Fire is one of the banes of this country. The nature of our landscape and weather patterns provides an ogoing banquet of fuel for this red marauding beast. Nevertheless, we live with it and many, over time, have died with it. It has ever been in the background of my awareness. As a kid IContinue reading “Bushfires”
Category Archives: Personal
Missional? Weasel word no longer?
Those who know me well are familiar with my curmudgeonally skepticism about the new fangled “missional” word (what’s wrong with “mission”?). I was rather taken, however, with the vision conjured by this “Missional Tale” and may find myself relenting – only slightly!
Movie Review: “Seven Pounds”
Well, I’d like to review this movie but it’s hard without putting in a spoiler. Suffice it to say that it deals with themes of guilt and atonement and one has to stay with the confused plot line for almost 2 hours before all the pieces fall into place.
Gaza
The conflict between Israel and Hamas and the terrible suffering in the overcrowded territory of Gaza is very much on our minds. As Trish and the Nazareth Work Party continue their voluntary maintenance work at Nazareth Hospital, we are aware of the terrible conditions with which the hospitals of Gaza are contending just a fewContinue reading “Gaza”
Christian fantasy – legitimate endeavour?
This is not actually another book review – but a reflection provoked by Beckwood Brae, the first of a series by new Australia author, David H. Webb (High Way, 2008). David and I had contact through mutual interests on LibraryThing (you can see my and others’ reviews there) and I learned that his passion is to assistContinue reading “Christian fantasy – legitimate endeavour?”
Some books I’ve been reading…
Here’s two I’ve managed to complete in the Christmas New Year lull… The other Side of the Bridge by Mary Lawson (Chatto & Windus, London, 2006) The tragic outcomes of sibling rivalry span two generations in a remote Canadian farming community – not too remote to be unaffected by unfolding world events such as theContinue reading “Some books I’ve been reading…”
Trish travels to Nazareth in the name of peace
Trish supervising in our church kitchen News from the Middle East is not all that good right now as Hamas and Israel hammer at each other again. But we’re in the business of celebrating small candles that light the way in the darkness. Nazareth Hospital is one such candle – a Christian place of healingContinue reading “Trish travels to Nazareth in the name of peace”
The colossal carbon trading rip-off
Been quietly seething about the damp squib of a carbon trading scheme offered by our PM this week – 5% reduction by 2020 is a flea-kick. Then there’s a transparently deceptive attempt to get us all to put our shoulder behind the wheel to reduce it further. Scott Vawser spells it out here. *sigh* –Continue reading “The colossal carbon trading rip-off”
Christmas breaks in…
… see what I mean? There’s kind of a Mexican stand-off between Advent and Christmas observance. We had our annual community Christmas party last night – barbecue followed by games and carol-singing. I used the epilogue to tell a story about “the angel in a gum tree”, sneaking in a flog for the ChristmasContinue reading “Christmas breaks in…”
‘Tis the Season to be Fasting…
… fa lalala la, lala la la! I usually feel like King Canute at this time of the year – raising my arms, seeking to hold back the relentless tide of Christmas festivities washing tsunami like over the beaches of Advent – the “little Lent” – the season of preparation, reflection and fasting. MyContinue reading “‘Tis the Season to be Fasting…”
Wondering Pilgrim 