Operation Maple Dip

Last week I was able to join Erik, Sharon and Matt Porter for Etcetera. I had a blast as my fellow Canadians called in and joined me in Operation Maple Dip. The show was a blast, and the Fred was even better. Thanks to all who called, and to Erik, Sharon, and Matt, thank-you for it all. I'll be back!

Drugstore jesus

Drugstore jesus
by Plumb

Take the blame for saving lives
You've got the sunset in your eyes

And you've got the glory on your mind
Your good intentions are hard to find

You're drugstore jesus
The miracle is gone
You're drugstore jesus
A saint for everyone
You've thrown your soul away

All your gold turns to dust
And all your masses lose your trust

This grand illusion, this planned confusion
This substitution is tainted love

In a world turned upside down
Can the truth be turned around?
In a world turned upside down
Can the truth be turned around?

You're drugstore jesus
The miracle is gone
You're drugstore jesus
A saint for everyone
But the world goes on


5 am alarm clock rings and you get up.
Navigating the stairs is no problem because you do it every morning.
Coffee's already on, the miracle of timer.
The cat needs food, heaven forbid he could use some of his reserve.

That's how each of my morning starts. Day after day after day. It can get monotonous. However, there's always the opportunity to spend a few minutes doing some personal devotions. Do I always do this? No. Trying to read through the Bible in a year though, it's coming back. But to get back to the point.

The above song is a song I think that we should all listen to. Scroll back up and read the words again.

Look I'm not deep. Well, I am but I'm not poetic.
But I was driving home tonight, and that song came on my iPod, and it almost brought tears to my eyes.

We are that song. We use a drugstore jesus.
When push comes to shove, we dig in with our heels and give it our all.
We fall, we fail, we feel.
Then we reach out to jesus and ask for help.
he can help us now because he said so.
Help us now and we'll thank him tomorrow.
Tomorrow comes, and we're back on top, and we move on.

Another crisis comes up, and we pop another pill.
Another day, week, month, maybe year between hits.

we pop jesus, use him, and then put him back in the pill-box, back on the shelf, fold up our Bible and put it away. When we have another headache, heartache, soulache, we take another.

We insult him, and misuse him.
I point the finger here a lot, but I also look inside myself.
I use jesus a lot when I should have used Jesus earlier.

Notice the lower-case, I think it's important.

Somehow, we have to figure out how to manage our pain, and take the prescription when we should and in proper doses. As prescribed.

As I said, I'm not poetic, and if you hear me, I thank-you

Conditional Love

About six years ago, I was at the ATM machine topping up my wallet for a fun-filled evening of merryment. As I was exiting the bank, a man in his mid-late thirties approached me and asked me if I had five bucks to spare. I did, so I gave it to him. A sense of servitude and satisfaction came over me. It was great.
The next day, I again had to swing by the ATM, and as I did, I passed a variety store where outside, leaning against the window not unlike Jay & Silent Bob, was this fellow, taking a long drag on a cigarette. Huh, I thought to myself....is that how he spent my money?
Yet a third trip to the ATM a few days later was upon me, and once again, as I left, this very same fellow approached and asked again for five bucks. Well this time would be different.
"What for?"
"The Bus."
"You mean you're not going to take it and buy cigarettes?"
"No."
"All right. Here."
After all, I was a Christian and this man was Jesus to me. I was serving him.

I did see him smoking again. He's never asked me for money again, mostly because I've never bumped into him again. However, I'm sure that if he did see me, he'd ask again.

Somewhere along the way, I got lost.
We got lost.
Serving Jesus should not have strings attached.
We'll help you as long as you act accordingly.
We'll feed the homeless, as long as they listen to a message.
We'll take in a boarder, as long as they come to church with us.
We'll give you five bucks, as long as you don't use it for smokes.

When did His money, become Our money?

When will we cut the strings of our generosity, and simply have the freedom to give.
And be free to be Jesus.