Mama Bevy's Blog











Friday, May 27, 2005

Good news

We've been stuck in a financial bind for a few months. We had a real-estate guy over to discuss our problem and he says "Go back to your bank--something is wrong with their estimates." We've been there only a few WEEKS ago but with his encouragement we go AGAIN. This time the news is different (like 30 thousand dollars different) WHATEVER--- I don't care---we keep our house----our payments go up 60 dollars a month--WHOA!! I like good news---beats bad news anytime!!

Thursday, May 26, 2005

Entertain me!!

Another rant from me. I hope I'm not becoming a crochety old lady-- BUT-- I turned the TV on last week and saw the beginning of the Gala event for the Queen. Buffy Saint Marie was singing a song about 'no more war' and it angered me. I thought, "I didn't elect you to speak for my country internationally. Whether I agree with you or not, it just isn't your place to have such a strong voice to proclaim your views. Who GAVE you this platform?? This is supposed to be an entertaining evening for the Queen and her crew and the country. Get off the stage!!" With that I changed channels and left the Gala in a huff and watched some mindless drival. I'm not sure why this hit me as SO wrong. I like Buffy Saint Marie. I usually enjoy this kind of Canadian programming. But this particular evening I felt like we need someone who we actually VOTED IN to speak for us and not someone who gets to speel off whatever they think because they have a stage.

Tuesday, May 24, 2005

Summer time

I spent the long weekend at DJ's family cottage. DJ has done a great job renovating it and it is very beautiful and comfortable. The girls are very happy at their cabin. They run up and down the hill to the lake as if it wasn't a hill at all. For me it IS a hill. DJ has long standing friends there as he grew up going to the cabin. The whole row cooperate and put in water and a pier every year. They know each other and each other's families. Liz (DJ''s) mom is in the hospital and a neighbor gave Erica heck for not letting her know that Liz had been hospitallized. NOW THAT IS COMMUNITY. Working together, playing together, concern for each other, eating together. If it can happen on a row of cabins at a lake, why is it so difficult to tranfere to the city??

Monday, May 16, 2005

Back to the Book

One of the concepts that the author of the book (see last blog) suggests is that there are two categories of people where oppression rules; there are the oppressed and the oppressors. The oppressed have only ONE role model of not being oppressed---you guessed it!! Their role models of not being oppressed is the OPPRESSOR. So until another option is discovered, regimes change but no new thing is discovered, only more oppression. The author also suggested that by empowering the oppressed to think for themselves and walking with them as they discover a brand new way, the oppressed can free both themselves and their oppressor. He says this freecom can not come from the oppressor as it will look like charity so that he, the oppressor, can keep his position of authority therefore not truly setting the oppressed free. This position bothered me as I think both sides should be able to initiate freedom. The only example I could think of, was the change of heart of Zacheus, where he saw his oppression of others and was willing to make restitution and change his position from oppressor to servant. I know true change is a process and realization of the damage done takes time. Because of the work that I do, I was thinking that a micro picture of what this guy is saying, could be between adults and children. It is easy to act and react as oppressor and the oppressed, with little ones and it takes a WHOLE LOT OF ENERGY to walk WITH little ones and not OVER them. One of the things that the author says is a result of oppression is lethargy or as we like to say in Winnipeg apathy--who cares!! If one of the ruling attitudes in our city is apathy---could we reverse this guys conclusion and see if this is a city where there is a lot of oppression???? HUMMM HUMMM??? Please comment or refute or discuss among yourselves as I'm verklempt!!

Sunday, May 15, 2005

New Book

I'm reading a book called"The Pedagogy of the Oppressed". It has some interesting thoughts. It is a book from Cheryl's university course. When I read something like this book, first I want to understand the author's point of view. Of course this is filtered through my own understanding so it could be off from the author's intent. Then I reflect on what I thought I heard and filter this through want I understand of scripture and what I have understood of Jesus Himself. If my understanding of scripture line up with the author's thought, then I try to figure out how this should affect any change in MY behaviors. Right now I'm in the REFLECTING stage of this book. Some of what he said, I believe DIRECTLY affects our city and I believe change is needed. Some of what he said affects me directly, but more in a way to "give words or language" to what I believe than actually changing my views. A few things I have to question as they don't seem to line up with what I believe Jesus says. This author never uses the term Servant leadership but I believe he understands the concept clearly. I have more to learn so I must go contemplate
some more. I will be writing more about this later....as Cindy described being on a learning curve........me to

Tuesday, May 10, 2005

Open our EYES

I've been listening to a series of tapes called "The Bride of Christ through the Bible" It is amazing to me that so many 'clues' are there right in front of our eyes but we don't see. I remember when we first bought a van and it seemed EVERYONE was driving a van. Then we had a truck with a push in camper on the back and it seemed like EVERYONE had one of those. Before, we were unaware of vans and campers, but when we OWNED one our eyes were then opened to vans and campers. This is true of unrevealed truths in the Bible. We were once told that the gifts of the Spirit were gone so when we read about them in the Bible we just glazed over that part. Then our eyes were opened to a 'new' truth--these things were still in operation!! All of a sudden we could see throughout scripture that God meant HIS gifts for us NOW. That is what it has been like listening to The Bride tapes. WOW!! This was God's whole plan from before time!! He started the Bible with a wedding, He ends it with a wedding. His first miracle was at a wedding. Another great MYSTERY is being revealed. As more light is shed on this over the next 20 or 30 years, we'll all be saying, "Sure it is very plain throughout the Bible". But for now we need a special grace to be able to SEE IT CLEARLY.

Sunday, May 08, 2005

Mother's Day

This is NOT a week that needs ANOTHER celebration at it's end. We've had two birthdays and an anniversary starting from Tuesday. The coffers are empty from lunches, dinners and presents. STILL, I can't help but think of my Mom today. She has been gone for seven years and I mostly remember her blessings. She was always there to rescue and pray when things were tough. Her home was open with hospitality. She was a very good cook. She took great pride in her gardens. She loved God BEST and ALWAYS. I was her youngest and I could make her smile. She often was serious but I could get her to relax and smile, no laugh right out loud. This makes me glad. I know I brought joy to her life. Now I'm the 'older' generation. My kids have kids. I hope some of MOM'S good Godly traits live on though me. Life without end AMEN.

Friday, May 06, 2005

Delicious Book

I read a (as Rebecca would say) most DELICIOUS book. If you need a book to be Biblically correct in facts, don't bother with this book. But if you enjoy a great fanciful tale this is a wondrous book. It made me wish we still lived in family groups and made me glad I am a woman. It highlighted the strengths passed down through generations. It honored differing strengths of personalities without pettiness. It raised up women without putting down men. It even finished with a blessing to the reader--How COOL. I hate finishing a book this good as it is like saying goodbye to a new friend. The book is called "The Red Tent". Cheryl brought it here from the library and I JUST LOVED IT.

Wednesday, May 04, 2005

Ranting on

I promised Judi my own Rant the other day. So here goes. I grew up on a farm and most Canadians have farming roots going back 3 or 4 generations. Cows were for milk, butter, cheese and meat. Pigs were for bacon, ham and pork. Chickens were for eggs and frying or roasting. Dogs were to keep the cattle in line and protect the farm. Cats were for keeping the mice population down in the barn. Heaven help any dog who took a liking to raw chicken meat . Bye-bye puppy. Every evening while I watch Jeapardy, I see an advertisement for this Beautiful new Humane Society building and it angers me. We have the child poverty capital of Canada, we have kids in Hotel rooms, we have street people who are cold and hungry. How did animals get up there with more status than human beings. I have friends and family who love their animals and take great care of them. This is all fine. But do we REALLY needing a state of the art building for housing lost pets??? What is wrong with a barn or wearhouse--we DO have many empty wearhouses in the city. Could some priorities be out of wack here?? I KNOW I am now p*ss*ng off many people but this is MY RANT!!

Monday, May 02, 2005

Idols in one's life

I've known for years that one of the best ways to "KNOW THYSELF" is through our angers. John and Paula Sandford have some great teaching on how to use your anger for personal growth. We want others to conform to our image or at least BELIEVE IN the image we are trying to portray. When this happens in a marriage and the compliant partner DOES actually comply and become a carbon copy of their mate, the dominant mate usually despises their creation as it is a reflection of themselves. When someone opposes or refuses to bow down to one of our idols, we want to heat up the furnace of our rage and make it 7 times hotter, to scorch the offending non-compliant person who can't see OUR truth. True freedom only comes as we allow others to be find themselves and be themselves. When "THEMSELVES" really irritates us, we need to ask God to get to the root of OUR anger and cure US--- not them. NO MORE bowing down to worship at the feet of man-made idols. We worship God alone and LET HIM define each of us. Then know it is perfectly ok to be who God made you to be.