Quick update from Germany

You may be wondering what this picture is of. The answer is, well, not much. It is the bedside stand in my room here in Germany - and this is the first successful picture I have taken using my new camera (eBay-purchased, of course). I took quite a few other pictures before this one - only to realize that they weren't actually taken. Apparently my camera needs a memory card to work (ie, there is no internal memory). Anyway, found a memory card so problem solved.

For those interested in geography, I am currently in the little town of Hochsauerland, 2 1/2 hours north of Frankfurt.

This is my first time online in three days - I think that's a two-year record. :) Have had a wonderful week of volunteering, bookselling/giving, ushering, meeting people, moving boxes, early morning power-walks, listening to fantastic ministry, and much more. Every three years, OMers from all over the world come together for an "international forum" (ie, conference). That's what this week has been. Tomorrow I move on to the Netherlands for another conference - this time for orientation with "new recruits" like me.

The theme of this week has been *total* transformation: "the whole gospel in the whole of life for the whole world." Transforming lives and communities. Strangely enough, this is the same idea Leaside (my home church in Toronto) has been studying. I know, though, that both OM and Leaside have been influenced by John Stott's writings in which he calls Christians to avoid, at all costs, dividing the "spiritual" from the rest of life. The result of succumbing to this danger is Christians who think, look and act like the world. How true is this of me?

"Search me oh God and know my heart; try me and know my thoughts; see if there is any wicked way in me. Lead me in Thy way everlasting." (Psalm 139:23-24)