So.....Rick Hart (Freo President) has asked Freo supporters to NOT boo Ben.....But Nisbet (West Coast Dork) has said he expects West Coast fans to boo Jeff.

Boo away Freo fans....Tour Da France wannabe Ben Cousins deserves it. Lets hope 3000 Freo fans can outboo 39,000 knitting needle chardonny sipping Weagle fans

Boo away West Coast fans...Jeff is used to it, and it might just fire him up.


As for me...I just could not afford tickets to this weeks derby, the first one I will miss for about 3 years. (Spent the money on something more important if you need to know)....But I will be booing Ben on the TV, and cheering Jeff.

Great time with my peer group yesterday.
We discussed an article on "how to break through growth barriers"
One of the main assumptions of the article was that God wants our churches to grow...and so what hinders them?
The key issue then is to discover what is hindering the health of your church, what issues does it have?

One of the key things I was taught as a Youth Pastor was to try and create a "positive group climate", or a climate of love. Our peer group discussed how important it is for the Pastor to model a climate of acceptance, love and personability.

Bill Hybels said one thing, "a touch, a look, a word". It is about being authentic, being concerned for the individual person. Thats what everyone wants isn't it? To be acknowledged, recognised, wanted.....

Put beautiful in front of these words and you will understand how church felt and was today.....

music
people
fun
church
chocolate cake
generosity
strength
purpose
prayer
vision

So many good things happened today...I am so proud of the people at Bedford....

Geelong are good, real deal even

Freo did not look out of it until 5 minutes into the last quarter...and the final score was a little insulting....but did I say Geelong are good?


If Freo dont make it (which we very likely wont) I'm cheering for Geelong....and who ever's playing the Weages....

Watch for this banner to be shown on Saturday with the return of Jeff...

Thank God for people like Rick Warren, who continually seems to lead the way for Pastors.

"Affluent pastors use wealth differently: Some give back; others buy yachts"

"The Warrens have vowed never to change their lifestyle. They have lived in the same house for 16 years. Warren drives the same Ford truck he had before the book came out. And he owns the same two suits.
Warren told Beliefnet he’s aware of the stigma that pastors are in it for the money, but he said every pastor he knows would serve for free if possible.
“There are so many easier ways to make money,” Warren said in the interview. “Believe me, if you want to make money, don’t be a pastor.”

Article

By the way, I have never seen Rick in a suit...so maybe thats why he has never felt the need to buy a new one!!

In great news for all fair minded people, Jeff Farmer is free to play this weekend against the suprisingly succesful Cats this Saturday.

Jeff was open, honest and accountable in his admission of alcohol abuse this week after his 'brain fade' at the Casino. Such action cannot be supported and the FFC have handed out the biggest fine EVER to Jeff, demanding a $10000 fine and a 'donation' of $20,000 to Cerebal Palsy.

I think the best thing for Jeff's treatment and recovery is to play. Its the first part of recovery to admit exactly what you have done wrong, Jeff has done this.

Good luck Cats....your going to need it....

(HT Photo Dockerland)

Dockers mercurial player Jeff Farmer has received a $750 fine this morning. The magistrate accepted his version of events. Following his courageous, frank and honest admission this week, and Schwab's acceptance of this, he may play this week in the must win game against Geelong. Farmer explained that he was very upset when his mentor and supporter Chris Connolly has resigned his position, and that he was ruled unfit to play against the Adelaide Crows.

Come on Freoooo!!

(BTW Sheedy is goorrrrne)

Message Two
apologies for last couple of weeks, couple of technical difficulties.
This message is based around Act 9, Coca Cola and Radical Change.
Are you open to radical change, even if it takes time?

Its tough being a minister, in polite conversation you are not meant to talk about religion, politics or sex.

Now, I am interested in all three!!!!

All I want to say about Rudd is this.....He seems very sensitive to critique and criticism....I personally find his public persona annoying.

And what's with this backflip over forrests in Tassie?

I don't reckon the opinion polls mean anything, like many Australians I fully expect Howard to pull another rabbit out of the hat.....and like the last election, most people will vote for whoever is perceived to look after their personal interests best.

As my dad was fond of saying, "oppositions don't win elections, governments lose them". Maybe Howard has pushed this Iraq thing too far, and come into the 'Green' debate too late. Time will tell.

Reading a post on someone elses blog, who shall remain nameless, I was struck by how lonely and rejected people can feel. Even people who are beautiful, funny and succesful.

High school was an awful time for me. Recently my oldest sister told me about a reunion at Scarborough High School. No way would I go! I had friends there, but they were generally friends you had as protection against not having friends. Some of them were good blokes, and if the situation had been different, I probably would have stayed friends with them. But the one bloke who was friends with me since primary school, did not want to be friends after high school. That rejection was pretty tough, but also systematic of who I was. An insecure person who did not like himself much at all.
Because of that, I think, I turned to various activities to forget about the pain. Pretty immature, I admit, but thats what happened.

Now I am at a much better place, in fact when I became a Christian at 19, I suddenly found acceptance of myself. It was quite amazing, looking back, and a radical change.

The last few years I think I have discovered who I truly am, after years of trying to be who people wanted me to be. Every now and then I will slip back into 'people pleasing' mode. Thats what happens when you have a strong father figure in your life.
Those who see a lot of me know I struggle with this, but I have to stand up and lead sometimes, and stuff the consequences, I have to be who God wants me to be. Thats when I am my most effective.
There is a deep agression in me, that I struggle with sometimes. Sometimes it comes out in the strangest ways. But I cant help but feel it is a strength God wants to use. He has certainly given me perseverance.

I suppose I bring all this history into my hopes and fears for my sons life. God, help me to affirm him, all the time. Yes, let me be a strong influence in his life, but also, let me let him, be him. And be very happy about who he is.

Farmer has admitted he has an alcohol problem.
Lets see if the WA media now treat him as they did BC.....
The only difference now between Jeff and BC is that Jeff has admitted what his problem actually is, and his substance abuse is legal....even though its abuse is a huge problem for many.

Lets hope he gets the help he needs, and gets back on the field, even this Saturday against Geelong would be good.

By the way, the West's picture of Jeff under the title 'ugly' on Saturday was awful and disgraceful ...quite frankly.

Story

The last two weeks I have been reminded how awesome some of our older folk at Bedford are.
Last week we kicked off our "keeping it real" series, based around the theme of Coca Cola, and picking some principles from some first century Christians.

I took the opportunity to honour Ernie Lyon, one of the senior men in our church. He has just retired after working over 40 years, many of them at Allendale Square.
He loves Coke, so I got him up the front, honoured him with some words, and handed him a cold can of coke.

This week our home town hero Jim Mc Kinnon stepped up to the mark, and led our music. He did a great job....What a guy.....Thanks God for them both.

Thats the best Freo have played all year.
Confident, aggresive, intense.....

Harvey looks to have made some differences already, including some interesting coaching moves.
Putting Hayden up against Johncock, whether he was forward or back, was the right choice. And putting McManus on McLeod was great, especially since Shaun played so well.

With other results helping, I was actually sort of happy WC won, for our sake, not theirs....We have a chance to give this thing a chance.

And speaking unbiasedly for a moment, if there is any team that could shake up the finals from position 8, it would be Fremantle. I mean that. On our day we can beat anyone anywhere....

I got seven in the tipping this week, (stupid St Kilda.....)

Brilliant player, not so good at off field behaviour.

But what he has done is nothing, is not even comparable to what Didak and Kerr have done....I don't see the media calling for them to be sacked......

Unbelievable.

I feel there is something else going on around here.

"Radical Change takes time"

(Mark E, this afternoon while reflecting over his latte)