I don't think our kids do very many activities. Certainly no where near what they could be doing. Basically, they play an instrument each, do something for exercise and do church. But here's what our week looks like:
Sunday - Church (x2), Football in between for Nathan
Monday - Concert Band (Nathan), Stage Band (Nathan)- lunch time so it doesn't count
Tuesday - Orchestra (Micah), Swimming (Joel and Micah), Football training (Nathan)
Wednesday - Trombone lesson (Nathan), Orchestra (Nathan), Cello lesson (Micah)
Thursday - Concert Band (Joel), Swimming (Joel and Micah), Football training (Nathan)
Friday - Youth group (Nathan and Joel)
Saturday - Sweet, sweet nothing.
On top of that, we have bible study 3 nights a week and Andrew has meetings one other night.
The afternoons are pretty full, but I don't know what the alternative is. What do families with more kids do?
I'm not complaining. Apart from the football, I love everything that our kids are involved in.
Monday, March 11, 2013
Help me out?
I'm preparing a talk on Mary and Martha (Luke 10). [This passage is part of the set list for women preachers!]
Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her" (Luke 10:38-42).
I'm interested in the bold bit. What was Mary doing? What does it mean to sit at a teacher's feet?
Someone I'm reading suggests that Martha's issue with Mary is partly that Mary is behaving as if she were a man. She has crossed an invisible but important divide into male territory. Sitting at the feet of a rabbi is what men did - and the men who did it were the men who wanted to be rabbis themselves.
Thoughts?
Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her" (Luke 10:38-42).
I'm interested in the bold bit. What was Mary doing? What does it mean to sit at a teacher's feet?
Someone I'm reading suggests that Martha's issue with Mary is partly that Mary is behaving as if she were a man. She has crossed an invisible but important divide into male territory. Sitting at the feet of a rabbi is what men did - and the men who did it were the men who wanted to be rabbis themselves.
Thoughts?
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Is this too vanilla?
Remember Him
1. Remember him
who walked the path
unto the cross
in place of us
Remember him
his sweat and pain
For through his death
we live, we live again.
Take this bread
Feed on him
Glory in
Forgiven sin
Drink with us
The wine of life
Remember him:
Remember Jesus Christ
2. Remember when
the earth turned dark
All work complete
he breathed his last
The contract signed
in tears and blood
Christ bowed his head
and bought our hearts for God
3. Remember him
lest we forget
the cost of our
unrighteousness
Or we forget
that we are free
The death he died
is life, is life for me!
sar 2013
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Prayer for a minister
Prayer for a Christian friend who is a paid minister of the gospel
Dear Father,
You have given ___________ the task of shepherding your people. By your spirit, make him competent for this task. Allow him to preach your word with clarity and conviction so that your people are built up in the faith.
Steel his mind and will against the snares of the devil. Keep him from disbelief, from discontent, from envy, from lust, from despair, from pride, from anxiety, from prayerlessness, from distraction, from laziness and from factionalism. Guard his tongue from error, from slander and from carelessness.
Give him a quick mind and an open heart. Bless him with an increasing knowledge and love of Jesus. Help him to be eager to hear to your word, fast to repent of sin and full of love for others that he may grow to be like the chief shepherd, Jesus Christ.
Amen
Prayers for friends
For unbelieving friends
Dear Father.
I know you to be a lover of the prodigal and a welcomer to the lost. I know that you desire for all people be saved and none to perish. I remember the kindness you showed to me when I was blind to your goodness. You opened my eyes and revealed to me your righteous demands and my own unrighteousness. You comforted my heart with the grace of the gospel and caused me to trust in Jesus. Today I ask you to do the same work in the lives of _________, ___________ and ______________. Please open their eyes, forgive their sins and cause them to live for the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen
For a Christian friend (far away)
Dear Father.
Thank you for loving _____________ and bringing her into your family. Thank you for the friendship that we share due to the common bond of grace. Please watch over her and protect her from harm. Keep her safe in your love. Guard her heart from temptation and strengthen her will to be faithful to you. Spare her from pride, from self sufficiency, from greed, from envy, from malice, from slander, from discontent, from lust, from laziness, from apathy, from despair and from all sin that will pull her from you. Help her to love and serve others with joy, to work diligently, to rest well, to pray, and in all things to delight in the name of Jesus.
Amen
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Are you an entrepreneur?
| General profile | 170 |  | | |
| Motivations | 68 | | | |
| Aptitudes | 65 | | ||
| Attitudes | 37 | |
I did a test. The numbers and the blue lines are my scores. The vertical red line is the average score for entrepreneurs. So it seems I have the right motivations and attitudes to be an entrepreneur, but I lack the skills. Oh well.
Wanna take the test?
Monday, March 4, 2013
Right now...
Watching : Once Upon A Time. You should too. It's great!
Reading : James Denney The Death Of Christ, Jenny Brown Growing Yourself Up, Phil Campbell and Gary Millar Saving Eutychus. All excellent. Reviews to come.
Feeling : A little unsettled. Bored with work. Fenced in.
Thinking about : Prayer in church
Frustrated about : People thinking the worst of one another, Christians sniping at each other.
Wondering if : Son #1 will learn that procrastination isn't worth it. Hoping that this night of being awake with worry will bring about good results.
You?
Reading : James Denney The Death Of Christ, Jenny Brown Growing Yourself Up, Phil Campbell and Gary Millar Saving Eutychus. All excellent. Reviews to come.
Feeling : A little unsettled. Bored with work. Fenced in.
Thinking about : Prayer in church
Frustrated about : People thinking the worst of one another, Christians sniping at each other.
Wondering if : Son #1 will learn that procrastination isn't worth it. Hoping that this night of being awake with worry will bring about good results.
You?
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Prayer for myself.
Spare us, Father!
Our hearts are prone to stray, chasing after the things that will only destroy us.
Spare us from pride, a blindness of heart, and a refusal to seek your will
from envy, malice, and uncharitableness towards others
from the lusts of the flesh and weakness in the face of temptation
from discontent and longing for what we can’t have
from godless ambition and seeking our own glory
from the deceitfulness of riches
from anxiety and prayerlessness
from laziness, busyness and trivialities.
Spare us, Father, from these sins and from all other things that distract us from the glory of Jesus Christ in whom we have forgiveness and all the riches of the world to come.
Amen.
Prayer of Confession
Father God,
Prayer project
I find praying difficult.
Combine an activist personality (I want to achieve something!) with a wandering mind and a sinful amount of self sufficiency and you get not much prayer.
I've been reading C.S. Lewis' book on prayer - Letter to Malcolm. I've read it before. There's some weird stuff in it (praying wordlessly?!) but it's interesting and helpful.
I've decided to write myself a set of prayers to use. I'll mostly write them in a form for corporate use (we, us, our etc) but I'll alter them a bit to use myself.
I'm going to try to write a couple of prayers of confession, a prayer for our world, a form of prayer for friends, a prayer for my family, a prayer for myself, and a prayer for my church.
For the next few weeks I'm going to make these the prayers that I say. I'm just going to recite them (or some of them) each day. I'll see if it helps me with concentration and making sure that I get around to praying the things I should pray.
Anyone else tried this?
Combine an activist personality (I want to achieve something!) with a wandering mind and a sinful amount of self sufficiency and you get not much prayer.
I've been reading C.S. Lewis' book on prayer - Letter to Malcolm. I've read it before. There's some weird stuff in it (praying wordlessly?!) but it's interesting and helpful.
I've decided to write myself a set of prayers to use. I'll mostly write them in a form for corporate use (we, us, our etc) but I'll alter them a bit to use myself.
I'm going to try to write a couple of prayers of confession, a prayer for our world, a form of prayer for friends, a prayer for my family, a prayer for myself, and a prayer for my church.
For the next few weeks I'm going to make these the prayers that I say. I'm just going to recite them (or some of them) each day. I'll see if it helps me with concentration and making sure that I get around to praying the things I should pray.
Anyone else tried this?
This morning...
... I ran 3 miles (? km) in 80 degree heat and 500% humidity. A half hour soak in our cool shaded swimming pool wasn't enough to stop the sweat.
Note to self - 9am is too late for a jog.
Next week I should wait the extra half hour and do a class at the gym.
Note to self - 9am is too late for a jog.
Next week I should wait the extra half hour and do a class at the gym.
Monday, February 25, 2013
If two guys are sitting in a coffee shop chatting for a long time...
... I'd put money on them being christians.
Yep. The guys at the next table are.
Yep. The guys at the next table are.
Friday, February 22, 2013
Cairns weather
I love it.
People kept on telling us how dreadful it would be etc etc, but it's really good.
You don't notice the heat and humidity (which aren't all that bad) when you are in air conditioning - as we are all day at school/work/church/shops... and home if we want.
It is always warm enough to swim and apparently February is as bad as it gets.
So there prophets of doom!
People kept on telling us how dreadful it would be etc etc, but it's really good.
You don't notice the heat and humidity (which aren't all that bad) when you are in air conditioning - as we are all day at school/work/church/shops... and home if we want.
It is always warm enough to swim and apparently February is as bad as it gets.
So there prophets of doom!
5 things I'm missing from my Brisbane life
1. Church.
2. Hanging out with people I've known for a long time and who know me well.
3. School. The kids, the staff, the families, the routines. Being known, liked and trusted.
4. Bumping into people I know around the community - at the shops and park and gym.
5. Living across the road from school.
2. Hanging out with people I've known for a long time and who know me well.
3. School. The kids, the staff, the families, the routines. Being known, liked and trusted.
4. Bumping into people I know around the community - at the shops and park and gym.
5. Living across the road from school.
5 things I'm enjoying about life this year
1. Beautiful Cairns scenery. The mountains. The clouds. The green.
2. An extra day off a week. I'm not teaching RE (yet) or doing a day time bible study group (but I'm in two evening groups - which is great).
3. Having piano and viola lessons with really good teachers. And practicing.
4. Our easy to care for house with a pool just 2 meters away. I feel like I'm living at a resort.
5. Doing Pump class with Micah (age 9!) every Friday afternoon while the others are at youth group.
2. An extra day off a week. I'm not teaching RE (yet) or doing a day time bible study group (but I'm in two evening groups - which is great).
3. Having piano and viola lessons with really good teachers. And practicing.
4. Our easy to care for house with a pool just 2 meters away. I feel like I'm living at a resort.
5. Doing Pump class with Micah (age 9!) every Friday afternoon while the others are at youth group.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Who would have thought? Draft 1.
1. Who would have thought the wicked will
the evil schemes of man
would work for good and fulfil
our Lord’s eternal plans?
Who would have thought that Judas’ greed*
could lead to my release?
And mocking, violent taunts and strikes
would come to bring me peace?
2. Who would have thought that nails and wood,
The hangman’s cursed tree,
Would be our joy and our delight
The symbol of the free?
Who would have thought that blood could wash
The foulest sinner clean
Or that our God would bear the cost
to see his lost redeemed.
3. Who would have thought the Lord of life
could lie within the grave
his body broken, silent, still
where none can help or save?
Who would have thought our strength would come
from one so weak as he?
Who would have thought that out of death
springs life eternally?
4. I will not trust the thoughts of men
or human strength and might**
For who of man would ever dream
the saving power of Christ?
But I will trust the plans of God
The saviour crucified
And I will rest in hope assured
his death will bring me life.
the evil schemes of man
would work for good and fulfil
our Lord’s eternal plans?
Who would have thought that Judas’ greed*
could lead to my release?
And mocking, violent taunts and strikes
would come to bring me peace?
2. Who would have thought that nails and wood,
The hangman’s cursed tree,
Would be our joy and our delight
The symbol of the free?
Who would have thought that blood could wash
The foulest sinner clean
Or that our God would bear the cost
to see his lost redeemed.
3. Who would have thought the Lord of life
could lie within the grave
his body broken, silent, still
where none can help or save?
Who would have thought our strength would come
from one so weak as he?
Who would have thought that out of death
springs life eternally?
4. I will not trust the thoughts of men
or human strength and might**
For who of man would ever dream
the saving power of Christ?
But I will trust the plans of God
The saviour crucified
And I will rest in hope assured
his death will bring me life.
sar 2013
* change to 'human greed'??
** does this make me sound like a climate change denying, science hating fundy?
* change to 'human greed'??
** does this make me sound like a climate change denying, science hating fundy?
Dear Christians at the next table,
Please don't gossip so loudly about your church politics, views on evangelism etc. I feel like I've heard far too much.
Simone
Simone
Monday, February 18, 2013
Sorry to everyone who wrote comments for old posts
I just found them awaiting moderation.
Email notification fixed.
Email notification fixed.
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Just in case anyone had any doubts about the degree of my awesome...
... Let it be known that I have cooked dinner for the next 3 nights. Andrew is away so it doesn't matter that it's bland. It's nutritious and it's DONE. Mince and vegies peeps. Not much flavour but easy to swallow and quick to clean up.
Oh yeah! Oh yeah!
Oh yeah! Oh yeah!
Saturday, February 16, 2013
How I write a lyric.
Most of what I write is rubbish. But CJ asked [in comments below] about my writing process. So here it is - for what its worth - in list form.
1. I go to a coffee shop (I find home too quiet and distracting.) I take my computer which has a bible on it, a pile of books on my kindle reader and many sermons that I've downloaded. I also take my mobile internet thingy (which doesn't work brilliantly in Cairns) so I have access to a thesaurus, a rhyming dictionary (which gives you a great list of obvious rhymes to AVOID) and anything else I might need.
2. I read the bible, pray, listen to a talk or read a book while I'm having lunch, jotting down any ideas that stand out.
3. Then I start my cup of tea and try to decide WHAT I want my song to be about. I write a few lines - not necessarily sequential - but they are all pretty bland.
4. I decide that I need to FIND A WAY IN to the topic. This is the hard bit. It needs to be something that people can latch on to. It needs to be fresh - not a path that a billion other songs have trodden. I think about what I need to hear. How does this topic apply too me? What are my misunderstandings / temptations etc? How does my disbelief find expression? If I really believed this, how would it change my life? Then I think about my friends (xn and non-xn) and think about how it relates to them. What do they need to sing.
5. I quickly pick a meter. Doesn't matter much at this stage which one I pick - I'll probably mess with it as I go anyway. [If you are a newby to this try 8888 (when I survey) or 8686 (amazing grace). They are easy to work with. Double them for 8 line verses. If you are a newby, try to faithfully stick to the syllable pattern and the emphasises to start with.]
6. Then I try writing stuff. I sit with my pot of tea until it has all gone, then start on a jug of water. Often I have headphones in. I'm not listening to anything, but it sends a message to people that I don't want to talk. I play with my hair until it is a complete mess. I write rubbish lines. I don't erase anything. I write more rubbish lines. At some stage I will write a line that (is probably still rubbish, but) has something. It's an idea. An in.
7. By this stage I've been in the coffee shop for 2.5 hours. There have been four lots of people at the table next to me. (I've heard all of their conversations. It's amazing how quickly children grow up. Most mothers are also astonished and slightly concerned about the rapid advancements that their baby is making compared to everyone else's. Perhaps they are gifted?) I have 45 minutes left until school pick up. In that time I also have to do the shopping. I decide to keep writing. I quickly spin my idea into a verse and then go and grab enough groceries to get us through the next 18 hours. Then I do school pick up. I feel satisfied that I've written something.
8. Later that night or the next day I read through my verse and decide that it sounds exactly like everything else that's ever been written. I didn't capture my in very well. I try again. If I'm lucky, I'll have more success and end up with maybe 3 verses that do something. If I'm not lucky, I'll end up with nothing. Oh well.
9. I put my verses on my blog. My blogging friends tell me what I need to hear. Normally you pick me up on the lines I hoped I could get away with.
10. After a few weeks or months I get a tune for my song. Alas, the tune doesn't fit the words properly so I have to do a re-write. Then the tune changes a little (or a lot) so I do another rewrite. And then another, and then another. Then we submit the song for a cd and it gets rejected or accepted. Then people listen to it once and say 'oh that's nice' and never think about it again! [Sigh.]
So that's my process.
Overall, I'm after:
Fresh Expression - Not cliche ridden. Interesting language. Subtle but satisfying use of rhyme (not just end of line rhymes, but alliteration and assonance) and metaphor.
Crafted Ideas - It's not just random thoughts. There's an internal logic and development of ideas that runs through it.
A Natural turn of phrase - Subject, verb, object. Not like this.
A Disciplined use of meter - Syllables matching between verses etc (makes it easier to sing)
Emotional Engagement - It needs to do something for people. Move them somewhere. Make then feel something, realise something. Otherwise, why bother?
Anyone want to try? 2nd year MTC students have to write a hymn or a prayer for doctrine assessment this semester. You could give it a go too!
1. I go to a coffee shop (I find home too quiet and distracting.) I take my computer which has a bible on it, a pile of books on my kindle reader and many sermons that I've downloaded. I also take my mobile internet thingy (which doesn't work brilliantly in Cairns) so I have access to a thesaurus, a rhyming dictionary (which gives you a great list of obvious rhymes to AVOID) and anything else I might need.
2. I read the bible, pray, listen to a talk or read a book while I'm having lunch, jotting down any ideas that stand out.
3. Then I start my cup of tea and try to decide WHAT I want my song to be about. I write a few lines - not necessarily sequential - but they are all pretty bland.
4. I decide that I need to FIND A WAY IN to the topic. This is the hard bit. It needs to be something that people can latch on to. It needs to be fresh - not a path that a billion other songs have trodden. I think about what I need to hear. How does this topic apply too me? What are my misunderstandings / temptations etc? How does my disbelief find expression? If I really believed this, how would it change my life? Then I think about my friends (xn and non-xn) and think about how it relates to them. What do they need to sing.
5. I quickly pick a meter. Doesn't matter much at this stage which one I pick - I'll probably mess with it as I go anyway. [If you are a newby to this try 8888 (when I survey) or 8686 (amazing grace). They are easy to work with. Double them for 8 line verses. If you are a newby, try to faithfully stick to the syllable pattern and the emphasises to start with.]
6. Then I try writing stuff. I sit with my pot of tea until it has all gone, then start on a jug of water. Often I have headphones in. I'm not listening to anything, but it sends a message to people that I don't want to talk. I play with my hair until it is a complete mess. I write rubbish lines. I don't erase anything. I write more rubbish lines. At some stage I will write a line that (is probably still rubbish, but) has something. It's an idea. An in.
7. By this stage I've been in the coffee shop for 2.5 hours. There have been four lots of people at the table next to me. (I've heard all of their conversations. It's amazing how quickly children grow up. Most mothers are also astonished and slightly concerned about the rapid advancements that their baby is making compared to everyone else's. Perhaps they are gifted?) I have 45 minutes left until school pick up. In that time I also have to do the shopping. I decide to keep writing. I quickly spin my idea into a verse and then go and grab enough groceries to get us through the next 18 hours. Then I do school pick up. I feel satisfied that I've written something.
8. Later that night or the next day I read through my verse and decide that it sounds exactly like everything else that's ever been written. I didn't capture my in very well. I try again. If I'm lucky, I'll have more success and end up with maybe 3 verses that do something. If I'm not lucky, I'll end up with nothing. Oh well.
9. I put my verses on my blog. My blogging friends tell me what I need to hear. Normally you pick me up on the lines I hoped I could get away with.
10. After a few weeks or months I get a tune for my song. Alas, the tune doesn't fit the words properly so I have to do a re-write. Then the tune changes a little (or a lot) so I do another rewrite. And then another, and then another. Then we submit the song for a cd and it gets rejected or accepted. Then people listen to it once and say 'oh that's nice' and never think about it again! [Sigh.]
So that's my process.
Overall, I'm after:
Fresh Expression - Not cliche ridden. Interesting language. Subtle but satisfying use of rhyme (not just end of line rhymes, but alliteration and assonance) and metaphor.
Crafted Ideas - It's not just random thoughts. There's an internal logic and development of ideas that runs through it.
A Natural turn of phrase - Subject, verb, object. Not like this.
A Disciplined use of meter - Syllables matching between verses etc (makes it easier to sing)
Emotional Engagement - It needs to do something for people. Move them somewhere. Make then feel something, realise something. Otherwise, why bother?
Anyone want to try? 2nd year MTC students have to write a hymn or a prayer for doctrine assessment this semester. You could give it a go too!
Performance enhancing drugs?
I admit it. I've used Beta Blockers in the past and I'll probably use them again. They work a treat.
Here.
Here.
Friday, February 15, 2013
Grace awaiting me
Draft One. It needs a chorus. Thoughts?
Grace awaiting me
I will see the world to come
For one has suffered in my place
Now there’s grace awaiting me, awaiting me.
Judgement’s done, atonement’s made
the ransom’s paid, no guilt remains
Now there’s grace awaiting me, awaiting me.
I take comfort in the hope
of the thief upon the cross
For I’m worthy of as little love as he.
Like this man, I won’t despair
and when I rise I’ll see him there
For there’s grace awaiting me, awaiting me.
I will see the world to come
Despite the sin that I have done
For there’s grace awaiting me, awaiting me.
All who call upon the Lord
rise to life with peace assured
There is grace awaiting me, awaiting me.
sar 2013
Grace awaiting me
I will see the world to come
For one has suffered in my place
Now there’s grace awaiting me, awaiting me.
Judgement’s done, atonement’s made
the ransom’s paid, no guilt remains
Now there’s grace awaiting me, awaiting me.
of the thief upon the cross
For I’m worthy of as little love as he.
Like this man, I won’t despair
and when I rise I’ll see him there
For there’s grace awaiting me, awaiting me.
Despite the sin that I have done
For there’s grace awaiting me, awaiting me.
All who call upon the Lord
rise to life with peace assured
There is grace awaiting me, awaiting me.
sar 2013
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
more on cong singing
I've been organising morning church music for the last few weeks now. It's gone really well. Here are a few things I've noticed.
1. It is so much easier to get a congregation to sing heartily if the song is driven by it's melody rather than by it's chord progression. For this reason, hymn-like songs just work better for congregational singing than rock songs.
2. Songleaders are the most important ingredient if you want the congregation to sing. Good song leading gives the congregation confidence and enthusiasm.
3. Vocal harmonies are delicious. Particularly a tenor line.
4. If I (a pianist) had to choose between a violin and a guitar, I'd take the violin. Guitar adds more complexity and, for a newby band, much more risk. I'd want bass and drums long before guitar.
5. It's easier to get a morning congregation singing heartily than an evening congregation.
All of this makes me sound really conservative. Perhaps I am. But more than ever before I am focussing on what helps the congregation sing out God's word. And it's old school stuff.
Here's our current song list:
This Life I Live
Let Your Kingdom Come*
Before The Throne Of God Above
Never Alone
1. It is so much easier to get a congregation to sing heartily if the song is driven by it's melody rather than by it's chord progression. For this reason, hymn-like songs just work better for congregational singing than rock songs.
2. Songleaders are the most important ingredient if you want the congregation to sing. Good song leading gives the congregation confidence and enthusiasm.
3. Vocal harmonies are delicious. Particularly a tenor line.
4. If I (a pianist) had to choose between a violin and a guitar, I'd take the violin. Guitar adds more complexity and, for a newby band, much more risk. I'd want bass and drums long before guitar.
5. It's easier to get a morning congregation singing heartily than an evening congregation.
All of this makes me sound really conservative. Perhaps I am. But more than ever before I am focussing on what helps the congregation sing out God's word. And it's old school stuff.
Here's our current song list:
When I Survey
How Great Thou Art
Great is Your Faithfulness
Amazing Grace
Be Thou My Vision
Come People of the Risen King
How Deep The Father's Love For Us
In Christ Alone
Let Your Kingdom Come*
Before The Throne Of God Above
Never Alone
Ten Thousand Reasons
Saturday, February 9, 2013
I really don't want Tony Abbott as PM
Can someone else in the Liberal Party take over please? Malcolm Turnbull? There's still time for a leadership challenge. Go on. For the good of the country...
Friday, February 8, 2013
new lyric
Songwriting season is upon us. This year we are writing songs on the atonement. I expect to write around 20 lyrics of which Philip will see something worth pursuing in 5-7. If we're lucky, one or two might make it onto a cd.
This is the second draft of attempt #2 (#1 was awful). It still needs a final verse which I won't write unless P likes what's there so far. I was going for a retro chorus. Not sure it will work.
Thoughts?
Title
What makes the guilt wrenched soul rejoice
What makes the fallen pray?
Five words that fill our hearts with joy -
‘My sins are washed away!’
[CH.]
My sins are washed away
My sins are washed away
I’m cleansed, forgiven by his blood
My sins are washed away
There’s hope for when temptation’s near
and weight of sin bears down
There’s light for us in our despair
when dread and doubts abound.
There is a song that firms our will
and gives us strength to fight.
Five words that turn our hearts from wrong
and leads us to what’s right.
This is the second draft of attempt #2 (#1 was awful). It still needs a final verse which I won't write unless P likes what's there so far. I was going for a retro chorus. Not sure it will work.
Thoughts?
Title
What makes the guilt wrenched soul rejoice
What makes the fallen pray?
Five words that fill our hearts with joy -
‘My sins are washed away!’
My sins are washed away
My sins are washed away
I’m cleansed, forgiven by his blood
My sins are washed away
and weight of sin bears down
There’s light for us in our despair
when dread and doubts abound.
and gives us strength to fight.
Five words that turn our hearts from wrong
and leads us to what’s right.
sar 2013
Twilight vs Shores of Hope
|
|
Shores of Hope
|
Twilight
|
|
Attractive heroine
|
yes
|
yes
|
|
Ridiculously handsome hero
|
yes
|
yes
|
|
Rich hero, (comparatively) poor heroine
|
yes
|
yes
|
|
Heroine makes stupid decisions based on notion that she must sacrifice herself for others in really dumb, unproductive ways
|
yes
| yes |
|
Attractive but doomed secondary suitor
|
yes
|
yes
|
|
Completely implausible situation
|
yes
|
yes
|
|
Take home message that finding the perfect man is not only possible but your life’s goal
|
yes
|
yes
|
|
Heroine brought up by one parent
|
yes
|
yes
|
|
Every loose end tied up (ie. everyone finds their perfect love or dies)
|
yes
|
yes
|
|
All men seem to throw themselves at heroine
|
yes
|
yes
|
|
Men so passionately in love with heroine that they act out almost violently towards her
|
yes
|
yes
|
|
Given far to much information about what heroine is thinking ALL OF THE TIME
|
yes
|
yes
|
|
Pre-marital sex
|
no
|
no
|
|
Tacky, unconvincing conversion scenes
|
yes
|
no
|
|
Christianising of feminine temptation to idolise romantic love
|
yes
|
no
|
|
Vampires
|
no
|
yes
|
|
Action scene
|
no
|
yes
|
|
D grade writing
|
yes
|
yes
|
As you can see, the two books have a lot in common. Shore of Hope offers us some unconvincing conversion scenes and sanctifies our lust for the perfect man who finds us just irresistible. Twilight offers us vampires and supernatural action. I'll take the vampires.
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Shores of Hope
Justification: Today I have done a gym class, made two meals for my family (tonight and tomorrow), played viola (quite a bit and had a lesson), gone for a run, played with the kids, written (and re-written) a song....
What I want to write about: ... and read an Inspirational Historical Romance.
This one was called Shores of Hope. As opposed to The Sure Hope that I read the other day.
Through this novel I discovered that love involves sacrifice.
Beautiful Sarah falls in love with David (a worthy Christian man) then stupidly marries Jonathan (an unworthy sinner) when she thinks that David has married someone else. They meet up at church few weeks after Sarah's wedding and both are miserable. They declare their love for each other, but vow to be godly. (David slips up by hanging around outside Sarah house (stalker style) but it's okay because he is just praying for her.) As in any Christian romance, love has to find a way. It's hard for love to find a way while Jonathan is alive, so poor Jonathan is sacrificed. After a couple of months, he gets sick and dies (he becomes a Christian on his deathbed) and Sarah and David get married and live happily ever after.
[David also happens to be rich.]
I'm sorry.
If I had a daughter, I'd rather that she read Twilight.
What I want to write about: ... and read an Inspirational Historical Romance.
This one was called Shores of Hope. As opposed to The Sure Hope that I read the other day.
Through this novel I discovered that love involves sacrifice.
Beautiful Sarah falls in love with David (a worthy Christian man) then stupidly marries Jonathan (an unworthy sinner) when she thinks that David has married someone else. They meet up at church few weeks after Sarah's wedding and both are miserable. They declare their love for each other, but vow to be godly. (David slips up by hanging around outside Sarah house (stalker style) but it's okay because he is just praying for her.) As in any Christian romance, love has to find a way. It's hard for love to find a way while Jonathan is alive, so poor Jonathan is sacrificed. After a couple of months, he gets sick and dies (he becomes a Christian on his deathbed) and Sarah and David get married and live happily ever after.
[David also happens to be rich.]
I'm sorry.
If I had a daughter, I'd rather that she read Twilight.
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
I like my job!
Today I claimed a spare classroom as my own.
It is a good size and has 2 big air conditioners.
I'm a squatter, but if no one says anything in the next week, I'm going to decorate and and fill the cupboards.
I won't mind teaching the same lesson 12 times in a row if I can do it in my own room! (Actually, if I'm in my own room with all of my resources, I won't ever teach the same lesson 12 times in a row. Or even 3. But if I have to travel and only take what I can carry, I kind of have to.)
Anyway, good times ahead!
It is a good size and has 2 big air conditioners.
I'm a squatter, but if no one says anything in the next week, I'm going to decorate and and fill the cupboards.
I won't mind teaching the same lesson 12 times in a row if I can do it in my own room! (Actually, if I'm in my own room with all of my resources, I won't ever teach the same lesson 12 times in a row. Or even 3. But if I have to travel and only take what I can carry, I kind of have to.)
Anyway, good times ahead!
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Want to feel like a leader?
Listen to some leadership podcasts or read some leadership book.
Try it. You don't need to actually lead anyone. Just read or listen. Leader-lit makes you feel macho.
Repeat after me: I was made to rule the world.
Try it. You don't need to actually lead anyone. Just read or listen. Leader-lit makes you feel macho.
Repeat after me: I was made to rule the world.
This is what my life has come to...
Okay, so I may have just swapped one time wasting activity for another.
Our new church has a library. It seems to largely consist of Christian novels. I took two books home. The first turned out to be a thinly disguised pro-life tract. A Christian couple are distressed to hear of their prodigal son's sudden death, but when they investigate the life he was living they discover that he had a girlfriend (Starlight) who is in the early stages of pregnancy. Unfortunately Starlight is considering abortion. I think if you make it through to the end of the book (I didn't) you'll find that the baby survives and that Starlight comes to faith. Just a hunch.
The other book I brought home contains four complete novels in one volume. Bonus! It describes them as Inspirational Historical Romances. I read one particularly inspiring story called 'The Sure Promise'. The sure promise was that God will right our fortunes and send us Prince Charming.
I think it might be time to turn Spider Solitaire back on!
Our new church has a library. It seems to largely consist of Christian novels. I took two books home. The first turned out to be a thinly disguised pro-life tract. A Christian couple are distressed to hear of their prodigal son's sudden death, but when they investigate the life he was living they discover that he had a girlfriend (Starlight) who is in the early stages of pregnancy. Unfortunately Starlight is considering abortion. I think if you make it through to the end of the book (I didn't) you'll find that the baby survives and that Starlight comes to faith. Just a hunch.
The other book I brought home contains four complete novels in one volume. Bonus! It describes them as Inspirational Historical Romances. I read one particularly inspiring story called 'The Sure Promise'. The sure promise was that God will right our fortunes and send us Prince Charming.
I think it might be time to turn Spider Solitaire back on!
Sunday, February 3, 2013
New week's resolution
Take Spider Solitaire off my phone and computer. It's not holidays anymore and Spider Solitaire is as much of a waste of time as normal Solitaire. Perhaps more.
First Sunday on church music
I played piano in church today for the first time since the 16th of December. I've missed it.
We practiced for a couple of hours yesterday morning. It was piano, violin, drums (for one song) and 4 vocalists and I think we sounded pretty good. We sang Come People Of The Risen King, How Great Thou Art, Ten Thousand Reasons and How Deep The Father's Love For Us. Cairns PC has some lovely singers - the harmonies were beautiful! I'm looking forward to where we can go from here.
What did you sing in church this morning?
We practiced for a couple of hours yesterday morning. It was piano, violin, drums (for one song) and 4 vocalists and I think we sounded pretty good. We sang Come People Of The Risen King, How Great Thou Art, Ten Thousand Reasons and How Deep The Father's Love For Us. Cairns PC has some lovely singers - the harmonies were beautiful! I'm looking forward to where we can go from here.
What did you sing in church this morning?
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Thanks for your prayers
The last couple of days have been much better for Joel.
On day one, Joel's teacher (who is great) told the boys in her class that she never wanted to see Joel by himself. They must all look after him. This was lovely of her, but Joel has found it torturous. It seems that the boys in his class are noobs - both online and in the classroom. And they like to play tiggy all lunch time, despite the 36 degree heat. Joel is non-sporty (read: lazy) and likes to talk about things like books and computer games and ideas. His classmates took their job of looking after Joel very seriously and haven't left him alone at all. For the first time ever, Joel has come to dread lunch times even wishing he could be on detention.
But by Thursday he had developed an escape strategy. When the kids all split up for gang up tiggy, Joel hides in the air conditioned library. No one thinks to look there, so he can sit happily through the whole break and think about his pet project - he's trying to work out a way to generate infinite electricity. A bonus is that a different kind of kid can be found in the library. There's a boy in the class next door who likes to read books about Science. A potential friend?
So things are looking up.
On day one, Joel's teacher (who is great) told the boys in her class that she never wanted to see Joel by himself. They must all look after him. This was lovely of her, but Joel has found it torturous. It seems that the boys in his class are noobs - both online and in the classroom. And they like to play tiggy all lunch time, despite the 36 degree heat. Joel is non-sporty (read: lazy) and likes to talk about things like books and computer games and ideas. His classmates took their job of looking after Joel very seriously and haven't left him alone at all. For the first time ever, Joel has come to dread lunch times even wishing he could be on detention.
But by Thursday he had developed an escape strategy. When the kids all split up for gang up tiggy, Joel hides in the air conditioned library. No one thinks to look there, so he can sit happily through the whole break and think about his pet project - he's trying to work out a way to generate infinite electricity. A bonus is that a different kind of kid can be found in the library. There's a boy in the class next door who likes to read books about Science. A potential friend?
So things are looking up.
Thursday, January 31, 2013
6 things about life in Cairns
1. We are spending heaps more time in the car then we have for the last few years. In Brisbane, work, school, church, gym and the shops were all in the one small suburb. It's a 3.5km drive to primary school, 6kms to the shops and 6.5km to church and high school. And these are all in different directions. But there isn't too much traffic so it's not too bad.
2. Andrew is driving to Townsville and back (8 hour return journey!) for a meeting tomorrow. Locals don't think this is ridiculous. It's just what you do.
3. In Cairns, grown up people do community things. A few teachers on staff at school are in the local orchestra. Many are in sports teams. The PE teacher coaches a couple of women's soccer teams. Being involved and doing stuff is normal.
4. It has been really hot since the rain stopped a week ago. 36-37 degrees. This is unusual for Cairns. (33 is normal.) In Brisbane, a week of very high temperatures would have been unbearable. Up here it is bearable, thanks to the wonders of air conditioning (all classrooms at school have ac and half our house also does) and pool which is 3/4 in the shade. We've developed a nice little ritual of sitting in the pool after school, talking about our days, and playing silent 'Marco Polo'. I don't enjoy long innings of Marco Polo so I've taken to reading to the kids while sitting on the steps in the pool. Tonight we also swam after dinner.
5. Micah and I started our cello and viola lessons this afternoon. Our new teacher is excellent (our old ones were too!)
6. Long time, older Cairnsites do speak differently. When crossing the road with the kids this morning I pushed the button. The crossing supervisor said, 'Ya should'a learned him ta do that, eh?' He meant that I should have taught Joel to push the button at the traffic lights. BTW Joel does know how to push the button. I was just standing closer at the time.
2. Andrew is driving to Townsville and back (8 hour return journey!) for a meeting tomorrow. Locals don't think this is ridiculous. It's just what you do.
3. In Cairns, grown up people do community things. A few teachers on staff at school are in the local orchestra. Many are in sports teams. The PE teacher coaches a couple of women's soccer teams. Being involved and doing stuff is normal.
4. It has been really hot since the rain stopped a week ago. 36-37 degrees. This is unusual for Cairns. (33 is normal.) In Brisbane, a week of very high temperatures would have been unbearable. Up here it is bearable, thanks to the wonders of air conditioning (all classrooms at school have ac and half our house also does) and pool which is 3/4 in the shade. We've developed a nice little ritual of sitting in the pool after school, talking about our days, and playing silent 'Marco Polo'. I don't enjoy long innings of Marco Polo so I've taken to reading to the kids while sitting on the steps in the pool. Tonight we also swam after dinner.
5. Micah and I started our cello and viola lessons this afternoon. Our new teacher is excellent (our old ones were too!)
6. Long time, older Cairnsites do speak differently. When crossing the road with the kids this morning I pushed the button. The crossing supervisor said, 'Ya should'a learned him ta do that, eh?' He meant that I should have taught Joel to push the button at the traffic lights. BTW Joel does know how to push the button. I was just standing closer at the time.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
School
It's started. It's been exciting for one (high school!), boring for one and traumatic for one.
One of our children is grieving all he has lost. There continues to be much sadness. He holds it together in school but then we'll be doing something and I'll look up to find him in tears. I'll be giving a bedtime cuddle and notice that my shoulder is wet. At dinner time I'll suddenly realise that one is crying.
People say that children are adaptable and quickly get used to any change.
I think this is rubbish.
Children are as variable as adults. A child who has lost something precious and realises it will grieve. And so he should.
But it's exhausting. I'm spending hours each day comforting, counselling and cuddling.
Yeah, I've started work too. I've taught the same lesson 12 times in the last 2 days (But it was a good lesson. Was = past tense.)) From next week I'll do two lessons - one repeated 6 times and one 12 times.
I miss my old job too.
One of our children is grieving all he has lost. There continues to be much sadness. He holds it together in school but then we'll be doing something and I'll look up to find him in tears. I'll be giving a bedtime cuddle and notice that my shoulder is wet. At dinner time I'll suddenly realise that one is crying.
People say that children are adaptable and quickly get used to any change.
I think this is rubbish.
Children are as variable as adults. A child who has lost something precious and realises it will grieve. And so he should.
But it's exhausting. I'm spending hours each day comforting, counselling and cuddling.
Yeah, I've started work too. I've taught the same lesson 12 times in the last 2 days (But it was a good lesson. Was = past tense.)) From next week I'll do two lessons - one repeated 6 times and one 12 times.
I miss my old job too.
Friday, January 25, 2013
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Work
Two pupil free days down, one to go.
I hated work yesterday. It struck me at about 9.30am that this wasn't my old job. At my old school I had carved out a place for myself. I was liked and respected and given a very good amount of freedom to do whatever I wanted to do.
Here it is different. No one knows me. I am a fractional non-contact time provider. The bottom of the heap (as was pointed out to me!)
So I spent yesterday mourning what I've lost.
It started to get better when I found out that I don't have to teach PE. I'm teaching music to preps and year ones. The lower end of the school is not my favourite, but I think I can pull it off and get into the zone and have fun. I'll see the preps twice each week which will be nice.
Today was much better. The familiarity helped a lot and I spent a couple of hours with the other music teacher choosing choir repertoire. I'll be her accompanist. We're going to do some songs I did last year.
Tomorrow I'm taking in 60 ukes that I've just finished tuning up. At 8.30am I'm teaching the teachers to play....
Okay everyone, this is the ukelele's neck. The neck goes out to the left. No... the other left...
I hated work yesterday. It struck me at about 9.30am that this wasn't my old job. At my old school I had carved out a place for myself. I was liked and respected and given a very good amount of freedom to do whatever I wanted to do.
Here it is different. No one knows me. I am a fractional non-contact time provider. The bottom of the heap (as was pointed out to me!)
So I spent yesterday mourning what I've lost.
It started to get better when I found out that I don't have to teach PE. I'm teaching music to preps and year ones. The lower end of the school is not my favourite, but I think I can pull it off and get into the zone and have fun. I'll see the preps twice each week which will be nice.
Today was much better. The familiarity helped a lot and I spent a couple of hours with the other music teacher choosing choir repertoire. I'll be her accompanist. We're going to do some songs I did last year.
Tomorrow I'm taking in 60 ukes that I've just finished tuning up. At 8.30am I'm teaching the teachers to play....
Okay everyone, this is the ukelele's neck. The neck goes out to the left. No... the other left...
Music meeting - 'nothing' songs and 'something' songs
I just had 12 people over for a church music meeting. It was the first official church thing I've done and it was lots of fun.
We sang songs, shared our best experiences of congregational singing, talked through Colossians 3:16 (the kinds of things I wrote about in this post), then got on to specifics about song choice etc.
My current thinking is that songs should be:
Clear - what point is there if no one can understand what it's about?
True - look for subtleties. A slightly wrong picture of God is a big deal in a song that is stuck in your head.
Worthwhile - is this song worth giving 8% of our weekly time together to? If not, scrap it.
Memorable - we want what we sing to minister to people during the week. If they won't remember it, what's the point? and
Moving - This one is more subjective, but singing is an emotional thing. If a song doesn't do anything to you, why would you bother with it?
I'm on a rampage against 'nothing' songs. A 'nothing' song is one that has no impact, that does nothing, that is immediately forgotten - if it was ever noticed in the first place. Nothing songs have no place in our churches. Death to them all.
The challenge is to choose a good set (maybe 25 for a semester) of 'something' songs, and present them as 'something' songs. (It's easy to make a 'something' song into a 'nothing' song through poor preparation.) In the way we lead we are to help the congregation understand the meaning of the song, feel its weight, remember it's truth and live it so that Jesus will be glorified.
We sang songs, shared our best experiences of congregational singing, talked through Colossians 3:16 (the kinds of things I wrote about in this post), then got on to specifics about song choice etc.
My current thinking is that songs should be:
Clear - what point is there if no one can understand what it's about?
True - look for subtleties. A slightly wrong picture of God is a big deal in a song that is stuck in your head.
Worthwhile - is this song worth giving 8% of our weekly time together to? If not, scrap it.
Memorable - we want what we sing to minister to people during the week. If they won't remember it, what's the point? and
Moving - This one is more subjective, but singing is an emotional thing. If a song doesn't do anything to you, why would you bother with it?
I'm on a rampage against 'nothing' songs. A 'nothing' song is one that has no impact, that does nothing, that is immediately forgotten - if it was ever noticed in the first place. Nothing songs have no place in our churches. Death to them all.
The challenge is to choose a good set (maybe 25 for a semester) of 'something' songs, and present them as 'something' songs. (It's easy to make a 'something' song into a 'nothing' song through poor preparation.) In the way we lead we are to help the congregation understand the meaning of the song, feel its weight, remember it's truth and live it so that Jesus will be glorified.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Bible Singing Groups for 2013?
Bible study groups are a central part of most gospel loving churches these days. They are a great way to increase our knowledge and understanding of the Word, and they give everyone a chance to speak the gospel to one another. But reading Colossians 3:16 has made me wonder if bible singing groups are what we really need.
Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. (Col 3:16 NASB)
The aim is for the word of Christ to dwell richly within us. Richly. Not superficially. And it is to dwell, live, within us. The word should be in our ears and in our minds and in our hearts and in our hands and on our lips. We should walk it, speak it, do it, feel it. It should be treasured by each of us individually, but also passed around between us. Given as a gift. And received. The Word is the glue which binds us together. It's our family heirloom. Our best possession.
So how do we do that? How do we have the Word of Christ dwell richly within us?
We do it by teaching and admonishing one another.
The Word becomes our community curriculum and hospital. It's what we are taught from our earliest hour. It's what we are reminded of at our end. It's the thermometer to assess our health. And if it turns out that we're lacking, the Word is the balm that we apply.
But what does that look like in practice? How do we teach the word to one another? How do we administer the medicine of the word to admonish our brothers and sisters?
Easy. We sing.
The word of Christ is to dwell richly within us. We teach it to one another and admonish each other by singing the Word. Psalm, hymns and spiritual songs.
Bible study groups are good and worthwhile, but bible singing groups are what Paul recommends in this verse.
And it makes sense. The songs that we sing (if they are any good!) stick with us. We find ourselves humming them. Meditating on the words. Thinking them through. In song, the Word becomes part of us in a way that questions and answers in a bible study never will.
In song, the Word of Christ dwells in us richly. We give thanks, we teach one another, we rebuke the wayward, we calm the anxious, we encourage the despairing. In song, the Word passes from my sister's lips to my ears. I feel it in my heart. My hands are equipped for acts of service. My mind is turned towards my Lord.
So. Who is up for it? Bible study groups are great, but perhaps we should sing for a change. What do you think?
Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. (Col 3:16 NASB)
The aim is for the word of Christ to dwell richly within us. Richly. Not superficially. And it is to dwell, live, within us. The word should be in our ears and in our minds and in our hearts and in our hands and on our lips. We should walk it, speak it, do it, feel it. It should be treasured by each of us individually, but also passed around between us. Given as a gift. And received. The Word is the glue which binds us together. It's our family heirloom. Our best possession.
So how do we do that? How do we have the Word of Christ dwell richly within us?
We do it by teaching and admonishing one another.
The Word becomes our community curriculum and hospital. It's what we are taught from our earliest hour. It's what we are reminded of at our end. It's the thermometer to assess our health. And if it turns out that we're lacking, the Word is the balm that we apply.
But what does that look like in practice? How do we teach the word to one another? How do we administer the medicine of the word to admonish our brothers and sisters?
Easy. We sing.
The word of Christ is to dwell richly within us. We teach it to one another and admonish each other by singing the Word. Psalm, hymns and spiritual songs.
Bible study groups are good and worthwhile, but bible singing groups are what Paul recommends in this verse.
And it makes sense. The songs that we sing (if they are any good!) stick with us. We find ourselves humming them. Meditating on the words. Thinking them through. In song, the Word becomes part of us in a way that questions and answers in a bible study never will.
In song, the Word of Christ dwells in us richly. We give thanks, we teach one another, we rebuke the wayward, we calm the anxious, we encourage the despairing. In song, the Word passes from my sister's lips to my ears. I feel it in my heart. My hands are equipped for acts of service. My mind is turned towards my Lord.
So. Who is up for it? Bible study groups are great, but perhaps we should sing for a change. What do you think?
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