IF - Dusty

Greg Hewlett

Greg Hewlett, an elder at our church, died yesterday morning from cancer. I only knew him about six months but in those months he made an enormous impact on my life (as he seemed to do for everyone who had the privilage of knowing him).




Greg’s death makes my heart ache for Christ’s restoration of this world from sin. It is sin that caused the disharmonious cancer cells to consume my friend. It is sin that brought death into the world in the first place. What’s worse is that my sin – things in my responsibility – has contributed to the continual schism between what was meant to be and what is. I in my own small way am responsible for Greg’s decay and death.



My comfort is in Christ’s forgiveness and restoration – two things that are irrevocably linked. Greg brought wisdom, beauty, comfort, strength, and peace into this world (all of that in just the short time I knew him) – and if I am partly responsible for his death then I will be sure and be responsible for his life and legacy.



Moments like these highlight my conviction that language – while useful – ultimately fails to accurately express and communicate reality. In other words it is really hard to write a fitting benidiction.  Rest in peace brother. May we meet again.

IF - Chicken

The most disappointing offshoot in the history of evolution has to be the Deinonychus to the chicken.

IF - Resolution

My New Year’s resolution:

To work for peace in my part of the world this year– even if it appears ridiculously impossible.  Illustrated with the tiger lying down with the rabbit (the symbols for the current and next Chinese New Years respectively).

New Bikes

Thanks to Christmas cash and craigslist, we are back in the bicycling game (after a minor setback of a bike thief).

IF - Winter

Merry Christmas 2010

I am nowhere near grateful enough for all my friends and family.  Thank you all for the compassion, sacrifices, laughter, wisdom, and joy that you have brought into my life this past year.  I hope everyone has a great Christmas.

And some lyrics from Sufjan’s ‘Sister Winter’:

Oh my friends I've
Begun to worry right
Where I should be grateful
I should be satisfied

Oh my heart I
Would clap and dance in place
With my friends I have so
Much pleasure to embrace

Now my heart is
Returned to sister winter
Now my heart is
As cold as ice

All my friends, I've
Returned to sister winter
All my friends, I
Apologise, apologise

And my friends, I've
Returned to wish you all the best
And my friends, I've
Returned to wish you a happy Christmas