No hell
A few of us were talking the other day and we realised that in 3 years of doctrine classes we've covered heaps of different topics but haven't covered hell and hardly touched judgment. I wonder if that's intentional?
We've come a long way baby
Last week I had a look at the 'my documents' folder on our desktop computer. I've hardly touched it in 3 years so it was like opening up a time capsule. I found old sermons, notes, essays and other bits and pieces. My overwhelming impression was 'this stuff it rubbish'.
There were sermons with paragraphs that just made no sense either on their own or in context. There were 'how tos' with bizzare ideas on how to conduct ministry. It's hard to think back to those times and imagine how it all made sense. It's amazing how my perception of the world has changed. If I can bear the shame (and to look at it again) I'll post some excerpts later on.
It's a nice way to head into my final exams though, I've learned heaps @ Moore. I owe so much to those who've taught me.
There were sermons with paragraphs that just made no sense either on their own or in context. There were 'how tos' with bizzare ideas on how to conduct ministry. It's hard to think back to those times and imagine how it all made sense. It's amazing how my perception of the world has changed. If I can bear the shame (and to look at it again) I'll post some excerpts later on.
It's a nice way to head into my final exams though, I've learned heaps @ Moore. I owe so much to those who've taught me.
Anticipation
Last week I was down in Tassie for the V100 conference. I had a great time catching up with Mikey for a beer, going for a walk up to the lookout at Mt Stuart with Dan and visiting TBT as well as spending a bit of time at mum's.
I also got to meet up with Andrew Heard (from Central Coast Evangelical Church) and learn a bit more about church planting from him. It was a meeting that was about 18 months in the making but it was worth it. I'm really looking forward to getting into it.
The V100 conference was quite short, from 4pm-9pm on Wednesday night, but it was fantastic. I was so glad to have come, I got to spend a few hours with about 50 others who I'll be working alongside next year, hear what's been happening and pray with them.
At the moment I'm working on filling out some pretty detailed forms for my church planter assessment with The Geneva Push. I've posted one of the questions and my answer over at the MTS Tasmania blog.
I also got to meet up with Andrew Heard (from Central Coast Evangelical Church) and learn a bit more about church planting from him. It was a meeting that was about 18 months in the making but it was worth it. I'm really looking forward to getting into it.
The V100 conference was quite short, from 4pm-9pm on Wednesday night, but it was fantastic. I was so glad to have come, I got to spend a few hours with about 50 others who I'll be working alongside next year, hear what's been happening and pray with them.
At the moment I'm working on filling out some pretty detailed forms for my church planter assessment with The Geneva Push. I've posted one of the questions and my answer over at the MTS Tasmania blog.
Stuff
The closer we get to moving back home, the less I feel like posting. I just don't quite know what to say.
It doesn't help that my world at the moment is home and baby and husband. I'm loving it, but I feel like it's not very interesting for others if that's all I post about. So unless I can think of something, for the next few months you're likely to get 'we're still here' updates, baby photos and food. I've done the baby photos already in the last couple of posts so I guess that leaves the other two:
Yes we are still here. This week Nick was in Tassie for a few days for the Vision 100 conference. Maisy and I did ok, though I was pretty exhausted at end of it - and very glad to have him back. This last week Maisy's been much more difficult to put to sleep. Apparently they all do that at this age. Thankfully she's still sleeping through the night though.
I've also started reading Luke's gospel again and have been really challenged to listen and do what Jesus says. There's so much stuff that's uncomfortable and which I try to ignore or rationalise away. It feels very scary to take Jesus seriously, when actually I should be thinking about what it means to not take him seriously.
Well, on a lighter note, food. We're loving River Cottage on tv. And we found a new cafe in Glebe called Elizabeth's Boutique Cafe which is awesome. It has great food and excellent coffee. French toast with Rhubarb and strawberry compote served with creme fraiche. Mmm.
It doesn't help that my world at the moment is home and baby and husband. I'm loving it, but I feel like it's not very interesting for others if that's all I post about. So unless I can think of something, for the next few months you're likely to get 'we're still here' updates, baby photos and food. I've done the baby photos already in the last couple of posts so I guess that leaves the other two:
Yes we are still here. This week Nick was in Tassie for a few days for the Vision 100 conference. Maisy and I did ok, though I was pretty exhausted at end of it - and very glad to have him back. This last week Maisy's been much more difficult to put to sleep. Apparently they all do that at this age. Thankfully she's still sleeping through the night though.
I've also started reading Luke's gospel again and have been really challenged to listen and do what Jesus says. There's so much stuff that's uncomfortable and which I try to ignore or rationalise away. It feels very scary to take Jesus seriously, when actually I should be thinking about what it means to not take him seriously.
Well, on a lighter note, food. We're loving River Cottage on tv. And we found a new cafe in Glebe called Elizabeth's Boutique Cafe which is awesome. It has great food and excellent coffee. French toast with Rhubarb and strawberry compote served with creme fraiche. Mmm.
Busy weekend
We had a lovely but busy weekend. On Friday we had lunch with Matt and Mel and Mel's parents at Redoak to celebrate Mel being admitted to the Bar (capitals? I dunno). That was lovely and delicious and Mel even shared some of the Adriano Zumbo macaroons I got her as a present. Yum!
Saturday morning we headed over to Aidan and Soph's for brunch to celebrate Aidan's birthday. Then in the afternoon Nick went to The Local Taphouse with Bernie and Aidan to celebrate Oktoberfest.
It's mandatory that all our Tassie visitors are taken to Shenkin. I think we must've clocked up over 20 so far. So on Sunday morning we had brunch at Shenkin with Matt and Mel. I'm not sure whether the chocolate croissant or the shakshuka or the felafel wrap won in the end. Perhaps it was a tie. Anyway, I think they enjoyed it. We certainly did!
In the afternoon we went to Bernie and Katie's to celebrate Lily's first birthday. They'd made an awesome Nemo cake and we also got to meet the family which was lovely. Poor Maisy had been dragged around all day though and hadn't slept much so on the way home she lost it in the car. Instead of going to church we pulled over in a side street and I fed her and then we went home and put her to bed and had fish and chips for dinner.
It was a very busy weekend. Socialising really takes it out of me so I'm glad to have a quite day today. And you know, I don't think I cooked at all the whole weekend. That's something I've been appreciating lately. Whilst I do like cooking, I go through periods where I'm not inspired and it becomes a chore. When things are like that I really appreciate having the weekend off.
Saturday morning we headed over to Aidan and Soph's for brunch to celebrate Aidan's birthday. Then in the afternoon Nick went to The Local Taphouse with Bernie and Aidan to celebrate Oktoberfest.
It's mandatory that all our Tassie visitors are taken to Shenkin. I think we must've clocked up over 20 so far. So on Sunday morning we had brunch at Shenkin with Matt and Mel. I'm not sure whether the chocolate croissant or the shakshuka or the felafel wrap won in the end. Perhaps it was a tie. Anyway, I think they enjoyed it. We certainly did!
In the afternoon we went to Bernie and Katie's to celebrate Lily's first birthday. They'd made an awesome Nemo cake and we also got to meet the family which was lovely. Poor Maisy had been dragged around all day though and hadn't slept much so on the way home she lost it in the car. Instead of going to church we pulled over in a side street and I fed her and then we went home and put her to bed and had fish and chips for dinner.
It was a very busy weekend. Socialising really takes it out of me so I'm glad to have a quite day today. And you know, I don't think I cooked at all the whole weekend. That's something I've been appreciating lately. Whilst I do like cooking, I go through periods where I'm not inspired and it becomes a chore. When things are like that I really appreciate having the weekend off.
Douglas Adams on technology
I recently came across this quote from an interview with Douglas Adams (author of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy)
h/t Faris Yakob in this Fast Company article
There’s a set of rules that anything that was in the world when you were born is normal and natural. Anything invented between when you were 15 and 35 is new and revolutionary and exciting, and you’ll probably get a career in it. Anything invented after you’re 35 is against the natural order of things.
h/t Faris Yakob in this Fast Company article
The Little Green Prime Minister with a Light Sabre
I handed in the last essay of my degree yesterday. It was for our ethics subject and I wrote on John Howard Yoder and his book The Politics of Jesus. To be honest I picked him because I thought it'd be the easiest option. What I found though, was that it's been one of the most stimulating and encouraging things at college this year.At first I found him pretty frustrating to read. He does some pretty wacky things with the Bible and thinks very differently about it. But he grows on you. And there's something about his stuff. You can't just dismiss it. It's the way he talks about Jesus.
For Yoder Jesus is untamed. He doesn't operate the way we expect him to and he doesn't let us settle for the status quo. Yoder particularly emphasises the distinctively Christian view of power and leadership as submission and service.
It was really cool to read because Yoder comes from a very different perspective. He made me think. He reminded me of stuff I believe but don't emphasise and pointed out stuff I'm blind to. So even though I can't go all the way with him, I want to know Jesus better. I don't want to let my own prejudices and weaknesses keep me from following him. I want to let Jesus change me to be like him rather than change Jesus to be like me.
Maisy is 3 Months Old
She's still a happy little vegemite. And a pretty noisy one too. There's lots of "Haaaa" noises and squaks. She still likes her monkey book, but I think she's starting to get a bit frustrated with the monkey's unresponsiveness. There was a beautiful bit when we could talk from across the room and she would think it was the monkey, but she seems to have figured that out now too! Anyway, we're having a lovely time.
Bridge Road Imperial Porter
Just got back from The Local Taphouse, one of my favourite places in the world. This time I went with Ben and Carly from Shenkin, one of my other favourite places in the world, and Genaro and Ed. A good time was had by all.In terms of the beers, the highlight was the Bridge Road Imperial Porter. That beer is ridiculous. It is by far the best porter I've ever had. The dark and toffee, coffee, chocolatey, woody flavours are out of control. It weighs in at 8.5% so it's got quite a punch too.
I would go as far as saying it's one of my favourite Australian beers.
A 750ml bottle of the stuff will set you back $29 so you've got to be pretty committed to it. Still, it's worth it.
