Didak the dork

Unless you have been living in a cave, or dont care about football (which amounts to the same thing), you would have heard about Allan Didak and the fact he was in the murderers car hours before the fatal shooting in the Melbourne CBD.

After Freo has shown the way with strict and swift discipline, and after the AFL has borne its teeth to West Toast about Cousins, threatening them with loss of premiership points for bringing the game into disrepute, lets see what Colliwobbles and Eddy Everywhere does about this situation.......

Toddler Jam....wow

Another big crew in this morning, about 45 parents, with toddlers in tow.
Had a visit from another pastor wanting to see what we do and maybe try it at his church.....
Amazing really, at 9.29 there is one toddler his mum in the place, at 9.45, its breathing room only.

What an awesome opportunity, "God help us, empower us, use this time and opportunity for your purposes".

Preparing a message

What does it mean to prepare a talk every week for a group of people? Are we just, as Mark Twain suggests, 'preaching to moral people about why they should be moral?' (loose)
Or is there something more?
This week I am speaking on Holy Discontent, within the broader context of hearing from God. Its a beautiful experience when God speaks to you....and something we may miss out on if we don't place ourselves in positions to hear from Him.

This is a 'one off' message. I like to preach in series to build momentum, interest and focus.
More on what I am preaching on over the next month soon, stay tuned, get the coke cold, and prepare to be encouraged.

Instrospection

My blog is rated G, according to Mingle2
You can go there and find the rating of your own blog.

I have had over 1000 visitors this month, with about 50 unique hits a day, which is pretty amazing considering some of the dribble I come out with, I mean talking about apricot jam for goodness sake.

I get most visits on Mondays and Tuesdays, and the least hits on Saturdays.....so you must all be visiting during working hous. Maybe my dribble is at times a nice distraction.

I also have had over 400 new people visit the blog this month, goodness knows where from, and a steady readership of about 350....

It is quite extraordinary the people that visit from a google or other search, with the most amazing search parameters. Hopefully they find something worth reading.

It is also amazing to see some regulars from the most obscure locations, at least to me. From Japan, to Canada, to France and even Africa....Thanks for visiting.
Thanks, I appreciate it.....Feel free to post a comment at any time.

Deliver what is expected

Its only a small thing, but in the spirit of 'Seth Godin" here goes.

This is a picture of some apricot jam my beautiful wife bought. I like apricot jam. Upon observing the funky bottle I thought, great, this will be easy to pour straight onto my toast. It looks that way....

No.....its incredibly hard to squeeze out, mmmmmmm

Robe Bell on why his church has grown so quickly

"Sometimes when people ask, I just say maybe we’re more desperate than others"


yes yes and amen

BON JOVI Hallelujah live 2007

Okay, here is an interesting juxtoposition...they do this really well

Hillsong

Getting excited as I look at my diary and realise I am off to Sydney next week.
Every Christian needs time to place themselves in situations where God can speak to them. Maybe Christian leaders who give out, need it more.
Either way my annual pilgrimage has always been a blessing. Hearing such good international speakers for a very inexpensive fee is a great investment for me. There is nothing like hearing speakers live. Watching them on dvd is okay, but you dont get the same sense, there is something intangible, dare I say spiritual that occurs.

Side note: cant wait to see the Mighty Dockers play Sydney at SCG, in a must win game, and also grab some pizza from my and Q's favourite pizza store. Aaah yes, Krispy Kreme doughnuts and some of the best coffee I have had from the Italian cafe just down the road from Krispy's.....
Its not all about food, but I figure you might as well enjoy what you eat!

Oh when the Saints....

This morning on ABC sports radio Glen Mitchell was criticising Geoff Hutchinson for his obvious delight in the Weages loss to the Saints. Glen was saying Geoff should support the WA sides....
Geoff's response was good.
Footy is not about supporting a state side, its about tribalism.
On Glenns logic, all Eagles supporters should boo Judd. He does not come from WA.
And, they should have been cheering Buddy Franklin when Hawthorn beat the Eagles. Buddy comes from WA.

Footy is not about state rivalvries, its about tribalism. This tribalism is not meant to be taken too seriously, its a fun distraction from whatever else we have going on in our lives, which is a lot more important.
Ask a Carlton supporter if they would cheer Collingwood on in the GF, I dont think so.
West Coast have some issues. Here is a stat for you. They have lost 4 of their past six games. Next week they play the Crows in Adelaide. They will probably have lost 5 of their past seven next weekend, and will very likely slip out of the top four.

Here's hoping they lose the next 11, and slip out of the top eight.

If easily offended

Don't go here http://www.dockerland.com/punchapollie.html


But if you are a Dockers supporter with a little bit of pent up frustration, it might help for a couple of moments..

(Disclaimer: Markedly in no way endorses or agrees with this game, send all letters of complaint to Mr Lion c' of Perth Zoo)

Sumich Nooooooo......

It appears that Connolly will not get an extentsion to his contract if Freo does not make the finals.

I hate to say it, but I don't think we will make the finals. If we do, anything can happen, and in fact we might win a couple of them.

I hope we do keep Connolly, I do think he is a smart, well humoured and hard working coach, and I reckon he can take us to a premiership.

But......

If Freo do appoint another coach for 2008, it had better not be Sumich. Despite what Eagle supporting commentators like Langdon and Todd state, we do NOT want a ex weagle as our coach. If they try to appoint Sumich, I predict a huge backlash, and I will be a part of it.

Okay then....

A Mars Bar for whoever can work out what is strange about this photo....Its not easy

What Pastor Mark does during the week

I posted this over at Ra'ah but thought I might post it here as well. It was an interesting exercise.

Sunday Get to church at 8.30 am, check computer data projector. Speak to various people, including Welcome Leader, make sure things are okay for visitors, including nursery etc.
10am Church time, normally preach, and give vision spot, letting people know whats going on, whats a blessing and a challenge this week.
11.30 Welcome visitors, key time as we often have guests there.
Lunch often have people back, especially guests, new folk

Monday Administration day, at the moment spending a lot of time getting applications in for development loans for our big move as a church to a purpose built coffee shop and Performing Arts Centre

Tuesday Key meeting for prayer and discussion with church leadership, We talk and pray about big picture vision, and also visitors, guests, people we need to pray for and follow up on. Working out what worked on Sunday, getting plans in place for next Sunday
Often have meetings all day, including some with community folk

Wednesday Morning Prep for lecturing gig I have at a leadership college
Arvo Lecture in afternoon
Night Community Choir our church runs, about half of people who come are not church goers, key outreach activity.

Thursday Sermon preparation, reading, praying etc
Night Small group

Friday Morning Toddler Jam Key outreach activity of our church
Afternoon Preparation for multi media elements of church, as well as bulletin, other details
Night Prayer meeting

Saturday Morning Auskick with Clem, great opportunity, starting to make some contacts in community
Afternoon Either miserable as Dockers lose, or gloat as they win, if Dockers win and Eagles lose, its a beautiful weekend. If another Eagles star is in trouble again, thats triple happiness.

Darwingate

No.....I am not talking about Charles.

Chris Tarrant is getting trial by media at the moment. I want to redress the situation somewhat.

Firstly, the 'politician' has now admitted a number of things. he was in the bar at 2am.....mmmmm
Secondly he has stated, "I had a red hot go at Tarrant". This was before the alleged incident.
Thirdly, Tarrant did not 'king hit' Hale, as Mike Sheehan has stated, he pushed him from the front. Harvey was king hit from behind, thats cowardice, not what Tarrant did.
Fourthly Maybe Hale was not being gallant at all, but looking for a reason to bait Tarrant
Fifthly this incident is quite different from the Farmer one. Jeff was on his last chance with Freo, this is Chris's first offence with Freo, although it is widely reported he had issues at the Pies (who let him off because he was crucial to their finals chances!)
Sixthly He did not 'moon' a young lady. He was playing a prank on his mate Solomon. He should not have done it in a public bar. He has rang the lady and apologised.

Dark side of the moon

Apparently Chris Tarrant has punched a local politician after an altercation in a local nightclub. Freo supporters at the night club state the incident did not take place.
Interesting that it took so long to come out, makes you wonder what the truth is. Either way, The West will print their dribble tommorow to sell some papers, and one local politician has got his day in the camera.....

People are already comparing it to the Farmer incident. There is little comparison. Farmer had a litany of off field misdemenours. Tarrant does not, at least not at Freo. He deserves a chance, Farmer exhausted his, and paid the price, six weeks.
It seems the media wants to suggest the club should suspend Chris.......mmmmm where were they when Chick, Kerr, Fletcher, Lynch and the like were doing far worse?? All the bias WA media and many of the public suggested, was that they were playing well, and so should be kept playing. It was not until the AFL threatened them with a loss of premiership points that they acted on Cousins.

If found guilty by the club, I have no doubt Chris Tarrant will be sanctioned by Freo, they have proved they will do the right thing in the past, but lets be balanced and not hypocritical about this.

Rhythm Part Two

Here is second part of three part series.
Spoke about business, and the rhythm of life, need to slow down, concentrated on Ps 46 and Ps 1 at the end.

Started off talking a little bit about Paris Hilton....missed the first 30 seconds of message, but if you listen, you will get the idea.

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Ps 46.10

Be Still and know that I am God

A picture with this verse hangs in my office. My dad gave it to me in acknowledgement of my ordination at BBC.

Ironically enough, because my dad was not known for hanging around and being contemplative! He was a doer, not a 'be-er' if you know what I mean.

I am not a big one for study plans or reading the bible through for a year, but I know some folk are, and thats great.

But I do need to remind myself, be a little more self disciplined, to stop and be reflective, read my bible, pray, meditate, think. These past couple of weeks I have been resting in God a little more, and have noticed some great strength coming from it.

You'll never never know....

What might happen in the remaining 11 games of the season....
Dissapointing game, and I cant quite work out why we lost, apart from the obvious fact that the Bullies kicked more goals than us.
We had it inside 50 more than them, and more scoring opportunities. One problem was the long bombs in the forward 50. I reckon we miss Farmer more than we realise.
Thank goodness he is back for our next game.
If we do make the eight, anything can happen.

Squirrel goes on rampage, injures 3 people

In the "okay then....." file comes this story from Berlin.

An aggressive squirrel attacked and injured three people in a German town before a 72-year-old pensioner dispatched the rampaging animal with his crutch.

The squirrel first ran into a house in the southern town of Passau, leapt from behind on a 70-year-old woman, and sank its teeth into her hand, a local police spokesman said Thursday.

With the squirrel still hanging from her hand, the woman ran onto the street in panic, where she managed to shake it off.

The animal then entered a building site and jumped on a construction worker, injuring him on the hand and arm, before he managed to fight it off with a measuring pole.

"After that, the squirrel went into the 72-year-old man's garden and massively attacked him on the arms, hand and thigh," the spokesman said. "Then he killed it with his crutch."

The spokesman said experts thought the attack may have been linked to the mating season or because the squirrel was ill.

Story

Dream, visions part two

Really interesting conversation last night with some friends.
Amazing to hear how when you start talking about some of the more profound and direct ways God speaks to us, how many people have a story to tell.

Coming from a more conservative background, but then through studying, reading and experiencing, coming to a more balanced view, it is encouraging to hear how God speaks to people, today.

So often in the past I have limited Him. I believe that in the Western Church we have allowed our culture to influence our view of God, obviously. But it is interesting to apply that to what we think about how God speaks to us. For too long science and rationalistic thought has become a filter through which we have viewed how God works. God is Spirit, angels and demons are real, and have ongoing battles.

We are an eternal spirit inhabiting a temporary world. I want to experience and 'feel' more of God in my life, more of His Word to me today.

Kangaroos, Bulldogs and Dockers

I dont get the TAB......
How can they not have the Kangaroos as favourites against Adelaide???
They are playing exceptional football, playing a side that is quite ordinary at the moment.

Interesting that the odds of Freo V Bullies is even money. For sure, if the Bullies had not sold off their home game to the NT, and instead played in Melbourne, they would be favourties. As it is, Freo have an away game at a neutral venue. I watched the Bulldogs last week against the Lions, and although I felt sorry for two of their key players going down with injuries, I was not unhappy that if it had to happen, it happened just before Freo play them!

Quaffable Quote

"For this ministry to work, it's not about coming to get your songs, or your sermon; it's coming to digest someone else's story, to share in someone else's joy, pain, journey. Here you have to be the server and not the customer." Effram Smith

The Internet is a good thing...

There is an awful lot to not like about the internet and the changes it has made to our society and culture.
Porn, addiction, war games, anger, bitterness, living duplicitous lives etc.....

But there is also a lot of good things about it.
For one thing, I can keep in easy contact with good friends overseas. We can remain friends, at least on some normal level. We know whats going on in each others lives, we can pray for, care for and support each other.
Thats a great thing.....

Dreams and visions

Some Christians never experience God speaking to them in personal, powerful ways.
Though they read their bibles, and read the book of Acts, their lack of experience of Gods voice, means they filter it and interpret the supernatural out of the Christian life. They are Christians, but they never experience the fullness of Gods revelation. This is not meant to be judgemental, it is an observation.

There may be different reasons, unbelief, no desire to hear more, God has His own reasons.....

I have heard from God in 'charisma' ways a few times, most often when I was under spiritual attack, at a crisis point, or deep in prayer and fasting.......

All of us say we want to hear from God, and sometimes we desperatly seek Him and don't hear from Him.
Its not an easy question to answer, why doesn't God speak to me.
But I do know what we can do to best place ourselves so God will speak.

Experience spiritual attack
Have a crisis time
Seek Him in prayer and fasting
Find yourself at a place and an opportunity where God needs to direct you.

Do you want God to speak to you, if He did would it change anything......or are you pretty content with how everything is?

Kentucky Fried Chicken Commercial -

Who remembers this one?
Looking at it now, it is so politically incorrect its not funny.... but back then, we loved it!


H/T Tall Skinny Kiwi

Trust

How much do we expect others to trust us?
What does it mean to trust another?
How hard is it to regain someone's trust?

I hope I'm easy when it comes to giving grace and forgiveness to those who might have neglected my trust. After all, God forgives me, time and time again.

But it does help when someone is open and 'confesses' openly and freely. I reckon that helps God forgive us easily too.

A Great Weekend

There is not much better that a weekend when the Dockers win, and the Eagles lose.
Apart from perhaps a weekend when the Dockers win, and the Eagles lose and this happens......
"Saint Kilda v Kangaroos Gareth tips Saint Kilda for the last time this season if they lose!!!!!!! Karyn tips Kangaroos"

Aaaaaah :)

Coffee......what milk do I use?

After the birthday present of my coffee machine I have been experimenting with coffee making methods.

One of the key decisions in making a latte is what sort of milk to use.

I have picked up from various cafe's that they use a very low fat milk, sometimes using "Capo".

I have used Capo and low fat milk because of this. People express that it is easily to fluff/aerate.

Then a mate and I went out to a coffee shop I have wanted to visit, the Beaufort St Merchant Coffee shop, opposite Soto's. I used to love Soto's, but lately I have been unimpressed with the coffee, I think they may have changed their barrista, too hot and 'watery' and on a side point, the music is too loud (!)

But at the Beaufort St Merchant Coffee shop we had a good chat to the young barrista there. I asked him what milk he used.....Harvey Fresh Full Cream Milk.

So I made up my morning latte using Brownes full fat version. I have to tell you....it is much better than low fat milk. You can make a nice think cream of milk, with a good full taste.

mmmmmmm.......

Joseph and Contentment

This is my message on Joseph and Contentment.
I enjoyed giving this one.

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Saints and Adelaide

I reckon the bookies have got it wrong this week with the Saints as favourites over the Roos.
The only thing counting against Laidleys men is the fact they have had to travel back from Perth.

And it must be a loonnng time since Adelaide were not favourties to win at Aami, but Geelong are listed as the bookies favourite.

And by the way, just in case anyone missed it, St Gaz is not going to tip the Saints again if they lose this week......That should be enough to get them over the line!!

The mass of men....

“The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. When we consider what, is the chief end of man, and what are the true necessaries and means of life, it appears as if men had deliberately chosen the common mode of living because they preferred it to any other. Yet they honestly think there is no choice left. But alert and healthy natures remember that the sun rose clear. It is never too late to give up our prejudices. No way of thinking or doing, however ancient, can be trusted without proof. What everybody echoes or in silence passes by as true today may turn out to be falsehood tomorrow, mere smoke of opinion.”

"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived."

About

Pleased to meet you

Imagine you could meet anyone you wanted, present, or past....

Here's my list

CS Lewis
Spurgeon
Jonathon Edwards
Rick Warren
Rob Bell
John Wimber
John White
Jack Deere
Darwin (What do you think of present day evolutionists, what do you think of God?)

Enough Said

You climbed Everest, so what???

This guy has climbed it 17 times, and not many people even know his one name....

Record Breaker Veteran Sherpas Apa, left, and Lhakpa Gelu display the Nepalese flag after scaling the mountain, May 16, 2007. Apa, who goes by one name, reached the peak for the record 17th time. Story and picture

Seperation of State and Church

Perth Catholic Archbishop Hickey has stated that Catholic polliticians who support expanding stemcell research should be refused Communion.

One talk back caller stated that "Church and State should be seperate".

In my view that is ignorant. How can a politician of any religious persuasion seperate their own spiritual beliefs from their decisions in parliment? They can't.

I don't necesarily support Christian political parties, at times they have made me cringe, but I do support Christians in Parliment standing up for Christian values and morals.
One of the best I saw was the independant Senator, Brian Harradine. Now I may not agree with everything he stood for, but at least he stood for it! He was not overstated nor understated. He did not make me cringe, thats for sure.

If you don't think there should be any church influence in the political process, then don't vote for Christians. But like any other group in society, we have the responsibility to stand up for what we believe in.

Interview with Harradine

Billy Weir

There is a real live Warrior at our church, a Prayer Warrior that is.
Just visited her with a mate and we filmed some of the things she has to say about life, and herself, and our church. Unfortunately, she is now in a seniors home, and unable to get to church on Sunday.
We will play it on Sunday if we get it together in time, and I will post it here as well. Its important to see and hear what she has to say to us, she is a prophetess as well.

I am reminded of the Psalm 92 which says this,

"12 The righteous will flourish like a palm tree,
they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon;

13 planted in the house of the LORD,
they will flourish in the courts of our God.

14 They will still bear fruit in old age,
they will stay fresh and green,

15 proclaiming, "The LORD is upright;
he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him."

Some people grow old, others grow wiser. Billy may not be as sharp as she once was, but God is with her, and our church is still alive because of her prayers.

Not much forward action

If Pavlich had of kicked straight, we would have won....

If Jeff Farmer was crumbing, we would have won.....


sigh......