True love weathers all storms

It's a little bit unusual for me (i think) but I just had to write tonight. So, sorry about two posts within 24hours (well, sort of) - but i just couldn't resist...

Tonight I saw one of those beautiful, funny and sometimes slightly scary movies. It was a story that showed glimpses into many couples and their family lives as they struggled through life. It was about the pursuit of another, finding your true mate, being separated and finally what can happen during the long journey back to each other.

Along that journey there were threats to their survival (oh the sweet tension of will they get back together?!) and the grief that was depicted as they faced death was heartbreaking. One of the aspects of the story was the self sacrifice and denial of an individuals own needs so that the ones that they loved would be protected and their lives could be made better/easier - it was so humbling to see what love can make you do.

As I watched these two come together I was struck by the incredible tenderness that they showed towards each other. There was strength and fragility shown in following the desire of staying with, and protecting, the one that you choose to be with. Watching them I realised that I was jealous....

... of a penguin...!


If you haven't seen "March of the Penguin's" yet - go see it!

Through a strangers eyes...

Last night I was privliadge enough to see church through a strangers eyes.
Because I had been up in the church office doing things that evening, I was at the church hall early (yes before 6:30 is when it is early) and so I saw a couple standing on their own outside.
Let me be clear - going up to people I don't know at church is not something that I find easy. At all! My natural tendencies are to get a bit shy when it comes to strangers - but the Lord compelled me to go to them and see if they were new... they were.
Actually they had turned up to see a friend playing in the band (Pappy). Paul and Katie are in the land of Oz on exchange from Austria and so their understanding of church is based on what they have seen of the catholic church in their homeland. They had never been to church in their adults lives though - so last night was an eye-opener for them.
It was also one of those (rare) nights that we were having communion so I was able to explain to them what it symbolised in terms of Jesus body and blood for us. And as we were finishing off the second talk on the book of Ruth, I spent most of the sermon explaining to them the meaning of words such as "sinner", "Israel", "holy", and "redeemer". We flicked through the bible together and I showed them how the end of the book of Ruth gives us the start of the genealogy of Christ which they were somewhat amazed by.
I think they really enjoyed it! They kept on asking questions and at the end we had a great chance to talk about what they had expected church to be like and how they understood we could come to God.
Please pray for them!
And please make sure that you're looking out for people that you don't know at church - experience tells me that we have to get over ourselves and our nervousness and just say 'hello'!

Frivolity

Amongst all the seriousness and intensity of the week gone by, I figured that it would also be good to reminisce about some of the top five fun and trivial things that have happened for me this week:

1. Last Sunday night saw me playing my first poker game - I have loved watching the world tours on Fox, and thanks to some of the guys from church inviting me, I finally got to play for myself last week. I sucked - but that's ok... being the competitive person that I am I'm determined to get much better - give me a call if anyone else is keen for a game
2. After 3 weeks, my fish are still alive (no small miracle!) and growing. They are now the size of my thumb nail. Two of the biggest ones (I'm going to presume that they're the boys) have names, 'Cain' and 'Able' (hopefully not prophetic). Any ideas for girls names?
3. I'm discovering the world of dark chocolate - always hated it, but I was forced into trying some the other week and now I'm getting addicted - anyone recommend any particular favorites?
4. I was reminded how much I love mockumentaries like 'Best in Show' or 'Spellbound'
5. Dad has 'loaned' me his Cannon SLR which, due to being inspired by a particularly beautiful sunset on a train ride home, I am intent on learning how to use properly to capture something (here is me being silly with it in front of a mirror - does everyone else take dumb photos too?)

There are some days that I am hit by the enormity of what I am doing being in ministry - today was definitely one of them. I've spent the last 6 hrs running and re-running the days events over in my head. What did I say? Was it with the right tone? Was it Godly? Was it with His wisdom or my own?
So often, too often, I'm finding that it's easy for me to come up with answers to things based on my own opinions or values, my own experiences and emotions... This can't be good can it? Today I have been struck anew by how desperately we need to come to the Lord every day for His wisdom and guidance. Maybe esp in ministry? I've realised that the ramifications for others can be huge.
In Credo first year small groups we've been looking at 1 Thessalonians. Based on 1 Thess 5:12-13 can I urge us all to pray for our leaders and those who minister to us? Please? We need it...

I have the questions, who has the answers?

Let me introduce you to one of my favorite parts of my house. This rocking chair is where I do most of my reading (whether it be biblical or other) and also where I do most of my thinking. Lately (due to a rather unfortunate bout of insomnia) I have been spending a lot of time here between the hours of 12 and 3am. Not much fun - but good thinking has been done...mostly about discontentment and being disillusioned about some things (often based on my own stupid misguided interpretations of ppl and events).
But I'm not going to give you any details on them bar one topic which I would like some of your feedback on.
Lately it seems that a lot of people I speak to are finding that they are 'struggling to feel as though they fit in at their churches'. Unfortunately I can completely identify - but why is it that there seems to be an epidemic of this sentiment at the moment? And it's not just ppl in my church - it seems to be everywhere! Most of the people that I have been speaking to have been with their congregations for 5-15 years and it sounds as though many are ready to move on and find something different.
WHAT IS GOING ON!???
When did we become a generation of people who just move on? Now before you go jumping to any conclusions I'm not an insular moron and I'm not saying that we should never change churches. Of course there are plenty of good reasons to move and move on (I don't really think I need to list them here do I?)
So here is my really big question: is there something bigger that is going on? Could it be possible, even just a tiny bit, that Satan is choosing to use that fact that we have become ppl who make big life changes every 4-7 years, to undermine work that can be done as we meet together and fellowship over lifetimes? Will our cards of discontentment and disillusionment trump trusting God's good plans in us meeting together for a long time?
But you know what? As I sit here writing this from the office of my church, I'm also looking over the carpark and watching all of the kids and leaders of FNAC and other bible studies go about whatever it is that they do on a Friday arvo/evening. And to say that it's an encouragement and challenge to see and hear all of their joy at their fellowship together is an understatement. It is truly a beautiful thing to witness. I think I'm a little bit jealous - but the final question is "what am I going to do about it?".

Mother's day reflections

Today was fairly standard for mothers day in my family. We headed up the north coast to go to my grandparent's place in Erina and have lunch with my aunt and uncle. Had a cup of tea and some of my nan's infamous coffee bun biscuits, a good seafood lunch as we sat around the table - blah, blah, blah...
But as I sat at that familiar table I realised just how disheartened and frustrated I am by my family. They are all unbelievers in the Lord, and that was just so evident in the conversations that they were having. I felt like screaming at them: "Don't you get it???!!! Can't you see that there is something more going on in this life than your petty quarrels or disagreements about our society???"

Don't get me wrong - I really do deeply love my family, esp my mum and nanna. Both are lovely women who have been so generous and giving in the way that they have raised me. These are two women who have made incredible sacrifices for their families so that their children might have all the opportunities that they feel they never had.
They have faced incredible pain and grief alongside their greatest joys and delights. Both will fiercely claim that their wrinkles come from laughter rather frowning (and I'm inclined to believe them knowing first hand how much they value a good smile!)
But, as much as I love them, they are by no means the women who have made and shaped me to be the woman that I am today. In their place could very easily stand two other older women: Julie Moser and Emma Jonker. Ah I wish that I had photos of them! These are two women (amongst half a dozen or so others) who have guided, encouraged, challenged and rebuked me in, and through, the word of God. When life has been hard and tears have come fast and furious - they have been the ones to not only wipe them away but to give me a perspective of heaven. Equally in times of great joy they have been some of the ones to remind me that all good things come from the hand of our Father.
Are there people like that in your life? If so, thank God for them every day (and maybe say thanks to them too!). Feel free to publically acknowledged them here if you wish.

The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord

This was the first shot that greeted me on my way to work/the office today (handy having camera phones sometimes).
All in all, it really has been an amazing day. Obviously no office... So lots to do for the Barneys staff to work out where to go from here - as well as for Bec and others figuring out what was lost in the Credo office and what can be replaced.
But I was so greatly encouraged to go up to Ian Powells house with about 20 others and spend some great time in prayer for the ministry of the servant Barneys building, thanksgiving to God for all that He has done through that building and for all that He is doing and will be doing for His people, the true/real church. It was a good time to remember, as most people there were doing - that although it is undeniably sad that this building has been lost - it is the people and the Lord that set it apart.


I must say that I did find it a little strange that people laid flowers there at the gate - but perhaps it is an expression from some of the community as a recognition that something has been lost.
Pls keep the Barneys ministry team in your prayers as they have many plans to make over the next little while. Pls also pray for the great time and witness that this can be as the media has been giving it a lot of attention. Our Lord and Saviour's work, people and mission will never be confined in walls...

I have hope

If you live in Australia right now, I think you would have to be deaf, dumb, blind and comatosed not to know about these two men who are trapped in the mine in Beaconsfield, Tasmania. Watching channel 9 tonight, I learnt that the countdown for them coming out is on: should be in the next 4-5 hrs (as I write this).
Why is it that I have an urge to stay up and watch them (with most of the rest of Australia according to Tracey Grimshaw) come out in the triumphant glow of overcoming all the 'natural odds' of what should happen when a mine collapses on you because of an earthquake tremor. The reason I'm glued to my TV set on a Saturday night? Hope...
We are creatures that long for the best. We long to overcome adversary and look for a fairytale ending. When tragedy befalls someone else, we long for it to be put right in their life so that we can be comforted in the knowledge that our pain too can be taken away when things suck for us.


I can not imagine the emotions that must be going through the minds of these two men, sitting in a 1.2x2m cage kilometers below the surface in the dark. What will it be like to have your first glimpse of Sunlight - to feel its warmth on your face for the first time in 13 days? To have your first touch of a loved one whom you thought you were separated from, possibly for eternity?
As a minister of the word, as a Christian, I can't help but draw on the illustration that this provides us for coming out of our sinful hole - remembering what is was like to be touched for the first time by the knowledge of the grace that the Son provides us we come into the light of salvation. So that's what I think - here is what I want: I want to recapture that sense of unlimited hope and joy in my salvation. I think that overtime we regress and start to go back down into the mine - we forget to head into the Light. Two verses to challenge me in my walk up out of the pits: Psalm 28 and John 1:1-12. Look them up.

Little fishies

Yesterday was a day full of excitement and trepidation for me. I finally picked up my latest pets - 4 baby fantail goldfish. Those who know me well will understand the irony here (if that's what it is) - because I do not have a great history with having fish as pets.
In my last year at SMBC I decided to get 2 Siamese fighting fish (yes they were in separate tanks) to brighten up my room a little. Who knew that you're not supposed to make loud noises around them (not great next to my stereo speakers then), tap on the glass, keep them in sunlight, change all their water all at once, feed them twice a day, handle them (only when I dropped them out of the net a few times) or aggravate them in stressful situations (like making them fight each other)? Needless to say, one of them got sick within a couple of weeks (apparently because he was stressed out).
What would you do if it was late at night at college and you were bored, didn't want to pay for fish medicine and the person in the room across from you had a yabbie? You'd want to see how long it would fight for too wouldn't you? Imagine it, 11pm, spotlight on the tank, "Gladiator" theme music in the background... Let's just say that the little fishy perked up to fight for a while but the odds were always stacked against him. The other Siamese fish lasted a few more months...
I'm expecting better things this time round though. I set up my little aquarium last week, they have good food, I'm going to measure the right amount of water conditioner in this time - and none of the previous activities will happen to these ones. I might even buy them something to play with and some special snails to eat their algae.

Name that movie

"...I'm a woman. We don't say what we want, but we reserve the right to be pissed off if we don't get it. That's what makes us so fascinating - and not just a little bit scary".

Somehow - it just resonates...