a couple of steps farther away, so for one of their pastors to wish for more frequent communion services made me want to stand up and shout, "Yes! God wants this for us, more than you know!" And indeed they had frequent communion services during the week (I did not partake), and one time they kept the leftover bread and grape juice on display on a table at the front of the big tent in which we had our worship meetings each night. This had a semblance to Eucharistic Adoration. Of course, Free Methodists and Catholics have a very different understanding of what communion is, and nobody was venerating the exposed bread the way Catholics worship the Eucharistic Lord. Still, they were <i>so close </i>right up until that last understanding, at which point they veered off wildly.</div>
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Another example in the same vein: this pastor also talked about how knowing there is communion after his sermon really takes the pressure off him to "perform" well as a preacher. It was all I could do not to point out to the group that the highlight of the Mass is always the Eucharist, and that bad music, unintelligible preaching, and unfriendly pew-mates don't matter to me as long as I can participate in the sacrifice of the Mass.</div>
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The third <i>so close</i> moment was when the bishop talked about the importance of confessing our sins to one another, verbally and out loud. He pointed to James 5:16 to drive this home, and touched on how forgiveness comes only after a verbal confession of sin. Unfortunately, he didn't connect that to John 20:22, where Jesus gives the disciples the authority to forgive sins through the Holy Spirit. But never before had I heard a protestant preacher talk about the importance of a spoken, verbal confession of sins.</div>
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Fourth: one pastor talked about how in Acts 15, the apostles came together in what's known as the Council of Jerusalem to decide on the question of whether non-Jews needed to become Jewish as a prerequisite for becoming Christian. The council decided no, and issued a letter stating their authoritative teaching on this matter. Today Catholics would point to other definitive councils in history, most recently Vatican II, as equally authoritative as the Council of Jerusalem because they are done under the apostolic administration of the Catholic Bishops, who are the spiritual descendants of the original apostles. These councils have been held to address the larger questions facing the Church in its current culture, and will certainly continue until the Lord's return.</div>
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Fifth: the bishop talked about the importance of a specific venue for private prayer. Catholic churches have always understood this need, which is why many of them have side-chapels, perpetual adoration chapels, and alcoves within the main sanctuary. The bishop was specifically referring to having a place in one's home, and many Catholic families I know have this because it's been ingrained into them by what they see in their churches. So close...</div>
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Sixth: the bishop led an interesting teaching on how different prayer postures can facilitate different types of prayer. He saw merit in praying with one's hands stretched up to the sky, in kneeling, in being prostrate, in standing, in sitting, etc. To a Free Methodist listener this is pretty radical stuff. But Catholics get it. Throughout the liturgical year we see all of these positions several times.</div>
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Seventh: one night, the bishop read from James 5:14 about how those who are sick should seek out the leaders of the church and request anointing with oil and prayer. If you're reading this and you're Catholic, you'll see that this is one of the spiritual bases for the Sacrament of the Sick. And not only did he preach on this, but he also had the pastors come to take up stations to offer an anointing with oil to any who were sick or needed prayer. I partook of this opportunity, while realizing it wasn't a valid sacrament per se, but hey, free prayer is always good. Again... so close!</div>
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Eighth and finally, one pastor outlined salvation history this way, as a five-act drama:</div>
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<ul>
<li>Act one: Creation in the image of God</li>
<li>Act two: Sin and the fall, with the promise that the woman's seed would crush the serpent</li>
<li>Act three: the promise made to Abraham and Israel that as God's chosen people they would be the instrument of the world's reconciliation with God</li>
<li>Act four: Jesus and his redemptive sacrifice</li>
<li>Act five: the Church's fulfillment of the promise of salvation, culminating in the return of Christ</li>
</ul>
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He maintained that the fifth act is incomplete because it's being lived out in our lives right now, and continuing the theatrical metaphor stated that we as the actors are basically doing improv until the Lord's return, with only the scriptural account of the early church to give us direction. I had the occasion to suggest to him privately afterward that as a Catholic, I have a script for these last days, and it's provided by the Church. I had done the improv thing, but once I found the script and discovered that it fit the flow of the production seamlessly, I could never go back to making it up as I went along. </div>
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We couldn't get much deeper into it at that time, and I have written this post in large part to be able to articulate all of those "so close" moments that I didn't get a chance to share with the people I ached to share them with.</div>
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Jesus, before beginning his Passion, uttered a prophetic prayer to his Father in John 17:11, asking the Father to keep his followers "one just as we [Jesus and the Father] are." My decision to become Catholic was less an act of will and more an act of obedience to this prayer. I didn't <i>want</i> to become Catholic; I <i>needed</i> to. Me being a Catholic is my personal response to Christ's prayer for unity among his disciples. I've surrendered all doctrinal differences I had with the Church; no cafeteria-Catholicism for me! I saw no way to remain outside of the original Church and the teachings handed down by the apostles and their descendants, and at the same time honour Jesus' wish for unity among his people. I pray that all will feel the same conviction.</div>
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James V. Kautzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056399129186883638noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15708736.post-77838068850193473492014-04-02T21:06:00.001-05:002022-11-19T16:01:37.400-06:00Story of a SoulThis year I've taken up the challenge of <a href="http://www.retreatbyrandomhouse.ca/2014/01/reading-bingo-challenge-2014/" target="_blank">a reading bingo</a>. It's a 5x5 grid with a different type of book in each square, so that means with the free square in the middle (yippee!) I need to read 24 different books this year. So far I've finished six books, most recently The Autobiography of Thérèse of Lisieux, which she titled <i>The Story of a Soul </i>(<a href="http://www.stephanchew.ca/SB1.html" target="_blank">buy it at Stephanchew's</a> if you're in Winnipeg). I selected this book to fill the category of "a book written by someone under thirty."<br />
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St. Thérèse, if you're not familiar with her, was a Carmelite nun who lived from 1873 - 1897, dying at the tender age of 24 from tuberculosis. She is better known as Thérèse of the Child Jesus, or the Little Flower, or the architect of The Little Way.<br />
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She wrote the book under a directive from the Mothers Superior of her convent; it's doubtful that she would have put pen to paper in this manner if she hadn't been so ordered. She was a quiet soul, longing to be taken into the convent at a young age and finally accepted at age fifteen. The book was first published two years after her death, and has remained a beloved tome of the Church.<br />
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I was surprised to read that St. Thérèse shared a common thought with me: she felt that she was woefully inadequate compared to the giants in Christian history like Paul, Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, and their illustrious ilk. While she was still quite young, she voiced this feeling of being too small to her elder sister Marie. She recounts the tale to Marie thusly:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I told you once that it puzzled me that God did not give everyone the same amount of Glory in Heaven and I feared they could not all be happy. You sent me off to fetch one of Father's big glasses and made me put my little thimble by the side of it; then you filled both up with water and asked me which I thought was the fuller. I had to admit that one was just as full as the other because neither of them would hold any more.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
That was the way you helped me to grasp how it was that in Heaven the least have no cause to envy the greatest.</blockquote>
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Lessons like this convinced her that she could still attain sainthood (and indeed, today she is known as a Doctor of the Church, meaning we hold her teachings right up there with Aquinas and Augustine) through what she called The Little Way.<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
You know that I have always wanted to be a saint; but compared with real saints I know perfectly well that I am no more like them than a grain of sand trodden beneath the feet of passers-by is like a mountain with its summit lost in the clouds. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Instead of allowing this to discourage me, I say to myself: "God would never inspire me with desires which cannot be realized, so in spite of my littleness, I can hope to be a saint. I could never grow up. I must put up with myself as I am, full of imperfections, but I will find a little way to Heaven, very short and direct, an entirely new way. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"We live in age of inventions now, and the wealthy no longer have to take the trouble to climb the stairs; they take a <i>lift</i>. That is what I must find, a <i>lift </i>to take me straight up to Jesus, because I am too little to climb the steep stairway of perfection."</blockquote>
<br />
I could get on board with that.<br />
<br />
Books can have many different effects on us. They can entertain, they can challenge, they can frighten, they can educate. This is one of the most unique books I've read - I don't know how else to describe its effect on me at this point on my journey other than to say that it seems to have strummed the strings of my soul with brilliant, harmonic chords. She is so very <i>real</i> in how she relates her journey; so very simple, straight, and thin - but her zeal burned so hot, she was like a hot knife which impossibly seems to cuts through the coldest brick of butter with ease.<br />
<br />
St. Thérèse, pray for us!<br />
James V. Kautzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056399129186883638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15708736.post-23876794819653596462014-03-27T20:16:00.000-05:002014-03-27T20:17:25.873-05:00Why Did You Let Me Fall?When I was a young man I drove a taxi. That was a fun job - I got to drive nice old style boats - Caprices, Lincolns, and even a Cadillac from time to time. Once I got to drive the firm's limo for a wedding - that was a neat experience. I used downtime between fares to read good poetry and to write bad poetry. I developed incredible defensive driving skills which still benefit me to this day. And I built friendships with many interesting people.<br />
<br />
One of these people was a sweet old black lady named Mavis who used to call on us every now and then to take her to the doctor's office or the mall or other such places. She was exceedingly charming, full of vim, and always had a story to tell. I had actually known her casually for several years before I started driving the cab, and as I got to know her better in the ensuing years, I witnessed her pass a frailty threshold to the point where she always need an arm to lean on to get in & out of the car. Being the consummate gentleman, I always obliged her cheerfully.<br />
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One icy winter night, I was escorting her across a particularly slick sidewalk to my cab (I had picked a bad place to park, in hindsight). Her steps were timid and hesitant. "Hold on tight," she admonished me, and I gripped her around her waist with one arm, holding on to her arm with my other hand.<br />
<br />
But it was too slippery, and as we were almost right up to the cab I sensed her losing her footing and starting to fall.<br />
<br />
My mind raced as time slowed to a crawl. Despite her frailty, she wasn't exactly a petite woman, and I was not positioned well enough to support her weight and still keep my own footing. Somehow, I instinctively knew that the only way to keep her from falling hard and breaking something was to let my hold around her waist slide up to under her shoulders and then to ease her gradually and carefully to the ground. Somehow I managed to control her fall safely and gently, her legs sliding under my parked taxi in the process.<br />
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This must not have looked at all graceful to any onlookers.<br />
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Time resumed its normal speed. She let out a whimper, and looked up at me with those big white eyes glistening in the starlight, crying out in her creaky, weathered voice, "Why did you let me fall?"<br />
<br />
My heart broke. I felt like I had let her down (pun unintended and shamelessly left exactly where it is). But I knew that if I hadn't controlled her fall, she would have been in a much worse state than merely horizontal and a bit chilled. I tried to stammer out an explanation but she wouldn't hear it; in her mind I had betrayed her by not protecting her absolutely.<br />
<br />
I was able to raise her up again and get her safely into the cab, and I got her home and to her door with no further incident. But the memory of that moment, and of the utter shock and hurt in her eyes and her voice, has stayed with me.<br />
<br />
Today this memory sprung unbeckoned to mind, and it struck me that there's a lesson here. I'm no stranger to sin, and as much as I do try to walk closely with God each day of my life, sometimes I am on slippery ground and don't realize my danger until it's too late.<br />
<br />
But God is good, and his arms are wrapped around me. If I am to fall, he's still got me, and he can protect me even in the face of mortal sin. I can think of many times when my slips into sin have been unnaturally cushioned by grace at the end of the plummet. And on those occasions, if I were to look up at God and ask, "Why did you let me fall?" I now realize the hurt that must cause him - he has done nothing but protect me, even if I made that more difficult for him by choosing to walk on slippery ground.<br />
<br />
Mavis, wherever you are, thank you for being God's instrument in my life. And I'm sorry for not choosing a better spot to park.James V. Kautzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056399129186883638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15708736.post-88253838739678593462014-03-25T23:00:00.000-05:002014-03-25T23:00:55.991-05:00Transformations #44 - 49If you've visited my home within the last year (or read my last post), you'll be aware that I performed an extensive renovation of our basement. It was a pretty much a complete rebuild - we had an imperfect concrete floor that made use of the space for an entertainment room next to impossible, and we also wanted to add a bathroom.<br />
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I could go into great detail with what we did, but these before/after shots tell the tale more simply than words ever could:<br />
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Aside from <a href="http://www.sturgeonconstruction.ca/" target="_blank">tearing out the old & pouring the new concrete floor</a> (Sturgeon Construction did that and did it very well), roughing in the plumbing (<a href="http://convert-man.blogspot.ca/2013/09/an-example-of-bad-service.html" target="_blank">ahem</a>), and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/StJosephsCarpentryLtd" target="_blank">taping & mudding the drywall</a> (shout-out to my friend Lionel of St. Joseph's Carpentry for rocking that!), I did all the work myself, with the help of family and friends.<br />
<br />
From the little errors I made as I progressed, I learned many renovation tips during this massive project, and they seemed noteworthy enough to count as the little Transformations I am still tracking in my life.<br />
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#44: Plan your framing to include corners for drywall mounting. This might seem obvious to somebody who has done this before, but I hadn't, and I was left scrambling to figure out a way to screw in my drywall properly at the corners of the rooms. It's all fine now, but do me a favour and don't lean on the inside corners if you visit.<br />
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#45: Consult a financial adviser when moving big money around. We had stockpiled some money into our tax-free savings account, and drew from that to cover some of our costs. After having a chance discussion with a financial adviser later, she cautioned me that I could get hit with a tax on moneys I withdrew from the account. Fortunately it would have been a relative pittance, as most of the project was funded through a line of credit. I dodged a bullet, but it was still a good tip I wish I'd known before.<br />
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#46: Practice a new thing first - i.e. putting in drywall screws - you get better at it as you go along, so mess up on a practice area first, instead of leaving your learning curve on display for everybody to see later.<br />
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#47: Inspect contractors' work thoroughly & don't be afraid to ask for corrections. Most tradespeople will stand behind their work (<a href="http://convert-man.blogspot.ca/2013/09/an-example-of-bad-service.html" target="_blank">ahem</a>) and want to leave you with a good impression.<br />
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#48: Cut your holes in drywall for electrical boxes very tight - start small and work them bigger gradually as needed. And cut circles (not squares) for circles. If you know what I'm talking about, you'd be impressed with how I covered up those errors!<br />
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#49: Always have a shop vac, broom & dustpan, and large garbage container on hand. Seriously. Keep your workspace clean. I've extended this lesson to my house in general, and have been able to keep my nice new basement clean as a result.<br />
<br />
Oh, and Phillips head screws? You suck. Come on world, get on board with <a href="http://www.robertsonscrew.com/history.html" target="_blank">Robertson</a>!<br />
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<br />James V. Kautzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056399129186883638noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15708736.post-84821896571645104882013-09-03T13:31:00.004-05:002013-09-03T13:45:03.095-05:00An Example of Bad ServiceI've got a bone to pick.<br />
<br />
Last year, we did an extensive renovation on our basement, gutting it down to the dirt and finishing it. It's now my favourite place in the house. I did most of the work myself, but brought in professionals for the concrete, plumbing, and drywall finishing.<br />
<br />
My complaint is with my plumber. My concrete vendor recommended him. I was a little leery, as I couldn't find any information about him in my due diligence (he has no website, no company profile on the BBB website, and no mentions at all of his name or business online, which is part of the reason I'm writing this post). But I trusted the reference and booked him. His name is Jason Borgstrom, going under the company name J.Son Mechanical. I was happy with 99% of his work. It's that nattering 1% that has escalated and has now completely soured my experience with him.<br />
<br />
The job we had for him had two main elements. Part one was roughing in plumbing for a 3 piece bathroom. Part two was removing our 100 year old cast-iron main drain and replacing it with PVC pipe & a backwater valve. Previous owners of our home had done some plumbing upgrading, and the main venting stack had been replaced with PVC and tied into the cast-iron drain. This is where that little nattering problem came up.<br />
<br />
The main stack, if you're not familiar with plumbing terms, is a vertical pipe that sticks out of the roof to allow air into the plumbing system. This lets draining water be replaced by air as it flows out of the house - without this, you'd create a vacuum in the system, and drains would drain slowly, if it all. The stack ties into the plumbing on every floor of the house. In my house, this 2½ story piece of pipe is held in place by nothing other than the ground on which it sits, which is not a problem as that ground doesn't move. But when my plumber removed the horizontal cast iron drain from underneath the vertical stack, suddenly the weight of the whole stack assembly was held in place by the thinner pipes that connected into it from the sides, all the way up through the second floor. One of those connections, the one from the kitchen sink, cracked and started dripping. It was a slow drip, so we didn't notice it right away. But when we did notice it, we opened up the kitchen cabinets to find the source and deduced the cause. We called the plumber back to correct it.<br />
<br />
He insisted that he did not cause the damage, but agreed to repair it, and did so. Up to this point, we were still at 100% in terms of satisfied with his work.<br />
<br />
But then he billed us for the repair, to the tune of $65, on top of his $3425 invoice. [Seeing that, my satisfaction dropped to 99%.] I objected to being billed for that since it was damage that he caused, and told him via email that we would subtract the $65 on our payment, which we sent him promptly. This was his reply:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
If you believe it was caused by the stack, then so be it. I am not going to make a big deal out of $65.00. Thanks very much for having the courtesy to inform me of the difference. Thanks again.</blockquote>
<br />
[50%]<br />
<br />
As a customer service professional, his snarky tone really irritated me, but that was the last I heard of it and I let it go. I figured that maybe I had just caught him on a bad day.<br />
<br />
But a few months later we learned that the city was offering a substantial rebate for renovations done where there was a backwater valve installed, which we had done. They required a detailed receipt from a plumber showing the exact work that was done, but our invoice was very basic and did not meet the city's requirements. So I emailed Mr. Borgstrom asking for a more detailed version. He didn't reply, so I figured a phone call would be better. When I talked to Jason, he said that he remembered me, and he flat out refused to help me, saying, "Maybe next time you'll treat your contractors better."<br />
<br />
[0%]<br />
<br />
I am now of the opinion that Jason Borgstrom of J.Son Mechanical has deplorable customer service skills, which, in a referral driven trade such as plumbing, is very unfortunate for him. I'm quite well networked, and have recently had several friends ask me if I can refer a plumber to them. My response has been that I don't yet know any good ones. While I don't wish him any ill will, I do hope that this post helps future prospective customers of his make an informed decision.<br />
<br />
There is a happy ending though: the city, once we informed them of our situation and Jason's intransigence, agreed to make an exception and is proceeding with our rebate application.<br />
<br />
Look at the powerful customer service lesson here: Jason had an opportunity to keep my satisfaction at 100%, and to generate referral business, by owning up to his mistake and not charging me $65 for the repair. He had another opportunity to get me from 99% back to 100% by saying, "Sure, that's reasonable. No problem." And he could have got me from 50% back up to 99% if he had taken 10 minutes and done up the paperwork I needed when I first requested it.<br />
<br />
Instead, he was unreasonable and rude.<br />
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For the record, <a href="http://www.sturgeonconstruction.ca/" target="_blank">Sturgeon Construction</a> did an amazing job breaking up & repouring our concrete floor (that was a hard, hard two weeks for them), and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/StJosephsCarpentryLtd" target="_blank">St. Joseph's Carpentry</a> did incredible work with our drywall mudding and taping (virtually dust free!). Both firms had no problems coming back to fix minor issues. I'd heartily recommend them to anybody.<br />
<span style="color: white;">.</span>James V. Kautzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056399129186883638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15708736.post-74976941327854034202013-03-15T00:04:00.005-05:002013-03-15T00:04:57.691-05:00The LineI've been following through with my commitment to do <a href="http://convert-man.blogspot.ca/2012/07/transformations-42-resonate.html" target="_blank">a Bible study to help Catholics learn how to read the Scriptures</a>, and tonight our group went through Judges, Chapter 10.<br />
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The chunk in there that really resonated with me was this (v 6-8, emphasis added):<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord. <b>They served ... the gods of the Ammonites and the gods of the Philistines</b>. And because the Israelites forsook the Lord and no longer served him, he became angry with them. <b>He sold them into the hands of the Philistines and the Ammonites</b>, who that year shattered and crushed them.</blockquote>
<br />
Along similar lines, today I read the English translation of <a href="http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-1st-homily-full-text" target="_blank">Pope Francis' first homily</a> as Pope. This passage stuck out:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
When one does not walk, one stalls. .... When one does not profess Jesus Christ - I recall the phrase of Leon Bloy – “Whoever does not pray to God, prays to the devil.” When one does not profess Jesus Christ, one professes the worldliness of the devil.</blockquote>
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These two passages, both coming from completely different directions, hit me in the same spot in my heart. This is truly the work of the Holy Spirit. In simple terms, they convicted me that there is no room for compromise in my service to God. If there are things in my life that do not bring me closer to Jesus, they draw me away from him. And those things, those gods I worship - for everything we do is an act of worship of something - are never neutral. For the very things that seem so innocent will certainly lead me to my destruction, just as the gods of the Philistines opened the door for the Philistines to shatter and destroy the Israelites.<br />
<br />
There is a very clear line between good and evil, between Heaven and Hell, between Christianity and The World. From the Christian side, that line is very visible. But from the world's side, the line must appear invisible.<br />
<br />
The world keeps urging the Church, "Worship our gods. Be more progressive. Allow homosexuality. Allow contraception. Allow divorce." By making a stand against these things, the Church is being a bright light in a dark place, and it hurts the eyes of the people who prefer the darkness. "Turn it off!" they shout. "Walk in darkness with us." Therein lies the trap.<br />
<br />
One who hides his light under a bushel when it is the only light in the room is a damned fool. Literally. Keep shining the light, Holy Mother Church. And invite those on the other side of that line - those perched blindly on the edge of a crumbling cliff - to come and join us in the light, where there is vision, safety, and warmth. There is no condemnation in this invitation - there is only his mercy.<br />
<br />
If you are reading this and are on the other side of this line, I implore you: come to the light!<br />
<br />James V. Kautzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056399129186883638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15708736.post-80609962567477641742012-12-26T01:02:00.001-06:002013-03-15T00:10:42.348-05:00Decisions<div dir="ltr">
Dec 26 is the Feast of St Stephen, the first Christian recorded as martyred for the faith. How amazing that this violent death is so closely tied to the miracle of the sweet little baby Jesus. The parallels are striking: in both accounts, not everyone recognizes Jesus for who he truly is and what his coming means for the world. Some people (shepherds & Stephen) are given glimpses of the glory of God which sound bizarre to those who hear the tale, and others (King Herod & the Sanhedrin) react with violence for fear of losing the power they wield over the people. The question before me as I meditate on this is: How will I respond to the truth Jesus sets before me? Will I embrace it despite the cost & ridicule it may garner, or will I shut him out and live life on my own terms?</div>
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<br /></div>
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Each day is filled with countless moments where this question is asked of me.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
Therein lies the secret of a life of faith - baby steps, small choices, incremental progress. I am far from perfect; my flaws are legion, yet Jesus loves me and meets me where I am at in life without reservation, asking only that I give him permission to do what he wants. Sometimes I give this permission with profound zeal, but mostly my permission is half-hearted. Occasionally I refuse outright. Yet he never grows frustrated, and always patiently waits for me to come around.</div>
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<br /></div>
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St Stephen was a much holier man than I, yet I now humbly ask for his intercession, that I would be given the grace to surrender my life more completely to the Lord Jesus.</div>
James V. Kautzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056399129186883638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15708736.post-64766217606789748462012-08-05T21:35:00.001-05:002012-08-05T21:35:36.010-05:00Transformations #43: The Bike TheftOn Aug 4, my wife and I attended Freedom To Love, a conference on the <a href="http://thetheologyofthebody.com/" target="_blank">Theology of the Body</a> as presented by Christopher West. If you're not familiar with this topic, it's one of the key components of the Catholic Church's New Evangelization. It's a deep, profound, and complicated study but is full of insights into our faith, our creation as sexual beings, and our creator. It is jam packed full of jaw-dropping "I never knew that!" and "That makes such perfect sense now!" moments.<br />
<br />
It was a pleasant & sunny day - perfect for a bike ride to get us to the Convention Centre downtown. I've become a big fan of riding my bike into downtown Winnipeg, as it is much easier to navigate the traffic and free to park. But I had never parked my bike for an extended period of time downtown, and this was a day long conference. I have a good bike lock though (or I thought I did), and we found a bike rack near the front of the building that I considered to be within sufficient public scrutiny as to prevent a would-be thief from being able to spend too much time trying to cut my lock. I was reasonably sure everything would be fine.<br />
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After our lunch break, my wife wanted to confirm our bikes were still there, and I took a look - they were. "She's being too nervous," I told myself as I headed back to the conference room.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bike locks you see here aren't ours.</td></tr>
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But as the conference ended - it was amazing, by the way - and we headed out to go home, I was stunned to see an empty bike stand where we had had them locked up.<br />
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This is such a gut-wrenching feeling. While not as serious a violation as a home robbery, it is still offensive to think that somebody took the time to cut my lock (which was securing both bikes to the rack). In all likelihood, the bikes were taken to a pawn shop or broken up for parts to sell to fuel a drug habit.<br />
<br />
We immediately went to the security desk and asked them if they had any footage of the theft. The cameras recorded somebody bending over them at 2:54 PM, a different guy approaching them at 3:10, and the same guy riding one of them around the other side of the Convention Centre two minutes later. Apparently bike theft is a team event.<br />
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My house insurance deductible is $500, and putting in a claim would have an impact on our monthly premiums too. It's hardly worth putting in a claim for this. Remind me why I'm paying $100/month for their services? Perhaps if the thieves had done a more thorough job and broken into our home too... I guess I'd better be careful what I wish for though.<br />
<br />
According to <a href="http://www.winnipeg.ca/cms/license_branch/bicycle_license.stm" target="_blank">the City's website</a>:<br />
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<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
As many as 3,000 bicycles are reported stolen each year in the city of Winnipeg. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The City of Winnipeg recovers up to 1,500 bicycles each year, with only 10 to 12% returned to their rightful owners. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The City of Winnipeg sells over 1,000 bicycles a year at its annual bicycle auction because ownership cannot be traced.</blockquote>
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<br />
Ironically, I had read this about a week prior, and had resolved to get our bikes registered. The key to finding the rightful owners of bikes is to register the serial number with the police, which means that we'd stand a 50% chance of getting our bikes back. You can't imagine how hard I'm kicking myself for all the decisions I made (or the ones I procrastinated on) that led up to this theft.<br />
<br />
But that's not my transformation moment from this tale.<br />
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I was scheduled to play music at our Mass today, and the theft had been understandably troubling me. My spirit was not in a place where I could rejoice at anything. So as I walked to the church I prayed. I prayed that the Lord would take all my worries and woes away. I prayed that the Lord would restore my joy and would allow me to let go of the anger I was feeling. I prayed for the thieves, that they would be converted and saved from their destructive cycles.<br />
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And I felt liberated. A new & refreshing joy filled my spirit and I was able to focus on the beauty of Mass.<br />
<br />
My wife had an insight that I'm clutching as my only grain of hope in this situation: perhaps those bike thieves had nobody else to pray for them. Perhaps the Lord allowed this to happen so that they would be brought into the circle of our prayer life. If so, I am doing him and them a great disservice by holding on to my bitterness over this.<br />
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That release from anger, that liberating love: that's the small change wrought in me this day.<br />
<br />James V. Kautzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056399129186883638noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15708736.post-38047606859773238952012-07-12T23:41:00.000-05:002012-07-12T23:41:11.120-05:00Transformations #42: ResonateThe first time I went to Mass after deciding to become Catholic, I took my Bible with me. I went with a Catholic family whose daughter attended school with me, and they were amused that I brought it along.<div>
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I was ready to read along. But for the first reading, the reader proclaimed, "A reading from the book of Isaiah." I panicked. Isaiah what? There should be a chapter and verse proclaimed along with that, no? How else could I follow along?</div>
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Fortunately I knew the passage and knew which chapter to flip to, so everything was OK.</div>
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I've since learned that this is just the way it's done in the Catholic Church. Participants in the Mass are expected to listen instead of read, and that is why the exact reference is dispensed with.</div>
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If you're a Protestant reading this, you may be of the opinion that Catholics in general don't know the Bible well (and you'd be generally right). And you may think that this is a reason why (maybe, maybe not). I definitely observed a state of cluelessness about the scriptures among the faithful when I crossed the Tiber. There was a hunger for them there, but there was a real lack of pastoral effort to feed that hunger. Catholics especially don't seem to know how to take a passage of Scripture, meditate & pray through it, and come out with something concrete to improve their own lives.</div>
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For years I was frustrated at my fellow Catholics for this missing component (I've since learned that there is a Catholic name for the type of study I was used to - <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lectio_Divina" style="font-style: italic;" target="_blank">Lectio Divina</a>)<i>. </i>But it never occurred to me that I could help to solve this deficit.</div>
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Until just a few weeks ago, that is - hence the Transformation moment. The Lord laid it on my heart (there's a good Protestant expression!) to start a Bible study. He assured me it would work with my busy schedule. So I put the wheels in motion, spread the word around, and tonight we had our first one. A group of seven of us sat with coffee around our living room, opened with prayers, and began to devour the Word together.</div>
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We'll be reading through the book of Judges, one chapter at a time, meeting twice a month. I call this the Resonate Bible Study, as the goal is to search the passage for something that resonates with you.</div>
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The book of Judges is a pretty difficult read if one is new to the Bible. The first chapter is filled with very foreign sounding names of people and places, and as we went around the circle it was almost humourous to hear everybody stumble over Canaanites, Simeonites, Adoni-Bezek, Kiriath Arba, Talmai, Hormah, Zebulun, Nahalol... you get the picture. But we got through it.</div>
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The challenge to each person was to find something concrete in the scripture we read and to turn it into a prayer request. It seemed like a tall order, as the passage was very dry on first glance. But "all scripture is inspired by God and is useful" - very quickly an enriching discussion took place, and we closed off the evening with spontaneous group prayer for every person's specific prayer request. It was a little over two hours.</div>
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For me, what resonated took a bit of cross referencing. The chapter is an account of how the Twelve Tribes spread throughout Canaan, conquering cities as they went. Judah, the tribe descended from the eldest son of Jacob and therefore the one with the most political clout, "took possession of the hill country, but they were unable to drive the people from the plains, because they had iron chariots" (Judges 1:19b) My Bible cross-referenced that with Joshua 17:16-18, where the tribe of Joseph - the descendants of the second youngest of Israel's sons, with fewer numbers and the least political clout - was given permission to take more territory from the Canaanites in the plain (the cities referenced imply it was a different region of Canaan than Judah later received). They balked at this, for the Canaanites had iron chariots and seemed too powerful for them to conquer. "But Joshua said to the house of Joseph... 'You are numerous and very powerful.... Though the Canaanites have iron chariots and though they are strong, you can drive them out.'"</div>
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The relatively small and weak tribe of Joseph took on the challenge of the iron chariots and won. The strong and influential tribe of Judah, chief among the tribes, could not defeat the iron chariots. For me, the prayer request was to be weak like Joseph so the Lord can fight my battles. If I try to defeat my own "iron chariots" under my own power, I am doomed to fail.</div>
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All in all, it was an excellent Bible study and everybody who came got something out of it. I am glad I organized this and am eagerly looking forward to the next one.</div>
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<br /></div>James V. Kautzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056399129186883638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15708736.post-44813882209719195082012-03-22T09:40:00.000-05:002012-03-22T09:40:23.874-05:00iTruthA friend on Facebook recently posted this famous quote from Steve Jobs:<br /><br />
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Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice.</blockquote>
<br /> This inspirational quote is taken from his <a href="http://news.stanford.edu/news/2005/june15/jobs-061505.html" target="_blank">commencement address at Standord University</a> in 2005, and upon Jobs' death a few months ago it was dusted off as an example of the way he lived.<br />
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<br />The only problem is, anybody who listens to that quote and adopts what it says is failing to adhere to the advice it gives. The person who hears that message and walks away with an elated heart, thinking, <i>that's exactly how I'm going to approach life</i>, is, to draw from the quote itself, adhering to "the results of other people's thinking." The noise of Jobs' opinion is drowning out the hearer's own inner voice.<br />
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It's like the advice my uncle gave my wife and me on our wedding day. "As newlyweds and future parents," he said, "you're going to get a lot of advice from all kinds of people on every little aspect of married life. Don't listen to any of it. Chart your own course, and follow it." He then grinned and added, "In other words, ignore everybody's advice, except for what I'm telling you right now."<br />
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On the surface, both of these messages sound like a genuine nugget of wisdom. But the concept it promotes - unfailing reliance on one's own self - is insidiously dangerous, in that it can lead a soul into the isolation of the self, rejection of God, and risking final damnation.<br />
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One of the compelling truths I discovered on my way into the Catholic Church is that history is filled with all kinds of people wiser than me. I realized with a shock the pure arrogance of Protestant theology which empowers the individual Christian to discern absolute truth for him/herself. This deception is based on the Scripture verse promising that the Spirit of Truth would lead us into truth, but when one person's truth contradicts anothers, it's clear that at least one of them has been misled.<br />
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I propose that the deeper and purer teaching would be to discern whose wisdom is genuine and to follow the teachings and examples of those people. As a Catholic I willfully rely on the inherited wisdom of the Saints and Doctors of the Church, and with eagerness I adjust the way I live based on this revelation. Jobs brushes the edge of this Truth with his quote, but he is missing the full reality of it. G. K. Chesterton summed it up best way back in 1926, regarding <a href="http://www.gkc.org.uk/gkc/books/conversion.txt" target="_blank">his own journey to Catholicism</a>, when he quipped:<br />
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We do not really want a religion that is right where we are right.
What we want is a religion that is right where we are wrong. In
these current fashions it is not really a question of the religion
allowing us liberty; but (at the best) of the liberty allowing us a
religion. These people merely take the modern mood, with much in
it that is amiable and much that is anarchical and much that is
merely dull and obvious, and then require any creed to be cut
down to fit that mood. But the mood would exist even without the
creed.... They
say they want a religion like this because they are like this already.
They say they want it, when they mean that they could do without
it.</blockquote>
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The key question is simple: Who has the final word on what is true? And just as key is one's individual response to that question, for if one admits to an authority outside of one's own self, must not that same person conform his or her life to the demands of that authority?<br />
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Apple is well known for branding its products after the self: iPhone, iPad, iPod... I, I, I. It's clear how Jobs' philosophy of the primacy of self has impacted his brand and the culture it permeates.<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: white;">.</span>James V. Kautzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056399129186883638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15708736.post-2675908864999171952012-02-04T22:07:00.000-06:002012-02-04T22:11:43.133-06:00The Power of RepentanceIn my devotional time at the local perpetual adoration chapel, I often feel a prompt from the Spirit to meditate through a particular section of the Bible. I can't explain exactly this prompting works; one of the books or characters just starts to stick out in my head. I recently completed a meditation on the life of Abraham, and prior to that I had focused on Romans, Jonah, and Job, among others.<br />
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For the study itself, I take one section of the book, read through it prayerfully, and try to find a way to make it real in my life. It's an old Protestant trick that many Catholics would do well to learn, although my time in the Catholic study group <a href="http://www.familiausa.net/">Familia</a> really helped me to develop this skill too.<br />
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Currently I'm going through the Old Testament book of the prophet Joel, and I wanted to share one passage that has really resonated with me. The story up to this point is that God's people had rejected him, so he sent an enemy army to go and lay waste to their land, to loot the temple, and to put the people into slavery. After the Israelites had had enough, they cried out to the Lord in repentance and he came to their rescue. If you study the history in the Old Testament, you'll see that this is a fairly common pattern. Nothing new here.<br />
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Hold on, I'm getting to the good part.<br />
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After saving his people, the Lord then turns his hand against the enemy army he sent to conquer his people. When the army wonders why <i>they're</i> now suddenly the target of God's wrath, he responds: (Joel 4:4-8, which might show up as <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=joel%203:4-8&version=NIV">Joel 3:4-8</a><span id="goog_487268898"></span><span id="goog_487268899"></span><a href="http://draft.blogger.com/"></a> in some versions):<br />
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Now what have you against me, Tyre and Sidon and all you regions of Philistia? Are you repaying me for something I have done? If you are paying me back, I will swiftly and speedily return on your own heads what you have done. For you took my silver and my gold and carried off my finest treasures to your temples. You sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks, that you might send them far from their homeland. See, I am going to rouse them out of the places to which you sold them, and I will return on your own heads what you have done. I will sell your sons and daughters to the people of Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabeans, a nation far away.</blockquote>
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Pretty harsh, eh? This is one of those "eye for an eye" texts that are so difficult to reconcile with the idea of a loving God. Perhaps this passage can't be understood so literally though.<br />
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Taken as hyperbole, the core point would seem to be that God still treasures his people and is fiercely devoted to protecting them. The intended audience here is the Jews, after all, not the gentiles from Tyre and Sidon. God is sending his people a message here: <i>God's forgiveness is a complete forgiveness.</i> He doesn't hold a grudge after the reconciliation, wagging his finger & saying, "You did have it coming, you know."<br />
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God is so eager to wipe all traces of his people's iniquity from his mind that he is filled with a baffled rage against the nations that would dare attack his beloved. It's almost like he forgets that he was the one who pronounced that very doom upon his people, and he was the one who commissioned the enemy army to invade. Psalm 103:12 says, "As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us." That's what we see happening here. God has forgiven his people so completely that he doesn't associate the destruction they had gone through with their past sins. All he sees is that somebody hurt his beloved people.<br />
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I'm also reminded of a line from <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Hiding-Place-Corrie-Ten-Boom/dp/0553256696">The Hiding Place</a>, by Dutch author Corrie ten Boom, whose family hid Jews from the Nazis during the Second World War (amazing book, by the way). Leading up to the war, her wise & aged father witnessed some of the atrocities the Nazis were perpetrating and sadly shook his head, saying he felt sorry for the Germans. Baffled, Corrie asking him why he should feel sorry for people who led such brutality. His response: "They have touched the apple of God's eye."<br />
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Through the new covenant, I am now one of God's chosen people. <i>I</i> am the apple of his eye! When I turn to him in true sorrow for my sins, his forgiveness is a done deal. The true power of repentance comes from the fact that God always responds to us with perfect forgiveness; when we reach out to him, we find that he is there, having extended his arms to us long before we noticed. The challenge I derived from my meditation on this section of Joel was to bear this fact in mind the next time I felt hesitant to approach the sacrament of reconciliation. I extend that same challenge to you, gentle reader.<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: white;">.</span>James V. Kautzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056399129186883638noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15708736.post-8441277210391432152012-01-25T19:45:00.002-06:002012-01-25T19:45:56.333-06:00Transformations #41: Daddy Date DayWith my eldest daughters just on the cusp of puberty, I've decided to start a one-on-one date night with one of my kids per week. Next week I'll complete my second run through the five eldest kids. Michael, our four month old #6 child, is exempt for the time being but I'll include him soon enough.<br />
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It's nothing really bizarre that we do; we just pack a couple of board or card games, or colouring books for the real young ones, and head to the nearest Tim Horton's. I'll get a coffee and the kid will get a hot chocolate and a donut, and we'll play for an hour or so, making small talk and just enjoying the one-on-one time together, away from the bustle of an eight-person family.<br />
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I remember my dad doing a similar thing with us when we were teens, and wanted to implement the same idea with my kids. It's been a challenge to fit these Daddy Date Days into my hectic schedule, but it's already showing fruits, and the kids positively love going out with me. It's amazing to think of the influence I have over them as their father. I pray that I'm able to be the father God wants me to be to them.<br />
<span style="color: white;">.</span>James V. Kautzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056399129186883638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15708736.post-7670433635384005852011-09-18T00:45:00.000-05:002011-09-18T10:41:59.576-05:00Busy, Busy, Dreadfully BusyI've got a lot going on these days. For starters, you can expect a birth announcement post in the next week or so - our sixth child is due Sep 24 and my wife is quite predictable when it comes to adhering to her due dates.<br />
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The school year has started again, which adds its own layer of complexity to our busy lives.<br />
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My insatiable lust for Star Wars and Star Trek novels has flared up again and I've consumed at least a dozen books in the last few months.<br />
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But the real project I'm devoting my time to is building some models to be used in our school's Atrium program, also known as the <a href="http://www.cgsac.ca/">Catechesis of the Good Shepherd</a>. This is a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montessori_education">Montessori</a> method of educating children about the truths and mysteries of our Christian faith. I've been buzzing about in my garage all summer, putting in anywhere from five to fifteen hours a week.<br />
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This work of mine corresponds nicely with what my wife has also done in the last year, as she was attending classes with the ultimate goal of becoming an Atrium instructor at some amorphous point in the future. So as she was learning about the Atrium lessons on a spiritual & academic level, I was learning about them on a functional level. We both surrounded our labours with prayer and took great delight in sharing perspectives with each other!<br />
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Here are a few photos of the projects I've done so far. You can click the photos to enlarge them.<br />
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<b>Sheepfold </b>- this is one of the first models the children are shown. The grass is a soft indoor/outdoor carpet. Figures of a shepherd and a flock of sheep are used to display how the shepherd guides the sheep into the sheepfold on the right, calling them each by name. The same lesson is applied, using the altar on the left circle, to show how Jesus calls us all to encounter him in the Mass.<br />
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<b>Miniature Altar with Base - </b>note the miniature lectern in the background as well. Using this model, the children are shown the vessels used during the Mass.<br />
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<b>Cenacle </b>(The Upper Room). This is the first project I did. It has an empty space below for storing the figures of Jesus and the Apostles. Someone else is making those. Children are shown a re-enactment of The Last Supper using this model.</div>
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<b>Puzzle Map of Israel at the time of Jesus</b> - this was my first foray into the amazing flexibility of coping saws. The pieces are cut from a pine blank, and it is backed with 1/4" plywood. After painting each piece I protected them with clear Varathane.<br />
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<b>Topographical Map of Israel </b>- this is the most challenging one I've yet completed. The heights are achieved through use of cardboard egg-carton paper mache and a few strategically placed blocks of wood. Most of the paint was sprayed on. The three flags represent the locations of Nazareth, Jerusalem, and Bethlehem. Children are taught the significant locations in salvation history using this model.<br />
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<b>Jerusalem - </b>this model, as you can see, is still a work in progress. It promises to be the most challenging one yet. I enlarged a topographical map of Jerusalem and traced the various heights onto nine pieces of hardboard, then cut them out and glued them together. Next, I'll be using Plaster of Paris to give the ground a smoother appearance (I built a small mock-up of some slopes so I could test this method, and was pleased with the result). After the ground is complete, I'll build the city walls and major buildings. They will be removable, so the most complicated part of this project will be building them to fit easily on the contours of the ground. This model is used to teach children about the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus. They are shown the key locations where Jesus was throughout Holy Week.<br />
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I'm also working on a model of Mary's home where the Annunciation occurred, but haven't taken any photos of that yet. Still on my to-do list is the Nativity model showing where Jesus was born, and a generic house used to demonstrate the parable of the Pearl of Great Price.<br />
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This is a very rewarding experience and I'm truly relishing the opportunity to use and develop the woodworking talent the Lord has given me. Plus, being a carpenter makes me just a little bit more like Jesus. :)<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">.</span>James V. Kautzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056399129186883638noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15708736.post-41796783677274122352011-09-02T10:38:00.002-05:002011-09-02T10:39:02.931-05:00PrioritiesI frequently admire the wit of the famous <a href="http://xkcd.com/">xkcd</a> web comics. This one in particular really illustrates the polarization of modern society. It reflects the difference between people whose priorities are the accumulation of pointless wealth and people whose priorities are more focused around family. Very poignant.<br />
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source: http://xkcd.com/946/James V. Kautzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056399129186883638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15708736.post-75823703845984181812011-07-19T08:55:00.001-05:002011-07-19T08:56:01.157-05:00ToldThe other day I was helping my four-year old wash her hands. After rinsing I playfully flicked my wet fingers into her face. She flinched, then frowned and scolded me: "Daddy, I don't like when you do that."<br />
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"Well, I like it," I said with a grin.<br />
<br />
Confused, she replied, "Then why didn't you do it to yourself?"<br />
<span style="color: white;">.</span> James V. Kautzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056399129186883638noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15708736.post-32004021586030804482011-07-13T12:36:00.002-05:002011-07-20T16:26:59.385-05:00Why I Love Twitter<div style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">For work recently, I had to find some replacement parts for a customer's barbecue. After some legwork I was able to find the required part numbers, and I assured our customer we would have them ordered and delivered to her. It wasn't a smooth process but it all worked out... I'll let the email thread below speak for itself:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b><span lang="EN-US">From:</span></b><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>James<br /><b>Sent:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Monday, July 04, 2011 11:32 AM<br /><b>Subject:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Parts for Broil King Signet 20</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Hello,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I need to order the following parts for a Broil King Signet 20 (9865-54):</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">10184-E78 DOOR - TOP CAP – LEFT</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">10184-E76 DOOR - BOTTOM CAP – LEFT</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">10184-E79 DOOR - TOP CAP - RIGHT</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">10184-E77 DOOR - BOTTOM CAP – RIGHT</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">What is the best way to place the order?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">James</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b><span lang="EN-US">From:</span></b><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Gordon<br /><b>Sent:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>July 13, 2011 11:51 AM<br /><b>Subject:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>RE: Parts for Broil King Signet 20</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span">James,</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span">The best way to order these parts is through us over the phone, simply call in at 1-800-265-2150 and talk to a representative in our office here. I created a file for you with the part numbers you provided, so simply reference your name and the information should come up and the rep you talk to can help you from there. I hope this helps!</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">Gordon</span><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">Customer Service Representative</span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b><span lang="EN-US">From:</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> James<br /><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, July 13, 2011 12:16 PM<br /><b>Subject:</b> Re: Parts for Broil King Signet 20</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Gordon,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Thanks for getting back to me. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I tried calling but was stuck on hold longer than I cared to wait, which was what prompted me to send the email. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I also found<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/broilkingbbq">Broil King on Twitter</a>, and have talked to Rich through that channel.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> He has taken care of the order, so you can cancel the file you set up for me.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">As a customer service rep myself, I must say I’m not impressed with the phone delays Broil King is having, and am even less impressed that it took nine days for anybody to respond to my email.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> Please let the powers that be know that I’m very impressed with Rich and the service he provided via Twitter though.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Regards,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">James</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">UPDATE: (at 3:48 PM, same day)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b><span lang="EN-US">From:</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> Gordon<br /><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, July 13, 2011 1:36 PM<br /><b>Subject:</b> Re: Parts for Broil King Signet 20</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">James,</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I’ve just been in
contact with Emilie who I understand just left you a message asking if you had given your address to either Rich or myself. Emilie is taking
care of sending out your parts but doesn’t have your address to send them to. If
you could either call her back or just shoot me one last email and then we can
take care of everything for you. I apologize for any delay and confusion and
hope to help get this resolved as soon as we can. Thanks for
understanding.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Gordon</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b><span lang="EN-US">From:</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> James<br /><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, July 13, 2011 3:19 PM<br /><b>Subject:</b> Re: Parts for Broil King Signet 20</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Gordon,</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I got Emilie’s message –
yes, I had provided my address to Rich and he was going to send the parts to
me. As I said, Rich has taken care of the order, so you can cancel the file you
set up for me. I don’t want to seem rude, but didn’t you or Emilie communicate
with Rich before replying to & phoning me?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b><span lang="EN-US">From:</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> Gordon<br /><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, July 13, 2011 3:45 PM<br /><b>Subject:</b> Re: Parts for Broil King Signet 20</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">James,</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">We’re sorry there was
this mixup, because Rich works separately from us in the customer service
department <i>it can get somewhat convoluted exchanging information when customers
contact us through our several different inlets.</i> We’re glad that this was able
to be resolved however and hope these parts work well for you! Thanks, and sorry
once again!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>[</i><i>emphasis added]</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Commentary: I appreciated the apology, but the inference within it is very unfortunate. I refused to wait on hold for 40 minutes to reach an agent, and when I had </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">no response to my email a day later, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/JamesVKautz/status/88340890413834240">decided to use Twitter</a> to try to reach somebody. But how am I to blame for their lack of internal communication? Do I even need to be told that? Businesses really underestimate the power of a simple, "We messed up and we're sorry." Besides, I don't need to hear the root causes of your confusion - that's for your managers to know.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Update: July 20/11 - I've received the parts I ordered - twice as many as I ordered, actually, but since they sent them no charge I can't complain about that from a financial point of view (although their accountants probably can). The real kicker is that the replacement parts all broke during transport - even the surplus ones. That's right: the parts I ordered to replace broken ones were broken as well. I think there's an issue with quality of the plastic used, but they were also poorly packaged, which is obviously what caused the damage.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Again though, Broil King's Twitter guy, Rich, came to my rescue. I sent him a video showing the damage and he replied that he'd personally package a new set of parts and send them again.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">It's not uncommon in the modern world to find products that break easily. And it's not uncommon to find</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> companies too bound up in policies to provide decent customer service. For all the failings I encountered in Broil King's phone & email support team, I was impressed enough with their Twitter guy that I haven't lost confidence in the brand itself. That's a valuable lesson for any company to learn - one person can make a world of difference, plus or minus, for your brand's image. I only hope Broil King is smart enough to recognize the asset they have in Rich and that they compensate him well and start to clone him.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: white;">.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></div>
James V. Kautzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056399129186883638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15708736.post-29107713889756094952011-07-06T21:30:00.000-05:002011-07-06T21:30:20.792-05:00Transformations #40: Biking To WorkMy steadfast readers will recall that I've been <a href="http://convert-man.blogspot.com/2010/11/transformations-37-movember-cancer.html">eating differently</a>, starting back in November 2010.<br />
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I've stuck to it and have seen the pounds drop off - 46 lb lost, at my last weigh-in.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiOdxTUIeKlH0oLxLDpjZeoosHwlPlwfp98CA6dC7gVyQDD6O2gHscEjH90h-ukDkoaON1SM-i-DpWt3tXoF2H23yLdHIHIm8qA2YMv1bpJi-466SDkbATXzy-DHskC2CXZ5FB/s1600/Weight+loss.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiOdxTUIeKlH0oLxLDpjZeoosHwlPlwfp98CA6dC7gVyQDD6O2gHscEjH90h-ukDkoaON1SM-i-DpWt3tXoF2H23yLdHIHIm8qA2YMv1bpJi-466SDkbATXzy-DHskC2CXZ5FB/s400/Weight+loss.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
In addition to the new eating plan, I've recently added some exercise to my life (yes - every pound I've lost, except for the very last measurement, is due strictly to the change in my diet). Now that summer's finally here I've also decided not to buy bus passes for the next few months, until the weather turns cool. Instead I'll be taking my bicycle to work. Credit goes to our local <a href="http://biketoworkdaywinnipeg.org/">Bike To Work Day</a>, back on June 24, to get me kick-started in this. So far it's been great - it actually takes me less time than the bus ride takes, and I really enjoy not being bound by schedules, surrounded by smelly people, or stuck in traffic.<br />
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I'll also save the $76 monthly bus pass cost (although I do get about $11 of that back at income tax time), over what I expect will be the next three months.<br />
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Knowing that I've accomplished so much is a huge boost to my confidence too.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">.</span>James V. Kautzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056399129186883638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15708736.post-21513202376569336052011-06-14T22:56:00.000-05:002011-06-14T22:56:28.789-05:00My Ten Favourite Christian Songs: 10/10Time to finish off this list, folks.<br />
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Again, let me reiterate that the order of these songs is irrelevant - just like my kids, I love them all the same.<br />
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So without further ado, number ten is <i>True Believer</i> by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hokus_Pick">Hokus Pick</a>, a now-defunct Canadian band who were based out of Vancouver. I saw them in concert a few times, most recently around the year 1999, the year they stopped making new albums. I wore my Hokus Pick t-shirt, with their logo crammed into a Superman S-shape. After the concert, one of the band members looked at my shirt and commented, "Wow, that's a really old one." I bought one of their newer shirts after the concert, and I still have it today (hanging in my closet next to <a href="http://convert-man.blogspot.com/2010/10/my-ten-favourite-christian-songs-310.html">the Koo Crew</a> one).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYcZGEL5A7bAcbPvEPQW3DH1Aj75aH6jGhNxoJ65WtYfdiQ9N82MPA5STI-nlwJKAJ-BoDLXMj-Cg15eVz1UdTk9cVmiLJyD4k9Dw6rHNbJl_YvjmcJ8wq-xTntnBlXhAUmbEL/s1600/Hokus+Pick.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYcZGEL5A7bAcbPvEPQW3DH1Aj75aH6jGhNxoJ65WtYfdiQ9N82MPA5STI-nlwJKAJ-BoDLXMj-Cg15eVz1UdTk9cVmiLJyD4k9Dw6rHNbJl_YvjmcJ8wq-xTntnBlXhAUmbEL/s320/Hokus+Pick.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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They are roughly comparable to The Barenaked Ladies in style, but happily they don't have an offensive band name. Their albums are heartfelt, yet vibrant and full of fun. Some elite musicians may scorn their compositions as amateurish, but as an amateur musician myself I very much appreciate being able to pick out the chords and play along.<br />
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To hear <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/snappy/id329332042">True Believer</a> on iTunes, click that link and play the sample (track 8). Why not buy the whole album there and give these good Canadian boys a few cents? There's a hidden track at the end that's easily worth $10.<br />
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The lyrics are what I appreciate most about this song:<br />
<br />
<blockquote>I'm not a rock.<br />
Do I believe it not?<br />
For I have denied the grace I've received by name<br />
The saints of old chickened out when the rooster crowed<br />
Still they were forgiven without consequence or blame<br />
<br />
I'm trying, crying, denying<br />
I wanna be a true believer<br />
Giving up, running out, full of doubt,<br />
But I wanna be a true believer</blockquote><br />
Songs like this give me a great assurance that no matter how hard I fall in my faith, the faithfulness of God is more powerful than any sin I can contrive. It's OK to be imperfect in my quest for holiness.<br />
<span style="color: white;">.</span>James V. Kautzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056399129186883638noreply@blogger.com0