I've recently been learning a great deal about world issues in the environmental context. I mean, water shortages and soil erosion and that sort of thing. It's all pretty apocalyptic, to be honest with you. And depressing.

So here I am... now having to adjust my profile to say the age group of 30-45. I am turning 30 years old March 11th and songs are rolling in my head about this significant event for me.

Alan Jackson's song: Remember When. Lyrics of note: "Remember when...30 seemed so OLD... now looking back.... it's just a stepping stone..."

Louie Armstrong's song: What a Wonderful World. Lyrics of note: "I see babies cry, I watch them grow. they learn much more, than I'll ever know... and I think to myself, What a Wonderful World"

 So I have ten minutes before I have to go to school, but I'll try and break down some life testimony to you before I head out the door. So... where to start.

Our recent discussions of death and after death have got me thinking.

I rarely do a service where the body and casket are present.  I also rarely do a service with a funeral home involved.  Most now are cremations and most use an alternative service (originally a co-op but I don't know if it still is) in Thunder Bay.  About half the time we do a comittal of ashes immediately following the service and half the time they wait for a later date.

Just read this article on the CBC news website at http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2010/01/08/tech-space-earth-like-planets.html

From the article "Astronomers say they are on the verge of finding planets like Earth orbiting other stars, a key step in determining if we are alone in the universe."

My question is, if we are not alone in the universe, does that in any way affect your faith or belief in God?

Rev. Gretta Vosper wrote a book which included this in the title - why how we live is more important than what we believe. I've thought the same for many years, but last Saturday experienced what I think is the living embodiment of this. I was privileged to conduct a memorial service for the sister of a good friend. While the family was born Buddhist, they were not active in a congregation. Since I have also begun to practice Buddhism, the service combined Christian and Buddhist elements.

 I was intrigued by something a friend of mine wrote to the new Moderator:

"The youth aren't the future of the church.

                        We are the present."

What are the implications this holds for the church?

 What do you think about this "doomsday machine"?

They were not able to start it up last year, because "it wasn't ready". Now I heard that the people behind it are going to try again this year, and this time, "it should be ready".

Personally I find it hard to comprehend how such experiments with Destiny are normal - sure, we may end up finding something great and amazing about life! But there is still just this tiny possibility that they may create a Black Hole. And send this galaxy AND us into Oblivion.

About seven years ago, I was challenged with the idea of where Satan came from and told that the ancient Hebrews didn’t believe in Satan. Well, that just didn’t fly with me because I knew that the Torah (the five books of Moses) was the foundation for the Psalms and the Prophets (the rest of the Old Testament writings) and the Old Testament was the foundation for the New Testament writing such as the gospels and the apostolic writings. And I knew, or at least I thought I knew, the Old Testament clearly taught about Satan.

       I've heard much of the issues of the future and current population rates, and I've also heard of several charities and nonprofits attempting to feed, clothe and educate these people so as to help them. Many of these people have no way to escape these conditions though, and so I find myself asking if we are truly helping. In the wild, overpopulation often has a way of evening itself out as resources become less readily available to all members of the species.