Walking the talk

Since I've had this blog I feel like I talk alot but don't necessarily do much of the walking sometimes.
At least I used to do neither.

"I wish somebody would build a bridge,
so I can get over myself"
(Thirsty Merc)

Give up Everything

My bank tells me I can get a home loan with them while ‘giving up nothing’, since I don’t have to pay a deposit. Don’t spose they’d like to hear I’m giving up getting a home loan altogether, at least for now.
The world tells me I can have what I ‘want’ and I don’t have to give up anything (which of course is a deception anyway), while Christ tells me to “deny (myself) and take up (my) cross and follow (him)” (Matt 16:24). Pretty significant difference.

Colin Buchanan sings a song that goes “Be careful little eyes what you see…”. I can’t think how many values of the world I have taken on board by what I have seen over the years. But it’s time to be a little more discerning now, given that “…this world in its present form is passing away” (1 Cor 7:31), and instead to “keep pressing on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Phil 3:14).

Poker & Poland

To follow up on my much anticipated night at the theatre, it was basically a 40 minute movement-based lament over death, held together by middle-eastern style chanting, which I'm pretty sure was in Polish (!).
Ok, so not quite what I expected, but I gotta say it was still pretty good. They're so strong and so passionate even over things that gave no answers to the anguish of death. It actually convicted me about my own lapses into apathy about Christ, even while I'm sitting on a winner. And when they broke out the fireball on a chain and started swinging it around it was very cool.

And to follow that, after a bit of unproductive shopping on Sat arvo (I hate that), we settled in for another evening of Poker. Again, it was so cool, i love that game, at least when you're not coming dismally last, but especially when Shannyn goes all in, Craig hurls a pile of 50s into the pot - and it's all on with both of them having Full Houses! That was a nice win to Shannyn, and no bad loss to The Gheever, he had to go for it. Add to that a 5 star meal put on by the gately's and it makes for one good Saturday night.

Looking forward to church tonight, and then onto yet another week off next week. Praying for continuted discipline to make the most of my time with Greek, and to keep catching up with people.

If anyone's free for a game of golf Wed pm (or another day), give me a ring, I'm up for it.

Time

To have good times, you need to spend time. And it's been so good spending time with Gheever and Shannyn this week!

We've found a mutual love for Poker (of all things), and we've played for hours together over the last few days and I'm hanging to play some more.

I've been reminded that there's no substitute for just spending time with people (not to mention their very gaye, cigar-smoking, poker-playing relatives). Maybe that's why Paul says to the Thessalonians:

"We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us". 1 Thess 2:8

Sorry in advance for the times I will be away this year when I should be near. I've heard College tends to do that to people. i will try my best..

When we weren't fostering gambling addictions, we were basically filling our lives with Baseball - playing it AND watching it. We went to see NSW thrash SA last night at Blacktown, and for my 1st ever real life baseball game I'd have to say... well, cricket is better!... um, I mean it was awesome (for the first 2 hours at least..). No it was actually very cool, these guys cane their pitches in at nearly 150kph, and the homer off the second ball was worth it all.

Hands down the best part of the night though was watching Gheever sprinting past a bunch of 10 yr old kids to get his hands on a foul ball!! No mercy, mate - great to see! And to come up with a second for yours truely, I'm speechless. You're a good man McNabb!

Here's to a bunch more hours together guys, this week and next.

"Time will open doors for you,
Wishes spent make dreams come true,
I'll promise I'll be there,
Don't say goodbye".

(by Third Day)

Into the swing

There's heaps happening in Sydney this week with Australia Day etc, so I reckon we should get on the band-wagon and go and see some of the things they're putting on!

The best production I could see from the brief look I had was this one called "Chronicles: A Lamentation", but it's finished at the Opera House and is only on at Parramatta Riverside Theatre. Apparently it's "based on the story of Gilgamesh, the king who, faced with death, searched for imortality". And for those who may not think they like Theatre (everyone does, they just dn't realise it), it looks like it only goes for half an hour!

Starts at 8pm, which lends itself to some definite coffee time afterwards... so if you're interested give me a yell! (If you can find something that sounds better, I'm open to suggestions).

Cool guys, let me know.

Compassion not condemnation

Living in Newtown this year could be good! Last night I went and saw a play put on by the Sydney theatre Company, called "Dissident, goes without saying", in the Rocks. Quynh (far left) is an old uni friend, and she usually goes along with her husband to see around 5 of these a year, with the group in the photo. He's a doctor and he had to work nights, so I got to slide into his spot - ooo yeah!

It was a simple production: 2 actors, all but bare stage, small audience. And despite the fact it took some discussion afterwards to work out what exactly it was even about, when all was said and done the night stood as a reminder to me of compassion.

The play was about a young bloke from a broken home, dealing with divorced parents, having been abused as a child, a mother with a brain tumour, not holding down a job, lying to his mother, into drugs, running off for up to a month without telling anyone where he was going and stuff like that. And it basically spirals downward until he's finally pushed over the edge and goes to jail (I think he killed his friend but were not told).

But the focus is not on pointing the finger at him. Instead it asks the question of how much his circumstances pushed him to be the way he was. Take a look at what he had to deal with, and see how much of a chance he had.

Now, he's no innocent flower, but it's not the first reminder to me this week of choosing to be merciful rather than to condemn.

When Jesus was confronted by a hoard of hypocritical, judgemental Pharisees, using an aduterous woman to try and trap him, what does Jesus say?

John 8:10-11
Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
"No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."

The only pure one who could have punished, didn't. Instead, he forgives, and that serves as motivation for her to leave her life of sin. I want to be merciful, please keep reminding me to be that way.

Andrew & Ruth

I mentioned my mate and his wife before, well here they are.


Firstly, the lovely Ruth, sporting the "full-uterus" look, which apparently is catching on...











... and of course, Andrew.

Though he took both photos and I wasn't there for either of them, so this could just as likely be a snap-shot from inside the womb for all I know. It has all the necessary elements: alien features... check, lost in a dark uncharted location, from where no-one can hear you scream... check, clearly ingesting his own recycled urine... check. The evidence is conclusive - I think we have the first digital in-utero shot of an over-matured 4 month old alien Barnard! Poor kid looks like his Dad.

Any starting bids on this never before seen, once in a lifetime piece of masterful photography?? They'll be going very cheap I suspect...

Matt & Carolyn

Last night we had Matt and Carolyn's engagement party at our place. It was a really nice night, just pleasant with nothing over the top, and lots of nice people to talk to. They were the first of 3 couples there who seemed perfect for each other. They're so alike, they should've met years ago!
The other 2 were a girl I knew from uni and her now husband, and a girl I knew from school (and church and beach mission) and her boyfriend who I met last night. It's crazy, they even talk like each other and understand what the other one says when no-one else has any idea! It's so good.

Now they get to do it all again in Melbourne with Carolyn's family...

As for my 'holiday' form St Jude's (you know what I mean), tonight I went to Castle Hill Baptist Church and last week I went to Christchurch St Ives. I met a couple of stand-out people tonight, but last week was sensational! People came up and spoke to me which was nice, I met a couple of great guys who'll be at College this year, caught up with an old friend from uni, AND went out for pizza afterwards. It was exceedingly cool to hang out with some people my own age, and as much as I wouldn't give up the people I know and love at St Jude's for anything, it was nice to have that for a change. And I still got to hang out with St Jude's people tonight after church, so it's all good.

Ok, so bring on some more holidays and some College prep this week. Anyone up for any fun times this week, just give me a yell.

Quadbiking

I rocked up without a booking, but how glad was I they let me in. Throttle and brake, that's all you need to know and then you let the "little bit of play" from the deflated tyres and the freshly rain-smoothed surface set you drifting on the 30kms of sand dunes.
Quadbiking - I'd never done it before, but it was so much fun. I was up with the top group, and when the speedo ticked over 70kms/hr I think I knew what they meant by letting us "open it up a bit"! I was experimenting a little with getting it sideways towards the end, but I reckon I could be even more adventurous next time.
I love how you can do whatever you like for a living! I thought you had to do something that was hard and unenjoyable, but seeing these guys, and having done physio for a while, and being able to spend some time helping people grow in the Lord, I'm gratefully realising that work can be some of the greatest times you can have.
Which is great, but there are ball-parks here. As great as quadbiking is, to see and feel a whole other person growing inside my mate's wife was just other-worldly. I know a few people who've had kids, and no matter how many times I see it I still can't get over how weird and cool it is to have 2 people in 1.
There's so much good stuff in this world - praise God for time to enjoy it. Please remind me of these things when I'm facing exams and I've got yet another sermon to back up with.
Stay cool.

Away

Howdy Campers, (never liked that phrase)

As you may have noticed I'm spending my days by the beach at the moment, in way-too-sunny Newcastle. I hadn't planned on blogging this week, but found a wireless hotspot which I'll indulge in this once..

I'm staying with my brother (Matt) who's up here for work and who very nicely got his 4.5 star single hotel room upgraded to a 2 bedroom balcony room just for lil ol' me. Forget views, ensuites, walking distance to the beach, room service and the rest of it - the aircon is what makes it paradise on earth! Went to Williamtown today to see the fighter jets landing (very exceedingly cool) and it was 39 degrees! Feels good on the sunburn let me tell you. But the pool downstairs was all good.

So I've been spending some time on the beach, went for a lovely ride around Newcastle yesterday, did some shopping, tried out the gym and spa downstairs, and spent 2 hrs today cleaning the sand out of the gears and chain on my new bike (so bad, I hope I can resurrect it..). But by far the coolest thing I've done so far was checking out the Fighter jets today at "Fighter World". I had Top Gun on the DVD player last night and today I was seeing it in the flesh, it was SO cool! In a different life who knows what I might have done...

AND as you can see, I got the digital camera working, which is such a blessing. Now i can catch some of these things on film and use them to go on mini-holidays during the year (you know during lectures, when I'm not playing DVD's and things..).

Hope you're enjoying yourselves as well. Praying for you all.

It was a lot of fun though!

(This shot was the most flattering for my abs).

Who's on First

I couldn't resist, I love this bit by Abbott and Costello.

www.freeaudioclips.com/music1/Comedy_Clips/wof.wav

(link didn't work, you'll have to copy it into the address panel)

Resurrection Power

I haven't done it for a while, but I've started to read my Bible again and I'm working through Ephesians.

It was fitting that the culmination of all the depth of the first 1/2 of CH 1, comes as Paul prays that the Ephesians would know God better - the exact reason I wanted to start reading my Bible again! Such an overarching/general, even simple idea, yet central to what Paul prays after considering such grand truths as predesination, adoption, redemption, The Second Coming, the Holy Spirit... It's as simple as getting ot know God better, I can do that. Funny then why reading books about the Bible is easier than reading the Bible itself. Though it also explains why Spurgeon stimulates my thoughts, but the Bible blows my mind!
So, I prayed that I might know God better. And part of the answer came in pondering the other thing that Paul prays for - resurrection power. I had a few thoughts on this, but I'd actually like to hear what others think on the idea. It's around 1:19-20 (or 18-23). That'd be cool.

And as far as recent events go, I resurrected my 'bike legs' the other morning with Ross (thanks for going slow big fella :) ), mortally injured a ligament in my thumb playing grid iron, did some suit-fitting in preparation for the union of 2 lives in March, caught up on Simmo's life at the pub last night, and will be living life to the full on George St tonight!

Once again, how cool is my new sweetheart, young "Argon". Who says you can't buy love?

My new Argon 18 Radon - isn't she beautiful!

Broken by a kid's movie

Saw Narnia the other day, and as much as I thought it might have a slightly clearer message, and somewhat more gripping adventure feel, I've got to say, it hit the nail on the head in capturing God's character.
It's not a quote (and I couldn't find it written the same way in the book), but that line at the end about "He's not a tame lion, but he is good" did it for me. I haven't had shivers down my spine and tears welling up from a movie for ages - and here I am removed of pride and laid bare before my God by a child's fantasy. That's why it's a classic: the truth of God's strength alongside his compasion, his soveriegnty standing with his sacrifice, his purity side-by-side with his mercy. Depth of scholars, clarity of a child's mind.
And so undenyably identifiable with whoever sees it. No-one would argue that Aslan is anything other than their perfect idea of a mighty hero in whos arms you can feel entirely safe. And at the same time they are acknowledging that they love the God who made them. Or would, if only they knew Him.
Why do we make it so hard when it's so easy. And why do we reject Him when we love who he is?
Why do we need to ask God to batter our hearts? We want to be like him, but won't obey unless he all but forces himself onto us. We desire God, but we are bound by sin.
I think John Donne was mising something in that poem, dare i say it. I don't want God to beat me around the ears, apart from what is appropriate discipline. I just want to understand His Grace such that I can't help but to respond. Godly zeal coming from who I know God is. All Aslan has to do to make me follow him is show me who he is. What he does shows me who he is and that's anough to win my allegience.

Titus 2:11-12 "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age...".

"Batter my Heart"

BATTER my heart, three person'd God; for, you
As yet but knocke, breathe, shine, and seeke to mend;
That I may rise, and stand, o'erthrow mee,'and bend
Your force, to breake, blowe, burn and make me new.
I, like an usurpt towne, to'another due,
Labour to'admit you, but Oh, to no end,
Reason your viceroy in mee, mee should defend,
But is captiv'd, and proves weake or untrue.
Yet dearely'I love you,'and would be loved faine,
But am betroth'd unto your enemie:
Divorce mee,'untie, or breake that knot againe;
Take mee to you, imprison mee, for I
Except you'enthrall mee, never shall be free,
Nor ever chast, except you ravish mee.

John Donne

"Sweet times"

Anyone know which one Di's married to?

A lesson in trust

Today is here, and it marks the end of a 3 year chunck of my life. Dural Physio has been an up and down ride and for the most part there were times when I would've happily left for something greener. But now that I am going I can't believe how hard it actually is to leave. The last 6-12 months have been really good - I'm comfortable, most days are fun despite the challenges of everyday work, and I know that finding another job in physio like this one will be hard if not impossible. I don't want to leave - and I think I'm crazy for throwing this away!

But the truth is I couldn't face another year there if it meant putting off going to Bible College. If you don't stop to look up very often, you can enjoy the temporary highs of just looking after yourself. But what do I want to achieve with my life? I want to glorify the Lord by growing in him and encouraging as many other people as possible to do that as well. And so getting stuck into God's word in the company of other believers will be crucial to my growth, to my future family's growth, to my local church... and then finally to whatever job I decide to do at the end of it. I just can't lose going to College for a year as far as I can see.

So here's to letting go of what is temporary (though enjoyable) so I can hold on to what will last with both hands. Once again I have no idea what next year will bring, but God is actually capable of looking after that. This is me learning to trust you, Lord.

New Years Revolutions

I'm revolting!.. As in, this is the beginning of my revolt against blog-misuse. From now on, or for as long as this lasts, I'm going to use my blog for the purpose it was intended.

So first up, snapshots of my life. Above is where I spent New Year's. Exclusive Naval Establishment thing. Cool lookout from up the top though. Once in a lifetime spot to bring in the new year I reckon.

Second, snapshots from Above. Today's instalment comes from one Charles Spurgeon, "The Prince of Preachers":
"One of the first requisites of an earnest, successful, soul-winning man must be zeal". My goal in life.

Chat soon.