Money as Debt...

I came accross this video the other day on Youtube and it was seriously eye opening even though some of it completely went over my head.



And on the money topic, how about food as currency?

We were doing an Easter scavenger hunt with the kids the other day and my role was to sit at McDonalds, let each team buy me something for about 60p off the delicious MC D's menue and them give them an easter egg with a code piece in it. So in this process I got an espresso(McDonalds coffee is definitly not on anyones top 1000 list), small french fries, a hamburger, a straberry sunday and somehow I also got a Crunchy bar, which I'm pretty sure you can't get at Mc D's.

Any way, not being a huge fan of the big clown and his deep fried food, I only drank the coffee (well about half of it, which isn't a lot for an espresso) and ate the fries. The rest I thought I could give to one of the homeless kids that usually hang around in front of the golden arches. But on this day, for some reason, none of the usuals were anywhere to be seen.

So my next thought was the lady that sits about 100m down the street and lets you stand on her scales for 10p. Thats right floks, for just 10p you can find out how much you weigh every day on the streets of Targu Mures.

Sure enough as I walked down the street there she was. She has been there every day for years and I have weighed myself several times with her (Her scales are very accurate and she even reads your weight out to you just incase you can't see it past your big belly). But this time all I wanted to do was give her the food I had left over. So I walked up to her and asked her if she wanted some food and if she like McDonalds. She replied, "Of course!" but would not take the food without having me stand on her scales.

I figured that was a pretty fair deal: food in exchange for a service provided. So we were both happy.

So after watching the movie on Youtube I began to think, maybe we don't even need paper money and if this current crazy system collapses one day I wonder what the next form of common currency will be?

Just a thought...

Sorry for the repeated unoriginal content but this is really interresting...

How the world really shapes up.

Rapture Ready! ... interesting

Check out this amazing dancing...

Fiona and I went to a "Spectacular" yesterday morning that some of the kids we work with were performing in. It was pretty long and unorganized but we did get to see this amazing slap, clap and snap dance. This is traditional Gypsy dancing and its impressive stuff.

Most of the kids we know sang and did traditional Romanian dancing which isn't quite as entertaining but it was great to see there huge smiles when they saw us in the crowd.

Something that inspired me today...

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
2 Cor 4:16-18

I was reading through John yesterday, especially the last few days before Jesus death.

I am continually baffled, amazed, challenged, confused, and inspired when I read the teachings of Jesus... and I am always reassured when I read the responses of his followers. I find it very encouraging to know that some of Jesus closest friends were just as dim as I am.

But there is one thing that Jesus said, that I have read many many times, that I really wish I had a better grasp of. Its not that its one of Jesus' famous, confusing parables or rebuttals, or that it is in any way vague or lacking clarity. The problem is that it's too clear, too straight forward, almost without any room for misinterpretation or misunderstanding.

"I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name and I will do it!" John 14: 12-14

Whenever I read this I have to ask myself: Do I really believe this? Do I really live this? .... I want to say that I do. I want to believe it with my whole heart, with all that I am... but I know it doesn't add up in my life.

Is it just me or does anyone else read this and think, wow I am really missing out on something big here, something gigantic... even, dare I say it, something world changing!

But how do we move from here to there? How do we become a Church that does greater works than Jesus to bring Glory to the Father?

This is what I am looking for.

It seems like there is a bit of a “tagging” epidemic going on right now and I have succumbed to the affliction despite installing some free virus protection software. It just shows you that nothing is 100% safe!

7 things you might or might not know about me.

1. I sucked my thumb until I was probably 8 or so.

2. I also knocked out my 2 front teeth engaging in that lost art form of roller-skating when I was about 8 (not exactly sure on the accuracy of the age – I had a bit of amnesia).

3. I hated reading while I was in school but have loved it ever since I got out. (I kind of wish it would have been the other way around… I might have done better.)

4. I had a serious mullet/shortlong in high school and I thought it was cool. (It may or may not have been)

5. I wrote my History dissertation on “Family planning in Nazi Germany.” Sounds interesting doesn’t it.

6. Every sports team I support is playing abysmally right now. (Arsenal, Toronto Raptors, Toronto Maple Leafs, Buffalo Bills) What can you do?

7. I regularly wake Fiona up sleeping walking/talking or even capturing imaginary spiders in our bed in the wee hours of the morning. (She hates it but I think it’s quite humorous.)