Kenton J. Kutney

May you be blessed in the re-discovery of all that which is mysterious and sacred about this time of celebration. For all my friends who have helped me along in my journey -- those from past chapters as well as those current, and those I have yet to meet in the New Year -- I offer sincere thanks. We have drawn courage from your prayers and we know we'll continue to be comforted by your encouragement, even as we share one another's burdens and breakthroughs.

As the holiday season comes upon us, there is much exuberance in our household of 5 kids. I'd like to harness that energy somehow and share it, maybe hook them up to a generator and ... a treadmill to power the house? I'm not too far from actually considering it - they'd love it probably. With the push and pull of holiday bustle, I may not have a solution to all your energy needs, but I feel that there is a power to heartfelt laughter, not just bc. my kids bound around howling happily, but bc. I feel it in my own rather burdened life ... being able to laugh in the midst of it is somehow freeing. The taught ropes of tension seem to drop away, or at least slacken for a breather. The gift of joy. May it be yours. In that spirit, the posts for December are going to be on my Funnies page - hilarious holiday stuff that you can probably use yourself for parties, etc. Check it out! It's good to laugh - CLICK HERE - and it just might make your day For the sake of you...

"If there is something pleasing in the artwork, I am glad people other than my wife, and kids see that! Even more though, I try to envision what happens with this piece now as an inspirational card in the hands of thoughtful individuals, adding those delicate personal words of encouragement and hope at just the right time in someone’s life, and that ripple-effect thrills me most of all. As one who is personally experiencing debilitating chronic pain and fatigue due to a rare blood disorder, I understand there is nothing easy about staying 'centered' in the turmoil of change. However, the enduring warmth and brightness of this water-colour helps one keep a positive perspective in the passing of Autumn to Winter, to choose to look for beauty where some only see dead leaves. Metaphorically, this extends into how we choose to approach change in the sometimes-stormy Seasons of Life. For me, daily letting go of the negatives and holding fast to blessings large and s...

A Re production from (3) Original 5’ Canvas Hangings For many years I have enjoyed the quietude of kayaking and canoing the southern coastal waters of British Columbia, often in some awe-inspiring sunrises and sunsets. Idyllic seascapes we can all enjoy, but there is another kind of awe that cannot be fully appreciated from the shoreline – as the mighty Fraser River rushes past Garry Point into the Georgia Straight there is powerful complexity of currents and tides, sudden and changeable winds that can turn a canoe into a kite blowing away from home. The historic fishing village of Steveston nestles a harbour for more than 600 commercial fishing vessels; the largest commercial fishing harbour in Canada. At the entrance to Garry Pt. Park is a sobering Fisherman’s Memorial remembering almost 200 who have died since the 1940s. There is an old gospel song, one of Elvis’ favourites, that croons: “I thank God for the Lighthouse!” Film footage shows him weeping as the m...

No really, here's MY own saying (if you ever use it then you'd be quoting me and then I'd be relatively famous ... if I only knew): "Every day out of the hospital has to be a GOOD day." Think about it. Be thankful ... e ven for the gift of breath. Breathe deeply, freely and r-e-e-l-a-x.

My name is Joy. People often say that I live up to it, although life has sobered me some and, unfortunately, I probably laugh less and carry more burdens than I used to. I’m the wife of a pastor, and the daughter of missionaries. My husband and I met in Bible College, married, went to Regent College to do masters studies, and then right into full time ministry. We took over a church plant and ministered there for almost nine years. During that time we were very busy raising our five children, two of whom have cleft lip and palate as well as Autism. They’re all precious gifts that circle us with love. Over three long years ago my husband, Ken, started feeling very tired and experienced aching muscles and cramps. He carried on pastoring but would take days to recover after each Sunday. As doctors tried to determine what was wrong with him, we went through one of the worst phases of a long-term illness — not having validation. It wasn’t until February of 2005 that we received the diag...

A Book Review By Kenton J. Kutney Howard and Esther McIlveen, Would You Know My Name? (Essence Publishing). It's not very often we get a glimpse into life after death. In fact, the whole dying process is something we typically avoid unless or until the issue comes close to home. Then the questions become urgent, like that searching song about seeing a loved one in heaven, where Eric Clapton asks, "Would You Know My Name?" A book has been written in answer to that very question by two unique people who seem, through their own life experiences, to have been given more than average opportunities to investigate and illuminate death. In Would You Know My Name? Howard and Esther McIlveen mix prose, poetry, theology, song lyrics, eulogy and even a poignant letter from two girls in farewell to their deceased father. The McIlveens have demonstrated in their lives and in their writing an ability to listen. As a result their latest written work is full of meaning. click here to ...

Art as Irony or Insult? By Jeff Dewsbury LAST MONTH, when a work of art merging Christian images with a sales pitch for Estee Lauder cosmetics raised the ire of some Christians living in Richmond, people lined up quickly on both sides of the debate. And as the rhetoric escalated, one local pastor seized the chance to, as he puts it, "build bridges, not burn them." read more... http://www.canadianchristianity.com/cgi-bin/bc.cgi?bc/bccn/0402/lmirony NOTE: Not sure of the exact date, but this was perhaps a few years ago.

'The Value of Hurtful Conflict' The value of what? I don't mind saying it took a psychologist to unpack that phrase for me. It sounds paradoxical to suggest that conflict could be of any value (especially when you are on the receiving end of the pain)! And yet, when John Radford, Ph.D. Organizational Psych., explained that statistically one's performance improvement is directly correlated with increasing one's capacity for conflict, I was intrigued. We all have first hand experience, I imagine, with the negatives that can ensue from conflict; maybe that's why instinctively we either turn away from it or get louder in order to win faster. But what would happen if we stayed in the conflict a little longer ... just slowed things down a bit? Is there anything positive that could result? Well, clearly there might be some things we'd have to unlearn as we confront our reality. That's not a bad thing. First, unlearning takes as much of a commitme...

The Value of Hurtful Conflict ... Cont'd What value can there possibly be in conflict? Is the only hope in resolution? Last time we looked at how one's performance improvement is directly correlated with increasing one's capacity for conflict. If that's true, it calls for an approach quite different from the old 'fight or flight' reflex. We have to consider: What would happen if we purposely committed to staying in conflict a little longer. The commitment to work through a conflict could be life changing because it can dramatically increase not only what you can learn about what's going on around you, but also what's going on in you. Conflict is a necessary process for un-learning on a daily basis that challenges and reshapes our position for better solutions. Naturally, this kind of commitment is easier to make with someone you love and respect. But there are plenty of situations ...

Learn more about our life situation in this brief article. It's been tough recently, but not entirely bleak. Find out why in... CHANGING SEASONS Discovering the bittersweet nature of sorrow http://www.testimonymag.com/testimonymag/oct07.htm NOTE: In the next issue of the Testimony magazine (Nov.) my wife, Joy, will write from her perspective. Don't miss it! P.S. Please pass along to your friends. Our humble hope is that someone will find it helpful.

Every ‘special needs’ child is a symbol … of the triumph of Life. After visits of our own to Children's Hospital, and hearing from both families and professional caregivers I wrote the following article ... A long hardwood table centers the sullen room; around it sit a number of medical professionals in conference with a couple of young parents. Their oldest is about to enter Kindergarten. Normally an exciting time of wonder and anticipation, this meeting was to confirm five years of mounting fears: “Our conclusion is that your child seems to be functioning cognitively at the moderate-to-severe handicap level.” What does a parent feel, hearing such a verdict? As we ask that question, in all of our lives we can recognize there will be times where, as one suffering parent described it, we find ourselves ‘grieving the loss of expectations’, of dreams not realized. This is common ground for us to find a starting place of understanding: Some suffer loss during pregnan...

(How well do you know your Bible?) clipped from www.time.com The Case for Teaching The Bible (Cover Story) Should the Holy Book be taught in public schools? Yes. It's the bedrock of Western culture. And when taught right, it's even constitutional I went to the Dr.'s yesterday about a lung infection and saw this on the top of the pile of magazines ... I put aside any hypochondria-tendencies and just had to give it a read. Check it out ... let me know what you think (i.e., as a Canadian). http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1601845,00.html Here are some excerpts: Should the Holy Book be taught in public schools? Yes. It's the bedrock of Western culture. And when taught right, it's even constitutional. Miss Kendrick came ready, with props. The day's topic was the Gospel of Matthew. "You can divide all the Beatitudes into two parts," Jennifer Kendrick explained to her teenage audience. "The 'Blessed are the whateve...

O ne Sunday, a student from Simon Fraser University dropped into my life asking politely if she could interview me as a Pastor about 'Christianity' for a course on Comparative Religions... What would you say? Well, I didn't know what I was in for: The list she came back was as long as my arm (25!), so I'm going to post these thought-provoking questions - along with a humble attempt at some answers. I'm adding Q's as I update this blog, so check back. DON'T FORGET TO TAKE THE POLL (left) . I am curious to know which topics connect with you. ...We can build on them. NOTE: Happy to say we are friends to this day. (What have you gained in winning an argument if you make an enemy??) 1. How long have you been a minister? At Steveston Christian Church? I’ve been in ministry for about 15 years, this being my 7 th year at SCC (at that time) . 2. What made you take up this occupation/calling? Have you ever doubted this choice? I really sensed G...