I wish you a brave New Year!
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
I feel bad because I forgot!
Over 4,000 People Will Die Of AIDS Today In Africa. (Just Like Every Other Day)
Oh, and 2,000 children, children will be infected with HIV.
How's your day going?
Monday, December 01, 2008
Without God . . .
Without GOD, our week would be: Sinday, Mournday, Tearsday, Wasteday, Thirstday, Fightday & Shatterday.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Success
To laugh often and much;
to win the respect of intelligent people
and the affection of children;
to earn the appreciation of honest critics
and endure the betrayal of false friends;
to appreciate beauty,
to find the best in others;
to leave the world a bit better,
whether by a child, a garden patch
or a redeemed social condition;
to know even one life has breathed
easier because you have lived.
This is to have succeeded.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson -
to win the respect of intelligent people
and the affection of children;
to earn the appreciation of honest critics
and endure the betrayal of false friends;
to appreciate beauty,
to find the best in others;
to leave the world a bit better,
whether by a child, a garden patch
or a redeemed social condition;
to know even one life has breathed
easier because you have lived.
This is to have succeeded.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson -
Monday, October 13, 2008
Looks like an interesting list to read...
Clay Shirky’s ‘Must Read’ list...
- Rise of the Stupid Network, David Isenberg — Why the Internet works
- End-to-End Arguments In System Design, J.H. Saltzer, D.P. Reed, and D.D. Clark — How to Design for the Internet
- Worse is Better, Richard Gabriel — Why weak but flexible systems beat strong but inflexible ones
- Logic of Collective Action, Mancur Olson — Group coordination costs as a key aspect of organization design.
Monday, October 13, 2008
The Long View
It helps, now and then, to step back and take a long view.
The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts,
it is even beyond our vision.
We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction
of the magnificent enterprise that is God's work.
Nothing we do is complete, which is a way of saying
that the kingdom always lies beyond us.
No statement says all that could be said.
No prayer fully expresses our faith.
No confession brings perfection.
No pastoral visit brings wholeness.
No program accomplishes the church's mission.
No set of goals and objectives includes everything.
This is what we are about.
We plant the seeds that one day will grow.
We water seeds already planted,
knowing that they hold future promise.
We lay foundations that will need further development.
We provide yeast that produces far beyond our capabilities.
We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation
in realizing that. This enables us to do something,
and to do it very well. It may be incomplete,
but it is a beginning, a step along the way,
an opportunity for the Lord's grace to enter and do the rest.
We may never see the end results, but that is the difference
between the master builder and the worker.
We are workers, not master builders; ministers, not messiahs.
We are prophets of a future not our own.
Amen.
Attributed to Archbishop Oscar Romero
The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts,
it is even beyond our vision.
We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction
of the magnificent enterprise that is God's work.
Nothing we do is complete, which is a way of saying
that the kingdom always lies beyond us.
No statement says all that could be said.
No prayer fully expresses our faith.
No confession brings perfection.
No pastoral visit brings wholeness.
No program accomplishes the church's mission.
No set of goals and objectives includes everything.
This is what we are about.
We plant the seeds that one day will grow.
We water seeds already planted,
knowing that they hold future promise.
We lay foundations that will need further development.
We provide yeast that produces far beyond our capabilities.
We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation
in realizing that. This enables us to do something,
and to do it very well. It may be incomplete,
but it is a beginning, a step along the way,
an opportunity for the Lord's grace to enter and do the rest.
We may never see the end results, but that is the difference
between the master builder and the worker.
We are workers, not master builders; ministers, not messiahs.
We are prophets of a future not our own.
Amen.
Attributed to Archbishop Oscar Romero
Monday, October 13, 2008
Ordination
I really liked this so I have taken it from Rob's blog...
You are not ordained to minister; that happened at your baptism.
You are not ordained to be a caring person; you are already called to do that.
You are not ordained to serve the church; this is already implied in your membership.
You are not ordained to become involved in social issues, ecology, race, politics, revolution; for this is laid upon every Christian.
You are ordained to something smaller and less spectacular:
To read and interpret those sacred stories of our community,
so that they speak a word to people today;
to remember and practice those rituals and rites of meaning that in their poetry address people at the level where they operate;
to foster in community through word and sacrament that encounter with truth which will set men and women free to minister as the body of Christ.
You are not ordained to minister; that happened at your baptism.
You are not ordained to be a caring person; you are already called to do that.
You are not ordained to serve the church; this is already implied in your membership.
You are not ordained to become involved in social issues, ecology, race, politics, revolution; for this is laid upon every Christian.
You are ordained to something smaller and less spectacular:
To read and interpret those sacred stories of our community,
so that they speak a word to people today;
to remember and practice those rituals and rites of meaning that in their poetry address people at the level where they operate;
to foster in community through word and sacrament that encounter with truth which will set men and women free to minister as the body of Christ.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Scary Surfing
Kem McNair (link) was taking some shots of the surfers and spotted this...Check it out on CCN (link)
Monday, July 07, 2008
For all my Aussie friends...
You know you’re Australian if…..
1. You believe that stubbies can be either drunk or worn.
2. You think it’s normal to have a leader called Kevin.
3. When you hear that an American “roots for his team” you wonder how often and with whom.
4. You pronounce Melbourne as “Mel-bin”.
5. You believe it makes perfect sense for a nation to decorate its highways with large fibreglass bananas, prawns and sheep.
6. You call your best friend “a total bastard” but someone you really, truly despise is just “a bit of a bastard”.
7. You think “Woolloomooloo” is a perfectly reasonable name for a place.
8. You’re secretly proud of our killer wildlife.
9. You believe it makes sense for a country to have a $1 coin that’s twice as big as its $2 coin.
10. You understand that “Wagga Wagga” can be abbreviated to “Wagga” but “Woy Woy” can’t be called “Woy”.
11. You believe all famous Kiwis are actually Australian, until they stuff up, at which point they again become Kiwis.
12. You know that certain words must, by law, be shouted out during any rendition of the Angels’ song Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again.
13. You believe, as an article of faith, that the confectionary known as the Wagon Wheel has become smaller with every passing year.
14. You still don’t get why the “Labor” in “Australian Labor Party” is not spelt with a “u”.
15. You believe that the more you shorten someone’s name the more you like them.
16. You understand that “excuse me” can sound rude, while “scuse me” is always polite.
17. You understand that “you” has a plural and that it’s “youse”.
18. You know it’s not summer until the steering wheel is too hot to handle.
19. Your biggest family argument over the summer concerned the rules for beach cricket.
20. You still think of Kylie as “that girl off Neighbours”.
21. When returning home from overseas, you expect to be brutally strip-searched by Customs - just in case you’re trying to sneak in fruit.
22. You believe the phrase “smart casual” refers to a pair of black tracky-daks, suitably laundered. (Danelle would say this one is for me…)
23. You understand that all train timetables are works of fiction.
24. When working on a bar, you understand male customers will feel the need to offer an excuse whenever they order low-alcohol beer.
25. You get choked up with emotion by the first verse of the national anthem and then have trouble remembering the second.
26. You find yourself ignorant of nearly all the facts deemed essential in the government’s new test for migrants.
27. You know, whatever the tourist books say, that no one says “cobber”.
28. And you will immediately forward this list to other Australians, here and overseas, realising that only they will understand.
(from The Sydney Morning Herald , Australia Day, Jan 26, 2008).
1. You believe that stubbies can be either drunk or worn.
2. You think it’s normal to have a leader called Kevin.
3. When you hear that an American “roots for his team” you wonder how often and with whom.
4. You pronounce Melbourne as “Mel-bin”.
5. You believe it makes perfect sense for a nation to decorate its highways with large fibreglass bananas, prawns and sheep.
6. You call your best friend “a total bastard” but someone you really, truly despise is just “a bit of a bastard”.
7. You think “Woolloomooloo” is a perfectly reasonable name for a place.
8. You’re secretly proud of our killer wildlife.
9. You believe it makes sense for a country to have a $1 coin that’s twice as big as its $2 coin.
10. You understand that “Wagga Wagga” can be abbreviated to “Wagga” but “Woy Woy” can’t be called “Woy”.
11. You believe all famous Kiwis are actually Australian, until they stuff up, at which point they again become Kiwis.
12. You know that certain words must, by law, be shouted out during any rendition of the Angels’ song Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again.
13. You believe, as an article of faith, that the confectionary known as the Wagon Wheel has become smaller with every passing year.
14. You still don’t get why the “Labor” in “Australian Labor Party” is not spelt with a “u”.
15. You believe that the more you shorten someone’s name the more you like them.
16. You understand that “excuse me” can sound rude, while “scuse me” is always polite.
17. You understand that “you” has a plural and that it’s “youse”.
18. You know it’s not summer until the steering wheel is too hot to handle.
19. Your biggest family argument over the summer concerned the rules for beach cricket.
20. You still think of Kylie as “that girl off Neighbours”.
21. When returning home from overseas, you expect to be brutally strip-searched by Customs - just in case you’re trying to sneak in fruit.
22. You believe the phrase “smart casual” refers to a pair of black tracky-daks, suitably laundered. (Danelle would say this one is for me…)
23. You understand that all train timetables are works of fiction.
24. When working on a bar, you understand male customers will feel the need to offer an excuse whenever they order low-alcohol beer.
25. You get choked up with emotion by the first verse of the national anthem and then have trouble remembering the second.
26. You find yourself ignorant of nearly all the facts deemed essential in the government’s new test for migrants.
27. You know, whatever the tourist books say, that no one says “cobber”.
28. And you will immediately forward this list to other Australians, here and overseas, realising that only they will understand.
(from The Sydney Morning Herald , Australia Day, Jan 26, 2008).
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Blog from Facebook
There's now a blogging application within Facebook - written by Typepad. It's got pretty neat functionality - and supports various blogging accounts (WordPress, Typepad, Blogger) as well as supporting Twitter and Facebook status posts.
Monday, March 10, 2008
new sins...
"Thou shall not pollute the Earth. Thou shall beware genetic manipulation. Modern times bring with them modern sins. So the Vatican has told the faithful that they should be aware of "new" sins such as causing environmental blight."
This makes me think again how much I am sinning!
read the article here - link
This makes me think again how much I am sinning!
read the article here - link
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Sir David Attenborough on God
He was commenting on the BBC budget cuts in the Natural History Unit. When asked about why he never mentions God on his programs, he responded as follows...
"Sir David said: “I tend to think of an innocent little child sitting on the bank of a river in Africa, who’s got a worm boring through his eye that can render him blind.
“Now, presumably you think this Lord created this worm, just as he created the hummingbird. I find that rather tricky.”"
Interesting!
read the article here - link
"Sir David said: “I tend to think of an innocent little child sitting on the bank of a river in Africa, who’s got a worm boring through his eye that can render him blind.
“Now, presumably you think this Lord created this worm, just as he created the hummingbird. I find that rather tricky.”"
Interesting!
read the article here - link
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Please Pray!
Our friend, Gillian will be undergoing surgery tomorrow 1pm (GMT) to remove the cyst as well as a radical hysterectomy at the same time (radical = both the ovary and uterus will be removed).In her words, "My dreams of children have been shelved for now and getting though this has become my prime goal. As my doctor said, 'This time it is about growing old together'. After the surgery, the cyst will be tested and if it is malignant, then I will have to undergo a few more sessions of chemotherapy."
She has been fighting cancer for well over 2 years now and your prayers are much appreciated!
Love you, Gill!
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
I like this type of thinking!
Thanks to Hamo for these words - link
Simon mentioned how we now live in privatopia where everyone occupies their own little piece of suburbia and hides behind the rollerdoor on the garage. Neighbours are much like rare animals - sighting are infrequent and when they do occur people aren’t sure what to do.
Simon writes of the days when the front porch was common - when houses had large front porches so people could hang out the front and connect with each other. When the pace of life was slower and people seemed to value the neighbourhood. I’m too young to know if this romanticised, but I like the concept…
Of course, this has now been replaced with the ‘alfresco’ area in the rear for private entertaining. We live in the back yard rather than the front. Privacy has overtaken any kind of engagement.
I started to wonder…
How would it be if houses began to be designed with huge front verandahs? What if building companies and developers started to re-invent the front porch? Or even more amusing… what if a group of us ‘invaded a suburb’ - the same street even - and built houses with big front verandahs and lived ‘out the front’ quite intentionally."
"Here’s a first thought that began percolating in my head…
Simon mentioned how we now live in privatopia where everyone occupies their own little piece of suburbia and hides behind the rollerdoor on the garage. Neighbours are much like rare animals - sighting are infrequent and when they do occur people aren’t sure what to do.
Simon writes of the days when the front porch was common - when houses had large front porches so people could hang out the front and connect with each other. When the pace of life was slower and people seemed to value the neighbourhood. I’m too young to know if this romanticised, but I like the concept…
Of course, this has now been replaced with the ‘alfresco’ area in the rear for private entertaining. We live in the back yard rather than the front. Privacy has overtaken any kind of engagement.
I started to wonder…
How would it be if houses began to be designed with huge front verandahs? What if building companies and developers started to re-invent the front porch? Or even more amusing… what if a group of us ‘invaded a suburb’ - the same street even - and built houses with big front verandahs and lived ‘out the front’ quite intentionally."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)