Dissapointing game today against Cats.
But...truth is they are bigger older and more experienced.

Suban showed some good things, as did Schammer.
Roll on 2010....

My wife got this uber-expensive steak on special.
I cooked it up on a hot grill, lightly seasoned with salt, pepper and olive oil.
We both agreed that it was the best steak we have ever eaten, seriously.
Thick thick juicy meat......mmmmmmm

Many people believe this Psalm was written in the context of David fleeeing from his son Absalom.
Absalom was a slimy character who sought to ingrate the people to him by sitting at the city entrance and helping them with their disputes.

David fled the city under conflict. Sad really that the great warrior king fled from his own city, and his own son.

Absalom then, under advice, slept with Davids concubines in a tent out in the open, so the people knew that he was doing it.

This confirmed the prophecy of Nathan the prophet given when David sinned.

Its a sad and gritty story, yet in the midst of it the most famous Psalm of all was written.

Today I had to reformat an old laptop with Windows XP.
After doing this, there was a 'loop' on the authentication process. I know what you are all thinking, but it was a genuine version.
What this meant was it kept asking me to authenticate it, and then telling me it was authenticated, all the while stopping me from going to the main start window.

I rang Microsoft. What a joke. After having to explain to the 'service technician', who quite frankly I knew more than he did (which is saying something) he gave me three options. Go to service technician, reinstall it, or pay $80 to be transferred to the next level of service help....sigh. I politely thanked him, but informed him, nicely, that he was no help.
A half hour of googling later, I installed Service Pack Two, and the problem went away.
The laptop is now working.

Mmmm...the internet tech support community is free...if you look hard enough, and much more helpful than Microsoft....

Nic Suban is this weeks NAB rising star.
Along with 10 other players, he is one of Freo's first year players this year.
But with Nic, you would never know it.
Hard as nails, excellent kick.
He has played 21 games for Freo this year, and will play this week as well.

You can tell the crowd is confident when Nic has the ball, he just delivers it so well, and got the reward this week with a couple of goals.
In fact, even when he does not have the ball, you are confident, cause his tackles are hard and effective.

We had a video hook-up with the Craggs family on Sunday at Inglewood Church. The wonders of technology! Skype is a really good...free product which enabled us as a church to see and hear...and pray for the Craggs family in real time.
The Craggs family are overseas developing leaders through CRM ministries.


They are developing some good ministry, and for us as a church, we are excited to see what will happen to them. Having them 'involved' in our service gives us a real connection with them.
A bit different to missionaries of times before!
(Craggs)

This is one of the best, and most disturbing movies I have ever seen.
I can't really explain it, except to say that at various points in the movie I was entertained, I laughed, I was upset, revulsed....and offended.

What a great movie, oscar contender....better than any movie I have seen for a long time.

No actors of any note, in fact the lead role was taken by someone who has only ever acted in a short doco on which the feature film was based upon.
The film was shot in South Africa amongst a real slum, with real shacks.

The website is one out of the box, worth exploring for a while. Movie Site
If you can handle the violence, which is pretty bad, go and see this movie.

My new favourite Hillsong Song....off their latest album.

Bit depressing.
I know the 'other' teams have a few weeks to go....but my Dockers only have two...again.
Depressing.
With so many injuries, and a very young side, I know this is something I have to deal with, and will probably have to deal with next year.
But it does not get any easier.
Who shall I support in the finals?

Saints
For: Have never won an AFL premiership. Likeable team, apart from Stephen Milne. Gareth Williams supports the saints and it would be nice to see him get a Cup after such a long time of supporting them, he is a true supporter.

Against: Gareth Williams supports them, and I dont know if I could stand the ribbing and general gloating.

Pies
Against: everything

Bulldogs
For: They have not won an AFL Premiership. I think Brad Johnson is a decent bloke, unlike the idiot who threw beer at him from Brisbane.

Cats
For: Not a lot
Against: They have won in recent years, and no one like an overachiever.

Booking our family holiday for Queensland today.
Spending some time in the Hinterlands, Gold Coast and then up to Cairns.
Looking forward to it...a lot!
Kids are looking forward to eating mangoes, theme parks, meeting Bindi Irwin and Sponge Bob Squarepants.

I am looking forward to turning the mobile off....discovering some good Queensland coffee and swimming at Green Island again. Was there when I was 12, interesting to see if it is as I remember it....and yes, that was a few decades ago!

I spoke on 2 Samuel 6 yesterday, the story of King David bringing the Ark of the Covenant up to the City of David, Jerusalem.
It is a stirring story, but also a confronting one.

"Maybe this is why we read, David and the whole house of Israel celebrated before the Lord with all their might, with songs, harps, lyres, tambourines, sistrums and cymbals…
There was a lot of noise.
Can you imagine 30 thousand men singing and playing their hearts out, before the Lord.
The average footy crowd is 30 thousand people.
Here are the chosen men, chosen to sing and celebrate the moving of this ark to its rightful place. What a celebration, what a joy, what a magnificent spectacle.
Until….the Lord anger burns against someone, and they are struck down, and right there beside the ark….Uzzah…who put his hand out to steady the toppling ark…died. Stone dead.

You know there are pieces in the bible that quite frankly I wish were not there, because it would be a lot easier when we are speaking to people who are not church people, if certain pieces of stories where just not there.
This is one of those pieces for me."

The rest of the message will be online at Inglewood Church to listen to by tommorow afternoon. I will post the link to the MP3 here.
Go here

Yesterday when I took the kids to their swimming lessons, there was a mum there, obviously frustrated with her son, who was about 10 or 11.
He would not get out of the 'kiddies' pool despite her protesting. Eventually he got out, and because he took so long, and was beligerant, he got a couple of good whacks in the bottom.

Thats the story, true as I saw it....

Here is what I think.

Whatever you think about smacking your kids.......

1. Don't discipline your child in front of a whole heap of people you don't know, in a public place. It is embarassing for the child, and for you.

2. By the time a boy hits ten years old, most mums are going to find smacking pretty inneffectual as a detterant or punishment, most 10 year old boys will find it hard to contain their mirth.

Pastor Wayne Field of Australind Baptist is one of my best friends. We are very similar in our style and values of ministry.
Very happy to see his church doing some seriously good things in Australind.
MEDIA RELEASE 14th August 2009
Community Boost brings Award Nomination

‘Boost’, a service program initiated by local church, Australind Baptist, has been nominated for the 2009 Curtin University of Technology Regional Service Award and Australia Post Community Of The Year Award, which forms part of the Regional Achievement and Community Awards for Western Australia.
The church was nominated by Australind Primary School Principal, Mr Darrin Tinley, in response to the support given to the primary school. In his submission he noted in the past 12 months members of the church has donated approximately $30,000 and an estimated 830 hours of voluntary service to initiatives which benefited the school community.

As well as financing a Chaplain, volunteers provide non-religious tutoring and mentoring to students, supervision for excursions, and gift vouchers to help cover personal expenses for people in need.

“They have given their time, hearts and minds to our students and staff and we are a much better school for their involvement. They would never do what they do to gain awards, however, we felt they deserved the recognition for the amazing support they give.” Mr Tinley said.

“This wonderful group of dedicated people is a significant boost to many in our school community; many of our students have benefited from the pastoral care they have provided.”

Australind Baptist Pastor, Wayne Field, says the nomination is a great encouragement, “In an age where some would question the value of the church, this nomination affirms that our people really do play a significant role in the community.”

“The ‘Boost’ program has evolved out of a genuine affection we have for the community. We did not go looking for it, but rather it developed over time as needs in the school became evident and as people in our church responded to meeting those needs.” Pastor Field said.

“Part of Australind Baptist Church’s vision statement is to demonstrate ‘life-changing love and compassion’ to the local community; the ‘Boost’ programme at Australind Primary School is the means by which we can assist people in our local community who need practical help to get back on their feet.”

Pastor Wayne Field and Principal Darrin Tinley outside Australind Primary School

And got through a lot of it....just waiting for a rather large file to print....Jazz in the Wood is coming!
stay tuned for details...but essentially we are doing a Jazz Concert at Inglewood.
Supported by City of Stirling, aimed at a more mature audience than we normally attract.
Should be great!

My son and I came up with this title for yesterdays game, are we clever or what?

This was the best game to watch for us all year, as the result was really known after the first quarter, and for the Dockers, that is saying something. Having said that, the third quarter was superb. The young Dockers could have been forgiven for letting their intensity down, but the third quarter was a great one to watch.

Suban, Broughton, Hill and Mayne. Right there is a team of first year players, who played well beyond their years against a much more fancied team.
I don't think anyone really doubts that the Dockers have the best group of young players.
With Johnson, Hayden, McPharlin, Palmer, Crowley to come back next year...roll on 2010.

We even got to kick on the oval after the game, which has become a bit of a rarity this year, and we enjoyed that together as well.

If you choose to lead, you must choose who you will offend.

So therefore the question is, who did Jesus offend?

He offended the religious folk, those who would tie others up in knots, those who had a 'them and us' mentality, those who would look and judge, those who thought they had a mortgage on the truth.

Let me not be one of those people, and let me choose to instead, take their offence.

You know what its like, frustrating cliche Christian answers...
here are some good tough questions, a few of church we had a look at in our small group.

# God is wrathful, jealous, hateful, and kills nations of people like it is a bodily function. He is certainly not just or “holy” in nature.
# The act of throwing people into infinite torture and punishment for not believing a Jewish guy from 2,000 years ago was God’s son, or unknowingly worshiping the wrong god, is extremely cruel and sadistic.
# The statements, “God works in mysterious ways,” or “It will all make sense in heaven,” are little more than irrational cop outs. This God allows horrible atrocities to be committed against innocent men, women and children every day.

More...

Knowing that Moses wrote this Psalm, really gives it context for me.
A humble leader, driven to get his people to the Promised Land.

"¹³ O Lord, come back to us!
How long will you delay?
Take pity on your servants!
¹⁴ Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love,
so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives.
¹⁵ Give us gladness in proportion to our former misery!
Replace the evil years with good.
¹⁶ Let us, your servants, see you work again;
let our children see your glory.
¹⁷ And may the Lord our God show us his approval
and make our efforts successful.
Yes, make our efforts successful!"

At times asking for success may seem a little self seeking, some people even rail against Christians/Churches being succesful. Yet the humble Moses pleaded for God, for success. What he defined as success was that Gods people would reach their Promised Land, a place of rest in Gods presence. Sounds like a great prayer to me!

I reckon the Freo Dockers have the best young developing side, bar none.
A really solid effort against the musch heavier, stonger, more experienced Western Bulldogs side today.
Chris Maybe, on his game back, kicked three great goals.
Broughton, Hill, Suban, Pierce...all names to look forward to seeing them develop.