Hi again.
Surrender 06 was an amazing time for us. It was at S05 that the final crunch came for Naomi and I in our decision to follow the Lord into the call he had on our lives. So in many ways S06 was an anniversary for us (even though it was a couple of weeks later than last year). S05 was a highly emotional time - particularly for Naomi who finally surrendered the battle she was waging against her call to Missions. The year that followed was mad, going through the discernment process with UNOH, visiting Bangkok, telling all our friends & work mates, moving into Noble Park , settling in etc.
For me, attending S06 was like the end of the first leg of our journey, a time to reflect on how our life has changed, and how much God has been with us and blessed us over this leg of the race. Sure there were great speakers and a lot to be thought about and pondered, but just being able to be a volunteer at the conference, working alongside all the UNOH & Rainbow guys, being a team, feeling welcome was what really stuck out to me.
We really have been accepted as part of the community by now, I was able to have a chat with a couple of people over the weekend who were paying me a compliment over a message I shared at Rainbow, and saying that I was obviously a great preacher. I was saying that I did not want to be a great preacher and am very nervous speaking in public like that, that I was much better at doing teaching on a one-on-one or small group basis. These friends then said to me that it was silly for me to be nervous talking in front of the Rainbow Church crowd, as they were all friends. That conversation has had a big impact on me, not that I am proud to be a great speaker or anything( because I am not!), but that I am accepted as a friend by these 2 and everyone else at Rainbow. Social situations are not my favorite things, and to think that despite my social retardation, I have fitted in and am accepted has really done a lot for me, and my confidence in my call to work in NP.
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Sunday, August 27, 2006
Surrender 06
We are in the middle of the anual UNOH conference - "Surrender 06". The name of the conference comes out of a conviction to take seriously "surrendering to Jesus" It has speakers like Tony Campolo, Ash barker, John Smith, Darryl Gardiner etc... great, inspiring, challenging stuff - but alas - naomi is angry at me for blogging right now - we don't have time, so any more reflections will have to wait for another day!!! - see ya
Monday, August 21, 2006
Quote of the Week:
Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.
Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
and say, 'Who is the LORD ?'
Or I may become poor and steal,
and so dishonor the name of my God.
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.
Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
and say, 'Who is the LORD ?'
Or I may become poor and steal,
and so dishonor the name of my God.
Proverbs 30:8-9
Lilies of the field
Recently, in my morning devotions I was reading Jesus' Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). I think all of Jesus' teachings present a real challenge to us if we take them for what they really say, versus what we have reduced them to. However, if we were to take the Sermon on the Mount literally as a guide on how to live a Christian life, what an amazing challenge that would be! Suddenly Counter Cultural would mean a bit more than wearing Diesel brand t-shirts with Che Guevara's image on them, or sporting 'Make Poverty History' armbands.
Especially when we read Matt 6:19-34, This is the passage that covers storing up treasures on earth and then goes onto the passage about the Lilies on the field. We cannot reduce this passage down to simply having mastery over our money (cannot serve both God & Mammon v24) and then deliver a tithe message. Nor can we simply reduce it to a message about Faith, saying that if we trust the Lord he will look after us. If we are true to the message here (remember last weeks quote of the week?), then are called to so much more, this passage stands in direct contrast to the lives that we in the west are living!
The first part tells us not to store up treasures on Earth, but to store up treasures in Heaven. Yet we live in a society and church that promotes the building of our own little Kingdoms; our own homes, investments, 2 cars, plasma TV's, a wardrobe full of clothes, (dare I say, a Fancy, Flashy new church building?). Whilst all around us there are images of people starving to death - we cannot fain ignorance about it, it is forced in our face by organizations like World Vision every day (and rightly so!!). The Early Church Held that if a child starved to death, and a Christian has extra food, then that Christian is guilty of MURDER. My God, how many have I murdered!?! Yet we can calm this guilt, all we need to do is tithe to a church that does great work in the third world, and maybe sponsor a child through world vision for "less than a cup of coffee a day" - if we have done that, we have done our bit right? Not if we are to take Jesus' message seriously. We call this sort of thing sacrifice - giving to the needy, but if it does not hurt, how can it be sacrifice? Sacrifice is pain, sacrifice is death! - remember "The Passion of the Christ?"
If this is all we are called to do, then why would Jesus tell us not to worry about our food and clothing, if we are still living in our own little Kingdoms of luxury, we don't need to trust in the Lord to supply our needs! Clearly Jesus is calling for more than just a tokenistic response. The early church sold their possessions, shared out of their wealth, so that none would have need (Acts 4:32) If we take God's words seriously, if we give sacrificially, then we have to trust in the Lord, then we really do need to pray "give us today our daily bread". Suddenly that line of the Lord's prayer makes more sense... We cannot view it simply as asking God for more. In fact if you read the above quote of the week, you will see where this line out of the Lords Prayer actually originates...
In building our little kingdoms here on earth, I fear that we have missed the point of it all, we are no longer working for the kingdom of God, we are working for the kingdom of self. The kingdom of God is at hand, but we can't grab hold of it, because our hands are full of our own possessions...
Especially when we read Matt 6:19-34, This is the passage that covers storing up treasures on earth and then goes onto the passage about the Lilies on the field. We cannot reduce this passage down to simply having mastery over our money (cannot serve both God & Mammon v24) and then deliver a tithe message. Nor can we simply reduce it to a message about Faith, saying that if we trust the Lord he will look after us. If we are true to the message here (remember last weeks quote of the week?), then are called to so much more, this passage stands in direct contrast to the lives that we in the west are living!
The first part tells us not to store up treasures on Earth, but to store up treasures in Heaven. Yet we live in a society and church that promotes the building of our own little Kingdoms; our own homes, investments, 2 cars, plasma TV's, a wardrobe full of clothes, (dare I say, a Fancy, Flashy new church building?). Whilst all around us there are images of people starving to death - we cannot fain ignorance about it, it is forced in our face by organizations like World Vision every day (and rightly so!!). The Early Church Held that if a child starved to death, and a Christian has extra food, then that Christian is guilty of MURDER. My God, how many have I murdered!?! Yet we can calm this guilt, all we need to do is tithe to a church that does great work in the third world, and maybe sponsor a child through world vision for "less than a cup of coffee a day" - if we have done that, we have done our bit right? Not if we are to take Jesus' message seriously. We call this sort of thing sacrifice - giving to the needy, but if it does not hurt, how can it be sacrifice? Sacrifice is pain, sacrifice is death! - remember "The Passion of the Christ?"
If this is all we are called to do, then why would Jesus tell us not to worry about our food and clothing, if we are still living in our own little Kingdoms of luxury, we don't need to trust in the Lord to supply our needs! Clearly Jesus is calling for more than just a tokenistic response. The early church sold their possessions, shared out of their wealth, so that none would have need (Acts 4:32) If we take God's words seriously, if we give sacrificially, then we have to trust in the Lord, then we really do need to pray "give us today our daily bread". Suddenly that line of the Lord's prayer makes more sense... We cannot view it simply as asking God for more. In fact if you read the above quote of the week, you will see where this line out of the Lords Prayer actually originates...
In building our little kingdoms here on earth, I fear that we have missed the point of it all, we are no longer working for the kingdom of God, we are working for the kingdom of self. The kingdom of God is at hand, but we can't grab hold of it, because our hands are full of our own possessions...
Sorry about the delay
It has been well over a week since we have last updated our blog - if there are any regular readers out there? (I ask this question as besides Andy, we don't get any feedback, and we like to think that this space will become a conversation rather than a monologue!) - we apologize for the delay - there have been illnesses and other issues stopping us - hopefully however we will be connected to the net in 2 days and then we can keep updated more regularly (by e-mail as well!) - woo hoo!!!!
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Quote for the Week...
The matter is quite simple. The bible is very easy to understand. But we Christians are a bunch of scheming swindlers. We pretend to be unable to understand it because we know very well that the minute we understand, we are obligated to act accordingly. Take any words in the New Testament and forget everything except pledging yourself to act accordingly. My God, you will say, if I do that my whole life will be ruined. How would I ever get on in the world? Herein lies the real place of Christian scholarship. Christian scholarship is the Church's prodigious invention to defend itself against the Bible, to ensure that we can continue to be good christians without the Bible coming too close. Oh, priceless scholarship, what would we do without you? Dreadful it is to fall into the hands of the living God. Yes, it is even dreadful to be alone with the New Testament.
Soren Kierkegaard, Provocations: Spiritual Writings of Kierkegaard (2002)
The Gift of Coffee Making
I still remember growing up in a Pentecostal/charismatic type church the quest we went on to find our spiritual gifts - the gift of healing, the gift of prophecy (or is that the gift of manipulation? - I get those two confused sometimes!), the gift of speaking in tongues, etc. etc.
They were all great gifts to have and be proud of, I can still remember walking around with pride comparing the gift God gave me to others gifts:- "you've got the gift of speaking in tongues huh? - well I'VE got the gift of interpretation of tongues!!". And then there were those who just didn't seem to get it, who could not find their spiritual gift - these people were told that not all spiritual gifts were of the miraculous type, some had the gift of hospitality or something like that (Of course us truly sanctified & spiritual people knew that that was just a cop-out)
Many years on I have finally let go of trying to impress other Christians, by my spirituality - we really missed the point if that is all the gifts of the spirit are used for. I still believe in those miraculous gifts of the spirit and respect those who use them (not their cheap imitation). But one that I have learnt to respect above many of them of late is - the gift of HOSPITALITY.
Yesterday was an interesting day for me. As the guys here in the community get to know me and get to be more comfortable with me (I think it is easier and more natural for women) , I have begun to get visitors at our door, just after a coffee and a chat, many of the guys here are very lonely and just need somewhere to feel like they are valued. Yesterday I had a couple of such visitors. The first was a great old guy from a "home for the broken" around the corner from us. He just dropped in for a coffee and a biscuit, and to say 'hi' - we sat for a while and I tried to have a conversation with him, I asked him any questions I could think of (you can't ask this guy what he does for a living, or where he is planning his next holiday), and more often than not I would get an answer that had no connection to the question. However he did say along the way that he was feeling anxious, and when he left he thanked me for all my help and left.
The same night I had a visit from another neighbor, who was crying, drunk and reeked of both alcohol and B.O. This neighbor is a great guy, witty and always ready to crack a joke or laugh raucously about the smallest thing. He had just heard the news that a family member had died. We talked we prayed, we drank coffee, we sat in silence, we even laughed by the end of it, and again this friend left feeling at least somewhat better, and that he had someone to talk to, that he had value.
I am not mentioning these things to say - Look at all the really great things that I am doing, I'm mentioning them to ask the question - why do we look for the grand gestures that we can do for the Kingdom - the great healings - the great mission trips - the great amounts of money to do great works in His name, when all it takes is a $3 jar of Nescafe*, and a willingness to open your door to those who need to feel loved!
* Nescafe have not sponsored this blog entry in any way - in fact I'd prefer you did not buy Nescafe coffee - but rather another coffee brand - given Nestle's history in third world countries! - want to know more? Go to www.globalexchange.org
They were all great gifts to have and be proud of, I can still remember walking around with pride comparing the gift God gave me to others gifts:- "you've got the gift of speaking in tongues huh? - well I'VE got the gift of interpretation of tongues!!". And then there were those who just didn't seem to get it, who could not find their spiritual gift - these people were told that not all spiritual gifts were of the miraculous type, some had the gift of hospitality or something like that (Of course us truly sanctified & spiritual people knew that that was just a cop-out)
Many years on I have finally let go of trying to impress other Christians, by my spirituality - we really missed the point if that is all the gifts of the spirit are used for. I still believe in those miraculous gifts of the spirit and respect those who use them (not their cheap imitation). But one that I have learnt to respect above many of them of late is - the gift of HOSPITALITY.
Yesterday was an interesting day for me. As the guys here in the community get to know me and get to be more comfortable with me (I think it is easier and more natural for women) , I have begun to get visitors at our door, just after a coffee and a chat, many of the guys here are very lonely and just need somewhere to feel like they are valued. Yesterday I had a couple of such visitors. The first was a great old guy from a "home for the broken" around the corner from us. He just dropped in for a coffee and a biscuit, and to say 'hi' - we sat for a while and I tried to have a conversation with him, I asked him any questions I could think of (you can't ask this guy what he does for a living, or where he is planning his next holiday), and more often than not I would get an answer that had no connection to the question. However he did say along the way that he was feeling anxious, and when he left he thanked me for all my help and left.
The same night I had a visit from another neighbor, who was crying, drunk and reeked of both alcohol and B.O. This neighbor is a great guy, witty and always ready to crack a joke or laugh raucously about the smallest thing. He had just heard the news that a family member had died. We talked we prayed, we drank coffee, we sat in silence, we even laughed by the end of it, and again this friend left feeling at least somewhat better, and that he had someone to talk to, that he had value.
I am not mentioning these things to say - Look at all the really great things that I am doing, I'm mentioning them to ask the question - why do we look for the grand gestures that we can do for the Kingdom - the great healings - the great mission trips - the great amounts of money to do great works in His name, when all it takes is a $3 jar of Nescafe*, and a willingness to open your door to those who need to feel loved!
* Nescafe have not sponsored this blog entry in any way - in fact I'd prefer you did not buy Nescafe coffee - but rather another coffee brand - given Nestle's history in third world countries! - want to know more? Go to www.globalexchange.org
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Some Praise & Prayer Points...
Hey Everyone,
Just a quick catch up from Naomi,
The big move on Saturday went extremely well, we are so grateful to all the wonderful people from Foothills who pitched in and helped us out............it was a great way to end our time in such an awesome community.
I thought some of you might like to hear some prayer & praise points........you don't have to pray for us..........but if you want to......
I would like to praise God for
The wonderful acceptance that we have been shown in our new community.........I was imagining sitting around and being bored for the first little while......boy was I wrong.
The fantastic way our kids have settled into our new way of life, new school e.t.c........in fact, they are not just settled, they are thriving!!!!!!!!
Teaching C.R.E in a new school is going very well, I have had extremely positive responses from various members of staff, and am beginning to become familiar with some children and families in the school.
Please Pray For
Me in particular to find some time for rest and to be able to fit more time with God into my crazy schedule..........It would be nice if people stopped commenting on the dark rings around my eyes
I am running Ladies group for the first time tomorrow (i'm a little nervous)
So few of the kids at Noble Park attend C.R.E, please pray that more kids would want to attend
Peter is beginning to form friendships with a few of the Men in the area, please pray that he would naturally form some meaningful friendships, many of the men around here are lonely and often have no where to go....it's good to be able to offer our place as a drop in for them.
We still don't have our names on the lease where we are living...........the Estate agent thinks it will be fine but is taking her time to sort it out with the owner, I am finding it hard to unpack boxes because in the back of my mind I am thinking "what if I have to repack soon" It would be really great to have that one sorted out.
That I would be able to follow God's leading with making some good connections in the school community
That's all I can think of now, Peter probably has more.......but he's not here so it's up to me.
Thanks everyone for taking the time to read this.................
Love from Naomi
Just a quick catch up from Naomi,
The big move on Saturday went extremely well, we are so grateful to all the wonderful people from Foothills who pitched in and helped us out............it was a great way to end our time in such an awesome community.
I thought some of you might like to hear some prayer & praise points........you don't have to pray for us..........but if you want to......
I would like to praise God for
The wonderful acceptance that we have been shown in our new community.........I was imagining sitting around and being bored for the first little while......boy was I wrong.
The fantastic way our kids have settled into our new way of life, new school e.t.c........in fact, they are not just settled, they are thriving!!!!!!!!
Teaching C.R.E in a new school is going very well, I have had extremely positive responses from various members of staff, and am beginning to become familiar with some children and families in the school.
Please Pray For
Me in particular to find some time for rest and to be able to fit more time with God into my crazy schedule..........It would be nice if people stopped commenting on the dark rings around my eyes
I am running Ladies group for the first time tomorrow (i'm a little nervous)
So few of the kids at Noble Park attend C.R.E, please pray that more kids would want to attend
Peter is beginning to form friendships with a few of the Men in the area, please pray that he would naturally form some meaningful friendships, many of the men around here are lonely and often have no where to go....it's good to be able to offer our place as a drop in for them.
We still don't have our names on the lease where we are living...........the Estate agent thinks it will be fine but is taking her time to sort it out with the owner, I am finding it hard to unpack boxes because in the back of my mind I am thinking "what if I have to repack soon" It would be really great to have that one sorted out.
That I would be able to follow God's leading with making some good connections in the school community
That's all I can think of now, Peter probably has more.......but he's not here so it's up to me.
Thanks everyone for taking the time to read this.................
Love from Naomi
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Quote for the Week...
Love without courage and wisdom is sentimentality, as with the ordinary church member. Courage without love and wisdom is foolhardiness, as with the ordinary soldier. Wisdom without love and courage is cowardice, as with the ordinary intellectual. But the one who has love, courage, and wisdom moves the world.
- Ammon Hennacy (Catholic Activist, 1893-1970)
Finally, we are moving in!!!
Well, 5 weeks in and we are finally getting to the stage where we can move our belongings to Nobel Park!!!! - yay!!! - that will mean that we will be able to sleep in our own beds, sit on our own couches get food out of our own fridge... Sorry it is all wearing a bit thin for me - it will be great to finally just relax and call a place home again.
Out side of that, things are going great and continue to get better. I know we go on about it a lot, but Sammy is just doing wonders, and we can not say anything other than it is a miracle and a real example of God rewarding the faithful actions of his followers.
Naomi was called in to the school by one of the aids to discuss sammys progress, going in with fear, she soon found out that the aid wanted nothing more than to assure Naomi over how well Sammy was doing. The aid showed her Sams work and the work that he is doing is not at all modified (something that we were asking the other school to do for ages) and he is doing extremely well at it too - his work is on display with the other kids work in his classroom (again something that didn't happen at the other school) he is participating in class discussions and being relevant to the topic. In fact they are implementing a number of strategies that we have been crying out for the other school to try for months in not over a year off the bat, and things could not be better - NP Primary got the reports from his other school and were preparing for an absolute monster to join their school - however they have had nothing but an angel for more than a month now!!! - this is not simply because Sammy has decided to change either (though he did try his best to start with) this is because this school seems to understand the ins & outs of Autism and they treat Sammy with dignity! - PRAISE THE LORD - is all I can say - it certainly does not fit into earthly logic or wisdom that a move from Ferntree gully to Noble Park would work so well for an Autistic child! Tomorrow night he even gets to be involved in the school production (again - surprise, surprise - not in he other school) - he is a cowboy in a dance revolving around the village peoples YMCA.
Luke is also in the production as a cat in a dance to "What's new Pussy Cat" and Jake gets the lead in Rocky Horror Picture Shows "Time Warp" - he assures me he is not wearing fishnets and stillettos though!!! - once I have my computer back on the net I'll try to post a picture.
On news about Naomi & I, it looks like I have been given the role of looking after the food distribution at the Food Bank here on a Tuesday morning as well as a number of other responsibilities that are just beginning to form around me at the moment. It is hard to describe what a day consists of here - though a lot of it has to do with relating to people, having visitors, making very lonely people feel loved etc, so it is very hard to put down our roles in neat boxes. Naomi is currently hosting a women's group back at home, so I have been kicked out and therefore am catching up with things here at Cafe Salvo - the new local hang out, where if you want to meet a local, have a great coffee or jump on the net its the place to be - a bit like cheers, without the alcohol or woody!
Anyway - I have run out of things to say as a general catch up - I'll post again soon, especially once I am on line again but until then - see you later.
Peter
Out side of that, things are going great and continue to get better. I know we go on about it a lot, but Sammy is just doing wonders, and we can not say anything other than it is a miracle and a real example of God rewarding the faithful actions of his followers.
Naomi was called in to the school by one of the aids to discuss sammys progress, going in with fear, she soon found out that the aid wanted nothing more than to assure Naomi over how well Sammy was doing. The aid showed her Sams work and the work that he is doing is not at all modified (something that we were asking the other school to do for ages) and he is doing extremely well at it too - his work is on display with the other kids work in his classroom (again something that didn't happen at the other school) he is participating in class discussions and being relevant to the topic. In fact they are implementing a number of strategies that we have been crying out for the other school to try for months in not over a year off the bat, and things could not be better - NP Primary got the reports from his other school and were preparing for an absolute monster to join their school - however they have had nothing but an angel for more than a month now!!! - this is not simply because Sammy has decided to change either (though he did try his best to start with) this is because this school seems to understand the ins & outs of Autism and they treat Sammy with dignity! - PRAISE THE LORD - is all I can say - it certainly does not fit into earthly logic or wisdom that a move from Ferntree gully to Noble Park would work so well for an Autistic child! Tomorrow night he even gets to be involved in the school production (again - surprise, surprise - not in he other school) - he is a cowboy in a dance revolving around the village peoples YMCA.
Luke is also in the production as a cat in a dance to "What's new Pussy Cat" and Jake gets the lead in Rocky Horror Picture Shows "Time Warp" - he assures me he is not wearing fishnets and stillettos though!!! - once I have my computer back on the net I'll try to post a picture.
On news about Naomi & I, it looks like I have been given the role of looking after the food distribution at the Food Bank here on a Tuesday morning as well as a number of other responsibilities that are just beginning to form around me at the moment. It is hard to describe what a day consists of here - though a lot of it has to do with relating to people, having visitors, making very lonely people feel loved etc, so it is very hard to put down our roles in neat boxes. Naomi is currently hosting a women's group back at home, so I have been kicked out and therefore am catching up with things here at Cafe Salvo - the new local hang out, where if you want to meet a local, have a great coffee or jump on the net its the place to be - a bit like cheers, without the alcohol or woody!
Anyway - I have run out of things to say as a general catch up - I'll post again soon, especially once I am on line again but until then - see you later.
Peter
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
