Change and Seasons

We are nearing the end of Summer. It really has not been that Hot.

I have made a decision to defer my studies this semester, that means I won’t complete my Masters until next year.

A break will be good as a couple of great opportunities have landed on my lap that requires my focus.

Dive Blog 2

Photo Credit: KRendel

Dived again Saturday morning. "South Park" which is 3Km from shore on the Marmion Marine Park.

Despite the swell it was 10m visibility at 16M. Highlights: Schools of Bullseye, Caves & Swimthroughs...and the guy in the expensive camoflauge wetsuit - so that the Sharks won't spot him...but wearing a flourescent orange BC (jacket). D'Oh.

Dive Blog

Ten metre visiblity (better than photo shows). Three mile reef. Metre Long Dusty Morwongidencent (sp?). Western Blue Devilfish. Plenty of Crayfish. Caves. Low swell. Little drift. Little breeze. Buddy - Peter the Cop.

Present Clarity II

Yesterday i posted on the need to be more congniscient and appreciative of the present momment.

Last night, I spent most of the night with my 21 month old in PMH (Children's Hospital) - Yes, he is fine.

A pin-prick rash around his neck coupled with off-colour behaviour had us and the doctors thinking of the worst.

Amidst all the goings on in the emergency room, my son falling asleep on my chest repeated 'dadda - joel, dadda -joel' as if he was consiciously aware of the momment as shared only by the two of us.

A lesson on priorities and the importance of the present momment from the mouth of a babe.

Present Clarity

As someone who enjoys tea, especailly when poured from a pot - and I often wonder why sometimes a cup of tea tastes better than others.

I'm not going Zen, but I thought that there is some truth in this:

"The Vietnamese Buddhist monk and philosopher, Thich Nhat Hanh, writes about enjoying a good cup of tea. You must be completely awake in the present to enjoy the tea.
Only in the awareness of the present can your hands feel the pleasant warmth of the cup. Only in the present can you savor the aroma, taste the sweetness, appreciate the delicacy. If you are ruminating about the past or worrying about the future, you will completely miss the experience of enjoying the cup of tea.

You will look down at the cup, and the tea will be gone.

Life is like that. If you are not fully present, you will look around and it will be gone. You will have missed the feel, the aroma, the delicacy and beauty of life. It will seem to be speeding past you. The past is finished. Learn from it and let it go. The future is not even here yet. Plan for it, but do not waste your time worrying about it. Worrying is worthless. When you stop ruminating about what has already happened, when you stop worrying about what might never happen, then you will be in the present moment. Then you will begin to experience joy in life".

- Brian Weiss, MD. From his book "Only Love is Real"

Beyond Now

“If we go on the way we have, the fault is our greed [and] if we are not willing [to change], we will disappear from the face of the globe, to be replaced by the insect.”
Jacques Cousteau

Contemporary Church?

This photo from our recent trip to Melbourne seemed to uncannily capture the present point along my spiritual "journey".

Post Church.

Balanced

In Yancey’s book "I was just wondering" he deals with the reality of suffering and the issue of “positive thinking” in the modern church.

He claims that the once “morbidly minded” (melancholy) evangelicals who were led by the likes of Wesley etc. competed with the “healthily minded” (overly optimistic) sects like Christian science - which (early last century) thrived in times of unprecedented prosperity.

(Interestingly, the influential Word-Of-Faith movement also has much of its roots in Christian Science as well as pentecostal revivalism).

These sects ‘met their waterloo’ when the reality of the depression and the World Wars hit - “a monstrous fact that exposed the flaws in their vision of the world and humanity”.

But what Yancey claims is that this “healthy mindedness” is now characteristic in the Christian church and he concludes his mini-thesis with the statement ”I hope and pray an even more ominous fact does not arise to smother the ‘healthy-mindedness’ that has swept evangelicalism in the last few decades”.

My personal view is that we do need to allow times for melancholy reflection and teaching “in the correct season” and with correct perspective - otherwise Yancey’s concern may be well placed.

Australia Day 2006

This may sound like a tremendous boast, but I think that we Aussies live in the best country in the World.

Today it will be the beach, a barbecue in the Park, the Beach, a barbecue at home - for something different. I will also head to the 'lookout' a converted water tower to watch the Austrlai Day fireworks. Thats what its all about.

I'm cutting a CD with my favourite Australian Songs:

1) Flame Trees - (Cold Chisel)
2) Cool Change - (Little River Band)
3) Better Days - (Pete Murray)
4) Down Under - (Men at Work)
5) Happy Birthday Helen - (Things of Stone and Wood)
6) Reckless - (Austlian Crawl)
7) Sounds Of Then (This is Australia) - (GANGGajang)
8) Making Gravy - (Paul Kelly)
9) Never Tear Us Apart (INXS)
10) Great South Land - (IceHouse)
11) Power and the Passion - Midnight Oil
12) Woking Class Man - (Jimmy Barnes)

Who knows...I may even add I Sitll Call Australia Home - (Peter Allen) as a hidden track.

Have a Great Australia Day...

(Let me know if you would like a copy Marisa).

Contradictions

Which of the thieves on the cross, reviled Jesus?
a) Both of them (Mt 27:44)
or
b) Only one of them (Lu 23:39-43)

What was Jesus offered to drink on the cross?
a) wine mixed with myrrh (Mk 15:23)
or
b) vinegar mixed with gall.( Mt 27:34)

How did Judas die?
a) He hung himself (Mt 27:5)
or
b) He fell & burst open. (Ac 1:18)

When did Jesus curse the fig tree?
a) After going to the temple (Mt 21:12-19)
or
b) Before going to the temple (Mk 11:15-21)

How many foremen and chief officials did Solomon have?
a) 3300 foremen and 550 chief officials (1Ki 5:16, 9:23)
or
b) 3600 foremen and 250 chief officials (2Ch 2:2,18, 8:10)

Where did King Josiah die?
a) Meggido (2Ki 23:29-30)
or
b) At Jerusalem (2Ch 35:23-24)

How old was Jehoiachin when he began to reign?
a) eight (2Ch 36:9)
or
b) eighteen (2Ki 24:8)

Who made the following prophecy?
“They took the thirty silver coins, the price of the one whose price had been set by the people of Israel, and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.”
a) Jeremiah (Mt 27:9-10)
or
b) Zechariah (Zec 11:12-13)

Who bought potter's field?
a) Judas (Acts 1:18)
or
b) The chief priests (Matt 27:6-8)

via Nilmot

On Faith and Fancy

Placed a comment in a discussion regarding faith at signposts that I wanted to capture for my records here.

Kierengreen states “…. We may define faith, as a firm belief in something for which there is no evidence.

Kierentgreen what you write about is what I would term as being ‘Blind Faith’….and Blind Faith is not the faith of the sincere thinking Christian.

In coming to a conclusion and decision regarding my faith in Christ, I have based my decision on firstly being open, taking time to analyse the available evidence, using intuition and finally taking that leap of (educated) faith….

In the words of Jack Welch, Chemical Engineer, CEO GE (and non-Christian):

“In life there are no formulaic answers to many of life’s problems…because often there is no black-and-white answers…the (analysis) process gets you to a darker shade of grey”.

I believe analysis must fallow the ground and provide initial direction, then intuition will take you a little farther.

And then, finally, it is faith takes you the remainder of the distance

Nilmot

Nilmot now has his own Blog.

Welcome to the blogosphere Nilmot! He has started an interesting discussion on "Is the Bible Infallible".

Check-it-out.

New Year 2006

2005 In review:

Last Years Key Highlights & Achievements:
1) Being a Husband and Father!
2) Visit family in Tasmania and Melbourne
3) Completed two Units towards Masters Degree
4) Successful delivery of Financial System and making Senior Management.
5) Reticulated lawn down.



2005 Best Reading:
Bono, Table Talk (Luther), Strategic Procurement Management, Project Procurement Management, Prince2. Also lots of Blogs.

2005 Key Learning:

Leadership is about engendering Trust and taking responsibility. It’s less about charm, charisma or communication skills. It’s about taking initiative, taking risks and standing up for what is right. Its about speaking the Truth or taking action at critical points in history.

This is what made Jesus - and to a lesser extent Martin Luther, Gandhi, Martin Luther King and JFK genuinely great.

Sometimes Leadership does in fact mean walking alone. Or with the few. Be led by a careful study of the Truth. Be led by your conscience. Lead yourself first.

For the New Year 2006:

1) God: A) Study to better understand "Predestination & Freewill" B) Study to better understand the names of God C) Kids Baptised. D) Commit to Friday nights ‘Kids Club’ with M - if it goes ahead.
2) Family: A) Commit to having a ‘work-free’ family day each week. B) A holiday for ‘JB’. C) Celebrate ‘Thanksgiving with Family & Friends’ as Family tradition (May).
3) Professional Development: A) Excel in new role to develop team to create a sense of community, excellence, accountability and achievement B) Deliver the First Phase CRM Project by year-end.
4) Fitness: Get back into 32" Boardshorts by Mid-Feb…Again! :-)
5) Home: A) Complete front garden Garden (Fence, Paint Fence, Plants) B) Build a cabinet for TV and C) Finish M’s room.
6) Recreation: Join Scuba2 (Been putting that off too long).
7) Financial: Improve Stewardship A) Develop a Financial Plan. B) Improve Giving under Grace - “Don’t feel guilty – Get responsible.”
8) Relationships: Help organise Boss’ 50th. Resolve/close outstandings.


Character Growth: A) Better frugality: Make own lunches, buy less coffee, drink more water, ride to work with colleagues. B) Be More Thankful.

On High Standards

Been thinking through freewill, predestination, faith and some other stuff.

Funny how things come from all directions to put a picture together…like pieces of a puzzle:

Some lyrics came my way:

“I gave myself to religion...
Became a follower of the Word.
I tried so hard to live up to everything that I heard
Then I found Love...Yeah, I found Love…

Or should I say -
...Love found Me”.

-Chris Falson

Source: http://www.chrisfalson.com/uploaddsl/main.swf

Still haven’t got most of the pieces yet. Maybe I never will.

Christmas 2005

Another Christmas is over.

Enjoyed Fish & Chips on Christmas Eve with good friends.
Woken from a deep slumber at 5:30am by my 7 year old to the words “Santa has been!”..
Went a local Lutheran Church on Christmas Morning – heard a great and relevant sermon on scriptures from Isaiah and John on the birth of the Saviour who cam in both “Grace and Truth”.
Enjoyed marvellous Christmas lunch with my largish family…played Backyard cricket.
My wine collection has now increased by several bottles…hmmm.
Was given a great straw ‘Quiksilver’ hat from my brother - with a brim large enough to cover the South West of this State!
Had the inlaws for Boxing Day for a relaxed lunch and assembled a portable basketball ring for the kids.
Needless to say I have played plenty of basketball.

I have to say – I have not relaxed so much in such a long time.

Back to the grindstone tomorrow.

I trust you enjoyed the break.

Better Days

Some songs just mark the milstones of your life.

Though not a hppay one, this is one for now:

Better Days
-Pete Murray

And I saw it coming
I saw emptiness and tragedy
And I felt like running
So far away
But knew I had to stay
And I know when I'm older
I look back and I still feel the pain
I know I'll be stronger and I know I'll be fine
For the rest of my days

I've seen better days
Put my face in my hands
Get down on my knees and I pray to God
Hope he sees me through till the end

I noticed the smallest things
But I didn't notice the change
It was hot in the morning
Then it turned so cold, twas the end of the day
There was no condensation I just felt like I was in space
I needed my friends there I just turned around
They were gone without a trace.

Rather Be Diving...

Its beautiful weather outside. The Ocean is blue and clear. I also have Monday off.

Too bad I'm in here ploughing through a 350 page text book for an exam on Wednesday.

It doesn't feel like Christams.

Place Holders

Things I am grateful for with regard to my faith:

My aunt who gave me my first Bible.
Those who fought and lost their lives to get the scriptures into the hands of the lay man.
A little old Catholic scripture teacher that came to our school and had nicotine stained fingers. That showed me that Christians did not have to be perfect.
A Lutheran Pastors who spent time of a Sunday afternoon showing us how to read and interpret the Bible correctly - thank God.
The Catechism and the Lords Prayer.
My Prayer book - for when I'm stumped and lost for words.
Confirmation classes - even though I made a mockery of them at the time.
Communion.
The Cross.
Stained Glass. Sometimes.
Spirit words that just seem to talk to my heart.

On Excellence

"Excellence is too hard to maintain -
Mediocrity maintains itself" -Mick the de motivational speaker

The Big Chill

Had our 20 Year School reunion last night. Can’t believe how fast 20 years goes.

Although I still see three or four guys on a regular basis, had a great time, with people I had not even spared a thought for in a long period of time.

Quite different from the 10 year reunion – where everyone was showcasing their career.

This time around it was all about children, schools and work-life balance. Many now have opted for a ‘sea-change’ / country life style (not surprising as many were boarders).

Looking back at the photo’s of some of the mature teachers at the time only to realise that we have now exceed the age that they were when they taught us.

One thing is clear; we have become our parents and teachers.