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Jeff crossed the finish line less than an hour before the bombs went off and our friend crossed it 20 min. before. We had arranged to gather at the family meeting area, two blocks from the finish line and had just found one another, when we heard the explosions. As we heard sirens coming from every direction we knew those two unearthly sounds, had done something devastating.

I realize people all over the world live in chaotic, unsafe places living out their daily lives.  I’ve never known that kind of terror and sorrow and darkness but I have a small sense now.

I envision little Martin and his sister happily cheering and watching for their dad and I see my son and daughter. But nothing I feel compares to the deep well of everything that those who were there, those who’ve lost their loved ones and limbs, those who attended to the chaos and terrible wounds with fearlessness and care, are feeling.

Finish lines have long been places of celebration, of humanity and perseverance. Tears are shed, sweaty hugs had, people look exhausted beyond belief and people look exhilarated by the accomplishment. To have such a horrible violence come over those moments leaves me speechless. But I do know and trust that somehow the light seeps through the cracks of the darkest moments and the dawn does come. Life is always trying to reveal that.

The next morning we walked the Freedom Trail with helicopters hovering and police every direction, some with fingers already held in the trigger of their guns. We walked with fear and sore bodies and hearts.

We were stopped several times by the people of Boston, to say they were sorry that this has been what we have known of their beloved place. I didn’t need any convincing that Boston was beautiful and good and that her people will rise and they will run again. And out of solidarity and hope, we will too. We will stand at many finish lines yet to come, and we will celebrate life and choose love over anger, courage over fear and hope over despair, some days that is easier than others, but something tells me that Martin, who I’ve seen pictured holding a sign saying, “No more hurting each other”, would want that for all of us.

(Kristy and Jeff are alumnus of Carey and good friends to many of us. )

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Being a detective comes naturally to me. A friend and I solved a neighbourhood arson before the police got involved when I was 14. We were imitating the Hardy Boys! Detective work, asking lots of questions and observing closely, was helpful in pastoral work, too. Sherlock Holmes’ dictum, clarified a few puzzles: “When you discard the impossible, whatever is left, however improbable, must be true.” It also could get me into hot water!

Detective work is useful for historical research. I was reading extensively several years ago on what is called the French Reformation. (You can ask if you want to know why I don’t like the term.) I began to notice more evangelicals who did not want to separate from the “one church” than I had expected. Some historians missed this trend.

I especially noted a leading Catholic, Gerard Roussel—who was well known in his day. He was ignored or minimized by most researchers. Why? It turns out that Protestants like John Calvin thought he was unfaithful by accepting a bishopric, and traditionalist Catholics thought he was dangerous because of his “Protestant-sounding” teaching. Both dismissed him.

My recently completed PhD dissertation has demonstrated both that he was an important evangelical reformer and that he was an irenic who took seriously the call to love one’s neighbour. Faith with a strong and influential impact for peace is something that needs stressing nowadays. Being a detective has allowed me to make a beginning. A delightful task!

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In my practice I hand out questionnaires, teaching outlines and recommend Cognitive Behavioural Therapy books. I listen as deeply as I can as well.

But sometimes I discover something that just says it all while making everything else redundant and does so without all the clever and self-important diagnostics that psychologists seem to need. I loved this and I hope you do too. Congratulations to Allie Brosh for making it through and leading others in her wake.

And for the sensitive among us, there are some words in this blog that express the feelings of depression in volatile ways exactly like it is in depression.

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One study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association looked at the way in which people metabolized caffeine and then examined heart attack rates. When the researchers divided the group according to whether they possessed an enzyme that quickly metabolizes caffeine, or a different enzyme that metabolizes it more slowly, suddenly the picture on the impact of caffeine intake and heart attack became very clear. People who break down caffeine rapidly decrease their risk of a heart attack by drinking coffee, while slow caffeine metabolizers dramatically increase their risk. Drinking four cups a day of coffee was associated with a 17 percent decrease risk in fast metabolizers and a 260 percent increased risk in slow metabolizers.

I wonder now if I grade according to how fast or slow students metabolize, since the fast metabolizers seem to write more brilliant papers and posts as well as love chocolate, but not white chocolate, which has no right to be called chocolate.

So, should you be drinking more coffee in my classes? Depends if you are a fast or slow metabolizer. How do you know if you are a fast or slow?

The article says that if caffeine makes you feel a bit nervous, irritable, hyper, anxious, or depressed, or if it causes insomnia, you are likely a slow metabolizer. If you are a fast metabolizer, you can tolerate caffeine, maybe even love it. It is said that one cup produces better protection against a heart attack than drinking two or more cups, and that might mean that you should get your coffee, if you are only drinking one cup, from a place like Revolver or Matchstick or CC Violin (my new favourite in West Vancouver because it combines the best French chocolate pastries with dark coffee).

The article concludes that coffee can be source of beneficial antioxidants and healthful in low quantities if it works for your body but that health benefits pale in comparison with the benefits provided by many other foods, most notably chocolate, berries, and other richly colored fruit and vegetables. Maybe coffee and chocolate together are a great idea for my classes after all.

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Does sexual and emotional attachment (as in, what do I do with my surging feelings?) before marriage interrupt or harm one’s attachment towards God and faith? Does virginity before marriage make it more likely that you will have a joyful sexual life once married? Perhaps you have made a “virginity mistake” somewhere along your way.

Eryn-Faye Frans is a friend of mine and has been for many years. She is a Toronto lawyer and is also “Canada’s Passion Coach” who confronts sexual issues that may be uncomfortable for some and deeply welcomed by many others. And she has a special interest in the church and its mission in the world.

In her blog, Eryn-Faye responds to a Salon.com article (also very interesting) on the debate around faith and virginity. I found the discussion confronting and thoughtful and I hope that you do as well. Also, check out my friend’s web site at ErynFaye.com.

She has published “The Essential Elements of Sex” and I use this book in my marital practice.

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The kingdom of God is like the woman who searched for the lost coin or the man who sold everything so he could buy the most expensive pearl.

The pictures described are counter-intuitive or “foolish”  and the “both and” meaning  it is also Jesus and Spirit-intuitive for those who hunger and thirst for God.

Theological education and investing in growing in the Trinity, – the Father, Son, & Spirit is the priceless gem Carey students seek after.   Those far along the journey and some new to faith  have accepted the invitation to seek and give up what they need in exchange for something of God’s kingdom.

The years of study and cost of learning is worth it all.   It is a mutual investment of time, resources, prayer, and mentoring for our students and instructors.

We at Carey are excited about our students.   We love them dearly and want to send them off well.  Every student has a unique story coming and studying here and we know God has “great things” in store for them.

To those us who give towards Carey’s ministry, “we thank you.”  To those of us who supported your wife, husband, son, daughter, child, or parent, “thank you.”   To our behind the scenes administrators, staff, who make make Carey run smoothly, “we bless you.”   To the professors and instructors who have journeyed and “equipped the saints,” we echo “thank you.”

And let us all come together and thank God on this lovely May weekend.

We invite you to join us as we not only celebrate but also pray for our graduates as they commence and “GO FORTH” as followers of Jesus.   Click the above image for more details.

Click here for CALENDAR info and directions.

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Here is a blog entry from a Carey student contributor:

It is not surprising that a husband does things differently than his wife. But their unique work is equally required to raise a family. As I think about my parents, mom has long been responsible for managing the money, whereas dad’s job is to earn it. In the kitchen, mom’s role is to make most of the meals and dad’s is to clean up afterwards. Diffabilities is my term for confidently completing an action differently rather than feeling a need to do things the same way as those you admire. As a visually impaired person (V.I.P.) I have needed to learn different ways of completing routine tasks. For instance, the driver of a car in the H.O.V. lane is no more important than the passenger sitting in the next seat over. If I need to know, or not, I am learning to ask more questions so that new insight might be realized. And, whether it is for visual reasons or otherwise, I finish tasks slowly so they may be done well, once. If mom and dad did not have these diffabilities, and passed them on to their kids, delicious meals would not be made, dirty dishes might just remain in the sink and it might take an extra long time to get to work.

David Ducklow is an MASF student at Carey and in his non-academic time is a spiritual director and tutor for children with special needs. He attends CapChurch in North Vancouver where he plays congas on the worship teams and is an advocate for First Nations people. 

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Carey Institute’s Centre for Worship Studies received a grant from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship (CICW) that will fund a year-long project themed “Psalms for All Ages.”  It is a series of workshops and seminars that will equip pastors and lay worship leaders in planning and leading worship experiences that minister to congregational members of all ages.

CICW director John Witvliet states that these “projects have much to teach us and we are eager to learn from them…. Worship renewal is not something that human ingenuity or creativity alone can produce or engineer. It is a gift of God’s Spirit, a gift for which we pray, rather than an accomplishment we achieve. So, even as we announce these grants, and as we look forward to the work these recipients will do in the coming year, we also pray.”

Pray for Carey as we work to develop our project over the coming months and welcome others to the journey of worship renewal.    To read more and get a copy of the press release click  here or the image to the left.

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