the eternal race

a shout out to the MIME days!

2008-06-17T21:26:00.002-04:00

This guy is unbelievable!!!! I couldn't believe it when i saw it!

to borrow a line from the movie "dodgeball"...

2008-04-30T12:29:00.004-04:00

Grab life by the ball(s). Now I'm sure Emma will kill me for posting this photo, but I couldn't resist...and I also waited until the day after she left for Europe for 2 months...hopefully her wrath will subside over time before she returns. :)

the acoustic ninja

2008-04-25T23:01:00.002-04:00

Trace Bundy...

so...this is probably the most incredible guitar player I've ever seen. He was given the nickname, "the acoustic ninja", due to his unbelievable mastery of the acoustic guitar.

Also, my wife Robyn, grew up a very close friend with his wife. And Trace's mother-in-law (Debbie) actually helped marry us. Anyway, that's my plug for the acoustic ninja. Give it a listen and a watch...I highly recommend. The song he is performing here is called "Dueling Ninjas". Enjoy!

reach the day

2008-04-24T00:35:00.005-04:00

...for a cure. That is what the green bracelet I wear has written on it. The video below is one that was created here in Ottawa to raise awareness for pediatric oncology (childhood cancer). It is very well done, and very close to my heart as these are the very children I work with. They are the best kids in the world. Some are no longer with us, but they will never be forgotten. Every one of these children has touched my life, and caused me to rethink what is truly important, as they courageously fight their battle with cancer. I encourage you to watch this video, and remember the thousands of children who go through more in a day than most of us face in our lives.

(p.s. I'm in the video as well)

survival of the fittest

2008-04-05T13:57:00.002-04:00

check out this video! makes me wish i lived in Africa! it's about 8 minutes long, and you need to watch the entire video to appreciate the magnitude...but i guarantee you won't be disappointed.

Good-Bye Civic! Hello Jeep!

2008-04-01T13:54:00.009-04:00

So, my honda civic turned out to be a lemon in the last 6 months. It is less than 5 years old, as I bought it brand new near the end of May in 2003. I had to put $1200.00 into repairs last November, and it now needs $4000 more put into it to keep it working. I know other people have had great experiences with their hondas, but at the moment I probably won't ever buy one again. It served me faithfully for 4 and a half years, but in the end, it wasn't worth holding on to. The manifold was cracked, the air conditioner needed to be replaced, the cruise control was broken, a number of the sensors were not working, the cover for the gas tank would only pop open sporadically and often had to be opened through the trunk, the spedometer cut in and out, and the security system no longer functioned. I looked at trading it in to 2 different honda dealerships, and they would only give me $1000 for the car. I took it to a jeep dealer here in ottawa, and they gave me $7500...AS IS! The back bumper also needed to be replaced, and there was a dent above one of the wheel wells. I have always wanted a jeep, and almost bought one back in 2003 instead of my civic. So, here is my new jeep:

torn between the two!

Me and my new Jeep...WOO-HOO!

Benoit, Sara and Kate came with me to pick up my new jeep last monday. Having promised my good friend Ryan the first ride in Shotgun, and Ryan not being able to come, the 3 of them were banished to the back seat. Initially upset at being stuck in the backseat, they soon became much happier as they learned that the back seat reclines, and the front seat folds forward for a foot rest!

Ryan, the first to ride Shotgun, when we picked him up at work for a quick ride.

I love my new jeep... :)

a challenge...

2008-01-24T21:19:00.000-05:00

I thought I would share something I came across recently. It is short, yet profound:

Don't tell God how big your storm is,
Tell the storm how BIG your God is.

the honour system

2008-01-14T07:06:00.001-05:00

It's a very strange phenomenon here in Switzerland - a way of life, an outlook that believes the best in people, not the worst. It can probably be best described as the "Honour System". It started the moment I stepped off the plane and permeates many aspects of life in this small European country. When I arrived in Geneva, I picked up my bags, and instead of handing in a document to a customs official stating whether or not I had anything to declare, all I had to do was walk through a red or a green door. Red means I have something to declare, green means I have nothing to declare. There is nobody standing by the green door to check whether you are being honest as you pass through, no menacing guard to at least make you think twice before you walk through. The Swiss just believe you will tell the truth. Another vast difference from Ottawa is the bus system. They have a ticket machine at each bus stop which you can drop 3 swiss francs into in order to get your ticket...but they do not check your ticket as you get on the bus. They just believe you have paid, and believe that the good in people will keep them honest.

It definitely gave me a lot to think about, and I also found myself not wanting to cheat the system and ride the tram for free - I felt honoured that the Swiss would trust in me that much and found myself wanting to see the system succeed. It's interesting what a bit of positive re-inforcement will do, as opposed to the purely negative ones we see so much in North America.

me and my boys

2008-01-10T11:47:00.000-05:00

I took this picture when my boys - Spezza, Heatley and Kelly - came to see me at work...they drop by often to chat with me, hang out and stuff (they also came to visit all the sick children)

nyc road trip 2007

2007-12-19T00:51:00.000-05:00

so this past week (thursday to sunday) a few of us drove down to NYC to visit my lovely wife, Robyn, who was in the city for some work meetings. We drove down through a snow storm and got stuck in NYC an extra day due to a massive snowstorm as well. It was a fantastic time, with tons of great memories. Here is a glimpse into our exploits south of the border:

Ryan's scaling techniques:

the lego version vs. the real thing.

underwater adventures:

the New York City Public Library:

The girls on Broad Street:

Uncle Sam almost stealing Ben away from us (it was a close call!):

and finally, the broadway musical we saw on our last night in NY...incredibly funny! It was called "Altar Boyz", and was about 5 altar boys in a church - Matthew, Mark, Luke, Juan and Abraham (their jewish friend):

thank you all for the laughs, good times, memories, car rides and friendship. It was a great, fun-filled week with all of you.

4 and a half sleeps

2007-11-24T02:01:00.000-05:00

that's right...4 and a half sleeps to go until my wonderful wife Robyn comes home for a visit from her intership in Geneva, Switzerland.

I say 4 and a half sleeps because i am currently at work on a night shift and it is 2:01 a.m., so half of friday night is already over!

See you very soon robyn!

thought for the day

2007-11-23T12:45:00.000-05:00

When things appear to be going wrong in our lives, it is often not our circumstances that need to change, but rather our perspective.

the talented Dr. J

2007-11-22T19:47:00.001-05:00

that's right...Dr. Jeffrey Smith at his best (and in his element).

He got a huge ovation when he finished.

shane's final birthday card count

2007-11-22T19:24:00.001-05:00

It is pretty unbelievable what this little boy from a small town outside ottawa has done over this past year. His wish for the most birthday cards came true, and to a much greater extent than he ever could have imagined. Birthday cards from China, Israel, in languages he couldn't even understand, from Dr. Phil, Oprah, John Travolta, entire NHL hockey teams (the Columbus Blue Jackets), and so much more. I asked his mother in September what the final count was, and I actually had to ask her to repeat it, because I thought I had heard her wrong.

The grand total was: 13.1 MILLION Birthday Cards...yes, that's right 13.1 MILLION!!!! Crazy, huh? His birthday was last May, but she said that Shane is STILL receiving about 10 a day. As well, when it was at it's peak, Shane was receiving about 80,000 (not a typo) cards per day!

shane's b-day card count...

2007-05-17T16:42:00.000-04:00

latest count: 625,000

2 friends, a cop, 1 seatbelt and a redlight

2007-05-08T17:29:00.000-04:00

so, a few weeks ago, a couple friends of mine were emcee-ing a spaghetti dinner for students at the University of Ottawa (note costumes in picture to the immediate left). For the sake of anonymity, I will be referring to these 2 friends as "cam" and "ryan" from here on in. We will call the guy on the right "cam" and the one on the left "ryan". Due to legal reasons, I am unable to divulge their true identities.

When the dinner ended, my 2 friends and I, headed of to another friend's house to help with some drywall. We climbed into "cam's" car. His station wagon was completely empty at the time, front seat and back seat. But we thought, "Hey! wouldn't it be fun if all 3 of us rode in the 2 front seats?" So "cam" drove, I sat on the emergency brake in the middle and "ryan" sat in the passenger seat. "ryan" and I did share the seat belt, though.

So...off we went. We got about 1 block away, the light turned red, and we stopped. As we came to a stop, a police car pulled up right beside us. We all froze and just stared straight ahead, as the cop kept looking at us through the entire red light. Then, as the light turned green, and we were about to go, a firetruck came around the corner with it's lights and sirens going (we were stopped beside the firestation). A firefighter jumped out, blocked all the traffic while the truck proceeded to back into the station...keep in mind that during this whole time, we are still sitting beside the police officer. As the firetruck finally backs into the station, the traffic light turns red again. So we then sit through another entire red light beside this cop who is still staring at us (longest 3 minutes of my life, by the way). The light finally turns green for a second time, we pull ahead, the cop pulls in behind us, and then pulls us over.

He walks up to our car...looks in the back seat (which is completely empty)...looks in the front seat (where the 3 of us are crammed in, and don't forget "cam" and "ryan" are still in costume)...looks in the backseat again...then with a bewildered expression on his face, asks "Is there a reason why all 3 of you are in the front seat? Do the seatbelts in the back not work?"..."cam" replies, "no, sorry sir...all the seatbelts work". The officer then asks one of us to get into the back seat while he takes "cam's" licence and registration back to his car.

There are many ways it could have ended, but I guess there's worse things in life than prison...

yours truly,
inmate #25738,
noah patrick bright

shane's b-day card count...

2007-04-26T15:06:00.000-04:00

latest count: 309,000

quote of the day...

2007-04-23T15:46:00.000-04:00

friendship is like peeing yourself...everyone can see it, but only you know it's true warmth.

disneyworld

2007-04-12T15:18:00.000-04:00

so...in march, my lovely wife robyn and i decided to get out of the cold and find somewhere warm to hang out. not that we don't like ottawa...we do - just not the 85% of the year that it's cold! And what better place to hang out than at our friend mickey's place. We drove down, stayed for 6 days, had beautiful weather and a heck of a lot of fun. I definitely recommend disney to anyone that has an opportunity to go. I don't think there is any place in the world that can compare to the size and quality of everything they put on. There is nothing cheap or skimpy in the park. They go all out on everything! We spent 4 days at disney and still only saw half of what they have to offer. I thought i would post a few of our pics from the trip to share with you all.

our 3-D movie glasses (best 3-D movie i've ever seen)

this is a sign we saw upon entering the state of florida...it seems like an oxymoron to me...an oasis usually represents peace and rest...amelia, on the other hand?...well, i'll just leave it at that! :)

3 of our new best friends we met in florida

minnie mouse and pluto

honey, i shrunk the tourists

well, that's a snapshot of our trip (literally!). it was a blast, and if you ever have a chance to go, don't turn it down!

yours truly,

jack sparrow

update on shane...

2007-03-04T18:11:00.000-05:00

it turns out, there is no record for number of birthday cards received for one birthday. The only record concerning cards is for "get well cards". So, it looks like Shane will have his own record (and hopefully Guiness will recognize it). I was speaking with Shane this past week, and he now has over 100,000 Birthday Cards. (yes, that number is right...it's not a typo). Pretty amazing, huh. He has cards coming in from all over the world, and his story was even on the radio somewhere in Korea!! When he goes to the post office, he literally has bags of mail waiting for him! Soooo...keep sending in those cards.

why i'm proud to be a canadian...

2007-02-28T00:01:00.000-05:00

record breaking birthday...

2007-02-14T14:37:00.000-05:00

not mine, but a little boy named Shane. He's turning 8 in May. He is one of the children at the hospital I work at who is currently fighting a battle with cancer. His only birthday wish this year is to receive as many birthday cards from as many people and places as possible. He is trying to break the Guiness Book of World Records. He has already received thousands of them, and I thought I would spread the news. If anyone wanted to send him a card, I would be happy to pass it on to him...just think, you could be part of a Guiness World Record...and make a little boy very, very happy...cool, huh?

thought for the day...

2006-12-04T11:13:00.000-05:00

something Todd Pulsifer said in a meeting this past month really struck me, and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it...so I am throwing it out there as food for thought:

God tells us countless times throughout the Bible "Do not worry", "Do not fear", "Do not be afraid"...so when we do worry or fear, we are actually disobeying a direct command of God...therefore to worry or fear is actually to sin.

makes you think, huh?

the wait is over...

2006-11-30T16:43:00.000-05:00

i know it's been hard...you've probably all spent many nights tossing and turning in bed, walking around like zombies all day long...occasionally finding yourself huddled in dark corners, shaking back and forth...all the while trying to find just a little bit of normality in your life...wishing...hoping...that one day noah patrick bright would post again. well...wait no longer...the blogger is back!!

i apologize for the lack of recent postings...the biggest reason for this was that my lovely wife, robyn, was away for the month of november at school in British Columbia (and took our laptop with her), so i've had no computer for the month.

a little christmas update - robyn and i will be going out to vancouver to visit BOTH of our families from dec. 14 to dec. 21. It's actually going to be rather convenient, me thinks, to have both sets of parents living in the same city. Then I will be returning to Ottawa to work for a few days over Christmas, and on the 27th will be flying down to mexico to meet up with robyn's family for a couple of weeks in the sun and warmth.

well, stay tuned for more postings. i will do my best to update this more frequently from here on in.

friends of mine...

2006-10-03T12:29:00.000-04:00

These are pictures of a couple of good friends of mine (Pat and Mattie)...i thought they were hilarious...not sure what they think of having them posted on the internet...but...i guess they should have never emailed the pictures to me if they had concerns...ha ha

growing up - increasing responsibility

2006-08-10T12:26:00.000-04:00

As I began thinking about what growing up entails, one of the major aspects that jumped out at me was of increasing responsibility. When we are young children, we have virtually no responsibilities (except maybe cleaning up our toys)...all our time is devoted to playing. As we grow older, our parents give us tasks/chores to accomplish. Our teachers assign homework that needs to be done, and as we get older this homework takes more and more time and effort. As we get a job, our boss expects/demands certain things of us - be on time, work hard, etc.

Our Christian life isn't all that different. God is our Father (parent). Jesus is Lord of our life (boss). The Holy Spirit is our teacher, our counselor who will lead us into all truth. As we grow more mature in our walk with God, He will continue to reveal more and more to us - of who He is, his purpose for this world and our part to play in that ever-unfolding plan.

As God reveals this to us, we become responsible to act on this revelation. I don't want to be like the servant (in Luke 19:11-26) whose master entrusted him with money, only to bury it and give it back in the same condition in which he received it. I want to be someone who is faithful with what God gives me, whether it be revelation or money or family or friends. I believe that is a very important aspect of growing up - being responsible with what we are given and investing our lives in those areas. The time for playing is over. We, as the church, need to run with what God has shown us and given us...because as we are faithful in the small things, God will pour out his increase in our lives, in this nation and in this world.

learning the alphabet...

2006-07-29T11:43:00.000-04:00

Do many of us remember the day we learned the alphabet...or perhaps how to count from 1 to 100? Probably not, but if we do, it was a long time ago (longer ago for some people than others). Most likely for as long back as we can remember we have known the alphabet, almost as just one of those things we're inherently born with.

I was reading in Hebrews 6 this morning about growing up in Christ and moving past the basics. It would be rather strange to see a 27 year old still reciting the alphabet several times a day to make sure he didn't forget it. But that's often what we do as Christians from time to time. That's not to say the basics are not important. They are very important, even essential. For without the alphabet, I would not be able to read or write or graduate school or get a job...to basically progress through life. But at some point along the way, the alphabet became a near innate foundation that I no longer had to think about, but just knew.

If the basics include repentance, faith in God, baptisms, the laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead and eternal judgement....what does it mean to grow up? There are many aspects to growing up, and I certainly do not claim to know them all or be an expert in all those areas...but over the next few postings I will attempt to offer up a few points on what it means to grow up.

so stay tuned, and feel free to offer your own thoughts on the subject.

in memory of a blogger that used to be...

2006-07-27T14:37:00.000-04:00

(nat best...not that he's dead...just not blogging anymore)

top 6 lists:

top 6 (well, 10, cuz i couldn't decide on 6) movies:
1. the usual suspects
2. rounders
3. swing kids
4. dead poet's society
5. the long kiss goodnight
6. the power of one
7. the whole lethal weapon series
8. the negotiator
9. lock, stock and two smoking barrels
10. the story of us

worst 6 movies (that i've actually seen):
1. about schmidt
2. battlefield earth
3. medicine man
4. midnight in the garden of good and evil
5. adaptation
6. being john malkovich

top 6 movie lines:
1. from "Meet the Parents"
Dina Byrnes: I had no idea you could milk a cat.
Greg Focker: Oh yeah, you can milk anything with nipples.
Jack Byrnes: I have nipples Greg. Could you milk me?

2. from "The Usual Suspects"
Verbal Kint: Keaton once said, "I don't believe in God, but I'm afraid of him." Well I believe in God, and the only thing that scares me is Keyser Soze.

3. from "Dead Poet's Society"
Todd Anderson: [standing on his desk] O Captain, my Captain.

4. from "Along Came Polly"
Sandy Lyle: Reuben, I’m in a situation here. We have to leave now.
Reuben Feffer: No. Can we stay a couple more minutes?
Sandy Lyle: Dude, no. This is serious. I just sharted.
Reuben Feffer: I don’t know what that means.
Sandy Lyle: I tried to fart and a little shit came out. I just sharted. Now let’s go.
Reuben Feffer: You’re the most disgusting person I’ve ever met in my life.

5. from "The Princess Bride"
Inigo Montoya: Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die!

6. from "Dodgeball"
Patches O'Houlihan: If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball.

racing to win...

2006-07-23T16:05:00.000-04:00

Since I am on a bit of a "racing" theme, I thought I would address the topic of competitiveness. During the course of my life, I've been told by many people, that I'm a very competitive person. It's normally referred to as a bad thing...something I need to change.

I'd have to disagree.

I believe there is a difference between competitiveness and being a sore loser, or a "rub-it-in-your-face" winner. For me, I hate to lose...and I LOVE to win. It doesn't matter what the challenge is - playing board games, videogames, sports, racing up the steps of the Eiffel Tower or swimming across a lake. I want to win. I don't even have to like the game! Some people I've come across in my life have told me that they see games as just a social activity. They don't care whether they win or lose, it's just whether or not they had a good chat while they played. I don't disagree with that in essence, but if all they wanted was a good chat, they should have just had a good chat. But for me, if I'm going to play a game, I play to win. I always want to have fun, and I certainly don't always win, but if everyone is just "playing to have fun", and nobody is actually trying their hardest in the game or sport, then I actually find it less fun. I play squash with a good friend of mine fairly often, and I love the challenge of trying to beat him. He definitely wins more than I do, and I certainly don't like losing to him...he also gives it everything he's got when we're on the court...but afterward we're able to kick back, have a good chat and build a friendship.

In our race as Christians, I believe Jesus always wants us racing to win. We are not meant to put forward a mediocre effort at reading the Word, worshiping God, or in serving...it is not enough to just "have fun". There is too much at stake to sit back, relax and just chat it up with our friends.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 says, "Remember that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize. You must also run in such a way that you will win. All athletes practice self-control. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. I am not like a boxer who misses his punches. I discipline my body like an athete, training it to do what I should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified."

Though it is important to not let competitiveness harm friendships (ie. carry a grudge over losing, or rubbing your win in the face of a friend), I believe God has showed me a lot through my competitive edge. Running His race is the greatest race of all, and it does require discipline, self-control and determination. I would rather lose every competition I enter here on earth (and that's saying a lot for me!!!) than not run the eternal race in a such a way as to win the prize.

nourishment

2006-07-22T21:18:00.000-04:00

When I have free time, I occasionally meander down to Rideau Street to frequent a bookstore called Chapters. I could spend hours looking at all the different books they have...from novels to sports books, to photography books, to books on poker or hollywood screenplays...a few months back, I happened to pick up a book on Lance Armstrong. I'm not sure why I admire his accomplishments so much. Perhaps because they are, in my opinion, unequalled in all of sports history...perhaps because he overcame cancer in order to do so (for those that aren't aware, I work as a nurse on the cancer ward at a children's hospital)...most likely it's a combination of both.

Anyway, I was amazed to read that during the Tour de France, Lance consumes upwards of 5000 calories per day. That is about 2-3 times the amount of a normal person (ie. you and me). Incredible! It's not just that Lance has a big appetite, or enjoys eating. It is essential to the outcome of his race that he receives enough nourishment. Last year I went for a run with a friend who was training for a marathon. I had a quick sandwich before I left in the morning, and then proceeded to run. After 38 kilometres and approximately 4 hours later, I had to stop. My legs could physically go no further, drained of all energy. (my lovely wife brought the car to come pick me up). Though I had desperately wanted to complete the whole 42 kilometres, my body could not do so. Part of the reason was my lack of training (well, more like absence of training), but it was also a result of my body having no more nutrients left in it from which to draw energy. That sandwich I had in the morning was long gone.

I am struck by the fact that this is the same with the race we run as Christians. Without enough nourishment (reading the Bible, intimate time spent with God, and a daily renewal of his Holy Spirit), we will quickly become tired and unable to pursue God's purpose for our lives.

the race of a lifetime

2006-07-22T19:08:00.000-04:00

As the "Tour de France" is wrapping up, I have been challenged to consider the race I am currently running in.

Hebrews 12:1-2 says "Therefore,
since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterward. Now he is seated in the place of highest honour beside God's throne in heaven".

The Tour de France is a long, gruelling test of strength, endurance, determination and character. It requires an intense training regimen that runs all year long. There are no days off and no junk food binges. It requires a commitment that encompasses all areas of one's life. I've often wondered what is it that would make someone choose this life??? A strict diet, exhausting training, sore muscles, early to bed, early to rise (the early to bed, early to rise routine is definitely not one of my strong points)...day after day after day...Lance Armstrong saw the yellow leader's jersey in his mind every time he took to his bike. It was that end result, of winning the race, that helped him persevere through endless days of training and ultimately 2 weeks of racing against many of the world's best athletes. It's the same reason Jesus stepped out of heaven and gave up all his rights and privileges of being God, in order to be whipped, mocked and nailed to a cross. It's because of what lay ahead at the finish. "For the joy set before him, He endured the cross". It is so important to keep the goal in mind as we run after Jesus.

There is a chinese man called Brother Yun (or "The Heavenly Man") who has been repeatedly beaten and tortured almost unto death for telling others in China about Jesus. During one of these times he was "taken to an interrogation room where several guards forced me to the floor...[and] to ensure I would never be able to escape, [one of the guards] struck my legs between my knees and feet repeatedly. He destroyed my legs until I could stand the pain no more. I lay on the ground screaming like a wounded animal...my legs below my knees turned completely black and there was no feeling left in them at all." A few days later, one of the guards asked Brother Yun, "'why should anyone believe in Jesus and preach for him if this is what you get in return?' I told him, 'you might not see any benefits in my life right now, but in the future I will receive a great blessing from Jesus because of these sufferings.'"

I am inspired by Brother Yun's commitment to Jesus, and the race he was running. I am inspired by Lance Armstrong, who overcame cancer to win an unprecedented 7 straight Tour de France titles. I want to race like that. I want my eyes to be fixed on Jesus at all times. I want to be able to say, at the end of the race, that I gave it my all...that as we say in soccer "I left it all on the field"...that I put all my energy, resources and time into the race with only one possible result in mind- to win.