LEGO now has an AI brain; Chaos, revolution, violence; Canada using MAiD for mental health.

3 Things this week and a poem

Thanks for spending some time this weekend with Things I Wrote Down.

Here are three things that stood out this week and a poem.

LEGO gets an AI brain

The AI revolution continues to take over all things that humans touched. LEGO this week announced Smart Play an AI-powered system that brings bricks and mini-figures to life in new ways. The creations will transform the way kids and adults interact with the famous plastic toy.

The bricks will react as makers play, and it brings the digital revolution to analog play. But it wouldn’t be AI news if there weren’t some backlash. The BBC talked with play experts who raised concerns about the innovation impeding the imagination of children.

If we’ve learned anything, though, from LEGO’s moves to innovate and stay relevant (co-branded toys, movies, etc), they simply grow their appeal. I think it’s a cool evolution.

Maybe our AI overlords will be minifigures.

Chaos, protest, violence

Well, guess 2026 isn’t going to be tame. There was chaos, protest, and violence around the world this week. If you scrolled on social or turned on the news, you know.

Nicolás Maduro, the illegitimate Venezuelan ruler, was taken out and perp walked into a New York court after a surprise joint military and law enforcement operation by the US. An ICE officer shot and killed a woman interfering with an operation in Minnesota where the Trump administration surged agents in an immigration crack down. The horrifying and tragic video of the incident circulated online.

And almost underreported is the revolution taking place in Iran. People are marching in the streets, and it looks like the people have burned down a mosque. Reddit called it Iran’s “French Revolution” moment.

We’re eleven days into the New Year. Buckle up.

MAiD for mental health is happening in Canada

I guess we shouldn’t be surprised that the government that changed the legal definition of murder, and altered the criminal code so that doctors could euthanize Canadians also lies to us.

MAiD has technically not yet expanded to include mental health, but it’s happening.

I was heartbroken to get news of the death Kiano Vafaeian, who was euthanized by so-called Dr. Death, Canadian doctor Ellen Wiebe who has single-handedly ended the life of more than 400 Canadians. Wiebe has described her work ending the lives of hundreds of Canadians as “the best work I have ever done.” For context, she's also delivered over 1,000 babies.

Kiano who, fought depression, visual impairment, and had diabetes is another victim of Canada’s permissive MAiD regime.

It’s terrible to read, but worthwhile and necessary to observe the human toll of euthanasia. Here is the Facebook post from Kiano’s mother:

With a broken heart, I am sharing that my baby boy Kiano passed away on December 30, 2025, after being euthanized.

Four years ago, here in Ontario, we were able to stop his euthanasia and get him some help. He was alive because people stepped in when he was vulnerable and not capable of making a final, irreversible decision.

Tragically, the Canadian system later allowed something very different to happen in Vancouver—where a doctor named DR ELLEN WIEBE AKA DR DEATH #2 approved his death based on mental illness. This approval occurred despite euthanasia for mental illness being banned until 2027. Somehow, DR DEATH #2 found a loophole in the system, one that now demands to be exposed so that no other parent has to endure this.

This is disgusting on every level. And I promise I will fight this tooth and nail for my son and other parents who too have children that suffer from mental illness.
As a mother and after watching and reading countless stories from other families, I can say this experience was not only devastating, but deeply disturbing. The actions of DR ELLEN WIEBE reveal a pattern of coldness and disregard for vulnerable human life that I can no longer stay silent about, just that scary smile shows her entitlement for taking peoples lives…..

No compassion.
No protection.
No effort to save a life, only to end it.
This is not healthcare.
This is a failure of ethics, accountability, and humanity.

No parent should ever have to bury their child because a system—and a doctor—chose death over care, help, or love.

In time, I intend to pursue accountability against DR ELLEN WIEBE and to stand alongside other families and associations who have been harmed by these same decisions. I know we are not alone.

Right now, we are making arrangements for my son’s funeral this Saturday Jan 10. Details will be shared once finalized.

Thank you to everyone who has supported our family, prayed for us, and stood by us through all these years of pain and hope. Please keep our family in your prayers during this unbearable time

The health system is already euthanizing people for mental health, even though the government promised to delay expansion to consult Canadians.

Please say a prayer for Kiano’s family. Please pray for this madness to stop. And let’s fight like heaven to ensure the MAiD demons don’t continue to end the lives of people struggling with mental health. It will be a nightmare we won’t wake up from if it becomes the norm.

A poem

In a world of such trouble, and violence (and beauty and innovation), what can one do? The mind reels at tragedies one learns about simply by powering up their phone.

I want to turtle. Hide.

I choose to look up.

I’ve shared this poem before. I’m sharing it again, because it encourages me to look up, long for more, to be captured by the net of Heaven’s great mercies. I hope it blessed you.

hook my gills like a fish

hook my gills like a fish
on a thin, invisible string
throw me onto dry ground
to thrash and gulp for air
catch me at your whim, gut
and cut me

lure me with your glory