George Bush and Co. were visiting Ottawa today. I watched the press conference that he and Paul Martin gave. I think Bush did a fine job answering questions, better at least than my own Prime Minister. This is how it is: Martin always answers questions with a non-answer. He basically uses a lot of big, positive sounding words (unilateral, multilateral...huh?) and manages to communicate...nothing. Bush, on the other hand, gives very straightforward answers, and he manages to be quite entertaining in the process. Maybe it's because he is one of the most powerful men in the world, and isn't afraid to speak his mind on the issues. Martin, though, is an appeaser, and he'll rarely let yes-or-no answer leave his lips. He seems to care way too much about what the powers think.

But Martin's style is still more lucid than ol' Chretien's was. I know Jean had a speech impediment, but it was always hilariously difficult to understand what he was saying.

Them's my two cents.

Is Shabbat for the nations? Yes. Hashem instituted Shabbat when Adam was the only man alive. Everyone can keep it. As Yeshua said, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath." God didn't make Shabbat so that men could write hundreds of rules about what we can and can't do on it. He made it so that we could rest. The Sabbath reminds us of the Exodus from Egypt, and of the future Sabbath rest that is coming when Moshiach returns to the Earth. It is a sign between Hashem and the children of Israel that in six days He made the heavens and earth and on the seventh day He rested.

What are the criteria to become an Israelite? Recognize Hashem as the only true God. Recognize the nation of Israel as your new adopted family, the Jews as your brothers. That's the pattern in the book of Ruth. And if you're a man, you should be circumcised some time, although that's a little more open to debate. Finally, start keeping the commandments, including Shabbat.

Now, what does everyone think?

I am absent no longer.

Ritual macrame. It's a mitzvah. Just do it.

Oh, a shout out to Musophrenia. Welcome aboard. Come again and stay awhile, if ye be so inclined.

I remember walking in Jerusalem with my friend Yakov (I think it was near the corner of Shivtei Yisrael and Ha-Nevi'im), and meditating together on the the following verses from Proverbs,

"Watch over your heart with all diligence,
For from it flow the springs of life.

Put away from you a deceitful mouth,
And put devious lips far from you.

Let your eyes look directly ahead,
And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you.

Watch the the path of your feet,
And all of your ways will be established.

Do not turn to the right nor to the left;
Turn your foot from evil." (Proverbs 4:23-27)

These are, of course, easy verses to meditate on while walking. Keep your eyes facing straight ahead, so that your feet won't stumble. Paul may have had these verses in mind when he exhorted the believers in Philippi to, "press on toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Messiah Yeshua." (Philippians 3:14) We humans are very forgetful. God requires us to repeat the words of the Shema several times a day, and in so doing we are constantly re-aligning ourselves with the goal of God's high calling, which is to love Him with all our heart, soul, and strength. Throughout the day our eyes may stray, and our feet may trip from time to time, but everytime we say "Hear, O Israel," we have no choice but to bring our eyes back to the goal.

Anyway, that memory of walking with Yakov is just another in a stream of memories that come unlocked for me from time to time. A word, a tune, a smell, a feeling, a particular passage of Scripture, and suddenly I'm back in Eretz Israel, walking once again on the paths of the ancients. Two nights ago I had a vivid dream, and some friends of mine, the Hershfeld family from the village of Ezuz, were main characters. It seemed in the dream that they lived in a nice house, which was built in the middle of a desolate war-zone, or a demolished neighborhood. There were many fine-looking houses built upon this rubble. Actually, the area sort of reminded me of an area in Jerusalem, although changed somewhat by the dream.

The end of this story: I really want to be back in Israel!

Shalom Ya'll

Everyone check out U2.com for complete, free, streaming audio of the new U2 album!

Everything is for a purpose. And God will have mercy on whom He will have mercy. "Jacob I loved, and Esau I hated," black and white statement. The Almighty doesnt' make sense, but He is, and that's all that matters.

Today I met Nelson Manning for the first time. No relation to Nelson Mandela. Probably.

I went to the 'David Kaplan and Friends' show at the Broadway Theatre last night. It was one of the best shows ever! I enjoyed every minute of it. David and his accomplices were having a great time, and so I also had a great time. To add to the greatness, I also got to sit and chat with Twyla Toews.

"Kaplan the Clarinet!"

Thank God for the awesome arts scene in S'toon.

Here's an interesting fact-filled site for ya'll to check out:

Palestine Facts.

Powerful things are happening in Saskatoon, and all over the world. The kingdom of God is being built. As for everyone worried about politics, let it go. There's more important stuff to care about. Let's help God build His kingdom.

Today I received an aerogramme from Israel, addressed to "Family Paul, for Joel". Pleasantly surprised to get anything in the mail, I soon cut it open and discoverd that it was from Don and Petra Esposito! Two of my favourite people in the world! It was a very encouraging note, and it really made my day.

Al-Jazeera has reported that a "bitter fight [has] broken out over who should control [Arafat's] fortune, estimated to be between $4.2 billion and $6.5 billion." Other estimates are lower...

Al-Jazeera's is probably the highest estimate of Arafat's wealth, with others ranging between $300 million and $3 billion. A report by Forbes magazine in March of 2003 reported that Arafat was rated #6 on the list of the world's richest "Kings, Queens and Despots." A CBS report last year stated, "U.S. officials estimate Arafat's personal nest egg at between $1 billion and $3 billion." It is widely known that Arafat purposely blurred the line between money given to the PLO, the Palestinian Authority and himself, and that it will not be easy to separate them once his death is finalized. Al-Jazeera reports that he owns a number of hotels and holiday resorts in Spain, Italy, France, Switzerland, and Austria; is the main shareholder in two cellular telephone companies operating in Tunisia and Algeria; and is in partnership in some of his businesses with Arab politicians and entrepreneurs such as Rifaat Assad, a brother of the late Syrian President Hafez Assad.

From Arutz Sheva. Read more.

Nettle wine, latkes, oatmeal, ale, tahina, sour cream, wrestling, walking, talking, singing and Bob Dylan spinnin' on the record player makes for a fun house-warming for the boys at 411.

Good week ya'll.

I went to the Steve Bell concert last night. On the way to the concert I listened to CBC radio 1, and there was a "Palestinian" guy talking about Arafat. He talked about the plight of the Palestinian people, his solution was that Israel needs to end their military occupation. I was so mad. I just want people to give Israel a break for once. I hate hearing people constantly badmouth us. Anyway, I got to the concert, and after a few songs Steve started talking about his recent trip to the 'West Bank' of Israel. Oh no, I thought, here comes some propaganda. But although he described the pain he feels for the Palestinian people, because they're so poor and have no future, he didn't say a single word against Israel. Later on in the concert he mentioned the trip again. He said that because of what he saw in the West Bank, and other happenings in his life, he's in a position of just trusting God. He encouraged everyone to love others and be kind, because there's so little love in the world. And I realized something amazing. Both the Palestinian Arabs and the Israelis are hurting. In Sudan and Uganda people are hurting. And right here in Saskatoon people are hurting, lost, and lonely. Neither the Palestinians, nor the Israelis are the offenders in their situation. It's really the fault of the powers behind the scenes. And there's not much I can do to help any of them. But I can love everyone here in Saskatoon, and, God willing, in Eretz Israel when I'm there next.

Similarly this week I realized that politics is utterly stupid. The quest for pride and power makes the world a very painful place. I heard someone on the news comment about the rise of the "Religious Right" in America, and millions of people would think that's good, and millions of people that it's bad, but I for one simply don't care. I would probably be classified in that "Religious Right" (I was born and raised in Evangelical churches and the Reform Party of Canada), but, truth be known, I don't care if 'we' have political power or not. It's OK that George Bush is president, and it would have been OK if John Kerry became president. It doesn't matter who's president. What really matters is that Yahweh is in His heaven, and all's well with the world.

Trust Yahweh. Be strong!

Of course the biggest news of this morning is that....freshly-squeezed orange juice tastes so much better than any store bought juice. Oh yeah, and Bush probably won. I liked George Bush from the start. But one day I had an epiphany. It was the day America bombed Baghdad. I suddenly realized that George Bush wasn't perfect. And my respect for the man went all downhill from there.


I read Silas Marner by George Eliot. Truly, a beautiful little novel. A friend gave it to me as a birthday gift last year, and it sat neglected upon my shelf until now. The main illumination I received from the book is that I can be father. Naturally, the news that I can physically produce offspring has been old news for some time. No, I'm talking about raising a child, teaching and caring for children. I've had this awed view of parenting for some time. People have children, and they have approximately 18-20 years at most to teach them everything. Parents mold a child into what they will be for the rest of their life. In each baby dwells the potential for good or evil, kindness or destruction, charity or sefishness.

I thought I wasn't ready to be a father. But no one can be ready. We're all in the same boat. You get married, and suddenly babies are created. How does a child prepare for being a parent? I know from observation that marriage and parenthood totally change people's priorities. Suddenly one isn't an independent entity. Suddenly one is part of a family.
And somehow people cope with these new changes, much like they cope with all changes in life.
We just do the best with what life brings along, and trust God to take care of everything.

When I become a father, I won't be ready, but I hope to embrace parenthood with joy and open arms. To change gracefully is one of the most beautiful actions available to mankind.

"In old days there were angels who came and took men by the hand and led them away from the city of destruction. We see no white-winged angels now. But yet men are led away from threatening destruction: a hand is put into theirs, which leads them forth gently toward a calm and bright land, so that they look no more backward; and the hand may be a little child's."

-Silas Marner, by George Eliot

Yeshua came to earth as a baby, and grew to be a man. He came to lead all men to life, away from this temporal city of destruction, and toward a permanent city, a city with foundations.

Yeshua lives!

And now I shall consume my mother's freshy-baked cookies, and drink a mug of black coffee.